Eastern District of Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Woodbridge man pleads guilty to secretly filming children in his bathroomRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former employee of the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, beginning at least in March 2008, Jackson Quentin Crocker, 54, of Woodbridge, used hidden cameras to secretly record minors in the bathroom of his residence. Between 2008 and 2025, Crocker created thousands of these videos, many of which show minors removing their clothing, using the toilet, and showering. Crocker also created multiple videos of himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct next to sleeping children at his house. In addition to the hidden camera videos he created, Crocker also used the Internet to collect thousands of images and videos depicting minors, some of whom are prepubescent, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Crocker is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 2. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 50 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jeffrey L. Tyler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. The Prince William County Police Department assisted in the investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Halper and Jacob Mercer are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-148.
Illegal immigrant from Honduras with multiple previous felony convictions sentenced to over two years in prison years in prisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An illegal immigrant from Honduras was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison for illegally reentering the United States subsequent to the commission of an aggravated felony.
According to court documents, Catalino Vigil Diaz, 44, was removed from the United States pursuant to a final order of removal in 2003. He was removed again in 2004, in 2008 following a conviction for domestic abuse in Louisiana, and in 2015 following a conviction of felony aggravated assault and unlawful restraint.
In 2014, Vigil Diaz was arrested and charged with attempted kidnapping, false imprisonment, unlawful restraint, simple assault, harassment, and aggravated assault. According to a police report from Indiana, Pennsylvania, Vigil Diaz grabbed a stranger by the neck, pulled her towards his waiting car, and attempted to shove her into his car. He pled guilty to unlawful restraint and aggravated assault and in 2015 was removed from the United States pursuant to the previous order of removal.
Vigil Diaz then unlawfully reentered the United States. On May 23, 2024, he was arrested for assault and battery of a family member in Fairfax County.
According to a police report from Goshen, Indiana, in 2025, Vigil Diaz entered his girlfriend’s residence, grabbed her by the throat, held her against a wall, and punched her in the face with a closed fist. Before leaving the residence, he took $300 from her. When law enforcement attempted a traffic stop following the assault, Vigil Diaz fled, first in his vehicle and then on foot. Vigil Diaz was charged with and convicted of felony intimidation, domestic battery, and resisting law enforcement.
Vigil Diaz also has two pending arrests warrants for his arrest for alleged assault and battery—one out of Virginia based on conduct that took place in 2024, and another out of Tennessee based on conduct that took place in 2025.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Robert Guadian, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber N. Rieff prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-48.
Former U.S. government employee pleads guilty to attempting to provide classified information to a foreign governmentRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 29, of Alexandria, a former IT specialist for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), pled guilty yesterday to transmission of national defense information.
“U.S. government employees entrusted with our nation’s secrets must always protect our nation’s security, not cavalierly toss aside this responsibility out of disagreement, selfishness or greed,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Laatsch faces serious consequences for violating his position of trust. This case shows that if you unlawfully disclose national defense information, we will find you and hold you accountable to the fullest extent the law allows.”
“Political disagreement is not a justification for jeopardizing the security of the United States and the lives of those who protect it,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Theophani K. Stamos for the Eastern District of Virginia. “No one is entitled to break the law or violate the public trust, no matter their motivations, and this office will aggressively prosecute those who recklessly and illegally compromise national security.”
“Laatsch’s animus toward the U.S. government gave him no license to betray the oath he took to the Constitution of the United States nor the duty he had to the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our Nation,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Unlawfully disclosing national defense information to a foreign government is a serious crime, not a form of principled dissent.”
“By his own admission, Laatsch betrayed his oath by offering classified information to a foreign government, the very thing he was supposed to prevent as an employee of DIA’s Insider Threat Division,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “Those entrusted with our nation’s most sensitive information must not exploit their access for personal gain - in this case offering to sell American secrets to buy foreign citizenship. The FBI and our partners will continue to hold accountable all those who betray the trust of the American people.”
“As an employee of the DIA Insider Threat Office, the American people relied on Nathan Laatsch to detect spies and other insider threats within our midst,” said Darren B. Cox, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Laatsch betrayed that trust and instead became the very threat he was sworn to defend against. Fortunately, the swift action of the FBI and our partner agencies prevented even greater harm and brought him to justice. This case underscores a fundamental truth: The strength of our national security depends not only on our capabilities, but also on the integrity of those entrusted to safeguard it. When that trust is violated, the consequences can be profound.”
According to court documents, Laatsch became a civilian employee of the DIA in 2019, where he worked with the Insider Threat Division and held a Top Secret security clearance. In March 2025, the FBI learned that Laatsch offered to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government. Soon thereafter, Laatsch began communicating with an individual he thought was affiliated with that foreign government but was actually an FBI agent.
In late April 2025, Laatsch began transcribing classified information to a notepad at his desk and, over the course of approximately three days, repeatedly took the information from his workspace. After those three days, Laatsch deposited the classified information on a thumb drive at a public park in northern Virginia for the foreign government to retrieve. The FBI retrieved the drive, which contained multiple typed documents, each containing information up to the Secret or Top Secret level. It also contained a message from Laatsch, in which he indicated that he had chosen to include “a decent sample size” of classified information to “decently demonstrate the range of types of products” to which he had access.
After receiving confirmation that the drive had been received, Laatsch communicated that he was interested in “citizenship” to the foreign country. Laatsch also stated that, though he was “not opposed to other compensation,” from a financial standpoint, he did not need “material compensation.”
A week later, in mid-May 2025, the FBI agent advised Laatsch that the agent was prepared to receive additional classified information. Between May 15 and May 27, 2025, Laatsch again repeatedly transcribed multiple pages of notes while logged into his classified workstation and took the classified information away from his workstation hidden in his clothing.
On May 29, 2025, Laatsch arrived at a prearranged location in northern Virginia, where he again transmitted multiple classified documents. Laatsch was arrested upon the FBI’s receipt of the documents.
Laatsch is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2027. He faces up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s Global Counterespionage Unit and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and with thanks to the Defense Intelligence Agency for its cooperation.
Trial Attorney Mark Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-156.
Former U.S. Government Employee Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Classified Information to Foreign GovernmentRead the Press Release
Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 29, of Alexandria, Virginia, a former IT specialist for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), pleaded guilty yesterday to transmission of national defense information to a foreign government.
“U.S. government employees entrusted with our nation’s secrets must always protect our nation’s security, not cavalierly toss aside this responsibility out of disagreement, selfishness or greed,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Laatsch faces serious consequences for violating his position of trust. This case shows that if you unlawfully disclose national defense information, we will find you and hold you accountable to the fullest extent the law allows.”
“Laatsch’s animus toward the U.S. government gave him no license to betray the oath he took to the Constitution of the United States nor the duty he had to the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our Nation,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Unlawfully disclosing national defense information to a foreign government is a serious crime, not a form of principled dissent.”
“Political disagreement is not a justification for jeopardizing the security of the United States and the lives of those who protect it,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Theophani K. Stamos for the Eastern District of Virginia. “No one is entitled to break the law or violate the public trust, no matter their motivations, and this office will aggressively prosecute those who recklessly and illegally compromise national security.”
“By his own admission, Laatsch betrayed his oath by offering classified information to a foreign government, the very thing he was supposed to prevent as an employee of DIA’s Insider Threat Division,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “Those entrusted with our nation’s most sensitive information must not exploit their access for personal gain - in this case offering to sell American secrets to buy foreign citizenship. The FBI and our partners will continue to hold accountable all those who betray the trust of the American people.”
According to court documents, Laatsch became a civilian employee of the DIA in 2019, where he worked with the Insider Threat Division and held a Top Secret security clearance. In March 2025, the FBI learned that Laatsch offered to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government. Soon thereafter, Laatsch began communicating with an individual who he thought was affiliated with that foreign government but was actually an FBI agent.
