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Wednesday 4 March 2026
Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to drug offenses involving methamphetamine and materials for pressing illicit pills.
Tong Tran, 35, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for June 4, 2026. Tran was charged in April 2025.
According to the charging documents, on or about Sept. 19, 2024, Tran was identified shipping a package at a Worcester Post Office. A search of the package revealed approximately 2.4 kilograms of orange pills containing methamphetamine – concealed in the packaging of a children’s toy. A partial fingerprint on the wrapping materials inside the toy’s box belonged to Tran. On April 14, 2025, during a search of Tran’s residence, a pill press, binding agent and additional equipment used to manufacture pills, including pill dyes were located. The search also resulted in the seizure of 3.3 kilograms of methamphetamine and approximately $8,000 in cash.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office; Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Auburn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
West Bloomfield Pair Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Husband Arrested for Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
DETROIT – West Bloomfield residents Peter Valente and Angela Toma have been charged with conspiracy to commit over $2.6 million in wire fraud relating to pandemic assistance loans, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced. Valente also faces an obstruction of justice charge.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Detroit.
According to a criminal complaint unsealed today, Valente and Toma collaborated to fraudulently obtain $2,609,210 from the Paycheck Protection Program. Valente and Toma are alleged to have submitted false loan applications to Paycheck Protection Program lenders using inactive businesses and falsified bank records. When federal agents began investigating the loan fraud, Valente approached them and repeatedly claimed that Toma was solely responsible, and he was unaware of the crime until it had concluded. Further investigation revealed that Valente was in fact an active collaborator in the scheme, going so far as to celebrate with Toma when a fraudulent loan was approved.
A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Trial cannot be held on felony charges in a complaint. When the investigation is complete, determinations will be made whether to seek felony indictments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Craig Welkener and investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Wagoner Resident Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Mark Justin Hall, age 47, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, was sentenced to thirty months in prison for one count of Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Spouse, Intimate Partner, and Dating Partner in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Wagoner Police Department.
On May 6, 2025, Hall pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on October 26, 2024, Hall assaulted the victim, causing substantial bodily injury. The crime occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Hall will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
United States Leads Dismantlement of One of the World’s Largest Hacker ForumsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced today the seizure of the LeakBase database, one of the world’s largest online forums for cybercriminals to buy and sell stolen data and cybercrime tools.
According to an affidavit unsealed on March 3, the LeakBase forum had over 142,000 members and more than 215,000 messages between members. Available on the open web and in English, the forum had an enormous and continuously updated archive of hacked databases including many from high profile attacks, including hundreds of millions of account credentials. LeakBase allowed forum users to sell the information from stolen databases, including data illegally obtained from U.S. corporations and individuals, and offered credit and debit card numbers, banking account and routing information, usernames and associated passwords which could facilitate additional account takeovers, as well as other sensitive business and personally identifiable information.
On March 3 and 4, law enforcement agents and officers in 14 countries including the United States took synchronized actions against LeakBase and its users in a coordinated effort hosted by Europol in The Hague. Specifically, the United States and other countries shut down LeakBase, seized its data and two of the domains used by the forum, posted seizure banners on the LeakBase sites, sent prevention messages to LeakBase members, and collected additional evidence. Law enforcement also executed search warrants, arrests, and conducted interviews in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
LeakBase Splash Page“The takedown of this cyber forum disrupts a major international platform that cybercriminals use to obtain and profit from the theft of sensitive personal, banking and account credentials,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This operation illustrates the strength of the United States and our international partners working across the globe to dismantle a critical cybercriminal forum. The Criminal Division will continue to leverage our international relationships to protect victim personal and account information from falling into the hands of transnational criminal organizations.”
“This 14-country operation demonstrates the extraordinary cooperation with our international partners,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Working with our partners, we can take down even the most sophisticated cyber criminals and networks. My office remains steadfast in our commitment to investigate and seek justice for Americans who are targeted by individuals attempting to hide behind foreign borders.”
“The FBI, Europol, and law enforcement agencies from around the world executed a takedown of LeakBase, one of the largest online cybercriminal platforms, seizing users’ accounts, posts, credit details, private messages, and IP logs for evidentiary purposes,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Together with our partners, we are sending a message that no criminal is truly anonymous online and removing an easy point of access to stolen information on American businesses and individuals. The FBI will continue to defend the homeland by dismantling the key services that cybercriminals use to facilitate their attacks.”
“Hiding behind a screen does not shield cybercriminals from accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. “This international operation demonstrates the strength of our global alliances and our shared commitment to disrupting platforms that facilitate the theft of data and the victimization of innocent people and organizations worldwide. Together, we will continue to identify, dismantle, and hold accountable those who seek to profit from cybercrime, no matter where they operate.”
The announcement today follows the disruption of predecessor cybercrime marketplaces RaidForums in 2022 and BreachForums in 2023, in addition to the conviction and subsequent sentencing of the founder of BreachForums in 2025.
The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office is investigating the case. The FBI San Diego Field Office, Utah Department of Public Safety, and Provo Police Department also participated in the operation domestically.
Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent L. Andrus and Carl D. LeSueur for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Europol, and numerous law enforcement authorities in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Kosovo, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom provided significant assistance.CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Anyone that has any information regarding LeakBase should contact the FBI at [email protected].
United States Leads Dismantlement of One of the World’s Largest Hacker ForumsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today the seizure of the LeakBase database, one of the world’s largest online forums for cybercriminals to buy and sell stolen data and cybercrime tools.
According to an affidavit unsealed on March 3, the LeakBase forum had over 142,000 members and more than 215,000 messages between members. Available on the open web and in English, the forum had an enormous and continuously updated archive of hacked databases including many from high profile attacks, including hundreds of millions of account credentials. LeakBase allowed forum users to sell the information from stolen databases, including data illegally obtained from U.S. corporations and individuals, and offered credit and debit card numbers, banking account and routing information, usernames and associated passwords which could facilitate additional account takeovers, as well as other sensitive business and personally identifiable information.
On March 3 and 4, law enforcement agents and officers in 14 countries including the United States took synchronized actions against LeakBase and its users in a coordinated effort hosted by Europol in The Hague. Specifically, the United States and other countries shut down LeakBase, seized its data and two of the domains used by the forum, posted seizure banners on the LeakBase sites, sent prevention messages to LeakBase members, and collected additional evidence. Law enforcement also executed search warrants, arrests, and conducted interviews in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
LeakBase Splash Page“The takedown of this cyber forum disrupts a major international platform that cybercriminals use to obtain and profit from the theft of sensitive personal, banking and account credentials,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This operation illustrates the strength of the United States and our international partners working across the globe to dismantle a critical cybercriminal forum. The Criminal Division will continue to leverage our international relationships to protect victim personal and account information from falling into the hands of transnational criminal organizations.”
“This 14-country operation demonstrates the extraordinary cooperation with our international partners,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Working with our partners, we can take down even the most sophisticated cyber criminals and networks. My office remains steadfast in our commitment to investigate and seek justice for Americans who are targeted by individuals attempting to hide behind foreign borders.”
“The FBI, Europol, and law enforcement agencies from around the world executed a takedown of LeakBase, one of the largest online cybercriminal platforms, seizing users’ accounts, posts, credit details, private messages, and IP logs for evidentiary purposes,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Together with our partners, we are sending a message that no criminal is truly anonymous online and removing an easy point of access to stolen information on American businesses and individuals. The FBI will continue to defend the homeland by dismantling the key services that cybercriminals use to facilitate their attacks.”
“Hiding behind a screen does not shield cybercriminals from accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. “This international operation demonstrates the strength of our global alliances and our shared commitment to disrupting platforms that facilitate the theft of data and the victimization of innocent people and organizations worldwide. Together, we will continue to identify, dismantle, and hold accountable those who seek to profit from cybercrime, no matter where they operate.”
The announcement today follows the disruption of predecessor cybercrime marketplaces RaidForums in 2022 and BreachForums in 2023, in addition to the conviction and subsequent sentencing of the founder of BreachForums in 2025.
The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office is investigating the case. The FBI San Diego Field Office, Utah Department of Public Safety, and Provo Police Department also participated in the operation domestically.
Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent L. Andrus and Carl D. LeSueur for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Europol, and numerous law enforcement authorities in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Kosovo, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom provided significant assistance.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Anyone that has any information regarding LeakBase should contact the FBI at [email protected].
