Eastern District of Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Richmond felon sentenced to over four years in prison for possessing a firearm less than a month after being released from prisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced yesterday to four years and six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on Aug. 10, 2024, law enforcement observed Desmond Mikal Hawkins, 31, walking in the Shockoe Bottom neighborhood in Richmond and noticed what they believed to be a concealed firearm. The officers approached Hawkins and asked him if he had a concealed carry permit, and Hawkins falsely claimed that he did but that he did not have it with him. Officers detained Hawkins and recovered a loaded handgun from underneath his shirt in his waistband.
Hawkins is a previously convicted felon, most recently in 2023 for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hawkins had been released from prison less than a month before the current offense and was on federal supervised release at the time. As a previously convicted felon, Hawkins cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen H. Theisen 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. 3:25-cr-5.
Goochland man sentenced to five years in prison for providing cocaine and fentanyl that caused friend’s fatal overdoseRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Goochland man was sentenced today to five years in prison for distribution of cocaine and fentanyl.
According to court documents, on Aug. 20, 2021, in Richmond, Don Carnell Batchelor Jr.’s friend, identified in court records as “SN,” asked Batchelor to acquire cocaine and fentanyl for him. Batchelor obtained and provided the drugs to SN, who took the substances with him to visit family. SN used a portion of the cocaine and fentanyl Batchelor had provided, which caused SN’s fatal overdose. SN was found deceased in his parent’s home the following morning. The medical examiner determined that the cause of death was cocaine and fentanyl toxicity.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division and Lee S. Bailey, New Kent County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
The Virginia State Police assisted in the investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-134.
Two Virginia Men Arrested for Conspiring to Destroy Government DatabasesRead the Press Release
Two Virginia men were arrested today for their roles in a conspiracy to destroy government databases hosted by a federal government contractor, among other crimes.
“These defendants abused their positions as federal contractors to attack government databases and steal sensitive government information. Their actions jeopardized the security of government systems and disrupted agencies’ ability to serve the American people,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division remains committed to investigating and prosecuting those who compromise sensitive information and threaten the integrity of government operations.”
“The malicious and intentional criminal actions allegedly committed by the defendants in this case undermine the ability of the United States to serve our citizens effectively and transparently,” said U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This office will hold accountable anyone who abuses the trust placed in them to safeguard vital government information, and we will prosecute those who deliberately compromise our data infrastructure.”
“Destroying government records and data is unlawful and can jeopardize public safety and the integrity of agency operations,” said Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Inspector General Jennifer L. Fain. “Such misuse and exploitation by government contractors will not be tolerated. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of wrongdoing that pose a threat to federal agency programs and operations, and services they provide to the American people.”
“Federal contractors who abuse their positions will be held accountable for their actions,” said Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D. “The actions of individuals like Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter are threats to our national security. The Office of Inspector General remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to bring perpetrators to justice.”
According to court documents, brothers Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter, both 34, of Alexandria, Virginia, were indicted on Nov. 13 for conspiring to delete databases used to store U.S. government information. Both men were federal contractors. Following the termination of their employment, the brothers allegedly sought to harm the company and its U.S. government customers by accessing computers without authorization, issuing commands to prevent others from modifying the databases before deletion, deleting databases, stealing information, and destroying evidence of their unlawful activities.
The indictment alleges that on or about Feb. 18, Muneeb Akhter deleted approximately 96 databases storing U.S. government information. Many of these databases contained records and documents related to Freedom of Information Act matters administered by federal government departments and agencies, as well as sensitive investigative files of federal government components.
Court documents further allege that approximately one minute after deleting a DHS database, Muneeb Akhter asked an artificial intelligence tool how to clear system logs following the deletion of databases.
According to the indictment, the brothers also discussed cleaning out their house in anticipation of a law enforcement search. The company laptops used by both men were wiped before being returned to the federal contractor.
Muneeb Akhter also allegedly obtained information from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission without authorization after he was fired from the contractor. He is further alleged to have stolen copies of IRS information stored on a virtual machine, including federal tax information and other identifying information of at least 450 individuals.
The indictment also charges Sohaib Akhter with trafficking in a password that could access a computer used by and for the government of the United States.
Muneeb Akhter is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and to destroy records, two counts of computer fraud, theft of U.S. government records, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. Sohaib Akhter is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and to destroy records and computer fraud (password trafficking). If convicted, Muneeb Akhter faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison for each aggravated identity theft count and a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison on the remaining charges. If convicted, Sohaib Akhter faces a maximum penalty of six years in prison.
The FDIC Office of Inspector General (OIG), DHS OIG, and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating 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; United States Capitol Police; and Fairfax County Virginia Police Department.
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 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 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Previously convicted Annandale man sentenced to 10 years in prison for latest drug trafficking and firearms crimesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Annandale man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, in 2017, David Monroy, 28, was convicted on three counts of possession with intent to distribute Xanax and felony possession with intent to distribute marijuana and in 2020 he was convicted of two counts of distribution of Etizolam, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm while in possession of drugs.
On June 2, Monroy provided money to a straw-purchaser to buy a firearm and compensated the buyer with drugs. As a previously convicted felon, Monroy could not purchase the firearm for himself and cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
On June 3, Fairfax County Police Department officers stopped Monroy’s vehicle and seized 15.78 grams of cocaine, 39 tablets containing oxycodone, and 41 tablets containing clonazepam as well as the handgun purchased the previous day, which was equipped with an extended magazine. Officers later searched Monroy’s residence where they seized 0.73 grams of methamphetamine, 12.55 grams of cocaine, and 2,490 fentanyl tablets. Officers also recovered a loaded handgun with an obliterated serial number and extended magazine.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.
Assistance was provided by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum 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. 1:25-cr-245.
Falls Church man found guilty of receipt and possession of child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal judge convicted a Falls Church man on a charge of possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). He previously pled guilty to receipt of CSAM in the same case and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Sept. 27, 2023, the FBI executed a federal search warrant at the residence of David Martinov Traub, 45. Investigators seized several items of digital media, including a desktop computer and an external hard drive. Traub had searched for, downloaded, and possessed CSAM and had collected over 10,000 images and videos, including 30 known victims identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Traub faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 7, 2026, in addition to the previously imposed sentence for receipt of CSAM. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. announced the verdict.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura D. Withers and Lauren Halper 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-25.
Career offender sentenced to 16 years in prison for being armed while trafficking methRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk drug trafficker was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on Aug. 7, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of narcotics from Johnathan David Bell, 36, during which he distributed 111.19 grams of methamphetamine and 1.19 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture.
On August 16, 2024, detectives observed Bell walking through the parking lot of a hotel in Norfolk carrying two backpacks. Bell placed the one backpack inside a vehicle and left with the other backpack. Bell later returned to and entered the vehicle. Detectives approached Bell at the vehicle and detained him. Detectives screened the vehicle with a narcotics dog. After the dog alerted to the odor of narcotics, detectives conducted a search and located the black backpack Bell was previously carrying. Inside the backpack were 386.49 grams of methamphetamine, 1.3657 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture, drug paraphernalia, a digital scale, and a loaded handgun.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell 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-30.
Two women sentenced to prison for Hampton Roads drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Two women were sentenced to prison for their roles in a vast Hampton Roads-based drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, federal law enforcement opened an investigation into large-scale drug trafficking activity at Lux Auto in Newport News around June 2021. The conspirators used the business as a base of operations, storing illegal drugs in vehicles throughout the parking lot of Lux Auto. Thirty-seven defendants were charged in a 127-count superseding indictment returned on Sept. 11, 2023.
Amanda Bell, 24, was a courier and a distributer of drugs and narcotics for the organization, selling marijuana and fentanyl pills. Over the multiple controlled transactions conducted by law enforcement, Bell sold more than 40 grams of fentanyl. Bell also served as a money courier for the organization, travelling between Virginia and California with large quantities of money related to drug trafficking. On March 3, 2022, Bell and a companion were intercepted in route to California with a suitcase containing more than $35,000 intended as part of the organization’s marijuana trafficking activities.
Bell pled guilty on April 26 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Bell was sentenced Nov. 25 to five years and 10 months in prison.
Farrah Fair, aka 10K Fay, 26, was a courier for the organization, transporting marijuana in checked suitcases on commercial flights between the supplier in California and her co-conspirators in Virginia. Fair pled guilty on Jan. 14 to use of a communication facility in furtherance of drug trafficking. Fair was sentenced Nov. 25 to two years and six months in prison.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric M. Hurt, Alyson C. Yates, and 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 protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-54.
Six Virginia nonprofit companies settle Paycheck Protection Program loan allegationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Southampton Recreation Association located in Richmond, the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors located in Alexandria, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference located in Norfolk, Cheers located in Richmond, the Metropolitan Business League located in Richmond, and the Employee Activity Association located in McLean, paid a combined $1,381,646 to settle civil fraud allegations that they were ineligible for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans that they received during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The allegations were that each was a 501(c)(4) entity and not eligible to receive funding through the PPP.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The settlement began with a lawsuit, United States ex rel. The Tarbell Group, LLC. v. Cheers et al., filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims presented to the federal government and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The whistleblower in this matter received a ten percent share of each settlement.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Beerbower and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina Kim.
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 1:24-cv-849.
The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Idaho construction company settles paycheck protection program loan allegationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Engineered Structures, Inc. (ESI), located in Meridian, Idaho, paid $5,750,000 to settle civil fraud allegations that it was ineligible for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan that it received during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The settlement began with a lawsuit, United States ex rel. Karen Bloomfield v. Engineered Structures Inc., filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims presented to the federal government.
The whistleblower complaint alleged that ESI received an $8.6 million PPP loan for which it was ineligible. According to the complaint, ESI should have included temporary workers from staffing agencies in its employee headcount, which would have increased ESI’s average employee count above 500 employees, making ESI ineligible for the PPP loan. The complaint also contended that ESI made false representations in connection with its PPP Loan Necessity Questionnaire. After the United States declined to intervene formally in the litigation, the whistleblower continued the litigation. ESI agreed to pay $5,750,000 to settle the whistleblower’s allegations. The United States consented to the settlement. The whistleblower received a share of the settlement.