In late April 2025, Laatsch began transcribing classified information to a notepad at his desk and, over the course of approximately three days, repeatedly took the information from his workspace. After those three days, Laatsch deposited the classified information on a thumb drive at a public park in northern Virginia for the foreign government to retrieve. The FBI retrieved the drive, which contained multiple typed documents, each containing information up to the Secret or Top Secret level. It also contained a message from Laatsch, in which he indicated that he had chosen to include “a decent sample size” of classified information to “decently demonstrate the range of types of products” to which he had access.
After receiving confirmation that the drive had been received, Laatsch communicated that he was interested in “citizenship” to the foreign country. Laatsch also stated that, though he was “not opposed to other compensation,” from a financial standpoint, he did not need “material compensation.”
A week later, in mid-May 2025, the FBI agent advised Laatsch that the agent was prepared to receive additional classified information. Between May 15 and May 27, 2025, Laatsch again repeatedly transcribed multiple pages of notes while logged into his classified workstation and took the classified information away from his workstation hidden in his clothing.
On May 29, 2025, Laatsch arrived at a prearranged location in northern Virginia, where he again transmitted multiple classified documents. Laatsch was arrested upon the FBI’s receipt of the documents.
Laatsch is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2027. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s Global Counterespionage Unit and U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and with thanks to the Defense Intelligence Agency for its cooperation.
Trial Attorney Mark Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-156.
Henrico man sentenced to six years in prison for voluminous collection of child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico man was sentenced today to six years in prison for receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, over a period of at least 16 months, David Brent Timberlake, 65, requested and received CSAM through a peer-to-peer file-sharing network designed to anonymize users who share files.
On Jan. 25, 2023, the FBI searched Timberlake’s residence and seized more than 100 digital devices and pieces of digital media. A forensic review of a portion of the seized devices revealed 52,343 digital files depicting CSAM, including 48,312 still image files and 4,031 video files, of which 634 involved toddlers or infants and 306 involved sadistic or masochistic conduct.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian R. Hood prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-26.
Hampton drug trafficker sentenced to five years in prison for distributing LSDRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to five years in prison for distribution of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).
According to court documents, during the course of a narcotics trafficking investigation, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) conducted five controlled purchases of narcotics from Josiah Antonio Travis, 24, between December 2024 and March 2025. On Jan. 8, 2025, Travis sold 200 gel tabs (approximately 5.8 grams) of LSD. During the course of the controlled buys, Travis also sold marijuana, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and mushrooms containing psilocybin and/or psilocyn.
Following the controlled buys, NCIS searched Travis’ residence and recovered, among other things, 543.2 grams of mushrooms, marijuana, four loaded firearms, various ammunition, ammunition magazines, narcotics packaging materials, and a digital scale.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Steven DiGiantommaso, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-64.
Recidivist offender sentenced to 20 years in prison for fentanyl traffickingRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, on Oct. 26, 2023, law enforcement searched the residence of Christopher Raymond Coleman, 38. Upon entering the residence, an officer located Coleman in the kitchen next to a table with numerous packages of illegal narcotics and items related to drug trafficking. Agents recovered over 670 grams of fentanyl, over 129 grams of cocaine powder, approximately 20 grams of crack cocaine, a box of plastic baggies, scissors, and a digital scale. Agents also recovered a handgun, ammunition, and two ammunition magazines.
Coleman has been convicted previously of possession of oxycodone, possession with intent to distribute heroin, and possession of a firearm with drugs, and on another occasion with possession with intent to distribute heroin, and possession of a firearm with drugs. After Coleman was released from custody on Aug. 29, 2022, he began distributing illegal controlled substances in July 2023 and continued into October 2023. Additionally, Coleman was charged on Sept. 6, 2023, with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, and Chief Rick Edwards, of the Richmond Police Department made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia L. Norman and Katherine E. Groover prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-138.
Illegal immigrant from French Guiana pleads guilty after stealing the identities of two victimsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A national of French Guiana residing illegally in Adelphi, Maryland, pled guilty today to aggravated identity theft, Social Security fraud, and use of a passport secured by false statements.
According to court documents, Jean Claude Casimir, 59, was deported from the United States on June 7, 1995, and Sept. 8, 2007. Following his latest removal, Casimir illegally re-entered the United States.
In 2010 and again in 2021, Casimir used the identity of another person, identified as “V1,” to obtain a U.S. passport. Casimir used the unlawfully acquired U.S. passport that he obtained in V1’s identity in 2021 to travel and pass through security at Washington Dulles International Airport in 2022. On May 26, 2022, Casimir used the social security number of another victim, a minor identified as “V2,” at the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles in Alexandria to obtain a vehicle title and registration.
Casimir also used the personal identifiable information of the two victims to open financial accounts, obtain loans, and for other purposes. On June 1, 2022, Casimir used the alias “Duke Casimir” and the social security number of V2 to obtain a vehicle loan through a credit union, which caused a reported loss to the credit union of $30,394.68. On May 19, 2025, V1 informed the credit union that an account was opened with his identity and without his permission, and the credit union reported an additional loss of $16,228.81.
On Oct. 2, 2024, Casimir opened a checking and savings account with a bank using V1’s identity information. On Sept. 8, 2025, Casimir began using a credit card from that bank under V1’s identity information. The amount owed for that card is $5,229.72. On March 2, 2026, Casimir used V1’s social security number on a Virginia DMV “Power of Attorney” form, and on March 3, used V1’s identity information to purchase a vehicle for $84,186. Casimir also filed taxes in the name of V1 and claimed earnings of $87,646 for tax year 2025, causing V1 financial problems.
Casimir is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of two years and up to 15 years in prison and full restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael McGill, Special Agent-in-Charge, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General; David Richeson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Washington Field Office for the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service; and Eric Weindorf, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Eitzen is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-123.
Former insurance agent pleads guilty to wire fraudRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A former insurance agent pled guilty today to wire fraud related to a scheme to pocket the premiums he was paid for policies he sold.
According to court documents, Thomas Robert Hoyt, 32, of Melfa, contracted with insurance carriers to sell the carriers’ products to Hoyt’s clients, serving as the intermediary between the insurers and the insured. For certain policies, Hoyt directed his clients to pay premiums to him and represented that he would forward those payments to the insurance carriers.
In response to complaints from Hoyt’s clients, the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Bureau of Insurance opened an investigation, contacting Hoyt in June 2021. On Sept. 9, 2021, Hoyt signed an agreement with the Bureau to voluntarily agree to the permanent revocation of the insurance licenses for himself and Hoyt Insurance.
Hoyt then sold his book of business to a small independent insurance agency. Hoyt falsely represented that all premiums due on policies that were part of the purchase by the agency had been paid to the respective companies providing insurance and that there were no pending investigations. The agency provided Hoyt with a $27,282.28 down payment. Upon review of the policies Hoyt had purported to sell, the agency discovered that a significant number had lapsed or were never in place because Hoyt had failed to pay the insurance carriers the required premiums.
In August 2022, the Bureau referred the matter to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). The USPIS investigation found that Hoyt had repeatedly assured his clients they had a valid insurance policy, collected premium payments from them, and then used those payments for his own personal use rather than providing them to the insurance companies. A review of Hoyt’s bank accounts for the relevant time frame revealed that he diverted approximately half of the inflows to his business were diverted to personal use, including significant cash withdrawals. As a result of the scheme, Hoyt fraudulently obtained approximately $164,345.
Hoyt is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 10 and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-74.
Hampton meth trafficker sentenced to over 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to 10 years and six months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on Sept. 26, 2025, law enforcement took Michael A. Wade, 52, into custody and conducted a search of the residence he shares with his family, including two minor children. Investigators recovered 430 grams of methamphetamine with an average purity of more than 98 percent, as well as drug packaging devices and materials. They also recovered 29 firearms and one silencer. Three of the recovered firearms had been reported stolen.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke Bresnahan and Amanda L. Cheney prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-35.