Tyler County Woman Admits to Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – An Alma, West Virginia woman is facing 15 years in prison after pleading to a methamphetamine charge, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Jamie Ann Tanner, 44, of Alma, West Virginia, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. During an investigation into Tanner’s drug activity, officers executed a search warrant at her home, where they seized more than 1200 grams of methamphetamine.
Tanner is facing 180 months in prison per the plea agreement. She will be sentenced at a later date.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office; and the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
This case is a 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), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
Two foreign nationals, who returned to the U.S. following deportation, sentenced to federal prison termsRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two federal defendants who repeatedly returned to the U.S. following deportation were each sentenced to six-month federal prison terms with the expectation that they will then be deported, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Alberto Figeroa-Luque,45, a Mexican national and Fredy Ottoniel Alonzo Carcamo, 54, a Guatemalan national were both taken into federal custody following arrests on state crimes. Judge Tana Lin noted that each man had repeatedly returned to the U.S. without authorization.
“Those here illegally who are breaking our laws and making our communities unsafe remain a priority for our office,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Floyd. “While many we arrest are removed before we secure convictions, here are two examples of criminal aliens arrested based on the administration’s priorities. One of these defendants was arrested illegally carrying a firearm and possessing narcotics, the other is a sex offender who failed to register and was caught peeping into a neighbor’s window. Both had been previously deported but returned and broke the law again.”
According to records in his case, Alberto Figeroa-Luque, was ordered removed to Mexico for the first time in 2012. Since that time, he has been removed an additional four times. Figeroa-Luque came to the attention of federal law enforcement when he was arrested by Marysville Police for knowingly using a controlled substance in a public place. A search of his backpack revealed cocaine, fentanyl, and a semi-automatic handgun with a loaded magazine. Based on a judicial warrant, Figeroa-Luque was transferred from state to federal custody. In December 2025, Figeroa-Luque pleaded guilty to Reentry of a Removed Alien.
According to records filed in his case, Fredy Ottoniel Alonzo Carcamo, was convicted in February 2007, of Attempted Voyeurism in King County Superior Court. In July of 2007 he was ordered deported, but removal did not occur. In February 2020, Alonzo Carcamo was convicted of First-Degree Voyeurism in King County Superior Court, after he was caught peering through a broken blind at a woman and young child at 4:00 am. He was removed to Guatemala in July 2021. He was arrested unlawfully entering the U.S. in Arizona in September 2021 and removed a second time in February 2022. In November 2025, Alonzo Carcamo was arrested in King County and charged with failing to register as a sex offender. Based on a judicial warrant Alonzo Carcamo was transferred from state to federal custody, and in December 2025, Alonzo Carcamo pleaded guilty to Reentry of a Removed Alien.
Both cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Special Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Steveson and Christine Caceres prosecuted the cases.
Two Montgomery Men Sentenced on Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced that two Montgomery men have been sentenced to federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm.
On February 25, 2026, a federal judge sentenced 37-year-old Stacy Rodrekus Calloway, of Montgomery, Alabama, to 60 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for violating the terms of his federal supervised release. The court also imposed three years of supervised release to follow his term of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to his plea agreement and court records, Calloway was residing in Montgomery in 2025 while on supervised release after completing a 148-month federal sentence imposed in 2013 for drug and firearms convictions.
On April 11, 2025, law enforcement officers with the Montgomery Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Unit conducted a traffic stop after observing a traffic violation. Before bringing the vehicle to a stop, officers observed the driver, later identified as Calloway, throwing an object from the window. Officers recovered the object, which was a handgun. Because of his prior felony convictions, federal law prohibited Calloway from possessing a firearm. His possession of the handgun also violated the conditions of his supervised release.
Officers also identified a passenger in the vehicle, 47-year-old British Tremain George, of Montgomery. George, who has prior felony convictions, was also found in possession of a handgun. As a convicted felon, George is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
On November 3, 2025, both Calloway and George pleaded guilty to being felons in possession of firearms. The court sentenced George to 20 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the United States Probation Office for the Middle District of Alabama investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted this case.
Turtle Creek Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Robert Bookshar, 49, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV on March 3, 2026.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around September 2021 through in and around June 2023, Bookshar communicated with an online criminal organization that offered child sexual abuse material in the form of “Ultimate Packages”—which investigation determined consisted of seven videos and 30 images of a nude minor female engaged in sexually explicit conduct—as well as a “menu” of minor females who were available for the creation of child sexual abuse material during live video calls. Bookshar requested images, videos, and live video calls depicting child sexual abuse from the criminal organization on a social media app, participated in the live video calls through a second social media app, and paid for the material with gift cards or through various mobile payment apps. Specifically, Bookshar pleaded guilty to the inducement of two minors, one on August 23, 2022, and the other on May 12, 2023, for the purpose of creating child sexual abuse material during a live video call.
Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Bookshar remains in custody pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Allegheny County Police Department, Tampa (Florida) Police Department, and Colorado Springs (Colorado) Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Bookshar.
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 the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tidewater narcotics trafficker sentenced to over 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years and three months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to court documents, in 2025, Kenneth Matthews, 48, was receiving narcotics in Maryland and selling large quantities in the Tidewater area. On July 12, 2025, the Virginia State Police (VSP) located Matthews and conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted after a narcotics canine alerted to the presence of narcotics. Investigators located more than 300 grams of fentanyl divided into distributable quantities, as well as a handgun and approximately $1,000.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., and VSP investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-54.
Three Drug Dealers Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking More Than 69 Kilograms of Illegal SubstancesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Three Ohio men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic dangerous and illegal drugs—including fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine—throughout Greater Cleveland.
The defendants were each sentenced to imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent after pleading guilty to their roles in the drug trafficking conspiracy. All three men were previously incarcerated for drug convictions and were therefore eligible to be designated as career offenders to receive enhanced penalties. The defendants’ sentencings are as follows:
Chantez Moore, 45, of Westlake, Ohio, was sentenced to 276 months (23 years) in prison and ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment. He previously pleaded guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Distribution of Methamphetamine
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fluorofentanyl
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine
Kevin Lanier, 42, of Highland Heights, Ohio, was sentenced to 240 months (20 years) in prison and ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment. He previously pleaded guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Distribution of Fentanyl
- Distribution of Methamphetamine
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fluorofentanyl
James C. Lang, 36, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison and ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment. He previously pleaded guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm
The case began in early 2023 when federal agents were investigating significant drug trafficking activity in the Cleveland area believed to be connected to Mexican drug cartels. According to court documents, from about February 2023 to May 2024, defendants Moore, Lanier, and Lang were observed conducting drug transactions and making frequent visits to several apartments. Some apartments in question were later discovered to be rented under false names. Moore was found to be leasing apartments under fake names at two locations, and Lang also used a fake name to lease an apartment. During executions of search warrants at residences suspected of being connected to the drug conspiracy, agents seized:
- 67 kilograms of fentanyl with 57 kilograms in pill form disguised as Percocet 30s
- One kilogram of cocaine
- One kilogram of methamphetamine
- Numerous firearms: a Taurus G3C 9mm pistol, a Glock 42 .380 pistol, an Anderson AM-15 rifle, and a KelTec Sub 2000 9mm rifle.
The investigation was led by the FBI Cleveland Division, the Cleveland Division of Police, and the Cartel, Gang, Narcotics, and Money Laundering Task Force, a Cleveland-area, multi-agency entity comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement.
Assistant United States Attorney Vasile C. Katsaros for the Northern District of Ohio led the prosecution.
Tahlequah Resident Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bradley Eugene Davis, a/k/a Bradley Eugene Mefford, age 31, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the United States Marshals Service.
On December 29, 2025, Davis pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on November 18, 2025, David possessed a .22 caliber revolver and seven rounds of ammunition after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment or a term exceeding one year.
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.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Davis will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Stern Therapy Consultants Agrees to Pay $315,000 to Settle Allegations of Causing False Claims to MedicareRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Stern Therapy Consultants (Stern), a New York long-term care therapy provider, has agreed to pay $315,000 to resolve allegations that, between Jan. 1, 2017 and Sept. 30, 2019, it conspired with RegalCare Management Group, LLC, RegalCare Management 2.0 (together RegalCare), RegalCare’s owner Eliyahu Mirlis and RegalCare executive Hector Caraballo, to cause the submission of false claims to Medicare for unnecessary skilled nursing facility therapy services. The settlement resolves allegations against Stern in a False Claims Act complaint the government filed in February 2025 against Stern, RegalCare, Mirlis and Caraballo.
Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are inpatient facilities that provide transitional care to patients following a 72-hour or more hospital stay. Federal healthcare programs, including Medicare, reimburse providers for medically reasonable and necessary services rendered to SNF patients. The False Claims Act prohibits individuals or entities from submitting, or causing the submission of, false claims for payment and false statements material to claims for payment from federal healthcare programs.
As detailed in the settlement agreement, Stern admitted that at various times between January 2017 and September 2019, Stern’s therapists provided Ultra High Resource Utilization Group (RUG) SNF rehabilitation therapy services—the most comprehensive and highest reimbursing services—to RegalCare’s Medicare patients after documenting that patients should stop receiving such services, and after patients informed the therapists that they were physically unable to perform and/or refused to perform the services. Stern further admitted that its Senior Regional Director for the RegalCare facilities, who had no clinical experience and no clinical license, certified that a terminated former Stern employee completed Ultra High RUG therapy services for a RegalCare SNF patient without knowing or confirming whether the services were performed by the terminated former employee to justify billing for reimbursement.
The settlement resolves the government’s complaint against Stern. That complaint alleged that Stern caused RegalCare to submit false claims to Medicare for medically unreasonable and unnecessary services to patients of RegalCare’s SNFs. The government’s case against RegalCare, Mirlis and Caraballo is ongoing.
The claims against Stern were brought under the whistleblower or qui tam provision of the False Claims Act. Under the FCA, private parties may sue on behalf of the government for false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The relator will receive $61,875.00 from the proceeds of the settlement. The lawsuit is captioned United States and Commonwealth of Massachusetts ex rel. McCormick v. RegalCare Management 2.0, LLC, et al., No. 20-cv-11805-IT (D. Mass).
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General made the announcement today. This case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Sharobem and Olivia Benjamin of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit.
St. Tammany Parish Man Indicted for Assaulting Federal Court Security OfficerRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSEPH E. MCMANUS, (“MCMANUS”), age 48, of Pearl River, was indicted on February 26, 2026 for assaulting a federal officer, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(a)(1), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, on or about October 6, 2025, MCMANUS, assaulted a Special Deputy United States Marshal while he was engaged in, and on account of, his official duties.
For the offense, MCMANUS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of eight (8) years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Marshal’s Service, Federal Protective Services, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit is prosecuting the matter.
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Springfield Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Federal Hate Crime ViolationRead the Press Release
A Springfield, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for a federal hate crime after assaulting a victim on the basis of their sexual orientation.
Daniel Andrew McGee, 26, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
“The right to live safely in one’s community is a fundamental civil right,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon. “The District of Oregon remains committed to combatting hate crimes and protecting that right for all. While no conviction can undo the harm caused, we hope this sentence will bring some measure of justice to the victim and our community.”
“Hate crimes impact not just individuals, but entire communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Torres of the FBI Portland Field Office. “The FBI works together with our partners to prevent hate crimes from impacting our communities, and every attack on someone because of who and what they are deserves to be acted on by the full extent of the law.”
According to court documents, on the evening of July 5, 2021, McGee met the victim at the victim’s apartment after communicating on the dating application Grindr, an application originally designed for, and primarily used by, gay men. McGee assaulted the victim over the course of several minutes, striking the victim on the head with a wooden tire thumper and using his hands to try to gouge the victim’s eyes out. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries during the assault, including serious head wounds.
The investigation revealed McGee had been researching and planning the attack for weeks. For at least one month prior to the attack, McGee searched the internet for homophobic and graphically violent anti-gay material. McGee planned for the attack by purchasing the weapon and other materials from Amazon and searching the internet for suggestions on how to get away with murder.
On Nov. 18, 2021, a federal grand jury in Eugene, Oregon, returned a one-count indictment charging McGee with a federal hate crime involving an attempt to kill.
On Nov. 25, 2025, McGee pleaded guilty to count one of the indictment.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Eugene Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Huynh for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith for the Civil Rights Division Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
South Carolina Man Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine Supplied by Mexico-Based Drug SourceRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A South Carolina man was sentenced to prison today for distributing kilogram quantities of methamphetamine supplied by a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) with ties to the Sinaloa cartel, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Nicolas Yarcil Uribe-Tamayo, 26, of Easley, S.C., was ordered to serve 151 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Previously, on November 7, 2024, Uribe-Tamayo pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in 2023, law enforcement learned that a Mexico-based DTO with ties to the Sinaloa cartel was shipping kilogram quantities of methamphetamine into North Carolina. During the investigation, Uribe-Tamayo was identified as a local distributor for the DTO. While being surveilled by law enforcement, another member of the DTO met with Uribe-Tamayo and provided him with a kilogram of methamphetamine. After the drug delivery was completed, law enforcement observed Uribe-Tamayo’s vehicle as he traveled to Charlotte. Uribe-Tamayo drove recklessly and at a high rate of speed until stopping at a local restaurant on West Sugar Creek Road. Law enforcement approached Uribe-Tamayo to inquire about his driving and detected the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle and found a kilogram of methamphetamine on the floorboard of the rear seat area. Law enforcement also found an AR-15 style rifle, a loaded hi-capacity magazine loaded with 32 rounds of ammunition, and digital scales.
“Cartels like Sinaloa are infiltrating our communities with drugs, not to mention guns and violence,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “We are committed to their total elimination.”
According to court records, during the investigation, law enforcement learned that Uribe-Tamayo had been involved with the DTO for nearly two years. On multiple occasions while working with the DTO, Uribe-Tamayo was provided with large quantities of narcotics that he would deliver to customers.
Uribe-Tamayo will remain in federal custody until he is transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the Department of Homeland Security (HSI), the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the Lexington Police Department, and the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, for their investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Snow Hill Check Fraudster Sentenced to Almost 3 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Eric Lamont Salvant, 35, to almost three years in federal prison for his role in a sophisticated check-fraud ring. Inmate Salvant pleaded guilty to the charge.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Inmate Salvant conspired with two others to obtain stolen checks through an encrypted messaging app. They altered those stolen checks and created new counterfeit checks. Once the checks had been altered or counterfeited, Inmate Salvant and his coconspirators deposited them into bank accounts held in the names of various money mules recruited by Inmate Salvant, then quickly converted the proceeds to cash.
When a bank teller in Shallotte alerted police to their attempt to deposit a counterfeit check, Police searched their car. Inmate Salvant attempted to hide a bag full of over 50 stolen and counterfeit checks and over 30 debit cards in a variety of names on a grocery-store shelf while the police arrested his coconspirators outside.
“Despite the many technological advances in our financial system, some fraudsters are still up to their old tricks,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Checks can be stolen and used to cheat banks or innocent citizens out of honest money, especially when sent through the mail. Citizens and businesses in our district should carefully monitor payments made by check to ensure delivery and deposit as intended. Our office will continue to protect the good people of Eastern North Carolina by holding fraudsters to account and working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt the criminal networks that enable these shameless crimes. Cheaters. Never. Win.”
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The United States Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Cogburn prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-48-M-KS.
Six Plead Guilty to, and Two Others Charged with, Illegal Re-entry into the U.S.Read the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) announced immigration enforcement actions in the Northern District of Ohio. These are separate cases and are not related. The following individuals pleaded guilty Feb. 19, unless otherwise noted, to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8 U.S. Code 1326.
- Francisco Constancio-Mariscal, 38, a citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least two occasions with the most recent being April 28, 2011. He was found in Port Clinton, Ottawa County, on Jan. 4. Sentencing is set for April 2.
- Marcos Alberto Bardales Lopez, 27, a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being Dec. 6, 2019. He was found in Maumee, Lucas County, on Jan. 12. Sentencing is set for April 2.
- Oscar Mendoza, 52, a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being Jan. 17, 2008. He was found in Maumee, Lucas County, on Jan. 12. Sentencing is set for April 2.
- Alvaro Veliz Gonzalez, 35, a citizen of Guatemala, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least four occasions with the most recent being Oct. 11, 2021. He was found in Toledo, Lucas County, on Dec. 8, 2025. Sentencing is set for April 2.
