Northern District of Texas
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Man Who Sexually Abused Friend’s Four-Year-Old Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
An Abilene man who sexually abused his friend’s four-year-old son was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Victor Van Taylor, 31, was charged via criminal complaint in June 2024 and indicted the following month. He pleaded guilty in September 2024 to production of child pornography and was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix to 25 years in federal prison. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to plea papers, in June 2024, law enforcement identified a 26-second video of an adult man sexually abusing a four-year-old child on the darkweb. The man was later identified as Mr. Taylor.
While executing a search warrant at his home, officers showed Mr. Taylor a screengrab of the video and asked if he produced it. Mr. Taylor lowered his head and admitted that he had produced the video and posted it online in exchange for other child sexual abuse material.
Law enforcement identified the victim as the son of Mr. Taylor’s friend. The child’s mother told officers the assault likely happened while Mr. Taylor was babysitting.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas – Abilene Division prosecuted the case.
Dallas Police Officer Charged with Selling Stolen Duty WeaponsRead the Press Release
A police sergeant who sold stolen service weapons has been indicted on federal gun charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Thomas Michael Fry, 52, was indicted Wednesday with three counts of possession and sale of a stolen firearm.
“Police officers have a sacred duty to uphold the rule of law. Instead, this sergeant betrayed his department – and his community – by allegedly pawning stolen firearms,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not hesitate to pursue charges against law enforcement officers who fail to live up to their oaths.”
According to the indictment, at least three 9mm Sig Sauer pistols were stolen from a Dallas Police Department substation.
Sgt. Fry, a Dallas Police Officer, then allegedly pawned the firearms through a pawn shop in Oklahoma.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Sgt. Fry is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted of the federal charges, he faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
Sgt. Fry has also been charged by the state with three counts of theft of a firearm.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua D. Detzky and Marty Basu are prosecuting the case.
24-Year-Old Sentenced to 21+ Years for Soliciting Sexual Photos from 8-Year-OldRead the Press Release
A 24-year-old who solicited sexually explicit photos from an eight-year-old online was sentenced to more than 21 years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Geovanny Davila Cisneros, of Las Vegas, was indicted in January 2024 and pleaded guilty in April 2024 to enticement of a child. He was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor to 262 months in federal prison followed by 25 years of supervised release. The defendant will also have to register as a sex offender.
According to plea papers, Mr. Cisneros admitted he used text messaging and social media to communicate with an 8-year-old girl. He told her she had a nice body and asked her to send him sexually explicit photos.
The U.S. Secret Service’s Dallas Field Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Special Investigations Unit conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Secret Service’s Las Vegas Field Office and the Las Vegas Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem prosecuted the case.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Gate Agent at DFW AirportRead the Press Release
A Florida man who assaulted a gate agent at DFW Airport pleaded guilty to interfering with security personnel, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Keith Charles Owens, 53, was charged via criminal complaint in November 2024. He pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging interference with security screening personnel before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey L. Cureton on Wednesday.
In plea papers, Mr. Owens admitted that he assaulted an American Airlines gate agent at DFW Airport on Oct. 5, 2024. Security footage showed Mr. Owens repeatedly punched the gate agent in the head.
According to court documents, around 4:42 p.m., Mr. Owens approached the gate agent at gate A36, explained he was late, and attempted to scan his boarding pass. When the gate agent informed him he was at the wrong gate, Mr. Owens cursed and walked away. The agent then radioed the correct gate, A35, to inform airline personnel that Mr. Owens was headed their way and appeared to be intoxicated.
Mr. Owens then walked onto the A35 jet bridge without scanning his boarding pass. Airline personnel removed him from the jet bridge.
A few moments later, at 4:48 p.m., Mr. Owens again approached gate A36. He began yelling at the gate agent, grabbed him by the shoulders, and punched him repeatedly in the face and neck. Eventually, airline personnel were able to restrain him.
Both the gate agent and the personnel who assisted in restraining Mr. Owens sustained minor injuries. The flight departing from gate A36 was delayed.
Mr. Owens now faces up to 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing has been set for May 2, 2025.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation with the DFW Airport Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Beck is prosecuting the case.
Man Who Sexually Assaulted Teen Girl Sentenced to 20 Years for KidnappingRead the Press Release
A 46-year-old man who raped a 14-year-old on video while his friend filmed the assault was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Lukumond Adebola Olatunji, 46, and his coconspirator, Vincent Jerome Thompson, 42, were indicted in January 2022. Mr. Thompson pleaded guilty in June 2024 to production of child pornography and aiding and abetting; two months later, Mr. Olatunji pleaded guilty to kidnapping a minor.
Mr. Olatunji was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to 240 months in federal prison, and ordered to register as a sex offender. Mr. Thompson received the same sentence in October.
According to plea papers, the men admit that on Oct. 23, 2021, they approached a 14-year-old girl and offered her a ride home. They then drove to an alleyway where Mr. Olatunji sexually assaulted her in the backseat of the car. Mr. Thompson recorded the assault on his cell phone, providing commentary as the assault progressed.
On the video, the child can be heard saying, “I don’t want to do it no more,” and “can we go?”
The pair then took the child to a nearby motel, where both men continued to sexually assault her. After approximately five hours inside the motel room, the child ran out of the room carrying her backpack and shoes. Police responded and searched the motel room, where they found condom wrappers and drug paraphernalia.
In interviews with law enforcement, both men admitted to engaging in sexual intercourse with the child. Mr. Olatunji admitted that the child repeatedly told them that she did not want to have sex anymore.
Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle A. Winters, Jenna Rudoff (fmr.), and Joe Magliolo (fmr.) are prosecuting the case.
After Takedown, Opioid Overdose Rates Fall in AbileneRead the Press Release
Opioid overdose rates in Abilene fell precipitously following a large-scale takedown of fentanyl traffickers, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
According to Abilene Police Department data collected by OD MAP, from January 1, 2024 to September 11, 2024, Abilene suffered 41 overdoses, including nine that were fatal, for an average of 4.9 overdoses per month. Victims ranged in age from 13 to 72.
On September 11, a federal grand jury indicted 12 alleged fentanyl traffickers who were arrested the next week. All were detained pending trial.
Following that takedown, Abilene saw just three overdoses, none of them fatal, through the end of the year, for an average of 0.8 overdoses per month.
In addition, according to the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, the street price of fentanyl pills rose from roughly $8 per pill to between $20 and $30 per pill, making fentanyl less accessible to at-risk users.
“This is precisely why the U.S. Attorney’s Office does the work it does – and why I am proud to have led the Northern District of Texas for the past two years,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “To see our fentanyl prosecutions having tangible impacts on the lives of the people of Abilene is immensely gratifying. I want to laud the hard work of our local law enforcement partners, especially the Abilene Police Department and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, for helping to make this happen.”
To date, 10 of the 12 defendants indicted on Sept. 11 have entered guilty pleas and await sentencing. The other two await trial and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Agencies involved in the fight against fentanyl in the region include the Abilene Police Department, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – all members of North Texas HIDTA and the OCEDTF Program. The Fort Worth Branch of the United States’s Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threat the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Mansfield Woman Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for $8.5 Million PPP FraudRead the Press Release
A Mansfield businesswoman was sentenced today to more than 7 years in federal prison in connection with a fraudulent scheme to obtain approximately $8.5 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Tamara Starks, 42, of Mansfield, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to wire fraud. She was sentenced Thursday to 86 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, who also ordered her to pay $4,476,523.73 in restitution.
According to court documents, from approximately May 2020 to May 2021, Ms. Starks devised a scheme to defraud the PPP program through materially false pretenses. As part of the scheme, Ms. Starks created and submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications that included false payroll information and tax documentation for companies owned by her and her husband. She also obtained PPP loans for other individuals.
In total, Ms. Starks, and others working with her, submitted more than 100 PPP loan applications totaling approximately $8.5 million and received $4.5 million in PPP loan funds.
Once the loans were funded, Ms. Starks directed loan recipients to set up fraudulent payrolls through third-party vendors to make the PPP funds appear as though they were being used for legitimate purposes. In many cases, Ms. Starks received money back from their “employees” and used the PPP funds for personal expenses and purchases. Once the loan proceeds were distributed, the loan recipients paid Starks a portion of the loan proceeds as a “fee” for obtaining the loan.
The Dallas Field Offices of FDIC-OIG, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and SSA-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dimitri Rocha and Nashonme Johnson (fmr.) prosecuted the case.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who suffered the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. Anyone with general 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.
Six Charged Federally in Glock Switch TakedownRead the Press Release
Six federal defendants involved in the sale of switches via social media were arrested in a joint takedown by ATF Dallas and the Irving Police Department on Thursday, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Marnelius Burks, 20, Marco Cabrales, 22, Royce Weaver, 21, were charged in one indictment with possession and transfer of a machinegun, aiding and abetting the possession and transfer of a machinegun, and conspiracy to possess and transfer a machinegun. Damien Sereseroz, 21, and Gracie Valadez, 20, were charged in a separate indictment with aiding and abetting the possession and transfer of a machine gun. Anthony Joel Cantu, 18, was charged via criminal complaint with possession of a machinegun.
The defendants made their initial appearances in federal court on Monday.
“Six months ago, we pledged to deploy the full force of the federal government against those who traffic in machinegun conversion devices. With the help of our law enforcement partners, we’ve done just that,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “In the hands of a criminal, these illegal devices exponentially increase a firearm’s lethality. We will not allow them to overtake our streets.”
“Unfortunately for the bad guys, the good guys work together. It may not always look that way in Hollywood, but fortunately for our citizens, we work better together than any criminal organization out there. We promised an all-out blitz on machine gun conversion devices last year, and this case shows that our team has all the momentum. I would like to thank the Irving Police Department, specifically their ultra talented detective team, and all our law enforcement partners for this collective win for the people of the DFW metroplex” stated ATF Dallas Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.
“I want to commend the collaborative effort between the Irving Police Department and ATF Dallas in addressing the serious issue of illegal firearm modifications. Our commitment to public safety remains unwavering, and we will continue to work diligently to prevent the proliferation of dangerous weapons in our community.”
According to court documents, Mr. Burks and Mr. Weaver allegedly ordered switches from China off the internet and had them shipped to North Texas. Mr. Cabrales allegedly advertised the switches on social media and sold them to an undercover.
Mr. Cantu also allegedly advertised the sale of switches, as well as drop-in sears, on social media. On Dec. 3, 2024, he allegedly met with an undercover officer to deliver one. When asked if the sear in question made rifles fire fully automatic, Mr. Cantu allegedly responded, “hell yeah, my boy,” and said he had one on his own AR-style pistol.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Burks, Mr. Cabrales, Mr. Weaver, Mr. Sereseroz, Ms. Valdez, and Mr. Cantu are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, they each face up to 10 years in federal prison.
Two juveniles arrested in the takedown are being charged by the state. They, too, are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division and Irving Police Department conducted the investigation with the help of Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marissa Aulbaugh and Eric B. Chen are prosecuting the cases.
Thursday’s takedown was part of “Operation Texas Kill Switch,” a statewide initiative taking aim at machinegun conversion devices, also known as “switches,” which transform commercially available semi-automatic firearms into fully-automatic weapons capable of firing faster than military-grade machine guns. Launched by U.S. Attorneys Leigha Simonton, Alamdar Hamdani, Damien Diggs, and Jaime Esparza in June 2024, Operation Texas Kill Switch relies on partnerships with state and local law enforcement as well as rewards offered by Crime Stoppers.
The arrests were also part of Irving Police Department’s “Operation Reel Switch,” targeting the illegal possession and distribution of machinegun conversion devices in the metroplex. A partnership between Irving Police, ATF Dallas and Homeland Security Investigations Dallas, Operation Reel Switch was launched in September 2024. To date, law enforcement involved in the operation have seized 38 machinegun conversion devices and several guns.
Twin Drug Traffickers Each Receive Life SentencesRead the Press Release
Just 12 months after an Amarillo methamphetamine trafficker received a life sentence, his twin brother was sentenced to life in prison for similar crimes, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Landis Charles Barrow, 46, was charged in February 2023. After a six-day trial, a jury convicted Mr. Barrow of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, three counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession of intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in August. Landis Barrow was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk.
His twin brother, Mandis Barrow, was convicted at a separate trial of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of distribution methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced in January by the same judge.
According to evidence presented at Landis’ trial, Landis sold, or facilitated the sale, of large quantities of methamphetamine to a confidential source on three occasions in late 2022.
During a February 2023 search of Landis’ residence, DEA agents discovered pound quantities of methamphetamine, two large baggies of cocaine, drug scales and paraphernalia, $7,000 in cash, a firearm, and a drug ledger with Landis’ name written in it. During a call made from the Randall County Detention Center, he admitted to being part of a criminal organization.
During his trial testimony, Landis admitted to distributing approximately 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) of controlled substances for a Mexican Cartel. Landis admitted to running a “crew” of individuals, and that he was a “gangster.” Landis admitted to carrying a firearm with him at all times.
Court documents and trial testimony reflect that Landis Barrow is a suspect in a murder investigation involving his alleged retaliation for the theft of a large quantity of drugs and money that occurred in November 2022 at second residence associated with him.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Kacsmaryk ruled that Landis had, in fact, made credible threats of violence to shoot or harm people he believed were involved in the robbery. Judge Kacsmaryk further found that Landis had perjured himself during his trial testimony.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division – Amarillo Resident Agency conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Potter County Sheriff’s Office, the Randall County Sheriff’s Office, the Amarillo Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Marie Bell and Sean Long prosecuted the case.
