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Wednesday 19 November 2025
Former Employee of South Lake Tahoe Construction Company Convicted of Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Dena M. Coggins, Kami Elois Power, 54, of Gardnerville, Nevada, was found guilty today of 11 counts of wire fraud, three counts of bank fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between November 2019 and May 2023, Power worked as an office manager and controller at a family-owned construction company in South Lake Tahoe. During her employment, Power embezzled more than $1.4 million from the company. She disguised more than $700,000 of these fraudulent transfers as payments made to vendors that the company worked with—under fake profiles she created in the names of real companies, as well as fake companies that reflected her own initials, such as “KEP Inc. Sale” and “KPI.” She disguised additional fraudulent transfers as payments for payroll or reimbursements. Power also used the company’s credit card to make unauthorized personal purchases and paid down the balance of her own personal credit cards. Power used the money she stole to purchase two houses, several new cars and ATVs, and a horse. She also spent the money on field-level seats at football games and a $29,000 Hawaii vacation.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and the South Lake Tahoe Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliot Wong and Dhruv Sharma are prosecuting the case.
Power is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Coggins on Feb. 27, 2026. Power faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of wire fraud, 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for each count of bank fraud, and a mandatory two-year sentence on each count of aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Investors in Ponzi Scheme that Took in over $27 MillionRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Florida man has pled guilty to his part in defrauding investors through a company called Peoples Equity Group (PEG), an investment company based in Miami, Florida, that operated from 2021 to 2024. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty plea today.
Dakota A. Smith, 34, of Miami, Florida, pled guilty on November 18, 2025, before United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to information presented in court, Smith and his co-conspirator defrauded investors by misrepresenting to them that PEG owned small, profitable companies in e-commerce and aviation. Smith solicited investments based on promises that the investors would obtain ownership interests in the companies owned by PEG and its affiliated entities. In fact, Smith and his co-conspirator knew that neither PEG nor its affiliated entities had any ownership interest or control over the companies in marketed.
As a part of the fraudulent scheme, Smith presented fraudulent financial documents which purportedly showed the financial success of the acquired companies while on monthly video calls with investors located across the United States, including investors in West Tennessee and abroad.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2026. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Ponzi schemes and crimes of dishonesty do not pay and will be exposed. This case represents our commitment to root out fraudulent schemes, protect investors, hold offenders accountable for their dishonest criminal conduct, and to recover ill-gotten proceeds on behalf of victims.”
"This elaborate investment fraud scheme defrauded investors of over $27 million," said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI will continue to investigate those who attempt to defraud unsuspecting Americans of their hard-earned money. It is thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the FBI Memphis Resident Agency’s White Collar Crime Squad and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee that this scheme was detected and stopped.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The case was prosecuted on behalf of the government by Assistant United States Attorney Scott P. Smith.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Florida Man Indicted for Interstate Threats Made While Living in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland unsealed an indictment, charging Arsham Rashidi Dizajgan, 27, of Gainesville, Florida, with six counts of transmitting in interstate or foreign commerce a threat to injure another person. Law enforcement arrested Dizajgan today in Gainesville.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley, FBI – Jacksonville Field Office; Police Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police Department (AACOPD); and Chief of Police Nelson Moya, Gainesville Police Department (GPD).
“Threats to the safety and security of American citizens will not be tolerated, particularly when such threats adopt the language and tactics of violent extremists and foreign terrorist organizations,” Hayes said. “We will investigate and prosecute such violations to the fullest extent of the law.”
"The FBI takes all threats seriously and will investigate each and every potential threat brought to our attention,” Paul said. “Swift collaboration between the FBI’s Baltimore and Jacksonville Field Offices, as well as the Anne Arundel County and Gainesville Police Departments, led to this arrest. We continue to encourage the public to report any concerning messages to law enforcement.”
“This arrest reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities,” Carley said. “When an individual uses social media to issue violent threats and signals support for a foreign terrorist organization, the FBI will hold that individual accountable. We take these threats seriously and will move quickly to ensure online rhetoric does not turn into real-world harm.”
As alleged in the indictment, in widely disseminated propaganda videos, Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization, uses upside-down red triangles to mark targets just before they are attacked. Beginning in about September 2024, and continuing through March 2025 — while living in Arnold, Maryland — Dizajgan used the social media platform TikTok to post photographs and videos of Americans with upside-down red triangles over their heads, along with threatening comments. During the same time frame, Dizajgan also used his TikTok account to post photographs, videos, and comments condemning Americans and non-Muslims and celebrating violence against them.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, AACOPD, and GPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina A. Hoffman who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Final Defendant Sentenced in Major Wiregrass Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer, with the Drug Enforcement Administration New Orleans Division, announced the final sentencing in a large-scale drug trafficking operation that spanned Alabama’s Wiregrass region. On November 4, 2025, 45-year-old Terrell Edwards, of Ozark, Alabama, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. Following his prison term, Edwards will serve three years of supervised release. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.
According to court records, in the spring of 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), along with multiple local law enforcement partners, launched an investigation into suspected drug trafficking by 46-year-old Terrance Edwards — Terrell Edwards’s brother — in Dale and Houston counties. Investigators determined that fifteen individuals, including the Edwards brothers, were involved in a drug trafficking organization responsible for bringing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine into the Wiregrass for distribution. Twelve members of the organization were indicted in June 2024, and three additional members were indicted in August 2024.
During the investigation, agents identified Terrance Edwards, also of Ozark, as a major participant who played a significant leadership role within the conspiracy. On March 13, 2025, Terrance Edwards was sentenced to 408 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
Other members of the conspiracy and their sentences include:
- Deondre Ferebee, 43, of Ozark, Alabama – 210 months in prison; five years of supervised release
- Carlos Olivo Ynirio-Sanchez, 24, of the Dominican Republic – 168 months in prison; five years of supervised release
- Anthony Williams, 46, of Ozark, Alabama – 156 months in prison; five years of supervised release
- Michael Sanford, 54, of Brundidge, Alabama – 150 months in prison; five years of supervised release
- Corey Jones, 39, of Midland City, Alabama – 144 months in prison; five years of supervised release
- Frazier Franklin, 47, of Dothan, Alabama – 120 months in prison; five years of supervised release
- Kevin McLeod, 48, of Enterprise, Alabama – 120 months in prison; five years of supervised release
- Aaron Jiles, 46, of Ozark, Alabama – 84 months in prison; five years of supervised release
- Cornelius Kilow, 48, of Ariton, Alabama – 84 months in prison; five years of supervised release
- Kevon Green, 37, of Ozark, Alabama – 67 months in prison; five years of supervised release
- Dontavia Barrow, 46, of Brundidge, Alabama – 60 months in prison; four years of supervised release
- Palmere Ritter, 39, of Dothan, Alabama – 44 months in prison; five years of supervised release
- Willie C. Matthews, 55, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida – 30 months in prison; three years of supervised release
“The Edwards brothers and their co-conspirators flooded the Wiregrass with illegal narcotics,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “Their sentences reflect our commitment to protecting the people of this district from those who endanger our communities through drug trafficking.”
“This sentencing marks the successful conclusion of a significant investigation that has dismantled a major drug trafficking organization,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Hofer. “For too long, these individuals poisoned our communities with large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. The substantial sentences handed down send a clear message: the DEA and our law enforcement partners are committed to aggressively pursuing and bringing to justice those who profit from drug distribution. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safety and health of the citizens in Alabama and across the New Orleans Division.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Eufaula Police Department, Dothan Police Department, Houston County Sheriff’s Office, Dale County Sheriff’s Office, and Ozark Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Wilson and Mark Andreu.
Felon Who Harassed Family on WMATA Bus with an Uzi-Style Pistol Sentenced to Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ricardo Rush, 29, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced on October 23 to 60 months in prison in connection with a March 2025 incident during which he pulled out an Uzi-style semi-automatic pistol on a crowded Metrobus and threatened to kill two parents and their young children, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Rush pleaded guilty on June 17 before Judge Amir H. Ali to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, to assault with a dangerous weapon, and to possession of a firearm during crime of violence or dangerous offense. In addition to the five-year prison term, Judge Ali ordered Rush to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Rush boarded a WMATA bus on March 8, 2025 about 11:26 a.m. on the 300 block of Ridge Road SE. Four minutes later, a man and a woman accompanying two small children board the same bus on the 4800 block of Texas Avenue SE.
The family sat in the row in front of Rush, who began harrassing them. About 11:32 a.m., Rush stood up, stated “Bitch, sit down, this isn’t a toy,” and pointed a black pistol in the woman’s face.
The bus pulled over. Rush continued to intimidate the woman, waved the gun, and threatened to kill all four family members.
About 11:33 a.m., Rush stepped off the bus and pointed the weapon at the woman for a third time. Two minutes later, Rush reboarded the bus. He threatened again to kill the man and woman as he held the firearm, pointing it at the man. Rush head-butted the man and threatened him.
After threatening the family again, Rush exited the bus and fled the scene.
On April 10, 2025, about 11:10 a.m., law enforcement located Rush at his residence. Officers located a black MasterPiece Arms Defender semi-automatic handgun loaded with one round in the chamber, and which contained a high-capacity magazine loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition. They recovered an additional magazine holding 13 rounds.
Rush had previously been convicted in 2021 of assault with a dangerous weapon in Superior Court and as a felon was prohibited from possessing any firearm.
This case was investigated by WMATA and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared English and Special Assistant Haley Pennington.
Federal Law Enforcement Highlight Continuity of Operations During Government ShutdownRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- On Wednesday, November 19th, federal law enforcement leaders from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, FBI Indianapolis, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives gathered at a roundtable discussion to highlight each agency’s accomplishments in maintaining public safety during the 43‑day government shutdown.
“No matter the circumstances, our commitment to you does not waver. We are here every day- protecting communities, upholding the rule of law, and defending the safety and rights of Hoosiers,” said U.S. Attorney Wheeler. “We extend our deepest gratitude to the men and women of the U.S. Department of Justice and our federal law enforcement partners in Indianapolis and across the district. Despite going without pay for six weeks, they continued to safeguard our communities and uphold the rule of law with unwavering commitment.”
“I could not be prouder of the men and women of the FBI who showed up every day during the shutdown because protecting the American people isn’t something we do only when it’s convenient - it’s our mission,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy O’Malley. “Alongside our partners we continued investigations, responded to threats, and worked to keep our communities safe, even without receiving a paycheck. That’s what public service looks like.”
“ATF protects America’s communities by confronting violent crime driven by the illegal use of firearms, explosives and acts of arson. Our Special Agents concentrate on identifying and dismantling illegal firearms traffickers who fuel violence by arming prohibited persons, gang members, drug cartels, illegal aliens and terrorist organizations. Through advanced Crime Gun Intelligence (NIBIN, firearms tracing, and touch DNA), ATF partners with state and local law enforcement to investigate, identify, and prosecute violent offenders. At the same time, we safeguard lawful commerce and uphold the Second Amendment.”
This commitment to justice was no more evident than in the Southern District of Indiana, where the attorneys and staff of the United States Attorney’s Office, as well as our federal partners, continued critical operations to keep Hoosiers safe.
For the period between October 1st and November 12th, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) secured federal charges against 41 individuals:
- 19 for violent crime and firearms
- 13 for federal drug trafficking
- 6 for child sexual exploitation
- 3 for fraud
The USAO also secured federal prison sentences against another 30 individuals:
- 12 for violent crime and firearms
- 12 for federal drug trafficking
- 1 for child sexual exploitation
- 5 for fraud
The Civil Division safeguarded the interests of the federal government in both federal and state courts, resolving allegations of fraud against the public, including a $9.6 million health care fraud settlement under the False Claims Act and Anti‑Kickback Statute. The division defended the United States, its agencies, and employees in more than forty new lawsuits, enforced debts owed by criminal defendants, and pursued asset forfeiture actions that returned thousands of dollars to crime victims.
The Appellate Division advanced key prosecutions, handling 11 appeals and managing 7 district court cases. These included affirming convictions of methamphetamine and fentanyl traffickers, a child molester in possession of child sexual abuse material, and an armed robber of a cell phone store. The division also litigated appeals involving a Sinaloa Cartel member smuggling drugs across the border, local drug dealers, a police officer convicted of assaulting detainees, a felon selling meth while armed, and a robber who stole $148,000 at gunpoint from an ATM worker.
