Eastern District of Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Newport News woman sentenced to over seven years in prison for COVID era unemployment insurance fraud schemeRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News woman was sentenced today to seven years and four months in prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft involving the filing of unemployment insurance (UI) claims in the names of prison inmates and others.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government expanded and extended UI benefits for impacted workers. The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) administers unemployment compensation in Virginia.
According to court documents, from May 2020 to October 2021, Lakeia Simone Grant, aka Lakeia Shepperd, Lakeia Williams, Lakeia Miles, or Chris Lover, 40, schemed to defraud the expanded unemployment eligibility by using the personal identifying information or prison inmates and others to file fraudulent claims for UI benefits, falsely attesting that the beneficiaries were ready, willing, and able to work and that they lost their jobs due to COVID-19.
Grant filed fraudulent claims with VEC for inmates and coordinated to obtain, transfer, and expend proceeds. Grant conspired with inmate recruiters to obtain the personally identifying information of inmates to file such claims. She also filed fraudulent UI claims for non-inmates either by using stolen personally identifying information or in exchange for a percentage of money obtained by the applicants.
Grant and her co-conspirators filed approximately 38 successful UI claims in the names and information of inmates, resulting in payments totaling approximately $546,576 in benefits. VEC was able to recover some of the funds, resulting in an actual loss to VEC of approximately $480,392.76. Grant and her co-conspirators also applied for at least four successful UI claims for non-inmates resulting in an additional fraud loss of approximately $107,670.
Grant is a five-time convicted felon. In November 2005, Grant was convicted of obstruction of justice and petit larceny in Newport News Circuit Court after she was caught shoplifting, attempted to hit the loss prevention officer, and threatened to burn down the business and blow it up. In July 2008, Grant was convicted of unlawful wounding for attacking a victim at a night club. Grant was convicted in April 2010 and again in October 2014 in Chesterfield Circuit Court for conspiring to obtain money by false pretense and obtaining money by false pretense. In April 2019, she was convicted for conspiring to commit financial card fraud in Wake County District Court in Raleigh, North Carolina. In December 2019, she was convicted for failing to return a rental car from Enterprise.
The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mack Coleman prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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. 4:24-cr-80.
Federal jury convicts Alexandria man on charges relating to the deletion of U.S. Government databasesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted Sohaib Akhter, 34, of Alexandria, today on charges of conspiracy to commit computer fraud, password trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Sohaib Akhter, and his twin brother and co-defendant, Muneeb Akhter, worked for a Washington, D.C., company that provided software products and services to more than 45 federal government agencies and hosted data for some federal government clients on servers in Ashburn. On Feb. 1, 2025, Muneeb Akhter asked Sohaib Akhter for the plaintext password of an individual who submitted a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) Public Portal, which was maintained by the Akhters’ employer. Sohaib Akhter conducted a database query on the EEOC database and then provided the password to Muneeb Akhter. That password was subsequently used to access that individual’s email account without authorization.
When the company discovered Sohaib Akhter’s felony conviction, it terminated both brothers’ employment during an online remote meeting on Feb. 18, 2025. Immediately after being fired during this meeting, the brothers sought to harm their employer and its U.S. government customers by accessing computers without authorization, write-protecting databases, deleting databases, and destroying evidence of their unlawful activities. The compromised information included case management and Freedom of Information Act response processing software. Over the course of several hours, approximately 96 databases storing U.S. government information hosted by the company were deleted.
A search of Sohaib’s cellphone revealed that he had obtained firearms as early as January 2025 and, following the execution of a search warrant on March 12, 2025, took steps to sell them. On March 18, 2025, Sohaib drove to a firearm company in Farnham, Virginia, with his domestic partner, who completed paperwork for a transaction to sell the company seven firearms. As a convicted felon, Sohaib could not legally possess firearms.
On June 6, 2015, Muneeb and Sohaib pled guilty in the Eastern District of Virginia to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to access a protected computer without authorization, and conspiracy to access a government computer without authorization. Muneeb also pled guilty to accessing a protected computer without authorization, making a false statement, and obstructing justice. On Oct. 2, 2015, Muneeb was sentenced to three years and three months in prison; Sohaib was sentenced to two years in prison.
Sohaib Akhter is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9 and faces a maximum penalty of 21 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FDIC-OIG, DHS-OIG, and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by: the Department of Agriculture OIG; Department of Education OIG; Environmental Protection Agency OIG; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission OIG; Federal Reserve Board OIG; Department of Health and Human Services OIG; DHS Office of the Chief Security Officer; Department of Housing and Urban Development OIG; Department of the Interior OIG; International Development Finance Corporation OIG; Department of Justice OIG; Department of Labor OIG; Nuclear Regulatory Commission OIG; Small Business Administration OIG; Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; Department of Veterans Affairs OIG; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; United States Capitol Police; Fairfax County, Virginia Police Department; and the Alexandria, Virginia Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Strobbe for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys George Brown and Stefanie Schwartz of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
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. 1:25-cr-307.
Federal Jury Convicts Virgina Man on Charges Relating to the Deletion of U.S. Government DatabasesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted Sohaib Akhter, 34, of Alexandria, Virgina, today on charges of conspiracy to commit computer fraud, password trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
“Sohaib Akhter harmed Americans who trusted their government with personal information and sensitive requests,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His conviction shows that getting fired from a job is not an invitation to retaliate.”
“The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General’s (FDIC-OIG) Electronic Crimes Unit is proud to stand alongside our law enforcement partners in holding Sohaib Akhter accountable for conduct that compromised sensitive government information and targeted the integrity of federal systems,” said Inspector General Jennifer L. Fain of FDIC-OIG. “As proven at trial, Akhter participated in the unauthorized access of protected computer systems, the theft of credentials, and the destruction of government data affecting numerous federal agencies. The deliberate deletion of databases containing sensitive government information and the subsequent attempts to conceal that criminal activity demonstrated a blatant disregard for the security and integrity of federal information systems. Today’s conviction reflects the FDIC OIG’s continued commitment to aggressively investigating cyber-enabled threats, protecting government networks and data, and pursuing those who seek to exploit positions of trust for personal gain.”
“This was a calculated abuse of trust and access. Attempting to profit from stolen sensitive information shows a complete disregard for the law, and this verdict shows that those who abuse access to government information will be held accountable,” said Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D. of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS- OIG). “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners and the agencies that worked alongside us throughout this investigation to ensure those responsible were brought to justice.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Sohaib Akhter, and his twin brother and co-defendant, Muneeb Akhter, worked for a Washington, D.C., company that provided software products and services to more than 45 federal government agencies and hosted data for some federal government clients on servers in Ashburn. On Feb. 1, 2025, Muneeb Akhter asked Sohaib Akhter for the plaintext password of an individual who submitted a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Public Portal, which was maintained by the Akhters’ employer. Sohaib Akhter conducted a database query on the EEOC database and then provided the password to Muneeb Akhter. That password was subsequently used to access that individual’s email account without authorization.
When the company discovered Sohaib Akhter’s felony conviction, it terminated both brothers’ employment during an online remote meeting on Feb. 18, 2025. Immediately after being fired during this meeting, the brothers sought to harm their employer and its U.S. government customers by accessing computers without authorization, write-protecting databases, deleting databases, and destroying evidence of their unlawful activities. The compromised information included case management and Freedom of Information Act response processing software. Over the course of several hours, the brothers deleted approximately 96 databases storing U.S. government information hosted by the company.
A search of Sohaib’s cellphone revealed that he had obtained firearms as early as January 2025 and, following the execution of a search warrant on March 12, 2025, took steps to sell them. On March 18, 2025, Sohaib drove to a firearm company in Farnham, Virginia, with his domestic partner, who completed paperwork for a transaction to sell the company seven firearms. As a convicted felon, Sohaib could not legally possess firearms.
On June 6, 2015, Muneeb and Sohaib pled guilty in the Eastern District of Virginia to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to access a protected computer without authorization, and conspiracy to access a government computer without authorization. Muneeb also pled guilty to accessing a protected computer without authorization, making a false statement, and obstructing justice. On Oct. 2, 2015, Muneeb was sentenced to three years and three months in prison; Sohaib was sentenced to two years in prison.
Sohaib Akhter is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9 and faces a maximum penalty of 21 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FDIC-OIG, DHS-OIG, and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by: the Department of Agriculture OIG; Department of Education OIG; Environmental Protection Agency OIG; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission OIG; Federal Reserve Board OIG; Department of Health and Human Services OIG; DHS Office of the Chief Security Officer; Department of Housing and Urban Development OIG; Department of the Interior OIG; International Development Finance Corporation OIG; Department of Justice OIG; Department of Labor OIG; Nuclear Regulatory Commission OIG; Small Business Administration OIG; Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; Department of Veterans Affairs OIG; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; United States Capitol Police; Fairfax County, Virginia Police Department; and the Alexandria, Virginia Sheriff’s Office.
Trial Attorneys George Brown and Stefanie Schwartz of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Strobbe for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Salvadoran national sentenced to five years after being caught with over a kilogram of cocaineRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Salvadoran national was sentenced to five years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, from Feb. 6, 2025, to April 29, 2025, law enforcement conducted three controlled purchases of a total of over 167 grams of cocaine from José Mauricio Rivas-Portillo, 33. On July 17, 2025, as Rivas-Portillo was returning from Burlington, North Carolina, to his residence in Spotsylvania, a Virginia State Trooper stopped Rivas-Portillo in Spotsylvania County for a traffic violation. After a drug detection canine alerted to the presence of narcotics in Rivas-Portillo’s vehicle, a search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of a bag containing cocaine on the driver side floorboard and one kilogram of cocaine on the passenger side floorboard. Rivas-Portillo was in possession of $1,936 in drug proceeds.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-150.
This release was revised on May 7, 2026, to correct the case number.
Precious metals Ponzi scheme operator sentenced to over four years in prisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The owner and operator of an Alexandria-based precious metals investment firm was sentenced today to four years and two months in prison for wire fraud and violating the Travel Act.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, beginning in November 2021, Warith Deen Muhammad, 39, of McLean, falsely told more than a dozen investors that if they invested with him and his business, Niagara Gold and Silver LLC, he would use their money to buy, trade, and sell precious metals. Muhammad guaranteed profits of five to ten percent and told investors that they would receive their principal plus interest back, typically within 30 days.