Bank CFO Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
A bank CFO who embezzled more than $800,000 from a small-town bank was sentenced Thursday to nearly three years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Vicki Lee Grisham, the 52-year-old former CEO of First State Bank of Abernathy, Texas, pleaded guilty in July to a felony information charging theft, embezzlement, or misapplication bank a bank officer. She was sentenced in Lubbock on Thursday to 33 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who ordered her to pay $800,755.63 in restitution to the bank’s insurer and to serve five years of supervised release after competing her sentence.
According to court documents, Ms. Grisham was issued a credit card for purchasing business-related items for the bank and was responsible for paying invoices for that credit card.
In March 2023, the bank discovered that she systematically used the credit card for all manner of items and services unrelated to bank business, including vacations, restaurant meals, clothing, college tuition, and even her own personal income taxes. She did not reimburse the bank for any unauthorized charges.
On the day bank management confronted her, Ms. Grisham signed a document admitting she made unauthorized charges for the benefit of herself and her family.
Under the terms of her plea agreement, Ms. Grisham will also be required to consent to an FDIC Order of Prohibition from Further Participation barring any future employment for and participation with any FDIC-insured financial institution.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Howey prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton to Leave Justice DepartmentRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Leigha Simonton will resign from the Department of Justice effective Jan. 19, the office announced today.
“I began my career in this office as a summer intern after my first year of law school,” said Ms. Simonton. “It was love at first sight. Every day after that internship, I was figuring out how to become an Assistant U.S. Attorney here. I got that chance when I was nine months pregnant with my first child—a baby who is now 20 years old. I am so proud to have served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for almost eighteen years and then to have been chosen to lead this district—comprised of 100 counties and over 8 million people—as the United States Attorney. I cannot put into words what this experience has meant to me, and I leave with two decades of incredible memories. There is nothing more important than the work of our outstanding women and men in this office and in North Texas law enforcement, and I will be forever grateful to have been a part of it.”
Nominated by President Joseph R. Biden on Nov. 14, 2022 and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Dec. 6, 2022, Ms. Simonton was sworn in as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas on Dec. 10, 2022. (Download a high-res version of her headshot here.)
Under her leadership, the district has fought relentlessly for justice, trying its highest number of cases in over a decade. Ms. Simonton actively supervised several high-profile jury trials, from Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz, the anesthesiologist convicted of injecting heart-stopping drugs into patient IV bags, to Christopher Kirchner, the Slync founder found guilty of defrauding investors out of more than $25 million, to Holly Elkins, the woman convicted of helping her fiancé cyberstalk and ultimately murder his former girlfriend and mother of his child. She also oversaw the charging of a Russian national for using the BitPaymer ransomware variant to attack numerous victims throughout the United States and the sentencing of a Ukrainian national for demanding over $700 million in ransom payments using the REvil ransomware variant. Other notable cases included charges against 14 individuals in the largest case investigated by the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Fraud Task Force to date for allegedly bilking the Paycheck Protection Program and numerous financial institutions out of more than $53 million, charges against a Texas Christian University divinity professor for possessing child pornography, the sentencing of a retired Cook Children’s Hospital Chaplain for producing child pornography, the sentencing of a would-be bomber who idolized the Columbine High school shooters, and the sentencing of another man who set off a bomb in his backyard and plotted to blow up a high school.
During her tenure, Ms. Simonton also oversaw the prosecution of 11 drug traffickers charged in the wake of the juvenile fentanyl overdose scandal, which claimed the lives of four Carrollton-area middle and high schoolers and injured 10 more. In the wake of these tragedies, Ms. Simonton launched the “Protect Our Children Project,” aimed at bringing federal resources to bear on issues affecting schools, including fentanyl use. She hosted a series of webinars for hundreds of North Texas school administrators that covered the dangers of fentanyl, how to respond to an overdose, and how to discourage teens from using the drug. She also visited several area colleges to share the dangers of fentanyl with young adults. And, last summer, along with the other Texas U.S. Attorneys, she met in Austin with the heads of all Texas regional education service centers to provide important information and resources on fentanyl that they could use in Texas public schools.
Ms. Simonton also focused on curbing violent crime in North Texas, and the violent crime rate fell in major North Texas cities during that time. She prioritized prosecution of violent recidivists and launched Operation Take Aim in the summer of 2023 to further target such offenders. And she partnered with the other Texas U.S. Attorneys and the ATF in the summer of 2024 to launch “Operation Texas Kill Switch,” a statewide initiative to combat the illegal use of machine gun conversion devices, also known as "switches.” The operation, which included a partnership with CrimeStoppers, raised public awareness of the dangers of switches, generated multiple tips, and resulted in numerous ongoing prosecutions.
The Civil and Appellate Divisions also thrived under Ms. Simonton’s stewardship. Ms. Simonton oversaw the creation and implementation of the district’s new Voluntary Self-Disclosure policy, incentivizing companies to quickly detect, disclose, and remediate suspected misconduct, and negotiated settlements in several self-disclosure cases. For instance, the Civil Division negotiated a $14.2 million settlement with Horizon Medical Center of Denton for potential violations of Medicare regulations and the physician self-referral law and an $18.4 million settlement with Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC (CNS) after CNS self-disclosed that it submitted false claims for payment to the National Nuclear Security Administration related to the Pantex Plant—the nation’s primary facility for the assembly, disassembly, and retrofitting of nuclear weapons. Further, the Civil Division negotiated a $4.5 million settlement with a 3D printing company that allegedly transmitted technical data to China in violation of export control laws and obtained $1.2 million in judgments against two doctors who prescribed hydrocodone to drug-seekers without legitimate medical purpose.
Meanwhile, under her leadership, the Appellate Division persuaded the Fifth Circuit to affirm the life sentence of a Michigan man who stalked, transported, and sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl, convinced the Fifth Circuit that a retrial in the Ruel Hamilton real estate bribery case would not violate double jeopardy, and successfully defended against 19 issues on appeal arising from the Forest Park Medical Center kickback case. The Appellate Division also successfully defended the conviction of four UDF executives who misled investors and the SEC about their investment fund’s performance; the Fifth Circuit upheld the conviction, citing the government’s “avalanche of evidence” proving its case, and the Supreme Court later denied cert, allowing the Fifth Circuit decision to stand.
Ms. Simonton also oversaw the progress of the U.S. v. Rahimi case—charged in the Northern District of Texas—through the Fifth Circuit to the U.S. Supreme Court. She supported the Solicitor General’s efforts seeking certiorari of the Fifth Circuit’s decision invalidating Rahimi’s conviction for using a firearm while under a domestic violence protection order. After the Supreme Court granted cert, she attended the oral argument as a guest of the Solicitor General, and the Supreme Court later decided 8-1 that Rahimi’s statute of conviction was constitutional under the Second Amendment. The Rahimi case originated from the Northern District of Texas’s Domestic Violence Initiative, which targets domestic abusers for federal prosecution and resulted, during Ms. Simonton’s tenure, in cases such as the sentencing of a San Diego man to life in prison for traveling to Texas and killing his boyfriend, and the sentencing of a felon domestic abuser to 10 years in prison for violating his supervised release by attacking his partner. As U.S. Attorney, Ms. Simonton has been an outspoken advocate for domestic violence awareness, partnering with regional and national domestic violence organizations, holding press conferences with the other Texas U.S. Attorneys to honor Texas domestic violence victims, and sharing resources with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices so they can create their own domestic abuser prosecution programs.
Throughout her time in office, Ms. Simonton and her staff actively supported other especially vulnerable communities, including religious communities. She held hate-crime seminars for Jewish and Muslim community leaders and oversaw hate-crimes prosecutions that resulted in the sentencing of a Dallas man to 37 years after he shot five individuals, killing one, at a tire shop because it was a Muslim-owned business, and the sentencing of an Amarillo man for threatening to execute three Jewish rabbis.
Ms. Simonton further attempted to stem the tide of defendants who make their way into the federal system, revitalizing and expanding the district’s Project Safe Neighborhood Re-Entry Night program, which educates individuals on state parole and probation about avoiding behaviors, like drug trafficking and gun possession, that could end up in federal prosecution, and connects them with community resources—like therapy, addiction, and job placement programs—to live productive lives. During her tenure, thousands of such individuals across the district attended these programs, and the vast majority have not reoffended. Further, Ms. Simonton and her staff created events to foster positive relationships between residents of high-crime communities and the law enforcement officers who serve them, such as adopting neighborhood schools, holding book fairs staffed by U.S. Attorney’s Office personnel and law enforcement officers, and having officers read books to preschoolers via the office’s “Pre-K Reading Program.”
After a brief hiatus, Ms. Simonton anticipates likely reentering private practice, and she plans to continue to advocate for domestic-violence victims and to protect children and young adults from the harms of fentanyl and other threats to their health and safety. An Acting U.S. Attorney will be announced at a later date.
Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 17 Years After Pill Killed 18-Year-OldRead the Press Release
A drug trafficker who sold fentanyl to an 18-year-old girl who died of an overdose was sentenced this week to 17 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Ladraelyn Bolar, 34, was charged via criminal complaint in April and pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced Tuesday by senior U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means.
According to plea papers, Mr. Bolar admitted he conspired with others to distribute fentanyl. He acknowledged he sold blue M-30 pills containing fentanyl to an undercover ATF agent on March 25, 2024.
A confidential informant introduced the agent to Mr. Bolar and accompanied him to a parking lot in Fort Worth, where Mr. Bolar sold the undercover agent 100 M-30 fentanyl pills for $250, or $2.50 per pill. Later in the day, Mr. Bolar offered the undercover agent a “k-pack” of 1,000 fentanyl pills; the agent then bought 900 more fentanyl pills for $1,400, or approximately $1.55 per pill.
According to the evidence in the case, just five days prior, the friend of a woman who died from a fentanyl overdose told officers that she and the victim had purchased the offending pills from Mr. Bolar.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division and the Fort Worth Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas prosecuted the case with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Smith.
Irving Man Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy Fraud After Filing 10 TimesRead the Press Release
An Irving man who filed 10 bankruptcies in 12 years in an effort to stave off foreclosure pleaded guilty Tuesday to bankruptcy fraud, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Michael Shaub, 62, was charged via felony information and pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of bankruptcy fraud.
According to court documents, Mr. Shaub and his spouse purchased a house in Irving, Texas, incurring a mortgage loan secured by their ownership interest in the property.
In January 2012, he filed a Chapter 13 voluntary bankruptcy petition, which was dismissed without prejudice for failing to timely pay the Bankruptcy Trustee as specified in the Debtor’s Plan.
Over the ensuing seven years, he filed five additional bankruptcy petitions, the last of which was dismissed with prejudice, barring him from filing any more bankruptcies for two years, through May 2021.
Less than five months after the dismissal, however, Mr. Shaub filed a seventh bankruptcy petition under his wife’s name without her knowledge or consent. The fraudulent petition – which Mr. Shaub admitted was intended to circumvent the court order prohibiting him from filing bankruptcies for two years – was dismissed without prejudice in October 2019.Roughly two months after that dismissal, Mr. Shaub filed an eighth bankruptcy petition in contravention of the order barring him from filing through May 2021. In that petition, in response to a question asking whether he had filed any bankruptcies within the last eight years, Mr. Shaub listed only one of his bankruptcies and not the bankruptcy that resulted in the order barring him from filing.
In February 2020, a month after the eighth petition was filed, the Bankruptcy Court dismissed it with prejudice and barred Mr. Shaub from filing any more bankruptcies for a period of five years, through February 2025.
Roughly two years after that dismissal, Mr. Shaub filed a ninth bankruptcy, which was also dismissed with prejudice. This time, the Court barred Mr. Shaub from filing any bankruptcies for a period of ten years, through June 2032.
And yet just 14 months later, in August 2023, Mr. Shaub filed his tenth bankruptcy petition, which was dismissed with prejudice the same day.
Mr. Shaub now faces up to five years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marty Basu is prosecuting the case.
Babysitter Sentenced to 60 Years for Filming Assaults on Young ChargesRead the Press Release
An Arlington babysitter who sexually exploited more than a dozen young clients has been sentenced to 60 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Kaleb Layne Nix, 26, was indicted in July. He pleaded guilty in August to two counts of sexual exploitation of children and was sentenced Thursday to 720 months in federal prison (360 months on count two and 360 months on count five, to run consecutively) by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman. The judge also ruled that Mr. Nix’s sentence would run consecutive to any sentence handed down in the state’s pending sexual abuse and child pornography cases against him.
According to court documents, the investigations began with a cybertip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) about an internet user who uploaded files containing sexually explicit images of children.
Agents identified the user as Mr. Nix and executed a search warrant on his phone, where they found multiple videos and images of Mr. Nix sexually exploiting at least 15 boys and girls between the ages of three and seven. A parent told investigators that his family used an online childcare service to schedule babysitters, and provided Mr. Nix’s profile photo.