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard Mene with the assistance of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
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 1:22-cv-789.
The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Alabama corporation settles Paycheck Protection Program false claimsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Dynamic Staffing, Inc., located in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, has paid $1,725,000 to settle civil False Claims Act (FCA) allegations that it falsely certified that it was eligible for a Second Draw Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.
The United States alleged that Dynamic Staffing received a PPP loan of more than $1.4 million, which was later forgiven, after submitting false statements on its application for the PPP loan in February 2021, and again on its application for forgiveness of the loan in October 2021.
The settlement began with a lawsuit, United States ex rel. GNGH2, Inc. v. Dynamic Staffing in Virginia, Inc., filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims presented to the federal government and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The whistleblower in this matter received a ten percent share of the settlement. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McIntosh.
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 3:25-cv-200.
The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Adult residential group homes operator settles healthcare fraud claimsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Sola, Inc., which formerly operated adult residential group homes in Gloucester, has paid $2,000,000 to the United States and Commonwealth of Virginia to settle civil fraud claims that it billed Virginia Medicaid for skilled and other nursing services for its residents that exceeded the total number of hours worked by its nurses.
The United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia alleged that Sola overbilled Medicaid $641,396.11 for nursing services that were impossible to perform, because the amount of time billed (measured in “units”) to the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) exceeded the corresponding number of hours worked by the nurses employed by Sola, as reported on the nurses’ time sheets.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Virginia Attorney General’s Office.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McIntosh and Virginia Senior Assistant Attorney General Megan A. Winfield.
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.
The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Portsmouth men sentenced to prison for federal firearms chargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Two Portsmouth men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in trafficking firearms.
According to court documents, from June 2024 through September 2024, law enforcement conducted six controlled purchases of firearms and heroin from Rolondo Lavar Moody, 45. During the controlled buy of a rifle on Aug. 9, 2024, Kievon Anthony Whitehurst, 30, transferred the rifle to Moody, who then sold it.
Whitehurst had been convicted previously of reckless handling of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, and discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school. Moody had been convicted previously of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute heroin, assault, assault and battery, assault and battery of a family member, attempted malicious wounding, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As previously convicted felons, Whitehurst and Moody cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
On April 8, Moody pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and trafficking in firearms. On Sept. 4, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
On July 29, Whitehurst pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Stephen Jenkins, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case.
This case is part of 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-50.
Federal jury convicts Gloucester man of sexually abusing a foreign exchange student and receiving child pornographyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Gloucester man yesterday on charges of 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.
Ruggiero faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison when sentenced on March 18, 2026. 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.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young accepted the verdict.
The Family and Women Assistance Unit of the Spanish National Police, Spanish Embassy, and Grand Prairie (Texas) Police Department provided substantial assistance in the investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devon E.A. Heath and Peter G. Osyf 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. 4:24-cr-29.
Annadale man sentenced to 15 years in prison for federal drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Annandale man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, on June 20, 2024, law enforcement observed Marcantonio Juarez Velasquez, 20, conducting a hand-to-hand narcotics transaction in Fairfax County and subsequently obtained an arrest warrant. On Aug. 2, 2024, officers located and arrested Juarez Velasquez. At the time of his arrest, Juarez Velasquez was in possession of a handgun, an extended magazine containing 15 rounds of ammunition, $949.83, and 258 fentanyl pills.
While Juarez Velasquez was detained pending trial, he directed a minor to conceal fentanyl pills, a firearm, and cash within the residence of Juarez Velasquez’s family. On Aug. 6, 2024, officers searched the residence and found 9,220 fentanyl pills, $2,344, a handgun, and two ammunition magazines, along with an identification card and debit card belonging to Juarez Velasquez.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel K. Amzallag and Ronald L. Walutes Jr. prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-163.
Director of Richmond homeless shelter pleads guilty to stealing funds designated for the shelterRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond woman pled guilty yesterday to wire fraud in connection with her operation of a homeless shelter focused on women and children.
According to court documents, Kia A. Player, 41, won a grant to operate an inclement weather shelter for homeless women and children in the Richmond metropolitan area, named RVA Sister’s Keeper. RVA Sister’s Keeper obtained over $995,000 in governmental funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the City of Richmond to implement and operate the shelter. From August 2022 through April 2023, Player, RVA Sister’s Keeper’s director, fabricated and falsified at least 35 separate invoices for costs purportedly paid for the benefit of RVA Sister’s Keeper and its homeless residents, even though Player never made corresponding expenditures on RVA Sister’s Keeper’s behalf. Player submitted these fraudulent and inflated invoices for reimbursement to the City of Richmond, causing the city to improperly disburse funds to her.
For example, Player submitted at least 21 separate inflated invoices claiming RVA Sister’s Keeper made payments to an entity called “VCM Catering Services” to provide breakfast and dinner at the homeless shelter. VCM Catering Services was a fictitious business, however, and Player had hired an acquaintance to provide breakfast and dinner for the homeless residents. Player’s acquaintance was a cafeteria manager at a Richmond City public school occasionally provided RVA Sister’s Keeper residents with food taken from the school’s cafeteria – food that had already been procured with other public funds. Player also fabricated invoices for bed bug treatment, laundry services, and cleaning services at RVA Sister’s Keeper that were never provided. Player fabricated invoices for purported renovations at the shelter, including repairs to the shelter’s roof and upgrades to the plumbing and the shower of the shelter, which she never actually performed.
Player’s inflated invoice scheme caused $199,163 in actual losses to HUD and the City of Richmond. Player spent the fraud proceeds on personal expenses, including on a tattoo, airline tickets, a luxury Caribbean ferry ride in Miami Beach, furniture, and items at an antiques store.
Player is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 25, 2026, and faces up to 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and George Richardson, III, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. accepted the plea. The Office of the Inspector General for the City of Richmond provided substantial assistance with the prosecution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-146.
Virginia Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Federal Hate Crime and Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
Douglas Wayne Cornett of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, was sentenced to life in prison in federal court yesterday after he pleaded guilty to two federal hate crime charges, each involving an attempt to kill, and to discharging a firearm during a federal crime of violence.
“No one in this country should be hunted down and shot at because of who they are or where they come from,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence reflects the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting communities from hate-fueled violence and to hold accountable those who attack others based on prejudice.”
“As our nation recovers from recent political violence, today’s verdict is a welcome reminder that terror motivated by hate will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and vigorously prosecute those who choose brutality and aggression over civility and reason.”
According to court documents, on the evening of Feb. 28, 2024, Cornett followed a box truck driven by a victim with the initials O.G., an adult Latino male, into the Sheetz gas station along Interstate 95 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Cornett then asked a victim with the initials J.M., an adult Latino male and a friend of O.G., how long O.G. had been present in the United States. Upon learning that O.G. had arrived within the last two years, Cornett drew a handgun and fired six rounds, striking O.G. three times and J.M. once. Cornett later confessed to a Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Deputy to shooting the victims because of his perception of their national origin.
The Richmond Field Office of the FBI investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Garnett for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Ruther Glen man sentenced to life in prison for federal hate crime and firearms violationRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Ruther Glen man was sentenced to life in prison in federal court yesterday after pleading guilty to two federal hate crime charges, each involving an attempt to kill, and to discharging a firearm during a federal crime of violence.
“As our nation recovers from recent political violence, today’s verdict is a welcome reminder that terror motivated by hate will not be tolerated,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and vigorously prosecute those who choose brutality and aggression over civility and reason.”
“No one in this country should be hunted down and shot at because of who they are or where they come from,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence reflects the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting communities from hate-fueled violence and to hold accountable those who attack others based on prejudice.”
Douglas Wayne Cornett followed a box truck driven by a victim with the initials O.G., an adult Latino male, into the Sheetz gas station along Interstate 95 in Spotsylvania County. Cornett then asked a victim with the initials J.M., an adult Latino male and a friend of O.G., how long O.G. had been present in the United States. Upon learning that O.G. had arrived within the last two years, Cornett drew a handgun and fired six rounds, striking O.G. three times and J.M. once. Cornett later confessed to a Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Deputy to shooting the victims because of his perception of their national origin.
The Richmond Field Office of the FBI investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Garnett for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section 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-91.
Jury convicts Richmond meth dealer of federal drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Richmond man today on charges of 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 methamphetamine powder, and numerous tablets containing methamphetamine.
As a previously convicted felon, Neville cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Neville faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on April 8, 2026. 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.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the verdict.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to 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. 3:24-cr-183.
Federal jury convicts Woodbridge man on income tax chargesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Woodbridge man today on charges of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the administration of internal revenue laws and failing to file income tax returns.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Omini Tete Riman, 60, earned income as an information technology specialist and landlord. Riman filed false Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Forms 1040 for tax years 2013 and 2014, resulting in tax refunds of $213,577 for 2013 and $186,468 for 2014, to which he was not entitled. Riman then corruptly attempted to impede efforts by the IRS to recoup the money from those refunds.
In 2016, after notifying Riman about his outstanding tax liabilities, the IRS attempted to recover the funds from him. However, Riman took numerous steps to frustrate the IRS’s collection efforts. For example, he transferred his property to a trust to hide it from the IRS; opened bank accounts in the trust’s name and directed that his income be deposited into that bank account; directed his tenant to ignore IRS notices about him and claimed that they were a “scam;” and submitted false documents to the IRS claiming that the IRS collections officer handling his case had personally received over $600,000 from Riman, which, if accepted by the IRS, would have jeopardized the IRS officer’s job and increased his personal tax liability.
As Riman was attempting to impede IRS collection efforts, he stopped filing tax returns, failing to file returns for tax years 2018 through 2023, despite earning wage and rental income of over $854,000 during that period.
