Eastern District of Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Portsmouth man convicted of sex trafficking and production of child pornography sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 32 years in prison for sex trafficking, production of child pornography, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on April 30, 2022, Pierre De Romeo Smith, 40, met 16-year-old Jane Doe. The same day, he took sexually explicit photographs of her, including suggestive photos of her posed with the muzzle of a shotgun in her mouth. Several hours later, he posted these pictures of her on a commercial sex website, advertising her for commercial sex. For the following three weeks, the defendant continued to make her available for commercial sex with as many as 30 “dates” a night throughout the Hampton Roads area. He gave her amphetamines to keep her awake and confiscated the money from her dates.
On May 19, 2022, the Virginia Beach Police Department conducted an undercover commercial sex operation at a hotel in Virginia Beach where they encountered Jane Doe. When interviewing her at the hotel, detectives observed a text message on her phone from the defendant stating he was there. The defendant was observed arriving at the hotel’s parking garage and was arrested. In his car were multiple controlled substances, including fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, and a Glock handgun, which the defendant was prohibited from possessing as a convicted felon.
After his arrest, Smith “green lit” Jane Doe, meaning he approved for her to be killed. Jane Doe relayed this information to law enforcement, who corroborated the “green light” through two separate confidential sources. According to those sources, Smith, a leader in the Imperial Gangster Bloods gang, ordered an associate to carry out the hit, and Smith said that no one would testify against him at trial.
A federal jury convicted Smith on April 6, 2023.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Montoya and Rebecca Gantt prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force, a collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as nongovernmental organizations, working together to combat human trafficking in the Hampton Roads, Virginia region.
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. Attorney’s 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 2:22-cr-122.
Foreign national convicted for participation in business email compromise schemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Nigerian national today for operating a business email compromise scheme targeting victims in the United States and elsewhere.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ebuka Raphael Umeti, 35, and his co-conspirators sent victim businesses phishing emails, which were made to appear as though they originated from trusted senders, such as a bank or a vendor. These phishing attacks allowed the co-conspirators to gain unauthorized access to victim computer systems and email accounts, including by infecting victim computers with malicious software or “malware” that provided the co-conspirators with remote access. The co-conspirators then exploited that access to obtain sensitive information, which they used to deceive individuals at victim companies into executing wire transfers to accounts specified by the co-conspirators. As a result of this scheme, the co-conspirators caused or attempted to cause more than $1.5 million of loss to victims.
“Umeti participated in a sophisticated computer hacking and business email compromise scheme that targeted numerous businesses in the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Although Umeti and his co-conspirators carried out their scheme from outside the United States, they were not beyond the reach of the Justice Department. Today’s conviction should serve as yet another reminder that, if you target American victims, the Criminal Division is committed to tracking you down and holding you responsible for your criminal conduct, no matter where you are.”
“The reach of cyber criminals is extensive, but so too is the reach of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Umeti relied on hidden malware, deception, and an ocean of distance to steal from American businesses and avoid prosecution. Despite those obstacles and obfuscations, a dedicated team of investigators and prosecutors showed outstanding resolve in bringing him to justice.”
“Today's guilty verdict is a victory in our fight against cybercrime and should serve as a warning to cybercriminals who believe they can operate with impunity,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to relentlessly pursuing those engaged in malicious cyber activities and ensuring they are held accountable.”
The jury convicted Umeti of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to cause intentional damage to a protected computer, and intentional damage to a protected computer. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 27 and faces a maximum penalty of 27 years in prison on the wire fraud conspiracy count, five years in prison on the conspiracy to cause intentional damage to a protected computer count, 20 years on each wire fraud count, and 10 years on the intentional damage to a protected computer count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-defendant Franklin Ifeanyichukwu Okwonna, 34, pleaded guilty on May 20 to his role in the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Nairobi, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Kenya’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and Directorate of Criminal Investigation to secure the extradition of Umeti and his co-defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers for the Eastern District of Virginia and Senior Counsel Thomas S. Dougherty of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and are prosecuting the case. CCIPS Senior Counsel Aarash Haghighat assisted in the investigation and indictment of the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:22-cr-123.
Foreign National Convicted for Participation in Business Email Compromise SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia, convicted a Nigerian national today for operating a business email compromise scheme targeting victims in the United States and elsewhere.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ebuka Raphael Umeti, 35, and his co-conspirators sent victim businesses phishing emails, which were made to appear as though they originated from trusted senders, such as a bank or a vendor. These phishing attacks allowed the co-conspirators to gain unauthorized access to victim computer systems and email accounts, including by infecting victim computers with malicious software or “malware” that provided the co-conspirators with remote access. The co-conspirators then exploited that access to obtain sensitive information, which they used to deceive individuals at victim companies into executing wire transfers to accounts specified by the co-conspirators. As a result of this scheme, the co-conspirators caused or attempted to cause more than $1.5 million of loss to victims.
“Umeti participated in a sophisticated computer hacking and business email compromise scheme that targeted numerous businesses in the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Although Umeti and his co-conspirators carried out their scheme from outside the United States, they were not beyond the reach of the Justice Department. Today’s conviction should serve as yet another reminder that, if you target American victims, the Criminal Division is committed to tracking you down and holding you responsible for your criminal conduct, no matter where you are.”
“The reach of cyber criminals is extensive, but so too is the reach of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Umeti relied on hidden malware, deception, and an ocean of distance to steal from American businesses and avoid prosecution. Despite those obstacles and obfuscations, a dedicated team of investigators and prosecutors showed outstanding resolve in bringing him to justice.”
“Today’s guilty verdict is a victory in our fight against cybercrime and should serve as a warning to cybercriminals who believe they can operate with impunity,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to relentlessly pursuing those engaged in malicious cyber activities and ensuring they are held accountable.”
The jury convicted Umeti of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to cause intentional damage to a protected computer, and intentional damage to a protected computer. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 27 and faces a maximum penalty of 27 years in prison on the wire fraud conspiracy count, five years in prison on the conspiracy to cause intentional damage to a protected computer count, 20 years on each wire fraud count, and 10 years on the intentional damage to a protected computer count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-defendant Franklin Ifeanyichukwu Okwonna, 34, pleaded guilty on May 20 to his role in the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Nairobi, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Kenya’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and Directorate of Criminal Investigation to secure the extradition of Umeti and his co-defendant.
Senior Counsel Thomas S. Dougherty of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. CCIPS Senior Counsel Aarash Haghighat assisted in the investigation and indictment of the case.
Chesapeake man who was arrested with drugs and firearm while in a car with children is sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to six years in prison after being caught with heroin and fentanyl as well as a firearm.
According to court documents, from November 2022 through June 2023, Travis Morris, aka Black, 39, distributed fentanyl and heroin in Chesapeake. On multiple occasions from Dec. 12, 2022, to June 20, 2023, Morris sold a mixture of heroin and fentanyl to a confidential informant.
On June 23, 2023, Chesapeake Police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Morris was a passenger. Officers conducted a K9 sweep of the vehicle, followed by a search of both the vehicle and Morris. Officers recovered 120 white capsules containing a heroin/fentanyl mixture, digital scales, a .22 caliber pistol, two cellular telephones, and $3,993.88 in cash. The other passengers in the vehicle were Morris’ girlfriend and her three minor children.
The total converted weight of the controlled substances recovered by law enforcement during the investigation is 26 kilograms. On Feb. 1, Morris pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and possessing a firearm in furtherance of and during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police; and Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Miller, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 2:23-cr-131.
Richmond felon pleads guilty after being caught illegally possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on Feb. 13, two Richmond Police officers were approaching the 25th Street Market when they noticed three individuals, one of whom was later identified as Chavelle Lamar Lewis, 35, walking toward the market. Officers saw the men take note of them before entering the store. The officers parked and walked into the store to speak with the clerks. One of the officers noticed that Lewis appeared to have a bulge in his clothing and was walking with a slight limp.
Lewis walked out of the store without any items, and without his two friends. As Lewis was walking across the street, one of the officers recognized him from a prior traffic crash. The officer caught up with Lewis and asked how he was doing, if he remembered the officer, and whether his leg was okay, since Lewis was walking with a limp. Lewis stopped walking and engaged in conversation with the officer, saying that his leg was okay. The officer asked Lewis if he had a gun, and Lewis said “no." The officer then asked Lewis if he had a concealed permit for the gun in his pocket, and Lewis again said “no." When the officer asked Lewis what kind of firearm it was, Lewis fled.
The officer pursued until Lewis surrendered. As the officers detained Lewis, he admitted that he had a 9mm firearm in his right pocket. The officers removed and secured the firearm. Lewis has prior felony convictions, including a 2009 conviction for robbery and use or display of a firearm in commission of a felony. As a previously convicted felon, Lewis cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 3 and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police; and Colette Wallace McEachin, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven E. Anthony are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 3:24-cr-55.
Newport News trio convicted for violent crime spree with multiple murdersRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted three Newport News men yesterday on charges relating to a series of violent crimes that included several shootings and multiple murders.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from at least Jan. 16, 2017, through November 2017, Ronzel Monte Dixie, aka Bone or Bizzy, 31; Kwaimain Shy’de Redmon, aka Kwa, 30; and Meko Montez Brown Jr., aka Gangsta or 9-Ball, 26, along with others, carried out at least seven shootings, including multiple murders, four commercial robberies, three drug robberies, stole three cars, and engaged in two high-speed chases from police. During these robberies, the men were armed with various firearms including a .22 caliber Uzi-style firearm, a 1911 handgun, a Ruger P95 9mm pistol, and a stolen P9 Khar 9mm pistol. Victims included cellphone stores, drug dealers, gas stations/convenience stores, a correctional officer, and others. During most of the robberies, the men brandished and sometimes discharged their firearms.