To mask the fraud, Muhammad used new investors funds to pay prior investors, leading investors to believe that their investment had been “successful,” inducing them to invest more money and to recruit others to invest. In total, from November 2021 through June 2023, Muhammad used fraudulent representations to induce more than 12 investors to send him over $1.5 million.
In addition to spending investor money to pay prior investors, Muhammad also used investor funds to finance his lavish lifestyle. He leased high-end sports cars, including a Ferrari FF, Bentley, and Dodge Challenger Demon. He paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to rent luxury properties, and he spent tens of thousands of dollars at retailers, including Neiman Marcus, Tiffany’s, and Chanel, among others.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Morgan and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-284.
Two Northern Virginia men sentenced to prison for years-long drug trafficking conspiracy following Homeland Security Task Force investigationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Dontavious Rashid Whitaker, 28, of Alexandria, and D’Moni Anthony Moten, 27, of Woodbridge, were sentenced today to 20 years and over 16 years in prison respectively for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic counterfeit pressed pills containing carfentanil, fentanyl, and heroin.
According to court documents, from at least December 2021 to November 2025, Whitaker and Moten participated in a conspiracy to distribute counterfeit pressed pills containing opioids including heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil - a synthetic opioid 100 times more powerful than fentanyl.
On Feb. 19, 2025, in Alexandria, the United States Marshals Service (USMS) attempted to stop a Range Rover operated by Whitaker and a Jaguar operated by Moten. Whitaker and Moten attempted to flee and ultimately fled on foot from their vehicles. The Range Rover contained a loaded handgun with a round in the chamber and 13 rounds in an attached magazine, over 1,800 pills containing 203 grams of fentanyl, various prescription pills, multiple pounds of suspected marijuana, cocaine, a digital scale, and two cellphones. The Jaguar contained a loaded handgun with a round in the chamber and 10 rounds in an attached magazine, a large quantity of suspected marijuana, 32 grams of cocaine, and pills containing 109 grams of fentanyl. During a search of a residence associated with Whitaker, Moten, and other conspirators, investigators seized a handgun with a round in the chamber and 17 rounds in the attached magazine, another handgun with a round in the chamber and 33 rounds in the attached magazine, bulk marijuana, various prescription pills, over 1,000 fentanyl pills containing 120 grams of fentanyl, $182,568, and a money counter.
Subsequently, law enforcement conducted multiple controlled purchases from Whitaker and Moten, two of which involved the sale of pills totaling 1,058 grams of a mixture containing heroin. On Nov. 12, 2025, law enforcement searched multiple locations and vehicles associated with Whitaker, Moten, and other coconspirators. Whitaker was located in one residence with a loaded handgun, approximately $50,000 in cash, and over $70,000 in high-end jewelry in his bedroom. Another loaded handgun was located in another bedroom in the same residence. A search of a vehicle associated with Whitaker and Moten resulted in the seizure of nearly 10,000 counterfeit pressed pills containing 721 grams of carfentanil, 116 grams of fentanyl, and 108 grams of heroin. The search of a second residence identified as a narcotics stash location associated with the conspiracy resulted in the seizure of scattered fentanyl pills and a Draco AK-47 style pistol with a round in the chamber and the magazine next to the firearm. A second vehicle associated with Whitaker was searched and found to contain 1,000 counterfeit pressed pills containing approximately 108 grams of fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Virginia U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Virginia U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of VirginiaOn Feb. 6, Whitaker pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute carfentanil, fentanyl, and heroin; possession with intent to distribute and attempted possession with intent to distribute carfentanil; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Whitaker was sentenced today to 20 years in prison.
On Feb. 6, Moten pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute carfentanil, fentanyl, and heroin; possession with intent to distribute and attempted possession with intent to distribute carfentanil; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Moten was sentenced today to 16 years and eight months in prison.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Manassas is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Diplomatic Security Service; USMS; the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the Transportation Security Administration Federal Air Marshals Service; Customs and Border Protection; Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Washington Baltimore HIDTA. Prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The DEA and ATF investigated this case with assistance from USMS, the IRS Criminal Investigation Washington Field Office, Virginia State Police, Alexandria Police Department, Arlington Police Department, Prince George County Police Department, and Prince William County Police Department.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hahn prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:26-cr-19 (Moten) and 1:26-cr-20 (Whitaker).
Portsmouth man sentenced to over three years in prison for straw-purchasing firearmsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced yesterday to three years and five months in prison for making false statements during the purchase of firearms.
According to court documents, between June 8, 2023, and Feb. 26, 2025, Isaiah Sincere Wilson, 24, straw-purchased several firearms for, among others, his drug dealer. Three of the firearms were used in acts of violence that spanned multiple states. Several of the firearms remain unaccounted for. Wilson made these purchases from licensed dealers while knowingly making false statements to conceal that the firearms would be purchased for another person.
Wilson and his drug dealer discussed Wilson signing up for a course to obtain a concealed-handgun permit, which would allow Wilson to carry a concealed firearm and purchase more than one handgun per month. They also discussed reducing the price of Wilson's marijuana purchases in exchange for straw-purchasing a firearm.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton D. LaForge, former Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Marek, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-87.
Eastern District of Virginia prosecutes 15 child exploitation cases under Project Safe Childhood in the previous monthRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) prosecuted 15 defendants during the month of April under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
EDVA brought two new Project Safe Childhood cases during April while achieving eight convictions and five substantial sentences, including a life sentence.
Indictments
On April 7, a federal grand jury indicted Bryan Brooke, 63, of Bates City, Missouri, on a charge of distribution of CSAM. Case No. 3: 26-cr-40
On April 8, a grand jury indicted Nicolas Antonio Lainez, 19, of Hawaii, on counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, sexual exploitation of a child, and transportation of CSAM. Lainez was charged by criminal complaint on March 12 with production of CSAM and transportation of CSAM. Lainez was living with a family on Fort Eustis when he allegedly recorded himself sexually exploiting a six-year-old victim. Case No. 4: 26-CR-28
Pleas
Malachi Morgan Thomas, 24, of Woodbridge, pled guilty on April 2 to sexually exploiting more than 40 minor girls on Snapchat. Thomas coerced the victims, between the ages of 12 and 17, to engage in sexually explicit conduct and directed them to create and send him CSAM. Thomas flew to another state and travelled to a victim’s home where he engaged in sex with her. On Oct. 1, 2020, Fairfax County Police arrested Thomas on charges of rape and sodomy of two minors in Fairfax County. Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison. Case No. 1:25-cr-327
On April 21, Tucker Lee Martin pled guilty to attempted sexual exploitation of children. In 2021, Martin used his Tumblr account to upload a photo of himself engaged in a sexual act while seated next to a three-year-old toddler. Martin also used Snapchat to send graphic photos of himself and solicit CSAM from adults and minors, including asking a child to engage in bestiality. Investigators identified 195 files of suspected CSAM on Martin’s cellphone and 172 files on his Kik account. Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 17 and faces a mandatory minimum of imprisonment of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case No. 2:26-cr-32
On April 22, William Thomas Alley, 41, of Hampton, pled guilty to receiving CSAM. Alley used the Kik and Telegram apps to chat with other users about CSAM, and Alley solicited CSAM online. On four of Alley’s electronic devices, investigators identified 398 images of CSAM, including images of toddlers, bestiality, and bondage, and 58 video files of CSAM. Alley is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case No. 4:26-cr-14
On April 22, Christopher Charles Collins, 40, of Newport News, pled guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a child and receipt of CSAM. On Oct. 28, 2025, while on probation, Collins communicated over the Chatiw app and Dischord platform with a person he believed was a 14-year-old girl, but who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Collins arranged to meet the purported for sex. Law enforcement arrested Collins when he arrived at the prearranged location. Investigators identified numerous CSAM images on Collins’ cellphone. Collins is scheduled to be sentenced on July 30 and faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years and up to life in prison. Case No. 4:26-cr-19
On April 23, Randon Alexander Sprinkle, 31, of Richmond, pled guilty to distribution of CSAM. On May 22, 2025, Sprinkle used the Jack’d online dating app to contact a person he believed to be the father of a nine-year-old child, but who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Sprinkle asked to move the conversation to Telegram and sent the officer a CSAM image. Investigators later identified numerous CSAM images on Sprinkle’s electronic devices. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 26 and Sprinkle faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case No. 3:26-cr-2
On April 30, William Dana Holcomb, 70, of Hampton, pled guilty to distribution of CSAM. From April 4-7, 2025, Holcomb engaged in chats in which he offered to pay for “Early Young Teen girl or 10 and Under hopefully.” Among numerous other requests Holcomb made in chats, in one he asked to have sex with a seven-year-old. Investigators identified CSAM on Holcomb’s cellphone, and he admitted that he had distributed CSAM. Holcomb is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 10 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case No. 4:25-cr-80
On April 30, David Brent Timberlake, 65, of Henrico, pled guilty to receiving CSAM. Between April 3, 2021, and Aug. 6, 2022, Timberlake requested CSAM files through a peer-to-peer network. For example, on Aug. 6, 2022, Timberlake requested and received a video depicting a victim between 4 and 6 years old being sexually abused by two adult males. That file and numerous other CSAM files were found on Timberlake’s electronic devices. Timberlake is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case No. 3:26-cr-26
Trial
On April 23, a federal jury convicted registered sex offender Richard Scott Tyson of sexually exploiting two minors. Tyson, 57, of Gum Spring, was convicted in 2002 of rape involving a child, for which he received a 99-year prison sentence with 86 years suspended. Between 2021 and 2023, Tyson enticed the minors with gifts and trips to hotels, resorts, and amusement parks. During these activities and trips, as well as at Tyson’s home, Tyson engaged in sexual relations with one of the victims and took pictures of both minor victims while they were nude or mostly undressed and posed in sexualized positions in exchange for money. Tyson faces a mandatory minimum of 35 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 29. Case No. 3:24-cr-34
Sentencing
Yahmir Deshawn Kawante Hamlet, 25, of Hampton, was sentenced on April 14 to 20 years in prison for coercing minors to produce CSAM. On Dec. 6, 2023, FBI investigators searched Hamlet’s residence and seized devices containing 425 image files and 122 video files of CSAM, including infants and toddlers, masochism, and bestiality. The devices also included sexually explicit conversations between Hamlet and two minors, whom Hamlet paid for sexually explicit images and videos. Case No. 4:25-cr-36
On April 16, Jorge Antonio Escobar, 50, a Colombian national residing in Virginia, was sentenced to eight years in prison for receipt of CSAM. Escobar downloaded and saved images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including depictions of prepubescent minors. Case No. 1:25-cr-283
On April 22, Michael Logan Bourne, 55, of Chantilly, was sentenced to 27 years in prison following his conviction for sexually exploiting minors he targeted online. From February 2022 to April 2023, Bourne used an anonymous Google account to sexually exploit at least six girls to whom he referred as his “slaves,” and persuaded them to “serve” and “please” him by engaging in sexually explicit conduct on live webcams. Bourne received child sexual abuse material from two of his victims. Case No. 1:25-cr-218
On April 23, Dominic Nathaniel Torres, 23, a U.S. Navy sailor stationed in Norfolk, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sex and the coercion of seven other minor victims. Torres strategically targeted middle and high school age girls through social media, then bypassed the security protocols of age restricted social media communities by presenting himself as a minor and using younger photos. Torres requested and received sexually explicit images and videos from minor victims and sent the minors sexually graphic photos and videos of himself. In 2024, Torres travelled to a minor victim’s neighborhood, picked her up near her home, and engaged in sex with her on two separate occasions. Case No. 2:25-cr-10
On April 28, Anthony George Ruggiero, 42, of Gloucester, was sentenced to life in prison following his conviction for sexually abusing a foreign exchange student and receiving child sexual abuse material. In 2021 and 2022, Ruggiero sexually abused and exploited the student while his family hosted her in their home. Ruggiero continued to engage in sexually explicit messages with the student after she returned to her home country, including requesting sexually explicit photos and offering her sexually explicit photos. A federal jury convicted Ruggiero on Nov. 20, 2025. Case No. 4:24-cr-39
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Indictments are merely accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Previously convicted felon returning to prison for latest firearms possession offenseRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Dumfries man was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on July 21, 2025, Jonathan Daniel Smith discharged a handgun while he was engaged in a fight with another individual at a gas station in Woodbridge. On July 24, 2025, Prince William County Police officers recognized Smith from footage of the incident and apprehended him after a pursuit. During the chase, Smith attempted to hide his handgun, which was loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition in an extended magazine, under a parked car. Witnesses directed law enforcement to the handgun's location. A comparative analysis confirmed that a shell casing recovered from the shooting had been fired from Smith’s handgun.