Riman faces up to nine years in prison when sentenced on Feb. 10, 2026. 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.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office; and Andrew McKay, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Special Agent in Charge of the Mid-Atlantic Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey for the Eastern District of Virginia and Justice Department Trial Attorneys Daniel Lipkowitz and Zachary Cobb are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-99.
Armed career criminal sentenced to 15 years in prison for federal drug and firearms offensesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Farmville man was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, Oxycodone, and marijuana.
According to court documents, on Feb. 7, 2024, law enforcement observed Tyrone Lamont Fowlkes, 42, in an idling pickup truck in a parking lot in Nottoway County. When a deputy approached the vehicle and tapped on the window, Fowlkes fled at high speed and the deputy pursued. Fowlkes eventually crashed into a tree, totaling the vehicle and causing serious injuries to himself.
From the truck, law enforcement recovered three firearms, three digital scales, $948.84, 198 grams of cocaine, four methamphetamine pills, 60 Oxycodone pills, and 455 grams of marijuana. One of the firearms had been stolen.
On Aug. 9, 2024, with several arrest warrants arising from the Feb. 7, 2024, incident still outstanding, law enforcement observed Fowlkes driving an SUV in Nottoway County. During a traffic stop, a police K9 alerted to the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found three firearms, a large-capacity magazine, two digital scales, $1,260, 117 grams of cocaine, 20 grams of methamphetamine, 24 Oxycodone pills, and 321 grams of marijuana.
Fowlkes was found guilty in 2008 and again in 2011 of distributing cocaine and in 2021 of possessing with intent to distribute marijuana for a 2019 incident during which he possessed a firearm. As a convicted felon, Fowlkes cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. The Nottoway County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. McGorman 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. 3:25-cr-25.
Pakistani National Sentenced to 40 Years for Transporting Iranian-Made Advanced Conventional WeaponsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — A Pakistani national was sentenced on Oct. 16 to 40 years in prison for charges relating to his transportation of Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry.
On June 5, 2025, a federal jury convicted Muhammad Pahlawan of conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, providing material support and resources to Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program, providing material support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ weapons of mass destruction program, conspiring to and indeed transporting explosive devices to the Houthis knowing those explosives would be used to cause harm and threatening his crew.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on the night of Jan. 11, 2024, U.S. Central Command Navy forces operating from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER, including Navy SEALs and members of the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team East, boarded an unflagged dhow, a small vessel, in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Somalia. The U.S. boarding team encountered 14 individual mariners on the vessel, including Pahlawan.
During a search of the dhow, the U.S. boarding team located and seized Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry, including ballistic missile components, anti-ship cruise missile components, and a warhead. The type of weaponry found aboard the dhow is consistent with the weaponry used by the Houthi rebel forces during the time of the charged conspiracy against merchant ships and U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel. During the interdiction, Pahlawan lied to the boarding team, instructed other crewmembers to lie, and eventually threatened the lives of the crewmembers and their families. Two Navy SEALs — Christopher Chambers and Nathan Gage Ingram — lost their lives during the interdiction.
Pahlawan’s January 2024 trip was part of a larger operation. From in or around August 2023 through in or around January 2024, Pahlawan worked with two Iranian brothers, Shahab Mir’kazei (Shahab), and Yunus Mir’kazei (Yunus), affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to smuggle materials from Iran to other recipients including the Houthi rebel forces in Yemen. Pahlawan completed multiple smuggling voyages, coordinated and funded by Shahab and Yunus, by traveling with cargo from Iran to the coast of Somalia and transporting that cargo to another vessel for a nighttime ship-to-ship transfer. Pahlawan worked with Shahab and Yunus to prepare the dhow for multiple smuggling voyages, received specific coordinates from them for the ship-to-ship transfers, and received multiple payments from them for his role in the smuggling operation.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John Eisenberg; U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division; and Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy A. Edwards and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Joseph N. Kaster of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case. Former Eastern District of Virginia prosecutor Danya Atiyeh supported the case.
Pakistani National Sentenced to 40 Years for Transporting Iranian-Made Advanced Conventional WeaponsRead the Press Release
A Pakistani national was sentenced on Oct. 16 to 40 years in prison for charges relating to his transportation of Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry.
On June 5, 2025, a federal jury convicted Muhammad Pahlawan of conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, providing material support and resources to Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program, providing material support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ weapons of mass destruction program, conspiring to and indeed transporting explosive devices to the Houthis knowing those explosives would be used to cause harm and threatening his crew.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on the night of Jan. 11, 2024, U.S. Central Command Navy forces operating from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER, including Navy SEALs and members of the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team East, boarded an unflagged dhow, a small vessel, in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Somalia. The U.S. boarding team encountered 14 individual mariners on the vessel, including Pahlawan.
During a search of the dhow, the U.S. boarding team located and seized Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry, including ballistic missile components, anti-ship cruise missile components, and a warhead. The type of weaponry found aboard the dhow is consistent with the weaponry used by the Houthi rebel forces during the time of the charged conspiracy against merchant ships and U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel. During the interdiction, Pahlawan lied to the boarding team, instructed other crewmembers to lie, and eventually threatened the lives of the crewmembers and their families. Two Navy SEALs — Christopher Chambers and Nathan Gage Ingram — lost their lives during the interdiction.
Pahlawan’s January 2024 trip was part of a larger operation. From in or around August 2023 through in or around January 2024, Pahlawan worked with two Iranian brothers, Shahab Mir’kazei (Shahab), and Yunus Mir’kazei (Yunus), affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to smuggle materials from Iran to other recipients including the Houthi rebel forces in Yemen. Pahlawan completed multiple smuggling voyages, coordinated and funded by Shahab and Yunus, by traveling with cargo from Iran to the coast of Somalia and transporting that cargo to another vessel for a nighttime ship-to-ship transfer. Pahlawan worked with Shahab and Yunus to prepare the dhow for multiple smuggling voyages, received specific coordinates from them for the ship-to-ship transfers, and received multiple payments from them for his role in the smuggling operation.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John Eisenberg; U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division; and Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy A. Edwards and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Joseph N. Kaster of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case. Former Eastern District of Virginia prosecutor Danya Atiyeh supported the case.
Government Employee Arrested for Unlawful Retention of National Defense InformationRead the Press Release
Ashley Tellis, 64, a U.S. citizen residing in Vienna, Virginia, was arrested on Oct. 11 in connection with his alleged unlawful retention of classified national defense information. Tellis appeared today in the Eastern District of Virginia for a detention hearing.
“Safeguarding our country’s national defense information is a top priority,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Sue J. Bai of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “For those entrusted with our country’s most sensitive information, protecting it is a privilege and solemn responsibility. With the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors and agents, we will hold this defendant accountable for breaching that trust and exploiting his security clearance to unlawfully retain classified information detailing our military capabilities.”
“The FBI arrested Ashley Tellis, a senior advisor at the Department of State and a contractor within the Department of Defense, for allegedly removing over a thousand pages of classified national defense information from government facilities and storing them in his home,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “This arrest should serve as a stark warning to anyone thinking about undermining national security. The FBI and our partners will do everything within our power to find you and hold you accountable.”
“We are fully focused on protecting the American people from all threats, foreign and domestic. The charges as alleged in this case represent a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”
“U.S. government security clearance holders are entrusted to keep our nation’s most sensitive secrets safe,” said Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office. “By allegedly removing classified documents from government facilities and storing them in his basement, Mr. Tellis betrayed that trust. The FBI and our federal partners acted quickly to execute a court-authorized search warrant and arrest Tellis to protect our national security and prevent highly classified defense information from falling into the wrong hands.”
According to court documents, Tellis held a Top Secret security clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access. He has worked for the U.S. Department of State since 2001 and currently serves in addition as a contractor for the Department of Defense’s Office of Net Assessment. He also serves as a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
As alleged, Tellis accessed classified documents on multiple occasions from secured facilities, including a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) at the Department of Defense and a secure computer system at the Department of State. In one instance, Tellis altered the filename of a classified document, printed portions of it under the altered title, and then deleted the re-named file. In another incident, he was observed placing classified materials into a notepad and concealing them within his personal briefcase before leaving a secured government facility.
During a court-authorized search of Tellis’s residence, investigators recovered over 1,000 pages of documents with classification markings, including materials labeled SECRET and/or TOP SECRET. These documents were found in locked filing cabinets, in a basement home office, and in trash bags stored in a basement utility area.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Schlessinger for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Vienna Man Arrested, Charged with Unlawfully Retaining National Defense InformationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today that Ashley Tellis, 64, of Vienna, VA, was arrested over the weekend and charged by criminal complaint with the unlawful retention of national defense information, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 793(e).
“We are fully focused on protecting the American people from all threats, foreign and domestic. The charges as alleged in this case represent a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Halligan. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”
If convicted, Tellis is subject to a maximum of ten years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment and forfeiture. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
New York State Attorney General IndictedRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging New York State Attorney General Letitia James with Bank Fraud under 18 U.S.C. Section 1344 and False Statements to a Financial Institution under 18 U.S.C. Section 1014.
“No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust,” said U.S. Attorney Halligan. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”
If convicted, Letitia James faces penalties including up to 30 years in prison per count, up to a $1 million fine on each count, and forfeiture. 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.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Three local businessmen sentenced for $4M COVID relief schemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Three local businessmen have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a pandemic program that provided low-interest financing to small businesses to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) administered the PPP program and was authorized to provide loans of up to $10 million to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the pandemic. Loan amounts were determined by the number of employees certified by the applicant.
According to court documents, Raymond Rahbar, 44, of Great Falls; Ryan Macaulay, 36, of Gambrills, Maryland; and Carl Pierre, 37, of Alexandria, co-founded BYNDfit, a fitness center planned in Washington that never opened to the public. Between April 2020 and June 2021, Rahbar, Macaulay, and Pierre submitted PPP loan applications in which they inflated the number of BYNDfit employees to increase their purported payroll costs and obtain more money. The conspirators submitted purported payroll summaries that listed people who did not work for BYNDfit, including local students whose only interaction with BYNDfit was providing their name and personal identifying information to BYNDfit at a career fair. In support of the applications, the conspirators also submitted fabricated tax forms.