These cases, and many others like them, were successfully worked by the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals and state and local law enforcement partners while the government was shut down. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked law enforcement partners throughout the Southern District of Indiana and the paralegals, victim specialists, financial investigator, and federal prosecutors who work in the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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Federal Court Terminates Consent Decree Regarding the New Orleans Police Department After Successful ReformsRead the Press Release
Today, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana terminated the consent decree covering the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD), marking the end of federal court oversight under the 2013 decree. The Justice Department and the City of New Orleans jointly moved to terminate the consent decree based on NOPD’s successful implementation of reforms related to use of force; crisis intervention; stops, searches, and arrests; and other areas.
“We are proud to recognize the New Orleans Police Department’s sustained progress and commitment to constitutional policing,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We credit the officers and supervisors who have transformed NOPD — despite local political obstacles — and who continue to work to keep communities safe.”
“We join our Justice Department colleagues in the Civil Rights Division in applauding the collaborative efforts with the NOPD that have resulted in today’s termination,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “The NOPD’s reforms have already borne many good fruits in our community. There can be no question that our city is safer, and our police department is better, as a direct result of this case.”
In 2012, the Justice Department completed an investigation into NOPD under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. In 2013, the Department and the City of New Orleans entered into a consent decree to address the investigation’s findings that NOPD engaged in a pattern or practice of conduct that violated the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In January 2025, the district court granted the parties’ joint motion for approval of a sustainment plan to ensure the durability of NOPD’s reforms, recognizing that today’s NOPD “is a far different agency from the one that spawned DOJ’s investigation in 2011 and the imposition of the Consent Decree in 2013.”
Resolution of the NOPD case marks the seventh police reform matter — some court consent decrees and some out-of-court agreements — that the Justice Department has been able to resolve so far in 2025. In each of these matters, the Justice Department has worked with law enforcement agencies around the country to successfully implement reforms to better serve Americans and return control to local authorities.
Farmington Marijuana Conspirators Convicted at TrialRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: Lucas Sirois, 45, and his father, Robert Sirois, 71, both of Farmington, were found guilty on November 18 in U.S. District Court in Bangor of multiple charges arising from their participation in a lengthy conspiracy to cultivate and distribute vast quantities of marijuana. The verdicts followed a five-day jury trial.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from at least 2016 through July 2020, Lucas Sirois was the leader of a conspiracy that involved the cultivation and distribution of well in excess of 8,000 kilograms of marijuana from just one of several industrial grow locations he operated through corporate shell companies Lakemont LLC, Sandy River Properties LLC, and Spruce Valley LLC. Each corporation was found guilty of operating a drug premises.
Robert Sirois was also found guilty of participating in the conspiracy, based on his involvement at the grow facility located at 374 High Street in Farmington, referred to by the conspiracy members as the Shoe Shop. The Shoe Shop was divided into multiple rooms, and cooperating witnesses estimated that it produced upwards of 50 pounds a week of marijuana throughout the conspiracy period.
Five of the defendants’ drug coconspirators, including four cooperating defendants and one immunized witness, testified over the five-day trial. One cooperating defendant testified that for a three-year period, he purchased more than 30 pounds a week of marijuana for between $900 and $1500 per pound from Lucas Sirois, which he supplied to mid-level drug dealers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Lucas Sirois was also convicted of two counts of tax fraud, and one count of bank fraud at trial. Lucas Sirois’s tax preparer, Kenneth Allen, who had previously pleaded guilty to tax fraud himself for his role in the conspiracy, testified that at Sirois’s direction, he created false transactions among Sirois’s companies in order to zero-out more than $400,000 in federal taxes Lucas Sirois owed for 2017 and 2018. Multiple witnesses testified that Lucas Sirois had lied to a local credit union when he opened accounts there in order to hide that he was in the marijuana business. Millions of dollars in marijuana proceeds flowed through those accounts during the conspiracy period.
Robert Sirois was acquitted of one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
Lucas Sirois faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison, and up to a $10 million fine. Robert Sirois faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Both men will be sentenced after the completion of presentence investigative reports by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine their sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Trial proceeded in this case only after a lengthy evidentiary hearing on the defendants’ motion to enjoin the prosecution and subsequent litigation, including interlocutory review by the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston. In the context of that litigation, the district court found, and the court of appeals affirmed, that the Sirois defendants had been unable to establish that they complied with Maine’s medical marijuana regime in force during the conspiracy period.
In addition to Lucas and Robert Sirois, the following individuals have been convicted of federal crimes for their roles in this case: Randal Cousineau, Alisa Sirois, Brandon Dagnese, Kenneth Allen, former Rangeley Assemblyman David Burgess, former sheriff’s deputies Derreck Doucette and Bradley Scovil, and former prosecutor Kayla Alves, who was convicted of destroying evidence related to the investigation in 2022.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation, FBI, and local and state partners investigated the case.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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False Claims Act Lawsuits Filed Against Two Individuals for Fraudulently Obtaining Pandemic Relief FundsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: The U.S. Attorney’s Office today filed lawsuits against two individuals alleging they fraudulently applied for and received CARES Act pandemic relief funds:
• Ahmed Suja, of South Portland, is alleged to have fraudulently applied for and received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in the amount of $20,833.
• Kamil Suja, also of South Portland, is alleged to have fraudulently applied and received a PPP loan in the amount of $20,832.
As alleged in each of the complaints, the defendants misrepresented that they each owned and operated sole proprietorships with annual gross revenues of approximately $100,000. In reality, neither defendant owned any business. As alleged in the complaint against Kamil Suja, Kamil Suja used the PPP loan funds on a variety of non-qualifying expenditures, such as the purchase of a car and to fund securities purchases on an online trading platform.
The complaints against Ahmed and Kamil Suja were brought by the United States pursuant to the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA). The FCA provides that any person who “knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval” or “knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim” is liable to the United States for three times the amount of damages that the United States sustains, plus a civil penalty for each FCA violation. For FCA violations assessed after July 3, 2025, the minimum penalty per violation is $14,308.
FIRREA provides that the Attorney General may recover civil penalties against persons who knowingly make a false statement for the purpose of influencing a decision by the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration or to obtain a loan, money, or anything of value under the SBA’s 7(a) program, including the PPP. For FIRREA violations assessed after July 3, 2025, the maximum penalty per violation is $2,513,215.
The complaints filed by the United States are a result of the District of Maine’s ongoing efforts to identify and investigate fraudulently obtained pandemic relief funds. Recent amendments to federal law have extended the statute of limitations for civil and criminal fraud enforcement actions concerning PPP loans and other CARES Act pandemic relief funds from six to 10 years.
The civil actions are docketed United States v. Suja, 2:25-cv-00576-SDN (D. Me.); and United States v. Suja, 2:25-cv-00577-SDN (D. Me.).
The claims asserted against the defendants are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
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Employee of a Federal Official Charged with Conspiracy to Falsely Report Violent Attack and Giving False Statements to Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A New Jersey woman was charged with conspiring and falsely reporting to law enforcement that she had been violently assaulted with a firearm due to her employment with a federal official, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Natalie Greene, 26, of Ocean City was charged with one count of conspiracy to convey false statements and hoaxes and one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement. On November 19, 2025, Greene made her initial appearance in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Pascal. Greene was released on a $200,000 unsecured bond and additional conditions, as set by the Court.
According to statements made in court and documents filed in the case:
Late at night on July 23, 2025, Greene’s co-conspirator called 911 and reported that she and Greene had been attacked by three men when they were out walking on a trail at a nature preserve in Egg Harbor Township. According to the co-conspirator, during the attack, the men had called Greene by name and had specifically referenced her employment with Federal Official 1, an official whose identity is known to the Government.
When law enforcement officers located Greene, she was lying in a wooded area just off the trail, with her hands and feet bound together with black zip ties. Greene’s shirt was pulled over her head and was also tied with a black zip tie. Greene had numerous lacerations on her face, neck, upper chest, and shoulder. The words “TRUMP WHORE” were written on her stomach and the words “[Federal Official 1] IS RACIST” were written on her back. Greene was crying and yelling that one of her alleged attackers had a gun.
Greene told police officers that one or more of the men who allegedly attacked her said he had a gun and threatened to shoot her. Greene also said that one or more of the attackers had held her down and restrained her movement, cutting her and writing on her body. A couple days later, after receiving medical treatment for her lacerations, Greene again described her alleged attack to law enforcement officers, including an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation revealed that Greene had not, in fact, been attacked by three men at gunpoint on July 23. Instead, Greene had paid a body modification/scarification artist to deliberately cut the lacerations on her face, neck, upper chest, and shoulder, based on a pattern that she had provided beforehand. Law enforcement officers recovered black zip ties in Greene’s car on the night of the alleged attack, similar to the zip ties that had been used to bind Greene’s arms and feet. Also, the investigation revealed that, two days prior to the alleged attack, the cellphone of Greene’s co-conspirator had been used to search “zip ties near me.”
The count of conspiracy has a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of 3 years of supervised release. The count of false statements also has a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of 3 years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited the following law enforcement agencies with the investigation: special agents and Joint Terrorism Task Force Officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; detectives with the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William Reynolds; officers and detectives with the Egg Harbor Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Marcella Aylwin; officers with the New Jersey State Police; and special agents with the Capitol Police.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Askin and Sara A. Aliabadi in the Criminal Division in Camden, and James Donnelly of the Department of Justice National Security Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Louis M. Barbone, Jacobs & Barbone, P.A.
greene.complaint.pdfEllsworth, Minnesota Man Sentenced to More than 22 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced an Ellsworth, Minnesota man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on October 27, 2025.
Lugene Rafael Russell, 56, was sentenced to 22 and a half years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Russell was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on August 5, 2025.
Russell’s conviction stems from an incident in July 2024 when law enforcement officers were called to his home in Ellsworth for a report of a crime. Nobles County Sherrif’s deputies eventually obtained a warrant for the home and found approximately a half pound of methamphetamine and a pistol inside the home. Deputies later returned to the home after a tip and found approximately 12 pounds of methamphetamine and three more firearms. The investigation showed that Russell worked with others to obtain methamphetamine and then distribute it to others including those on the Crow Creek and Lower Brule reservations in South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the DEA and Nobles County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Russell was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Eight Georgians Sentenced to Prison in Fraudulent Check Cashing SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – Eight South Georgia residents, including a bank branch employee, were sentenced to prison for a check cashing and kickback scheme in Valdosta utilizing stolen check information from a former United States Postal Service employee.
“Individuals who participate in check-cashing and kickback schemes will face imprisonment and other penalties,” stated U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Investigators from the Secret Service and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office worked to unravel this criminal network, ultimately preventing further theft and helping us ensure accountability for the defendants.”
“The involvement of the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office was crucial in helping Lowndes County investigators solve this complex fraud case and ensure that the defendants are held accountable for their actions,” said Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk.
Frederick Pernell Green, 27, of Valdosta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 122 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on Oct. 10, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Thomas Christopher Mitchell, 31, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 92 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on X, after he previously pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Calvin Dewayne McKeithen, aka “Supa,” 26, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on March 27, after he previously pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Dewayne Rasheen Butler, aka “Guwapo,” 26, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 51 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on Aug. 28, after he previously pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Tyler Khershad Jones, aka “LA Clippers,” 24, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 51 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on Sept. 25, after he previously pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Mariarlene Brown, aka “Mati Mom,” 44, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 33 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on Oct. 9, after she previously pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
William Allen Roberts, 27, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve six months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on Oct. 30, after he previously pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Davontay Wiseman, aka “Vonn,” 28, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve six months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $390,475.84 in restitution to Truist Bank on Sept. 8, after he previously pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands presided over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, beginning at least as early as November 2021, and continuing until December 2022, Roberts conspired with his codefendants to commit bank fraud. At the time of this conspiracy, Brown was an employee at a Truist Bank branch in Valdosta. Roberts unlawfully obtained check information from Vincent Galliard, 41, of Sumter, South Carolina, a former U.S. Post Office employee in South Carolina, who sold checks he stole from the mail. Galliard pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in Case No. 3:23-CR-799-1 in the District of South Carolina and was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $149,692.14 in restitution for his crime. Roberts used the check information provided by Galliard to produce fraudulent checks.