Homeland Security investigations, the Arlington Police Department, and the Denton Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney Simonton Statement on Methamphetamine SentencingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Leigha Simonton today released the following statement in response to The Dallas Morning News' December 2024 methamphetamine series:
Federal judges, prosecutors, and agents work each day to do justice, which includes protecting our North Texas communities from defendants who seek to spread methamphetamine throughout our region. As they tackle headline-grabbing drugs like fentanyl, methamphetamine – a drug disproportionally trafficked by armed white supremacist gang and cartel members – continues to wreck lives. Research shows the methamphetamine mortality rate has increased 50-fold over the past decade as more traffickers mix meth with other drugs, and that Texas has the second-highest number of meth users in the United States. North Texas in particular has a plethora of interstate highways running north-to-south and east-to-west, and for decades we have seen meth and other deadly substances come to and through our cities at an alarming rate not seen in most of the rest of America.
Understanding the toll of methamphetamine, federal officials work doggedly to hold traffickers accountable, exhibiting leniency where appropriate. But importantly, each case – and each defendant – is different. The high sentences specifically cited by The News were impacted by various circumstances not mentioned in the articles: At least one defendant outright admitted to membership in the white supremacist gang Aryan Circle, while others worked with Mexican drug cartels like Los Zetas and others. Several lied on the stand, not only about their involvement in methamphetamine trafficking, but about where certain cash came from, the purpose of certain drug paraphernalia, their general knowledge of the drug, and even conversations they’d had with attorneys. One defendant even placed online advertisements for “ice skating,” common parlance for traffickers exchanging meth for sex during drug binges.
Calculating average methamphetamine sentences in North Texas, comparing them to meth sentences nationwide, exploring certain evidentiary standards, and even probing the fairness of the sentencing guidelines promulgated by the U.S. Sentencing Commission, are well within the bounds of objective journalism. But labeling federal judges and prosecutors “accomplices,” as if they are involved in something nefarious when in fact they are sincerely committed to justly applying the law and taking account of all the facts involved in a particular case, is misleading and offensive. While the press certainly retains the freedom to critique our system of justice, it remains the best system the world has ever known. That system, and our rights, crumble without the noble efforts of our federal Judges and Assistant United States Attorneys. I am proud to stand with them.
Twice Convicted Felon Sentenced to Four Years After Defrauding EmployerRead the Press Release
A convicted-felon-turned-CFO who defrauded his company was sentenced today to more than four years in federal prison and ordered to pay over $1 million in restitution, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Jon Robert Rush, 56, of Keller, TX, pleaded guilty in April 2024 to wire fraud. He was sentenced Wednesday to 51 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr, who also ordered him to pay $1,062,459.49 in restitution to his victims.
Mr. Rush was employed first as the Vice President, and subsequently Chief Financial Officer, of a logistics and transportation company located in the DFW area. The company arranges for the transportation of freight and cargo for the military, defense contractors, disaster relief organizations, and others.
According to court documents, from 2016 to 2020, Mr. Rush misappropriated the company’s funds for his own benefit and misdirected funds to pay off his debt.
As part of the scheme, Mr. Rush transferred funds from the company’s bank accounts to bank accounts he owned or controlled, then he recorded these transfers in the company’s internal accounting software to conceal the fraud. Mr. Rush disguised the monetary transfers by using the names of vendors with whom company routinely did business.
At sentencing, the Court found that losses relevant to the offense extended beyond those just to Mr. Rush’s employer. The majority shareholders provided statements that they were faced with “almost insurmountable debt” to keep the company afloat, employee layoffs, and financial instability that resulted in the closing of one of the related companies.
Mr. Rush was previously convicted of conspiracy to commit counterfeit check fraud and wire fraud in 1994. At Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, the Court noted that his prior conviction was a factor in the decision to deny a downward variance.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dimitri Rocha prosecuted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Beverly Chapman is handling the restitution.
Two Defendants Sentenced to 15 Years in 15-Year-Old’s Fentanyl Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
The pair that supplied fentanyl pills to a 15-year-old Carrollton girl who fatally overdosed have been sentenced to a combined 15 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Lizbeth Prieto, 19, also known as Lizbeth Escamilla, and Cristian Lopez, 24, were charged via criminal complaint in June 2023 and indicted the following month. Ms. Prieto pleaded guilty in November 2023 to distribution of a controlled substance to a person under 21 and was sentenced in April 2024 to 84 months in federal prison. Mr. Lopez pleaded guilty in July 2024 to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced Monday to 96 months in federal prison.
“Fentanyl rips through communities and decimates families. And with so many traffickers wantonly pushing these pills, all of our teenagers are vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “I launched the Protect Our Children Project – aimed at using law enforcement resources to help schools prevent fentanyl overdoses and other tragedies – in honor of children like this victim, lost to drugs or guns in our schools. It is my fervent hope that we can drastically reduce fentanyl fatalities in North Texas. Removing traffickers from the streets is another step towards that goal.”
“Selling poison in the form of fentanyl to our youth is one of the most treacherous and evil ways to hurt our community,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division. “To all of those who still continue to traffic fentanyl pills: DEA Dallas and our law enforcement partners such as Carrollton PD will find you and hold you accountable for your selfish actions. The safety of our families and community depends on it.”
According to court documents, Mr. Lopez supplied fentanyl pills to Ms. Prieto, who provided them to the victim, a 15-year-old student at Newman Smith High School in Carrollton identified in court documents as “J.G.”
Family members called 911 when they found the J.G. unresponsive, face down on her bed on Tuesday, June 13. She was transported to the hospital and pronounced deceased shortly thereafter.
Inside the child’s bedroom room, agents found ten counterfeit Percocet pills inscribed M/30, which later tested positive for fentanyl. On her Instagram, they found communications between the girl and Ms. Prieto from approximately 24 hours before the death.
In messages, Ms. Prieto allegedly offered to sell J.G. 13 fentanyl pills for $100 dollars, confirmed she could pay with cash, and asked for her address. A short while later, Ms. Prieto allegedly advised J.G. that she was pulling up to the home to deliver the pills.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division and the Carrollton Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phelesa Guy and Rick Calvert prosecuted the case.
Note: Illicitly produced, fentanyl-laced pills often look similar to legitimate prescription pills like Oxycontin or Percocet, but can pose significantly more danger. On the street, these pills are often referred to as “M30s” (a reference to the markings on some of the pills), “blues,” “perks,” “yerks,” “china girls,” or “TNT.” DEA research shows that five out of ten pills laced with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose. One pill can kill. For resources, visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill.
Alleged Child Molester Identified by His Distinctive TattoosRead the Press Release
An alleged child molester has been identified and charged, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Christopher Lynn Driskill, 48, formerly identified by the FBI as “John Doe 49,” thought to have critical information about ongoing child sexual exploitation, was identified on November 18. He was charged via criminal complaint with production of child pornography, arrested on Nov. 26, and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge John R. Parker on Tuesday.
According to court documents, in July 2024, a foreign partner referred child sexual abuse material posted on the dark web to the FBI’s Victim Identification Program. In the videos, an unknown male subject with several distinctive tattoos – including the word “DABBY” on his chest,” the number “197x” on his left bicep, the words “CAST NO STONES” on his left forearm, and a Texas flag in the shape of a head on his right forearm – can be seen sexually assaulting a prepubescent male.
Separately, in September 2024, Mr. Driskill’s former dating partner reported to the Coleman Police Department that Mr. Driskill had confessed, while intoxicated, to molesting a child and recording it. Officers met with the child, who did not make an outcry, and interviewed Mr. Driskill, who denied sexually abusing the child and claimed his former partner was mad at him over a bad breakup. With no additional evidence at the time, the police department closed their investigation. However, the recorded interview with Mr. Driskill showed a “CAST NO STONES” tattoo on his left forearm, a 1975 tattoo on his left bicep, and part of a Texas flag in the shape of a head on his right forearm.
Meanwhile, FBI agents searching for John Doe 49 located a public Instagram account whose profile picture appeared similar to the images of the subject in the child sexual abuse material. They traced the account to Mr. Driskill in Coleman, Texas. On Nov. 22, agents coordinating with Coleman Police Department learned of the investigation into a possible molestation involving Mr. Driskill, and compared the footage of his interview to the child sexual abuse material. The face and tattoos allegedly matched.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Driskill is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation with the help of the Bureau’s Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP). Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Tusing is prosecuting the case.
Man Charged After Injuring Flight AttendantRead the Press Release
A man who injured a flight attendant in an attempt to exit a plane mid-air has been federally charged, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Abdul-al-Jabbar Oloruntoba Olaiya, 29, was charged via criminal complaint with interfering with a flight crew by assault or intimidation within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.
According to court documents, on Nov. 19, roughly two hours into the flight from Milwaukee to Dallas, Mr. Olaiya became frustrated with a flight attendant as she worked the forward galley.
Witnesses told law enforcement they heard Mr. Olaiya tell her he was “captain of this flight” and needed to “get off the plane.”
He then allegedly charged the flight attendant in an attempt to access the aircraft exit door. The flight attendant, identified in court documents as S.J., used her body to shield the door and was injured in the scuffle.
Able-bodied passengers rushed to assist her. They subdued Mr. Olaiya and duct-taped his wrists and ankles. With only about 30 minutes left on the flight, pilots made the decision to continue to DFW, calling the tower for priority landing and taxing.
Upon landing, Mr. Olaiya was removed from the plane by officers and taken in for a mental evaluation.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Olaiya is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas is prosecuting the case.
Founder of U.S. Freight Forwarding Company Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Illegally Export Goods from the United States to Prohibited Chinese CompaniesRead the Press Release
Richard Shih, 77, the founder and former chief executive officer of a California-based international logistics and freight forwarding company with offices in Grapevine, Texas, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to violate export laws by shipping goods to Chinese companies on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List.
According to court documents, as of September 2018, Shih’s U.S. company had an existing business relationship with Chinese freight forwarder Seajet Company Limited (Seajet). In September 2018, Seajet and its Chinese co-owner were both added to the Entity List for engaging in activities that were contrary to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States, to include unlawfully procuring and diverting U.S.-origin items to North Korea. In addition, in June 2021, Hisiang Logistics Company Limited (Hisiang) was added to the Entity List as an alias for Seajet. Hisiang is the Chinese transliteration of Seajet. As a result of being added to the Entity List, a specific license was required to export goods from the United States to Seajet, its co-owner, and Hisiang. Nonetheless, between September 2018 and May 2022, Shih and others at his company continued to transact with and export items to Seajet and its affiliates.
Specifically, between September 2018 and May 2022, Shih’s company conducted more than 1,000 shipments of items from the United States to Seajet and its alter-ego Hisiang. During that time period, Seajet’s co-owner and his affiliated businesses, including Hisiang, transmitted 34 international wire transfers to accounts held by Shih’s company. The company used the funds to pay various expenses on the transactions, such as air carriers and trucking companies, while retaining a portion of the funds as profit.
Shih and his company knew that Seajet and its co-owner were on the Entity List and that Hisiang was established as an alias for Seajet. For example, Seajet’s co-owner notified Shih by email that Seajet had changed its name to Hisiang for purposes of its international business but that “[t]here is nothing else changed such as company address, structure and policy etc.” Shih then forwarded the email to ten of his employees, copying Seajet’s co-owner and several Seajet employees.
In addition, federal officials repeatedly educated Shih’s company about the Entity List and related laws. In December 2018, after Seajet and its co-owner were added to the Entity List, a BIS official visited Shih’s company to discuss the prohibition against exporting items to Seajet, because it was on the Entity List. Yet, company records from the time revealed that it had used an account code assigned to Seajet for a shipment to Hisiang. In November 2020, another BIS official reached out to Shih’s company and received a list of foreign persons and companies with which Shih’s company would not do business. Yet, the company’s list did not include Seajet, its co-owner, or Hisiang.
Shih pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, which carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas, and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch announced the case.
The FBI and BIS are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Weimer for the Northern District of Texas and Trial Attorney David J. Ryan of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Ringleader imprisoned for almost 16 years after laundering millions in Indian call center scamRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 39-year-old legal permanent resident (LPR) from India has been sentenced for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Sohil Usmangani Vahora, Des Plaines, Illinois, pleaded guilty Oct. 23, 2023.
U.S District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now ordered him to serve 188 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. As an LPR, he could also lose his status in the United States.
Vahora was ordered to pay a combined $3,541,258 in restitution to dozens of individual victims. At the hearing, the court heard that over 80 percent of Vahora’s victims were elderly. Victim impact statements received from 33 victims or their family members described “relentless” phone calls, financial hardship and feelings of shame Vahora and his co-conspirators caused.
“Vahora chose to go all in on India’s predatory call centers, swindling savings from his elderly neighbors while at the same time turning his back on the country that chose to let him in,” said Hamdani. “He saw the money flowing through his organization as nothing more than dollar signs, ignoring the foreign fraudsters who stole money and dashed dreams using a script of fear and lies. Today’s 15-year and eight-month sentence sends the message that people who move a victim’s money are as culpable as the person who initially places the bogus call.”
Between 2017 and 2020, Vahora managed a team of domestic money mules or “runners.” He received work from call centers in India that were perpetrating telemarketing scams in the United States.
One common script used in the scheme involved coercing victims into believing members of law enforcement were investigating them. The “federal authority” on the phone would convince the victim the only way to clear his or her name from investigation was to buy gift cards and transfer the redemption codes to the call center or mail cash in a package to a name and address the call center provided. Runners in the United States would then deplete the gift card funds and pick up the packages.