Previously convicted sex offender sentenced to life in prison for sexually exploiting two minorsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Gum Spring man was sentenced today to life plus ten years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), possession of CSAM, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and commission by a registered sex offender of a felony offense involving a minor.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Richard Scott Tyson, 57, was convicted in 2002 of rape involving a child, for which he was sentenced to 99 years in prison with 86 years suspended. Between 2021 and 2023, Tyson sexually exploited two minor victims.
Tyson met the first victim, identified as Minor Victim 1 (MV1), in 2021 and developed a relationship with MV1 and his family members. Tyson soon began taking MV1 on trips and paying for items such as video games, clothing, or activities on his behalf. MV1 then began staying overnight and on weekends at Tyson’s house. During a trip with MV1 to a trampoline park, MV1 met and befriended Tyson’s second victim, identified as Minor Victim 2 (MV2). Tyson communicated with both victims through Snapchat.
MV2 joined Tyson and MV1 during activities and trips to hotels, resorts, and amusement parks, for which Tyson paid. During these activities and trips, as well as at Tyson’s home, Tyson engaged in sexual relations with MV2 and took pictures of both minor victims while they were nude or mostly undressed and posed in sexualized positions in exchange for money.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Bradford W. Nunnally, Powhatan County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. The Goochland County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation.
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea M. Gibbons and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-3.
Colombian national pleads guilty to a money laundering conspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Colombian national pled guilty today to a seven-year money laundering conspiracy involving the purchase of consumer electronics using drug proceeds.
According to court documents, from January 2018 through March 2025, Andrelio Castaño Rojas, 55, conspired to launder drug trafficking proceeds using a currency exchange scheme. Rojas opened U.S. bank accounts for two of his U.S. companies and arranged for his business accounts to receive drug proceeds through bank wires and bulk cash deposits. Rojas used these funds to purchase consumer electronics that he exported to Colombia.
Rojas pled guilty to a money laundering conspiracy. He faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 22, 2027. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Matthew Allen, Chief of Operations of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), made the announcement.
The DEA Norfolk and Miami Field Divisions are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Hudson for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Yuliana Reyes and Mark Irish of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) are prosecuting the case.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-21.
Colombian National Pleads Guilty to a Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Colombian national pleaded guilty today to a seven-year money laundering conspiracy involving the purchase of consumer electronics using drug proceeds.
According to court documents, Andrelio Castaño Rojas, 55, of Colombia, from January 2018 through March 2025, conspired to launder drug trafficking proceeds using a currency exchange scheme. Rojas opened U.S. bank accounts for two of his U.S. companies and arranged for his business accounts to receive drug proceeds through bank wires and bulk cash deposits. Rojas used these funds to purchase consumer electronics that he exported to Colombia.
Rojas pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy. Sentencing is set for Jan. 22, 2027. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; First Assistant U.S. Attorney Theophani K. Stamos for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Chief of Operations Matthew Allen of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the announcement.
The DEA Norfolk Resident Office and Miami Field Division are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Yuliana Reyes and Mark Irish of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Hudson for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section's (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
Richmond career offender sentenced to over 12 years in prison for federal drug trafficking and firearms crimesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced yesterday to 12 years and seven months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents, after Brian Lamont Jones, 39, sold cocaine to another individual in early March 2025, Richmond Police (RPD) searched Jones’ residence. During the search, investigators found 67.08 grams of heroin and fentanyl, 156.09 grams of cocaine base, and 320.21 grams of cocaine hydrochloride. They also recovered several firearms.
Jones has three prior drug trafficking convictions. As a previously convicted felon, Jones cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-135.
Recidivist felon returning to prison after latest conviction for illegally possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Sandston man was sentenced today to five years and five months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on Jan. 26, a woman asked another individual in a North Chesterfield gas station to call 911 and report that she had been kidnapped. Chesterfield County Police (CCPD) responded and were directed to the woman and Brandon Rashaad Hill, 31, who was with her. When an officer approached Hill and attempted to detain him, Hill pulled away from the officer and hurdled over a fruit stand between him and the exit. As he hurdled the fruit stand, a handgun fell from his waistband to the floor. Hill fled from the gas station but was apprehended by other CCPD officers responding to the scene.
As a convicted felon, Hill cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. Among other prior convictions, Hill has been convicted twice previously for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Following his most recent prior conviction, Hill was released from prison on Feb. 28, 2025, but violated his supervised release and returned to prison. He was released again on Oct. 8, 2025, and was on supervised release when he was arrested on Jan. 26.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Albert Flores Jr. and John C. Blanchard and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremiah Johansen, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-32.
Illegal immigrant from Honduras pleads guilty to reentering the country and stealing the identity of a U.S. citizenRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An illegal immigrant from Honduras pled guilty today to aggravated identity theft and reentering the United States following a previous removal. Carlos Alexis Chavez-Paz was sentenced to two years and one day in prison and remains subject to the previous order of removal.
According to court documents, Chavez-Paz has illegally entered or reentered the United States four times and has been deported on three previous occasions.
On Jan. 10, 2025, at a DMV customer service center in Stafford County, Carlos Alexis Chavez-Paz presented an authentic Kentucky driver’s license bearing a picture that appeared to be Chavez-Paz, but with the name of another person. Chavez-Paz also presented a counterfeit Puerto Rican birth certificate, a counterfeit Social Security card, and mail in the in the identity theft victim’s name. The Social Security card contained the victim’s Social Security number. He presented the documents in support of an application for a Virginia driver’s license in the victim’s name in an effort to evade detection by immigration authorities.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Eric Weindorf, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Eitzen is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-CR-100.
Salvadoran national pleads guilty to illegally reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – An illegal alien from El Salvador pled guilty today to illegally reentering the United States after multiple previous removals.
According to court documents, on Oct. 6, 2015, Salvadoran national Luis Antonio Tejada-Santamaria was arrested for illegally entering the United States. Following his conviction, Tejada-Santamaria was deported on Jan. 13, 2016. On April 1, 2016, Tejada-Santamaria was arrested for illegally reentry, and on May 18, 2016, was again removed from the United States.
On Nov. 2, 2024, Tejada-Santamaria was arrested in Chesterfield County for assault on law enforcement and obstruction, and he was convicted of the latter in the Chesterfield County court.
Tejada-Santamaria is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24. He faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison and remains subject to the previous order of removal. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Eric Weindorf, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C., made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Joseph McGorman and Angela Mastandrea are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-42.
Belarusian leader of international ransomware scheme known as “Ransom Cartel” sentenced to 16 years in prisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Belarusian national was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, Maksim Silnikau, 40, was the creator and administrator of the Ransom Cartel ransomware strain, created in 2021. Silnikau had been a member of Russian-speaking cybercrime forums since at least 2005 and was a member of the notorious cybercrime website Direct Connection from 2011 to 2016, when the site was shuttered after the arrest of its administrator.
Beginning in May 2021, Silnikau developed a ransomware operation and began recruiting participants from cybercrime forums. On various occasions, Silnikau distributed information and tools to Ransom Cartel participants, including information about compromised computers, such as stolen credentials, and tools such as those designed to encrypt or “lock” compromised computers. Silnikau also maintained a hidden website where he and his co-conspirators could monitor and control ransomware attacks; communicate with each other; communicate with victims, including sending and negotiating payment demands; and manage distribution of funds between co-conspirators.
From 2021 to 2023, Silnikau’s Ransom Cartel conspirators executed ransomware attacks on at least 18 companies around the world, including companies based in California, New York, Nebraska, and countries other than the United States. The hackers stole data and demanded monetary payments in exchange for the key to unlock the stolen data, or in exchange for a promise not to publish the victim’s data. Ransom Cartel’s growth was disrupted by the arrest of Silnikau in July 2023.