Green, Mitchell, McKeithen, Jones, Butler and Wiseman recruited people to open bank accounts at Truist and to provide their new Truist debit card and account information to them, with the understanding that they would be paid for doing so. Green, Mitchell, McKeithen, Jones, Butler and Wiseman passed the account information to Roberts, who would write the fraudulent checks in various sums of money to those individuals. Roberts, with Brown’s help, deposited the checks into the accounts, and Brown would ensure that Roberts would be able to withdraw the cash from these accounts. Brown was paid for her services, and Roberts also paid out a portion to the other codefendants and the solicited accountholders. Green, Roberts, Mitchell, McKeithen, Jones, Butler and Wiseman retained most of each check deposited. Investigators found text messages between the co-defendants that described the conspiracy, as well as photos of debit cards, account numbers, fraudulent checks, cash obtained from the check deposits and a custom-made diamond ring in the shape of the Truist logo worn by Green.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service (USSS) and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch Hostetler prosecuted the case for the Government.
This press release about a case that occurred during the 43-day government shutdown is now available after the return to normal operations.
Drug Trafficker Zhi Dong Zhang, aka “Brother Wang,” Returned from Mexico to Face International Narcotics and Money Laundering Charges in New York and GeorgiaRead the Press Release
Zhi Dong Zhang, also known as “GG,” “Kun Li Hernandez,” “Chang Li Gong Sun,” “Memo,” “Brother Wang,” “BW,” “Pancho,” “HeHe,” “HaHa,” “Chino,” and “Summor Ownor,” 38, was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Clay H. Kaminsky for the Eastern District of New York at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, on a second superseding indictment (the Indictment) charging him with international cocaine distribution conspiracy, international cocaine distribution, cocaine importation conspiracy, cocaine and methamphetamine possession and distribution conspiracy, and money laundering crimes. The defendant, a Chinese citizen, was arrested in Mexico after Mexico issued an arrest warrant based on extradition requests from the Eastern District of New York and the Northern District of Georgia and was returned to the United States on October 23. The defendant was ordered detained pending trial. On October 24, the defendant had an initial appearance in the Southern District of Texas, where he was arraigned on this Indictment and on the indictment in the Northern District of Georgia.
The defendant has been designated a Consolidated Priority Organization Target (CPOT) by the Department of Justice, a designation given to the most significant narcotics traffickers in the world.
“The defendant stands accused of running a global enterprise that pumped massive quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine into our communities and laundered millions in narcotics proceeds,” said U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd W. Blanche. “His return to the United States is a major step in dismantling a network that has fueled addiction, violence, and death. I’m grateful for the outstanding work of our prosecutors, agents, and international partners who refused to let him hide behind aliases, shell companies, or foreign borders. The Department of Justice will continue to target the world’s most dangerous traffickers, wherever they operate, and bring them to justice.”
“As alleged, the defendant is a leader of one of the most prolific drug trafficking and money laundering organizations in the world who, together with his co-conspirators, imported thousands of kilograms of narcotics, including cocaine and methamphetamine, into the United States and other countries,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. “The indictments he faces in the Eastern District of New York and the Northern District of Georgia will hold him responsible for the great harm he has caused.”
“Zhang’s transnational network was allegedly intricate, well-coordinated, and well-funded,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “However, through the great work of dedicated law enforcement agencies and valued cooperation from our international partners, Zhang’s poison pipeline has been shut off. Whether the perpetrators are here or hiding abroad, my office will continue to vigorously pursue anyone who is trafficking illegal narcotics in and through the Northern District of Georgia.”
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)’s arrest of Zhi Dong Zhang marks a decisive blow against the ruthless criminal enterprises responsible for flooding our streets with cocaine, meth and deadly fentanyl,” said Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel of HSI New York. “The defendant’s alleged actions on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG have bolstered the operations of transnational criminal organizations responsible for peddling death in nearly every form – fueling an overdose epidemic, spreading violence, and destabilizing communities across the United States and beyond. One by one, year after year, the HSI New York Homeland Security Task Force will continue to wage an unyielding campaign against those who empower cartels to sow destruction and death for greed, ensuring that no corner of their criminal empire is beyond the reach of justice.”
“This arrest represents a critical milestone in a long-running investigation into an alleged high-level narcotics trafficker with international reach,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Murphy of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Division. “A defendant wanted on warrants out of Eastern District of New York and the Northern District of Georgia has now been taken into custody, thanks to years of coordinated work by DEA and our partners. We will continue to follow the evidence and the money until the leadership of these organizations is dismantled.”
The Justice Department also expressed appreciation to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, HSI Mexico City, HSI Rio Grande Valley, and the Government of Mexico.
The EDNY Indictment
As set forth in court filings, since June 2016, Zhang has operated a massive narcotics trafficking and money laundering organization in Mexico and the United States, importing thousands of kilograms of narcotics, including cocaine and methamphetamine, into the United States and other countries. Law enforcement has made numerous seizures of narcotics traced to the defendant’s organization, including 46 kilograms of cocaine, 58 kilograms of methamphetamine, and almost seven kilograms of fentanyl.
Zhang and members of his organization also laundered millions of dollars of criminal proceeds from these narcotics sales through the creation and use of shell companies in the United States, which were opened using false social security numbers and other fraudulent documents. The organization recruited individuals known as “banqueros” to open bank accounts at various banks on behalf of the shell companies, engage in money pickups at different money drop locations throughout the United States, deposit that money into the shell company bank accounts, and wire the funds to other beneficiary accounts to be laundered outside of the United States. The organization employed supervisors in Mexico, known as “coordinators,” who directed the banqueros at every step of the process, including coordinating the money pick-ups, buying and booking travel, and providing the fraudulent documentation to open bank accounts. In total, law enforcement identified more than 100 shell companies tied to Zhang’s organization that were used to launder at least $77 million in narcotics proceeds.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
This case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section as part of the work of the Office’s Transnational Criminal Organizations Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Miranda Gonzalez and Vincent Chiappini of the Eastern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution.
The NDGA Indictment
As set out in Court filings, Zhang was allegedly a leader of a vast drug trafficking and money laundering organization that began operating in Mexico at least as early as 2016. Zhang allegedly used an extensive network of coordinators and couriers to get cocaine and fentanyl to multiple destinations in the United States. In January and February 2022, Zhang personally negotiated and coordinated the delivery of 11 kilograms of cocaine and one kilogram of fentanyl to Atlanta for distribution.
Once the cocaine and fentanyl were distributed, Zhang allegedly oversaw the use of stash houses in Georgia and California to collect the drug proceeds which were then deposited into bank accounts. The money laundering was massive and involved 150 companies, 170 bank accounts and approximately $20 million in drug proceeds.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Drug Trafficker Zhi Dong Zhang, A.K.A. “Brother Wang,” Returned from Mexico to Face International Narcotics and Money Laundering Charges in New York and GeorgiaRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Zhi Dong Zhang, also known as “GG,” “Kun Li Hernandez,” “Chang Li Gong Sun” and “Memo,” “Brother Wang,” “BW,” “Pancho,” “HeHe,” “HaHa,” “Chino,” and “Summor Ownor,” was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Clay H. Kaminsky at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on a second superseding indictment (the Indictment) charging him with international cocaine distribution conspiracy, international cocaine distribution, cocaine importation conspiracy, cocaine and methamphetamine possession and distribution conspiracy, and money laundering crimes. The defendant, a Chinese citizen, was arrested in Mexico after Mexico issued an arrest warrant based on extradition requests from the Eastern District of New York and the Northern District of Georgia, and was returned to the United States on October 23, 2025. The defendant was ordered detained pending trial. On October 24, 2025, the defendant had an initial appearance in the Southern District of Texas, where he was arraigned on this Indictment and on the indictment in the Northern District of Georgia.
The defendant has been designated a Consolidated Priority Organization Target (CPOT) by the Department of Justice, a designation given to the most significant narcotics traffickers in the world.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Todd W. Blanche, United States Deputy Attorney General; Theodore S. Hertzberg, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia; Ricky J. Patel, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York); and Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Atlanta Division (DEA Atlanta), announced the arraignment.“As alleged, the defendant is a leader of one of the most prolific drug trafficking and money laundering organizations in the world who, together with his co-conspirators, imported thousands of kilograms of narcotics, including cocaine and methamphetamine, into the United States and other countries,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The indictments he faces in the Eastern District of New York and the Northern District of Georgia will hold him responsible for the great harm he has caused.”
“The defendant stands accused of running a global enterprise that pumped massive quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine into our communities and laundered millions in narcotics proceeds,” stated Deputy Attorney General Blanche. “His return to the United States is a major step in dismantling a network that has fueled addiction, violence, and death. I’m grateful for the outstanding work of our prosecutors, agents, and international partners who refused to let him hide behind aliases, shell companies, or foreign borders. The Department of Justice will continue to target the world’s most dangerous traffickers, wherever they operate, and bring them to justice.”
“Zhang’s transnational network was allegedly intricate, well-coordinated, and well-funded,” said Unites States Attorney Hertzberg. “However, through the great work of dedicated law enforcement agencies and valued cooperation from our international partners, Zhang’s poison pipeline has been shut off. Whether the perpetrators are here or hiding abroad, my office will continue to vigorously pursue anyone who is trafficking illegal narcotics in and through the Northern District of Georgia.”
United States Attorneys Nocella and Hertzberg also expressed their appreciation to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, the United States Marshals Service, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, HSI Mexico City, HSI Rio Grande Valley, and the Government of Mexico.
“HSI’s arrest of Zhi Dong Zhang marks a decisive blow against the ruthless criminal enterprises responsible for flooding our streets with cocaine, meth and deadly fentanyl,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Patel. “The defendant’s alleged actions on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG have bolstered the operations of transnational criminal organizations responsible for peddling death in nearly every form – fueling an overdose epidemic, spreading violence, and destabilizing communities across the United States and beyond. One by one, year after year, the HSI New York Homeland Security Task Force will continue to wage an unyielding campaign against those who empower cartels to sow destruction and death for greed, ensuring that no corner of their criminal empire is beyond the reach of justice.”
“This arrest represents a critical milestone in a long-running investigation into an alleged high-level narcotics trafficker with international reach,” said DEA Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Murphy. “A defendant wanted on warrants out of Eastern District of New York and the Northern District of Georgia has now been taken into custody, thanks to years of coordinated work by DEA and our partners. We will continue to follow the evidence and the money until the leadership of these organizations is dismantled.”
The EDNY Indictment
As set forth in court filings, since June 2016, Zhang has operated a massive narcotics trafficking and money laundering organization in Mexico and the United States, importing thousands of kilograms of narcotics, including cocaine and methamphetamine, into the United States and other countries. Law enforcement has made numerous seizures of narcotics traced to the defendant’s organization, including 46 kilograms of cocaine, 58 kilograms of methamphetamine, and almost seven kilograms of fentanyl.
Zhang and members of his organization also laundered millions of dollars of criminal proceeds from these narcotics sales through the creation and use of shell companies in the United States, which were opened using false social security numbers and other fraudulent documents. The organization recruited individuals known as “banqueros” to open bank accounts at various banks on behalf of the shell companies, engage in money pickups at different money drop locations throughout the United States, deposit that money into the shell company bank accounts, and wire the funds to other beneficiary accounts to be laundered outside of the United States. The organization employed supervisors in Mexico, known as “coordinators,” who directed the banqueros at every step of the process, including coordinating the money pick-ups, buying and booking travel, and providing the fraudulent documentation to open bank accounts. In total, law enforcement identified more than 100 shell companies tied to Zhang’s organization that were used to launder at least $77 million in narcotics proceeds.
The charges in the Indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces up to life in prison.
This case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section as part of the work of the Office’s Transnational Criminal Organizations Strike Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Miranda Gonzalez and Vincent Chiappini are in charge of the prosecution.
The NDGA Indictment
As set out in Court filings, Zhang was allegedly a leader of a vast drug trafficking and money laundering organization that began operating in Mexico at least as early as 2016. Zhang allegedly used an extensive network of coordinators and couriers to get cocaine and fentanyl to multiple destinations in the United States. In January and February 2022, Zhang personally negotiated and coordinated the delivery of 11 kilograms of cocaine and one kilogram of fentanyl to Atlanta for distribution.