At least five runners worked for Vahora over the course of the conspiracy. They picked up hundreds of packages containing cash approximately 280 victims had shipped. Although Vahora lived in the greater Chicago area, he sent his runners all over the country.
Co-conspirator Zaheen Rafikbhai Malvi, 30, Heber Springs, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud May 15, 2023, and is set for sentencing Dec. 9. At that time, Malvi faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
An additional three of Vahora’s runners were previously sentenced to 29, 41 and 60 months in federal prison.
Vahora will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations in Houston and Fayetteville, Arkansas, conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI and Heber Springs Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman and Kate Suh are prosecuting the case.
The SSA and its OIG consistently warns people of similar scams. Protect yourself!
Man Who Attempted to Enter Church with Rifle Charged with Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
A man who recently attempted to enter a church with a tactical rifle has been charged with a federal firearm crime stemming from a 2022 shooting, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Russell Alan Ragsdale, 25, was charged via criminal complaint with possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. He was arrested on Friday and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renée Harris Toliver Monday morning.
According to court documents, Mr. Ragsdale entered a church at 5:05 p.m. on Nov. 2 alongside about 100 parishioners celebrating mass. After attending services, Ragsdale returned to his vehicle and allegedly retrieved a rifle from his trunk. He then closed the three gates to the parking lot. At 5:35 p.m., Mr. Ragsdale allegedly attempted to re-enter the church with his rifle, but could not gain access because the parishioners locked the doors.
During the investigation of the incident at the church, agents learned about a shooting involving Mr. Ragsdale, who was arrested on Feb. 3, 2022 in Seagoville for the felony murder of his roommate. (The murder case was later dismissed.) At the time, Mr. Ragsdale told Seagoville law enforcement that his roommate attacked him and claimed he “shot him many times” in self-defense. Officers recovered three firearms, including a 10mm Glock and an AR-15 rifle, and almost two grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms from the residence. An analysis of Mr. Ragsdale’s phone showed a history of drug use dating back to November 2021, as well as evidence of purchasing and using hallucinogenic mushrooms on Feb. 2, 2022.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Ragsdale is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, the Seagoville Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety, which participated in the murder investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jongwoo Chung is prosecuting the case.
Co-Founders of Paycheck Protection Program Lender Service Provider Charged for COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed yesterday in the Northern District of Texas charging two co-founders of Blueacorn, a lender service provider, in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to court documents, Nathan Reis, 45, and Stephanie Hockridge, 41, also known as Stephanie Reis, both of Puerto Rico and previously of Arizona, allegedly submitted false and fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of themselves and their businesses, including by fabricating documents that they submitted in their loan applications in order to receive loan funds for which they were not eligible.
The indictment also alleges that Reis and Hockridge, who are married, co-founded Blueacorn in April 2020, purportedly to assist small businesses and individuals in obtaining PPP loans. In order to obtain larger loans for certain PPP applicants, Reis and other co-conspirators allegedly fabricated documents, including payroll records, tax documentation, and bank statements. Reis and Hockridge allegedly charged borrowers illegal kickbacks based on a percentage of the funds received.
As part of the alleged scheme, Reis, Hockridge, and others expanded Blueacorn’s operations through lender service provider agreements (LSPAs) with two lenders. Under the LSPAs, Blueacorn collected and reviewed PPP applications from potential borrowers on behalf of the lenders and worked with the lenders to submit applications to the SBA in exchange for a percentage of the fees that the SBA paid to the lenders for approved PPP loans. Blueacorn also had a program called “VIPPP” in which Hockridge and others offered a personalized service to help potential borrowers complete PPP loan applications. Reis and Hockridge allegedly recruited co-conspirators to work as VIPPP referral agents and coach borrowers on how to submit false PPP loan applications. In order to obtain a greater volume of kickbacks from borrowers and percentage of lender fees from the SBA, Reis, Hockridge, and their co-conspirators submitted PPP loan applications that they knew contained materially false information.
Reis and Hockridge are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas; Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge Chris Altemus of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office; Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR) Brian Miller; Special Agent in Charge John Ellwanger of the Western Division, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-OIG); and Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) made the announcement.
FBI, IRS-CI, SIGPR, FRB-OIG, and SBA-OIG investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
MLARS’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers, and employees, whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Cartel-Linked Meth Trafficker Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A methamphetamine trafficker with ties to the CJNG cartel was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Adriana Melendez-Calvillo, a 43-year-old citizen and national of Mexico illegally present in the United States, was charged via criminal complaint in February 2023 and pleaded guilty in November 2023 to a criminal information charging conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and money laundering. She was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr.
According to court documents, in September 2022, agents intercepted a call between Ms. Melendez and a co-conspirator during which they discussed logistics for a drug transaction. Agents then followed Ms. Melendez’s vehicle to a fast food restaurant, where she met with coconspirators David Garcia and Omar Gilliam, who appeared to transfer something from Ms. Melendez’s back seat to the trunk of their vehicle. Agents then followed Mr. Gilliam’s vehicle to a gas station, where he removed a grey duffle bag from his trunk and placed it into a third vehicle. Police subsequently pulled over that vehicle for traffic violations; inside the duffel, they found plastic baggies containing 4,886 grams of methamphetamine.
In plea papers, Ms. Melendez admitted that she arranged for the transfer of that meth.
At Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, an agent testified that Ms. Melendez had ties to Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), a notorious transnational drug trafficking organization. Text messages introduced into evidence at sentencing suggest Ms. Melendez received shipments of meth, cocaine, and other drugs directly from sources of supply in Mexico, and prosecutors noted she electronically transferred $828,094 in proceeds to individuals in Mexico. Ms. Melendez also admitted to attempting to transfer bulk amounts of U.S. currency to Mexico, including $104,750 that was seized by law enforcement.
Evidence further revealed that Ms. Melendez was involved in the trafficking at least 1,000 pounds of cocaine, 41 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 7.8 kilograms of ice methamphetamine.
Mr. Garcia pleaded guilty in November 2023 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and is slated to be sentenced in January. Mr. Gilliam was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and awaits trial. Three other defendants in the case, Juan Pablo Guerra, Gerardo Campos Garcia, and Fatima Garcia, have entered guilty pleas; three more, Hilario Zamago, Ignacio Manzo-Cardenas, and Luis Manuel Abarca Torres, are also awaiting trial. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation with the Richardson Police Department, the Hickory Creek Police Department, the Dallas Police Department, the Greenville Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the U. S. Postal Inspection Service, the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Leal is prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Mexican National Who Killed Pedestrian in Drunken Crash Sentenced to 15 Years for Immigration ViolationsRead the Press Release
A Mexican man twice convicted of driving drunk – once with fatal consequences – was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for entering the U.S. illegally, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Guadalupe Gerardo Reyes-Gonzalez, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with illegal re-entry after removal from the United States shortly after his second DWI. He pleaded guilty in August and was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Ada Brown to 15 years in federal prison.
According to state court records, Mr. Reyes-Gonzalez was convicted of intoxicated manslaughter in 1997 after he slammed his vehicle into a pedestrian, causing such severe trauma to his head that he died that same day. Mr. Reyes-Gonzalez’s blood alcohol content was 0.15, nearly twice the legal limit. He was sentenced to eight years imprisonment by the state. After serving his sentence, the defendant was deported and returned to the U.S. several times. In 2021, Mr. Reyes-Gonzalez once again drove drunk. He was convicted of DWI and sentenced to three days imprisonment.
At his federal sentencing hearing, Judge Brown noted that the defendant had already killed one U.S. citizen and she was sentencing him to 180 months in federal prison in order to protect the public.
U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation with the cooperation of the Mesquite Police Department, which responded to the DWI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Walt Junker prosecuted the case.
Dallas Anesthesiologist Convicted of Tampering with IV Bags Sentenced to 190 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A Dallas anesthesiologist who injected dangerous drugs into patient IV bags, leading to one death and numerous cardiac emergencies, was sentenced today to 190 years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Raynaldo Riviera Ortiz Jr., 60, was charged by criminal complaint in September 2022 and indicted the following month on charges related to tampering with IV bags used at a local surgical center. In April, following an eight-day trial, a jury convicted him of four counts of tampering with consumer products resulting in serious bodily injury, one count of tampering with a consumer product and five counts of intentional adulteration of a drug. He was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge David Godbey, who found that Dr. Ortiz caused the death of his colleague and called his other acts “tantamount to attempted murder.”
“The defendant betrayed the trust of patients by tampering with critical medical supplies, and the result was death and serious bodily injury,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of these offenses and should make clear that the Department will work tirelessly to investigate and prosecute anyone who endangers patients by tampering with drugs.”
“This disgraced doctor acted no better than an armed assailant spraying bullets indiscriminately into a crowd. Dr. Ortiz tampered with random IV bags, apparently unconcerned with who he hurt. But he wielded an invisible weapon, a cocktail of heart-stopping drugs, concealed inside an IV bag designed to help patients heal,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “On at least nine separate occasions, he essentially attacked unconscious patients lying on an operating table, and even killed a colleague. I am so proud of our office’s work in bringing Dr. Ortiz to justice and bringing a measure of solace to his victims and their families.”
“Patients expect that their doctors will use only safe and effective medical products during their surgeries. The illicit tampering in this case demonstrated a gross disregard for patient safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI). “This investigation uncovered that adulterating the IV bags caused serious adverse health consequences. This sentencing is a clear demonstration that FDA will not stop pursuing and bringing to justice those who risk patients’ health and safety through their criminal actions.”
According to evidence presented at trial, between May and August 2022, numerous patients at Surgicare North Dallas suffered cardiac emergencies during routine medical procedures performed by various doctors. About one month after the unexplained emergencies began, an anesthesiologist who had worked at the facility earlier that day died while treating herself for dehydration using an IV bag. In August 2022, doctors at the surgical care center began to suspect tainted IV bags had caused the repeated crises after an 18-year-old patient had to be rushed to the intensive care unit in critical condition during a routine sinus surgery.
A local lab analyzed fluid from the bag used during the teenager’s surgery and found bupivacaine (a nerve-blocking agent), epinephrine (a stimulant) and lidocaine (an anesthetic) — a drug cocktail that could have caused the boy’s symptoms, which included very high blood pressure, cardiac dysfunction and pulmonary edema. The lab also observed a puncture in the plastic shell that had been around the IV bag.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Ortiz surreptitiously injected IV bags of saline with epinephrine, bupivacaine and other drugs, placed them into a warming bin at the facility, and waited for them to be used in colleagues’ surgeries, knowing their patients would experience dangerous complications. Surveillance video introduced into evidence showed Ortiz repeatedly retrieving IV bags from the warming bin and replacing them shortly thereafter, not long before the bags were carried into operating rooms where patients experienced complications. Video also showed Ortiz mixing vials of medication and watching as victims were wheeled out by emergency responders.
Evidence also showed that Ortiz was facing disciplinary action at the time for an alleged medical mistake made in his one of his own surgeries, and that he potentially faced losing his medical license.
At trial, doctors testified about the confusion they felt when their patients’ blood pressures suddenly skyrocketed. Reviewing medical records, they all noted the emergencies occurred shortly after new IV bags had been hung. Patients recalled waking up unexpectedly intubated in intensive care units they had been transported to via emergency medical transportation services, in pain and in fear for their lives.
At Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, patients and their families testified about the “life-altering” pain they’d endured. The son of one victim told the Court that his 10-year-old son no longer trusts doctors, because “a doctor tried to kill Pops.” The father of another recalled with horror seeing Dr. Ortiz’s “dead fish stare” on surveillance video as his victims were wheeled out of the surgery center on gurneys. And a victim who spent five days in the hospital after his cardiac incident said he woke up feeling “all chewed up” and has never been the same since.
Dr. John Kaspar, the husband of the doctor who died after treating her dehydration with a tainted bag, told the Court the image of his wife’s “lifeless eyes” would never leave him. She was “my life,” “the strongest woman” he’d ever met, he said.
FDA-OCI Special Agents Chad Medaris and Daniel Allgeyer investigated the case with support from the Dallas Police Department. Assistant Director Patrick Runkle of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney John de la Garza for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case with the help of Assistant U.S. Attorney Errin Martin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gail Hayworth for the Northern District of Texas provided appellate support.
Dallas Gang Member Arrested with Switch Detained Pending TrialRead the Press Release
A Dallas gang member arrested with a Glock equipped with a gold switch has been detained pending trial, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Johnny Bates, 19, was charged via criminal complaint with possession of a machinegun. He was arrested Nov. 7 and ordered detained pending trial after a hearing on Friday.
According to court documents, in December 2023, Mr. Bates was allegedly caught on video firing a pistol that appeared to be fully automatic. Police were unable to apprehend him, but recovered a switch-equipped Glock pistol along the path where he had fled.
In October 2024, Dallas Police Department detectives tracked Mr. Bates, a known “415 East Dallas Posse” gang member, to an apartment in Dallas’s Oak Cliff neighborhood. Officers attempted to place him under arrest on outstanding warrants from the December 2023 incident, but he resisted. They wrestled him to the ground until backup arrived.
In his backpack, officers found a 9mm Glock pistol equipped with a gold switch and an extended magazine allegedly belonging to Mr. Bates:
A query of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) linked the Glock was to an aggravated assault that occurred in Dallas on Sept. 12. (Officers have no reason to believe Mr. Bates was involved in that incident, as a suspect has already been identified.)