Silnikau was extradited from Poland to face prosecution in the Eastern District of Virginia and the District of New Jersey.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Forrest, US Secret Service Criminal Investigative Division; Chris Ormerod, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Kansas City Field Office; and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albany Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in the extradition of Silnikau and the collection of evidence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property section also provided assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Keim and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-108.
Armed career criminal sentenced to over 15 years in prison for federal drug trafficking and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Nottoway County man was sentenced today to 15 years and eight months in prison for distribution of cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, in January 2025, members of the Amelia/Powhatan/Nottoway/Blackstone Drug & Gang Task Force conducted two controlled purchases of cocaine from Lionel Leo Hardy, 39, at his residence in Blackstone. On each occasion, Hardy weighed, packaged, and distributed cocaine.
On Jan. 28, 2025, task force officers searched Hardy’s residence. Inside the residence, officers encountered Hardy, Hardy’s girlfriend, and their two small children. Investigators recovered a handgun, a shotgun, loaded magazines, ammunition, $13,723, a money-counting machine, and individually wrapped plastic baggies of cocaine inside an infant formula can.
From vehicles parked on the property, investigators recovered two additional handguns, a shopping bag filled with smaller plastic bags containing cocaine and methamphetamine, and a vacuumed-sealed bag containing methamphetamine.
As a previously convicted felon, Hardy cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
USAO EDVA USAO EDVATheophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Blanchard prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-169.
Stafford County Sheriff’s Deputy arrested for receipt of child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A sergeant with the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office was arrested July 30 on charges of receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, since at least 2023, Justin Thomas Lee Forman, 37, of Fredericksburg, allegedly used a Telegram account to solicit, purchase, and receive CSAM from another Telegram account. Forman allegedly received links and files containing CSAM, including videos and images depicting the sexual abuse of children and infants.
After receiving a tip in June, the FBI searched Forman’s residence on July 30 and seized approximately 16 electronic devices. Forman was arrested on July 30 and made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court on July 31. At a preliminary and detention hearing today, Forman entered a plea of not guilty.
If convicted, Forman faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Mercer is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-mj-299.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Previously convicted child sex offender sentenced to 16 years in prison for latest crimesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a child and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and an additional year for violating the terms of his supervised release.
According to court documents, on Oct. 22, 2018, Christopher Charles Collins, 40, was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia of attempted transfer of obscene material to a person under 16 years of age and possession of CSAM. He was sentenced to six years and six months in prison and a five-year term of supervised release. Collins was released from prison on Nov. 24, 2023.
On October 28, 2025, using the moniker “SinningPastor,” Collins engaged online with an undercover officer who was posing as a 14-year-old girl on the social media platform Chatiw. After moving their communications to Discord, Collins sexually propositioned the undercover officer and arranged to pick her up from a home in Newport News and take her to his residence. Law enforcement arrested Collins when he arrived at the home.
At the time of his arrest, Collins possessed two cellphones. A search of the phones revealed that Collins possessed CSAM, of which he was attributed with over a thousand images.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Eric Weindorf, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Washington D.C. Field Office and Newport News Police Department assisted in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa R. McKeel prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:26-cr-19.
South Carolina man sentenced to over a year in prison for online retail theft schemeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A South Carolina man was sentenced today to a year and one month in prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
According to court documents, between March 2022 and April 2025, Cody Cavallaro, 31, of Charleston, conspired to steal merchandise from online retailers, submit fraudulent return requests, receive refunds, and then sell the stolen merchandise on third-party online platforms.
Cavallaro placed hundreds of orders for merchandise with online retailers. To circumvent retailers’ loss-prevention systems, Cavallaro used hundreds of false names, email addresses, and telephone numbers as well as different versions of his delivery address. For example, Cavallaro added “13th Floor” to his delivery address, which was a two-story single-family home.
After receiving the merchandise, Cavallaro and his co-conspirators submitted fraudulent return requests, prompting the retailers to provide digital copies of shipping labels that Cavallaro and his co-conspirators digitally manipulated to alter the printed delivery address. The conspirators applied the manipulated shipping labels to empty envelopes and placed them in the mail. Generally, once an envelope’s barcode was scanned, carriers’ automated systems treated the package as deliverable to the retailer’s return facility, resulting in a refund to Cavallaro without the retailer receiving a return package.
Cavallaro would then sell the merchandise on third-party online marketplaces, such as Amazon.com and Mercari.com. Cavallaro took steps to obfuscate his resale activity. For example, in late 2023, a loss prevention investigator for Amazon contacted Cavallaro to request business records indicating Cavallaro’s source for obtaining merchandise. Cavallaro provided the investigator with a fabricated invoice from another retailer for a total of $74,998.50.
In September 2022, Amazon uncovered a portion of Cavallaro’s return fraud scheme and issued “charge backs” on Cavallaro’s American Express credit card totaling $117,447.62. Cavallaro then submitted a fraud report to American Express falsely claiming that Amazon’s charge backs were fraudulent. American Express credited Cavallaro’s account with the full $117,447.62, leaving American Express as the victim of Cavallaro’s fraudulent conduct.
In total, Cavallaro caused an actual loss to seven different retailers of $768,127. Cavallaro further attempted, but ultimately failed, to order and fraudulently return merchandise worth an additional $586,577.62.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James Kingsley, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Richmond Field Office; and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Day prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-145.
Richmond men sentenced to prison for conspiring to traffic fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamineRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Two Richmond men were sentenced to over 20 years in prison for their roles in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, from the fall of 2024 through June 2025, law enforcement conducted five controlled purchases of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin from Roddell Chappell, 40, and seven controlled purchases of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine from Vagas Davis, 38.
Investigators searched the residences of Chappell and Davis on June 24, 2025. From Chappell’s residence, investigators recovered multi-kilogram quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine as well as 15 firearms, large capacity drum magazines, ammunition, drug packaging materials, scales, presses, and $49,939. From Davis’ residence, investigators recovered 459.6 grams of marijuana, a money counter, and three cellphones. When Davis was arrested the same day, he possessed a loaded handgun, four additional cellphones, and $950.
Chappell pled guilty on Sept. 11, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. On May 18, Chappell was sentenced to 20 years and 10 months in prison.
Davis pled guilty on Sept. 16, 2025, to distribution and aiding and abetting in the distribution of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Davis, who held a leadership role in the drug trafficking organization, was sentenced yesterday to 24 years and four months in prison.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, made the announcement. The Virginia State Police, Chesterfield County Police Department, and Richmond Police Department assisted with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-98.
Glen Allen man sentenced to over 19 years in prison for distributing child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Glen Allen man was sentenced today to 19 years and seven months in prison for distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, in response to a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, on Feb. 14, 2024, pursuant to a search warrant, law enforcement obtained the cellphone of Phillip Michael Taft, 40, at his probation office. During a review of the phone, investigators identified photos and videos depicting CSAM. Investigators also searched Taft’s synchronous account in which they identified approximately 20 videos depicting CSAM.
The FBI reviewed text messages on Taft’s phone and identified an exchange from Feb. 12 to 14, 2024, in which Taft discussed various sexual and pornographic topics and exchanged several images and videos, including at least one depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Taft has several previous criminal convictions, most recently on May 6, 2025, of eight felony counts for the sexual abuse of animals and eight felony counts for permitting sexual contact with an animal to be conducted on premises under his ownership or control. Taft’s federal sentence will be served consecutively to his state sentence.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Janet Jin Ah Lee and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Jordan-Detamore prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-79.