Once the cocaine and fentanyl were distributed, Zhang allegedly oversaw the use of stash houses in Georgia and California to collect the drug proceeds which were then deposited into bank accounts. The money laundering was massive and involved 150 companies, 170 bank accounts and approximately $20 million in drug proceeds.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Defendant:
ZHI DONG ZHANG
Age: 38
ChinaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-302 (S-2) (BMC)
22-cr-294_nd_ga_superseding_indictment.pdf 21-cr-302_second_superseding_indictment.pdfDrug Distributor Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute More Than 40 Grams of Fentanyl and Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Kelly Bowers, 36, of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police Department (AACOPD), and Chief Edward Jackson, Annapolis Police Department (APD).
According to the guilty plea, in August 2022, FBI investigators identified Bowers as a member of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) known as Newtowne (collectively, “the Newtowne 20 DTO”) that supplied drugs to individuals in the Annapolis area.
During the period of the conspiracy, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland authorized wiretaps on DTO members’ electronic devices. Law enforcement intercepted numerous conversations which allowed investigators to identify individuals, including Bowers, involved in drug trafficking with Newtowne 20 DTO members. Other charged members include Leonard Simms, sentenced to 57 months on July 1, 2025; Isiah Naylor, who pled guilty on May 23, 2025; Raheem Allsup, sentenced to 48 months on May 9, 2025; and Keith Williams, sentenced to 68 months on November 19, 2024.
Bowers served as one of the Newtowne 20 DTO’s main distributors. Law enforcement intercepted and recorded several calls between Bowers and his customers and conversations between him and his co-conspirators.
During the investigation, law enforcement conducted surveillance and observed Bowers engaging in a drug transaction. On November 27, 2023, AACOPD investigators saw Bowers driving in Annapolis. After AACOPD officers watched Bowers conduct a hand-to-hand transaction with a known user of controlled substances, they initiated a traffic stop. Officers stopped the buyer and recovered drugs from her which later tested positive for cocaine. Additionally, law enforcement recovered cocaine from Bowers’ vehicle.
The federal wiretap led to an eventual takedown on January 25, 2024. During the investigation, law enforcement identified multiple vehicles and locations in and around Annapolis used by the Newtowne 20 DTO as stash houses and residences for drug trafficking. Then on January 25, agents executed search warrants on eight locations and four vehicles, and arrest warrants on several individuals. Law enforcement also recovered drugs of various types and quantities from three of the targeted locations and one firearm from the residence of a co-conspirator.
In his plea agreement, Bowers agreed that he was involved in possessing at least 40 grams of fentanyl in furtherance of this drug trafficking conspiracy. Bowers faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison, followed by up to lifetime of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 12 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, AACOPD, and APD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaRai Everett and Jon Tsuei who are prosecuting the 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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Director of Richmond homeless shelter pleads guilty to stealing funds designated for the shelterRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond woman pled guilty yesterday to wire fraud in connection with her operation of a homeless shelter focused on women and children.
According to court documents, Kia A. Player, 41, won a grant to operate an inclement weather shelter for homeless women and children in the Richmond metropolitan area, named RVA Sister’s Keeper. RVA Sister’s Keeper obtained over $995,000 in governmental funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the City of Richmond to implement and operate the shelter. From August 2022 through April 2023, Player, RVA Sister’s Keeper’s director, fabricated and falsified at least 35 separate invoices for costs purportedly paid for the benefit of RVA Sister’s Keeper and its homeless residents, even though Player never made corresponding expenditures on RVA Sister’s Keeper’s behalf. Player submitted these fraudulent and inflated invoices for reimbursement to the City of Richmond, causing the city to improperly disburse funds to her.
For example, Player submitted at least 21 separate inflated invoices claiming RVA Sister’s Keeper made payments to an entity called “VCM Catering Services” to provide breakfast and dinner at the homeless shelter. VCM Catering Services was a fictitious business, however, and Player had hired an acquaintance to provide breakfast and dinner for the homeless residents. Player’s acquaintance was a cafeteria manager at a Richmond City public school occasionally provided RVA Sister’s Keeper residents with food taken from the school’s cafeteria – food that had already been procured with other public funds. Player also fabricated invoices for bed bug treatment, laundry services, and cleaning services at RVA Sister’s Keeper that were never provided. Player fabricated invoices for purported renovations at the shelter, including repairs to the shelter’s roof and upgrades to the plumbing and the shower of the shelter, which she never actually performed.
Player’s inflated invoice scheme caused $199,163 in actual losses to HUD and the City of Richmond. Player spent the fraud proceeds on personal expenses, including on a tattoo, airline tickets, a luxury Caribbean ferry ride in Miami Beach, furniture, and items at an antiques store.
Player is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 25, 2026, and faces up to 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and George Richardson, III, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. accepted the plea. The Office of the Inspector General for the City of Richmond provided substantial assistance with the prosecution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-146.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Rodolfo Tellez Gutierrez, Jr., 23, threw a gun out of the window of a vehicle during a traffic stop. Review of Gutierrez’s phone revealed messages with the purchaser of the recovered firearm.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Gutierrez will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Scott County Sherriff’s Office.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Davenport Man Indicted for Intending to Distribute over A Kilogram of CocaineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Alexis Irnel Cintron Victoria (39, Davenport), a/k/a “Gordo,” with the possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a cocaine. If convicted, Cintron Victoria faces a minimum penalty of five years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Cintron Victoria that the United States intends to forfeit any assets used in the commission of the offense.
According to court records, on November 6, 2025, officers from the Lakeland Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle Cintron Victoria was driving. During the stop, a K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics within the vehicle. A wrapped brick-like object was found under a false bottom within the center console. It tested positive for the presence of cocaine.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Sarasota Police Department and the Lakeland Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
Counselor Man Charged in Death of 4-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Counselor man was charged in connection with the death of a 4-year-old child.
According to court documents, on November 7, 2025, Randall Pablo, 36, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, fatally injured his 4-year-old nephew. Emergency responders were called after the child was found unresponsive, and attempts at resuscitation were unsuccessful. A preliminary autopsy indicated John Doe suffered significant blunt force trauma to the head and multiple contusions consistent with a violent attack.
Pablo is charged with abandonment and abuse of a child resulting in death and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Pablo faces life in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Costa Rican drug trafficker sentenced to federal prison for importing cocaine into the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A Costa Rican drug trafficker has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking cocaine into the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Rolando Alberto Vindas Abarca, 45, a Costa Rican citizen, pleaded guilty to conspiring to manufacture and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine for importation into the United States, and was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison, after being extradited to the United States, by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant on November 12, 2025.
According to information provided at court, Vindas Abarca was a Costa Rican trafficker of cocaine responsible for coordinating maritime shipments of cocaine from Colombia to the United States. Telephone intercepts of Vindas Abarca revealed that he was responsible for more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine that was destined for the United States, as well as for bribing Costa Rican naval officers to permit the shipments from being intercepted.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá, Colombia worked with the Government of Colombia to secure the arrest and November 1, 2025, extradition from Colombia of Vindas Abarca.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration – Dallas Division. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson.
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Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a South Dakota MinorRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Bellevue, Nebraska, man convicted of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity, and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on October 27, 2025.
Sean Carlos Payne, 34, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $300 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Payne was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on April 22, 2025.
Payne was originally charged by Criminal Complaint on October 21, 2024, after the Meade County Sheriff’s Office received an emergent report of a missing 13-year-old female. It was discovered that Payne groomed the girl for multiple weeks leading up to her disappearance using online applications including Teen Chat, Discord, and Snapchat.
During Payne’s communications with the child, Payne persuaded her to send him sexually explicit images of herself. Payne repeatedly sexually assaulted the victim in South Dakota and took her across state lines to Wyoming. There, Payne fled a traffic stop initiated by a law enforcement officer who was on the lookout for the missing child. Payne led multiple state and local Wyoming law enforcement officers on a high-speed pursuit with the child in his vehicle before being captured. Payne told the victim he intended to take her to California.
Payne, who had been convicted of attempted enticement of a minor in Iowa in June 2024, was a convicted sex offender in violation of his felony probation and the national sex offender registry at the time he began communicating with the victim.
“Thanks to swift, coordinated action by a team of dedicated law enforcement personnel, this is one horror story that ends with a multi-decade sentence for this egregious offender,” said U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons.
"Payne's heinous crimes shattered a child's innocence and left them with unimaginable pain and trauma," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. "Protecting our children is our greatest duty and privilege as law enforcement. Payne's sentence highlights our enduring commitment to that mission. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will stop at nothing to secure justice for victims and let predators know they will face the full weight of the law."
“The protection of our youth is, and always will be, a top priority for the Meade County Sheriff’s Office. I am proud of our team’s efforts and the partnerships that made it possible to bring this dangerous individual to justice and to reunite the juvenile with their family. Our children will always come first. I extend my sincere gratitude to everyone whose dedication led to the successful resolution of this case,” said Meade County Sheriff Pat West.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Meade County Sheriff’s Office, the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the Rawlins, Wyoming Police Department, and the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Payne was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Connecticut Dentists Pay More than $714K to Settle False Claims AllegationsRead the Press Release
Two Connecticut dental providers have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments to resolve allegations of violations of the federal and state False Claims Acts. The settlements stem from a larger investigation into fraudulent activity by health care providers who submit kickback-tainted claims to the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program (“CTMAP”) for services rendered to Connecticut Medicaid patients referred by third-party “patient recruiting” companies.
It is alleged that, in violation of their CTMAP provider agreements and the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, DENT PLUS FAMILY DENTISTRY, PLLC, a now dissolved dental practice based in Stamford, L&M FAMILY DENTISTRY, LLC, a now dissolved dental practice based in New Haven, and their owners, IVAN MAKAR, DDS and OLEG LOSIN, DDS, submitted claims to the CTMAP, which includes the state’s Medicaid program, related to dental services rendered to Connecticut Medicaid patients referred to the businesses by a third-party patient recruiting company. Dent Plus Family Dentistry and L&M Family Dentistry paid a patient recruiter for each Connecticut Medicaid patient the recruiter referred to the practices. With each submitted claim, Dent Plus Family Dentistry, L&M Family Dentistry, and their owners impliedly certified that the conditions of receiving payment were met, including, but not limited to, that they did not pay kickbacks or violate any terms or provisions of the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership (“CTDHP”) provider manual concerning the submitted claim.
The CTDHP provider manual, which is an addendum to both the CTMAP provider agreement and the CTMAP provider manual, expressly prohibits per-patient compensation for individuals referred to CMAP providers.
To resolve the allegations under the federal and state False Claims Acts, Makar and Losin paid $714,446.27 to reimburse the Medicaid program for conduct occurring from January 1, 2019, through September 6, 2020.
In entering into the civil settlement agreement, the providers and their practices did not admit liability.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office; and the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Thidemann and Assistant Attorney General Joshua L. Jackson of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Combs appointed interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – The Attorney General has appointed Jay R. Combs as the interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas on November 19, 2025.
“I am thankful to President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for the opportunity they have given me to continue my service to the American people. It is both a tremendous responsibility and a great privilege,” said Combs. “The office I lead is at the forefront in the mission of pursuing justice and protecting our communities and our country as a part of Operation Take Back America.”
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Combs has served as the Acting U.S. Attorney since May 24, 2025, and is the chief federal law enforcement official in the Eastern District of Texas, which includes 43 counties stretching from the Oklahoma border to the Gulf of America. The district includes six fully staffed offices in Beaumont, Lufkin, Plano, Sherman, Texarkana, and Tyler with 93 employees, including 50 prosecutors. Combs is responsible for the prosecution of federal criminal offenses in the district and will represent the United States in all civil litigation in the district.
Prior to serving as Acting U.S. Attorney, Combs worked as the Chief of the Plano Branch Office for the Eastern District of Texas, overseeing the day-to-day operations of that office. Combs worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) for the Western District of Texas from 2006-2010 when he first joined the Eastern District of Texas as an AUSA.
Before joining the Department, Combs served in the United States Army. He served two combat tours in the Army earning several awards including the Bronze Star medal.
Combs has lived in Texas for over twenty years but originally hails from Springerville, Arizona. He received his bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University and his law degree from the University of New Mexico. He has been married to his wife, Melissa, for 30 years and they have seven children.
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Child Predator Sentenced to More Than 16 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced William Isaak Sparks (24, Kalamazoo, Michigan) to 16 years and 9 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempting to entice a child to engage in sexual activity via the internet. After being released from prison, Sparks will be required to register as a sex offender. The court also ordered Sparks to forfeit a cellphone that was used in the offense. Sparks pleaded guilty on April 3, 2025.