On Oct. 1, 2017, Dixie, Redmon, and another person robbed a drug dealer during a home invasion of her apartment. The group brandished two firearms and took drugs, currency, and the victim’s Lexus sedan.
On Oct. 12, 2017, Dixie and another person robbed a different drug dealer for bail money to secure a bond for Redmon, who had been arrested on of Oct. 11, 2017, while fleeing on foot from the Lexus automobile they had stolen during the robbery on Oct. 1, 2017.
On Oct. 16, 2017, Dixie and Redmon summoned another individual to the Hoss’s Deli in Newport News because they had a problem with someone at the bar. They followed their target, who left Hoss’s Deli on a motorcycle, and Dixie fired a Ruger P95 from the passenger window of their vehicle, resulting in the victim’s death. Following the shooting, Dixie and Redmon rummaged through the victim’s pockets and took his wallet.
Later on Oct. 16, 2017, Dixie, Redmon, and the other individual approached the Happy Shopper convenience store in Hampton as it was closing. While demanding money, the third individual shot the store owner in the face. They proceeded to look through the store owner’s van for money and anything of value. Dixie then executed a store employee by shooting him in the back of the head while he lay face down in the parking lot.
On Nov. 7, 2017, Dixie, Brown, and another individual robbed another drug dealer, taking his P9 Kahr firearm. Approximately an hour later on Nov. 7, 2017, Dixie, Brown, and the other individual robbed an authorized retailer for MetroPCS in Hampton by brandishing the stolen firearm.
On Nov. 8, 2017, Dixie, Brown, and another individual shot and killed a man at 9:20 p.m., and then shot a correctional officer at 9:31 p.m. during an attempted robbery. Dixie boasted that he killed the first man because his nickname was “Wavy 10” and he wanted 10 bodies to his name.
On Nov. 9, 2017, Brown and another individual robbed a Miller Mart convenience store in Chesapeake. Brown brandished the P9 Kahr firearm and stole money from the business.
On Nov. 10, 2017, Dixie, Brown, Redmon, and another individual stole a Cadillac in Newport News. As Brown attempted to drive the Cadillac from the parking lot, he hit another vehicle. When the driver of that vehicle followed the Cadillac, Brown shot and killed him. An hour later, Brown attempted to rob a victim who was just getting home to his apartment. During the robbery, Brown fired the P9 Kahr at the victim, but missed. The gun jammed, however, and the victim returned fire. After Dixie, Brown, Redmon, and the other individual fled the scene, Dixie used the firearm to shoot and kill a homeless person, firing multiple rounds at the victim while exclaiming, “My gun does not jam.”
On Nov. 11, 2017, Dixie, Brown, and another individual robbed another authorized retailer for MetroPCS in Newport News. A family with two young children was present at the time of the robbery. Dixie, Brown, and the other individual brandished the firearm and stole money from the business.
Dixie was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, five counts of interference with commerce by robbery, five counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, five counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and one count of use of a firearm resulting in death. Dixie faces a mandatory minimum of 38 years of incarceration and up to life in prison when sentenced on Jan. 30, 2025.
Redmon was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, three counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and one count of use of a firearm resulting in death. Redmon faces a mandatory minimum of 17 years of incarceration and up to life in prison when sentenced on Jan. 30, 2025.
Brown was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, three counts of interference with commerce by robbery, three counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and one count of obstruction of justice. Brown faces a mandatory minimum of 21 years of incarceration and up to life in prison when sentenced on Jan. 30, 2025.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa McKeel and Mack Coleman, along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard Zlotnick, are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 4:22-cr-74.
Chesapeake man sentenced for armed robberies of USPS mail carriersRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to rob U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carriers at gunpoint for their “arrow keys,” including as a gunman in one of the armed robberies.
According to court documents, O’Sirus Charles Landres Ford, 22, was a member of a social media group identified by three key emojis (“Three Keys”), the members of which conspired to steal arrow keys, the master keys used by USPS mail carriers to access blue collection boxes, outdoor parcel lockers, and apartment mailbox panels. Arrow keys are highly valued by criminals who use them to steal mail in lucrative criminal schemes, such as bank and check fraud and identity theft. Group members discussed how to commit the robberies – including selecting targets, using firearms, and techniques to evade law enforcement and mask their identities – and participating in related financial fraud and identity theft schemes. Ford was explicitly cautioned to proceed carefully since the crime was federal with a more severe penalty.
On May 8, 2023, co-conspirators rented a car for May 8 and 9 through Turo, a peer-to-peer car-sharing platform that allows users to rent cars from each other, to use to commit arrow key robberies. Ford recruited two other individuals, including a minor, to commit the robbery and conducted reconnaissance in Hampton before shifting the target to Norfolk. After identifying a target mail carrier on Ballentine Boulevard, they turned onto Davis Street, where two of the co-conspirators exited the car and the third drove it further down Davis. One of the conspirators (the minor) brandished a firearm and robbed the carrier of his arrow key and USPS identification card. Ford and the minor then fled back toward Davis Street where the third co-conspirator picked them up.
After the robbery, Ford told his two co-conspirators that other co-conspirators did not want arrow keys from Norfolk, but asked them to participate in another robbery the following day in Newport News. The two had other commitments, though, and Ford recruited Jayden Stukes, 21, of Suffolk, to assist him in the robbery.
Ford requested that Stukes drive him “across the water.” Stukes agreed and informed Ford he would be with Da’Twan Watson, 24, of Chesapeake, and that Watson was “a lock.” When Ford, Stukes, and Watson met at the rental car that Ford had used the previous day, they were unable to gain entry to the vehicle, so Stukes arranged for another of his friends to drive the group. Ford, Stukes, and Watson were all armed with handguns and wore masks that could cover their faces.
After they crossed Hampton Roads, Ford diverted the car from the original destination, the downtown Newport News Post Office, and instead directed the vehicle around a light industrial-commercial area of Hampton. Ford and Watson exited the vehicle to continue hunting down the carrier on foot, and Stukes remained in the car with the driver and relayed details about the carrier’s location.
Watson and Ford encountered the carrier on Galax Street in Hampton. Only Ford was armed, but both he and Watson were fully masked as Watson approached from the side. Ford approached the carrier from Galax Street, brandished his firearm, and said, “Give me your keys or I’m gonna shoot you.” He then repeated his demand and began counting down from five. The victim gave Ford his USPS arrow key. Ford and Watson then fled, eventually meeting with Stukes and the driver in an apartment complex nearby, before the driver drove the group back across the water.
On Dec. 21, 2023, Ford pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence.
On Dec. 13, 2023, Watson pleaded guilty to interfering with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting. On April 18 he was sentenced to four years in prison.
On Dec. 15, 2023, Stukes pleaded guilty to interfering with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting. On April 17 he was sentenced to four years in prison.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division; Jimmie Wideman, Chief of Hampton Police; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Podlesni and Mack Coleman prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 4:23-cr-51.
Maryland man sentenced for relentlessly cyberstalking victimsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A man from North Bethesda, Maryland, was sentenced on June 7 to eight years and four months in prison for systematically cyberstalking several victims for approximately a year and a half.
According to court documents, Joseph Bourabah, 27, harassed and stalked multiple victims from September 2021 until February 2023. The defendant’s cyberstalking campaign was relentless and extended to the victims’ family members, tenants, and even former employers. The harassment involved hundreds of incidents, including fake Craigslist ads, Facebook postings, events on Eventbrite, and the hiring of unwanted services.
In September 2021, Bourabah, using a fake account, began sharing pornographic content of a victim on Facebook and spreading false accusations about the victim. In October and November 2021, Bourabah sent pornographic videos of the victim to the victim’s family members and friends. Bourabah also emailed the victim on various occasions from November 2021 to October 2022, including an email with a link to a pornographic website where Bourabah had posted videos of the victim along with the victim’s true name and former employers.
Bourabah targeted the victim’s mother. On multiple occasions, Bourabah posted pornographic videos on the mother’s social media feeds. On Feb. 23, 2022, Bourabah created a Craigslist post advertising her pet ducks for free, resulting in the pets being taken. Bourabah created another Craigslist ad listing her trampoline for free, resulting in the trampoline being taken from her home when she was not there.
Bourabah created a fake ad on Craigslist to advertise another victim’s car as available for free and attempted to have the car towed. In January 2023, Bourabah advertised a party titled “[victim’s name] Pedo Kink Party” and used a picture of the victim and the victim’s home address. In an email dated Dec. 26, 2021, Bourabah told the victim, “I’m never going to stop. I’ll be trolling your children’s babysitter 10 years from now.”
Bourabah also harassed that victim’s mother through ads on Craigslist that included a Halloween costume party, a New Years Eve party, and an open house event. Bourabah ordered unsolicited services to her residence, including tree cutting, carpet cleaning, junk removal, and towing. Bourabah attempted five times to have her vehicle towed, and on one occasion the tow driver removed a barricade from the driveway and placed the vehicle on the tow truck. Bourabah also harassed the tenants in her rental properties.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Heck and Elizabeth Yusi prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 2:23-cr-37.