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of VirginiaIn 2023, Smith was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. As a convicted felon, Smith cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case with assistance from the Prince William County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Walutes Jr. prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-324.
Previously convicted armed robber found guilty againRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Richmond man yesterday on charges of armed robbery and brandishing a firearm during a violent crime.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Feb. 12, 2025, Monte Decarlos Winston, 56, committed an armed robbery of a Valero gas station in Henrico County. On Feb. 18, 2025, Winston committed a second armed robbery at The Beauty Zone, a beauty supply company, in Chesterfield County.
In 2003, Winston was convicted of the same crimes, as well as possession of cocaine, and was sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison. In 2016 and twice in 2018, Winston was found guilty of violating the terms of his supervised release.
Winston faces a mandatory minimum 50 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on July 30. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Richmond Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Henrico Police Department and the Chesterfield Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen W. Miller and Janet Jin Ah Lee are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-117.
Jury convicts illegal alien from Honduras for unlawfully possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Honduran national today on charges of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in 2016, law enforcement encountered Joel L. Ayala-Rivera, 22, near Hidalgo, Texas, after he unlawfully crossed the border as an unaccompanied juvenile. He was placed in removal proceedings and was released from custody to the care of his mother. In or about February of 2023, Ayala-Rivera was again encountered and taken into custody by Border Patrol in Texas. In May of 2023, an immigration judge adjudged him to be an alien present in the United States without being admitted or paroled. The judge released Ayala-Rivera from immigration detention on a cash bond.
On April 15, 2024, at an apartment in Richmond, the FBI conducted a controlled purchase in which Ayala-Rivera sold a handgun. As an illegal alien, Ayala-Rivera cannot lawfully possess firearms.
Ayala-Rivera faces up to 15 years in prison when sentenced on Aug. 25, and he remains subject to the prior order of removal. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Richmond Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Richmond Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Mastandrea and Patrick J. McGorman are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-14.
Federal jury convicts ISIS-K terrorist for role in the Abbey Gate bombing and other ISIS-K attacksRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury today convicted Afghan national Mohammad Sharifullah, a member of the terrorist organization the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), of participating in a nine-year conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Aug. 26, 2021, American and other Coalition military forces were conducting a non-combatant evacuation operation at the Abbey Gate of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Thousands of civilians were at Abbey Gate for evacuation.
On Aug. 26, 2021, ISIS-K leadership tasked Sharifullah with surveilling a road to the Hamid Karzai International Airport to ensure it was clear of Taliban checkpoints. At about 2:00 pm, Sharifullah travelled his assigned route and communicated to ISIS-K leadership that the route was clear. At approximately 5:36 p.m., ISIS-K operative Abdul Rahman al-Logari, whom Sharifullah knew previously from their time together in an Afghan prison, detonated a body-worn suicide bomb at Abbey Gate, killing 13 U.S. military service members and approximately 160 civilians.
Additionally, on June 20, 2016, a suicide bomber acting for ISIS-K detonated a bomb targeting Nepali security guards protecting the Canadian embassy in Kabul. Prior to the attack, Sharifullah conducted surveillance to prepare the suicide bomber and later transported the suicide bomber toward the attack site.
Additionally, on March 22, 2024, a group of ISIS-K gunmen attacked Crocus City Hall near Moscow. On behalf of ISIS-K, Sharifullah shared instructions on how to use AK-style rifles and other weapons with attackers. The ISIS-K attackers used AK-style rifles to kill civilians in the attack.
In all, Sharifullah participated in over a dozen additional ISIS-K attacks from 2016 through his eventual apprehension in 2025. Throughout these attacks, Sharifullah was involved in various aspects of ISIS-K operations, including providing surveillance for attacks, transporting suicide bombers, transporting and cleaning armaments, communicating messages among ISIS-K personnel, and video recording explosions for ISIS-K propaganda purposes.
Sharifullah faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Gibbs, Avi Panth, and Reed Sawyers for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Ryan D. White for the Department of Justice’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-143.
Gloucester man sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing a foreign exchange student and receiving child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Gloucester man was sentenced today to life in prison following his conviction for coercion and enticement of a child and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Anthony George Ruggiero, 42, and his family hosted a foreign exchange student who arrived at their home in Gloucester in 2021. After returning to her home country in 2022, the student disclosed to medical professionals that she had been sexually abused and exploited by Ruggiero in 2021 through 2022.
Ruggiero also engaged in sexually explicit messages with the student through social media accounts that indicated that Ruggiero was sexually abusing the student while she was 15 and 16 years old. The sexually graphic conversations continued after she returned to her home country. Ruggiero asked her for sexually explicit photos, offered her sexually explicit photos, and engaged in sexually explicit conversations both reminiscent of past sexual encounters and fantasies of future encounters.
Ruggiero was also found guilty of receiving five videos of CSAM of an identified victim in Texas.
The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devon E.A. Heath and Peter G. Osyf 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.
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. 4:24-cr-39.
Chesapeake nurse pleads guilty to taking medications intended to treat patients in painRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake woman pled guilty on April 24 to obtaining controlled substances by fraud.
According to court documents, from January 2023 to March 2024, Michelle Kollmar, 56, was a Registered Nurse working at a healthcare facility. Among Kollmar’s responsibilities was treating patients suffering from, among other afflictions, sickle-cell anemia or who were in cancer comfort care. These patients had patient-controlled analgesia pumps to dispense medication when they were in pain.
Kollmar used patients' personal identifying information to access Omnicells, which are automated prescription drug dispensing machines, and diverted vials of hydromorphone. She would later replace the vials in the Omnicell with syringes, including with doses that were about to expire. Kollmar also accessed the Omnicell when she was off work and should not have been in the hospital.
Multiple videos showed Kollmar diverting and replacing hydromorphone vials in Omnicells. Lab analysis revealed that some of the replacement syringes did not contain any hydromorphone and were found to be mostly water, while one was suspected of being diluted Dilaudid.
During the investigation Kollmar tested positive for hydromorphone, though it was not prescribed to her, and admitted that she used the hydromorphone she had taken.
Kollmar is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 27 and faces up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, and the Virginia State Police investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton D. LaForge 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. 2:25-cr-103.
Norfolk Navy sailor sentenced to 10 years in prison for coercing a minor to engage in sexRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Texas man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sex, and the coercion of seven other minor victims.
According to court documents, Dominic Nathanial Torres, 23, a U.S. Navy sailor stationed in Norfolk, used multiple social media platforms to communicate with minors in a sexually explicit manner. Torres strategically targeted middle and high school age girls through social media, and then bypassed the security protocols of age restricted social media communities by presenting himself as a minor and using younger photos. Torres requested and received sexually explicit images and videos from minor victims and sent the minors sexually graphic photos and videos of himself.
During the Summer of 2024, Torres contacted a minor female via a social media platform. Torres knew the victim was 16 years old and portrayed himself as a minor. After communicating with the minor through multiple mediums including text messages, Torres convinced the minor to meet in person. He travelled to the minor’s neighborhood, picked her up near her home, and engaged in sex with her on two separate occasions. Torres attempted to video his sexual encounter with the minor.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) investigated this 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. 2:25-cr-10.