South Riding man sentenced to 12 years in prison for sexually exploiting a childRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A South Riding man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
According to court documents, on June 28, 2023, Michael David Seeds, 28, began communicating online with a 14-year-old victim via Discord, an Internet-based text, voice, and video messaging chat forum. Seeds purchased and gifted a new Discord subscription to the victim and created a username for her that included the word “victim.”
From July through August 2023, Seeds directed the victim to record images and videos of herself that were sexual in nature. During video chats, Seeds would instruct the victim on how to pose, remove her clothing, and what sexual actions to perform during the live stream.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jeffrey L. Tyler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa K. Strobbe prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-CR-55.
Defense contractor to pay $7.75M to resolve False Claims Act allegationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Sierra Nevada Company, LLC (SNC), headquartered in Sparks, Nevada, agreed to pay $7.75 million to settle False Claims Act allegations arising from its employment of a government official who, while employed by both SNC and the government, participated personally and substantially in three government contracts awarded to SNC.
From July 2019 to June 2020, SNC retained Michael Henry, a Department of War employee with the Joint Staff/J6, as a consultant. As a Joint Staff/J6 employee, Henry was involved in the award of three different government contracts to SNC: (1) a subcontract awarded by the Army in 2019, (2) an indefinite quantity/indefinite delivery contract awarded by the General Services Administration in 2020, and (3) task orders under an indefinite quantity/indefinite delivery contract awarded by the Special Operations Command in 2018.
After beginning his employment with SNC, Henry continued to serve as a Joint Staff/J6 employee. In that capacity, Henry continued participating personally and substantially in the contracts by evaluating and obtaining approvals for SNC’s products. While serving as an SNC consultant, Henry also participated personally and substantially in the contracts on SNC’s behalf by recommending SNC’s products for purchase.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that SNC submitted or caused the submission of false claims, false statements, and false certifications in connection with the contracts. The United States alleged that SNC’s employment of Henry and Henry’s participation in the contracts on SNC’s behalf constituted an organizational conflict of interest under the Federal Acquisition Regulation. The United States further alleged SNC knowingly made, or knowingly caused to be made, material false statements, material false certifications, and material omissions concerning the nonexistence of an organizational conflict of interest that induced the award of the contracts.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Fraud Field Office, and the General Services Administration’s Office of Inspector General.
This matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Kapoor.
In 2025, Henry pled guilty to a one-count criminal indictment charging him with acts affecting a personal financial interest.
The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Man who led drug trafficking conspiracy while incarcerated sentenced to over 18 additional years in prison in Homeland Security Task Force caseRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Terrance Edward Brown, 44, of Hampton Roads, was sentenced today to 18 years and 8 months in prison for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, and heroin and conspiracy to launder money.
According to court documents, in 2013, Brown was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Beginning in 2022 while Brown was incarcerated, he, along with Sylvia Naupendai Bryant and Felisa Alexander, procured cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and para-fluorofentanyl from out-of-state sources and had it shipped in wholesale quantities to Virginia. At Brown’s direction, Bryant and Alexander supplied those narcotics to, among others, Donte Antrell Cartwright, Rudy Malik Collick, Brandon Rashad Hargrow, Marlow Rodrico Malone, Marquis Ryan Scott, Sherrod Demaine Benns, Brehon Kanell Davis, Terry Damaine Burke, and David Liequan Hairston for further distribution.
From June 2022 to Dec. 13, 2023, Brown and his co-conspirators sent at least $1,147,768 in drug proceeds via electronic money transfers, bank deposits, and bulk cash shipments to both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals.
Bryant was sentenced on June 9 to two years and six months in prison.
Cartwright was sentenced on May 26 to seven years and eight months in prison.
Collick was sentenced on Jan. 22 to 14 years in prison.
Hargrow was sentenced on Jan. 22 to seven years and six months in prison.
Malone was sentenced on May 13 to 11 years and eight months in prison.
Scott was sentenced on May 7 to six years in prison.
Benns was sentenced on Jan. 13 to five years and 10 months in prison.
Burke was sentenced on May 14 to two years and six months in prison.
Hairston was sentenced on July 21 to six years and three months in prison.
Davis is currently awaiting sentencing.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division; the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS); the Federal Bureau of Prisons National Gang Unit; Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS); and the Norfolk Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Washington, D.C., comprises agents and officers from the FBI; HSI; ATF; Drug Enforcement Administration; Diplomatic Security Service; USMS; CGIS; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; Transportation Security Administration Federal Air Marshals Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Washington Baltimore HIDTA, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-53.
Norfolk man pleads guilty to attempted witness tampering while under investigation for murder threatsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man pled guilty today to attempted witness tampering.
According to court documents, on May 3, 2025, Christopher Martin Herr, 33, called his then-ex-girlfriend, identified as Jane Doe, dozens of times and left multiple voicemails in which he threatened to kill Jane Doe, murder her boyfriend, and assault her father. On Sept. 29, 2025, Herr drove to Jane Doe’s apartment in Virginia Beach and threw her trash can at her car. Between Sept. 27 and Oct. 28, 2025, Herr sent messages to Jane Doe in which he threatened to murder her boyfriend, her family, and an FBI agent.
On Oct. 26, 2025, Herr again drove to Jane Doe’s apartment and attempted to open her locked door. Jane Doe reported Herr’s behavior to Virginia Beach Police.
On Dec. 19, 2025, Herr contacted a relative who was an officer with the Norfolk Police Department and requested that the relative arrange for Jane Doe’s arrest for a DUI. Herr told the relative exactly where Jane Doe lived, described the make and model of her vehicle, and described her license plate. The relative declined Herr’s request. On Jan. 9, Herr contacted another relative who works in law enforcement and again requested that Jane Doe be arrested.
Herr is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 19 and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikolas Nelson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-17.
Hampton man sentenced to over five years in prison for federal drug and firearm offensesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to five years and eight months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on Sept. 4, 2025, Damion Chesson, 29, was seated in the front passenger seat of a vehicle during a traffic stop. Chesson told law enforcement that he did not have identification and provided a false name and a social security number with an insufficient number of digits. Officers observed a bag between Chesson’s legs.
A K9 unit alerted to narcotics inside the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, investigators located the bag, which contained a loaded handgun, a digital scale, and narcotics packaging material. When officers searched Chesson, they recovered $1,135.03 from his left front pocket and 25.54 grams of cocaine from his right front pocket.
On January 2, Chesson was arrested after being federally indicted for the Sept. 4, 2025, offense. At the time of his arrest, Chesson was in possession of, among other things, a loaded handgun and 15.76 grams of cocaine.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes. The Virginia State Police and Hampton Police Division assisted in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-79.
This release was edited on July 23, 2026, to correct the term of imprisonment.
Richmond felon sentenced to prison for illegally possessing firearms and mail theftRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and mail theft.
According to court documents, from at least July through August 2025, Quavon William Smith, 40, used an arrow key to break into several blue collection boxes in Richmond and Henrico. Arrow keys are used by United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carriers to access authorized mail receptacles. Smith was not employed by USPS and was not authorized to possess or use an arrow key. During many of the break-ins, after taking mail out of the collection box, Smith would put a different packet of mail back into the box.
On Aug. 29, 2025, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) received an access alert and notified Henrico County Police (HCPD). USPIS and HCPD proceeded to the Lakeside Post Office where Smith had used the arrow key to access a collection box and moved mail from the box to his vehicle.
Smith was in possession of stolen mail, including several high-value checks, as well as two loaded handguns. In 2009, Smith was convicted in the Chesterfield County Circuit Court of distribution of cocaine. As a convicted felon, Smith cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
USPIS investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Podlesni prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-167.
Arlington man sentenced to nine years in prison for downloading child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arlington man was sentenced today to nine years in prison for receipt of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Patrick Wanamaker, 35, viewed, downloaded, and possessed images and videos depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On Oct. 1, 2025, federal authorities searched Wanamaker’s residence and recovered nine electronic devices, eight of which belonged to Wanamaker. On Wanamaker’s cellphone and laptop, investigators identified 81 CSAM images, which he had downloaded between December 2015 and October 2023.