Honduran national sentenced for federal drug trafficking and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Honduran national was sentenced today to 10 years 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, early on the morning of June 20, 2023, officers with the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) responded to a report of an unconscious person in a car and found Delvin Antonio Cruz-Melgar, 25, asleep behind the wheel of a red Dodge that had been involved in a hit-and-run accident with another vehicle about 90 minutes earlier. After observing a meth pipe in plain view, VBPD initiated a probable cause search of the red Dodge and located a second meth pipe, a plastic bag containing 4.57 grams of meth, and a black bag containing 225.44 grams of meth.
During a search of Cruz-Melgar’s person, officers discovered a loaded Walther PPX 9mm handgun in his waistband, as well as $760 in cash. Detectives with the VBPD Special Investigations Unit were called to the scene. The detectives located a stolen Akkar Churchill Model 612 12-gauge shotgun, a digital scale, multiple cellphones, and ammunition in the vehicle.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Liana Castano, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C.; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr..
Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 2:23-cr-134.
Dual U.S.-Russian citizen pleads guilty to sending weapon components to RussiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A dual U.S.-Russian citizen pled guilty today to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act by exporting firearm parts, components, and ammunition to Russia without the required authorization.
According to court documents, from at least July 2020 to 2023, Dimitry Timashev, 58, coordinated with an associate in Russia to send weapon parts from the United States to Russia. In exchange, the associate paid tuition for Timashev’s daughter and rent for an apartment in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
Timashev’s associate provided the defendant with the names and addresses to which the firearm components and ammunition were sent. Before July 6, 2022, all the packages were shipped to Russia. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Timashev could no longer create a U.S. Postal Service label to send packages of firearm components to Russia. Instead, Timashev’s associate directed him to send the components to his relative’s apartment in Kazakhstan, from where the goods would be sent to Russia.
Timashev attempted to send multiple packages of components to Kazakhstan, knowing they were ultimately bound for Russia. He also knew exporting the parts through Kazakhstan to Russia required a license from the Department of Commerce that he did not have. Timashev concealed the illegal exports by misrepresenting the contents of the shipments on the accompanying manifests.
Timashev is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 8. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Matt Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s National Security Division (NSD); and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea.
Homeland Security Investigations; ATF; Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement; U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Walutes Jr. for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Tracy Varghese of NSD’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:24-cr-111.
This release was revised on June 12, 2024, to reflect the valuable contributions of of investigating agencies.
Dual U.S.-Russian Citizen Pleads Guilty to Sending Weapon Components to RussiaRead the Press Release
A dual U.S.-Russian citizen pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act by exporting firearm parts, components, and ammunition to Russia without the required authorization.
According to court documents, from at least July 2020 to 2023, Dimitry Timashev, 58, coordinated with an associate in Russia to send weapon parts from the United States to Russia. In exchange, the associate paid tuition for Timashev’s daughter and rent for an apartment in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
Timashev’s associate provided him with the names and addresses to which the firearm components and ammunition were sent. Before July 6, 2022, all the packages were shipped to Russia. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Feb. 2022, Timashev could no longer create a U.S. Postal Service label to send packages of firearm components to Russia. Instead, Timashev’s associate directed him to send the components to his relative’s apartment in Kazakhstan, from where the goods would be sent to Russia.
Timashev sent multiple packages of components to Kazakhstan, knowing they were ultimately bound for Russia. He also knew exporting the parts through Kazakhstan to Russia required a license from the Department of Commerce that he did not have. Timashev concealed the illegal exports by misrepresenting the contents of the shipments on the accompanying manifests.
Timashev pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act by exporting firearm parts, components, and ammunition to Russia without the required authorization. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 8 and faces a maximum penalty of five 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 Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations; ATF; Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement; U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Tracy Varghese of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Walutes for the Eastern District of Virgina are prosecuting the case.
Sex offender sentenced for conspiring to livestream sexual abuse of children overseasRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Sterling man was sentenced today to 32 years in prison for conspiring with a child sex trafficker in the Philippines to livestream the sexual abuse of numerous children on the Internet.
According to court documents, between at least April 2017 and November 2020, Michael Anthony Baxter, 50, and the child sex trafficker conspired to use children, some as young as three years old, to produce more than 30 livestreaming webcam shows depicting the sexual abuse of the children. Baxter and his co-conspirator used an Internet application to arrange the time and location of the livestream, preview the children who would appear in the livestream, discuss the sexual acts the children would perform, and direct the sexual acts in real time via text chat. Baxter paid the child sex trafficker through a third-party website to sexually abuse the young children while he watched via livestream.
Baxter’s co-conspirator was arrested in the Philippines in February 2021 for human trafficking offenses. After that arrest, Baxter continued to engage with other suspected child sex traffickers.
In December 2023, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Baxter’s residence, where they found him actively engaged in a chat on the same Internet application with another suspected child sex trafficker. Records obtained from the Internet application showed that Baxter had purchased livestreams of the other user’s 7- and 10-year-old daughters engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
In addition to the children victimized through the livestreams, Baxter also possessed hundreds of files on his computers depicting child sexual abuse. Baxter is a registered sex offender, having been convicted in Prince William County Circuit Court in 2009 for possession of child pornography.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys 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. Attorney’s 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:24-cr-8.
Washington woman pleads guilty to using fake documentation to obtain over a hundred Virginia driver’s licensesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington woman pled guilty today to aiding and abetting the unlawful production of identification documents after charging people hundreds of dollars to help them fraudulently obtain Virginia driver’s licenses.
According to court documents, from at least May 2022 through Aug. 21, 2023, Ashya Janai Harley, 30, charged people for her services to help them obtain Virginia driver’s licenses for which they did not qualify. Harley used falsified documents to fraudulently obtain her own Virginia commercial driver’s license, which she used to gain employment as a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) bus driver. Harley was employed as a WMATA bus driver in training from July 22, 2022, through Oct. 18, 2022, when WMATA terminated Harley during the training phase of her employment for reasons unrelated to her license. Two other people Harley assisted in fraudulently obtaining Virginia commercial driver’s licenses were employed as WMATA drivers.
While not altering identities, Harley would electronically alter driving transcripts and proof of residency documents required by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue driver’s licenses.
Harley often reused many of the same documents, usually her own bank or AT&T statements, when altering proof of residency documents. Harley used the same AT&T statement for more than 54 fraudulent license applications. She also reused her own driver’s transcripts many times. Harley used her mother’s address in Alexandria on more than 67 proof of residency documents that she used to fraudulently assist others in obtaining the Virginia licenses. A Virginia DMV customer service agent noticed the repetition, alerting DMV Law Enforcement. DMV’s Law Enforcement Division began an investigation that ultimately led to Harley’s arrest.
Harley advertised her services for obtaining licenses on her Instagram accounts and buyers were also referred to Harley by her friends, family, and prior customers. Harley charged most buyers approximately $300 for securing driver’s licenses and $450 for commercial driver’s licenses. Overall, Harley aided and abetted in the acquisition of at least 124 Virginia driver’s licenses, 30 of which were commercial driver’s licenses, for individuals who were not qualified to receive them. Virginia DMV immediately cancelled all 124 licenses.
Harley is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 26 and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Matthew Stohler, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office; Gerald F. Lackey, Virginia DMV Commissioner; and Joseph Hill, Chief of DMV’s Law Enforcement Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and Katherine Rumbaugh are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:24-cr-104.
Romanian scammer sentenced for using card skimmers to commit bank fraudRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Romanian national was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison for using card skimmers to steal credit and debit card information and defraud banks.
According to court documents, from September of 2022 through August of 2023, Cristian Romica Ristea, 52, stole credit and debit card information across the East Coast of the United States. Ristea installed and maintain portable card reading devices, known as “skimmers,” in ATMs and installed pin hole cameras to obtain PIN numbers.
On Aug. 17, 2023, law enforcement officers observed Ristea conduct an illegal transaction at a Bank of America ATM in Chesapeake. Afterward, the officers arrested Ristea and conducted a search of his vehicle, in which they found 36 Vanilla Visa cards, skimming tools, a skimming device, and an international driver license in the name of “Christan Weber.” Law enforcement then searched the home Ristea was renting and found additional skimming tools and skimming devices. Ristea possessed 91 vanilla gift cards that were encoded with stolen information. One financial institution estimated that 289 card numbers were compromised.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kang Lee, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Norfolk Resident Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Heck prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 2:23-cr-142.
Newport News man with multiple prior felony convictions sentenced for illegally possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on June 8, 2022, Newport News Police (NNPD) were searching for Larry Donnell Jones, 45, who was wanted on several outstanding arrest warrants, including for firearms-related offenses. Officers observed Jones leaving a residence in a vehicle. NNPD stopped the vehicle, and Jones attempted to flee on foot. Officers quickly caught and arrested Jones. NNPD officers then lawfully searched the residence and recovered a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition, which belonged to Jones.
Jones had been convicted previously for multiple felony offenses, including drug distribution, possession of cocaine, and possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled substance. As a previously convicted felon, Jones cannot possess firearms or ammunition.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson C. Yates, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 4:23-cr-44.
Former Fairfax County deputy pleads guilty to conspiring with inmate to traffic drugs in jailRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) deputy pled guilty today to providing drugs and other contraband to an inmate at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (Fairfax ADC) in exchange for bribe payments.