On two separate occasions in May 2024, Sparks encountered an online undercover FBI agent posing as the father of an 11-year-old daughter who was available for sex. Sparks described his desire to have sex with the purported child and asked the agent to purchase a bus ticket so that Sparks could travel from Michigan to Jacksonville to have sex with the purported child. Before Sparks could make the trip to Jacksonville, he was arrested trying to meet a different fictitious 11-year-old for sex in Michigan.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Township of Kalamazoo (Michigan) Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
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.
Charlotte Woman Charged with Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A newly-unsealed criminal complaint charges Heather Morrow, 44, of Charlotte, with felony assault, resist, or impede a federal officer, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to allegations in the criminal complaint, on the morning of November 16, 2025, Morrow and others gathered at a U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement & Removal Operations Office (ICE/ERO) facility in Charlotte in an apparent attempt to impede law enforcement movement on the property. The complaint alleges that a federal officer who was just arriving to work encountered several individuals, including Morrow, blocking the entrance. While the officer attempted to arrest one individual for punching the window of the officer’s vehicle and impeding the officer’s path, Morrow approached the officer from behind and forcibly made physical contact with him, including grabbing the officer’s shoulders and attempting to jump on the officer’s back. Morrow was arrested on the scene.
“Recently in North Carolina, we have seen that the very worst can happen when individuals forcibly gain access to a law enforcement officer’s weapon. We take seriously incidents where that could happen,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Fortunately, the officer in this case was arriving to work and was not armed.”
Morrow had her initial appearance in federal court on Monday and was released on bond.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is joined in making the announcement by Homeland Security Investigations, ICE/ERO, U.S. Border Patrol, and the FBI.
The charges against the defendant are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Charlotte Man Sentenced to More Than Nine Years in Prison for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced to prison yesterday for robbing a Family Dollar store at gunpoint, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Belton Lamont Davis, 44, was ordered to serve 117 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for Hobbs Act Robbery and firearms offenses.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Estella Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to filed documents and the sentencing hearing, on April 30, 2024, Davis entered a Family Dollar store located at 3618 Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte and robbed the store at gun point. Court documents show that Davis robbed the store after an individual associated with the defendant had a dispute with the store clerk about a monetary transaction. Upon entering the store, Davis retrieved a firearm from his waistband, pointed it at the store clerk and demanded money from the register. The store clerk complied. After stealing the money, Davis fled the scene in his vehicle. A witness on the scene observed the vehicle’s license plate which the store clerk provided to the 9-1-1 operator. CMPD officers quickly located and stopped the vehicle, and Davis was taken into custody. Upon a search of the vehicle and the defendant, the officers found a loaded Smith and Wesson SD40 VE .40 caliber pistol and cash. Davis has a prior conviction for second degree murder, and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
On November 26, 2024, Davis pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery, possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He will remain in federal custody until he is transferred to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Central Georgian Sentenced to Prison for Bank Fraud in Insurance SchemeRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. –The former owner and repeat winner of “Insurance Agent of the Year” of a Warner Robins insurance group was sentenced to federal prison for a premium payment scheme the Government maintains he committed to again win the distinction and enjoy its associated benefits.
Jeremy Lasseter, 44, of Perry, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 27 months in prison and pay $221,515.16 in restitution to the victim (paid in full by the defendant at sentencing) to the victim by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Nov. 19, after he pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud on Aug. 27. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The money taken from the victim has had a significant negative impact on her life. The defendant must be held accountable for defrauding her and abusing the trust placed in him by Alfa Insurance,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “This is not a victimless crime; such schemes will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia.”
“Lasseter’s actions undermined the integrity of the insurance industry and his deliberate scheme to redirect premium payments for his own gain is a clear violation of the law and a betrayal of the victim’s trust,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI remains committed to holding individuals accountable who exploit others for personal benefit.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Lasseter was the owner of an Alfa Insurance Agency group located in Warner Robins and was selected as Alfa’s Georgia “Insurance Agent of the Year” for four years in a row. Beginning in March 2020, Lasseter directed the victim, who was one of his insurance customers, to make premium payments but did not apply the payments towards her policies. Instead, the defendant used the victim’s premium payments towards the premiums for other insurance customers without the victim’s knowledge or consent. When directing the victim to make payments, he would sometimes instruct her to make the checks payable to him rather than Alfa Insurance or to provide cash payments to him, stating that it was better for tax purposes. The victim relied on Lasseter’s instructions to her and, at his direction, made a total of $221,515.16 in payments that were not used towards her policies, but were used to pay other customers of Lasseter’s policies. The Government maintains that Lasseter initiated this fraud to secure Alfa’s “Insurance Agent of the Year” award for an additional consecutive year, an honor that would grant him other perks and status.
The case was investigated by FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Carjacker Gets 14 Years in Prison for Two Separate Carjackings Committed in the Same WeekRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Malik Kearney, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday in Superior Court, for carjacking and firearms offenses stemming from two separate carjackings in December, 2024, and January, 2025, in Northeast Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Kearney pleaded guilty on June 23, 2025, to one count of carjacking and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for offenses that occurred on December 28, 2024, and to one count of carjacking and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for the January 3, 2025, offenses.
On November 18, the Honorable Judge Andrea Hertzfeld sentenced Kearney to 14 years in prison. Judge Hertzfeld sentenced his co-defendant, Erick Alvarenga, to 14 years in prison on August 29, 2025. Kearney and Alvarenga were both sentenced to three years of supervised release following their terms of incarceration.
According to the proffer of facts, on December 28, 2024, around 4:45 a.m., the first victim was in a Jeep SUV that was parked in the 6100 block of Eastern Avenue, Northeast, when the defendants approached, one of whom was armed with a black handgun. Alvarenga and Kearney told the victim to get out of the car and to give them the keys. The victim complied with the demand and exited the vehicle. The defendants then drove away from the scene in the victim’s vehicle.
The second offense occurred days later, on January 3, 2025, around 3:00 p.m. when the second victim was at a gas station in the 4200 block of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, Northeast. As the victim finished putting gas in his Dodge sedan, Alvarenga used the Jeep which had been stolen on December 28, 2024, to block in the second victim’s car. Kearney then approached the second victim with a handgun and ordered him out of his car. Kearney got behind the wheel of the Dodge, and both vehicles fled in the same direction.
Alvarenga and Kearney were arrested on January 3, 2025, and have been detained during the pendency of this case.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Randle Wilson and Amanda Claire Hoover, who prosecuted the case.
California Company and Three Employees Sentenced for Conspiring to Sell Misbranded N95 Masks to Hospital in Early Months of COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California company, and three individuals who owned and managed the company, were sentenced last week in connection with the shipment of facemasks that were misbranded as N95 respirators during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
Advoque Safeguard LLC was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to one year of probation. The company was also ordered to pay a fine of $700,000. Jason Azevedo, 34, of Cedar Creek, Texas and Andrew Stack, 53, of Santa Cruz, Calif. were each sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay a fine of $100,000. Paul Shrater, 52, of Simi Valley, Calif. was sentenced to six months’ probation and ordered to pay a fine of $100,000.
In October of 2024, Advoque Safeguard pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to introduce misbranded devices into interstate commerce with intent to defraud or mislead. Azevedo, Shrater and Stack pleaded guilty to one count of introduction of misbranded devices into interstate commerce.
A second company, JDM Supply LLC (JDM), and two individuals, Daniel Motha and Jeffrey Motha, also pleaded guilty and were sentenced in April 2025 to one year of probation. Each were also ordered to pay a $9,500 fine. Jason Colantuoni also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit price gouging and in July 2025 was sentenced to time-served and a fine of $3,000.
In the spring of 2020, during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, ASG and JDM conspired to ship facemasks that were misbranded as National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved, N95 respirators. One hospital accepted and paid for hundreds of thousands of purported N95 masks that were manufactured by ASG and sold to the hospital by JDM. The hospital did not use the masks, which were eventually returned to ASG. ASG and JDM misled the hospital into believing that the ASG masks were NIOSH-approved N95s, when in fact they were not. In August 2020, a NIOSH lab tested a sample of the ASG masks that had been shipped to the hospital and all 10 ASG masks tested between 83.94% and 93.24% filtration efficiency and thus fell under the 95% minimum level of filtration efficiency required for N95 respirators.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Queenin prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 100 Months in Federal Prison for Gun ConvictionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kurt Wall announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Edward Shaffett, age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 100 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Court further sentenced Shaffett to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered the firearm involved be forfeited.
According to admissions made during his plea, on July 22, 2022, Baton Rouge Police officers encountered a stolen 2013 Ford Explorer near 7200 Winbourne Avenue in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. When officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the vehicle initially fled. When the vehicle came to a stop, four people fled from the vehicle, with one being Shaffett who was holding a Noreen Firearms, .223 caliber, AR15. When apprehended, Shaffett was wearing a black ski-mask/balaclava and black gloves.
Officers located the firearm along the path through which Shaffett fled. An extended AR15 magazine was located under the driver’s seat of the Ford Explorer. Video camera footage from a police unit depicts Shaffett fleeing from the Ford Explorer with an object in his hands consistent with the AR15.
Shaffett was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and attempted illegal felon in possession of a firearm on April 20, 2021, in the 19th Judicial District, and sentenced to three years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Baton Rouge Police Department, was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson.
Brooklyn Business Owner Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for $55 Million Illegal Check Cashing, Bank Fraud, and Tax Evasion SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, David Motovich was sentenced by United States District Judge William F. Kuntz, II to 15 years in prison for operating an illegal money transmitting business, failure to file currency transaction reports, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Kuntz ordered Motovich to forfeit approximately $38 million, including his interests in a penthouse apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan featuring a private indoor swimming pool, commercial real estate buildings in the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn, and luxury jewelry and handbags. Motovich was convicted by a jury following a three-week trial in July 2024.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI) announced the sentence.
“The defendant used his family-run lumber business to orchestrate a massive illegal check cashing scheme and facilitate rampant tax evasion in the New York City construction industry,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The defendant put his own greed and thirst for luxury above the needs of helpless victims, whose identities, company names, and signatures he ruthlessly stole. The defendant’s significant sentence should send a message that fraud does not pay, and federal banking and tax rules apply to all.”
“David Motovich allegedly deposited more than $55 million into accounts he opened in the names of other individuals to selfishly fund an unearned lavish lifestyle, by swindling unsuspecting victims and companies,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “The FBI will relentlessly pursue those individuals who not only deceive others, but also defraud the United States for their own personal gain.”
“David Motovich made millions from his shady business, making back-office deals to hide cash for clients,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Chavis. “While trying to conceal more that $55 million from the U.S. government, Motovich adorned himself with watches and jewelry and luxury cars. Now, after today’s sentencing, he will have years to think of his actions as he lives in less luxurious federal housing. There is no penthouse with a pool available.”
As proven in court proceedings, Motovich used his family-run business in the Midwood section of Brooklyn as a front for an illegal, unlicensed check-cashing operation. From the second floor of Midwood Lumber on Coney Island Avenue, Motovich offered his services primarily to the owners and operators of construction companies, cashing millions of dollars in checks to fund off-the-books payrolls for those businesses. As part of the scheme, Motovich cashed checks for his customers in exchange for a fee or a percentage of the face amount of the checks, ranging between four and 15 percent. Motovich’s customers paid a higher fee to Motovich than the fees charged by licensed check cashing businesses because the customers understood that Motovich would not file Suspicious Activity Reports or Currency Transaction Reports for cash transactions in amounts greater than $10,000, as required by federal anti-money laundering statutes. Motovich supplied his check cashing customers with fraudulent documents that they could use to disguise the transactions as payments by the customers for materials and/or subcontracting work if the customers were audited by the New York State Workers Compensation Board or tax authorities.
In furtherance of his scheme, Motovich created shell companies for the purpose of facilitating his illegal check cashing business and enabling himself and his associates to evade taxes. Motovich instructed his customers to issue checks drawn against their business accounts and to make the checks payable to one of the companies. Motovich then deposited the checks into bank accounts that he created at several financial institutions. Motovich facilitated tax evasion by using these accounts to conceal millions of dollars in payments from his own companies and those of his associates.
To conceal his control and ownership of the funds in the accounts, and to avoid detection of his scheme, Motovich opened the accounts in the names of other individuals. In one instance, Motovich stole the identity of a low-level worker and then bribed a banker to open accounts in the victim’s name and funnel millions of dollars through the accounts. In other instances, Motovich impersonated the name of a legitimate company to open shell accounts and repeatedly forged the signature of an unwitting insurance broker.