- Guillermo Gutierrez-Rivas, 36, a citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being June 29, 2024. He was found in Benton Township, Ottawa County, on Dec. 19, 2025. Sentencing is set for April 2.
- Juviny A. Sabillon-Fernandez, 38, a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being Nov. 8, 2016. He was found in Saybrook, Ashtabula County, on Jan. 19. He pleaded guilty Feb. 17 and is scheduled to be sentenced March 23.
Federal grand juries also returned indictments charging two individuals with violating Title 8 U.S. Code 1326. They were found in the Northern District of Ohio without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security for readmission.
- Jorge Alfaro-Rosales, 34, a citizen of Guatemala, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being May 31, 2013. He was found in Toledo, Ohio, Lucas County, on Feb. 2.
- Hugo Hernandez Lopez, aka Pedro Hernandez, aka Pedro Hernandez-Lopez, 36, a citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least four occasions with the most recent being Sept. 22, 2024. He was found in Toledo, Ohio, Lucas County, on Jan. 28.
Additionally, on Feb. 19, Jaime Sanchez-Tlehuactle, 37, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being April 21, 2021. He is subject to a detainer from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and will be taken into administrative immigration custody for removal from the U.S. following the completion of his sentence.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigations in these cases leading to the indictments were conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station.
Prosecutions are being led by Assistant United States Attorneys Ava Rotell Dustin, Sara Al-Sorghali, Jennifer King, Robert N. Melching, Matthew D. Simko, Alissa M. Sterling, and Tracey Ballard Tangeman for the Northern District of Ohio.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and to protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Nearly 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on March 2, 2026.
Donald Hoff, 34, was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hoff was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 30, 2025.
Hoff possessed a Taurus 9mm pistol on March 21, 2025, in Sioux Falls, as well as approximately 27 grams of methamphetamine. He was prohibited from possessing the firearm because he had previously been convicted of a felony—possession of a stolen vehicle—under South Dakota law.
This case was investigated by ATF and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Hoff was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Serial Robber Sentenced to over 32 Years for Terrorizing More Than a Dozen Victims in Philadelphia Between 2022 and 2023Read the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Montez Moore, 32, of Philadelphia, was sentenced to 32 years in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $200,000 in restitution to victims by United States District Court Judge Gail A. Weilheimer for robbing several cellphone stores and individuals who sold high-end merchandise on Facebook Marketplace, and, in one instance, kidnapping and carjacking an employee of a business.
Moore was charged in three separate indictments filed in October 2023, December 2023, and March 2025. As charged in the first indictment, in March 2022, Moore robbed a jeweler at gunpoint after Moore tricked the jeweler into believing that Moore intended to purchase a high-end watch from him on Rising Sun Avenue. As charged in the second indictment, in December 2022, Moore and several other defendants robbed a Castor Avenue cellphone store at gunpoint and stole a firearm from the manager of the store. In May 2023, Moore was arrested at his Henry Avenue apartment in possession of the manager’s firearm. In that same case, also in December 2022, Moore also conspired with others to rob a Castor Avenue check cashing business that resulted in the owner of that business being kidnapped and carjacked at gunpoint. As charged in the third indictment, Moore and several other defendants robbed two cellphone stores at gunpoint, one on South Broad Street in December 2021, and one on Castor Avenue in November 2022. Prior to the robbery on South Broad Street, Moore and his codefendants kidnapped and carjacked an employee of the store. Additionally, Moore committed seven additional gunpoint robberies and one burglary in Philadelphia between December 2022 and February 2023.
In November 2025, Moore pled guilty to interference with interstate commerce by robbery, kidnapping, carjacking, and using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. At the time of his guilty plea, all of Moore’s charges in indictments were consolidated for sentencing. The facts of Moore’s three cases revealed one constant, overarching theme— Moore was a conman who robbed innocent victims after deploying trickery or ambush. He selected his victims either by using the internet or stalking businesses that he thought would be easy to rob. In some instances, Moore created a phony Facebook Marketplace account and purported to be a man from Delaware who moonlighted as a high-end jewelry salesman and sold goods on the secondary market. Moore then solicited transactions from individuals who offered to sell him watches, jewelry, and handbags, and arranged to meet his victims under the guise of engaging them in legitimate financial transactions. But, when the victims arrived at the agreed upon location to conduct business, Moore stuck a gun in their faces and stole their property. On one another occasion, Moore selected a cellphone store on South Broad Street as a business to rob. He recruited two accomplices to follow an employee of the store home on New Year’s Eve in 2021. When the victim arrived at the parking lot of his apartment complex, Moore’s accomplices forced the victim into his own car at gunpoint and drove him back to the store where Moore met them and used the victim’s keys to access the store and steal cellphones, tablets, and videogame consoles worth tens of thousands of dollars.
In all, Moore harmed fourteen people in the wake of his crimes. He decided to use a gun to exert power over victims who had what he wanted: cash, cellphones, watches, jewelry, handbags, and electronics. The seriousness of the offenses cannot be overstated, and the severe punishment he received is warranted and necessary to protect the public. The citizens of this district and country expect that violent crimes committed against innocent, hardworking people are treated seriously and carry significant consequences. The lengthy sentence Moore received accounts for the public’s basic expectations and serves to promote respect for the law and how it is enforced.
The case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Division and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Ashenfelter.
Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Gregory Magin, age 45, of Glenville, New York, pled guilty on March 2, 2026 to one count each of distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Division Craig Tremaroli; and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Magin admitted that in July 2024, he used an Internet-based messaging application (“application”) to encourage the production of multiple child pornography videos by another user who was actively sexually abusing a 14-year-old child. Magin then used the application to distribute one of those child pornography videos to another user. Additionally, during that same month, Magin possessed and distributed approximately 14 child pornography videos to other users of the application, including a video depicting the sexual abuse of a prepubescent child.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sarcone stated: “As admitted through Magin’s plea agreement, Magin actively encouraged the sexual abuse of a minor and promoted the creation of multiple child pornography videos capturing that abuse. Magin’s monstrous crimes will not be tolerated by this Office and now Magin will be off the street and unable to victimize children for a long, long time. Let this be a warning to those who promote the sexual abuse of children: this Office will stop at nothing to identify you, prosecute you, and remove you from our communities. I thank the FBI and New York State Police for their steadfast dedication to investigating and bringing to justice those who prey on children.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: “Not only did Mr. Magin encourage the abuse of a child, but he further exploited the victim by sharing the disgusting images of the abuse with other predators. Today’s plea ensures he will spend a substantial amount of time in federal prison for his horrific acts. The FBI will continue to use every resource available to our Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force to investigate and hold accountable dangerous predators preying on our most vulnerable.”
NYSP Superintendent Steven G. James stated: “Acts that threaten the well-being of children are unconscionable, and we will continue to seek justice for those who have been victimized. Anyone who preys upon and is involved in predatory acts against children must understand that such crimes will not be tolerated. I thank our State Police members, the United States Attorney’s Office, and partners in law enforcement for their unwavering proactive work on this case.”
At his sentencing on July 2, 2026, Magin faces a term of imprisonment of at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Magin also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. He will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by FBI with the assistance of the Colonie Police Department and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney A.J. Vickey is prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Sandston business owner pleads guilty to filing false tax returns and fraudulent pandemic relief applicationsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Sandston man pled guilty today to subscribing to a false tax return and wire fraud.
According to court documents, Kevin Alphonso Starlings, 40, was the sole owner and operator of several businesses, including Jeremiah Enterprises, Starlings Enterprises, The Service Sharks, ProSource Property Solutions, and Jeremiah Entertainment LLC. Starlings issued Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statements from his five businesses to himself, purportedly reflecting the wages, tips, and other compensation he was paid, and the trust fund taxes and federal income tax that were purportedly withheld and paid over to the IRS on his behalf.
For calendar years 2016 through 2022, Starlings filed false Forms 1040 falsely reporting, among other things, that his companies had withheld hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal tax from his income and that he had paid those funds to the IRS. In total, for years 2016 through 2022, Starlings falsely reported that he had withheld and paid to the IRS $827,290. None of Starlings’ companies made any withholding or payment of federal taxes to the IRS on Starlings’ behalf for those years.
From April 2020 through at least September 2021, Starlings fraudulently obtained COVID-19 relief funds by submitting false and misleading applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA), Virginia Employment Commission (VEC), and North Carolina Division of Employment Security (DES).