According to court documents, from May 2021 to June 21, 2023, Robert Theodore Sanford Jr., 37, was a correctional officer at Fairfax ADC, which holds detainees arrested by FCSO, the Fairfax County Police Department, and federal agencies. From Dec. 2022 through May 2023, Sanford smuggled contraband into Fairfax ADC and provided the contraband and confidential, law-enforcement-sensitive information to an inmate. The contraband included a cell phone and distribution quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and Suboxone. Sanford also supplied latex gloves and glue to the inmate to help conceal the contraband. The inmate then trafficked the drugs to other inmates.
Sanford provided the inmate with information such as advance warning of cell searches by deputies, cell blocks to which deputies were proceeding in those searches, whether deputies would be conducting strip searches, and where drug-sniffing dogs were being utilized. Sanford also provided the inmate with information regarding other inmates, including which inmates might be providing information to law enforcement, which assisted Sanford’s co-conspirator in intimidating potential witnesses.
Outside Fairfax ADC, Sanford procured drugs from the inmate’s associates. In addition to the drugs Sanford smuggled into Fairfax ADC, Sanford distributed drugs to women who lived in and prostituted themselves out of an apartment that Sanford leased.
On May 4, 2023, FCSO deputies at Fairfax ADC conducted a strip search of Sanford’s co-conspirator, and in the inmate’s long underwear deputies found a cellphone, two charging cables, one portable cellular phone charger, one USB charging brick, 92 counterfeit oxycodone pills, 174 strips of Suboxone, and over three grams of cocaine. The following day, Sanford was informed of the seizure during roll call. Sanford removed his cash tag name and personal email address from the CashApp account he used to receive bribe payments for smuggling contraband into Fairfax ADC. He also stopped sending messages and making calls to the inmate and other conspirators and deleted related messages. Within two weeks of FCSO discovering the contraband, Sanford began the process of resigning from his job, telling FCSO that childcare challenges were the reason for his resignation.
Sanford will remain detained until sentencing, which is scheduled for Sept. 18. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of two counts of conviction. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; and Stacey A. Kincaid, Fairfax County Sheriff, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Call is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:24-cr-110.
Woodbridge man pleads guilty to fraudulent check schemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to court documents, from August 2021 to July 2022, Jason Banks, 27, participated in a scheme to defraud banks by cashing or depositing fraudulent checks. At least one conspirator had obtained a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) arrow key, used by mail carriers to unlock USPS collection boxes, apartment panels, or parcel lockers. The conspirators used the key to steal mail, much of which included checks.
The conspirators created fraudulent checks, either by altering stolen checks or using information from stolen checks to create new fraudulent checks. Banks recruited accountholders who would share their bank account, PIN, and personally identifying information with him, which he would then provide to another conspirator. That conspirator supplied at least one fraudulent paper check to Banks or the other accountholders, who would deposit the fraudulent checks into their accounts. At other times, a conspirator would electronically deposit the fraudulent checks into the accounts of one of the other accountholders.
After the fraud proceeds were deposited, Banks coordinated the transfer of the funds to himself, from which he generally took a percentage and forwarded the rest of the funds to other conspirators.
The overall bank fraud conspiracy caused an actual loss of at least $501,096.15. Banks recruited at least four people to provide their bank account and personally identifying information to the conspirators and shared the personal identifying information of at least 25 individuals, some of whom were victims of identity theft.
Banks is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 28 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police; Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Troy W. Springer, Special Agent in Charge of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Shartar and Kathleen Robeson are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:24-cr-91.
Oregon man sentenced for trafficking kilograms of fentanyl and methRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Oregon man was sentenced today to eight years and six months in prison for conspiracy to distribute massive amounts of both fentanyl and methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Sean Michael Johnson, 26, is a long-time supplier of narcotics to customers across the nation. Law enforcement learned that, dating back to at least May 2020, Johnson had sold tens of thousands of fentanyl pills to an individual in Virginia. An undercover officer contacted Johnson to gauge his fentanyl drug supply. Johnson and the undercover officer agreed on a deal for 2,000 fentanyl pills and Johnson arranged for the pills to be mailed from California to Manassas, Virginia. In February 2023, Johnson and the undercover officer agreed to another sale, this time for 5,000 fentanyl pills and one pound of meth, both of which were mailed to Manassas. The meth tested at an approximate 100% purity rate.
Johnson arranged two more sales with delivery through the mail to Manassas, each for 5,000 fentanyl pills and 10 pounds of meth. Johnson and the undercover officer then negotiated an in-person deal for 25,000 fentanyl pills, 20 pounds of meth, and a kilogram of fentanyl powder to take place in California with Johnson’s supplier. Only three-fourths of the fentanyl powder was available, but the rest of the deal went forward as agreed. Eventually, the undercover officer and Johnson’s supplier negotiated another California in-person sale directly, from which Johnson expected a cut of the proceeds for making the connection. After the supplier distributed 100 pounds of meth as part of the deal, both Johnson and the supplier were arrested on Dec. 6, 2023.
In the six controlled purchases, Johnson was involved in distributing 63.1 kilograms of meth, 4.4 kilograms of fentanyl pills, and 800 grams of fentanyl powder. Johnson pled guilty on Feb. 29.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Carter prosecuted the case.
The Los Angeles Police Department provided significant assistance on this case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:24-cr-41.
Man previously caught illegally possessing a firearm in a music video sentenced again after carrying a firearm while shopliftingRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Stafford man was sentenced today to three years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to court documents, on Dec. 3, 2023, loss prevention personnel at a department store in McLean observed Najee O. Lewis, aka Bebo, 27, shoplifting merchandise. The personnel apprehended Lewis and contacted the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD). FCPD officers responded and recovered a loaded .40 caliber Glock handgun from Lewis’ pants. The firearm had a round in the chamber and 22 rounds in an extended magazine.
Lewis previously was convicted in Prince William Circuit Court of two separate felony robbery offenses that occurred two days apart and was subsequently sentenced at the same time for both offenses. In May 2018, Lewis was released from incarceration for these robbery convictions and began a 10-year term of supervised probation. Less than four months after his release from incarceration, while still on supervision in Virginia, a music video showing Lewis with a stolen 9mm handgun was posted to YouTube. Lewis was convicted of illegally possessing a firearm, violating the terms of his pre-existing supervised release. As a convicted felon, Lewis cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel I. Lipkowitz and Noah Sissoko prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:24-cr-37.
King and Queen County man who violated a protective order sentenced for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A King and Queen County man was sentenced today to five years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on March 17, 2022, a King and Queen County Sheriff’s Office Deputy responded to a report that George Franklin Gibson Jr., 34, was sitting in his truck at the end of a driveway, in violation of an emergency protective order. After another deputy arrived, the deputies arrested Gibson and, based on ammunition in plain view in the truck as well as in Gibson’s pocket, searched the truck.
In the center console of Gibson’s truck, the deputies found a plastic baggie with suspected meth. They also found a backpack in the backseat with more suspected meth in the front zipper pocket. The main compartment of the backpack was locked. The deputies obtained search warrants for the backpack and Gibson’s premises. The locked compartment of the backpack contained suspected marijuana, a digital scale, smoking devices, packaging materials, and suspected psychedelic mushrooms. A shed on the property contained large quantities of suspected marijuana and marijuana plants, packaging materials, a loaded 9mm handgun, and a safe containing more suspected meth and over $13,000. In total, law enforcement recovered 187.59 grams of meth.
Gibson pled guilty on Feb. 29.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and William R. Balderson, King and Queen County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Wright and Kenneth R. Simon Jr. prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 3:23-cr-10.
Former Richmond postal carrier sentenced to prison for stealing mailRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A former postal carrier with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) in Richmond was sentenced today to one year and one month in prison for theft of mail.
According to court documents, Wendy Lawrence, 40, stole mail, removing gift cards, checks, and other items of value for her own use. Lawrence also dumped mail entrusted to her care. Law enforcement recovered stolen mail from Lawrence’s residence belonging to over 180 victims.
After stealing checks from the mail, Lawrence used the bank account and routing information on those checks to initiate electronic payments, which she used for such expenses as her tax bill, pest control, and rent. On at least one occasion, to prolong and conceal the fraud scheme, Lawrence initiated a fraudulent address change with the USPS on behalf of a victim, rerouting the victim’s mail to Lawrence’s address. Law enforcement also recovered checks from Lawrence’s residence that she forged for her own benefit, including checks in the name of at least 30 other individuals.
Lawrence pled guilty on Feb. 29.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jeff Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid Atlantic Area Field Office for the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General; Ajay D. Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division; and Bradford W. Nunnally, Sheriff for Powhatan County, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. The Powhatan County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office provided substantial assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 3:24-cr-17.
Woodbridge man convicted of impersonating a federal officerRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Woodbridge man on May 24 on charges of false impersonation of an officer or employee of the United States.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Russel Guye Dadzie, 50, was a third-party contractor security guard for federal buildings since at least 2013. Dadzie received training that his authority was limited to the immediate area of the building he was assigned to guard and only during his assigned shift. That training also explains that he is not a federal employee, federal agent, or federal officer, that he should not identify himself as such in any context, and that engaging in this type of misrepresentation could result in criminal charges. Dadzie received this training on multiple occasions, including in January 2023. Access to the buildings to which Dadzie was assigned required Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards. Dadzie signed agreements with both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) that he would not use the PIV cards for non-employment-related purposes, that he would not display them to others outside of work, and that he would not use them to coerce, intimidate, deceive, or obtain any privilege, favor, preferential treatment, reward, or personal gain. He signed agreements acknowledging that noncompliance with these requirements might subject him to criminal penalties.