In total, between 2012 and 2019, Motovich deposited more than $55 million into the accounts that he had opened in the names of other individuals and used the funds to purchase real estate; pay personal and corporate credit card accounts; purchase luxury items, including millions of dollars of diamonds, watches, jewelry, and clothing; make lease and purchase payments for Porsche and Lexus luxury vehicles; pay premiums on multi-million dollar life insurance policies for himself, his wife and others; renovate his penthouse apartment in Manhattan to include a swimming pool; and to fund other business ventures.
Motovich’s co-defendants Marina Kuyan, Kemal Sarkinovic, and Joshua Markovics all previously pleaded guilty to various charges in connection with the scheme. They are awaiting sentencing.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Erik Paulsen, Andrew Grubin, and Matthew Skurnik are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Daniel Arakawa.
The Defendant:
DAVID MOTOVICH
Age: 50
New York, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-497 (WFK)
Box Elder Woman Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in Western South DakotaRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a woman from Box Elder, South Dakota, for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on October 28, 2025.
Jenna Holzer, 41, was sentenced to 30 years, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Holzer was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in November 2024. She pleaded guilty on August 7, 2025.
Holzer joined a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in 2022. During her involvement, she worked with others to obtain methamphetamine from California, typically through the mail, for redistribution in Western South Dakota. A United States Postal Inspector identified multiple packages sent from California to addresses known to be associated to Holzer. On October 16, 2024, investigators performed a traffic stop on Holzer’s vehicle. Troopers discovered an ounce of methamphetamine and approximately $3,365 in Holzer’s possession during that stop. Investigators determined Holzer was involved in trafficking approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine during her involvement in the conspiracy.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), and the Drug Enforcement Administration. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Hodges and Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
Holzer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Berkeley County Man Admits to Role in Eastern Panhandle Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jwan Martine Smith, 40, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, has admitted to being part of a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents, Smith worked with others to sell large quantities of fentanyl in Berkeley County, WV.
Smith faces at least 10 years and up to life in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Cocaine PossessionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Linnard Wortham, 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 140 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Judge Bredar also sentenced Wortham to an additional 16 months for violating the terms of a previous supervised release agreement. Wortham’s previous supervised release stemmed from 2015 racketeering conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances convictions. He received a total sentence of 156 months today.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington D.C. Field Office; Chief Robert O. McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); Secretary Carolyn Scruggs, Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS), and Chief Richard Worley, Baltimore City Police Department (BPD).
According to the guilty plea, in 2023, multiple federal agencies partnered to investigate a Baltimore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that was distributing large quantities of cocaine. During the investigation, agents monitored one of the DTO’s stash locations, an apartment in Baltimore, Maryland. Agents installed a covert camera in the public common hallway area, positioning it to capture people entering and exiting from the stash location’s front door.
As agents monitored the camera, they observed activity consistent with drug trafficking. This included a constant flow of people entering the apartment for a short duration and then leaving with bags of suspected drugs or concealed objects inside their clothing consistent with the shape and size of kilogram packages of drugs.
On October 11, 2023, agents surveilled the stash location via the convert camera. The DTO’s leader opened the door, and another individual exited the stash location with a large duffle bag. Agents followed the individual as he placed the duffle bag into a sedan. The individual then drove to Dolfield Avenue and parked next to a SUV driven by Wortham. Then the individual placed a duffle bag in Wortham’s trunk.
Wortham left the area as agents followed behind. Prior to agents attempting to conduct a traffic stop, Wortham abruptly stopped, bolted out of the vehicle, and then fled on foot. After a brief pursuit, agents apprehended Wortham.
As agents pursued Wortham, a different group of investigators approached the vehicle Wortham abandoned in the middle of the street. Law enforcement opened the trunk and discovered the duffle bag contained 19-kilogram packages of cocaine. Additionally, law enforcement recovered four cell phones from the vehicle.
Agents obtained a search warrant for Wortham’s phones and discovered a text message exchange with the DTO’s leader. Their text exchange, which occurred the morning of October 11, corroborated the drug deal that agents observed.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, HSI, IRS-CI, BCPD, DPSCS, and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin C. Miner who is prosecuting the 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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Baltimore Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Conspiring to Distribute at Least 75 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Desmond Jones, 45, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 13 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) – Washington Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington D.C. Field Office; Chief Robert O. McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); Secretary Carolyn Scruggs, Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS), and Chief Richard Worley, Baltimore City Police Department (BPD).
According to the guilty plea, in 2023, multiple federal agencies partnered to investigate a Baltimore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) distributing large quantities of cocaine. In August 2023, investigators learned that Jones was a member of the DTO. Investigators identified Jones through his connection with Co-Conspirator 1 (CC-1), a California resident and DTO member.
In August 2023, investigators surveilled CC-1’s activities at his Baltimore City residence. From August 15 to August 24, investigators observed numerous drug traffickers, including Jones, meet CC-1 with bags at the Baltimore City residence to participate in drug-trafficking activities.
On August 16, Jones visited the residence and met CC-1 with a weighted-down bag. The next day, law enforcement observed CC-1 in possession of bulk currency and then investigators observed CC-1 drive to a bank where it appeared he made a deposit. Then on August 21, Jones again arrived at the Baltimore residence with another large, weighed-down bag. When Jones left the residence, the bag was substantially smaller in size. On August 24, CC-1 left Baltimore. After conducting these surveillances, law enforcement believed that while in Baltimore, Jones provided CC-1 with money for an upcoming drug shipment.
A week after CC-1’s departure, a commercial airline notified investigators that CC-1 was traveling from California to Baltimore again. On August 30, investigators set up a surveillance team at Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) where they observed CC-1 arrive, rent a car, and then drive to his Baltimore City residence.
Another group of investigators set up surveillance at Jones’s Timonium, Maryland, stash location. Law enforcement observed co-conspirators carrying large duffle bags of suspected drugs into the stash location. Prior to co-conspirators bringing the duffle bags to the stash location, Jones left the premises in his vehicle. Investigators observed Jones drive to CC-1’s Baltimore City house where he picked up CC-1. Investigators followed Jones and CC-1 to National Harbor, Maryland where Jones and CC-1 parked.
CC-1 exited the vehicle and met with another co-conspirator, who arrived in a different car, at the “Park and Ride” lot next to the National Harbor. After the co-conspirators conversed, both vehicles left the lot. Jones and CC-1 traveled back to Baltimore, as investigators trailed behind, and then eventually arrived at the stash location in Timonium and parked.
Jones and CC-1 exited the vehicle and removed the duffle bags. While Jones and CC-1 were removing duffle bags, investigators approached the two on foot and observed that one of the duffle bags contained a large tear. Law enforcement saw kilogram packages of drugs inside the bag. Authorities seized the duffle bags and detained Jones, CC-1, and another individual who was also at the Timonium stash location. The duffle bags contained 43 kilograms of cocaine.
Investigators recovered another duffel bag and a backpack containing a total of 32 individual kilogram packages of cocaine from the stash location. Additionally, law enforcement discovered equipment used to process bulk drugs, including a kilo press, cutting agents, quick cappers, digital scales, and sifters. They also found two heat-sealed bags of suspected marijuana, cash, and a money counter, along with two firearms. The firearms were a .45 caliber Auto Springfield handgun with an obliterated serial number and a .45 caliber Taurus handgun. Authorities also recovered Jones’s personal documents, including a vehicle registration, bank statement, and mail in his name.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, HSI, IRS-CI, BCPD, DPSCS, and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin C. Miner who prosecuted the 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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Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun ConvictionsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kurt Wall announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Mitchell Robinson, age 35, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 180 months in federal prison following his convictions possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and tramadol; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Court further sentenced Robinson to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered the firearms involved be forfeited.
According to admissions made during his plea, on May 11, 2022, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a “knock” search warrant at Robinson’s residence. In the kitchen, deputies found 2.17 grams of fentanyl, 218.3 grams of methamphetamine, 22.89 grams of methamphetamine, 56 suboxone 8mg/2mg prescription strips, manitol (narcotics cutting agent), 390 suspected tramadol pills inside the house, a digital scale, a Glock, model 17, 9mm handgun modified to be fully automatic, a Glock style 9mm handgun with no serial number, Glock style 30 round magazine, 9mm ammunition, and 4.01 pounds of suspected marijuana. In the attic, deputies found 884.1 grams of methamphetamine, 439.7 grams of methamphetamine, 194.46 grams of fentanyl, 3.12 pounds of suspected marijuana, 55.59 grams of heroin, and $25,960.00 in U.S. Currency. Robinson knowingly possessed all seized items in his home with the intent to distribute those narcotics to others.
Robinson was previously convicted of simple burglary on September 8, 2010, in East Baton Rouge Parish and burglary of a dwelling and aggravated burglary on January 5, 2011, in Ascension Parish.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson.
Baker Man Indicted for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that a federal grand jury recently returned a three-count indictment charging Kevontae Kendell Joseph Reed, age 30, of Baker, Louisiana, with production of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Reed appeared for his arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges.
According to the Indictment, on two different occasions in January and February of 2024, Reed employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct. Additionally, he possessed a black iPhone containing images of child pornography on the relevant dates.
If convicted of the production of child pornography charges, Reed faces a minimum term of imprisonment of fifteen years, and up to thirty years, a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime of supervised release. If convicted of the possession of child pornography charge, he faces a term of imprisonment of up to ten years, a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime of supervised release. In addition to supervised release, Reed will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security—Homeland Security Investigations and Louisiana State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen Vick and Edward H. Warner, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Armed felon who fled from police convicted of federal drug distribution and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - After a four-day jury trial, a federal district court jury found Traon Turk guilty of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Turk previously pleaded guilty in the same case to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
“Turk is a multi-convicted felon who peddled deadly drugs and illegally carried a loaded firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office is proud to partner with federal and local law enforcement so we can aggressively prosecute violent drug dealers like Turk in order to keep the community safe.”
“This case is a reminder of the critical work we do to combat violent crime and drug trafficking. The ATF’s partnership with local police and federal prosecutors is vital in our mission to keep our neighborhoods safe. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that offenders like Turk face justice for their actions,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka.
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On April 4, 2020, Cobb County Police officers observed a vehicle that allegedly had been involved in a drive-by shooting in Marietta days earlier. Law enforcement attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver, Turk, fled at a high rate of speed. Turk bailed out of the vehicle while it was still in motion, leaving his five passengers inside. While running from the police, Turk dropped a loaded .40 caliber pistol, which was quickly recovered by law enforcement. About an hour later, the police found Turk hiding in a different abandoned vehicle.
Law enforcement found a bag of 24 pills containing methamphetamine in Turk’s pants pocket. Additionally, Turk was carrying an iPhone that was replete with evidence of drug dealing activity. From the vehicle Turk had been driving, law enforcement seized a larger bag of ecstasy pills containing methamphetamine, numerous pieces of pills that matched the pills recovered from Turk’s pocket, counterfeit Percocet pills containing methamphetamine, counterfeit Xanax pills, and individually packaged bags of marijuana.
Prior to his arrest, Turk had been convicted of numerous felonies, including violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, possession of cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and theft by receiving stolen property.
Traon Turk, 31, of Austell, Georgia, will be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. on February 24, 2026. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Cobb County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Hwang, Michael Herskowitz, Laurel Milam, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Annalise Peters are prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Amite Man Sentenced to Consecutive Life Sentences After Pleading Guilty to Kidnapping Resulting in Death and Transporting a Minor in Interstate Commerce to Engage in Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DANIEL WAYNE CALLIHAN (“CALLIHAN”), age 38, a resident of Amite, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Lance M. Africk to life in prison for each count of conviction after previously pleading guilty in federal court to a two-count superseding indictment charging him with kidnapping resulting in death, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1201(a) (Count One), and transporting a minor in interstate commerce with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(a) (Count Two). As part of the sentence, Judge Africk also ordered CALLIHAN to pay restitution to the family of the victims in the amount of $260,000 and a mandatory special assessment fee of $200.00 CALLIHAN was also previously charged, pleaded guilty, and sentenced in matters prosecuted by law enforcement authorities in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, and Hinds County, Mississippi. Judge Africk ordered CALLIHAN’s life sentences to be served consecutively with each other and consecutive to the sentences imposed in Hinds County, Mississippi, and the 21st Judicial District (Louisiana).