Newport News man convicted for series of armed bank robberiesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Newport News man today on charges of bank robbery, bank robbery with a dangerous weapon, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Tyrone K. Jefferson, 38, worked for a rental car company where he had access to rental cars and license plates owned by the company. Jefferson stole several license plates and a sedan from the company. From Feb. 4 to Feb. 26, 2025, Jefferson used the sedan to rob a credit union and two banks. In each robbery, Jefferson threw a bag to a teller and demanded that it be filled with money, with no dye or trackers. Jefferson brandished a firearm during two of the robberies. He also used the stolen vehicle to visit a Portsmouth casino after the robberies.
On Feb. 27, 2025, Newport News Police attempted to stop the stolen sedan, but the driver fled at a high rate of speed, abandoned the vehicle, and escaped on foot. Police located mail, court documents and other paperwork addressed to Jefferson in the vehicle.
On March 7, 2025, Jefferson robbed another credit union by brandishing a firearm and demanding that a teller fill a bag with money. Jefferson then fled on foot.
On March 27, 2025, police traced Jefferson to the same Portsmouth casino, to which he traveled in a rented vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, police recovered rental paperwork in Jefferson’s name, a stolen handgun, and an extended magazine.
Jefferson has five previous felony convictions, including for assault of a federal employee (2018 for macing a Navy police officer); carrying a concealed weapon (2008); possession of stolen property and hit and run (2008); grand larceny (2011); and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and eluding police (2006).
Jefferson faces a mandatory minimum of 21 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 23. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Henrico County Police Division and Newport News Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mack Coleman and Alyson C. Yates are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 4:25-cr-53.
Hampton trio pleads guilty in a $3.6M Treasury check schemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Three conspirators from Hampton pled guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.
According to court documents, Katie Anne Keller, 44; Christopher Allen Lee Krall, 34; and David Henry Graham, 53, along with other co-conspirators, obtained checks issued by the U.S. Treasury intended for various residents of New York state without the knowledge or consent of the victims. Using fraudulent identification documents, Keller, Krall, and Graham opened bank accounts in the names on the Treasury checks. They would then deposit the checks, withdraw the funds, and share them among the co-conspirators.
From August 2023 to January 2024, the conspirators deposited or attempted to deposit more than 12 forged U.S. Treasury checks totaling approximately $3,600,177.
Keller was arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on January 25, 2024, when she and Graham attempted to open a bank account using the PII and fraudulent identification of two victims. Keller continued the scheme after her arrest. In April 2025, Keller opened an account at a bank in Tennessee and deposited a $10,047 Treasury check. Keller also was on site at a bank in Alabama with co-conspirators who attempted a similar scheme in September 2025.
On October 28, 2025, the FBI searched Keller’s residence in Hampton and recovered approximately 25 sets of identity documents in the names of different individuals, packaged with credit cards, social security cards, and sometimes financial or other identification documents from 10 different states. The documents were packaged with approximately 18 apparent burner phones. When Graham was arrested, he was in possession of two different fraudulent identity documents.
Keller is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 4 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, plus a mandatory minimum consecutive term of two years.
Krall is scheduled to be sentenced on AUG. 6 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, plus a mandatory minimum consecutive term of two years.
Graham is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 5 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, plus a mandatory minimum consecutive term of two years.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt 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. 2:25-cr-115.
Federal jury convicts registered sex offender of sexually exploiting two minorsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal judge convicted a Gum Spring man yesterday on charges of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), possession of CSAM, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and commission by a registered sex offender of a felony offense involving a minor.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Richard Scott Tyson, 57, was convicted in 2002 of rape involving a child, for which he received 99 years of imprisonment with 86 years suspended. Between 2021 and 2023, Tyson sexually exploited two minor victims.
Tyson met the first victim, identified as Minor Victim 1 or MV1, in 2021 and developed a relationship with MV1 and his family members. Tyson soon began taking MV1 on trips and paying for items such as video games, clothing, or activities on his behalf. MV1 then began staying overnight and on weekends at Tyson’s house. During a trip with MV1 to a trampoline park, MV1 met and befriended Tyson’s second victim, identified as Minor Victim 2 or MV2. Tyson communicated with both victims through Snapchat.
MV2 joined Tyson and MV1 during activities and trips to hotels, resorts, and amusement parks, for which Tyson paid. During these activities and trips, as well as at Tyson’s home, Tyson engaged in sexual relations with MV2 and took pictures of both minor victims while they were nude or mostly undressed and posed in sexualized positions in exchange for money.
Tyson faces a mandatory minimum of 35 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 29. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Richmond Field Office and the Powhatan County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case with assistance from the Goochland County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shea M. Gibbons and Thomas A. Garnett 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. 3:24-cr-34.
This release was revised on April 30, 2026, to correct the headline.
Chantilly man sentenced to 27 years in prison for sexually exploiting minors he targeted onlineRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Chantilly man was sentenced today to 27 years in prison following his conviction for sexual exploitation and coercion and enticement of minors to engage in illegal sexual activity.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, between at least February 2022 and April 2023, Michael Logan Bourne, 55, used an anonymous Google account, lordromance2021, to sexually exploit at least six girls between the ages of 13 and 17, to whom he referred as his “slaves,” and persuaded them to “serve” and “please” him by engaging in sexually explicit conduct on live webcams. Bourne groomed the girls, inundating them with sexual messages, including sexually graphic pictures and a video of himself. He pressured the victims to reciprocate his sexual advances and to join him on video calls even when they expressed discomfort. He also received child sexual abuse material from two of his victims. Bourne knew that several of his victims suffered from serious mental health issues, making them more susceptible to his coercion.
A federal judge convicted Bourne on Dec. 17, 2025.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Halper and Vanessa Strobbe prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. 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. 1:25-cr-218.
Tidewater inmate sentenced to three years in prison for a series of fraud schemesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man currently in prison for a federal firearms conviction was sentenced today to three years in prison for conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with major disaster benefits, making false statements, and bank fraud. This is the third federal felony conviction for Raymond Antoine Wyche, 34.
According to court documents, Wyche was sentenced on Jan. 17, 2017, to four years and nine months in prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
After completing his prison term for that conviction, Wyche was again incarcerated in 2020 at Western Tidewater Regional Jail for a violation of his federal supervised release. Wyche received $33,592 in response to an unemployment benefits claim application filed. The application falsely stated that he lost his job at a barbershop in Chesapeake as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that he was ready, willing, and- able to work. The claim was recertified weekly through September 2021, including while Wyche was incarcerated and after his release from custody while he was employed.
While in jail, Wyche also provided the personal identifying information of other inmates to a co-conspirator who used that information to file additional unemployment benefit claims during the COVID pandemic. In sum, the conspiracy resulted in six successful unemployment claims in the names of inmates for a total of $112,508 in unemployment benefits. Wyche and his co-conspirator kept most of the benefits, providing little or nothing to the inmates whose names and information were used in the claims. The conspiracy also involved fraudulent claims using stolen identities of non-inmates.
After his release from Western Tidewater while on supervised pretrial release, Wyche provided his personal information to another co-conspirator who used it to file a loan application through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was administered by the Small Business Administration to provide low-interest financing to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs for eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the pandemic. The application falsely stated that Wyche was the sole proprietor and employee of a landscaping business called “Wyche Services” with a gross annual income for 2020 of $98,740. A fraudulent IRS Form 1040, Schedule C, was attached as purported supporting documentation. In response to the application, on May 13, 2021, $20,570 was disbursed to Wyche’s credit union account.
In December 2021, while he remained on supervised pretrial release, Wyche deposited a counterfeit check purportedly made out to Wyche in the amount of $4,500 from the bank account of a Hampton Roads car dealership. Wyche attempted to deposit another counterfeit check for $2,000.
On July 18, 2022, Wyche again pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and on Dec. 12, 2022, was sentenced to seven years in prison. The three-year sentence imposed today will run consecutive to the sentence Wyche is currently serving.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and the Chesapeake Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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 Nos. 2:25-cr-138, 2:22-cr-55, and 2:15-cr-16.
Colombian national sentenced to eight years in prison for receiving child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Colombian national residing in Virginia was sentenced today to eight years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Jorge Antonio Escobar, 50, downloaded and saved images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including depictions of prepubescent minors. In September of 2022, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an investigation into those sharing CSAM on the BitTorrent peer-to-peer file sharing network, which identified an IP address traced back to Escobar’s residence in Leesburg. Escobar admitted to using BitTorrent to search for images of young girls.
Escobar pleaded guilty to receipt of CSAM on Dec. 30, 2025.
HSI Washington, DC, investigated the case with assistance from the Northern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndi McVey for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit 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. 1:25-cr-283.
Colombian National Sentenced to Eight Years for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
A Colombian national residing in Virginia was sentenced today to eight years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Jorge Antonio Escobar, 50, had downloaded and saved images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including depictions of prepubescent minors. In September of 2022, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an investigation into those sharing CSAM on the BitTorrent peer-to-peer file sharing network, which identified an IP address traced back to Escobar’s residence in Leesburg, Virginia. Escobar admitted to using BitTorrent to search for images of young girls.
Escobar pleaded guilty to receipt of CSAM on Dec. 30, 2025.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
The HSI D.C. Field Office investigated the case with the assistance of the Northern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndi McVey for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Illegal alien from El Salvador sentenced to prison for reentering the United States following his removal as a convicted felonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Salvadoran national Moises Osvaldo Sorto-Iraeta, 31, was sentenced today to a year and four months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed following his conviction for an aggravated felony. Sorto-Iraeta remains subject to the prior order of removal.
According to court documents, on March 6, 2017, Moises Osvaldo Sorto-Iraeta, 31, was found guilty of unlawful bodily injury for participating in an assault outside a restaurant in Prince William County. Sorto-Iraeta was sentenced to five years in prison, but his sentence was suspended when he was removed from the United States on May 19, 2017, pursuant to a final order of removal.
After illegally reentering the United States, Sorto-Iraeta was arrested in Loudoun County on Dec. 30, 2023, for assault and battery, brandishing a weapon, possession of a weapon by a violent felon, and gun possession by an unlawful alien. On Feb. 7, 2024, he was convicted of assault and battery and brandishing a firearm. Three months after his release from prison, Sorto-Iraeta was arrested in Loudoun County on April 29, 2025, for possession of cocaine. He was sentenced on Oct. 10, 2025, to 90 days in prison.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Washington, D.C., investigated this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Miguel Ortiz and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony R. Roberts prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 1:25-cr-319.