On Sept. 15, 2023, officers with the Prince William County Police Department (PWCPD) approached Dadzie’s vehicle in Woodbridge. Dadzie stated multiple times that he was “with DHS” and that he was a “DHS officer” and a “federal officer.” In lieu of a driver license, Dadzie presented officers with a DHS PIV card to bolster his claims that he was a federal officer. When asked about his vehicle, he challenged police, “You’re asking a federal officer if there’s anything illegal in his vehicle?”
On Nov. 9, 2023, a PWCPD officer encountered Dadzie, noting that the inspection sticker on the windshield of Dadzie’s vehicle was expired. When the officer requested to see Dadzie’s driver license, Dadzie instead showed the officer multiple federal PIV cards he possessed, handed the officer a USAID PIV card, and claimed to be a “federal officer” with USAID.
Dadzie faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison when sentenced on Sept. 12. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Lipkowitz are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:24-cr-51.
This release was edited on May 28, 2024, to correct the date of conviction.
Foreign national sentenced to prison for million-dollar business email schemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Nigerian national was sentenced today to four years in prison for stealing someone’s identity and fraudulently redirecting over a million dollars in business transaction payments.
According to court documents, in October 2020, after his co-conspirators gained access to email exchanges between Company 1 and Company 2, Abdulafeez Oluwatoyin Adebiyi, 34, learned that Company 1 had recently issued invoices to Company 2 for over a million dollars for work Company 1 had already performed for Company 2.
Operating outside the United States, Adebiyi created a phony email account for the president of Company 1 by using a domain name that differed from Company 1’s domain by a single letter. While impersonating the president, Adebiyi sent messages to Company 2 falsely claiming that Company 1 had recently changed bank accounts and provided account and routing numbers for a recently created account controlled by Adebiyi and his co-conspirators.
After Company 2 issued a wire transfer of over a million dollars to what they believed was an account for Company 1, the co-conspirators distributed the money through various transactions, including purchases of cryptocurrency and cashier’s checks and additional wire transfers.
The United Kingdom extradited Adebiyi in October 2023.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; and Jason J. Scalzo, Special Agent in Charge of the Electronic Crimes Unit for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Schlessinger prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with UK authorities to secure the extradition of Adebiyi.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:22-cr-21.
This release was edited on May 29, 2024, to correct the announcing official for FDIC-OIG.
Navy officer, psychologist sentenced for attempting to sexually coerce a minorRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Navy psychologist was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
According to court documents, on May 25, 2023, Michael Andrew Widroff, 34, was a U.S. Navy officer serving as a psychologist in Norfolk when he came to the attention of law enforcement. On the Whisper social media platform, Widroff posted a picture of a male dressed in a U.S. Navy Service Dress White uniform with accompanying text indicating that he wished to engage in fraternization or other violations of military law. In the military context, fraternization is improper relationships between officers and enlisted personnel, including, as stated by Widroff, “when 2 people who aren’t supposed to date-hook up do.” The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) responded to the post in an undercover capacity as a 14-year-old girl.
Believing he was communicating with a child, Widroff moved the conversation to Snapchat and escalated the communications from casual to sexual. Widroff described to the child, in graphic detail, numerous sexual acts in which he wanted them to engage. Widroff requested “sexy” and nude photos of the child as well as sexually explicit recordings. Widroff then attempted to arrange for them to meet, repeatedly asking her to share the location of her house. Expressing anxiety about being seen, Widroff planned to enter her home through the back door.
On June 7, 2023, when Widroff arrived in the neighborhood where he intended to meet a 14-year-old to engage in sex, law enforcement performed a traffic stop on Widroff. As was being pulled over, Widroff deleted Snapchat from his phone.
Widroff pled guilty on Oct. 12, 2023.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Mack Hickman, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Liu and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi 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. Attorney’s 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 2:23-cr-78.
Virginia Beach man pleads guilty to downloading massive amounts of child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man pled guilty today to receiving images and videos depicting sexual exploitation of children.
According to court documents, in March 2021, the FBI began an investigation of hundreds of requests between October 2020 and May 2021 for suspected images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) at a specific IP address in Virginia Beach. Investigators determined the IP address belonged to Kevin Javon Taylor, 51.
On June 6, 2021, the FBI executed a search warrant at Taylor’s residence. During the search, a preliminary review of Taylor’s electronic devices revealed indications of possible CSAM. Agents found file names and file paths with titles synonymous with CSAM. Agents also discovered three physical binders containing printed CSAM.
A review of the electronic devices seized from Taylor’s residence contained approximately 14,100 images of CSAM, 642 videos of CSAM, and over 90,000 images of child erotica. These files were stored across thirty-three different electronic devices as well as physical copies.
Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 5. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 2:24-cr-36.
Quinton man sentenced for receiving child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Quinton man was sentenced today to five years in prison for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, in July 2021, the FBI identified an IP address used to seek CSAM. Law enforcement then identified that the IP address was assigned to the residence of Vincent Hopson, 66. On Nov. 29, 2021, agents executed a search warrant for the residence and seized several electronic devices, which were forensically examined. Hopson was in possession of 283 images and 95 videos of CSAM.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather H. Mansfield 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. Attorney’s 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 3:24-cr-5.
Newport News man sentenced after being stopped with gun, drugs, and unrestrained child in vehicleRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for federal drug and firearms offenses.
According to court documents, on Sept. 9, 2022, two Newport News Police Department (NNPD) officers observed Daquan Montreal Lane, 29, driving a vehicle with a seven-year-old child in the back seat who was not properly restrained. The officers conducted a traffic stop and spotted a knotted, plastic “corner bag” of suspected narcotics protruding from the pocket of Lane's hoodie. As the officers began to investigate, they spotted and seized a firearm in the driver door of the vehicle.
Lane refused to exit the vehicle. As officers attempted to remove him from the vehicle, several more bags containing narcotics fell from his hoodie pocket. NNPD recovered bags containing 8.37 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, 4.69 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, 8.19 grams of methamphetamine, 4.71 grams of cocaine, and a flip phone. NNPD also conducted a search of the vehicle, finding a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun, two digital scales containing narcotics residue, a cell phone, and approximately 140 grams of marijuana in 12 separate bags.
In 2013, Lane was convicted of shooting at an occupied building, attempted malicious wounding, two counts of use/display a firearm during commission of a felony, and reckless handling of a firearm. As a convicted felon, Lane could not legally possess a firearm or ammunition at the time of the traffic stop.
On Oct. 30, 2023, Lane pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Osyf and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Levey-Weinstein 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 4:23-cr-50.
Two Alleged Members of a Transnational Money Laundering Organization Arrested for Laundering Millions of Dollars in Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two alleged members of a transnational money laundering organization were arrested on criminal charges related to their alleged involvement in a scheme to launder millions of dollars in illegal drug proceeds for Mexican drug trafficking organizations, including the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels (also known as CJNG).
Li Pei Tan, 46, of Buford, Georgia, was arrested today. Chaojie Chen, 41, a foreign national residing in Chicago, was arrested on April 18.
According to court documents, Tan and Chen allegedly worked for a money laundering organization that laundered millions of dollars in proceeds related to the importation of illegal drugs into the United States, primarily through Mexico, and the unlawful distribution of these drugs. Tan, Chen, and their co-conspirators allegedly traveled throughout the United States to collect proceeds derived from trafficking in fentanyl and other drugs (or to cause them to be collected). They allegedly communicated and coordinated with co-conspirators in China and other foreign countries to arrange for the laundering of these proceeds through financial transactions that were designed to conceal the illicit source of the drug proceeds.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Drug Threat Assessment, the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels are at the heart of the fentanyl crisis in the United States.
Tan and Chen are charged in separate criminal complaints with conspiring to commit money laundering. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram made the announcement.
The DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit is investigating the case, with assistance from the DEA’s Office of Special Intelligence, Document and Media Exploitation Unit and the DEA’s offices in Chicago, Atlanta, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edgardo J. Rodriguez for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Mary K. Daly of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Georgia and Northern District of Illinois.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Petersburg drug dealer sentenced for meth, heroin distributionRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Petersburg man was sentenced today to 10 years and six months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.
According to court documents, from Sept. 9, 2022, to Feb. 8, 2023, the Virginia State Police 1B Task Force conducted five controlled purchases of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine from Richard Arthur Jones, 37. The last three of these transactions occurred at Jones’ apartment.
On Feb. 16, 2023, as the task force executed a search warrant on the apartment, Jones attempted to throw a plastic bag from his balcony. The bag became stuck in a tree, however, and was recovered by law enforcement. The bag contained a total of approximately 306.14 grams of meth and approximately 95.56 grams of heroin. From inside the apartment, law enforcement recovered approximately 32.5 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl and approximately 21.14 grams of methamphetamine, as well as a .40 caliber handgun in a Gucci cross-body bag.
Jones pleaded guilty on Jan. 4.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Travis C. Christian, Chief of Petersburg Bureau of Police; and Lt. Col. Brad J. Badgerow, Acting Chief of Chesterfield County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Miller and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon E. Schulz, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 3:23-cr-143.
This release was edited on May 29, 2024, to recognize the work of the Petersburg Bureau of Police on this case.