According to court documents, on or about June 12, 2024, CALLIHAN was present inside the Loranger, Louisiana residence of Adult Victim 1, who lived with her two daughters, Minor Victim 1 (a four-year-old female) and Minor Victim 2 (a six-year-old female). While present in the residence, CALLIHAN stabbed Adult Victim 1 more than fifty times, resulting in her death. After killing Adult Victim 1, CALLIHAN kidnapped Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 using Adult Victim 1’s 2012 Chrysler 200 automobile, bearing a Louisiana license plate, and drove to McComb, Mississippi.
CALLIHAN, with Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 still in the car, then returned to Amite Louisiana, where he picked up Co-Conspirator 1. CALLIHAN then drove Adult Victim 1’s car to a residence in Jackson, Mississippi located in the 3900 block of Boozier Drive.
On either the evening of June 12, 2023, or early on June 13, 2024, CALLIHAN and Co-Conspirator 1 engaged in sexual battery with Minor Victim 2. CALLIHAN intended that Minor Victim 2 would engage in criminal sexual activity, namely violations of criminal laws of the State of Louisiana, including La. Rev. Stat. 14.81 and La Rev. Stat. 43.1, and the State of Mississippi, including Miss. Code § 97-3-95 and Miss. Code § 97-5-23, at the time he transported Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 from Louisiana to Mississippi.
Thereafter, on June 13, 2024, while at the Boozier Drive property, CALLIHAN purposely suffocated Minor Victim 1 to death by holding Minor Victim 1 closely against his chest.
Later on June 13, 2024, after Adult Victim 1’s body was discovered, federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities began an investigation. The investigation determined the location of both CALLIHAN and Adult Victim 1’s car. A search of the Boozier Drive property led to the discovery of a pit on the property. Law enforcement officers discovered Minor Victim 1’s body and Minor Victim 2 together in the pit.
After being taken into custody and waiving his Miranda rights, CALLIHAN admitted to stabbing Adult Victim 1 to death and kidnapping Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 in Adult Victim 1’s vehicle. CALLIHAN further admitted that he and Co-Conspirator 1 transported Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 to Mississippi, where he and Co-Conspirator 1 committed sexual battery on Minor Victim 2 and he smothered Minor Victim 1 to death. CALLIHAN’s admission that he and Co-Conspirator 1 committed sexual battery on Minor Victim 2 was corroborated in a voluntary, post-Miranda statement Co-Conspirator 1 made to law enforcement authorities.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter and expressed appreciation for the great support provided by the United States Marshals Service, the Tangipahoa Sheriff’s Office, the Tangipahoa Parish District Attorney’s Office, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, and the Jackson (Mississippi) Police Department. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson also commended the exceptional work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana Victim/Witness Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, and Sarah Dawkins, of the Violent Crime Unit, were in charge of 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 launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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 better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Alamo woman admits to international drug traffickingRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 48-year-old U.S. citizen has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
On June 11, authorities stopped Marina Saenz for speeding as she drove a white BMW SUV in Live Oak County. A K-9 alerted to the vehicle, and law enforcement discovered a hidden aftermarket compartment in the rear hatch containing 29 bricks of cocaine weighing 35.5 kilograms.
Saenz admitted she picked up the cocaine in Mexico and brought it across the border through the Progreso Port of Entry. She also said she planned to deliver the drugs to North Carolina for $10,000.
Saenz also admitted making previous trips that involved similar large amounts of cocaine.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos will impose sentencing Feb. 24, 2026. At that time, Saenz faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
She has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Live Oak County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith prosecuted the case.
Afghan National Sentenced to Serve 15 Years in Federal Prison After Plotting Election Day Terror Attack in the United StatesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – ABDULLAH HAJI ZADA, 19, a native and citizen of Afghanistan and U.S. lawful permanent resident, has been sentenced to serve the statutory maximum of 180 months in federal prison for knowingly receiving, attempting to receive, and conspiring to receive a firearm and ammunition to be used to commit a federal crime of terrorism.
According to court documents, Zada and a co-conspirator received two AK-47-style rifles and 500 rounds of ammunition, knowing that the firearms and ammunition would be used in connection with a terrorist attack on Election Day in November 2024, on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Zada was arrested with his co-conspirator, NASIR AHMAD TAWHEDI, 28, also a citizen of Afghanistan, in October 2024.
“Zada was welcomed into the United States and provided with all the opportunities available to residents of our Nation, yet he chose to embrace terrorism and plot an ISIS-inspired attack on Election Day,” said John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “Today’s sentence, and Zada’s eventual removal from the United States, reflect the seriousness of his betrayal and our commitment to using every tool at our disposal to detect and disrupt such plots.”
“With today’s sentencing, Zada will pay the price for participating in a plot last year to conduct an ISIS-inspired Election Day terrorist attack,” said Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Detecting and preventing acts of terrorism against the American people is an essential part of the FBI’s mission. We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities.”
“The sentence today reflects the gravity of the planned terrorist attack, which was thwarted by the exceptional work of law enforcement,” said United States Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “The Department of Justice remains vigilant and focused to detect, deter, and disrupt acts of terrorism and hold offenders accountable.”
“By hatching a violent plot against the United States on behalf of ISIS, the defendant and his co-conspirator shamefully turned their backs on the country that provided them safety and refuge,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “I’m extremely proud of the swift and coordinated action taken by the Oklahoma City Joint Terrorism Task Force as soon as this disturbing plan was uncovered. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will never relent in our fight against terrorism, and in protecting the American people from those who wish them harm.”
Zada, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, entered his guilty plea as an adult on April 17, 2025. As part of the plea agreement, Zada stipulated to the entry of a judicial order of removal from the United States to Afghanistan following his term of incarceration. Zada acknowledged that the order of removal would terminate his lawful permanent resident status. Zada also waived his right to appeal the conviction except in limited circumstances or seek any form of appeal or relief from his removal and deportation, including but not limited to, seeking asylum.
At a sentencing hearing today, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Zada to serve 180 months in federal prison. In announcing the sentence, Judge Palk emphasized the seriousness of the offense, the need to provide just punishment, and the need to afford adequate deterrence to criminal conduct.
Zada’s co-conspirator, Tawhedi, pleaded guilty on June 13, 2025, to two terrorism-related offenses: conspiring and attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIS, a designated terrorist organization, and receiving, attempting to receive, and conspiring to receive firearms and ammunition in furtherance of a federal crime of terrorism. At sentencing, Tawhedi faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison for the material support charge and up to 15 years in prison for the firearms charge. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Upon completion of any sentence, Zada and Tawhedi will be permanently removed from the United States and barred from reentry under stipulated judicial orders of removal to Afghanistan.
The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force—which includes Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Marshals Service, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Edmond Police Department, the Moore Police Department, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma City Community College Police Department, and the Oklahoma City University Police Department—investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica L. Perry and Matt Dillon for the Western District of Oklahoma and Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian, previously with the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, along with other trial attorneys from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, prosecuted the case. Trial Attorney Mark Stoneman of the Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section, who previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, also assisted with the prosecution.
Afghan National Sentenced to Serve 15 Years in Federal Prison After Plotting Election Day Terror Attack in the United StatesRead the Press Release
Abdullah Haji Zada, 19, a native and citizen of Afghanistan and U.S. lawful permanent resident, has been sentenced to serve the statutory maximum of 15 years in federal prison for knowingly receiving, attempting to receive, and conspiring to receive a firearm and ammunition to be used to commit a federal crime of terrorism.
According to court documents, Zada and a co-conspirator received two AK-47-style rifles and 500 rounds of ammunition, knowing that the firearms and ammunition would be used in connection with a terrorist attack on Election Day in November 2024, on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Zada was arrested with his co-conspirator, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 28, also a citizen of Afghanistan, in October 2024.
"Zada was welcomed into the United States and provided with all the opportunities available to residents of our Nation, yet he chose to embrace terrorism and plot an ISIS-inspired attack on Election Day,” said John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “Today’s sentence, and Zada’s eventual removal from the United States, reflect the seriousness of his betrayal and our commitment to using every tool at our disposal to detect and disrupt such plots.”
“With today’s sentencing, Zada will pay the price for participating in a plot last year to conduct an ISIS-inspired Election Day terrorist attack,” said Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Detecting and preventing acts of terrorism against the American people is an essential part of the FBI’s mission. We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities.”
“The sentence today reflects the gravity of the planned terrorist attack, which was thwarted by the exceptional work of law enforcement,” said United States Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “The Department of Justice remains vigilant and focused to detect, deter, and disrupt acts of terrorism and hold offenders accountable.”
“By hatching a violent plot against the United States on behalf of ISIS, the defendant and his co-conspirator shamefully turned their backs on the country that provided them safety and refuge,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “I’m extremely proud of the swift and coordinated action taken by the Oklahoma City Joint Terrorism Task Force as soon as this disturbing plan was uncovered. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will never relent in our fight against terrorism, and in protecting the American people from those who wish them harm.”
Zada, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, entered his guilty plea as an adult on April 17, 2025. As part of the plea agreement, Zada stipulated to the entry of a judicial order of removal from the United States to Afghanistan following his term of incarceration. Zada acknowledged that the order of removal would terminate his lawful permanent resident status. Zada also waived his right to appeal the conviction except in limited circumstances or seek any form of appeal or relief from his removal and deportation, including but not limited to, seeking asylum.
At a sentencing hearing today, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Zada to serve 15 years in federal prison.
Zada’s co-conspirator, Tawhedi, pleaded guilty on June 13, 2025, to two terrorism-related offenses: conspiring and attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIS, a designated terrorist organization, and receiving, attempting to receive, and conspiring to receive firearms and ammunition in furtherance of a federal crime of terrorism. At sentencing, Tawhedi faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison for the material support charge and up to 15 years in prison for the firearms charge. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Upon completion of any sentence, Zada and Tawhedi will be permanently removed from the United States and barred from reentry under stipulated judicial orders of removal to Afghanistan.
The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force—which includes Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Marshals Service, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Edmond Police Department, the Moore Police Department, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma City Community College Police Department, and the Oklahoma City University Police Department—investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica L. Perry and Matt Dillon for the Western District of Oklahoma and Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian, previously with the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, along with other trial attorneys from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, prosecuted the case. Trial Attorney Mark Stoneman of the Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section, who previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, also assisted with the prosecution.
10 Arrested in Federal Indictment Charging Olympic Athlete-Turned-Cocaine Trafficker with Ordering Murder of Witness in JanuaryRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ten defendants have been arrested – and 11 total are in custody – pursuant to a nine-count federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charging a former Olympic snowboarder now on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List, a Canadian criminal barrister, a reggaeton musician, a would-be gangland news website operator, and others in connection with the January 31 murder in Colombia of a federal witness in a separate criminal case.
Ryan James Wedding, 44, a Canadian national residing in Mexico, the case’s lead defendant, is charged with overseeing the operations of a criminal enterprise – including by engaging in witness intimidation tactics such as murder – and enriching himself with the enterprise’s laundered drug proceeds. In March 2025, Wedding was placed on the FBI’s List of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. There is an increased $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest and/or prosecution.
The following defendants were arrested Tuesday as part of the second phase of a law enforcement action entitled “Operation Giant Slalom”:
- Deepak Balwant Paradkar, 62, of Thornhill, Ontario, Canada;
- Atna Ohna, 40, of Laval, Québec, Canada;
- Gursewak Singh Bal, 31, of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada;
- Allistair Chapman, 33, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada;
- Ahmad Nabil Zitoun, 35, of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada;
- Carmen Yelinet Valoyes Florez, 47, of Bogotá, Colombia;
- Yulieth Katherine Tejada, 36, of Orlando, Florida, who is legal permanent resident from Colombia;
- Edwin Basora-Hernandez, 31, of Montréal;
- Wilson Riascos, 45, of Cali, Colombia; and
- Rolan Sokolovski, 37, of Toronto.
“Whether you’re a kingpin or a dealer on the street, anyone who sells drugs to our kids will be arrested and prosecuted,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Ryan Wedding controls one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in this world and works closely with the Sinaloa Cartel. We will not rest until his name is taken off the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted List, and his narco-trafficking organization lies dismantled.”
“The murder of a witness in Colombia earlier this year was a cruel, cold-blooded act that could not and did not go unanswered,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California. “This week’s arrests underscore our resolve to root out and punish the wrongdoers involved in this criminal organization and serve as a warning for drug lord Ryan Wedding: If convicted, you will never see the outside of a prison ever again.”