North Carolina man sentenced to 12 years in prison for drug trafficking and firearms crimesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A North Carolina man was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on June 4, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of 14.16 grams of methamphetamine and 1.18 grams of fentanyl from Donjuan Murphy, 23, of Hertford, in Virginia Beach. On June 18, 2024, in Chesapeake, law enforcement executed state warrants from North Carolina and Virginia. When law enforcement attempted to take Murphy into custody, he initially tried to escape by backing his vehicle into a law enforcement vehicle and refused to put the car in park and exit it. He eventually complied with commands and was taken into custody.
From Murphy’s vehicle, investigators recovered, among other items, 38.76 grams of fentanyl; 2.54 grams of methamphetamine; 80.55 grams of cocaine; 816.94 grams of marijuana; Oxycodone, Buprenorphine, and Naloxone; four firearms, including one equipped with an extended magazine and another that had been reported stolen; ammunition; and $9,246.
Murphy previously was convicted of multiple felonies, including convictions in North Carolina for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and possession of a firearm by a felon. As a convicted felon, Murphy cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and Chesapeake Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock and Amanda L. Cheney prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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. 2:25-cr-34.
Lobbying firm and its owner ordered to pay $400,000 for fraudulently obtained Paycheck Protection Program loansRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ordered Iseman & Associates LLC, a lobbying firm located in West Palm Beach, Florida, and its owner Vicki Iseman, to pay $408,730.44 after finding that they submitted fraudulent applications to obtain federally guaranteed loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
In March 2025, the United States filed a Complaint against Iseman & Associates and Iseman alleging that they had violated the False Claims Act (FCA) and Financial Institutions Reform Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) by submitting false documents and falsely certifying eligibility for two PPP loans. Businesses primarily engaged in lobbying or political activities were categorically ineligible to obtain PPP loans. According to the government’s complaint, Iseman & Associates and Iseman had submitted falsified tax documents and made false certifications as part of their PPP loan applications.
The District Court found that the United States had shown it was entitled to judgment on the FCA and FIRREA claims asserted against the defendants and, accordingly, awarded the United States summary judgment, and entered judgment that included treble damages and penalties under the FCA.
The outcome in this case was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of General Counsel, Litigation Unit, and the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Beerbower, assisted by Forensic Auditor Peter Melaragni.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Case records may be found on PACER under case number 1:25-cv-450-MSN-LRV.
Hampton man sentenced to 20 years in prison for coercing minors to produce child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for the coercion and enticement of two minors.
According to court documents, on March 7, 2020, Yahmir Deshawn Kawante Hamlet, 25, uploaded a video file with advertising links to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in exchange for payments.
On Dec. 6, 2023, FBI investigators searched Hamlet’s residence and seized seven electronic devices containing approximately 425 image files and 122 video files of CSAM, as well as MEGA and Dropbox links and multiple Telegram chats negotiating sales of CSAM. The CSAM files included infants and toddlers, masochism, and bestiality. The devices also included sexually explicit conversations between Hamlet and two minors. Hamlet paid the minors for sexually explicit images and videos.
After Hamlet’s arrest on May 1, 2025, the FBI identified additional CSAM, including 30 images and five videos.
The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf 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. 4:25-cr-36.
Hampton felon sentenced to over three years in prison for latest firearm convictionRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on Aug. 8, 2024, law enforcement observed Tre’Vonte Jermel Hunter, 27, leave a residence with a camouflage backpack and enter a vehicle. At that time, Hunter was the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant. When officers stopped the vehicle, Hunter fled on foot. Officers pursued and ultimately apprehended Hunter.
Investigators recovered a handgun from the backpack. The handgun was loaded with a 30-round extended magazine, and investigators recovered an additional 17-round magazine. Hunter previously was convicted of, among other crimes, evading and eluding, hit and run, reckless driving, failure to appear, forgery of a bank note, disregarding law enforcement commands, driving on a suspended license, driving on a revoked license, driving without a license, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and carrying a concealed weapon. As a convicted felon, Hunter cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The Homeland Security Investigations Norfolk Office; the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division – Norfolk District Office; and the Hampton Police Division investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson C. Yates prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 4:24-cr-58.
Petersburg felon sentenced to 10 years in prison for federal drug trafficking convictionRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Petersburg man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for distribution and possession with the intent to distribute a mixture of heroin and fentanyl and distribution and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, from August to October 2024, law enforcement conducted a series of controlled transactions in which Jawara Tyrone Williams, 45, sold fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine at his residence in Petersburg. During one of those transactions, Williams possessed a handgun that had been reported stolen. Among other crimes, Williams previously was convicted for distributing cocaine. As a convicted felon, Williams cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. McGorman 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. 3:25-cr-152.
Federal jury convicts Manassas woman for maintaining a property used for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted Paris Chappe'll Hudson, 35, of Manassas, yesterday on charges of maintaining a drug-involved premises.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on June 12, 2025, Hudson and Khymarr Talib Cooper, 46, were arrested for their roles in a COVID-era unemployment insurance fraud scheme. When law enforcement arrived at the residence where the couple lived to arrest them, Hudson disclosed that she possessed a firearm. Investigators attained a warrant to search the residence and discovered additional firearms and ammunition as well as distribution amounts of marijuana, 161 street-pressed oxycodone pills, narcotics packaging material, two digital scales with narcotics residue, $4,107, a commercial money counter, two cellphones belonging to Cooper, and one cellphone belonging to Hudson.
Text messages between Cooper and Hudson on their phones confirmed Hudson knew of Cooper’s drug trafficking. Hudson was the sole lessee of the residence.
Hudson faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on July 17. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Hudson pled guilty to wire fraud relating to the unemployment scheme on August 5, 2025, and was sentenced on Jan. 21 to six months in prison. Cooper pled guilty to wire fraud relating to the unemployment scheme on Aug. 25, 2025, and was sentenced on Dec. 5, 2025, to one year and eight months in prison. Cooper pled guilty on March 30 to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 2.
The Prince William County Police Department; Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General; and Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf 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 Nos. 4:26-cr-8 and 4:25-cr-32.
Career offender sentenced to 20 years in prison for federal drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond drug trafficker was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison following his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 9, 2024, law enforcement was attempting to locate an individual who was wanted in Chesterfield County. When officers located the individual in Gilpin Court in Richmond, the individual was accompanied by Montrio Santos Neville, 40. When the pair was detained, an officer searched Neville and recovered a firearm, 6.8750 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine powder, and numerous tablets containing methamphetamine.
Neville previously was convicted of, among other crimes, forgery of a public record; malicious wounding for an incident in which he shot the victim four times; and possession with intent to distribute heroin. At the time Neville was arrested in this case, he had been released from prison just three months earlier for the heroin conviction and was on active probation. As a previously convicted felon, Neville cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The FBI’s Richmond Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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-183.
Previously convicted felon returning to prison for drug and firearm crimesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Prince George man was sentenced to five years and 11 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on March 15, 2024, responding to a report of a man looking into vehicles with a flashlight, Colonial Heights police officers located and spoke with Earnest Thomas, 34. As officers attempted to gather Thomas’ identifying information, Thomas fled. The officers apprehended Thomas after a brief pursuit, confirmed his identity, and determined that he had outstanding arrest warrants from Chesterfield, Petersburg, and Hopewell.
From Thomas’ vehicle, investigators recovered 28.62 grams of 93.7% pure methamphetamine, two digital scales, two ski masks, a handgun, a folded $5 bill containing 1.0685 grams of fentanyl, and a vile containing an additional 0.3957 grams of methamphetamine.
Thomas previously was convicted of, among other crimes, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a concealed weapon, and domestic assault and battery. As a convicted felon, Thomas cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gilliland prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 3:25-cr-63.
Woodbridge man pleads guilty to sexually exploiting more than 40 minor girls on SnapchatRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, between at least March 1, 2020, and Oct. 1, 2020, Malachi Morgan Thomas, 24, used a Snapchat account, which he had previously hacked and stolen from a minor, to coerce approximately 41 minor girls between the ages of 12 and 17 to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Thomas directed the victims to create and send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and ordered the girls to engage in sexually explicit conduct during live video calls.
Thomas told victims he led a criminal organization and that as long as the victims did what he told them they would be safe. To coerce compliance, Thomas made such threats as hacking the victims’ accounts or harming them and their family members. Thomas was aware that several of his victims suffered from anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues and that many had previously been victims of sexual abuse. In at least one instance, Thomas knew that the victim was in foster care.
On June 6, 2020, Thomas flew to another state and travelled to a victim’s home where he engaged in sex with the victim, which he recorded and saved in his Snapchat account. Police discovered the abuse of this victim after searching one of Thomas’ cell phones, which they seized from him three days while investigating an altercation. On July 9, 2020, Thomas traveled to Potomac Mills Mall in Woodbridge to meet a victim he exploited on Snapchat. The victim’s father had learned of Thomas’ actions and appeared at the mall instead of the victim. Thomas’ phone was seized when police responded to the incident.
On Oct. 1, 2020, Fairfax County Police arrested Thomas on charges of rape and sodomy of two minors in Fairfax County. With support from Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police searched Thomas’ residence in Woodbridge where investigators located a second phone containing dozens of images and videos of child sexual abuse, including recordings of his sexual assaults of his two victims in Fairfax County.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Alicia A. Bove of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division 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. 1:25-cr-327.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting more than 40 Minor Girls on SnapchatRead the Press Release
A Virginia man pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, between at least March 1, 2020, and Oct. 1, 2020, Malachi Morgan Thomas, 24, used a Snapchat account, which he had previously hacked and stolen from a minor, to coerce at least 40 minor girls between the ages of 12 and 17 to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Thomas directed the victims to create and send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and ordered the girls to engage in sexually explicit conduct during live video calls.
Thomas told victims he led a criminal organization and that as long as the victims did what he told them they would be safe. To coerce compliance, Thomas made such threats as hacking the victims’ accounts or harming them and their family members. Thomas was aware that several of his victims suffered from anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues and that many had previously been victims of sexual abuse. In at least one instance, Thomas knew that the victim was in foster care.