At Friday’s detention hearing, officers testified to Mr. Bates’s alleged pattern of possessing machinegun conversion devices, offering images from his Instagram of firearms with switches attached and plainly visible.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Bates is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
The Dallas Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Withers is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of “Operation Texas Kill Switch,” a statewide initiative taking aim at machinegun conversion devices, also known as “switches,” which transform commercially available semi-automatic firearms into fully-automatic weapons capable of firing faster than military-grade machine guns. Spearheaded by U.S. Attorneys Leigha Simonton, Alamdar Hamdani, Damien Diggs and Jaime Esparza, Operation Texas Kill Switch relies on partnerships with state and local law enforcement as well as rewards offered by Crime Stoppers.Convicted Criminal Sentenced to Six Years in Prison After Repeatedly Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A criminal who returned to the U.S. within five months of last being deported was sentenced to six years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Moises Olivos-Hrucha, a 31-year-old citizen of Mexico, was charged in this District with illegal reentry after removal in March 2021, convicted in May 2021, and sentenced in January 2022 to 27 months in federal prison. After serving his sentence, he was deported. Just five months later, in October 2023, he was found back in the state of Texas. He was again charged with illegal reentry after removal and pleaded guilty in May 2024.
He was sentenced on Tuesday, Nov. 19 by U.S. District Judge Ada Brown, who ordered him to serve 68 months for the 2024 conviction and four months on the revocation of supervised release for the 2022 conviction, to run consecutively for a total of 72 months in federal prison.
At Monday’s sentencing, prosecutors noted Mr. Olivos-Hrucha had engaged in criminal activity in the U.S. multiple times in between deportations. In 2013, he was convicted by the state of robbery and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment after punching the victim’s head, slamming her onto the ground, and dragging her across the ground.
Mr. Olivos-Hrucha will be subject to deportation again after serving his six-year sentence.
Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Madeleine Case prosecuted the most recent criminal case and revocation; former NDTX Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Elder (now serving in Utah) prosecuted the original criminal case.
Dallas Developer Pleads Guilty to Bribing Council MembersRead the Press Release
A Dallas real estate developer who bribed two city officials pleaded guilty today, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Sherman Roberts, 70, who previously helmed City Wide Community Development Corporation, was indicted in December 2020 and pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to commit bribery.
According to court documents, Mr. Sherman bribed two City Council Members, Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway and City Council Member Carolyn Davis, to support loans and low income housing tax credits for his apartment projects.
In return for several thousand dollars in cash – plus the promise of future payments after her city council tenure ended – Council Member Davis lobbied for Mr. Roberts’s real estate projects, including Serenity Place, Runyon Springs, and Patriot’s Crossing.
She promoted Serenity Place to the City Housing Committee, demanded other developers also seeking real estate funding withdraw their applications in order to increase Mr. Roberts’s chances of success, recommended Serenity Place receive a 9% low income housing tax credit, and voted to approve a $1.9 million City of Dallas loan.
“Right now you and me are making money,” Mr. Roberts texted Council Member Davis shortly after the vote.
About a month later, she repeatedly reached out to ask for more money, “just a few dollars.” He agreed.
Then, she and Mr. Roberts met with Mayor Pro Tem Caraway to address a problem with his Patriot’s Crossing project.
In return for several hundred dollars cash and a $2,000 monthly stipend, Mayor Pro Tem Caraway agreed to stop the city from issuing a request for proposal (RFP) for the Patriots Crossing project and to deliver the project for Mr. Roberts.
“How much is the project worth?” Mayor Pro Tem Caraway asked. “Once you’re successful with this project, don’t forget about me.”
“I won’t forget about you,” Mr. Roberts responded. “That’s where the money is… the money has never been an issue.”
Mr. Roberts now faces up to five years in federal prison. He is slated to be sentenced on March 12, 2025.
Mayor Pro Tem Caraway pleaded guilty in 2019 to conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and tax evasion and was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison. The same year, City Council Member Carolyn Davis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery concerning an agent of a local government receiving federal benefits, but passed away in a car crash before she could be sentenced.
Mr. Roberts was one of three real estate developers charged in connection with the bribery scandal. Devin Hall, the developer behind the Grand Park Place apartment project, pleaded guilty in August 2020. Ruel Hamilton, the AmeriSouth Realty Group executive who backed the Royal Crest housing project, is awaiting retrial on conspiracy and bribery charges.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of IRS – Criminal Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcus Busch is prosecuting the case with the help of Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Max.
Doctor Convicted of Accepting Kickbacks for Blood, Urine SamplesRead the Press Release
An internal medicine doctor was convicted last week of accepting more than $200,000 in kickbacks for sending patient samples to particular labs, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Dr. Hector Ubaldo, 60, was indicted in September. After a two-day trial, it took a federal jury just 14 minutes to find him guilty of conspiracy to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks and solicitation and receipt of illegal kickbacks.
According to evidence presented at trial, Dr. Ubaldo accepted cash from so-called “marketers” in return for sending patients’ blood and urine samples to particular labs, including R.K. Clinical, which then billed insurance companies and Medicare for running diagnostic tests.
Dr. Ubaldo also entered into sham medical advisory agreements with the labs and marketers, whereby he was supposed to provided advisory services in exchange for a monthly fee. The labs and marketers had no need for these advisory services and Dr. Ubaldo provided no such services. Instead, the medical advisory service agreements served as a fraudulent vehicle to funnel kickback payments to Dr. Ubaldo in exchange for his sending samples to specific labs.
On multiple occasions, one of the marketers met with Dr. Ubaldo at his office and handed over thousands of dollars in cash. Surreptitiously recorded video of the meetings was introduced into evidence in court.
“To tell you the truth, I need the cash,” Dr. Ubaldo told the marketer at one of the meetings.
Dr. Ubaldo later stated, “The minimum I’m willing to [expletive] take on a monthly basis is about $10 grand.”
Over the course of the scheme, Dr. Ubaldo accepted more than $253,000 in bribes. The lab was able to bill insurers roughly $3.4 million as result of their illegal relationship with Dr. Ubaldo.
Dr. Ubaldo now faces up to 15 years in federal prison: five years on the conspiracy count and 10 years on the solicitation and receipt count. Following his conviction, Dr. Ubaldo was taken into custody as he awaits sentencing.
The marketer in question pleaded guilty before trial to one count of conspiracy to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks and now faces up to five years in federal prison. R.K Clinical owner Kelly Nelson, who also pleaded guilty before trial, was sentenced in May to 30 months in federal prison.
In total, the Northern District of Texas has prosecuted more than fifteen doctors, marketers, and lab owners connected to this larger scheme over the last several years.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys P.J. Meitl and Nancy Larson tried the case. U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman presided Dr. Ubaldo’s trial.
Convicted Drug Dealer Sent Back to Prison After Assaulting Domestic PartnerRead the Press Release
A convicted drug dealer who violated the terms of his supervised release by brutally beating a domestic partner has been sent back to prison for 10 years, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Jose Negron-Cardona, 49, was convicted in 2008 in the District of Puerto Rico of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute narcotics and brandishing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. A U.S. District Judge in Puerto Rico sentenced him to a total of 211 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.
Federal offenders are often subject to a period of post-conviction supervision that can include various conditions, from abstaining from illicit drug use to meeting with a probation officer. Mr. Cardona’s conditions included a prohibition against violating federal, state, or local laws.
After serving time in federal prison, Mr. Cardona was released and began his supervised release on May 27, 2020.
On June 5, 2024, while living in Grand Prairie, Mr. Cardona viciously assaulted a domestic partner.
Shortly after the assault, U.S. Probation Office filed a petition to revoke his supervised release. At a hearing on Wednesday, prosecutors argued that Mr. Cardona should be sent back to prison, calling the victim to the stand to testify.
The victim testified that Mr. Cardona viciously assaulted her, prevented her from calling 911, and repeatedly struck her in the face until she lost consciousness.
U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade found by a preponderance of the evidence that Mr. Cardona had committed assault/family violence – a state offense that violated his conditions of supervision – and revoked his supervised release, sentencing Mr. Cardona to an additional 10 years in federal prison (five years per count, to run consecutively).
“If this defendant thought he could savagely beat a woman without repercussion, he was sorely mistaken. While we take all violations of supervised release seriously, we are especially concerned by instances of domestic violence. For the next decade, his victim will be able to sleep soundly at night knowing he is once again behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton.
The Grand Prairie Police Department conducted the investigation into the assault. The United States Probation Office provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Winters and Ted Hocter argued for revocation and imprisonment.
North Texas Medical Center Pays $14.2 Million to Resolve Potential False Claims Act Liability for Self-Reported Violations of Medicare Regs, Stark LawRead the Press Release
A local medical center has paid $14.2 million to settle potential violations of Medicare regulations and the physician self-referral law (commonly known as the Stark Law) related to four outpatient surgery centers located in Dallas County, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. The United States contends that these potential violations resulted in liability under the False Claims Act.
Horizon Medical Center of Denton, which is owned by Corinth Investor Holdings, L.L.C. and operates a long-term acute care hospital with multiple Dallas County outpatient surgery centers, voluntarily self-disclosed its conduct to the Department of Justice. Specifically, Horizon self-disclosed that when submitting claims for payment to Medicare, it failed to include a “PN” modifier and location to identify services that were provided at its non-excepted off-campus outpatient facilities in Dallas, Richardson, and Coppell. As part of its disclosure, Horizon provided an analysis from an independent third-party expert regarding the financial impact of omitting the “PN” modifier. It also disclosed the existence of Hospital Department Management Agreements at each facility by which Horizon contracted with certain third-party management companies that were affiliated with physicians performing surgery at the outpatient facilities, as well as Operating Lease Agreements by which Horizon contracted for the lease of certain equipment from companies directly or indirectly owned by a physician performing procedures at the surgery centers. These agreements created financial relationships between Horizon and the physician-owners.
“This office will continue to make sure that companies follow the rules of the road when submitting claims to federal healthcare programs,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “And while we will never condone unlawful conduct, we will continue to credit companies that voluntarily self-disclose misconduct prior to the government initiating an investigation.”
The Horizon settlement is the latest in a string of three civil settlements announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas over the last year in which the settling party received credit for making a self-disclosure under the Department of Justice’s Guidelines for Taking Disclosure, Cooperation, and Remediation into Account in False Claims Act Matters.
In another case, Oliver Street Dermatology Management (d/b/a U.S. Dermatology Partners) paid the United States $8.9 million after self-disclosing that credible evidence suggested that former senior managers had offered to increase the purchase price of 11 dermatology practices acquired by the company in return for an agreement by the practices’ providers to refer services to Oliver Street affiliated entities, in possible violation of the Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute.
And in a third case, Consolidated Nuclear Security, L.L.C., which operates the Pantex Nuclear Weapons Plant in Amarillo, paid $18.4 million after self-disclosing that certain production technicians at the plant fraudulently recorded on their timesheets hours they did not work.
In all three cases noted above, the self-reported conduct was unknown to the United States at the time of the self-disclosure and was specific as to the nature of the potentially problematic transactions, the personnel involved, and the potential financial impact on the government. All three settlements credited the companies for their self-disclosure and collaboration with government investigators. The claims resolved by the settlement agreements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
These civil settlements come as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas announced its implementation of the recent USAO-wide voluntary self-disclosure (VSD) policy, which aims to provide transparency and predictability to companies and the defense bar concerning the benefits and potential outcomes in cases where companies voluntarily self-disclose misconduct, fully cooperate, and timely and appropriately remediate. The goal of the policy is to standardize how voluntary self-disclosures are defined and credited by U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. It is also intended to incentivize companies to maintain effective compliance programs capable of identifying misconduct, to expeditiously and voluntarily disclose and remediate misconduct, and to cooperate fully with the government in investigations.
The Horizon resolution is the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Inspector General. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ken Coffin and Brian Stoltz.
Nigerian Man Sentenced to 26+ Years in Real Estate Phishing / Spoofing SchemeRead the Press Release
A Nigerian man was sentenced today to more than 26 years in prison for conning prospective homeowners and others out of down payments using a “man-in-the-middle” email phishing and spoofing attack, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Kolade Akinwale Ojelade, a 34-year-old Nigerian national living abroad in Leicester, was indicted in February 2023. He was extradited from the U.K. to the U.S. in April 2024 and three months later pleaded guilty to wire fraud affecting a financial institution and aggravated identity theft. He was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor to 292 months on the wire fraud count and 24 months on the identity theft count to run consecutively for a total of 316 months in federal prison. Judge O’Connor also ordered him to pay $3,386,908 in restitution.
“Even the most conscientious among us could get taken in by a man-in-the-middle scam as devious as this one. Luckily, there are steps we can take to protect ourselves, including confirming wiring instructions in person or by phone,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “For the next quarter-century, Mr. Ojelade will be behind bars, no longer able to scam innocent homebuyers. We are proud to hold him accountable for his crimes.”
“Mr. Ojelade callously engaged in a scheme that stole millions of dollars from prospective homeowners and real estate companies. Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes. Financial crimes can be devastating for individuals and companies because most times those monetary funds are never recovered,” said P.J. O’Brien, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Dallas Division. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners domestically and internationally to hold individuals accountable for defrauding unsuspecting victims.”