For example, despite owning and operating his companies and reporting on his tax return that he earned $628,450 in wages in 2020, Starlings filed unemployment applications with the VEC and DES falsely claiming that he was laid off, terminated, or separated from his employment on March 20, 2020. Unaware of Starlings’ fraud, the VEC and DES approved the fraudulent applications and Starlings received approximately $61,726 in unemployment funds.
Starlings also submitted fraudulent applications SBA for loans through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, intended to enable small businesses to meet financial obligations and operating expenses during the pandemic. Starlings submitted 11 EIDL applications for his businesses with misrepresentations including false gross revenue and costs and inflated or fabricated employee counts. Most of Starlings’ EIDL applications were rejected by the SBA, but one application was approved causing the agency to disburse $15,000 to Starlings.
Starlings is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16. He faces up to 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, investigated this case.
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. 3:26-cr-21.
Russian Ransomware Administrator Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Russian national pled guilty in federal court today to a charge connected to a ransomware conspiracy.
Evgenii Ptitsyn, 43, administered the sale, distribution, and operation of Phobos ransomware. Phobos ransomware, through its affiliates, victimized more than 1,000 public and private entities in the United States and around the world, and extorted ransom payments worth more than $39 million. Ptitsyn, who authorities extradited from South Korea in November 2024, pled guilty in federal court to wire fraud conspiracy.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva, Department of Justice (DOJ) – Criminal Division, Assistant Director Brett Leatherman, FBI Cyber Division, and Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office.
According to the guilty plea, beginning in at least November 2020, Ptitsyn and others conspired to engage in an international computer hacking and extortion scheme that victimized public and private entities through the deployment of Phobos ransomware. As part of the scheme, Ptitsyn and his co-conspirators developed and offered access to Phobos ransomware to other criminals or “affiliates” to encrypt victims’ data and extort ransom payments from victims. The administrators operated a darknet website to coordinate the sale and distribution of Phobos ransomware to co-conspirators and used online monikers to advertise their services on criminal forums and messaging platforms.
Affiliates then hacked into the victims’ computer networks, often using stolen or otherwise unauthorized credentials; copied and stole files and programs on the victims’ networks; and encrypted the original versions of the stolen data on the networks by installing and executing Phobos ransomware. Then affiliates extorted the victims for ransom payments in exchange for decryption keys to regain access to encrypted data by leaving ransom notes on compromised victims’ computers and calling and emailing victims to initiate the ransom payment negotiations. Additionally, affiliates threatened to expose victims’ stolen files to the public — or to the victims’ clients, customers, or constituents — if the victims didn’t pay.
After a successful Phobos ransomware attack, criminal affiliates paid fees to Phobos administrators like Ptitsyn for a decryption key to regain access to the encrypted files. Each deployment of Phobos ransomware was assigned a unique alphanumeric string to match it to the corresponding decryption key, and each affiliate was directed to pay the decryption key fee to a cryptocurrency wallet unique to the affiliate. From December 2021 to April 2024, the decryption key fees were then transferred from the unique affiliate cryptocurrency wallet to a wallet Ptitsyn controlled. Ptitsyn also received a portion of the ransomware payments made by victims.
Ptitsyn faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for wire fraud count. Sentencing is set for Wednesday, July 15, at 2:30 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI, along with law enforcement partners in South Korea, the United Kingdom, Japan, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Czech Republic, France, Romania, and Europol, and the U.S. Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center, for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan, along with Senior Counsel Frank Lin of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), who are prosecuting this federal case.
Additional details on protecting networks against Phobos ransomware are available at StopRansomware.gov, including Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Advisory AA24-060A.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to 2 Years of Federal Probation for Participating in an Assault within the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assault by Beating, Striking, or Wounding. The sentencing took place on February 27, 2026.
Joann Sutton, 24, was sentenced to two years of federal probation and ordered to pay a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Sutton was indicted for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury – Aiding and Abetting and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon – Aiding and Abetting by a federal grand jury in November 2024. She pleaded guilty on December 1, 2025.
Accompanying her sister, Jessie Sutton, Joann Sutton set upon and attacked another woman beating her about her body with a weapon and kicking her. The woman suffered injuries requiring immediate medical attention. Jessie Sutton, charged with a federal felony assault charge, is scheduled to be sentenced later.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Philadelphia Correctional Officer and His Former Supervisor Convicted at Trial in Connection with Violation of Inmate’s Constitutional RightsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that a correctional officer and his former supervisor were convicted at trial, in connection with the violation of an inmate’s constitutional rights and an attempt to cover it up.
Jahaan Andrews, 34, and Georgia Malloy, 58, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, worked at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility. Andrews was a correctional officer (“C.O.”) and Malloy was a lieutenant with the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (“PDP”) who supervised him.
Andrews and Malloy were charged by indictment in September of last year, along with another C.O., Oneil Murray, 31, of Philadelphia, with Deprivation of rights under color of law resulting in bodily injury and aiding and abetting, Falsification of records, and other related charges. Murray pleaded guilty to the charges earlier this month.
As proven at trial, on or about October 6, 2020, Andrews detained Inmate 1, a pretrial detainee, in a holding room, purportedly because Inmate 1 was wearing the wrong color jumpsuit. The defendants, along with the correctional sergeant, charged elsewhere, and another C.O. subsequently removed Inmate 1 from the holding room and escorted him to his cell, to conduct a strip search of Inmate 1 and have him change into the correct jumpsuit.
Once inside Inmate 1’s cell, the group of correctional officers ordered Inmate 1 to strip. They then punched, kicked and assaulted Inmate 1 numerous times, knocking him to the ground. As a result of the assault, Inmate 1 was hospitalized with injuries to his face, ribs, and scrotum, and had to undergo emergency surgery.
After any use of force by a C.O. against an inmate, PDP correctional officers who used force, and those who witnessed another C.O. use force, were required to complete reports about what happened, prior to the end of their shift.
In the weeks that followed the assault, the defendants and the correctional sergeant conspired to falsify records, with the intent to impede, obstruct, and influence the investigation and proper administration of a matter within the jurisdiction of the FBI.
Andrews and Murray wrote their use of force reports about the October 6 incident, and Malloy her investigation report, so that they exaggerated the aggressiveness of Inmate 1 and disclosed as little of the true nature of the force the C.O.s used against him as they believed was necessary, to avoid scrutiny of their conduct by their superior officers and others. The reports also falsely claimed that the correctional sergeant did not use force in the October 6, incident.
Andrews faces a maximum possible sentence of 35 years in prison and Malloy a maximum possible sentence of 40 years in prison.
“Correctional officers hold extraordinary power over those in their custody, and with that power comes a clear obligation to protect individuals’ rights while in custody,” said U. S. Attorney Metcalf. “The defendants abused that authority by violently assaulting an inmate and then attempting to conceal their misconduct. This guilty verdict affirms that civil rights violations, especially by those sworn to uphold the law, will be investigated and prosecuted, and those responsible will be held accountable.”
"Let these convictions show that no law enforcement officer is above the law," said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Field Office. "Together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to aggressively investigate potential abuses of power and civil rights violations in our community. We remain steadfast in investigating and bringing to justice those who abuse their authority."
This case was investigated by the FBI, with significant assistance from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell and Michael Miller.
Peruvian National Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTIAN MAXIMO CASTANEDA NEGRETE, 47, a citizen of Peru, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to six months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July 2001, Castaneda Negrete was admitted to the U.S. on a nonimmigrant visa lasting for a period not to exceed one year. In February 2004, Castaneda Negrete was convicted in Connecticut Superior Court in New Britain of burglary in the first degree and unlawful restraint, and was sentenced to six years of incarceration, suspended after nine months. In March 2012, Castaneda Negrete was removed to Peru. Castaneda Negrete illegally reentered the U.S. and, on November 20, 2024, was arrested by the Hartford Police Department and charged with sexual assault in the second degree.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Lembo.
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.
Perry Felon Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Methamphetamine While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Robert “Bobby” Shane Willis, 46, of Perry, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, with a sentencing enhancement due to a prior conviction for a serious drug felony. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Peddling deadly drugs in the Northern District of Florida is a one-way ticket to federal prison, but this defendant clearly didn’t learn his lesson the first time so he has punched his ticket for yet another extended period of incarceration. The citizens of this District deserve safe, drug-free streets, and that is exactly what my office will deliver by continuing to aggressively prosecute crimes and criminals like this until that promise is fulfilled.”