A forensic analysis also revealed that Wanamaker had emailed himself Mega links containing CSAM. The Mega links exclusively contained CSAM images and videos, including depictions of the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers. In total, the links included 279 images and 777 videos. Wanamaker accessed these links at various times between January 2022 and October 2023.
The FBI Washington Field Office's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Clement and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Minghella prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-53.
Richmond man sentenced after being caught with drugs and a firearm while on supervision for the same crimes in the same placeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to a year and three months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, on July 10, 2025, Richmond Police observed several individuals loitering around a vacant unit in the Southwood Apartment Complex in Richmond, including Atio Terrain Walton, 23. The officers, who were familiar with Walton, searched him and found a knotted baggie containing over five grams of cocaine base hidden in Walton's underwear. They also located a handgun on a chair in the apartment and recognized it as the same firearm Walton possessed in an image he had posted on Instagram.
On June 10, 2025, one month before this offense, Walton was convicted of possession of seven grams of cocaine and a concealed firearm with an extended magazine while in the Southwood Apartment Complex. Walton was on supervised release for the prior conviction at the time he committed the latest offense. As a previously convicted felon, Walton cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The FBI’s Richmond Field Office and the Richmond Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine E. Groover and Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-155.
Federal jury convicts Poquoson man of telemarketing fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Poquoson man today on charges of mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, money laundering, unlawful monetary transactions, and obtaining information under false pretenses.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Barry Glenn Augustinsky, 55, owned various telecommunications companies that facilitated voice over internet protocol (VoIP) telephone calls. From 2018 through at least 2023, Augustinsky and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of One Ten Communications, a call center in Karachi, Pakistan, engaged in a conspiracy in which representatives of OneTen used Augustinsky’s VoIP services to make millions of voice calls to people in the United States.
During those calls, representatives of OneTen made false and fraudulent representations, including telling victims that their credit card debt would be reduced or eliminated if they sent payments to companies controlled by Augustinsky. Callers also represented that they were agents of various legitimate debt relief companies even though OneTen had no affiliation with those companies.
Relying on these false representations, victims from across the United States sent hundreds of personal checks to post office boxes in Portsmouth and Poquoson, which Augustinsky collected and deposited. He kept 30 percent of the proceeds from each check received for himself, took an additional cut from the funds as payment for OneTen’s use of his VoIP service, and from time to time sent funds back to OneTen in Pakistan via wire transfer.
Augustinsky knew that OneTen representatives were making false representations, that calls made by OneTen were spoofing caller identification information, and that many of the people receiving calls and sending checks were elderly. Augustinsky also made false statements to a credit report company—claiming that he needed credit reports for “construction loan funding”—so that he could provide access to his overseas co-conspirator, who wanted access to the records to further the scheme and ultimately obtained over three hundred credit reports without authorization.
Augustinsky faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on November 5, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and the IRS Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C., Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony C. Mozzi and Kristen S. Taylor are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-97.
Virginia Man Found Guilty of Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A district court judge today convicted a local tax preparer and Franconia museum guide of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) over multiple years.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in December of 2022, law enforcement began an undercover investigation into a user who was requesting CSAM files on the peer-to-peer file sharing network, Freenet. Further investigation revealed that the user was Nathaniel Carey Lee, 39, of Springfield. In June of 2024, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant and seized multiple devices which were later found to contain a large volume of images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In an interview with law enforcement, Lee admitted to possessing approximately 4 million images of CSAM and/or child erotica.
Following a bench trial, Lee was convicted on two counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 6, 2027. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Clement for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
The HSI Washington, DC Field Office investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Smithfield man pleads guilty to illegally selling the firearm used in the campus shooting at Old Dominion UniversityRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Kenya Mcchell Chapman, 32, of Smithfield, pled guilty today to dealing in firearms without a license in connection with the March 12 shooting at Old Dominion University (ODU), and with three counts of making false statements during purchases of firearms.
On March 12, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, committed a terrorist shooting at ODU in Norfolk during an Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corp (ROTC) class, killing one victim and wounding two more.
According to court documents, a review of Jalloh’s cellphone revealed that one of the phone numbers most frequently contacted in the week prior to the shooting was Chapman’s, with the most recent call occurring minutes before the shooting. Law enforcement searched Chapman’s residence on March 13 and located ammunition consistent with ammunition used in the firearm recovered from the ODU shooting. The serial number of the firearm was partially altered or obliterated. Chapman stole the firearm from a vehicle in Newport News a year before the ODU shooting and sold it to Jalloh the night before the shooting.
USAO EDVA USAO EDVAJalloh was convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia in 2016 of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. As a previously convicted felon, Jalloh could not legally purchase or possess firearms or ammunition.
In addition, according to court documents, in 2021, Chapman purchased three firearms that were recovered from crime scenes shortly afterward. Two were recovered from the scene of a homicide and another was recovered from a public intoxication arrest.
Chapman is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 18 and faces up to 35 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca Gantt and Luke Bresnahan are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-34.
Sterling man sentenced to five years in prison for trading in child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Sterling man was sentenced today to five years in prison for receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, in June of 2024, John Joseph Chanel, 37, uploaded two videos depicting CSAM to an Internet-based cloud storage platform and requested and received images and videos depicting CSAM via an Internet-based peer-to-peer platform. Forensic analysis of Chanel’s devices and social media accounts revealed that in June 2024, a user on the KiK social media platform asked the Chanel if he had child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to trade. Chanel confirmed he did and provided a link to his Dropbox account, which contained numerous images and videos of CSAM. The other user reciprocated. Chanel asked for more, and the other user provided more. A similar exchange occurred on the same messaging platform three days later.
On Sept. 25, 2024, law enforcement searched Chanel’s residence in Sterling and seized Chanel’s cellphone and computer. Investigators identified dozens of CSAM files on his devices, as well as in his social media and cloud storage accounts. The files included graphic depictions of the sexual abuse of children.
Chanel pled guilty on March 13.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndi McVey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Strobbe prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-44.
Petersburg methamphetamine dealer sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Petersburg man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on Nov. 19, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of 102.81 grams of 95% pure methamphetamine from Rayquan Tyrell Coleman, 30. On Dec. 13, 2024, law enforcement searched two residences associated with Coleman in Chester and Colonial Heights, along with two vehicles. In the vehicle and residence in Chester, investigators located a rifle, two safes, vehicle registrations, money count sheets, $69,107, two cellphones, methamphetamine, marijuana, and packaging materials. From the vehicle at the Colonial Heights residence, investigators recovered a handgun, methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy tablets, $4,349, packaging materials, and a digital scale with residue. The total weights of the substances recovered were 839.51 grams of methamphetamine, 85.89 grams of cocaine, 310.86 grams of methamphetamine tablets, and 967.16 grams of marijuana.
Coleman pled guilty on Jan. 15.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gilliland prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-137.
Annandale man sentenced for trafficking “boot” and unlawfully possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Annandale man was sentenced today to five years and four months in prison for possession with intent to distribute N-isopropyl butylone (boot) and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on May 2, 2024, pursuant to a warrant, law enforcement searched the residence of Tyrice Stanton, 37. From Stanton’s bedroom, investigators recovered 36 individually packaged bags of boot, a Schedule 1 controlled substance, in addition to another larger package of boot, for a total of 41.63 grams. Investigators also recovered a privately-made firearm with an extended magazine and a laser light, another handgun, ammunition, four ammunition magazines, and brass knuckles.
On May 22, 2024, after Stanton was charged with armed drug trafficking and had been released, he was photographed in possession of a rifle. On June 26, 2024, while executing a search warrant, investigators found Stanton in possession of another handgun.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and the Fairfax County Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Walutes Jr. prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-234.