On June 6, 2020, Thomas flew to another state and travelled to a victim’s home where he engaged in sex with the victim, which he recorded and saved in his Snapchat account. Police discovered the abuse of this victim after searching one of Thomas’ cell phones, which they seized from him while investigating an altercation. On July 9, 2020, Thomas traveled to Potomac Mills Mall in Woodbridge to meet a victim he exploited on Snapchat. The victim’s father had learned of Thomas’ actions and appeared at the mall instead of the victim. Thomas’ phone was seized when police responded to the incident.
“Thomas preyed on vulnerable victims across several states using social media Apps to expand his sprawling reach to abuse young girls and threaten harm to them and their families in order to obtain his disturbing goal — child sexual exploitation,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department of Justice will investigate, prosecute, and seek justice for victims of child sexual abuse. Harm to America’s children has no place in our communities.”
On Oct. 1, 2020, Fairfax County Police arrested Thomas on charges of rape and sodomy of two minors in Fairfax County. With support from Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police searched Thomas’ residence in Woodbridge where investigators located a second phone containing dozens of images and videos of child sexual abuse, including recordings of his sexual assaults of his two victims in Fairfax County.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Alicia A. Bove of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division 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.
Norfolk man sentenced to over three years in prison for laundering funds fraudulently obtained from a pandemic relief programRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison for money laundering and unlawful monetary transactions relating to the fraudulent receipt of funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in May 2020, Brian Renard Manley Jr., 39, sent an email containing information about his businesses to an individual in Georgia who created fake tax returns for the business and submitted a fraudulent PPP application. PPP was administered by the Small Business Administration to provide low-interest financing to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs for eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the pandemic.
As a result of the fraudulent PPP application, Brian Manley received $350,000, which he immediately transferred into a newly opened bank account for a different company. The next day, he forwarded an email to the same individual in Georgia from his co-defendant spouse, Lacole Manley, which contained information and data about her business. Lacole Manley later received an additional $350,000 PPP loan after a fraudulent application was submitted in her name by the same individual in Georgia. The Manleys used the PPP funds to pay for various personal expenses, including travel to Orlando and Las Vegas as well as the purchase of a luxury vehicle.
Lacole Manley is expected to be sentenced on May 19.
The IRS Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office and the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony C. Mozzi and Clayton D. LaForge 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. 2:24-cr-56.
Eastern District of Virginia prosecutes 19 child exploitation cases under Project Safe Childhood in the previous monthRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Project Safe Childhood is 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.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia brought seven new Project Safe Childhood cases during March while achieving seven convictions and eight substantial sentences, including a life sentence for a repeat offender.
Indictments
On March 3, a federal grand jury indicted David Brent Timberlake, 65, of Henrico, on charges of receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and possession of CSAM. Case no. 3: 26-CR-26
On March 11, a federal grand jury indicted Joseph Downing Barnes Jr., 35, of Virginia Beach, on charges of production of CSAM and transportation of CSAM. In 2016, Barnes was convicted of receiving CSAM. Case no. 2:26-CR-29
On March 11, a federal grand jury indicted Tucker Lee Martin, 31, of Norfolk, on charges of production of CSAM, attempted production of CSAM, and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Case no. 2: 26-CR-32
Charges
Nicolas Antonio Lainez, 19, of Hawaii, was charged on March 12 by criminal complaint with production of CSAM and transportation of CSAM. Lainez was living with a family on Fort Eustis when he allegedly recorded himself sexually exploiting a six-year-old victim. Case no. 4:26-MJ-15
Pleas
Bahamian national and illegal alien Rian Wayne Johnson, 38, possessed on his cellphone CSAM depicting his sexual exploitation of an 11-year-old child. Johnson pled guilty on March 3 to sexual exploitation of a child. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-59
Stephen Chadwick Howell, 26, of Arlington, sexually exploited a 15-year-old victim and produced multiple sexually explicit videos and images of the abuse, which he later distributed. On May 7, 2025, as law enforcement executed a search warrant at Howell’s residence, Howell urinated on his laptop in an attempt to prevent the FBI from accessing its contents. On March 4, Howell pled guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and destruction of property to prevent seizure. Howell is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Case no. 1:25-CR-235
On several occasions from February 2025 to March 2025, Mexican national and illegal alien Samuel Flores De Dios sexually abused a 12-year-old victim and recorded the abuse in his apartment in Fredericksburg. On March 6, Flores De Dios pled guilty to production of CSAM. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 3:25-CR-158
In June 2024, John Joseph Chanel, 37, of Sterling, uploaded and then requested and received CSAM via an Internet platform. Chanel possessed 38 videos and 12 images of CSAM. On March 13, Chanel pled guilty to receipt of CSAM. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case no. 1:26-CR-44
Kemp Jermaine Nelson, 33, of Newport News, filmed himself having sex with a 15-year-old victim who was a runaway and posted a video of the encounter on social media. On March 17, Nelson pled guilty to coercion and enticement of a child to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce CSAM. Nelson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-68
Alex Tyler Buenaga, 32, of Suffolk, a former Newport News firefighter, recorded himself sexually abusing a three-month-old infant over 90 times and, on at least one occasion, recorded himself blowing methamphetamine smoke in the infant’s face. Buenaga pled guilty on March 25 to production of CSAM and coercion of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life plus 60 years in prison when sentenced on Sept. 22. Case No. 2:25-CR-31
On Oct. 1, 2025, law enforcement searched the Arlington residence of Patrick Wanamaker, 35. Investigators found CSAM on Wanamaker’s cellphone and laptop. Wanamaker also emailed to himself several Mega links that contained 279 images and 777 videos of CSAM, including images and videos of the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers. On March 25, Wanamaker pled guilty to receipt of CSAM. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case no. 1:26-CR-53
Sentencing
On June 11, 2024, FBI agents searched the Norfolk residence of Douglas Edward Steele, Jr., 41. On his electronic devices, investigators found thousands of videos and images of CSAM. Steele estimated that he probably had approximately 5,000 stored CSAM files. On Nov. 24, 2025, Steele pled guilty to receipt and possession of CSAM. On March 5, Steele was sentenced to six years in prison. Case no. 2:25-CR-111
On March 31, 2015, David Christopher Schaefer, 38, was convicted of possession of CSAM and was sentenced to over eight years in prison and a life term of supervised release. In 2025, a probation officer searched Schaefer’s residence and located nine unauthorized or unreported devices that Schaefer used to access, view, download, and exchange CSAM. Schaefer was attributed with over 25,000 CSAM images. On March 5, Schaefer was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-51
Retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Cory Richard Hambley, 43, worked as a program analyst for the Missile Defense Agency and held a Top Secret security clearance. In November 2022, Hambley contacted his former girlfriend and encouraged her to provide CSAM depicting her abusing two minor children, ages five and nine, which she did. On March 11, Hambley was sentenced to 35 years in prison. The former girlfriend, Grace Elizabeth Paradis, 43, of Virginia Beach, pled guilty on Oct. 23, 2025, to conspiring to produce CSAM. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 2:25-CR-44
On Nov. 5, 2013, Nicholas Wayne Hanlon, 40, was convicted in the District of Columbia for receipt of CSAM and attempting to meet with a purported 12-year-old girl for sex. Following his release from prison, from November 2020 through July 2024, Hanlon used SnapChat and Instagram to contact and request CSAM from at least seven minors across multiple states. Investigators found approximately 150 child pornography images and 20 child pornography videos depicting Hanlon’s victims on his cellphone and numerous additional videos and images in his SnapChat and Instagram accounts. On March 11, in the Eastern District of Virginia, Hanlon was sentenced to life in prison. Case no. 1:25-CR-151
Skylar James Duvall, 24, made arrangements with the guardian of a minor, including a determined amount of time and payment to the guardian, for certain sex acts to be committed against the victim. On Jan. 15, 2023, Duvall recorded a live stream of the abuse. On Duvall’s electronic devices, investigators found additional CSAM, including over 500 images and 700 videos, as well as thousands of files of potential CSAM and CGI/animated child exploitive videos and images. On March 12, Duvall was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-25
William Michael Webb, 41, of Chesapeake, used the BitTorrent application to download CSAM to his electronic devices, on which he possessed over 8,000 images and 800 videos of CSAM, as well as over 3,300 images of child erotica. Webb pled guilty on Sept. 25, 2025, to receipt of CSAM. He was sentenced on March 13 to five years in prison. Case no. 2:24-CR-102
Devin Sinclair Buries, 49, shared his vast CSAM collection with other users on BitTorrent. Buries possessed over 200 videos and over 19,000 images of CSAM. After his arrest, Buries fled to Ukraine. He was returned to the United States and arrested on Sept. 22, 2025, and pled guilty on Dec. 18, 2025. Buries was sentenced on March 18 to 10 years in prison. Case no. 1:24-CR-252
Michael J. Machonis , 30, of Bridgewater, New Jersey, and Asia Tamara Billups, 20, of Gloucester, Virginia, met online and discussed minors and the exchange of CSAM. On May 31, 2024, and June 1, 2024, Billups used a cellphone to produce four sexually explicit videos of a three-year-old toddler and a four-month-old infant. Billups transmitted the videos to Machonis. Billups pled guilty on April 14, 2025, and was sentenced on Sept. 19, 2025, to 15 years in prison. Machonis pled guilty on Oct. 24, 2025, and was sentenced on March 19 to 17 years in prison. Case no. 4:24-CR-70
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Teleworkaholic pleads guilty to claiming to work multiple government jobs at onceRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A King George woman pled guilty today to wire fraud for submitting timecards for the same hours at multiple government jobs.
According to court documents, from May 2022 through at least in or around April 2025, Nehemie Almonor, 41, electronically submitted timecards certifying that she had performed full-time work during overlapping hours for multiple entities, including a private company, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Almonor commonly submitted timecards for full-time work at three positions simultaneously, attesting to having worked 120 hours or more in single 40-hour periods.