Court documents reflect on March 5, 2025, the defendant sold 6.6 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine during an undercover law enforcement operation. Willis had previously served 108 months in federal prison for drug-trafficking and firearms charges. At the time he committed the current offense, he was still on federal supervised release for those prior convictions.
Willis faces an enhanced sentence requiring a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison as well as a pending violation of supervised release for the prior felonies.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Perry Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
Sentencing for Willis is scheduled for May 6, 2026, at 10:00 am, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Owner of Chicago-Area Convenience Stores Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Defrauding Low-Income Food ProgramRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced the owner of several Chicago-area convenience stores to four years in prison for scheming to defraud a low-income food program for women and children.
From 2010 to 2018, HASSAN ABDELLATIF schemed with eight other convenience store owners or workers in the Chicago area to fraudulently redeem checks from the Women, Infants, and Children (“WIC”) program, a federally funded initiative designed to provide a nutritious diet to low-income children and pregnant, breastfeeding, and post-partum women. Abdellatif and the others knowingly allowed customers to provide their WIC checks as payment for ineligible items at the stores, often at inflated prices. In all, ten stores involved in the scheme redeemed more than $19 million in WIC checks.
A federal jury last year convicted Abdellatif, 37, of Chicago, on all five counts against him, including two counts of wire fraud, one count of fraudulently obtaining government benefits, and two counts of willfully failing to file corporate tax returns. In addition to the four-year prison term, U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso on Tuesday ordered Abdellatif to pay more than $8.8 million in restitution to the government.
Eight others were charged in federal court as part of this investigation. All eight have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Shantel R. Robinson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Midwest Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and Adam Jobes, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kartik K. Raman and Rick Young.
“Hassan Abdellatif and his co-schemers engaged in conduct that was extremely serious, complex, and wide-ranging in scope,” AUSA Raman argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Vulnerable communities are impacted when individuals steal from those programs.”
Orangeburg County Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kamari Johnson, 26, of Orangeburg, has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety believed that Johnson was selling cocaine in the area. On May 13, 2024, law enforcement used a confidential informant to arrange the purchase of a firearm and cocaine from Johnson. Johnson agreed and sold the informant a gun and a small amount of cocaine.
Johnson was prohibited from possessing the firearm based upon prior convictions for burglary and pointing and presenting a firearm.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Johnson to 57 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Orangeburg Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case.
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Okmulgee County Resident Sentenced for RobberyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darin Treyvon Miles, a/k/a Elmo, age 22, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for one count of Robbery in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okmulgee Police Department, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department.
On August 11, 2025, Miles pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on May 8, 2025, Miles stole the victim’s wallet and cell phone at gunpoint. During the robbery, the victim was shot in the shoulder, suffering serious bodily injury. The crime occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Miles will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 60 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – On March 4, 2026, Parke Althaus, 31 years old, of Findlay, Ohio, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to a three count Indictment charging him with distribution of a controlled substance, including charges that carried mandatory minimum sentence, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Althaus was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on three occasions between February and April 2025, Althaus sold a combination of LSD, Ketamine, and MDMA to another individual.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dawn Ransom.
Nebraska Man to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and Meth Distribution in IowaRead the Press Release
Chad Billheimer, 48, from Wayne, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 4, 2026, in federal court to 180 months’ imprisonment.
Billheimer pled guilty October 6, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession and aiding and abetting another in the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Billheimer was involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 2500 grams of meth from 2022 through November 2024. On November 9, 2024, Billheimer was stopped by Sioux City law enforcement for driving the wrong way on a one-way street. During the traffic stop a K-9 alerted on the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a firearm, a 9mm handgun, (later determined to be stolen) from a backpack in the backseat and about two ounces of methamphetamine. Billheimer admitted to dealing over 5 pounds of methamphetamine obtained from a source of supply in Nebraska that he further distributed in Iowa and Nebraska. Billheimer further admitted that he acquired the firearm prior to dealing drugs but now had the handgun to protect himself when he was dealing methamphetamine. Billheimer was previously convicted of driving under the influence, third offense in Nebraska in 2009, a felony, which prohibits him from possessing any firearm.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Billheimer to 180 months’ imprisonment and he must serve a five-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Billheimer remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4008. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Mother Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Fraud Scheme Involving Quadriplegic SonRead the Press Release
A Lubbock woman was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining, forging, and cashing Texas Medicaid checks payable to a former health worker for her quadriplegic son, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Judy Terecia Sanchez, 60, was sentenced to 204 months’ imprisonment on February 19, 2026, by United States District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, after Sanchez pled guilty in July last year to one count of bank fraud. Judge Hendrix also ordered Sanchez to pay restitution of $227,377 to Texas Health and Human Services.
“The defendant inflicted unimaginable suffering on her son by fraudulently pretending he received the care he needed and deserved,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Justice in the form of this lengthy prison sentence is deserved for the defendant’s callous exploitation of her son’s tragic condition for her own gain.”
“This sentencing was the culmination of a tremendous team effort, and I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI and the Texas Office of Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their hard work and dedication in seeing that justice was served,” said Texas HHS Inspector General Raymond Winter, whose agency initiated the investigation. “This case was about something much more troubling than fraud; it was about a severely disabled young man who was deprived of services paid for by taxpayers. Ms. Sanchez received more than $200,000 under false pretenses—monies intended to provide professional help for her own quadriplegic son to perform basic functions that most of us take for granted. Instead, her son went without for more than six years while she stole taxpayer dollars and lied about it. I hope today’s sentencing serves as a potent reminder that Texans will not tolerate this behavior and that the pursuit of justice will be relentless.”
Court records reflect that Sanchez’s son suffered a debilitating injury that left him severely disabled, bed-ridden, blind, non-verbal, non-mobile, and breathing via a tracheostomy. These disabilities made him wholly dependent on others for all of his needs and qualified him for home health care through the Texas Medicaid program. In 2015, Sanchez selected a certified nurse aide to assist with her son’s bathing, toileting, repositioning in bed, hygiene care, and restorative activities. According to court documents, the nurse aide resigned after approximately two weeks, but Sanchez did not replace her with another aide to provide her son’s care. Instead, for the next six years, Sanchez falsified time sheets as if the nurse aide was still caring for her son and submitted the time sheets to Medicaid for payment. Sanchez directed Medicaid to mail the checks – each of which were payable to the nurse aide—to a post office box controlled by Sanchez. Sanchez then forged and cashed the checks.
According to information presented at sentencing, Sanchez’s fraud was discovered when her son was found in an extreme state of neglect and misery toward the end of his life after Sanchez left him unattended. During the investigation, an EMS worker stated that, in her nine-year career, she had never seen a living person in such a state. When imposing the 17-year sentence, Judge Hendrix observed that Sanchez’s fraud had prevented qualified Medicaid care for her son and noted details about his condition, involving pus-filled bed sores and a severe maggot infestation covering his body.
The Office of the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office—Lubbock Resident Agency, and Texas Health and Human Services conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Howey prosecuted the case.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced for Scheme to Bribe Feeding Our Future JurorRead the Press Release
Abdulkarim Farah, a Minneapolis man, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 57-months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for his role in providing a cash bribe to a juror in the first Feeding Our Future trial, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
On April 22, 2024, seven defendants went to trial before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel for their roles in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. Two of the defendants on trial were brothers of Abdulkarim Shafii Farah, 25. During the trial, Abdulkarim Farah conspired with his brothers and others to provide a cash bribe to one of the jurors—Juror 52—in exchange for returning a not guilty verdict in the trial.
According to Mr. Farah’s plea agreement, after his co-defendants identified and decided to target Juror 52, Mr. Farah conducted surveillance of Juror 52 and Juror 52’s house. Mr. Farah also sent a map of where Juror 52 parked during jury service. Co-defendant Ladan Ali was recruited to deliver the bribe money to Juror 52, and Mr. Farah was instructed to drive Ali to Juror 52’s house and record a video of Ali delivering the bribe. After meeting Ali in the vicinity of Juror 52’s house, Mr. Farah drove to a Target store to purchase a screwdriver. Mr. Farah used the screwdriver to remove the license plate from Ali’s rental car in order to avoid detection by law enforcement.