Using the same type of misrepresentations about the number of employees, Rahbar obtained four additional PPP loans on behalf of two construction companies he controlled: AMC Building Group and American Majestic Construction. In total, Rahbar fraudulently obtained at least $3.1 million in PPP loans, and attempted to obtain over $4 million in PPP loans.
On April 10, Rahbar pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. He was sentenced yesterday to four years and six months in prison.
On April 15, Macaulay pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and unlawful monetary transactions. He was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison.
On Sept. 4, 2024, Pierre pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. On May 30, he was sentenced to one day in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin S. Starr and Avi Panth and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hood prosecuted the case.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.
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-180.
Virginia Beach man sentenced to 25 years in prison after “sextorting” two minors and an adultRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Justin Whichard, 24, extorted two minor victims by chatting online with them, fostering a romantic and sexual dynamic, and threatening to reveal their identities to their families unless they produced CSAM for him. Whichard then used that CSAM to attempt to extort an adult by pretending to be the minors, sending images of the minors to the adult, and threatening to reveal the adult’s identity and engagement with minors unless he transferred money to Whichard.
While investigating Whichard for ordering a machinegun conversion device online, law enforcement searched Whichard’s residence on July 26, 2023. Whichard possessed 131 images and 15 videos of CSAM, including infants and toddlers. Whichard’s phone also contained 106 images of animated child exploitive material, as well as a script that specifically requested the production of CSAM.
While on bond on state charges, Whichard fled for several months across numerous states. Law enforcement apprehended Whichard in Tennessee in March 2024. Whichard pled guilty on Nov. 5, 2024.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton D. LaForge prosecuted the case.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
The Virginia Beach Police Department and the Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office provided invaluable assistance in the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-76.
Federal grand jury indicts former FBI director for false statements and obstruction in congressional testimonyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging former FBI Director James Comey with making a false statement and obstruction relating to his oral testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 30, 2020.
“The charges as alleged in this case represent a breach of the public trust at an extraordinary level,” said U.S. Attorney Halligan. “The balance of power is a bedrock principle of our democracy, and it relies upon accountability and a forthright presentation of facts from executive leadership to congressional oversight. Any intent to avoid, evade, prevent, or obstruct compliance is a violation of professional responsibility and, most importantly, the law.”
If convicted, Comey faces up to five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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-272.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Virginia Beach mail carrier pleads guilty to dumping mailRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A U.S. Postal Service mail carrier pled guilty yesterday to delay or destruction of mail.
On May 2, a witness observed Jerold Brent Mayers, 34, remove mail from his truck and discard it into a dumpster at an apartment complex in Virginia Beach. The witness reported the incident to the post office. Later that day, investigators recovered the discarded mail, which included checks, billing and bank statements, Department of Motor Vehicles correspondence, and medical mailings among other items. The mail was returned to the post office and placed back into the mail stream.
Mayers is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2026, and faces up to five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Marek is prosecuting the case.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kathleen Woodson, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid Atlantic Area Field Office for the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.
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-82.
Virginia Man Found Guilty of Repeat CSAM OffensesRead the Press Release
A district court judge yesterday convicted a previously convicted sex offender of distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) while on supervised release.
“This defendant continued to sexually exploit children online while on court-ordered supervision, following an earlier conviction for similar conduct,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the tireless efforts and enduring dedication of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors, this defendant has been held accountable for his continued exploitation of children and now faces a fifteen-year mandatory minimum sentence.”
“Following his previous conviction for child sexual abuse material, Antonio Gonzalez knew what he was doing was illegal and knew the consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Instead of embracing a respect for the law and the vulnerable lives it protects, Gonzalez returned to his previous crimes with no regards for those harmed by sexual exploitation. We will tirelessly prosecute anyone engaging in these detestable crimes, and we will continue to pursue anyone who refuses to reform.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in April 2024, law enforcement began an investigation into a user who was reported to be distributing CSAM on Kik, a mobile-based messaging platform. Further investigation revealed that the user was Antonio Rudy Gonzalez, 41, of Alexandria, who sent dozens of images of children, including toddler-aged children, engaged in sexually explicit conduct to multiple other Kik users. His chat records revealed that he had written to another Kik user “[m]y two favorite things are rape and kids.” In 2013, Mr. Gonzalez had previously been convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia of distribution of child pornography.
Following a bench trial, Gonzalez was convicted on two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography for his 2024 conduct. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2026. Due to his prior conviction, Gonzalez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Strobbe for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Norfolk dealer sentenced to 16 years in prison for federal drug and firearms crimesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced yesterday to 16 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute para-fluorofentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, in March and April 2024, narcotics investigators conducted three controlled transactions with Winston Jerome Perry, aka Chuck, 42. Investigators then conducted a search of Perry, his vehicle, and a residence associated with Perry. Perry was in possession of several small baggies of fentanyl and cocaine and investigators recovered a handgun from the vehicle. Inside the residence investigators recovered four handguns, digital scales, packaging materials, a suspected ledger, and narcotics including: 42.06 grams of cocaine base; 34.56 grams of cocaine hydrochloride; 69.1 grams of fentanyl; 242.42 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl; 255.31 grams of a mixture of heroin, para-fluorofentanyl, cocaine, and fentanyl; 554.86 grams of a mixture of para-fluorofentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl; 64.55 grams of a mixture containing para-fluorofentanyl, heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and ketamine; and 197.11 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride.
Perry was convicted previously for eluding a police officer, reckless driving, driving without a license, possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. As a previously convicted felon, Perry cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Christopher Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police; and Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Marek prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-139.
Final Los Valles drug trafficking organization defendant sentenced for his role in distributing loads of cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Honduran national was sentenced on Sept. 16 to four years in prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, Erlis Antonio Leon Castellanos was an important part of an international drug trafficking organization based in Honduras known as “Los Valles” (Valle DTO). The Valle DTO moved multi-metric-ton loads of cocaine from Honduras to Guatemala, before it was moved to Mexico and ultimately the United States. The Valle DTO used helicopters and commercial trucks to transport cocaine from Honduras to Guatemala, where the cocaine was transferred to co-conspirators associated with Mexican drug trafficking organizations that smuggled the cocaine into the United States for redistribution. Some members of the Valle DTO imported smaller quantities of cocaine from Honduras directly into the United States using human couriers, who would travel on commercial airlines.
Leon Castellanos owned property near the Honduras-Guatemala border. The Valle DTO sent cocaine loads to Leon Castellanos at his property, where Leon Castellanos stored them before he and other DTO members smuggled the cocaine into Guatemala on its way to the United States. Leon Castellanos began by accepting cocaine loads of approximately 15 to 20 kilograms and eventually accepting loads of hundreds of kilograms at a time. Leon Castellanos also delivered cocaine to another DTO member who was responsible for coordinating the northward travel of the drugs. Between 2011 and 2014, Leon Castellanos personally transported cocaine over the border. He is the final defendant of 15 indicted in the case to be captured and sentenced.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Siddhartha Patel, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Sacramento Field Office; and Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Guatemala to secure the arrest and March extradition of Leon Castellanos.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Guatemala to secure the arrest and March extradition of Leon Castellanos.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin S. Starr and Philip Alito 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 (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs).
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. 1:14-cr-135.
Alexandria man convicted of repeat child sexual abuse material chargesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A district court judge yesterday convicted a prior sex offender of distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) while on supervised release.
“Following his previous conviction for child sexual abuse material, Antonio Gonzalez knew what he was doing was illegal and knew the consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Instead of embracing a respect for the law and the vulnerable lives it protects, Gonzalez returned to his previous crimes with no regard for those harmed by sexual exploitation. We will tirelessly prosecute anyone engaging in these detestable crimes, and we will continue to pursue anyone who refuses to reform.”
“This defendant continued to sexually exploit children online while on court-ordered supervision, following an earlier conviction for similar conduct,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the tireless efforts and enduring dedication of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors, this defendant has been held accountable for his continued exploitation of children and now faces a fifteen-year mandatory minimum sentence.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in April 2024, law enforcement began investigating Antonio Rudy Gonzalez, 41, for distributing CSAM on Kik, a mobile-based messaging platform. Gonzalez sent images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to multiple other Kik users. In 2013, Gonzalez was convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia of distribution of child pornography.
Gonzales is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of fifteen years and up to 40 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema delivered the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Strobbe and Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section 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-213.
Praetorian Group International CEO pleads guilty to $200M bitcoin Ponzi schemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Chief Executive Officer of a multi-level marketing and bitcoin trading firm pled guilty yesterday to wire fraud and money laundering for operating a Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 90,000 investors worldwide.
According to court documents, Ramil Ventura Palafox, 60, a dual citizen of the United States and the Philippines, owned and operated Praetorian Group International (PGI) and served as PGI’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and chief promoter. Palafox falsely claimed that PGI was engaged in bitcoin trading, and he promised daily returns of 0.5 to 3%. PGI was not trading bitcoin at a scale capable of making the promised returns, however, and Palafox was paying the investors back with their own money or with funds received from other investors.
From December 2019 to October 2021, at least 90,000 investors worldwide invested more than $201,000,000 in PGI, including at least $30,295,289 in fiat currency and at least 8,198 bitcoin worth $171,498,528. As a result of Palafox’s actions, investors suffered losses totaling at least $62,692,007.
Palafox created a PGI website for investors to review their purported investment performance. From 2020 through 2021, Palafox caused the online portal to consistently and fraudulently misrepresent that victims’ investments were gaining value, misleading them to believe that their investments were profitable and secure.