Almonor, a human resources specialist, would commonly keep at least three work laptops open next to each other to falsely represent to her employers that she was online and working full-time solely for each of them. Over the course of being employed by at least three full-time positions simultaneously, TSA received multiple complaints that Almonor was commonly unreachable during the hours she was certifying on her timecards. While employed in various full-time telework positions at once, Almonor applied to other government agencies claiming to be unemployed and therefore available to start immediately. Almonor also claimed full-time work while on military orders with the U.S Air Force at the same time she claimed full-time work for three other entities.
Almonor collectively defrauded her employers of at least $291,905.
Almonor is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22 and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Transportation Security Administration, Office of Law Enforcement/Investigations investigated this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Drucker 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. 1:26-cr-45.
Norfolk man convicted at trial for his role in a cocaine and heroin trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal judge convicted Brehon Kanell Davis, 44, of Norfolk, today on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin. Davis was further convicted on two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from at least April 2021 to December 2023, Davis’ co-conspirators procured cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and parafluorofentanyl from out-of-state sources and had it shipped in wholesale quantities to Virginia. Davis and others then received the drugs for further distribution in Norfolk. Davis and his fellow distributors used internet payment services, such as Cash App, to pay for the narcotics.
Davis faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on July 28. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Norfolk Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Cournoyer are prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Marek and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Graham Stolle and Marc W. West assisted in the prosecution.
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative. The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) worldwide. This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threatens the safety and security of the United States and its global partners. It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States.
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. 2:25-cr-53.
Members of Richmond-area cocaine conspiracy sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Two Richmond men and a woman from Colonial Heights are the latest defendants sentenced to prison for their roles in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy investigated by the FBI’s Richmond Field Office and the Richmond Police Department.
According to court documents, Timothy Keon Cousins, 40, led a cocaine distribution conspiracy based in Southwood Apartments in Richmond. Cousins was the source of cocaine for other members of the conspiracy, who then returned proceeds to Cousins.
From Aug. 23, 2024, through July 17, 2025, law enforcement conducted a series of seven controlled buys during which Cousins sold cocaine. Cousins’ co-conspirators Aiyanah Keturah Holloway, 25, and Dequan Duane Evans, 27, participated in some of those transactions. Evans sold cocaine during separate transactions, during one of which Evans used a juvenile to distribute the cocaine to and receive payment from the buyer.
On Aug. 20, 2025, investigators searched Cousins’ residence and seized four firearms, approximately 173 cartridges of ammunition, and two scales with suspected drug residue.
On Oct. 23, 2025, Cousins pled guilty to distribution of cocaine and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. On March 31, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
On Oct. 23, 2025, Holloway pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. She was sentenced today to five years in prison.
On Nov. 13, 2025, Evans pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, employing minors in drug trafficking, and distribution of cocaine. Evans was sentenced on March 23 to six years in prison.
During the same investigation, law enforcement identified Jamale Raquon Kelly, 26; Atio Terrain Walton, 22; and Davante Aandrell Jefferson, 20.
On March 21, 2025, Kelly was arrested with 5.81 grams of cocaine, $635, and a digital scale. Kelly pled guilty on October 23, 2025, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced on March 26 to one year and six months in prison.
On July 10, 2025, Walton was arrested in possession of 5.24 grams of cocaine. On March 20, Walton pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21 and faces up to 20 years in prison.
On Sept. 13, 2025, Jefferson committed an armed robbery and carjacking and was arrested on Sept. 30, 2025. On Feb. 19, Jefferson pled guilty to carjacking and use, carry, brandish a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16 and faces a mandatory minimum of seven years and up to life in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Anthony and Katherine E. Groover 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. 3:25-cr-131.
Jamaican national sentenced to six years in prison for trafficking cocaine and returning proceeds to MexicoRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Jamaican national was sentenced today to six years in prison for his role in an international cocaine trafficking conspiracy investigated as part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative.
According to court documents, since at least early 2022, Jason Kristian Duncker, 54, conspired with others in the United States and Mexico to traffic multi-kilogram loads of cocaine and collect the proceeds to be sent to co-conspirators in Mexico. In all, Duncker trafficked between 75 and 100 kilograms of cocaine in 2021 and 2022.
On July 22, 2022, Duncker coordinated a bulk cash pickup of cocaine-trafficking proceeds in Chesapeake, after which law enforcement conducted a traffic stops. Investigators searched Duncker’s vehicle and recovered $250,004 destined for Mexico.
After his arrest, Duncker fled to Mexico. On Oct. 2, 2025, Mexican law enforcement, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), located Duncker and arrested him in General Teran, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Mexican immigration authorities transported Duncker to Laredo, Texas, where he was turned over to U.S. law enforcement.
Duncker pled guilty on Dec. 22, 2025, to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute cocaine; distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and interstate travel in aid of racketeering.
The DEA’s Washington Division investigated this case with assistance from USMS.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Hudson, former Assistant U.S. Attorney John Butler, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Stolle prosecuted the case.
The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) worldwide. This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threatens the safety and security of the United States and its global partners. It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States.
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-24.
Former congressional staffer pleads guilty to using access to Congressperson’s bank account to pay her own credit card billsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria woman pled guilty today to wire fraud after misusing the financial information of her former employer, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
According to court documents, Courtney Melissa Hruska, 40, was employed on the member’s staff from August 2015 to January 2022. To fulfill part of Hruska’s official duties and responsibilities, the member entrusted Hruska with the member’s personal credit card and bank account information. On Jan. 30, 2022, Hruska left the office for a new position with a federal agency.
Without authorization, Hruska retained the member’s personal credit card and bank account information. Between Aug. 19, 2023, and July 30, 2024, Hruska used the member’s bank account information to make payments towards the balance of Hruska’s own personal credit card bills on 10 separate occasions. The member did not use electronic banking and did not receive immediate alerts from the bank. Because more than a year had lapsed between Hruska’s first fraudulent transaction and the member’s discovery of the theft, the member recovered less than nine percent of the stolen funds in fraud compensation.
In total, Hruska caused a loss to the Representative of at least $22,865.07.
Hruska is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23 and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General investigated this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Drucker 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. 1:26-cr-57.
Former Newport News firefighter pleads guilty to sexually abusing an infant and distributing videos of the abuseRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man pled guilty on March 25 to production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and coercion of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
According to court documents, beginning in October 2024, Alex Tyler Buenaga, 32, began sexually assaulting a three-month-old infant, filming the abuse, and distributing the resultant CSAM online. Buenaga invited others, including Ryan Wade Johnston, 45, of Virginia Beach, to his residence to participate in the sexual abuse and smoke methamphetamine. Buenaga, a former Newport News firefighter, recorded himself sexually abusing the infant over 90 times and on at least one occasion, recorded himself blowing methamphetamine smoke in the infant’s face.
On Jan. 24, 2025, in response to an emergency tip that a user of the Telegram instant messaging application was producing and distributing CSAM, agents with the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force located and proceeded to Buenaga’s residence. Buenaga and Johnston were arrested before they could inflict additional abuse on the infant.
Buenaga is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life plus 60 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Johnston is charged with production of CSAM, receipt of CSAM, coercion and enticement of a minor, and possession of CSAM. A bench trial for Johnston is scheduled for June 15.
The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky 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. 2:25-cr-31.
Norfolk man convicted on federal drug trafficking and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Norfolk man today on charges of maintaining a drug-involved premises to distribute cocaine fentanyl, marijuana, and suboxone; possessing a machinegun in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes; being a felon in possession of a firearm; and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Dec. 18, 2025, law enforcement conducting a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation searched the residence of Jamar Edward Gay, 36, in Norfolk. During the search, investigators located a container with crack cocaine, powder cocaine, fentanyl, and suboxone strips in the kitchen. Inside the bedroom, investigators found a handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD), rendering the firearm capable of automatic fire. Investigators also recovered two other MCDs, marijuana, and Gay’s driver’s license, debit card, and United States Marine Corp identification. Investigators found another firearm in the living room.
Gay has previous convictions for, among other crimes, unlawful wounding in March 2018 and malicious wounding in August 2022. As a previously convicted felon, Gay cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Gay faces a mandatory minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on Aug. 2. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
On March 18, a federal jury convicted James Edward Sweat on charges of using a drug involved premises, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. Sweat faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 14.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph E. DePadilla and Luke Bresnahan are prosecuting the case.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division; and the Homeland Security Investigations Norfolk office investigated this case with assistance from the Chesapeake Police Department and the Norfolk Police Department. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative. The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) worldwide. This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threatens the safety and security of the United States and its global partners. It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 2:26-cr-5.
Richmond postal employee sentenced to four years in prison for $1.5M stolen check fraud schemeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A North Chesterfield man was sentenced today to four years in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to court documents, from Oct. 24, 2021, to May 5, 2025, Joshua Lee, 28, was employed as a mail processing clerk at the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Richmond Processing and Distribution Center (RPDC). From around July 2023 to May 2025, Lee searched for mail likely to contain gift cards, checks, or cash, and secretly moved that mail to other parts of the RPDC to hide it with his personal belongings. He would then remove the stolen mail from the RPDC during his breaks and at the end of his shifts. Lee would then notify his co-conspirators that he had stolen checks available for sale, knowing that his co-conspirators intended to fraudulently cash or deposit them.
During the conspiracy, Lee stole at least $1,581,953.59 in checks transiting through the RPDC.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Jordan-Detamore 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. 3:25-cr-157.
Federal jury convicts dual Lebanese-Syrian national for his role in a narco-terrorism conspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a dual Lebanese-Syrian national today on charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy and conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization after a five day trial.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Antoine Kassis, 59, is a Lebanon-based drug trafficker who used his high-level access to the Syrian government under the Assad regime to traffic cocaine and weapons. Kassis laundered the proceeds of his drug trafficking through the organization of a Colombian co-conspirator. Even after the fall of the Assad regime, Kassis had access to weapons previously provided to the Assad regime by foreign governments, including Russia and Iran.
Since April 2024, Kassis and co-conspirators, who were based in Colombia and Mexico, agreed to supply military-grade weapons diverted from the Assad regime in Syria to the National Liberation Army (ELN), in exchange for hundreds of kilograms of cocaine. The ELN is a terrorist group based in Colombia dedicated to the violent overthrow of the democratically elected Government of Colombia. The U.S. Secretary of State designated the ELN as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization.