Honduran national who pled guilty to sexually abusing a child found guilty of illegally reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Honduran national today of illegally reentering the United States.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Sergio Alberto-Rodriguez, 38, was removed from the United States on Nov. 5, 2008. On June 24, 2020, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) learned that Alberto-Rodriguez was incarcerated at the Arlington County Adult Detention Center after his arrest for aggravated sexual battery of a 10-year-old family member. Alberto-Rodriguez pled guilty to that charge on Feb. 7 in the Circuit Court of Arlington County and was taken into federal custody on Feb. 20. The jury found that Alberto-Rodriguez had reentered the United States illegally.
Alberto-Rodriguez faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison, $250,000 fine, and 1 year of supervised release when sentenced on Sept. 11. He also may be deported or removed thereafter. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Liana Castano, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the verdict.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariana Lazzaroni and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:24-cr-56.
Federal jury convicts Richmond felon for illegally possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Richmond man yesterday for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Jan. 20, 2024, Richmond Police officers were patrolling the Fairfield Court community when they observed a car leaving Fairfield Court at a high rate of speed and running stop signs. When the officers attempted to catch the vehicle, the driver, Rashad Laroy Ebron, 32, suddenly stopped his car, exited the vehicle, and tossed something onto the floorboard. Ebron then closed the door and locked the car.
Officers observed a 9mm handgun in plain view on the floorboard of the vehicle. Ebron claimed that he could not unlock the vehicle because the keys were locked inside the car and that he had no wallet or identification. The officers were able to identify Ebron, however, and confirmed that he was a convicted felon. The officers arrested Ebron, located the car keys, unlocked the vehicle, and recovered the firearm.
Ebron was convicted of grand larceny in 2011, evading police in 2013, and robbery and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in 2016. As a previously convicted felon, Ebron cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Ebron faces up to 15 years in prison when sentenced on Sept. 29. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, 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 Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 3:24-cr-47.
Richmond man previously convicted on weapons charges sentenced for possessing a machinegunRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to two years in prison for possession of a machinegun.
According to court documents, on Sept. 9, 2022, a Hanover County deputy sheriff performed a traffic stop in a car in which Jarec Dominique Brown, 23, was a passenger. At the time, Brown possessed a backpack at his feet. The deputy lawfully searched the backpack and recovered a 9mm firearm equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD), rendering the firearm capable of fully automatic fire. Brown was also in possession of three ammunition magazines and 66 rounds of ammunition. Brown admitted to purchasing the MCD on the darknet.
Brown has three previous convictions for possession of a concealed weapon.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Colonel David R. Hines, Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Miller and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon E. Schulz, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 3:23-cr-141.
North Chesterfield insurance agent sentenced for defrauding employer and clientsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A North Chesterfield insurance and annuities agent was sentenced today to one year and three months years in prison for mail fraud after swindling his employer and clients in multiple schemes.
According to court documents, from August 2017 through March 2020, Joseph O’Carroll III, 52, scammed his employer for commissions and incentives by writing insurance policies for individuals without their consent or knowledge.
O’Carroll used the personal identifying information (PII) of clients, including their names, dates of birth, social security numbers, and bank account numbers, to apply for fraudulent life insurance policies in their names and forged their signatures on the applications. O’Carroll created and maintained email addresses purportedly belonging to his clients, which he then listed on the insurance applications to facilitate communications with the insurance companies. For one client, O’Carroll listed his own BB&T checking account from which the issuing insurance company was to automatically withdraw the premiums on applications for the policies. For other clients, O’Carroll listed the clients’ bank accounts. When the policies were issued, the insurance companies began withdrawing and attempting to withdraw premium payments from the listed bank accounts. While attempts to withdraw payments from O’Carroll’s bank account were unsuccessful, resulting in the cancellation of those policies, premiums were withdrawn from other client accounts, resulting in thousands of dollars being taken from them.
On at least one policy, O’Carroll listed himself as the beneficiary. During an Aug. 4, 2020, interview with the Virginia State Corporation Commission’s Bureau of Insurance, O’Carroll admitted that the client was “out of it” at the time due to the death of the client’s wife, and ultimately admitted that he wrote that policy and others to assist himself in winning a 2019 incentive trip to the Riviera Maya in Mexico from his employer.
In addition to applying for fraudulent life insurance policies in that client’s name, O’Carroll obtained most of the balance of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”) account belonging to the client with the promise to reinvest the funds in another qualified retirement account. After gaining access to the client’s ESOP account portal, a request was submitted directing the ESOP servicer to remit two checks on December 31, 2019: one to Equitable Financial Group at O’Carroll’s home address in the amount of $57,659.28, and a second in the amount of $4,627.92 to the client’s home address. O’Carroll deposited the $57,629.28 check into a bank account he controlled, and kept and used the funds for his own personal expenses without the client’s knowledge or consent.
O’Carroll pled guilty on Jan. 18.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.
The U.S. Attorney thanks the Virginia State Corporation Commission’s Bureau of Insurance for their assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kashan Pathan and Mike C. Moore and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin G. Cooke prosecuted the case.
The Central Virginia Financial Crimes Task Force, created in 2022, is a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and representatives of local financial institutions. Co-chaired by the Richmond Field Office of the United States Secret Service and the Washington Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Task Force utilizes the knowledge and experience of its many partners to develop intelligence and pursue investigations into crimes that target or involve financial institutions located throughout the Central Virginia region.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 3:24-cr-3.
Government Contractor Settles Claims That It Billed for Personnel Who Lacked Required Security ClearancesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Deloitte Consulting LLP, located in New York, agreed to pay $220,885.77 to settle claims that it billed the Department of Health and Human Services, Program Support Center (HHS-PSC) for labor performed by personnel who did not possess the security clearances required by a government contract.
Deloitte Consulting submitted a written contractor disclosure to HHS-PSC. Specifically, the disclosure stated that Deloitte Consulting was unable to validate the clearance status of seven employees who performed work on a contract awarded by HHS-PSC. As a result, Deloitte Consulting considered those employees not to have met the base clearance level in the contract. Following an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Deloitte Consulting agreed to pay the amounts billed for personnel whose clearance status could not be validated.
Deloitte Consulting received full credit under the Department of Justice’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation, and remediation into account: Justice Manual § 4-4.112.
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 Health and Human Services, Office of General Counsel; the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Fraud Field Office; and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service – Economic Crimes Field Office, Washington, DC.
This matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Kapoor.
The civil claims settled by this agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Richmond man pleads guilty to armed robberyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pleaded guilty today after discharging a firearm as he robbed a convenience store.
According to court documents, on July 3, 2023, Darryl Nathaniel Cole, 59, entered a 7-Eleven on Mechanicsville Turnpike and attempted to purchase tobacco products. When another customer entered the store, Cole briefly left and returned minutes later. Attempting the purchase again, Cole swiped his own debit card in the point-of-sale machine, but his account had insufficient funds for the transaction.
Cole then produced a handgun from his waistband and pointed the gun at the store clerk. Cole demanded and took money from the register as he continued to point the handgun at the clerk. As Cole began to leave the store, the clerk took a hammer from a drawer near the cash register and moved toward the back of the store, away from the front door. When the clerk was near a gap in the counter, Cole fired one shot from his handgun in the clerk’s direction, which struck a nearby coffeemaker. Cole then fled from the store with the stolen money.
Cole is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 26. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police; and Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Hubbard, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 3:24-cr-33.
Previously convicted Richmond drug trafficker sentenced for third timeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced yesterday to 15 years and eight months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to court documents, on Sept. 27, 2022, an individual acting under the direction of law enforcement made contact with Jeremy Jermaine Blue, 35. They arranged to meet for Blue to deliver a kilogram of cocaine. As Blue drove to the prearranged meeting location to deliver the cocaine, law enforcement performed a stop on the vehicle before the exchange. After a drug-detecting K-9 alerted to the scent of narcotics in the car, law enforcement located the cocaine, as well as 48 grams of fentanyl and a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun.
Blue was convicted in 2009 of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. One month after Blue was released from supervised probation in July 2013, he possessed heroin with intent to distribute and was convicted in 2014. As a previously convicted felon, Blue cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Hubbard, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 3:23-cr-40.
Former assistant scoutmaster pleads guilty to receiving child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A former Assistant Scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America from Virginia Beach pleaded guilty today to receiving images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court documents, in June 2023, Virginia Beach Police (VBPD) investigating individuals sharing child sexual abuse material using file-sharing technology identified Andrew Harris Reshefsky, 42, as a distributor and recipient of the abuse material
On Aug. 17, 2023, VPBD officers executed a search warrant at the residence and seized multiple electronic devices in Reshefsky’s possession. Reshefsky’s phone contained images of sexual exploitation of children received in WhatsApp messages in 2021 and 2022. Forensic analysis of Reshefsky’s other electronic devices yielded numerous additional videos and imagery involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM) spanning years.
Reshefsky is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 18. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of twenty years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clayton D. LaForge and Joseph L. Kosky 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. Attorney’s 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 2:23-cr-146.
Anyone who believes they or someone they know may have been victimized by Reshefsky is encouraged to contact the HSI tip line at 1-877-4-HSI-TIP or through the CyberTipline on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's website.
Trio convicted of a series of Suffolk armed robberies and attempting to cover their trailRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted three Virginians yesterday for a series of armed robberies in Suffolk and attempting to dispose of evidence.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from November 2020 through February 2022, Harvey Lee Lewis IV, aka Hurricane, 36, of Suffolk, and Dennis Lee Adamson Jr., 29, of Portsmouth, planned and carried out a series of armed robberies of convenience stores. In several of the robberies, Lewis discharged his semiautomatic firearm into the ceiling of the store as he entered, terrifying the employees and customers.