Arlington man sentenced to prison for sexually exploiting minors and attempting to destroy evidenceRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arlington man was sentenced today to 18 years and 10 months in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and destruction or removal of property to prevent search or seizure.
According to court documents, from at least May 2023 through May 2025, Stephen Chadwick Howell, 25, engaged in sexually explicit conversations with at least three minor victims. Howell at times misrepresented his age, sent sexually explicit images of himself, and requested and received sexually explicit images. Howell met at least one minor victim with whom he engaged in sex and produced sexually explicit images and videos of the victim, which he later distributed to her. Howell sent money to a 16-year-old victim who sent sexually explicit images of herself that were later found on Howell’s cellphone.
Between January 2023 and January 2024, Howell communicated online with an individual in Brooklyn, New York, about their shared interest in CSAM. Howell distributed sexually explicit images of minors to the individual and requested advice on grooming minors such as what age to represent himself to victims online. Howell asked the individual’s assistance rebuilding his CSAM collection after having deleted it.
On May 7, 2025, the FBI executed a search warrant at Howell’s residence. When investigators arrived, however, Howell did not comply with orders to exit the residence. Instead, he retrieved two knives from the kitchen and barricaded himself in his bedroom, leading to a nine-hour standoff. During the standoff, Howell urinated on his laptop in an attempt to prevent the FBI from accessing its contents. Investigators were able to partially repair the laptop and recover sexually explicit images of minors.
The FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated this case. The FBI’s New York Field Office provided substantial assistance in the investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura D. Withers and Lauren Halper prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-235.
Woodbridge felon pleads guilty to federal gun charge following domestic disputeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man pled guilty today to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on Feb. 18, 2026, Fairfax County Police (FCPD) responding to a 911 call regarding a domestic dispute at an apartment in Herndon arrived to find Khari Wheeler, 27, who acknowledged that he had been knocking on the door of the apartment. When officers attempted to conduct a pat down, Wheeler attempted to flee, at which point a loaded handgun he had been carrying fell from his person. Wheeler was apprehended after a brief pursuit.
USAO EDVAAs a previously convicted felon, Wheeler cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Wheeler is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22 and faces up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case with assistance from FCPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amber N. Rieff and April N. Russo are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-101.
Virginia Beach woman pleads guilty for making graphic threats of violence toward a federal elected officialRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach woman pled guilty today to threatening a federal official.
According to court documents, from May 21, 2025, to May 23, 2025, Jeannie Harris Blassingham, 69, in a series of voicemail messages made threats to an elected official and the official’s staff. In the profanity-laced statements, Blassingham threatened physical violence and stated that the official could “expect to be confronted by people who think” the official “needs to die right now.”
Blassingham is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 15 and faces up to six years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Capitol Police investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton D. LaForge is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-60.
Virginia Beach fentanyl trafficker sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, from at least Oct. 28, 2022, to Jan. 27, 2023, Ryan Dale Anderson, 40, was part of a drug-trafficking conspiracy operating in Hampton Roads, Florida, and California.
On Oct. 28 and Nov. 2 of 2022, undercover law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of a total of 1,004 purported Percocet pills containing fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl that were supplied by Anderson.
During a third controlled transaction on Dec. 6, 2022, Anderson sold 101 fentanyl pills to an undercover detective in Virginia Beach. On Jan. 27, 2023, Anderson contacted the undercover detective and agreed to meet to sell 1,000 fentanyl pills. Anderson arrived at the meeting location and was subsequently taken into custody. Law enforcement seized 1,020 fentanyl pills from the vehicle in which Anderson arrived.
Investigators searched Anderson’s Virginia Beach residence and his storage unit in Chesapeake. They recovered, among other things, a total of 1,684 fentanyl pills, 12 LSD tabs, 10 Adderall pills, three Xanax pills, 10.8 pounds of marijuana, $12,992.50, digital scales, and packaging material.
Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., and the Virginia Beach Police Department investigated this case with assistance from, the Virginia State Police, Naval Criminal Investigative Services, and the McIntosh County Sheriff Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Cheney prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-61.
Illegal alien from Mexico sentenced to over two years in prison after using a stolen identity to vote in U.S. electionsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced yesterday to two years and nine months in prison for aggravated identity theft and making false statements in a passport application.
According to court documents, Jose Maria Hernandez Bautista, 43, previously was deported from the United States in 2007 and twice in 2011. Following his most recent removal, Hernandez Bautista unlawfully re-entered the United States and by March 2013 began using the identity of a U.S. citizen. Hernandez Bautista used the victim’s identity to obtain driver licenses in Alabama in 2013 and North Carolina in 2015. In 2013 and again in 2015 Hernandez Bautista used the victim’s identity to obtain replacement Social Security cards. On April 14, 2016, Hernandez Bautista used the victim’s personal identifying information along with a photo of himself to apply for and obtain a United States passport.
In 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2024, Hernandez Bautista used the victim’s identity to apply for and receive Virginia identification cards or driver’s licenses. In an application dated May 16, 2016, Hernandez Bautista registered to vote in the victim’s name. Hernandez Bautista then used that fraudulent voter registration to vote in the 2016 and 2020 federal elections.
In 2019, Hernandez Bautista took out a line of credit in the victim’s name to purchase a vehicle. Between 2016 and 2021, he received at least seven traffic tickets in Virginia and Maryland, all under the victim’s name.
Homeland Security Investigations - Washington, D.C., and the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General investigated this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Bolzman prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-27.
Armed Maryland mail thief sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced to a year and 10 months in prison for mail theft and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on Jan. 22, 2023, Jose Arnulfo Reyes, 27, of Oxon Hill, and another individual drove Reyes’ girlfriend’s car to the Fairfax Station Post Office, where they robbed a blue U.S. Postal Box. Law enforcement witnessed the theft and attempted to stop the vehicle, but Reyes fled at a high rate of speed before eventually crashing into a chain link fence. Reyes and his co-conspirator fled on foot.
Law enforcement recovered numerous items from the car, including a loaded handgun and U.S. Postal Service arrow key, a master key used to access a variety of mail repositories, including blue collection boxes, outdoor parcel lockers, and apartment mailbox panels in a given area. They also recovered more than thirty pieces of stolen U.S. Postal Service first-class mail, five stolen soft mail packages, and an iPhone belonging to Reyes and connected to his iCloud account that was using a GPS application to provide directions to the Fairfax Station Postal Office.
As a previously convicted felon, Reyes cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cole Enmon prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-99.
Norfolk men sentenced to prison for drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk narcotics dealer and his supplier have been sentenced to prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
According to court documents, William Deshaun Martin, 48, was a source of supply for Jaquan Deshaune Johnson, 29. During March and April of 2025, law enforcement investigators conducted a series of controlled purchases of cocaine base, powder cocaine, and hydrocodone pills at a hair salon and Johnson’s apartment, both in Norfolk. During one of the transactions, Johnson travelled to Martin’s residence to pick up the narcotics. During another transaction, Martin travelled to Johnson’s apartment to deliver the narcotics.
On April 28, 2025, investigators searched Martin’s residence and recovered a firearm, a 10-round magazine, various ammunition, marijuana, $1,666, and a digital scale. Investigators also recovered 21.73 grams of cocaine hydrochloride and 15.63 grams of cocaine base.
Johnson was sentenced yesterday to three years and four months in prison. Martin was sentenced on June 4 to six years in prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, and the Norfolk Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy Pham prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-142.
Former Newport News officer indicted on rape chargeRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a former Newport News Police (NNPD) officer with deprivation of rights under color of law for allegedly raping a woman while he was on duty.