Kassis stated that he was a cousin of former Syrian President Beshar Al-Assad, and that he was working directly with General Maher Al-Assad, the brother of the former Syrian President, and other top military officials in Syria on the deal. Kassis reportedly paid the government $10,000 per kilogram of cocaine imported through the Port of Latakia. Other evidence at trial supported that the Assad regime raised revenue through charging a checkpoint tax on illicit substances passing through its territory, as well as through the manufacture and distribution of Captagon, a Schedule I controlled substance.
Kassis traveled from Lebanon to Kenya to meet a weapons inspector from the ELN, then signed a contract to import a shipping container full of fruit from Colombia to the Port of Latakia, Syria, intending that the container would contain 500 kilograms of cocaine. Kassis intended to oversee the distribution of the cocaine in the Middle East while his co-conspirators would launder the proceeds on his behalf. Evidence at trial demonstrated that his co-conspirators moved nearly $100,000,000 in less than 18 months, and did so for organizations such as the Sinaloa Cartel, Hamas, and others.
Kassis faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 2. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony T. Aminoff and Kristin S. Starr are prosecuting the case.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit investigated the case with assistance from Bogota Country Office; Cartagena Resident Office; Accra Country Office; Rabat Country Office; Nairobi Country Office; Amman Country Office; Istanbul Country Office; Panama City Country Office; Mexico City Country Office; and Madrid Country Office.
The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked with Kenyan authorities to secure the arrest and May 2025 extradition from Kenya of Kassis. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Colombia’s Cuerpo Técnico de Investigación, Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission and Ghana Police Service, Morocco’s General Directorate for National Security, and Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations also provided significant assistance.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 1:25-cr-51.
Two Richmond men sentenced to prison for armed robberies of vape shopsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Two Richmond men were sentenced to prison for the armed robberies of two Richmond vape shops.
According to court documents, on March 2, 2025, Koriyon Demantra Weaver, 19, and Calvin Shawn Johnson, 43, and a juvenile, entered a vape shop on Semmes Avenue, all armed and wearing masks and gloves. Weaver, Johnson, and the juvenile robbed the store of cash and store merchandise. The robbers struck two victims inside the store over the head with firearms. Weaver, Johnson, and the juvenile then fled from the store in a large SUV.
On March 9, 2025, Weaver, Johnson, and the juvenile robbed a vape shop on Hull Street Road. They zip tied three employees, held them at gunpoint on the ground, and took cash and cellphones. Weaver struck one of the victims on the head with a firearm. After robbing the victims, the robbers removed a cash register and fled. Richmond Police (RPD) conducted a traffic stop of their vehicle and took all three robbers into custody without incident.
A subsequent investigation revealed that Weaver also participated in a previous armed robbery of the Semmes Avenue vape shop on Feb. 12, 2025.
Weaver pled guilty on Aug. 20, 2025, to two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced on March 19 to 18 years in prison
Johnson pled guilty on Dec. 10, 2025, to Hobbs Act robbery and using a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced on March 12 to 19 years in prison.
The FBI’s Richmond Field Office and RPD investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Anthony and Katherine E. Groover prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 3:25-cr-96.
Norfolk cocaine dealer sentenced for drug trafficking and firearm chargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for distribution of cocaine and using a firearm in a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, from Jan. 28, 2025, to Feb. 13, 2025, Dyron Eugene Holloway, 36, sold cocaine during three transactions in Virginia Beach and another transaction in Norfolk. During the Norfolk transaction, Holloway also sold a handgun in addition to over 27 grams of cocaine.
During a search of Holloways vehicle, investigators recovered additional cocaine, marijuana, and a digital scale. Investigators also searched Holloway’s hotel room and recovered additional cocaine, another firearm, a firearm scope, and a magazine with 29 rounds of ammunition.
Among other previous convictions, Holloway was convicted in 2012 for assault and battery on law enforcement and in 2024 for possession of a firearm with a schedule I or II drug. As a convicted felon, Holloway cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and the Virginia Beach Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Bresnahan prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 2:25-cr-76.
Bulgarian arms trafficker extradited from Spain faces charges in U.S. federal courtRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Peter Dimitrov Mirchev appeared in federal court today following his extradition from Spain to face charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to possess firearms, including machineguns and destructive devices, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Kenyan national Elisha Odhiambo Asumo was extradited from Morrocco to the United States on March 11 and appeared in U.S. federal court on March 12.
As alleged in the indictment, since at least September 2022, Mirchev, Asumo, Tanzanian national Subiro Osmund Mwapinga, and Ugandan national Michael Katungi Mpweire conspired to illegally supply military-grade weaponry to Mexican drug cartels, and in particular, the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most violent and prolific transnational criminal organizations. The weaponry included machineguns, rocket launchers, grenades, night vision equipment, sniper rifles, anti-personnel mines, and anti-aircraft weapons.
The defendants allegedly believed that the CJNG intended to use these weapons in furtherance of the illegal trafficking of large shipments of cocaine into the United States. On Feb. 20, 2025, the CJNG was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization under the Immigration and Nationality Act and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224. Arms sales to transnational criminal organizations like the CJNG are prohibited by virtually every country.
In a series of meetings with individuals claiming to represent the CJNG, Mirchev allegedly agreed to arrange, coordinate, and participate in illegal arms transactions while avoiding detection by international and U.S. law enforcement. Mirchev allegedly recruited Asumo to corruptly obtain an End-User Certificate (EUC) from a nation that would falsely claim a different end-user for the weapons. Asumo and Mwapinga allegedly obtained an EUC from the United Republic of Tanzania authorizing the importation of AK-47s. As a test shipment, Mirchev and others then exported 50 AK-47 automatic assault rifles and accompanying magazines and ammunition from Bulgaria, using the EUC provided by Asumo and Mwapinga, and intending that the weapons were actually received by the CJNG.
The defendants allegedly continued to conspire to supply drug cartels with even more weaponry, potentially including surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft drones, and the ZU-23 anti-aircraft weapon system. Mirchev allegedly created a list of weaponry for the CJNG totaling approximately 53.7 million Euros (approximately $58 million U.S.). Asumo and Mwapinga allegedly agreed to again provide arms control documents designed to obscure that these weapons were intended for the CJNG.
According to court records, Mirchev was previously implicated in supplying arms to Viktor Bout, who was convicted at trial of conspiring to kill U.S. nationals, conspiring to kill U.S. officers and employees, conspiring to acquire and export anti-aircraft missiles; and conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization in case 1:08-cr-365 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Mirchev was arrested by Spanish authorities in Madrid on April 8. Asumo was arrested by Moroccan authorities in Casablanca on April 8. Mwapinga was arrested by Ghanaian authorities in Accra on April 8 and was extradited to the United States on July 25. Mpweire remains at large. If convicted, each defendant 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.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division - Bilateral Investigations Unit. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided invaluable assistance in securing extraditions of Mirchev, Mwapinga, and Asumo, working in cooperation with the DEA Attaché to U.S. Embassy Accra and key partners, including the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice of Ghana, the Ghana Police Service, Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission, the Ministry of Justice of Spain, the Spanish Guardia Civil, and the Government of Morocco, including the Moroccan Direction Générale de la Surete National (DGSN- National Police), and the Moroccan Direction Générale de la Surveillance du Territoire (DGST).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony T. Aminoff and Edgardo J. Rodriguez are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 1:25-CR-102.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Indictment:
mirchev_unsealed_indictment.pdfOnline couple sentenced to prison for sexually exploiting and abusing toddler and infantRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A New Jersey man and a Virginia woman were sentenced to prison for their roles in the exploitation and abuse of two children to share child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, in early April 2024, Michael J. Machonis, 30, of Bridgewater, New Jersey, and Asia Tamara Billups, 20, of Gloucester, Virginia, met online. They originally shared sexually explicit content of themselves with each other and engaged in sexually explicit conversations. Those sexually explicit conversations eventually led to the discussion of minors and the exchange of CSAM.
On May 31, 2024, and June 1, 2024, Billups used a cellphone to produce four sexually explicit videos of a three-year-old toddler and a four-month-old infant. Billups transmitted the videos to Machonis.
Billups pled guilty on April 14, 2025, to two counts of production of CSAM and one count of distribution of CSAM. She was sentenced on Sept. 19, 2025, to 15 years in prison.
Machonis pled guilty on Oct. 24, 2025, to two counts of coercion and enticement and one count of receipt of CSAM. He was sentenced today to 17 years in prison.
The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Somerset County (New Jersey) Prosecutor’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf 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. 4:24-cr-70.
Norfolk man convicted on federal drug trafficking and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Norfolk man yesterday on charges of using a drug involved premises, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Dec. 18, 2025, law enforcement searched the Norfolk residence of James Edward Sweat, 40. Agents located two firearms, including a shotgun and a handgun, and six ammunition magazines, including a 100-round drum magazine. Agents also found three separate kits to manufacture drugs, 14.3 grams of crack cocaine, fentanyl packaged for sale, and nine types of ammunition.
Sweat was previously convicted of abduction, two counts of robbery, and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. As a convicted felon, Sweat cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Sweat faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 14. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case with assistance from the Chesapeake Police Department and Norfolk Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph E. DePadilla and Megan M. Montoya are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 2:26-cr-5.
U.S. Attorney's Office U.S. Attorney's Office U.S. Attorney's OfficeFalls Church man sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to distribute his vast collection of child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Falls Church man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for attempted distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Devin Sinclair Buries, 49, shared his CSAM collection with other users on BitTorrent. On Nov. 15, 2023, law enforcement searched Buries’ residence and seized a desktop computer and Buries’ cellphone. Buries built the computer, which contained six hard drives. One was the operating hard drive and the other five contained CSAM. Buries had over 200 videos and over 19,000 images of CSAM.
After his arrest, Buries fled to Ukraine. He was returned to the United States and arrested on Sept. 22, 2025, to face federal charges. Buries pled guilty on Dec. 18, 2025.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Fairfax County Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of Ukraine to secure Buries’ arrest and September 2025 extradition from Ukraine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers 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-252.