Lewis and Dennis Adamson robbed four convenience stores between Nov. 10, 2020, and Nov. 20, 2020, including two stores on the same date. Over a year later, on Feb. 3, 2022, the two men robbed the EZ Food Mart & Deli in Suffolk, during which Dennis Adamson brandished a pistol at customers and Lewis fired several rounds, narrowly missing a store employee, before Lewis grabbed a cash register and the two men fled the store.
In addition to these robberies, Lewis and Dennis Adamson committed robberies separately. Lewis robbed a 7-Eleven convenience store on Feb. 1, 2022. On Oct. 14, 2022, several months after Lewis had been identified and arrested, Dennis Adamson robbed a Dollar General store in Portsmouth.
On Feb. 15, 2022, while he was in pre-trial detention, Lewis had a video call with Ieisha Marie Adamson, 32, of Portsmouth. During the call, Lewis directed Ieisha Adamson to remove items from his vehicle, including a box of ammunition from a secret compartment in the vehicle, which law enforcement had not discovered during a search of the vehicle the week prior. Lewis then directed Ieisha Adamson to leave the scene. When police encountered Ieisha Adamson approximately two hours later, she no longer had the box of ammunition.
Lewis was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, six counts of interference with commerce by means of robbery, three counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Lewis faces a mandatory minimum of 24 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on Sept. 19.
Dennis Adamson was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery, six counts of interference with commerce by means of robbery, and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Dennis Adamson faces a mandatory minimum of 17 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on Sept. 19.
Ieisha Adamson was convicted of accessory after the fact and misprision of a felony, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on Sept. 19.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and James Buie, Interim Chief of Suffolk Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker accepted the verdict.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the Portsmouth Police Department and Western Tidewater Regional Jail for their assistance in this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan M. Montoya and Anthony Mozzi are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 2:22-cr-62.
Texas man sentenced prison after traveling to Virginia for sex with a minorRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Texas man was sentenced today to 17 years and six months in prison after he was caught traveling to Virginia to have sex with a minor.
According to court documents, on Aug. 25, 2023, Elisha Jason Albert, 25, of Garland, Texas, began communicating with a 15-year-old victim through Snapchat. The communications began with Albert soliciting pornographic material from the victim, and Albert paid the victim to send him pornographic images. Albert also sent the victim spending money for incidental expenses.
On Sept. 8, 2023, after Albert falsely claimed to be 22 years old, the victim specifically told Albert that she was only 15. After knowing the victim’s age, Albert continued to solicit pornographic images of the victim and proposed meeting the victim in Virginia for sex.
After the victim’s guardian submitted an online tip to the FBI, on Sept. 22, 2023, the FBI took custody of the victim’s phone and continued to communicate with Albert over Snapchat and by text messages. Albert proposed meeting the victim on Sept. 25, 2023, and arranged to meet at a grocery store in Haymarket. Albert drove five and a half hours from Long Island, New York, to Prince William County, Virginia. He was arrested upon his arrival in the grocery store parking lot.
At the time of his arrest, Albert had with him his phone, which contained a folder titled “good videos” that stored sixty-four videos of children as young as four to six years old engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Albert’s phone had iMessage communications with other minors between fifteen and sixteen years old, which included additional production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and incidents of coercion and enticement.
For example, beginning in August 2021, Albert engaged with a victim in Texas knowing that she was only 15 years old. Albert drove to the victim’s home and had sex with her on multiple occasions. Albert made a video recording of one of his sexual encounters with the victim, which was still on his phone at the time of his arrest.
On Feb. 1, Albert pled guilty to production of child pornography, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and transportation of child pornography.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura D. Withers and Zoe Bedell prosecuted the case. The Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force 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 growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:23-cr-172.
Henrico man pleads guilty to two armed robberiesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico man pled guilty today to the armed robberies of two local stores.
According to court documents, on Jan. 22, 2024, Josue Cano-Morales, 19, entered a Lucky Mart on Staples Mill Road and walked around the counter. Brandishing a handgun, Cano-Morales demanded money. After the clerk handed over money from the register, Cano-Morales demanded more money and forced the clerk at gunpoint to go to the back office. Cano-Morales took money from desk drawers, stole a Snickers candy bar, and fled on a bicycle.
Cano-Morales then proceeded to a nearby Smokers World store, which he entered holding a handgun and a backpack. Cano-Morales demanded money from the register, then forced the clerk to the backroom where he took more money. Cano-Morales stole several vapes from a display before attempting to flee through the back door. The door was locked, however, and Cano-Morales fled through the front door.
Henrico County Police officers responding to the Lucky Mart robbery spotted Cano-Morales bicycle at a nearby shopping center. While inspecting the bicycle, they saw Cano-Morales leaving Smokers World. Cano-Morales immediately fled on foot but was quickly apprehended in a parking lot.
Cano-Morales is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 11. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for robbery and, consecutive to the sentence for robbery, seven years to life in prison for using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 3:24-cr-44.
Fairfax man pleads guilty to multiple scams totaling over a million dollarsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax man pled guilty today to his role in two scams that defrauded victims and retailers out of over a million dollars.
According to court documents, from Nov. 19, 2020, to Aug. 13, 2023, Sunyu Qian, 31, participated in a scheme to con people into purchasing gift cards that he used to acquire high-value items. Members of a criminal organization contacted individuals, mostly elderly victims, across the United States via telephone or email and, through a variety of false pretenses, convinced them to purchase gift cards from large retailers and convey the gift card information to the fraudsters, including Qian. The value of the cards could be aggregated by Qian to purchase electronics, which Qian then shipped to his co-conspirators. During this scheme, Qian used approximately $1.1 million through unauthorized access.
From April 19, 2023, to March 23, 2024, Qian engaged in another scheme using counterfeit price tags to purchase large containers of baby formula at the lower price of a much smaller cans of baby formula. For instance, on April 19, 2023, Qian scanned counterfeit price tags for 13oz cans of formula priced at $4.99 each that he had placed on larger containers of the same formula priced at $62.99 each. Qian would then deliver the baby formula to co-conspirators who paid him in cash. During this scheme, Qian defrauded two retailers of a total of at least $124,000.
Qian’s total culpability over the two schemes is approximately $1.25 million.
Qian pled guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18 and faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hood is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:24-cr-60.
Convicted felon sentenced after being caught again in possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on Sept. 5, 2023, Henrico County Police officers performed a traffic stop on Nathaniel Jay Brown, 35, after observing Brown committing traffic infractions. During the traffic stop and in response to an officer’s questions, Brown indicated that he was in possession of a firearm. After Brown got out of the vehicle, the officer retrieved from Brown’s waistband a .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun with a fully loaded magazine.
As a previously convicted felon, Brown cannot legally possess a firearm. At the time of the incident, Brown had multiple felony convictions, including a 2013 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. McGorman and Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 3:23-cr-146.
Georgia man pleads guilty to calling in threats days after Walmart shootingRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – An Atlanta man pleaded guilty today to making interstate threats just three days after a gunman shot and killed six people at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia.
According to court documents, on Nov. 25, 2022, DeAndre Tamir Murphy, aka DeAdre Murphy, 30, called two Walmart stores in Virginia Beach and threatened that he had gunmen in place prepared to enter the stores. That date was the day following Thanksgiving, known as “Black Friday,” when stores were full for the busiest shopping day of the year. Identifying himself as “Mohammed,” Murphy demanded $20,000 or, he threatened, his gunmen would enter the stores and “start shooting people.”
Investigators - who recorded the second call - traced the call back to Murphy in Atlanta.
Murphy is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 27. He faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 2:24-cr-9.
Correction: This release has been revised to reflect that six people, not eight, were killed in the shooting in Chesapeake on Nov. 22, 2022.
Recidivist drug dealer returning to prison for distributing cocaine and fentanylRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Hopewell man was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl.
According to court documents, on Aug. 22, 2022, Hopewell police encountered an Audi vehicle stopped in a roadway within a trailer park. When the officers illuminated the vehicle, the driver, Riezon Mekhi Murphy, 24, turned off the headlights of his vehicle and reversed down the roadway to a grassy area. At that time, two other individuals who had been seated together in the front passenger seat of the Audi got out of the car and raised their hands.
An officer requested that Murphy lower his window, then observed an open bottle of tequila and currency strewn about the car. During a lawful search of the Audi, investigators located a loaded 9mm pistol under the driver seat and a gray backpack in the back passenger area, which belonged to Murphy. The backpack contained $1000 in cash, along with several individual baggies that contained approximately 45 grams of heroin/fentanyl mixture, 4.7 grams of fentanyl, 26 grams of cocaine, 96 grams of methamphetamine, and 220 grams of marijuana.
Murphy was previously convicted of distributing marijuana and possessing a .380 caliber handgun. Six months later, Murphy was convicted for possession of marijuana and a concealed firearm. Four months later, Murphy was again arrested and convicted of selling Schedule I or II controlled substances and driving on a suspended license. Murphy was discharged from supervised probation on Feb. 7, 2022, six months before his arrest in this case.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Greg Taylor, Chief of Hopewell Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter S. Duffey and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon E. Schulz, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 3:23-cr-101.