Palafox spent money on expenses that served both personal purposes and to promote the fraudulent scheme. He spent approximately $3 million on 20 luxury vehicles, including automobiles by Porsche, Lamborghini, McClaren, Ferrari, BMW, Bentley, and others. Palafox spent approximately $329,000 on penthouse suites at a luxury hotel chain and purchased four homes in Las Vegas and Los Angeles worth more than $6 million. Palafox spent another $3 million of investors’ money to buy clothing, watches, jewelry, and home furnishings at luxury retailers, including Louboutin, Neiman Marcus, Gucci, Versace, Ferragamo, Valentino, Cartier, Rolex, and Hermes, among others. He transferred at least $800,000 in fiat currency, plus an additional 100 bitcoin, then valued at approximately $3.3 million, to one of his family members.
Palafox is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 10, 2026, and faces up to 40 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, Palafox has agreed to pay restitution of $62,692,007. 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.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Morgan, Zoe Bedell, and Annie Zanobini are prosecuting the case.
Case updates and additional information for victims of PGI, who may be entitled to restitution payments, can be found here.
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-52.
This release was revised on Sept. 19, 2025, to update the sentencing date.
Founder of one of world’s largest hacker forums resentenced to three years in prisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A New York man was resentenced today to three years in prison for his creation and operation of BreachForums, a marketplace for cybercriminals to buy, sell, and trade hacked or stolen data and other contraband, and for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
“Conor Fitzpatrick personally profited from the sale of vast quantities of stolen information, ranging from private personal information to commercial data,” said Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “These crimes were so extensive that the damage is difficult to quantify, and the human cost of his collection of child sexual abuse material is incalculable. We will not allow criminals to hide in the darkest corners of the internet and will use all legal means to bring them to justice.”
“Following the dismantlement of RaidForums by law enforcement, the defendant set up and administered BreachForums, an online bazaar where criminals could purchase sensitive data,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence demonstrates the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to bringing to justice those who seek to sell stolen data to the highest bidder. To those seeking to operate a similar forum, take note: we will tirelessly investigate those who commit these crimes.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a message to everyone in the cybercriminal ecosystem — helping others profit from theft, fraud, and other cybercrimes will land you in federal prison,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “The FBI is working tirelessly to dismantle criminal marketplaces like BreachForums, and we are pursuing the full range of actors who run these platforms.”
Conor Brian Fitzpatrick, 22, of Peekskill, New York, pled guilty to access device conspiracy, access device solicitation, and possession of child sexual abuse material. As part of the plea agreement, Fitzpatrick also agreed to forfeit over one hundred domain names used in the operation of BreachForums, more than a dozen electronic devices used to execute the scheme, and cryptocurrency that represented proceeds of the scheme.
Fitzpatrick’s resentencing came after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued an opinion on January 21, 2025, vacating Fitzpatrick’s prior sentence of time served (17 days) and remanded the case for resentencing.
According to court documents, BreachForums, launched in March 2022, rapidly developed into one of the world’s largest English language hacking forums with over 330,000 members. BreachForums emerged as a replacement to RaidForums, a then major English-language hacking forum that law enforcement seized in February 2022. As with RaidForums, BreachForums gained notoriety by selling access to high-profile database breaches that contained, among other things, bank account information, social security numbers and other personal identifying information (PII), and usernames and associated passwords for accessing online accounts with merchants and service providers. BreachForums also maintained and offered access to at least 888 datasets of stolen information containing over 14 billion individual records of PII. Some of the stolen datasets contained sensitive information of customers at telecommunication, social media, investment, health care services, and internet service providers. For instance, one database contained the names and contact information for approximately 200 million users of a major U.S.-based social networking site. Another database listed the details of 87,760 members of InfraGard, a partnership between the FBI and private sector companies focused on the protection of critical infrastructure.
Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Halper and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Carina A. Cuellar for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Thomas Dougherty for the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division this case.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime 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 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, and FBI San Francisco Division, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations New York Field Office, New York Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Police Scotland, National Police Corps of the Netherlands and Peekskill Police Department. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of California, the District of Maryland, and the Southern District of New York have also provided assistance in this matter.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-119.
Founder of One of World’s Largest Hacker Forums Resentenced to Three Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Earlier today, a New York man was resentenced to three years in prison for his creation and operation of BreachForums, a marketplace for cybercriminals to buy, sell, and trade hacked or stolen data and other contraband, and for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
“Following the dismantlement of RaidForums by law enforcement, the defendant set up and administered BreachForums, an online bazaar where criminals could purchase sensitive data,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence demonstrates the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to bringing to justice those who seek to sell stolen data to the highest bidder. To those seeking to operate a similar forum, take note: we will tirelessly investigate those who commit these crimes.”
“Conor Fitzpatrick personally profited from the sale of vast quantities of stolen information, ranging from private personal information to commercial data,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “These crimes were so extensive that the damage is difficult to quantify, and the human cost of his collection of child sexual abuse material is incalculable. We will not allow criminals to hide in the darkest corners of the internet and will use all legal means to bring them to justice.”
“The FBI is working tirelessly to dismantle criminal marketplaces like BreachForums, and we are pursuing the full range of actors who run these platforms,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates that anyone who helps others profit from theft, fraud, and other cybercrimes is not out of reach.”
Conor Brian Fitzpatrick, 22, of Peekskill, New York, pleaded guilty to one count of access device conspiracy, one count of access device solicitation, and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. As part of the plea agreement, Fitzpatrick also agreed to forfeit over 100 domain names used in the operation of BreachForums, more than a dozen electronic devices used to execute the scheme, and cryptocurrency that represented proceeds of the scheme.
Fitzpatrick’s resentencing came after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued an opinion on Jan. 21, 2025, vacating Fitzpatrick’s prior sentence of time served (17 days) and remanded the case for resentencing.
According to court documents, BreachForums, launched in March 2022, rapidly developed into one of the world’s largest English language hacking forums with over 330,000 members. BreachForums emerged as a replacement to RaidForums, a then major English-language hacking forum that law enforcement seized in February 2022. As with RaidForums, BreachForums gained notoriety by selling access to high-profile database breaches that contained, among other things, bank account information, social security numbers and other personal identifying information (PII), and usernames and associated passwords for accessing online accounts with merchants and service providers. BreachForums also maintained and offered access to at least 888 datasets of stolen information containing over 14 billion individual records of PII. Some of the stolen datasets contained sensitive information of customers at telecommunication, social media, investment, health care services, and internet service providers. For instance, one database contained the names and contact information for approximately 200 million users of a major U.S.-based social networking site. Another database listed the details of approximately 87,760 members of InfraGard, a partnership between the FBI and private sector companies focused on the protection of critical infrastructure.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Thomas Dougherty of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime 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 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
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.
Vienna man convicted for travelling to Colombia for commercial sex with a minorRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Vienna man on Sept. 12 on charges of sex trafficking of a child and engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Nov. 1, 2024, Michael Jamie Inofuentes, 45, a U.S. citizen with residences in Virginia and Colombia, flew into Miami International Airport on a return flight from Colombia, where he was flagged for secondary inspection based on suspicious payments he made to an individual suspected of engaging in child sex trafficking in Colombia. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted a border search of Inofuentes and his belongings. During inspection of his two cellphones, agents identified messages between Inofuentes and a 15-year-old Colombian girl that indicated commercial sex. The victim informed Inofuentes that she was a minor, and they discussed meeting at a hotel in Medellin for sex and negotiated a price. Several months later, the victim informed Inofuentes that she was pregnant and they discussed the possibility of Inofuentes’ paternity.
Inofuentes initially denied having sex with the victim but later admitted to a sexual relationship. Inofuentes also admitted that he has children in Colombia and the mother was a minor when he impregnated her. Inofuentes was allowed to return home after the interview. Three days later, on Nov. 4, 2024, Inofuentes attempted to board a flight at Dulles International Airport to travel to Colombia. He was stopped on the jet bridge and taken to secondary inspection. He admitted that he offered the victim money for sex at a hotel.
Inofuentes faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, when sentenced on Jan. 15, 2026. 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.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the verdict.
The HSI Miami Field Office provided valuable and significant assistance in this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Halper and Laura D. Withers 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-5.
Former Fort Belvoir soldier sentenced to 15 years in prison for assaulting and permanently injuring a newborn child and raping an adultRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former U.S. Army private was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of sexual abuse. This sentence is to be served consecutively to a 15-year sentence he is currently serving for assault on an infant in violation of Montana law.
According to court documents, on June 24, 2012, Austin Blair Johnson, an active duty soldier residing on Fort Belvoir, was watching his infant daughter, identified as Minor Victim 1 (MV1), who was born prematurely only 15 days earlier. MV1 was crying, so Johnson picked her up and carried her, but she continued to cry. While holding MV1 in front of him with one hand under each of her arms, Johnson rapidly and forcefully shook MV1 multiple times before letting go of her, causing her to flip and land on her head.
Johnson then picked up MV1 and ran with her upstairs to a bedroom where he woke MV1’s mother, identified as Adult Victim 1 (AV1). Johnson falsely told AV1 that he had accidentally dropped MV1 and that he had successfully broken her fall with his foot. AV1 and Johnson took MV1 to the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital emergency room where she presented with a fever, bruising on her head and shoulder, and blood coming out of her mouth. A CT scan conducted there revealed that MV1’s skull had been fractured. MV1 was transferred later to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Walter Reed Medical Center. MV1 was diagnosed with extensive injuries and remained hospitalized at Walter Reed for the next 10 days.
The day she was discharged, MV1 was left in Johnson’s care while AV1 was out. Johnson again rapidly and forcefully shook MV1 and dropped her. MV1 was 26 days old. The following morning, AV1 took MV1 to a previously scheduled follow-up appointment with a pediatrician at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. At the appointment, MV1 began having seizures and was sent directly to the emergency room. MV1 was transferred later to the PICU at Children’s National Medical Center, where doctors discovered myriad injuries, including a second skull fracture, and identified extensive brain damage.