According to the indictment, on March 14, Raheem Massiah Askew and another officer, along with Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) from the Newport News Fire Department (NNFD), responded to a report of a woman lying on the ground in a shopping center parking lot in Newport News. Askew asked the victim if she could stand, and then caught the victim by the arm to keep her from falling forward onto the ground as she attempted to stand up. The officers determined the victim’s identity, that she had been drinking alcohol, and that she was staying at a hotel in Newport News. Askew asked the victim if he could take her to her hotel and she agreed. The other officer explained to the victim that Askew would take her back to the hotel to meet her friends.
Before entering his NNPD patrol vehicle, Askew allegedly deactivated his body worn camera, in violation of NNPD policy. After arriving at the hotel, Askew entered the victim’s room for approximately 17 minutes during which he allegedly engaged in sex with the victim without her consent.
Later that evening, a citizen reported that the victim approached them in a state of undress to request help. Another citizen reported the victim’s condition and stated that police had dropped her off earlier. Officers returned to the scene and found the victim disoriented in the parking lot. The victim collapsed and began vomiting, and she was transported by ambulance to Riverside Regional Medical Center by ambulance for treatment.
If convicted, Askew faces up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations Norfolk investigated this case with assistance from the Special Victims Unit of the NNPD Major Crimes Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alyson Yates and Eric Hurt are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information relating to this matter is encouraged to contact the Newport News Police Department at 757-928-4233.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:26-cr-53.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Attachments:
affidavit_in_support_of_criminal_complaint_as_to_raheem_massiah_askew.pdf askew_indictment_ecf_10.pdfWoodbridge fentanyl dealer sentenced to seven years in prison after buyer’s fatal overdoseRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge woman was sentenced today to seven years in prison for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents, on Aug. 31, 2021, Qiana Shanal Murry, 28, received a text message requesting 10 fentanyl pills. Murry arranged a price and a time to meet, then traveled and distributed the pills to the buyer. In the early morning hours of Sept. 1, 2021, a family member found the buyer unconscious in a bathroom. The family member called 911 and attempted CPR, but the victim was later pronounced dead on scene.
Investigators found blue powder consistent with crushed fentanyl pills near the body. They also located 15 green Xanax pills in the victim’s bedroom and another Xanax pill at the edge of the victim’s closet. Lab testing confirmed the 15 Xanax pills contained clonazolam and the other Xanax pill contained diazepam, both of which are types of benzodiazepine. On Oct. 21, 2021, the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Medical Examiner determined that that the victim’s cause of death was mixed drug intoxication, specifically due to fentanyl and clonazolam. The amount of fentanyl in the victim’s system was approximately three times the amount typically considered fatal.
Murry, along with Eric Stokes, typically sold fentanyl pills out of an establishment in Dumfries. Stokes, of Woodbridge, was sentenced on April 9, 2024, to 10 years in prison for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of another victim.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Prince William County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Carter prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-11.
Stafford woman pleads guilty to embezzling over $1.5M from her employerRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Stafford woman pled guilty today to wire fraud for using her position to embezzle funds from a company where she was employed as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
According to court documents, Cindy Zurawski Babbitt, 57, was the CFO of an audio visual and information technology company in Lorton. As the CFO, Babbitt had access and control of the company’s bank accounts, including a business checking account. From December 2018 through December 2022, Babbitt used fraudulent checks, payroll, and wire transfers to embezzle $1,561,841.30 from the company.
Babbit issued at least 44 checks totaling $82,117 that were drawn on the company’s checking account, made payable to her and her husband, signed by Babbitt as the authorized representative of the company, and deposited by Babbitt into her own bank account. Babbitt fraudulently initiated and approved 49 reimbursements totaling $142,401 through payroll to herself. Babbitt fraudulently caused at least 428 wire transfers totaling $1,337,323.30 from the company’s business checking account to her personal bank account. None of these transactions were made for any legitimate business expenses. Babbitt used the fraud proceeds for purchases at retail stores such as Tiffany & Co., Saks Fifth Avenue, Versace, Burberry, Balmain, Cartier, and Louis Vuitton.
Babbitt is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 10 and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Mumma is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-39.
Federal jury convicts Petersburg man for sex trafficking childrenRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Petersburg man today on charges of sex trafficking children; transporting a minor for prostitution; production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM); distribution of CSAM; sex trafficking by fraud or coercion; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Marcus Keon Ruffin, 36, recruited women and girls, including minors, to work as commercial sex workers. Ruffin contacted his sex trafficking victims online or through other victims, offering them weekly income and, at times, an upfront payment, though evidence showed that he paid negligible amounts compared to what he promised victims. Ruffin paid for transportation, including by train or Lyft, for multiple minor victims to travel to the Richmond area to work in prostitution. Ruffin demanded that the victims provide him with nude or sexually explicit images and videos that he then distributed online to advertise them as sex workers.
During a traffic stop on November 30, 2024, Chesterfield police arrested Ruffin on a state firearms charge. During the arrest, officers located a handgun in Ruffin’s jacket. As a previously convicted felon, Ruffin cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Ruffin faces up to life in prison when sentenced on Dec. 16. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Richmond Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the FBI’s Boston Field Office, Amtrak Police Department, Virginia State Police, Harrisonburg Police Department, Henrico Police Division, Roanoke Police Department, Chesterfield Police Department, and Ewing (New Jersey) Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ellen H. Theisen and Brian R. Hood are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-62.
Dual Lebanese-Syrian national sentenced to prison for his role in a narco-terrorism conspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A dual Lebanese-Syrian national was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for narco-terrorism conspiracy and 20 years in prison for conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, to be served concurrently.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Antoine Kassis, 59, is a Lebanon-based drug trafficker who used his high-level access to the Syrian government under the Assad regime to traffic cocaine and weapons. Kassis laundered the proceeds of his drug trafficking through the organization of a Colombian co-conspirator. Even after the fall of the Assad regime, Kassis had access to weapons previously provided to the Assad regime by foreign governments, including Russia and Iran.
Since April 2024, Kassis and co-conspirators, who were based in Colombia and Mexico, agreed to supply military-grade weapons diverted from the Assad regime in Syria to the National Liberation Army (ELN), in exchange for hundreds of kilograms of cocaine. The ELN is a terrorist group based in Colombia dedicated to the violent overthrow of the democratically elected Government of Colombia. The U.S. Secretary of State designated the ELN as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization.
Kassis stated that he was a cousin of former Syrian President Beshar Al-Assad, and that he was working directly with General Maher Al-Assad, the brother of the former Syrian President, and other top military officials in Syria on the deal. Kassis reportedly paid the government $10,000 per kilogram of cocaine imported through the Port of Latakia. Other evidence at trial supported that the Assad regime raised revenue through charging a checkpoint tax on illicit substances passing through its territory, as well as through the manufacture and distribution of Captagon, a Schedule I controlled substance.
Kassis traveled from Lebanon to Kenya to meet a weapons inspector from the ELN, then signed a contract to import a shipping container full of fruit from Colombia to the Port of Latakia, Syria, intending that the container would contain 500 kilograms of cocaine. Kassis intended to oversee the distribution of the cocaine in the Middle East while his co-conspirators would launder the proceeds on his behalf. Evidence at trial demonstrated that his co-conspirators moved nearly $100,000,000 in less than 18 months, and did so for organizations such as the Sinaloa Cartel, Hamas, and others.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit investigated the case with assistance from Bogota Country Office; Cartagena Resident Office; Accra Country Office; Rabat Country Office; Nairobi Country Office; Amman Country Office; Istanbul Country Office; Panama City Country Office; Mexico City Country Office; and Madrid Country Office.
The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked with Kenyan authorities to secure the arrest and May 2025 extradition from Kenya of Kassis. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Colombia’s Cuerpo Técnico de Investigación, Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission and Ghana Police Service, Morocco’s General Directorate for National Security, and Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations also provided significant assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony T. Aminoff and Kristin S. Starr prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-51.