Woodbridge man pleads guilty to selling fentanyl and machinegunsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, around June 2023, Fernando Alexis Orellana Banegas, 24, came to the attention of agents investigating drug trafficking and firearms sales in the Woodbridge area. Orellana was using the Telegram app to sell drugs and firearms under the username, “Boofpak Exotics.” Through this username, Orellana advertised various illicit narcotics, including counterfeit oxycodone pills, and firearms for sale.
From July 12, 2023, to Nov. 15, 2023, the FBI conducted six controlled purchases from Orellana. Over those six transactions, Orellana sold approximately 495 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, three firearms, and two machine gun conversion devices. On two occasions Orellana sold fentanyl pills and firearms in the same transaction, and on another occasion he sold fentanyl pills along with machinegun conversion devices.
Orellana is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 29. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for drug trafficking and an additional mandatory minimum of five consecutive years in prison for the firearms charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edgardo Rodriguez and Catherine Rosenberg are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:24-cr-92.
Three men sentenced for attempting to smuggle over 1,500 kilograms of cocaineRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Colombian man was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison for cocaine trafficking, the final defendant sentenced in this case
According to court documents, Yunier Renteria-Renteria, 28, was part of a group attempting to move more than two tons of cocaine into the United States. On Jan. 3, Renteria pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine on board a vessel.
On March 17, 2023, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted a go-fast boat, which are frequently used to transport large quantities of cocaine from the Colombian coast to larger transfer vessels en route to the United States. When the crew of the boat became aware of the presence of law enforcement, they began to jettison their cargo, which the U.S. Coast Guard recovered. The cargo included 1,504 kilograms of cocaine.
The crew of the go-fast boat transporting the cocaine included Renteria, Luis Valencia-Renteria, 27, of Colombia, and Cesar Rodriguez, 30, of Ecuador. Valencia pled guilty on Aug. 3, 2023, and Rodriguez pled guilty on Aug. 14, 2023. On Jan. 9, Valencia and Rodriguez were sentenced to two years and six months in prison.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 4:23-cr-36.
Seven members and associates of large-scale gas pump skimming device organization charged with racketeering and money laundering conspiraciesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – An indictment was unsealed today in the Eastern District of Virginia charging seven men with racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations (RICO) conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy in connection with their alleged participation in a large-scale gas pump skimming device organization.
According to court documents, the defendants, led by Eduardo Rodriguez, also known as Ogbe Bara, 40, of Fort Myers, Florida, allegedly installed skimming devices on gas pumps throughout the United States to fraudulently collect credit and debit card information from customers. From 2014 to April 2024, they allegedly used the stolen card data to create fraudulent credit and debit cards, which they used to purchase items including gift cards and electronics, to make ATM withdrawals, and to make cashback purchases from retail stores. Members and associates of the organization also used “fences” to sell the illegally obtained items for cash. The defendants also allegedly engaged in acts involving access device fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, interstate transportation of stolen goods, and the sale and receipt of stolen goods.
In addition to Eduardo Rodriguez, the following defendants have been charged in the indictment:
- Idalberto Rivero, also known as El Monstro, El Mostro, and Monster, 53, of Miami
- Anyelo Jesus Muino Ayala, also known as Justin Bieber, 26, of Miami
- Pedro Raul Zequeira Alvarez, also known as Yery Yery, 33, of Miami
- Raul Ferrao Pons, also known as Rauli and Ninja, 32, of Miami
- Jorge Enrique Fonseca Vazquez, also known as Ogberoso, 32, of Miami
- Luis Gustavo Diaz, also known as Ogberdi, 39, of Miami
The defendants are charged with one count of RICO conspiracy and one count of money laundering conspiracy. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.
U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Special Agent in Charge Brian Dugan of the FBI Norfolk Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Norfolk, Miami, Tampa, New York, and Albany Field Offices and Ft. Myers Resident Agency; U.S. Secret Service; Virginia State Police; Northampton County (Virginia) Sheriff’s Office; Norfolk Police Department; and Mooresville (North Carolina) Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen S. Taylor and Clayton D. LaForge for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Ben Tonkin of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the Southern District of Florida, the Middle District of Florida, the District of New Jersey, and the Southern District of New York.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 2:24-cr-28.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Honduran cartel boat captain sentenced for trafficking tons of cocaine to the United StatesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Honduran national was sentenced yesterday to 13 years in prison for moving prodigious amounts of cocaine bound for the United States.
Erasmo Avila Palacios, aka Nelsi Erasmo Avila or “Monstruo,” 49, was a prominent boat captain and long-time trusted associate of the Montes Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) based in Colón, Honduras, which distributed multi-metric-ton quantities of Colombian cocaine through Central America bound for the United States. Avila used go-fast vessels to move workers as well as cocaine for the DTO, and even received cocaine loads via airplane.
From 2010 to 2014, under the leadership of Noe Montes-Bobadilla, Avila averaged at least two go-fast-vessel shipments of cocaine per month, with each shipment consisting of approximately 500 to 900 kilograms of cocaine. Avila then curried shipments of millions of dollars in cash in the opposite direction.
After Noe Montes-Bobadilla’s arrest in 2017, the Montes DTO continued under new leadership. From 2017 to 2022, Avila became a trusted advisor for the DTO’s new leadership, providing maritime advice and helping to coordinate maritime cocaine shipments for the Montes DTO and consulting for other DTOs as well. Avila directed and advised several individuals on operating maritime vessels, plotting maritime coordinates to receive cocaine shipments to avoid detection and seizure, bribery of Honduran officials, and acts of violence towards suspected rival narcotraffickers in Honduras and elsewhere. During this time, Avila also managed a team of trusted workers who performed the hands-on jobs in the distribution of cocaine shipments. Honduran authorities intercepted three shipments of cocaine during this time, ranging from 1,500 to 2000 kilograms of cocaine, that Avila was involved in transporting.
After his October 2023 extradition from Honduras to the United States, Avila pled guilty on Feb. 6 to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine for importation into the United States.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin S. Starr prosecuted the case.
Assistance in the investigation and prosecution was provided by the DEA’s Washington Division in coordination with the Honduran National Police and the Tegucigalpa Country Office. Local assistance was provided by the Virginia State Police, and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing Avila’s arrest and extradition.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:24-cr-16.
Florida man sentenced for stealing people’s identities and selling their homesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Florida man was sentenced today to three years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
According to court documents, beginning around February 2020, at the start of the pandemic lockdown, Jose Manuel Santiago, 43, of Sarasota, identified unoccupied homes in Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, and other states and stole the identities of the homeowners, then sold their homes out from under them to unsuspecting buyers.
Santiago and Rosson Dwayne Hamilton, 40, opened and controlled bank accounts in the names of the property owners. Santiago recruited other people, including Vernon Lavoie, 59, whom Santiago instructed to appear before mobile notaries with high-quality false identification, fraudulently represent themselves as the property owners, and forge the owners’ signatures on closing documents. After money from the sales of the homes was deposited in the accounts, the recruits withdrew the money and provided it to Santiago and Hamilton. Santiago paid recruits with small amounts of cash or illegal drugs. Santiago and Hamilton also wired money from those bank accounts to various retailers.
Though some purchases were reversed, in at least one case the third-party purchaser refused to return the home to the rightful owner despite acknowledging the fraudulent nature of the sale. In another case, the rightful owner lost his irreplaceable military memorabilia and other personal belongings as a result of the fraudulent sale of his home.
During the conspiracy, Santiago and his co-conspirators attempted to fraudulently sell at least 10 properties and stole the identities of at least 10 people. They successfully obtained $581,808 and attempted to obtain an additional $768,175. Santiago pled guilty on Feb. 20.
Hamilton pled guilty on Feb. 6 and was sentenced to one day in prison. Lavoie, who charged separately, pled guilty on July 28, 2021, and was sentenced to two years seven months in prison.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Russell L. Carlberg and Christopher Hood prosecuted the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Carina Cuellar prosecuted Lavoie and significantly contributed to the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 1:23-cr-193.
This release was revised on May 7, 2024, to correct the sentence of Vernon Lavoie. The original version showed a sentence of seven months in prison.
Hopewell man sentenced for illegally possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
A Hopewell man was sentenced today to five years and five months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to court documents, on Nov. 19, 2022, Hopewell Police officers found Azontay Malik Perry, 27, passed out in the driver seat of a BMW with the engine running in the intersection of Ashland Street and Oaklawn Boulevard. Officers awakened Perry and ordered him out of the vehicle. Perry ignored their commands and drove into the back of a parked police vehicle. Perry attempted to flee at high speed, but crashed into a dumpster at an apartment complex. Perry then fled on foot.
At the scene, officers observed a.40 caliber handgun on the floor of the vehicle. The firearm included an extended magazine with 27 rounds of ammunition. Officers later obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and recovered 18 grams of methamphetamine and 10.84 grams of fentanyl.
In 2016, Perry was convicted of possession of schedule I or II drugs after being caught with narcotics in his vehicle during a traffic stop. Later that year, Perry was convicted again of possession of schedule I or II drugs, as well as possession of a concealed weapon, possession of a firearm while in possession of schedule I or II drugs, and monument damage. In 2023, Perry was convicted of a probation violation related to his multiple 2016 convictions for not turning himself in on outstanding warrants and absconding from supervised probation. In 2019, Perry once again was convicted of possession of schedule I or II drugs, along with driving on a suspended license.
As a previously convicted felon, Perry cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Greg Taylor, Chief of Hopewell Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon E. Schulz, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of 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. 3:23-cr-106.