When she was finally discharged on July 20, 2012, MV1 was placed in the custody of Child Protective Services, where she remained for approximately 14 months until she was returned to the custody of Johnson and AV1. On June 22, 2015, shortly after her third birthday, MV1 was forced to undergo a hemispherectomy during which the entire left side of her brain was removed in an effort to control her irrepressible seizures.
MV1 is now legally blind, non-verbal, and the entire right side of her body is paralyzed. Cognitively, MV1 functions at the level of a mature infant. As part of his sentence, Johnson was ordered to pay over $1.1 million in restitution.
In addition to his assaults on MV1, in 2013, at their residence on Fort Belvoir, after AV1 had rebuffed Johnson’s requests to be intimate with her, Johnson proceeded without her consent. AV1 protested and tried to hit Johnson to get him to stop, which he eventually did.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; and Jake Cameron, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Blanchard prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-151.
Co-CEO of Chinese publicly traded technology company and financial advisor indicted for over $100M securities fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An indictment was unsealed yesterday in the Eastern District of Virginia charging two men with orchestrating a securities fraud scheme utilizing Ostin Technology Group Co. Ltd. (OST) stock to target American retail investors. The scheme netted over $100 million for the defendants and their co-conspirators, who siphoned OST shares in non-bona fide securities transactions and then dumped their stock amidst a coordinated social media campaign to pump OST’s share price from April to June 2025. The Department of Justice has already seized nearly $10 million in assets from co-conspirators’ accounts.
“Protecting the integrity of our financial markets remains a top priority,” said Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Anyone who picks the pockets of American investors in violation of the law will be aggressively prosecuted. The Department of Justice has established whistleblower programs to encourage corporations and individuals to come forward with timely information regarding misconduct and criminal behavior. Failing to do so invites serious consequences.”
“The defendants targeted American retail investors through a predatory pump and dump scheme to take advantage of the artificial inflation of the price of OST shares,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s charges show the Criminal Division’s focus on aggressively protecting Americans from foreign actors seeking to exploit U.S. markets. Through the hard work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, we will continue to act quickly to seize the proceeds of these crimes and mitigate losses for victims.”
“Securities fraud by foreign actors not only exploits fair investment practices, but also defrauds American investors and harms U.S. markets,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s charges demonstrate the FBI’s continued commitment, alongside our partners, to combatting financial crime and bringing perpetrators to justice.”
"The defendants allegedly concocted a scheme that distorted the price of OST stock, costing investors tens of millions of dollars," said Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division. "Today's indictment should serve as a warning to fraudsters: If you seek to manipulate U.S. markets for personal gain, the FBI will pursue you even if you're operating halfway around the world."
“The SEC-Office of Inspector General (SEC-OIG) will relentlessly investigate individuals who submit false filings with the SEC,” said Inspector General Kevin Muhlendorf of the SEC. “Comprehensive investigative oversight to protect investors, the global markets, and the operational integrity of the SEC’s programs, systems, and operations is a top priority for our office.”
According to the indictment, Lai Kui Sen is the co-CEO of OST, and Yan Zhao, who goes by the aliases Hank Shi and Hank Shu, among others, is a financial advisor. OST is a Cayman Islands company with its principal operations in China, that claimed to be a manufacturer of display modules used in consumer electronics, commercial LCD displays, and automotive displays. OST is publicly traded on NASDAQ and operated, at one point, with a variable interest entity (VIE) investment structure, which is often used by Chinese companies.
According to the indictment, Sen, Zhao, and others allegedly engaged in a complex scheme to first provide a group of fifteen co-conspirators with tens of millions of OST shares through two securities transactions. In one of these transactions, the co-conspirators allegedly paid nothing to OST for more than 70 million OST shares.
On April 15, the same day that the select investors received their first tranche of heavily discounted OST shares, a fraudulent campaign allegedly began to artificially inflate the price and trading volume of the OST stock. This allegedly included promoting the stock by impersonating real investment advisors, among others, promoting the stock on social media, and creating a false impression of market-wide buying momentum. To capitalize on OST’s artificial price inflation and to harm the victim investors, Zhao and Sen allegedly facilitated the opening of brokerage accounts for certain select investors and orchestrated the selling of the shares that they had received either heavily discounted or for no remuneration. These sales generated substantial profits of approximately more than $110 million. Ultimately, according to the indictment, unwitting investors suffered significant losses when, on June 26, OST lost over $950 million in market capitalization, representing over 94% of its value.
Zhao and Sen are charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, securities fraud, and wire fraud. If convicted, Zhao and Sen face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy and wire fraud, 25 years in prison for Title 18 securities fraud, and 20 years in prison for Title 15 securities fraud. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and SEC-OIG investigated the case. The Department of Justice appreciates the efforts of FINRA’s Surveillance and Market Intelligence – Market Abuse Group who referred this matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Kashan K. Pathan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
An indictment is merely an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty
Co-CEO of Chinese Publicly Traded Technology Company and Financial Advisor Indicted for over $100M Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed yesterday in the Eastern District of Virginia charging two men with orchestrating a securities fraud scheme utilizing Ostin Technology Group Co. Ltd. (OST) stock to target American retail investors. The charged scheme netted over $100 million for the defendants and their co-conspirators, who siphoned OST shares in non-bona fide securities transactions and then dumped their stock amidst a coordinated social media campaign to pump OST’s share price from April to June 2025. The Department of Justice has already seized nearly $10 million in assets from co-conspirators’ accounts.
“The defendants targeted American retail investors through a predatory pump and dump scheme to take advantage of the artificial inflation of the price of OST shares,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s charges show the Criminal Division’s focus on aggressively protecting Americans from foreign actors seeking to exploit U.S. markets. Through the hard work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, we will continue to act quickly to seize the proceeds of these crimes and mitigate losses for victims.”
“Protecting the integrity of our financial markets remains a top priority,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Anyone who picks the pockets of American investors in violation of the law will be aggressively prosecuted. The Department of Justice has established whistleblower programs to encourage corporations and individuals to come forward with timely information regarding misconduct and criminal behavior. Failing to do so invites serious consequences.”
“Securities fraud by foreign actors not only exploits fair investment practices, but also defrauds American investors and harms U.S. markets,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s charges demonstrate the FBI’s continued commitment, alongside our partners, to combatting financial crime and bringing perpetrators to justice.”
“The SEC-Office of Inspector General (SEC-OIG) will relentlessly investigate individuals who submit false filings with the SEC,” said Inspector General Kevin Muhlendorf of the SEC. “Comprehensive investigative oversight to protect investors, the global markets, and the operational integrity of the SEC’s programs, systems, and operations is a top priority for our office.”
According to the indictment, Lai Kui Sen is the co-CEO of OST, and Yan Zhao, who goes by the aliases Hank Shi and Hank Shu, among others, is a financial advisor. OST is a Cayman Islands company with its principal operations in China, that claimed to be a manufacturer of display modules used in consumer electronics, commercial LCD displays, and automotive displays. OST is publicly traded on NASDAQ and operated, at one point, with a variable interest entity (VIE) investment structure, which is often used by Chinese companies.
According to the indictment, Sen, Zhao, and others allegedly engaged in a complex scheme to first provide a group of fifteen co-conspirators with tens of millions of OST shares through two non-bona fide securities transactions. In one of these transactions, these co-conspirators paid nothing to OST for more than 70 million OST shares.
The indictment alleges that, on April 15, 2025, the same day that the select investors received their first tranche of heavily discounted OST shares, a fraudulent campaign began to artificially inflate the price and trading volume of the OST stock. This included promoting the stock by impersonating real investment advisors, among others, promoting the stock on social media, and creating a false impression of market-wide buying momentum. To capitalize on OST’s artificial price inflation and to harm the victim investors, Zhao and Sen facilitated the opening of brokerage accounts for certain select investors and orchestrated the selling of the shares that they had received either heavily discounted or for no remuneration. These sales generated substantial profits of approximately more than $110 million. Ultimately, according to the indictment, unwitting investors suffered significant losses when, on June 26, 2025, OST lost over $950 million in market capitalization, representing over 94% of its value.
Both defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, securities fraud, and wire fraud. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy and wire fraud, 25 years in prison for Title 18 securities fraud, and 20 years in prison for Title 15 securities fraud. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and SEC-OIG investigated the case. The Department of Justice appreciates the efforts of FINRA’s Surveillance and Market Intelligence – Market Abuse Group who referred this matter.
Trial Attorney Kashan K. Pathan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
If you believe you may have been a victim in this case, visit https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/case/united-states-v-yan-zhao-and-lai-kui-sen for more information.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Media Advisory- Chesapeake Regional Medical Center (CRMC) Case UpdatesRead the Press Release
CASE NAME: United States v. Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, Criminal Case No. 2:25-cr-1
COURT: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Norfolk Division
CASE SUMMARY: On January 8, 2025, Chesapeake Regional Medical Center (aka Chesapeake General Hospital, Chesapeake Regional Healthcare) (CRMC) was charged in a two-count criminal indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States and interfere with government functions, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347, related to its alleged actions involving CRMC’s billing to insurance companies for Dr. Javaid Perwaiz’s performance of surgeries and other procedures at its facility. CRMC made its appearance before the Court and entered a plea of not guilty.
According to court documents, CRMC was a hospital in Chesapeake, Virginia. In April 1984, CRMC granted privileges to Perwaiz. In November 2020, Perwaiz was convicted of 52 counts of health care fraud and false statements in health care matters. Approximately 38 counts of the convictions were for procedures performed at CRMC, including unnecessary hysterectomies and other invasive and irreversible surgeries, elective inductions prior to 39 weeks of gestation without medical justification, and sterilizations of Medicaid patients without consent forms signed 30 days in advance. Perwaiz performed all his obstetric deliveries and inpatient surgeries, including hysterectomies, and other surgeries and procedures, at CRMC. From 2010 to 2019, CRMC received approximately $18.5 million in reimbursements from health care benefit programs for surgical and obstetric procedures Perwaiz performed at the facility.