According to court documents, Mr. Ojelade sent phishing emails to real estate businesses, gained unauthorized access to many of their accounts, and monitored their email traffic to determine when large transactions were about to take place. He then intercepted wire payment instructions, changed the information, and resent the emails via spoofed email addresses that mimicked the original senders’ addresses.
Unbeknownst to the victims – including prospective homeowners wiring money to real estate companies and real estate companies wiring money to title companies – the modified wiring instructions directed them to accounts controlled by Mr. Ojelade and his co-conspirators. Once the funds hit the accounts, Mr. Ojelade and his coconspirators withdrew the money or transferred it into other bank accounts.
At Mr. Ojelade’s sentencing hearing, prosecutors noted that the intended loss was more than $100 million and the actual loss was approximately $12 million.
After serving his sentence, Mr. Ojelade will be subject to deportation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation, with substantial assistance from FBI International Operations at Mission U.K., United Kingdom authorities, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Mr. Ojelade from the United Kingdom. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht is prosecuting the case.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau advises prospective homeowners to confirm wiring instructions – including account numbers – in person or by phone, and instructs anyone who believes they may have fallen victim to a scam to call their banks as soon as possible to ask for a wire recall.
NDTX Implements New Voluntary Self-Disclosure (VSD) PolicyRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas announces its implementation of a newly revised national policy detailing the circumstances under which a company will be considered to have made a voluntary self-disclosure (VSD) of misconduct to the USAO, announced U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton.
The Department-wide USAO VSD policy, which was initially announced in February 2023—but was expanded with the addition of the M&A Safe Harbor provisions in March 2024—aims to provide transparency and predictability to companies and the defense bar concerning the benefits and potential outcomes in cases where companies voluntarily self-disclose misconduct, fully cooperate, and timely and appropriately remediate.
The goal of the policy is to standardize how voluntary self-disclosures are defined and credited by USAOs nationwide. It is also intended to incentivize companies to maintain effective compliance programs capable of identifying misconduct, to expeditiously and voluntarily disclose and remediate misconduct, and to cooperate fully with the government in corporate criminal investigations.
Under the policy, a company is considered to have made a VSD if it discloses misconduct by employees or agents before that misconduct is publicly reported or otherwise known to the government.[1] A company must also disclose all relevant facts known to the company about the misconduct to the USAO in a timely fashion and before any imminent threat of disclosure or government investigation.[2]
A company that voluntarily self-discloses, as defined in the policy, and fully meets the other requirements of the policy by fully cooperating, timely and appropriately remediating the criminal conduct, and paying appropriate penalties will receive significant benefits. These include that the USAO may choose not to seek a guilty plea, not to impose any criminal penalty and/or not to impose a criminal penalty that is greater than 50% below the low end of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines fine range, and not to seek the imposition of an independent compliance monitor if the company demonstrates that it has implemented and tested an effective compliance program.
The policy identifies three aggravating factors that may warrant a USAO seeking a guilty plea, even if the other requirements of the VSD policy are met. These include if the misconduct poses a grave threat to national security, public health, or the environment; if the misconduct is deeply pervasive throughout the company; or if the misconduct involved current executive management of the company. The presence of an aggravating factor does not necessarily mean that a guilty plea will be required. Instead, the USAO will assess the relevant facts and circumstances to determine the appropriate resolution. If a guilty plea is ultimately required, the company will still receive the other benefits under the VSD policy. The USAO will recommend a criminal penalty of at least a 50% reduction, and up to a 75% reduction, off the low end of the USSG fine range and will not require the appointment of a monitor if the company has implemented and tested an effective compliance program.
As noted in the March 7, 2024 revisions to the USAO VSD policy, the policy applies to misconduct uncovered in the context of M&A pre- and post-acquisition due diligence. See also JM 9-28.900 (the M&A Policy). An acquiring company that voluntarily discloses misconduct to the USAO pursuant to the M&A Policy and otherwise satisfies the requirements of the USAO VSD policy by fully cooperating, timely and appropriately remediating, and paying any applicable disgorgement/forfeiture and/or victim compensation payments/restitution will receive a presumption of a declination, even if aggravating factors existed as to the acquired company.
In cases where the USAO and another DOJ component are jointly prosecuting a company and/or jointly investigating the misconduct the company voluntarily self-reports pursuant to the VSD, the USAO will coordinate with or, if necessary, obtain approval from the DOJ component responsible—including, as appropriate, taking into consideration the VSD policy specific to that DOJ component—in considering a potential resolution.
Consistent with longstanding DOJ policy, the USAO will evaluate disclosures submitted pursuant to this policy to determine whether or to what extent coordination between the Criminal and Civil Divisions of the USAO is appropriate. See JM 1-12.000. To the extent a disclosure submitted pursuant to the USAO VSD policy involves misconduct that could serve as the basis for False Claims Act (“FCA”) liability, the disclosure will be reviewed in accordance with the Guidelines for Taking Disclosure, Cooperation, and Remediation into Account in False Claims Matters issued by the Fraud Section of the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. See JM 4-4.112.
Since September 2023, the USAO-NDTX has resolved three matters involving potential violations of the False Claims Act based on conduct self-reported to the government. [3] In each of these matters, the government executed a settlement agreement releasing the reporting company from liability under the FCA and crediting the company for self-reporting the conduct consistent with section 4-4.112 of the Justice Manual.
Companies wishing to make a self-disclosure to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas may do so by email to: [email protected].
[1] Regardless of whether a disclosure meets the standards of a VSD, prosecutors will continue to consider a corporation’s pre-indictment conduct, e.g., voluntary disclosure or cooperation, in determining whether to seek an indictment. JM § 9-28.400. Separate from this formal VSD Program, the Department continues to encourage corporations, as part of their compliance programs, to conduct internal investigations and to disclose the relevant facts to the appropriate authorities. See JM § 9-28.900. A corporation’s timely and voluntary disclosure of wrongdoing is among the factors prosecutors should consider in reaching a decision as to the proper treatment of a corporate target in conducting an investigation, determining whether to bring charges, and negotiating plea or other agreements. See JM § 9-28.300. Prosecutors may also consider a corporation’s timely and voluntary disclosure, as an independent factor in evaluating the company’s overall cooperation and the adequacy of the corporation’s compliance program and its management’s commitment to the compliance program. See JM § 9-28.900.
[2] Consistent with the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot program, companies that voluntarily self-report within 120 days of receiving an internal whistleblower report may still be eligible for benefits under this VSD policy provided the company self-reports prior to the Department of Justice contacting the company.
[3]See Dermatology Management Company to Pay $8.9 Million to Resolve Self-Reported False Claims Act Liability, https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndtx/pr/dermatology-management-company-pay-89-million-resolve-self-reported-false-claims-act (Sept. 13, 2023); Consolidated Nuclear Security Agrees to Pay $18.4 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations of Timecard Fraud, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/consolidated-nuclear-security-agrees-pay-184-million-settle-false-claims-act-allegations (Apr. 23, 2024); North Texas Medical Center Pays $14.2 Million to Resolve Potential False Claims Act Liability for Self-Reported Violations of Medicare Regs, Stark Law, https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndtx/pr/north-texas-medical-center-pays-142-million-resolve-potential-false-claims-act (Nov. 4, 2024).
Justice Department to Monitor Compliance in Dallas, Palo PintoRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Leigha Simonton announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Dallas County and Palo Pinto County for the Nov. 5 general election.
The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.
On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931.
Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.
Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.
More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting.
Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
Man Under Indictment in Heroin OD Case Charged with Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
A Fort Worth man on a deferred adjudication for dealing the heroin that killed a 21-year-old in 2013 has been charged with federal gun crimes, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District Leigha Simonton.
Brennan Trainor Rodriguez, 33, was charged Wednesday in a two-count indictment alleging illegal possession of a machinegun and illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment.
According to court records, Mr. Rodriguez was charged on June 7, 2013, with injecting heroin into a 21-year-old man who suffered a fatal overdose. He admitted to causing the man’s death and was placed on 10 years of deferred adjudication beginning on Nov. 26, 2014. Conditions of his community supervision prohibited him from possessing firearms. (Until the deferred adjudication period concludes, Mr. Rodriguez is still considered under indictment.)
On Aug. 6. 2024, law enforcement responded to a domestic disturbance call from Mr. Rodriguez’s former girlfriend, who told police that the defendant had been stalking and harassing her since their breakup. She also reported that Mr. Rodriguez frequently shot guns, including one that fired fully automatic.
The following week, Mr. Rodriguez was arrested for stalking. In searching his home, law enforcement found nine firearms, including a Smith & Wesson rifle equipped with a machinegun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch” or “auto sear.”
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Rodriguez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted of the gun crimes, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rodriguez’s state court cases remain pending.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division – Fort Worth Resident Agency and the Fort Worth Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric B. Chen is prosecuting the case.
Armed Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine, Meth Trafficker Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A high-volume drug trafficker operating out of a Dallas motel room pleaded guilty today to federal drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Kenan Bernard Allen, aka “King,” 38, was charged via criminal complaint in April 2023 and indicted the following month. He pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
“Mr. Allen and other violent drug traffickers dispersed huge quantities of deadly drugs and assaulted their customers. They preyed on users’ crippling addictions, raking in money hand over fist,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will not stop until we rid the streets of those that prey upon the vulnerable in our communities.”
According to court documents, Mr. Allen and several coconspirators operated a trap room at a Dallas motel, where they cut, packaged, and distributed large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and other drugs. At least eight defendants later admitted the motel was a location for habitual criminal activity.
Customers seeking drugs were let into the room by a doorman and instructed to place an order behind the service station. Customers often smoked or ingested the drugs inside the hotel room after making their purchase. The coconspirators armed themselves with handguns and AK-47 style rifles and installed security cameras inside the motel to monitor for law enforcement and to prevent workers from stealing drugs. Law enforcement agents conducting surveillance observed children as young as three years old coming in and out of the trap rooms in the motel, and images of young children were seen on video surveillance footage in the trap rooms where powdered fentanyl was being placed into capsules by workers and then sold to customers.
According to court documents, the motel was the site of frequent violence. On one occasion, Mr. Allen and several coconspirators restrained a victim in the breezeway of a hotel and used a broom handle and a trash can to strike the victim in the face and body. On another occasion, Mr. Allen and a coconspirator violently attacked a victim in the parking lot. On a third occasion, a codefendant used a handgun to pistol-whip a victim while Mr. Allen looked on. And on a fourth occasion, a coconspirator used a lighter to burn the foot of a female customer who had passed out after ingesting drugs she purchased in the room. All of the assaults were caught on video.
On April 19, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant inside two trap rooms inside the motel: Mr. Allen’s trap room, no 222, and another trap room, no 111, where they saw drugs in plain view. In total, law enforcement agents recovered more than two kilograms of methamphetamine, 108 grams of fentanyl, 198 grams of heroin, 168 grams of cocaine, 1,183 grams of marijuana, 44.8 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 23 grams of hydrocodone, 6 grams of morphine, 15 grams of alprazolam, 2.6 grams of PCP, seven handguns, and an AK-47 style rifle, along with a ballistic vest and multiple drug scales.
Mr. Allen now faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $5 million fine. His sentencing is set for March 7, 2025.
To date, six other defendants have pleaded guilty in the case, including Brandon Demonte Jones, aka “Money,” Jaleel Javeirre Jaquan Peterson, Glenn Malcom Blair, aka “Slim,” Corey Lanard Allen, Jr, Derrick Alan Richardson, and Antoine Marquin Thompson-Steven. A seventh defendant, and Kenneth Ray Peters, aka “Fat Boy,” has filed plea papers signaling his intent to plead guilty. The final defendant, Orlando Keith Spells, aka “Kilo,” is set for trial on January 6, 2025. (Mr. Spells is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.)
The Texas Department of Public Safety and Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert is prosecuting the case.
United States Attorney Leigha Simonton Announces NDTX Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Leigha Simonton announced that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Matthew Weybrecht will lead the efforts of the in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Weybrecht has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Northern District of Texas, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Simonton said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Simonton stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Matt Weybrecht will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 817-252-5221.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The FBI’s Dallas Field Office can be reached by the public at 972-559-5000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Simonton said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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Mansfield Tax Preparer Sentenced to More Than 15 Years After Touting False CredentialsRead the Press Release
A would-be lawyer who falsely inflated dozens of client tax returns was sentenced Tuesday to more than 15 years in federal prison for tax fraud, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
John Anthony Castro, 40, owner of the virtual tax preparation business Castro & Company, was indicted in January. Following a five-day bench trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Terry R Means, he was convicted on all 33 counts of assisting in the preparation of a fraudulent return and was immediately taken into custody. Judge Means sentenced him Thursday to 188 months in prison and ordered him to pay $277,243 in restitution.
“Far from an ‘international tax expert,’ this defendant was an international fraudster, plain and simple,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Not only did he defraud the U.S. government, he bullied and berated clients who dared question his methods. Today’s sentencing should send a message to tax preparers nationwide: Lie on clients’ returns at your own peril.”
“Mr. Castro prepared and filed completely fraudulent and fabricated tax returns for one reason: greed,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office. “Today’s sentence highlights IRS-CI’s diligence in rooting out dishonest tax return preparers whose only motive is to cheat the system and make themselves richer in the process.”
According to evidence presented in court, Mr. Castro – who had graduated law school but repeatedly failed the bar exam – held himself out as an “international tax expert” and “federal practitioner.” (He also falsely claimed to be a graduate of West Point.)