On June 2, 2024, at approximately 8:50 p.m., Mr. Farah drove Ali to Juror 52’s house and recorded her delivering a gift bag containing the bribe money. As Ali handed the money to a relative of Juror 52, she explained that there would be more money if Juror 52 voted to acquit the defendants. After the bribe money was delivered, Mr. Farah sent the video he had taken to his brother, Abdiaziz Farah. After the bribe had been disclosed in court, on June 3, 2024, Mr. Farah uninstalled and deleted the encrypted messaging app Signal from his iPhone in order to destroy the messages he and his co-defendants exchange concerning the bribery attempt.
Abdulkarim Farah was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Eric C. Tostrud to 57 months imprisonment—the high end of Mr. Farah’s federal sentencing guidelines range and the sentence advocated for by the government. While handing down the sentence, Judge Tostrud said that “properly functioning juries are the core of our criminal justice system” and that it is the role of the federal judiciary to safeguard citizens’ rights to fair and impartial juries. Judge Tostrud also expressed gratitude to Juror 52 for resisting the temptation to accept the very substantial bribe.
The 57-month sentence represents the high-end of Mr. Farah’s sentencing Guidelines range
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI with assistance from IRS – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Rebecca E. Kline and Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case.
McKeesport Felon Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison for Possession and Use of Firearm While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 76 months of imprisonment, to be followed by 46 months of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal firearms law, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Thomas Thornton, 49.
According to information presented to the Court, on December 19, 2024, Thornton discharged 10 rounds of ammunition from a stolen 9mm semi-automatic pistol into an occupied residence within the City of Pittsburgh. Officers with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police detained Thornton within minutes of the incident, and, following the execution of a search warrant on Thornton’s vehicle, recovered the 9mm pistol Thornton used in the shooting. At the time of the offense, Thornton was on federal supervised release following a 37-month sentence in federal prison for a drug trafficking and firearms conviction. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Thornton.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Maryland Man and California Co-Conspirator Plead Guilty to Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man and his California co-conspirator pled guilty in federal court in connection with drug trafficking crimes.
Norville Clarke, 56, of Clarksburg, Maryland, and Daniel Cruz, 39, of Los Angeles, California, are both charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Secretary of State Police, Maryland State Police (MSP); Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to the guilty plea, in 2023, multiple federal agencies partnered to investigate a drug-trafficking organization (DTO) transporting and distributing large quantities of cocaine from California to Maryland. The investigation began in March 2023, when MSP seized a parcel that contained approximately two kilograms of cocaine. The parcel was mailed from the Los Angeles area and was destined for Clarke’s auto-repair shop in District Heights, Maryland. Through investigating the source of the parcel, postal inspectors and other law enforcement investigators linked Cruz to the narcotics contained within the parcel.
In January 2024, postal inspectors and other investigators identified a freight-shipment container shipped from Los Angeles, destined for Clarke’s auto-repair shop in District Heights, Maryland. Law enforcement identified Cruz on surveillance footage dropping off the freight shipment at the shipping company in California. The authorities further observed Cruz traveling to Maryland to follow the shipment for delivery.
Postal inspectors and other law enforcement investigators observed Cruz and Clarke meeting at Clarke’s auto-repair shop several days after the freight shipment was sent from California. Investigators then located the freight shipment in Dulles, Viriginia, where a law enforcement K-9 officer scanned it. After the K-9 officer indicated the presence of narcotics in the shipment, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the freight container. Then postal inspectors and law-enforcement investigators located two automobile transmissions inside. Law enforcement found 20, one-kilogram bricks secreted in the oil pans of both transmissions that laboratory forensic tests later confirmed were more than 16 kilograms of cocaine.
Postal inspectors, DEA agents, MSP officers and other members of law enforcement then executed search warrants at Clarke’s District Heights auto-repair shop, Clarke’s Clarksburg residence, and Cruz’s hotel room in Capitol Heights, Maryland. At the auto-repair shop, law enforcement located an additional 502.4 grams of cocaine and then found two-kilogram bricks of cocaine and $45,730 in U.S. Currency at Clarke’s residence. Investigators later identified an additional nine historical freight shipments that mirrored the original shipment that contained cocaine that Cruz sent to Clarke’s auto-repair shop utilizing the same freight shipping company.
In their plea agreements, Clarke and Cruz both agreed that they were involved in possessing almost 22 kilograms of cocaine in furtherance of this drug trafficking conspiracy. Clarke and Cruz face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison, followed by up to lifetime of supervised release. Cruz’s sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, June 18, at 1 p.m. Sentencing for Clarke is scheduled for Friday, July 24, at 10 a.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS, DEA, MSP, MCPD, and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Rigney and Michael Jaskiw who are prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Maryland Man Sentenced for Passport Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Gwynn Oak, Maryland, man received a federal-prison term today after pleading guilty to committing identity theft crimes.
U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Beautiful Life Allah aka “Tezelle Miller,” aka “Tezell Miller,” 66, of Gwynn Oak, Maryland, to three years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for passport fraud, aggravated identity theft, false statements, and false representation of a social security number.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea and sentence with David M. Richeson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) –Washington Field Office, and Michael McGill, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) – Philadelphia Field Division.
According to court documents, Allah used someone else’s social security number to submit a passport application; submitted a fraudulent custody order to apply for a passport for his minor child; and made false statements on passport applications from August 2022 through February 2023.
In August 2020, Allah received a legal passport after he submitted an application. After he received his passport, law enforcement charged Allah with an unrelated criminal offense and issued a warrant for his arrest in Hampton County, Virginia. Law enforcement also listed the warrant in the National Crime Information Center. As a result, if Allah attempted to travel using the passport, he likely would have been arrested due to the outstanding warrant notification.
Then in 2022, Allah started using the identity of Victim 1, an adult male incarcerated in New York. In August 2022, Allah used fraudulent loan documents, a fraudulent birth certificate, bank records, and a W-2 statement — that contained Victim 1’s social security number — to apply for a driver’s license at the Maryland Department of Motor Vehicles.
In February 2023, Allah continued using Victim 1’s identification, as he submitted a fraudulent U.S. Passport application in the victim’s name, along with a picture of himself. After Allah submitted the fraudulent application, DSS flagged the application due to fraud indicators. As a result, DSS, with assistance from the SSA-OIG, began investigating Allah.
Through its investigation, law enforcement discovered that Allah submitted a second fraudulent passport application in the name of his minor son. In the application, Allah included a fraudulent New York custody order, falsely claiming he had full physical and legal custody of the minor child. But the child’s biological mother had sole custody.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended DSS and SSA-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Maryland Man Sentenced for Laundering Fraud MoneyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Maryland man has been sentenced to a year and a day in prison and ordered to repay $5.45 million to victims of a series of frauds, U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus announced Wednesday.
James Marcus Dyett, 60, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy in November. He admitted conspiring with at least seven other people to conceal the source of funds obtained via fraud and transfer that money into cryptocurrency accounts or other accounts. The conspirators received at least 34 wire transfers totaling $8.3 million from at least 36 victims of business email compromise (BEC) wire fraud schemes or romance fraud.
Dyett began communicating with “Victoria” via WhatsApp in October of 2022. Victoria hired Dyett for a job at Coins2Trade, which she described as a cryptocurrency transaction processor, in exchange for a 3.5% commission on transactions he processed. Victoria provided paperwork to the defendant to form JMD Consultant Services LLC in Maryland and then introduced him to Richard Charles Appelbaum and “E.S.” They trained him via WhatsApp messages and phone calls, telling him to create business entities and open numerous business and personal bank accounts and accounts at various cryptocurrency exchanges under his own name. They told Dyett to provide the account information to Victoria and E.S. and move funds from the bank accounts into cryptocurrency accounts as soon as possible. Dyett and his conspirators falsely claimed on the corporate organization documents that the businesses would be involved in auto purchasing consulting, boating supplies, real estate management and life skills consulting when their real purpose was attempting to appear legitimate and receive large wire transfers. Between February 2022 and April 2023, the conspirators opened at least 24 business bank accounts at various institutions.
Dyett’s co-defendant, Lisa Mae Burnett, was listed on the corporate documents of JMD and met him at a bank in April of 2023, where they tried to arrange for a fraudulent $2 million wire transfer.
Burnett, 64, is serving a five-year prison sentence. She was also ordered to repay $5.45 million.
Appelbaum, 41, is serving a three-year sentence. He was ordered to repay $2.3 million.