CASE STATUS: Two motions to dismiss were denied by the Court, but the order to deny is currently on appeal.
VICTIM RESPONSE: To ensure that members of the public, including potential victims of CMRC’s alleged fraud, are informed of developments in this ongoing case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has established a page on its website, available at the following link:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/united-states-v-chesapeake-regional-medical-center-crim-no-225-cr-1
The website currently includes a copy of the indictment and other pleadings filed in this case. Victims with questions can call 1-844-527-5299 and reference the above case name and docket number. Victim impact statements can be emailed to EDVA Victim Witness, or mailed to:
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Attn: Victim Witness
101 W Main Street
Suite 8000
Norfolk, VA 23510-1671
Atlanta travel agent sentenced to over a year in prison for taking money from his clients for travel services he never providedRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Atlanta travel services vendor was sentenced today to one year and one month in prison for defrauding multiple individual and institutional victims.
According to court documents, Maurice Eugene Smith, 45, operated a luxury travel company called EUGENE TORIKO LLC, which offered customized travel planning services. From at least September 2022 through November 2024, Smith took customers’ money for booking travel and converted it to his own personal use instead of paying to secure reservations that he or his employees booked.
Customers paid Smith and EUGENE TORIKO thousands of dollars for luxury vacations to destinations such as St. Lucia, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Guatemala. Smith then used customer money to provide refunds to earlier customers or for his own personal enrichment, including on sports betting sites or to pay for his own travel to such destinations as Mexico and Panama.
Customers often learned that their travel and hotel accommodations were not paid shortly before departing for or upon arriving at their destinations. The cost had to be covered by the customers, who had already paid, and some were reimbursed by credit card or travel insurance companies.
In addition to individuals who booked travel through Smith and EUGENE TORIKO, two university sports programs and a college paid for travel services that were not provided. A university baseball team paid Smith for airline travel, but ultimately had to pay additional funds for and utilize transportation by bus because Smith failed to use the money the university paid to EUGENE TORIKO to purchase airline tickets.
A college booked a trip to Thailand for faculty and students, but EUGENE TORIKO purchased one-way airline tickets for all travelers but one. Faculty and students realized that Smith had only purchased one-way tickets after they were already in Thailand. The faculty and parents of students had to pay for their return tickets out-of-pocket and were reimbursed by the college.
Through a third-party sports event marketing company, a university and its foundation paid for travel arrangements to the Bahamas for its men’s basketball team to participate in a basketball foreign tour. The travel accommodations included, among other things, round trip airfare from Virginia to the Bahamas; ground transportation by charter bus; hotel accommodations including daily breakfast and lunch on tournament days; and sightseeing to a minimum of two destinations.
On April 17, 2024, the university foundation sent a wire transfer of $55,914.60 to the sports event company. Two days later, Smith invoiced the company for the services that EUGENE TORIKO was supposedly arranging for the basketball team. The company wired Smith $40,800. On May 20, 2024, Smith sent another invoice for the balance owed, $103,841. The company invoiced the university foundation, which sent a wire transfer of $103,841 to the company, which in turn paid EUGENE TORIKO $57,736.07 on May 29, 2024, and $11,220 on June 10, 2024. In total, the company paid EUGENE TORIKO the entire amount of the above invoice, $109,756.07, using funds paid by the university foundation. Additional family members, friends, and supporters of the basketball team also paid the company and EUGENE TORIKO to accompany the team on their trip to the Bahamas.
Although Smith reserved seats on flights from Virginia to the Bahamas and reserved a block of rooms, he made no payments toward any legitimate cost associated with the trip. As a result, the resort and the airline canceled the reservations. Instead, Smith used the money in part to pay for his own personal travel and to refund other victims from whom he had stolen money.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Hood prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-73.
Fairfax man pleads guilty to threatening to kill Veterans Affairs and U.S. Postal Service employeesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax man pled guilty today to making threatening communications over interstate commerce and threatening to kill a federal official.
According to court documents, on April 29, Kenneth R. Woodard, 57, called the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) crisis line and demanded to be connected to a VA hospital and, specifically, a VA police officer that he interacted with earlier in the day. During the call, Woodard stated he was on his way to the VA hospital with an armor-piercing firearm to kill the officer.
On May 13, Woodard made three calls the United State Postal Service (USPS) Customer Care Center, speaking with a different USPS employee each time regarding a package he was waiting to receive. Woodard threatened to kill one of the employees with whom he spoke. He stated the next time he saw a mailman he was going to “kill him,” and that if the package was not delivered that day, he would travel to the post office with a firearm. Woodard claimed that he was a U.S. Marine sniper and that if he had to go to the post office, he would bring a gun.
During a phone call later that day with Postal Inspectors from the United States Postal Inspection Service, Woodard stated he would sit outside a local post office and put a bullet in someone’s head if he did not receive his package. Woodard claimed to possess three firearms and told the Postal Inspectors that if they came to his house they should come with firepower.
On May 28, during a phone call with the VA crisis line, Woodard told a VA Crisis Specialist that he was going to find and rape the specialist’s husband and children.
Woodard is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 26 and faces up to 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Cheryl L. Mason, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Mercer 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. 1:25-cr-204.
Richmond woman pleads guilty to embezzling over $239K from local schoolRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond woman pled guilty today to wire fraud in connection with her embezzlement of $239,820 from her employer.
According to court documents, from May 2021 through June 2024, Shannel Peoples-Hilliard, 46, was the business manager for a private school in Richmond. As business manager, Peoples-Hilliard’s responsibilities included management and maintenance of the school’s books and records, performance of periodic bank reconciliation reports, and making purchases and payments on behalf of the school. As part of those responsibilities, Peoples-Hilliard had control of a credit card in the school’s name for official school business only.
From November 2021 through July 2024, Peoples-Hilliard used the school’s credit card to pay for personal expenses, including trips to Orlando, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, and Miami; performances such as Hamilton and concerts such as Usher, LL Cool J, and Capitol Jazz; luxury goods such as purses and jewelry; and rent for Peoples-Hilliard’s personal residence. On May 24, 2024, Peoples-Hilliard used the credit card for a $1,591.77 payment to the Boathouse at Rocketts Landing for a personal graduation party.
Peoples-Hilliard attempted to conceal her embezzlement by falsifying the school’s bank reconciliation reports, including misrepresentations that certain expenses fell under categories of approved spending. For example, Peoples-Hilliard attributed personal expenses such as a cruise on Royal Caribbean, a hotel stay in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and a deposit to the Boathouse at Rocketts Landing to category for ongoing construction at the school.
Peoples-Hilliard is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 22, 2026, and faces up to 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stephen Farina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Jordan-Detamore is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-130.
Portsmouth carjacker sentenced to over 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man and member of the Portsmouth neighborhood street gang “600” was sentenced yesterday to 10 years and 10 months in prison for carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to court documents, on July 10, 2022, in Virginia Beach, Cedric Rashad Davis Jr., aka Ced, Luh Ced, or Grim Reaper, 22, robbed a victim while brandishing a firearm and demanding the keys for the victim’s vehicle. The victim gave Davis the keys, and Davis entered the vehicle and fled the scene.
On July 11, 2022, Davis used Instagram to stream videos depicting himself driving the stolen vehicle and holding a handgun. A search of Davis’ phone revealed text messages in which Davis attempted to sell the stolen vehicle.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker.
This case resulted from a joint investigation involving the ATF, Virginia Beach Police Department, and Portsmouth Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Heck and Megan M. Montoya 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-17.
Department of State employee sentenced for transmitting national defense information to suspected Chinese government agentsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A U.S. Department of State (DOS) employee was sentenced today to four years in prison for conspiring to collect and transmit national defense information to individuals he knew to be working for the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
“The price of Michael Schena’s disgraceful betrayal of his country is far more than the paltry amount for which he traded his honor,” said Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His acts of selfish avarice left that price to be paid by the faithful women and men of our intelligence community and the nation they serve. The cost Schena will pay is the loss of his integrity, his reputation, and, by today’s sentence, his freedom.”
“The defendant threw away his career, betrayed his country, and abused the trust the United States placed in him by granting his Top Secret security clearance. He will spend years of his life in prison for passing classified information to individuals he believed to be Chinese government agents,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence serves as a warning to those who would violate the trust placed in them by our Nation and double-cross the American people.”
“Michael Schena deliberately undermined U.S. national security and put American lives at risk by selling classified information to the Chinese Government,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The Chinese government continues to aggressively target U.S. government employees to steal our classified information, and this sentencing makes clear the FBI and our partners will do everything in our power to defend the Homeland. Anyone thinking of betraying their oath to the United States should consider the severe consequences and know the FBI will work tirelessly to bring them to justice.”
"As a State Department employee, Schena's mission should have been to promote U.S. security and prosperity throughout the world, but instead he jeopardized national security by transmitting classified information to individuals whom he believed worked for an adversarial government," said Daniel Wierzbicki, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Counterintelligence and Cyber Division. "As today's sentencing demonstrates, the U.S. government remains committed to investigating and prosecuting clearance holders who seek to cash in on our nation's secrets."
According to court documents, beginning in April 2022, Michael Charles Schena, 42, of Alexandria, communicated with people he met online through various communication platforms and provided them sensitive government information in exchange for money. Two of these individuals represented themselves as employees of international consulting companies. Despite clear indications that they were working on behalf of the PRC, Schena continued his relationship with them.
In August 2024, Schena met an individual at a hotel in Peru who provided Schena $10,000 and a cellphone that was intended to be used for Schena to receive taskings and to image and transmit information.
In October 2024, while at work, Schena photographed and transmitted at least four classified documents that contained national defense information and were classified at the SECRET level. In February 2025, surveillance video captured Schena again using the cellphone he received in Peru to photograph seven documents marked as SECRET that contained national defense information. FBI agents seized the cellphone before Schena could transmit photographs of these classified documents to his handlers and was later arrested.