He was successful at marketing to clients around the world, claiming to be an expert on certain tax issues related to Australian ex-pats, among other things. Between 2017 and 2019, he filed more than 1,900 tax returns on behalf of individuals from all over the world.
As part of his pitch, Mr. Castro promised his clients a significantly higher refund than they would receive from other preparers, claiming he knew how to identify and claim deductions that others did not. He added there was no risk, as he would simply split the additional refund amount with them to account for his fee. He would not share the tax return with clients before filing, but would instead simply inform them of the amount of the anticipated refund.
On many occasions, he filed tax returns on behalf of clients without their permission or knowledge. In other instances, he claimed deductions that had no basis in fact. For example, for one client, who made approximately $103,000 in income, Mr. Castro claimed over $90,000 in deductions related to unreimbursed employee expenses.
Mr. Castro claimed deductions based on extreme and unsupported legal theories, including deductions such as (1) those for any expense related to preventing an illness qualified as an “impairment related work expense,” (2) those for expenses related to commuting to and from work, (3) the full value of one’s mortgage and utilities as long as the taxpayer had some type of Schedule C business to claim, (4) those related to dry-cleaning for work clothes, and (5) the full value of one’s cell phone bill even when their employer provided them with a work phone. For example, with respect to one client, Mr. Castro deducted over $26,000 in expenses that he claimed related to a nascent cupcake business that had generated only $250 in revenue.
According to trial testimony, in February 2018, an undercover IRS – CI agent contacted Mr. Castro for assistance. The agent asked to meet with Mr. Castro in person, but Mr. Castro’s office told him that in-person meetings required a $5,000 retainer. They spoke via email instead.
On February 13, 2018, the undercover agent submitted a W2 and a Form 1098-T showing wages of $142,217. About two weeks later, one of Mr. Castro’s employees called the agent to discuss deductions, noting that Mr. Castro would make any decisions regarding what items would be included on the tax filing.
The agent denied having any unreimbursed employee expenses, charitable contributions, or other items that could lead to deductions.
On March 12, 2018, Mr. Castro sent the undercover agent his tax analysis. He said that if the agent used another preparer, he would receive a refund of $373, but that if he used Mr. Castro, he would receive a refund of $6,007. Mr. Castro would take half, netting him $3,008. The analysis said the return would include $29,339 in deductions but did not specify which deductions would be used.
Two days later, Mr. Castro filed the agent’s return, which claimed $29,339 in fraudulent deductions, including $2,400 in employee expenses, and 28,600 in other expenses that the undercover agent had never discussed with Mr. Castro or his employees.
According to evidence presented at trial, Mr. Castro engaged in a similar pattern with his other clients. When the victim-taxpayers learned what Mr. Castro had done, many of them demanded copies of their tax returns. Mr. Castro refused to engage in conversation and even delayed providing returns for months at a time. Mr. Castro often acted in a highly vindictive manner when questioned or challenged by clients or others, often berating individuals in emails, threatening legal actions, or by filing amended tax returns, without clients’ permission or knowledge, that removed all deductions, causing the taxpayer-victim to then owe the IRS tens of thousands of dollars.
During the trial, Mr. Castro took the stand in his own defense, and upon cross-examination, admitted that his positions were extreme, outlandish, and not supported by the law. He also admitted to a bevy of prior falsifications and vindictive actions.
Many of the victim-taxpayers have since been audited and/or filed amended returns, causing them significant financial hardship.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys P.J. Meitl and Nancy Larson are prosecuting the case.
Eight-Time Mail Robbers Sentenced to Combined 21 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
The men responsible for eight mail carrier robberies were sentenced today to a combined 21 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Jerrad Coleman, 18, and Louis Dixon, 18, were charged via criminal complaint in April. Mr. Dixon pleaded guilty in June to robbery of property of the United States and conspiracy to rob and unlawfully possess property of the United States, while Mr. Coleman pleaded guilty to the same charges the following month.
The pair were sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, who noted that the U.S. Postal Service is critical to the functioning of our country and called their crime a “heinous offense.” Mr. Coleman was sentenced to 60 months on count one and 91 months on count two to run consecutively, for a combined 151 months (12 ½ years) in federal prison; Mr. Dixon was sentenced to 60 months on count one and 108 months on count two to run concurrently for a total of 108 months (9 years) in federal prison.
“Violence against letter carriers not only puts federal workers in fear for their lives, but also undermines the functioning of the U.S. postal system,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute individuals that endanger our Postal colleagues and the system as a whole.”
“Today’s sentencing serves as a notice to those who wish to commit violent acts against U.S. Postal Service employees that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to finding those responsible and bringing justice to the victims. U.S. Postal Service employees are delivering across America and deserve to work in their communities free from danger,” said Kai Pickens, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Fort Worth Division.
According to court documents, the men trawled the streets of DFW looking for U.S. Postal Service letter carriers to rob in hopes of obtaining an Arrow Key, a master key used by letter carriers to gather mail deposited in blue collection boxes. Unauthorized possession of these keys, prized by mail thieves, allows individuals to illicitly access mailboxes to steal victim mail, checks, credit cards, bank account information, and other sensitive information.
Over the course of about four months, the men conspired to commit robberies against U.S. Postal Service Letter Carriers, including those on Jan. 17 in Fort Worth, Jan. 18 in Fort Worth, Jan. 25 in Dallas, Jan. 29 in Dallas, March 15 in Fort Worth, March 28 in Arlington, April 4 in Frisco, and April 17 in Fort Worth.
After robbing the mail carriers, often at gunpoint, the men fled in getaway vehicles. They then unlawfully used, sold, or disposed of the Arrow Keys.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation with the help of the Arlington, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Frisco Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas prosecuted the case.
Twelve Charged in Lubbock Cocaine BustRead the Press Release
Twelve alleged cocaine dealers we arrested in Lubbock last week, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Eleven of the defendants made their initial appearances Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Amy Burch.
Those charged in a 17-count indictment unsealed today include:
- Esteban Renee Garcia, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, distribution of cocaine, attempted distribution of cocaine, and unlawful use of a communications facility
- Rodrick Deone Hall, aka “Dirty,” charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, distribution of cocaine base, attempted distribution of cocaine, and unlawful use of a communications facility
- Leticia Chavez, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and distribution of cocaine
- Shannon Sainz, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and unlawful use of a communications facility
- Janie Reyna, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, attempted distribution of cocaine, and unlawful use of a communications facility
- Anthony “AV” DeLeon, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, attempted distribution of cocaine, and unlawful use of a communications facility
- Isaac “Ike” Rodriguez, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, attempted distribution of cocaine, and unlawful use of a communications facility
- Anthony McIntire, aka “Ace,” charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, distribution of cocaine, attempted distribution of cocaine, and unlawful use of a communications facility
- Roland Vasquez Gomez, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, attempted distribution of cocaine, and unlawful use of a communications facility
- Rodrick Lamont Bibbs, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base
- Michael Tijerina, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and distribution of cocaine
As a result of the operation, the twelfth defendant, Miguel Ramirez-Pedroza, was arrested and charged via criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute cocaine. (His initial appearance in federal court will be scheduled at a later date.)
During last week’s operation, agents searched six locations and seized approximately six kilograms of cocaine, five firearms, and $55,000 in cash.
An indictment or complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, some defendants face potential life sentences in federal prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division – Lubbock Resident Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosive’s Dallas Field Division – Lubbock Resident Agency, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, the Lubbock Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Plainview Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Long and Ryan Redd are prosecuting the case.
The operation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCEDTF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threat the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Switch Dealer Pleads Guilty to Possessing MachinegunRead the Press Release
A switch dealer who shot a machinegun out the window of a moving vehicle on a public highway pleaded guilty to a federal firearm crime, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
Juan Angel Rendon, 18, was charged via criminal complaint in September and indicted the following month. He pleaded guilty on Wednesday to illegal possession of a machinegun.
“As we said when we launched Operation Texas Kill Switch, machinegun conversion devices are putting our communities in danger. This defendant’s conduct – shooting a switch-equipped handgun out of a moving vehicle for no apparent reason – is case in point,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Weapons of war belong on the battlefield, not the streets North Texas streets. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will relentlessly pursue anyone who manufactures, sells, or possesses machinegun conversion devices.”
“The brazenness of Mr. Rendon shown here does not surprise me. We are seeing similar videos all around the country which is why ATF is doubling down on our unwavering commitment to stopping the spread of machinegun conversion devices. We commend all our law enforcement partners across the region as we work together in this fight. Firing a machinegun wildly in public, while being filmed, may have made Mr. Rendon feel like a gangster that evening. However, he will now have plenty of time in prison to think about how isn’t a modern-day Capone” stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.
According to court documents, Mr. Rendon sold a 9mm Glock pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device, colloquially known as a “switch,” to an undercover ATF agent on Aug. 27, 2024.
During the purchase, which occurred at his mobile home, Mr. Rendon explained to the undercover agent how to install and operate the machinegun conversion device so the gun would fire full auto.
At a detention hearing last month, agents testified that Mr. Rendon advertised Glock switches for sale on his Instagram. At the hearing, prosecutors played a video from Mr. Rendon’s Instagram account showing him firing a switch-equipped Glock out the window of a moving vehicle on a public highway, with cars visibly passing by in the distance.
When he was arrested in September, agents recovered nine firearms, including two equipped with switches, and seven additional switches or switch parts.
A query of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) linked firearms he possessed to two shootings in the Fort Worth area.
Mr. Rendon now faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division - Fort Worth Resident Agency conducted the investigation with assistance from the Fort Worth and Haltom City Police Departments and the Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Beck is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of “Operation Texas Kill Switch,” a statewide initiative taking aim at machinegun conversion devices, also known as “switches,” which transform commercially available semi-automatic firearms into fully-automatic weapons capable of firing faster than military-grade machine guns. Spearheaded by U.S. Attorneys Leigha Simonton, Alamdar Hamdani, Damien Diggs and Jaime Esparza, Operation Texas Kill Switch relies on partnerships with state and local law enforcement as well as rewards offered by Crime Stoppers.
Pharmacy Owner Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison in $41 Million Health Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
A Dallas pharmacy owner who routinely billed insurance companies for headache sprays, pain creams, and scar creams never dispersed to patients was sentenced Tuesday afternoon to 10 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Ivor Jallah, 37, was indicted in November 2020 and pleaded guilty in June 2024 to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. He was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay to 120 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $41,494,313.97 in restitution. Mr. Ivor’s coconspirator, Shannon Turley, 46, pleaded guilty in November 2023 to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and is set to be sentenced in November.
“By billing for prescription medication patients never needed nor received, these defendants brazenly lined their pockets at the expense of each and every client who paid into health insurance,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Healthcare is already a significant expense for many Americans. We cannot and will not allow pharmacy operators to abuse the system in this way.”
“Healthcare fraud schemes are more complex, more resource-consuming, and more costly to the American taxpayer than ever. For this defendant, as one avenue to personal enrichment ran its course, he simply began operating a new pharmacy or engaging in a new method to circumvent existing system safeguards,” explained Dallas FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge P. J. O’Brien. “From fraudulent credentials to fabricated invoices, the conspiracy was designed to thwart detection. The FBI will continue to work with our partners from the Northern District of Texas, Texas Department of Insurance, and others to bring justice to criminals who attempt to undermine our healthcare system.”
According to plea papers, Mr. Jallah and Ms. Turley – who together operated at least nine Texas pharmacies, including Preferred RX, EZ Pharmacy, Avenue H Pharmacy, and Wallis Pharmacy – paid individuals they referred to as “marketers” for insured patients’ personally identifiable information. Some patients were aware of the scheme and required the marketers pay a fee for their information; others were oblivious to the fraud.
Mr. Jallah and Ms. Turley caused employees to input the patient information onto pre-populated prescription pads. In some cases, they paid physicians to fraudulently stamp prescription forms when they had not seen patients, while in other cases, they used physicians’ stamps without their knowledge.
Initially, the pharmacies shipped out a fraction of the medications they billed to insurance. At some point, however, Mr. Jallah decided to stop shipping out any medication they billed to insurance.
When insurance companies conducted audits to determine whether the prescription claims were legitimate, Mr. Jallah and Ms. Turley fabricated drug purchase invoices to support the claims they submitted to insurance.
Mr. Jallah also directed pharmacy employees to create faux prescription delivery logs and directed the so-called “marketers” to ask patients to sign the logs regardless of whether they received prescriptions. In cases where the marketers could not obtain patient signatures, Mr. Jallah directed pharmacy employees to forge them.
Over the course of the scheme, Mr. Jallah and Ms. Turley submitted at least $46 million in bogus claims to insurers, $41 million of which were reimbursed.
Eight defendants have previously pled guilty to charges associated with the pharmacy fraud and been sentenced to a combined 290 months in prison. Two other defendants await sentencing.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Texas Department of Insurance conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marty Basu, Joshua Detzky, and Lindsey Pryor prosecuted the case with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Miller and Lisa Dunn. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dimitri Rocha handled the forfeiture.
Man Sentenced to 60 Years After Sexually Assaulting Toddlers, Hiding Videos Inside Fake Calculator AppRead the Press Release
A 25-year-old man who hid photos of himself raping preschool-aged children inside what appeared to be a calculator app on his phone has been sentenced to 60 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Humberto Barreto, Jr., was indicted in January and pleaded guilty in June to two counts of production of child pornography. He was sentenced last Thursday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix to 30 years per count to run consecutively for a total of 60 years and ordered to register as a sex offender.