The FBI and the Baltimore County (Maryland) Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case.
Report fraud to ic3.gov, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Maryland Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Maryland man has been indicted on child-exploitation charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
A three-count indictment charges Donald Bernard Mewhort, Sr., 42, of Lexington Park, Maryland, with sexual exploitation of children, coercion and enticement of a minor, and transfer of obscene matter to a minor. The indictment alleges that these events occurred between January 6, 2026, and January 12, 2026, in Limestone County, Alabama.
The FBI Birmingham Field Office and FBI Baltimore, Maryland Field Office investigated the case along with the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office and the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.
If you suspect or become aware of the possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s 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 and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Maryland Man Charged with Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A complaint was unsealed today in U.S. District Court charging Frank Olivarria, 35, of Maryland, with distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
According to court documents, starting on Aug. 1, 2025, Olivarria began communicating with a user on a dating application and subsequently an encrypted messaging application regarding his sexual interest in children. Olivarria stated during the exchange, “I really like cute toddlers man.” Olivarria then distributed approximately eight videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including one video depicting a child being bound. Olivarria was previously employed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
This case is being investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Charges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Marion County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Clayton Lee Harris (22, Ocklawaha) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 10 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. He pleaded guilty on November 13, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, on July 26, 2025, an undercover officer portrayed a 14-year-old female on an online dating website. Harris contacted the undercover officer and, after learning the minor’s age, asked to meet for a sexual encounter. When Harris arrived at the meeting location, he was apprehended by law enforcement.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing a Rockford Post OfficeRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A man has admitted in federal court that he robbed a U.S. Post Office in Rockford last year.
On May 27, 2025, ANTHONY JOHNSON walked approximately one block from his residence in Rockford to the Post Office, where he told the clerk to give him all the money in the cash register. After stealing approximately $219, Johnson ran back to his residence, crossing private backyards on his way.
Johnson, 59, pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of robbing money from the United States. The conviction is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston set sentencing for July 8, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Mary T. Johnson, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Kim.
Man Charged with Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer and Damaging Government PropertyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man has been charged for forcibly resisting, opposing, and impeding federal officers and willful depredation of government property, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
Alfredo Nufio Marroquin, 39, made an initial appearance in federal court on February 10, 2026.
According to charging documents, on January 22, 2026, agents and task force officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement attempted to conduct a vehicle stop of Marroquin, who is allegedly unlawfully present in the United States. As agents approached, the defendant allegedly failed to comply and fled in his vehicle. Officers followed and attempted a second stop, at which time Marroquin allegedly placed the vehicle in reverse, striking a law enforcement vehicle and causing damage. It is alleged that Marroquin then turned the vehicle sharply toward officers and fled.
Federal criminal charges are merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julianne Klein.
The matter was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations.
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.
Luzerne County Woman Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Gail Nossavage, age 62, of Harding, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 3, 2025, to 15 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick, for one count of wire fraud.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, from approximately April of 2020 through December of 2021, Nossavage was employed as an administrative assistant with a church located in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Part of her duties were to manage financial matters for the church, including, but not limited to, management of church monetary collections and deposits of such collections. An investigation by the FBI revealed that Nossavage had made at least 115 deposits into her own bank account that were unrelated to any legitimate funds or checks and were fraudulently obtained. Additionally, FBI learned that Nossavage had charged credit cards in the name of the church without the church representatives’ knowledge or permission and had unlawfully compensated herself with the church’s money for things that she titled, “bonuses,” “miscellaneous,” “vacation,” “travel.” FBI learned that much of the fraudulently obtained monies were paid by Nossavage into online gambling platforms.
Judge Mehalchick also ordered Nossavage to pay $184,724.68 dollars in restitution and to serve a 3-year term of supervised release following her incarceration.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Honora Berti prosecuted the case.
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Lucas County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A 55-year-old Lucas County man has been sentenced to prison for sharing sexually explicit photos of children in online child sexual abuse chat groups.
Steven Nowak, of Toledo, Ohio, has been sentenced to 180 months (15 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge James R. Knepp, after pleading guilty in September 2025 to Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography, or Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM). He was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $18,000 in restitution. Judge Knepp imposed the sentence March 3.
According to court documents, federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New England were investigating online groups that trafficked CSAM. From about January through April of 2025, Nowak was identified as a member of several groups and found to be actively sharing content showing the sexual abuse of children. Some of the victims in the videos included infants and toddlers. During a search warrant executed at Nowak’s residence, agents seized his electronic devices. The investigation of his cellphone revealed that he was in possession of numerous images and videos of CSAM. Nowak later admitted that he shared photos of a minor family member online to elicit sexual feedback and engagement from others involved in the group.
This investigation was led by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorney Sara Al-Sorghali for the Northern District of Ohio led the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and 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 justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Lubbock Chapter President of the Banditos Motorcycle Club Charged with Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
A Lubbock man and chapter president of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club was federally charged for his role in possessing large quantities of methamphetamine for distribution, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Steven Glenn Ryals, 74, of Lubbock, Texas, also known as “Hot Tub,” was charged by federal complaint on March 2, 2026, with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Ryals appeared before a United States Magistrate Judge in Lubbock that same day for his initial appearance on the charges. He remains in federal custody pending further court proceedings. If convicted, Ryals faces a statutory maximum sentence of twenty years in federal prison.According to the complaint, in early 2025, law enforcement agents initiated an investigation into Ryals, who was the Banditos Notorious Chapter President, and other Banditos members suspected of methamphetamine trafficking the Lubbock area. On February 27, 2026, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant for the Banditos Notorious clubhouse, which was also Ryals’s residence. Inside an office, agents located approximately 3.2 pounds of suspected methamphetamine inside a locked drawer of a wooden filing cabinet. Next to the cabinet was another cabinet containing Ryals’ BMC paraphernalia, as depicted below:
In other areas of the office, agents found multiple items commonly used in the distribution of controlled substances, including numerous small plastic baggies, digital scales, and a concealed compartment located inside a bookshelf.
This investigation was a joint operation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Lubbock Texas Anti-Gang Center, and Caprock Hi-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). The Texas Anti-Gang Center is composed of agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lubbock Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Rancourt is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lebanon County Man Sentenced to 138 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Angel Lopez-Guzman, age 38, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 138 months of imprisonment by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Lopez-Guzman traveled from Lebanon to Scranton, where he purchased a kilogram of cocaine for distribution in the Lebanon area. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop as he returned to Lebanon. After obtaining a search warrant, law enforcement recovered the kilogram of cocaine and a handgun from the trunk of Lopez-Guzman’s car.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lebanon County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.
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Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Large Quantity of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today by United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for selling a large quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on July 17, 2024, Josiah Judah was introduced by co-defendant Urkeno Walter as the co-defendant’s “right hand man”. During the conversation, Judah said Walter used him in drug sale negotiations with Mexican drug traffickers and Judah often received complimentary rooms at a hotel which he used to sell drugs. On August 28, 2024, in a parking lot, Judah sold two pounds of methamphetamine for $2,800.
Judah pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine.
“Today’s sentencing sends a stern message to drug traffickers who peddle drugs and endanger the safety and wellbeing of our communities,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles Division, which oversees Nevada. “One by one, you will be held accountable. The strong partnership between local, state, and federal agencies demonstrates DEA’s relentless commitment to bringing drug criminals to justice and halting the flow of methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs.”
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Chrysanthis made the announcement.
The DEA investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Brister prosecuted the case.
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Lake County Felon Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Kevin Eugene Leeks, Jr. (34, Leesburg) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty on October 31, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, Leeks has been a convicted felon since 2013. His prior felony convictions include robbery with a deadly weapon. On July 13, 2019, a deputy from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Leeks. During the stop, Leeks instructed a passenger to throw Leeks’s loaded pistol out of the car window. The deputy recovered the firearm and arrested Leeks. As a convicted felon, Leeks is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Lake County Convicted Felon Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Gregory Coleman III (29, Leesburg) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, Coleman has been convicted of four state felonies—aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting a law enforcement officer with violence, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, and possession of cocaine. Following these convictions, on November 4, 2023, Coleman sold a firearm to a confidential source who was working in cooperation with federal agents. Coleman told the source he had more firearms but wanted to keep them for himself. As a convicted felon, Coleman is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Eustis Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.