The announcement was made after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the FBI Richmond Field Office, the Department of Justice’s Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Office of Counterintelligence.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Ben’Ary and Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Maria Fedor of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-158.
Department of State Employee Sentenced for Transmitting National Defense Information to Suspected Chinese Government AgentsRead the Press Release
A U.S. Department of State (DOS) employee was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for conspiring to collect and transmit national defense information to individuals he believed to be working for the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
“The defendant threw away his career, betrayed his country, and abused the trust the United States placed in him by granting his Top-Secret security clearance. He will spend years of his life in prison for passing classified information to individuals he believed to be Chinese government agents,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence serves as a warning to those who would violate the trust placed in them by our Nation and double-cross the American people.”
“The price of Michael Schena’s disgraceful betrayal of his country is far more than the paltry amount for which he traded his honor,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His acts of selfish avarice left that price to be paid by the faithful women and men of our intelligence community and the nation they serve. The cost Schena will pay is the loss of his integrity, his reputation, and, by today’s sentence, his freedom.”
“Michael Schena deliberately undermined U.S. national security and put American lives at risk by selling classified information to the Chinese government,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The Chinese government continues to aggressively target U.S. government employees to steal our classified information, and this sentencing makes clear the FBI and our partners will do everything in our power to defend the homeland. Anyone thinking of betraying their oath to the United States should consider the severe consequences and know the FBI will work tirelessly to bring them to justice.”
According to court documents, beginning in April 2022, Michael Charles Schena, 42, of Alexandria, Virginia, communicated with people he met online through various communication platforms and provided them sensitive U.S. government information, in exchange for money. Two of these individuals represented themselves as employees of international consulting companies. Despite clear indications and believing that they were working on behalf of the PRC, Schena continued his relationship with them.
In August 2024, Schena met an individual at a hotel in Peru who provided Schena $10,000 and a cellphone that was intended to be used for Schena to receive taskings and transmit information.
In October 2024, while at work, Schena used the cellphone he received in Peru to photograph and transmit at least four classified documents that contained national defense information and which were classified at the SECRET level. In February 2025, surveillance video captured Schena again using the cellphone to photograph seven documents marked as SECRET that contained national defense information. FBI agents seized the cellphone before Schena could transmit photographs of these classified documents to his handlers, and arrested Schena.
John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Counterintelligence Division; and Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the FBI Richmond Field Office, the Department of Justice’s Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Office of Counterintelligence.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Ben’Ary and Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Maria Fedor of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.
Honduran and Colombian drug traffickers sentenced to prison for conspiring to transport cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The last of three foreign nationals was sentenced to prison yesterday for his role in a conspiracy to traffic cocaine from Colombia through Honduras and ultimately into the United States.
According to court documents, Colombian national Humberto Cantillo Duran, aka Niño or Juan Carlos, 37; Honduran national Mario Rodolfo Mejia-Cubillas, aka Yofo, 54; and Honduran national Edgardo Rene Velasquez Navarro, aka Burro, 54, led a large drug trafficking conspiracy based in Colón, Honduras, responsible for the distribution of thousands of kilograms of cocaine valued at millions of dollars into the United States. The conspiracy operated from eastern Honduras where they received shipments of cocaine from South America before forwarding them through Central America and ultimately into the United States.
Cantillo Duran, based in Colombia and Honduras, was responsible for coordinating the shipment of large amounts of cocaine from Colombia to Honduras. Cantillo Duran also assisted in finding buyers, including Mejia-Cubillas and Velasquez Navarro. After the cocaine arrived in Honduras, it was unloaded, broken-down, and prepared for transport across Honduras, supervised by Mejia Cubillas, Velasquez Navarro, and Cantillo Duran. For years, Honduran law enforcement captured communications between the conspirators in which they discussed cocaine shipments, payments, acts of violence towards suspected rival narcotraffickers, South American sources of supply, the U.S. market for cocaine, and the United States being the ultimate destination for their cocaine. On several occasions, Honduran law enforcement seized large shipments of cocaine moved by the co-conspirators.
All three defendants pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine with the intent of unlawful importation into the United States.
On March 11, Velasquez Navarro was sentenced to 12 years in prison. On April 1, Mejia-Cubillas was sentenced to 13 years and four months in prison. Cantillo Duran was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin S. Starr, Anthony T. Aminoff, and Philip Alito 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 achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-142.
Convicted opioid pill mill doctor must forfeit property and pay restitutionRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Oakton doctor who was sentenced to 13 years in prison for his prescribing of opioids and amphetamines has been ordered to forfeit a $168,000 money judgement and two real properties and to pay restitution of $169,244 to compensate three victims for their losses.
According to court documents, David Allingham, 65, owned Oakton Primary Care Center (OPCC), where he advertised his practice as an “Addiction Medicine Family Doctor” with “special training and skill in preventing, diagnosing, and treating patients with addiction.” Between April 2019 and January 2024, Allingham wrote prescriptions for opioids and amphetamines for numerous patients without properly assessing the individual needs of those patients, which was outside the usual course of professional practice and regulations and without legitimate medical purpose.
Allingham authorized renewals of opioid medication without physically examining patients. Allingham instructed his employees to use “mom and pop” pharmacies to avoid scrutiny of his patients so he could continue to prescribe high-dose opioids for them. Allingham also prescribed amphetamines to multiple chronic pain patients to assist them in weight loss in contravention of regulations, regardless of whether the patients were obese.
Multiple of Allingham’s patients died of drug overdoses within hours, days, or weeks of receiving an oxycodone prescription from Allingham.
In 2024 the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) served an Immediate Order to Show Cause (ISO) that resulted in Allingham surrendering his DEA registration number, relinquishing his authority to handle controlled substances.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Washington Division; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and Col. Matthew D. Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after judgment by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.
The Fairfax County Police Department provided valuable assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather D. Call and Annie Zanobini prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-2.
U.S. Attorney announces immigration case updates for the Eastern District of VirginiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today case updates on six immigration cases in the district.
On Jan. 20 the President signed executive orders addressing the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. Protecting the American People Against Invasion recognized that enforcing our Nation’s immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States, and that it is the policy of the United States to faithfully execute the immigration laws against all inadmissible and removable aliens, particularly those aliens who threaten the safety or security of the American people. The order tasked the Department of Justice with prioritizing the prosecution of criminal offenses related to the unauthorized entry or continued unauthorized presence of aliens in the United States. Securing Our Borders prioritizes the pursuit of criminal charges against illegal aliens who violate immigration laws and against those who facilitate their unlawful presence in the United States.
Honduran national Oscar Armando Duarte-Salinas, 42, was removed from the United States on June 27, 2005, again on Jan. 26, 2011, and once more on Aug. 10, 2012. On April 18, 2022, officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) learned that Duarte-Salinas had returned to the United States following his arrest in Fairfax County. Duarte-Salinas was arrested for public drunkenness 11 times since April 2022, eight of which led to convictions, and charges remain pending for public drunkenness, felony breaking and entering, petit larceny, and failure to appear. Duarte-Salinas pled guilty today to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-228
Pursuant to a final order of removal, on May 22, 2019, Salvadoran national Pablo Arnoldo Argueta Gonzalez, aka Jose Rodriguez-Montoya, 43, was removed from the United States. On March 14, ICE agents learned that Argueta-Gonzalez had unlawfully returned to the United States when he was detained at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail in James City County following his arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). On Aug. 19, Argueta-Gonzalez pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 4:25-cr-39
Pursuant to a final order of removal, on June 29, 2011, Guatemalan national Jiber Nemias-Lucs, 34, was removed from the United States. Less than three months later, Nemias-Lucs again illegally entered the United States and was removed. After illegally reentering a third time, in 2015 Nemias-Lucs was charged in Arlington County with assault and battery of a family member and in 2016 was found guilty in absentia of driving the wrong way on a roadway and driving without a license. In August 2017, Nemias-Lucs was convicted of DUI and refusal in Arlington County, and he was removed again. He subsequently returned to the country and in February 2018 was convicted of illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He once again illegally reentered the United States and in August 2023 was charged and convicted in absentia in Arlington County for being drunk in public. In June 2024 he was convicted of obstruction of justice. In November 2024 he was charged with two counts of assault and battery, and in December 2024, he was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. On Feb. 17, Nemias-Lucs was arrested for robbery by force and on Feb. 18 ICE entered a detainer. On June 24, Nemias-Lucs was again arrested for being drunk in public and was taken into federal custody. On Aug. 20, Nemias-Lucs pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-240
On July 22, 2014, pursuant to a final order of removal, Salvadoran national Marlon Omar Flores Quintanilla, 35, was removed from the United States. Flores Quintanilla subsequently reentered the United States illegally and on Dec. 1, 2015, was removed again. On May 16, ICE officers learned that Flores Quintanilla was detained at the Prince William County Adult Detention Center. On Aug. 21 Flores Quintanilla pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-237
Pursuant to a final order of removal, Guatemalan national Abel Enrique Carrillo Cobo, 29, was removed from the United States on Oct. 6, 2014, again on Jan. 27, 2015, and once more on May 21, 2018. After his most recent removal, Carrillo Cobo unlawfully reentered the United States and on July 20, 2022, was arrested in Fairfax County for carrying a concealed weapon. ICE agents learned of the arrest on April 3, 2025. Carrillo Cobo pled guilty yesterday to illegal reentry after removal subsequent to a felony conviction. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-187
Guatemalan national Jose Adolfo Veliz, 53, illegally entered the United States on Aug. 14, 1990. On Aug. 24, 2009, a designated immigration officer with the San Bernardino County (California) Sheriff’s Department encountered Veliz and, pursuant to a warrant of removal, Veliz was removed from the United States on Oct. 19, 2009. On April 21, Veliz was arrested by the Hanover County Police Department for charges related to sexual battery. On Aug. 26, Veliz pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 3:25-cr-86
Operation Take Back America is 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 the case number provided above.