“This lengthy sentence is proof that this defendant’s deviant behavior of victimizing and sexually exploiting children will not stand, “said Travis Pickard, Special Agent in Charge HSI Dallas. “Due to the collaboration between HSI and our law enforcement partners of the Howard County Sheriff's Office, Mr. Barreto will spend the next 60 years of his life behind prison walls, where he can no longer prey upon our society’s most vulnerable population.”
According to court documents, the investigation began when Mr. Barreto’s ex-girlfriend alerted police that she saw internet searches for child pornography on his phone. She told officers that when she confronted him, Mr. Barreto admitted to using cryptocurrency to purchase child sexual abuse imagery and said “age did not matter” to him.
Forensic examiners searched the phone and found hundreds of photos and at least 30 videos of adult men sexually abusing children, including toddlers. They also found a storage application disguised as a calculator, where Mr. Barreto hid videos of him sexually assaulting 4- and 5- year old girls.
“I mean, I can’t deny it,” he said, when confronted by officers. “I did what I did.”
“My baby girl, she seems to have been more withdrawn and sensitive… she’s had nightmares,” the mother of a victim said in a statement read into the record at sentencing. “Those acts he did are of a monster, and I believe he is one in the truest form.”
Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Howard County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Big Spring Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Tusing prosecuted the case.
Fort Worth Couple Tied to Two Overdose Deaths Sentenced to Combined 51 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A Fort Worth couple linked to at least two overdose deaths was sentenced today to a combined 51 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Edward Taylor, 42, Tierrah “TT” Andrews, 29, were charged in March. Both pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. On Friday, Mr. Taylor was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman to 27 years in federal prison; Ms. Andrews was sentenced to just over 24 years in federal prison.
“These drug traffickers callously disregarded the risks of the drugs they were selling, and as a result, two people died,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Traffickers know that fentanyl does not discriminate. It takes the lives of first-time users and long-term addicts alike. These round blue pills are fueling a crisis that is ripping apart families across America. The Justice Department—including this U.S. Attorney’s Office—will not relent until we see each and every fentanyl trafficker held accountable for the lives they destroyed.”
“Although today’s sentencings will provide little solace to the families of those lost to the fentanyl scourge, it is a promising triumph in law enforcement's fight against its vile spread. As we witness in this case, while investigating Federal firearms violations, ATF will occasionally uncover other illicit acts, such as the sale of illegal narcotics. Unbeknownst to the bad guys, law enforcement communicates better than they do. Making these crimes sentenced here today even more monstrous is the fact that Ms. Andrews was carrying a firearm to protect her venture while dealing her filth. Together with our local partners and the DEA, we are committed to putting the bad actors poisoning our streets with fentanyl and carrying firearms in prison through any means necessary,” stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.
According to court documents, Mr. Taylor and Ms. Andrews admitted to trafficking cocaine and fentanyl pills out of a motel room and an apartment in Fort Worth’s Las Vegas Trail neighborhood.
On Nov. 2, 2023, a 45-year-old man identified by the initials T.M. took a rideshare to the motel to purchase drugs from Mr. Taylor. Surveillance video showed the man briefly enter and exit Mr. Taylor’s room. Hours later, the victim’s mother found his body in his bedroom next to a crushed M-30 pill containing fentanyl. Four additional M-30 pills were found in a nicotine box inside the victim’s room.
Less than three months later, on Jan. 26, 2024, a 21-year-old man identified by the initials K.S. texted Ms. Andrews requesting “rocks n blues” (slag for crack cocaine and fentanyl pills). Cell phone data showed he took a rideshare to a gas station near her apartment, walked to her place, and paid her $77 via CashApp. Later that day, his sister found his body, where blue M-30 pills containing fentanyl, white powder, and a glass pipe were later found.
That same month, a source of information reported to police he had purchased crack cocaine and fentanyl pills from a couple trafficking out of Fort Worth. He provided Ms. Andrews’ phone number and Mr. Taylor’s CashApp account. Another source of information confirmed that he too had purchased crack cocaine and “percs” (another slang term for pills) from Mr. Taylor and Ms. Andrews for several months. He reported that the couple generally had a “k-pack” of 1,000 blue M-30 pills in plain view.
On Jan. 27, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ms. Andrews’ apartment, where they found 270 blue M-30 pills, 2.8 grams of cocaine, 6.6 grams of methamphetamine, a drug ledger (also known as a “pay owe” book), and 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition. On Ms. Andrews’ person, agents found a privately manufactured firearm, or “ghost gun,” loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition. She explained to officers that she dealt drugs provided by Mr. Taylor and carried the pistol ”so no one does anything to me.”
On Feb. 29, 2024, an ATF undercover agent and a confidential informant purchased approximately 6.28 grams of blue M-30 pills containing fentanyl from Ms. Andrews at her apartment for $275. They observed Mr. Taylor asking Ms. Andrews about the transaction while she bagged up the blue M-30 pills inside the apartment. The transaction was completed outside, in the undercover agent’s vehicle. The defendants were arrested a week later in possession of additional blue M-30 pills and firearms, despite both being convicted felons prohibited from possessing firearms.
When confronted with photos of the victims, Mr. Taylor admitted to selling to T.M. and Ms. Andrews admitted to selling to K.S. Autopsies later confirmed both men suffered fatal drug overdoses.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives Dallas Field Division – Fort Worth Resident Agency conducted the investigation as part of a Fort Worth Violent Crime Initiative, with the assistance of the Fort Worth Police Department and the Parker County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas is prosecuting the case.
Anson ISD Janitor Allegedly Used AI to Create Child Pornography with Students’ FacesRead the Press Release
An Anson ISD employee who allegedly used AI to superimpose the faces of students onto the faces of adult subjects in pornographic videos has been federally charged, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Daril Martin Gonzales, 55, was indicted last Wednesday on one count of possession and attempted possession of child pornography and one count of possession and attempted possession of obscene visual representation of a child. He was arraigned on Thursday before Magistrate Judge John R. Parker, who on Tuesday ordered him detained pending trial.
At Tuesday’s detention hearing, prosecutors noted that Mr. Gonzales, who works as a janitor for Anson ISD, moonlighted as a school sports and cheerleading photographer, taking pictures of middle and high school students for free. Without the children’s consent, he allegedly used artificial intelligence (AI) to superimpose the faces of pre-pubescent students onto the faces of adult subjects in sexually explicit videos or to attach AI-generated nude bodies to the faces of the girls.
According a police report admitted into evidence at the detention hearing, Mr. Gonzales allegedly described his crimes as a “power trip” and admitted to viewing child pornography for up to six hours per day for the past 20 to 25 years.
“Knowing he took those [photographs] and what he does with them, it really makes me sick to my stomach,” a victim said in late August, after being informed about the AI images. “I feel gross, I know it’s not me, but it makes me feel gross and violated and disrespected.”
“I felt disgusted, embarrassed, and scared. I was worried that photos of me could be posted or sold somewhere,” said another. “I was embarrassed cause I didn’t want people to think of me in this way when I hadn’t done anything.”
“I know I can’t do anything about what he did,” said a third. “I don’t think I did anything wrong. He’s in the wrong.”
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Gonzales is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison followed by a possible lifetime of supervised release.
Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Division – Abilene Resident Agency, Abilene Police Department, the Texas Rangers, and the Anson Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Ohlhausen is prosecuting the case.
Theology Professor Charged with Possessing Pornographic Images of ToddlersRead the Press Release
A theology professor who allegedly stored pornographic images of children on his work computer has been federally charged, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Charles Kilby Bellinger, 62, a professor of theology and librarian at the Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University, was charged via criminal complaint with possession of child pornography and arrested on Oct. 4.
The federal investigation began after TCU’s IT staff reported they had detected pornographic images with concerning file names, including “infant” and “toddler,” on Dr. Bellinger’s work computer.
On a hard drive and an SD card removed from Dr. Bellinger’s office, investigators found multiple sexually explicit images of pre-pubescent minors.
At a detention hearing on Thursday, an agent testified that law enforcement also seized multiple encrypted devices from a locked safe in his office. Forensic investigation of those devices is ongoing.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Dr. Bellinger is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
The U.S. Secret Service and the Fort Worth Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit conducted the investigation with the Texas Christian University Campus Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem is prosecuting the case.
12 Charged with Fentanyl Trafficking in AbileneRead the Press Release
Twelve alleged fentanyl traffickers were arrested in a large-scale drug bust in Abilene, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
The takedown – the second in an operation that previously resulted in the prosecution of 17 drug traffickers arrested during a large-scale bust in late February – involved agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office - Abilene Resident Office, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, the Abilene Police Department, and the Callahan County Sheriff’s Office.
Those charged in two separate indictments unsealed today include:
- Christopher Thompson, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Marquee Anthony Aboso, aka OC, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Kurtney Bernard Jones, aka KP, charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Steven Lattimore, aka PNut, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Mckenzee Marie Lane, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Maxine Gonzales, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Tylik Ojur Johnson, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Jeremiah Greene, aka Lil Mexico, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Paul Eli Snyder, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Robert Lee Mason, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Glen Edward Lee, Jr., charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Christopher Anthony Glaze, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
Over the course of the operation into these individuals, agents seized more than 14,856 fentanyl pills, 45.4 grams of heroin, 2.56 grams of meth, and 15.56 grams of crack cocaine, as well as multiple firearms.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, some defendants named in these indictments face up to 20 years in federal prison.
Sixteen of the 17 defendants arrested in February’s takedown have already been convicted. Fourteen have already been sentenced to a combined 187 years in federal prison; two pleaded guilty and await sentencing, and one is awaiting trial. The lead defendant, Diana Perez, deemed responsible for more than 109,221 kilograms of drugs, was sentenced Thursday to more than 24 years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office - Abilene Resident Agency, the Drug Enforcement Administration's Dallas Field Division - Fort Worth Resident Agency, and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives' Dallas Field Division, and the IRS – Criminal Investigations. The cases are being prosecuted by the West Texas Branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
This prosecution stems from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) instigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transitional criminal organizations that threaten the Untied States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Man Who Narrated Child’s Sexual Assault on Video Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A 43-year-old man who narrated the sexual assault of a 14-year-old on video has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Vincent Jerome Thompson and his coconspirator, Lukumond Adebola Olatunji, 46, were indicted in January 2022. Mr. Thompson pleaded guilty in June 2024 to production of child pornography and aiding and abetting; Mr. Olatunji pleaded guilty to kidnapping a minor two months later. Mr. Thompson was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to 240 months in federal prison, followed by lifetime term of supervised release, and ordered to register as a sex offender. Mr. Olatunji is slated to be sentenced in December.
“No child deserves to suffer the degradation this child endured,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “The callousness of the defendant’s commentary on the video he shot, even as the victim plead with the perpetrators to be let go, shocks the conscience. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to stand up for this little girl – and every child abused in this manner.”
“This defendant and his cohort coerced and sexually abused a child without regard for the lifelong trauma their actions would cause their victim, “said Travis Pickard, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Dallas. “Protecting minors from child predators remains a high priority for HSI. We will never relent in our efforts to apprehend those who seek to abuse our most vulnerable citizens.”
According to plea papers, the men admit that on Oct. 23, 2021, they approached a 14-year-old girl and offered her a ride home. They then drove to an alleyway where Mr. Olatunji sexually assaulted her in the backseat of the car. Mr. Thompson recorded the assault on his cell phone, providing commentary as the assault progressed.
On the video, the child can be heard saying, “I don’t want to do it no more,” and “can we go?”
The pair then took the child to a nearby motel, where both men continued to sexually assault her. After approximately five hours inside the motel room, the child ran out of the room carrying her backpack and shoes. Police responded and searched the motel room, where they found condom wrappers and drug paraphernalia.
In interviews with law enforcement, both men admitted to engaging in sexual intercourse with the child. Mr. Olatunji admitted that the child repeatedly told them that she did not want to have sex anymore.
At Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, the prosecutor noted that the victim was intellectually disabled.
Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenna Rudoff and Joe Magliolo (fmr.) are prosecuting the case
Abilene Man Pleads Guilty to Paying 12, 13 Year Olds for Sexually Explicit VideoRead the Press Release
A 27-year-old man who paid two young boys $200 to produce a sexually explicit video pleaded guilty today to federal child pornography charges, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Mark Penfield Eichorn, a former preschool teacher’s assistant, was indicted in June. He pleaded guilty Tuesday to production of child pornography before U.S. Magistrate Judge John R. Parker.
According to plea papers, Mr. Eichorn admitted that he contacted two young boys, ages 12 and 13, via Snapchat and asked them to produce a sexually explicit video of themselves.
The children, who lived in Georgia, later confided to law enforcement that they produced a 90-second video as instructed and sent it to Mr. Eichorn, who paid them $200 via Venmo. Financial and phone records corroborated their accounts.
In an interview with law enforcement, Mr. Eichorn admitted that he knew the children were roughly 13 years old when he asked them to produce the video, and that he paid them $200 for it.
At a detention hearing shortly after he was indicted, federal law enforcement testified that when asked about the children in Georgia, Mr. Eichorn responded, “just those two?”
Mr. Eichorn now faces 30 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Division and the Abilene Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Ohlhausen is prosecuting the case.