“Today’s announcement is a culmination of the steadfast work of the FBI and our partners around the world to identify and dismantle violent gang and drug organizations,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Ryan Wedding and his associates allegedly imported tons of cocaine each year from Colombia through Mexico and onto the streets of U.S. communities. His criminal activities and violent actions will not be tolerated, and this is a clear signal that the FBI will use our resources and expertise to find Ryan Wedding and bring him and his associates to justice.”
“Ryan Wedding’s athletic drive snowballed into a life of violence and, instead of conquering mountains, he mastered a deadly drug distribution enterprise and will continue to order murders while he enjoys protection by his cartel associates and others,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “‘Operation Giant Slalom’ is a dynamic international investigation and involves dedicated partners collaborating in multiple countries with the shared goal of capturing Wedding, finding justice for several murder victims – including a cooperating witness – and ridding communities in North America of deadly drugs.”
“No one, not even a former Olympian, is above the law,” said Senior Bureau Official Chris Landberg of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. “We are increasing our reward offer to up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ryan Wedding. We are also offering rewards of up to $2 million each for the assassins behind the murder of his associate in Colombia.”
“Today we’re exposing the network of associates and enablers behind Ryan Wedding – one of the most notorious criminals and narcotraffickers still evading justice,” said Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John Hurley. “Treasury is joining with the FBI and the Department of Justice to cut Wedding and his criminal partners off from the U.S. financial system and help dismantle the network they rely on. Our goal is simple: make it difficult for criminals like this to profit from poisoning our communities.”
“International cooperation, such as our involvement in Operation Giant Slalom, is vital to our ability to stay ahead of organized crime,” said Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Mike Duheme. “The RCMP and its international law enforcement partners work together closely, regularly sharing knowledge, technical expertise, and intelligence to enable us to collectively target the most serious organized crime groups that threaten our countries - no matter where they are operating in the world.”
To eliminate threats and advance his enterprise’s interests, Wedding issued orders to murder various individuals, including an order to kill the victim, a witness in a 2024 federal narcotics case against Wedding, which resulted in the victim’s death. Wedding placed a bounty on the victim and enlisted the services of others to locate and kill the victim, who was shot to death in a restaurant in Medellín, Colombia, in January 2025.
In the 2024 indictment, Wedding is charged with running a continuing criminal enterprise, assorted drug trafficking charges, and directing the November 20, 2023, murders of two members of a family in Caledon, Ontario, Canada, in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment that passed through Southern California. Another member of that family survived the shooting but was left with serious physical injuries.
Also charged in the indictment unsealed today are 18 additional defendants, including Paradkar, a criminal barrister who advised Wedding to murder the victim so that Wedding would avoid extradition to the United States from Mexico on the 2024 federal criminal charges against him. Paradkar also provided Wedding with court documents and discovery to which he would not otherwise have access, and – through attorneys whose representation he secured – access to enterprise members and associates who either were arrested, indicted, or under investigation.
Bal was the co-founder and co-operator of “The Dirty News,” a website that law enforcement seized pursuant to a federal warrant. In exchange for payment, Bal agreed to not post about Wedding and instead posted a photograph of the victim so that the victim could be located and killed.
Basora-Hernandez, a reggaeton musician and citizen of the Dominican Republic, provided co-conspirators with the victim’s contact information for the purpose of helping Wedding and his criminal enterprise locate and murder the victim.
Concurrent with Tuesday’s arrests, law enforcement has taken immigration action against associates of Wedding’s enterprise, including Latin pop artist Samantha Melissa Granda-Gastelu, 38, a Canadian national residing in Aventura, Florida, whose husband Nahim Jorge Bonilla, 37, has been indicted on separate murder conspiracy charges. Bonilla is in currently in federal custody, charged with drug trafficking crimes. An immigration action also is being initiated against Madeline Paradkar, 27, a Canadian national residing in Chicago who is an attorney and Paradkar’s daughter.
Law enforcement continues to search for Wedding, and the following three defendants:
- Rasheed Pascua Hossain, 32, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;
- Bianca Canastillo-Madrid, 37, of Mexico City; and
- Tommy Demorizi, 35, of Montréal, who is believed to be a fugitive in the Dominican Republic
If convicted, Wedding – and the defendants charged in connection with the victim’s murder – would face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
The FBI is investigating this matter with the Los Angeles Police Department, the United States Departments of State and Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Federal Policing. In addition, significant assistance was provided by U.S. law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigation Miami and Chicago and U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Buffalo; Canadian law enforcement partners, including Ontario Provincial Police, and Colombian law enforcement partners, including Colombian National Police – Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol, Special Interagency Investigation Group (Policía Nacional de Colombia – Dirección de Investigación Criminal e Interpol, Grupo Especial de Investigación Interagenciales).
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá, Colombia also provided significant assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndsi Allsop and Kenneth R. Carbajal of the Major Crimes Section and Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Galatzan, Tara Vavere, and Alexander Su of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, TCOs, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
10 Arrested in Federal Indictment Charging Olympic Athlete-Turned-Cocaine Trafficker with Ordering Murder of Witness in JanuaryRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Ten defendants have been arrested – and 11 total are in custody – pursuant to a nine-count federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charging a former Olympic snowboarder now on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List, a Canadian criminal barrister, a reggaeton musician, a would-be gangland news website operator, and others in connection with the January 31 murder in Colombia of a federal witness in a separate criminal case.
Ryan James Wedding, 44, a Canadian national residing in Mexico, the case’s lead defendant, is charged with overseeing the operations of a criminal enterprise – including by engaging in witness intimidation tactics such as murder – and enriching himself with the enterprise’s laundered drug proceeds. In March 2025, Wedding was placed on the FBI’s List of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. There is an increased $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest and/or prosecution.
The following defendants were arrested Tuesday as part of the second phase of a law enforcement action entitled “Operation Giant Slalom”:
- Deepak Balwant Paradkar, 62, a.k.a. "cocaine_lawyer," of Thornhill, Ontario, Canada;
- Atna Ohna, 40, of Laval, Québec, Canada;
- Gursewak Singh Bal, 31, of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada;
- Allistair Chapman, 33, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada;
- Ahmad Nabil Zitoun, 35, of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada;
- Carmen Yelinet Valoyes Florez, 47, of Bogotá, Colombia;
- Yulieth Katherine Tejada, 36, of Orlando, Florida, who is legal permanent resident from Colombia;
- Edwin Basora-Hernandez, 31, a.k.a. "Edwin Hernandez" and "Ed Winter," of Montréal;
- Wilson Riascos, 45, of Cali, Colombia; and
- Rolan Sokolovski, 37, of Toronto.
“The murder of a witness in Colombia earlier this year was a cruel, cold-blooded act that could not and did not go unanswered,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California. “This week’s arrests underscore our resolve to root out and punish the wrongdoers involved in this criminal organization and serve as a warning for drug lord Ryan Wedding: If convicted, you will never see the outside of a prison ever again.”
“Whether you’re a kingpin or a dealer on the street, anyone who sells drugs to our kids will be arrested and prosecuted,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Ryan Wedding controls one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in this world and works closely with the Sinaloa Cartel. We will not rest until his name is taken off the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted List, and his narco-trafficking organization lies dismantled.”
“Today’s announcement is a culmination of the steadfast work of the FBI and our partners around the world to identify and dismantle violent gang and drug organizations,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Ryan Wedding and his associates allegedly imported tons of cocaine each year from Colombia through Mexico and onto the streets of U.S. communities. His criminal activities and violent actions will not be tolerated, and this is a clear signal that the FBI will use our resources and expertise to find Ryan Wedding and bring him and his associates to justice.”
“Ryan Wedding’s athletic drive snowballed into a life of violence and, instead of conquering mountains, he mastered a deadly drug distribution enterprise and will continue to order murders while he enjoys protection by his cartel associates and others,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “‘Operation Giant Slalom’ is a dynamic international investigation and involves dedicated partners collaborating in multiple countries with the shared goal of capturing Wedding, finding justice for several murder victims – including a cooperating witness – and ridding communities in North America of deadly drugs.”
“No one, not even a former Olympian, is above the law,” said Senior Bureau Official Chris Landberg of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. “We are increasing our reward offer to up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ryan Wedding. We are also offering rewards of up to $2 million each for the assassins behind the murder of his associate in Colombia.”
“Today we’re exposing the network of associates and enablers behind Ryan Wedding – one of the most notorious criminals and narcotraffickers still evading justice,” said Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John Hurley. “Treasury is joining with the FBI and the Department of Justice to cut Wedding and his criminal partners off from the U.S. financial system and help dismantle the network they rely on. Our goal is simple: make it difficult for criminals like this to profit from poisoning our communities.”
“International cooperation, such as our involvement in Operation Giant Slalom, is vital to our ability to stay ahead of organized crime,” said Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Mike Duheme. “The RCMP and its international law enforcement partners work together closely, regularly sharing knowledge, technical expertise, and intelligence to enable us to collectively target the most serious organized crime groups that threaten our countries - no matter where they are operating in the world.”
To eliminate threats and advance his enterprise’s interests, Wedding issued orders to murder various individuals, including an order to kill the victim, a witness in a 2024 federal narcotics case against Wedding, which resulted in the victim’s death. Wedding placed a bounty on the victim and enlisted the services of others to locate and kill the victim, who was shot to death in a restaurant in Medellín, Colombia, in January 2025.
In the 2024 indictment, Wedding is charged with running a continuing criminal enterprise, assorted drug trafficking charges, and directing the November 20, 2023, murders of two members of a family in Caledon, Ontario, Canada, in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment that passed through Southern California. Another member of that family survived the shooting but was left with serious physical injuries.
Also charged in the indictment unsealed today are 18 additional defendants, including Paradkar, a criminal barrister who advised Wedding to murder the victim so that Wedding would avoid extradition to the United States from Mexico on the 2024 federal criminal charges against him. Paradkar also provided Wedding with court documents and discovery to which he would not otherwise have access, and – through attorneys whose representation he secured – access to enterprise members and associates who either were arrested, indicted, or under investigation.
Bal was the co-founder and co-operator of “The Dirty News,” a website that law enforcement seized pursuant to a federal warrant. In exchange for payment, Bal agreed to not post about Wedding and instead posted a photograph of the victim so that the victim could be located and killed.
Basora-Hernandez, a reggaeton musician and citizen of the Dominican Republic, provided co-conspirators with the victim’s contact information for the purpose of helping Wedding and his criminal enterprise locate and murder the victim.
Concurrent with Tuesday’s arrests, law enforcement has taken immigration action against associates of Wedding’s enterprise, including Latin pop artist Samantha Melissa Granda-Gastelu, 38, a Canadian national residing in Aventura, Florida, whose husband Nahim Jorge Bonilla, 37, has been indicted on separate murder conspiracy charges. Bonilla is in currently in federal custody, charged with drug trafficking crimes. An immigration action also is being initiated against Madeline Paradkar, 27, a Canadian national residing in Chicago who is an attorney and Paradkar’s daughter.
Law enforcement continues to search for Wedding, and the following three defendants:
- Rasheed Pascua Hossain, 32, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;
- Bianca Canastillo-Madrid, 37, of Mexico City; and
- Tommy Demorizi, 35, of Montréal, who is believed to be a fugitive in the Dominican Republic.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Wedding – and the defendants charged in connection with the victim’s murder – would face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
The FBI is investigating this matter with the Los Angeles Police Department, the United States Departments of State and Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Federal Policing. In addition, significant assistance was provided by U.S. law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigation Miami and Chicago and U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Buffalo; Canadian law enforcement partners, including Ontario Provincial Police, and Colombian law enforcement partners, including Colombian National Police – Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol, Special Interagency Investigation Group (Policía Nacional de Colombia – Dirección de Investigación Criminal e Interpol, Grupo Especial de Investigación Interagenciales).
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá, Colombia also provided significant assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndsi Allsop and Kenneth R. Carbajal of the Major Crimes Section and Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Galatzan, Tara Vavere, and Alexander Su of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, TCOs, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.
- Ryan Wedding poster is updated - https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/ryan-james-wedding
- Seeking Info – Getaway driver - https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/unknown-getaway-driver
- Collage of five wanted unknown suspects - https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/cei/unknown-suspects
- Individual wanted posters:
- https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/cei/tommy-demorizi
- https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/cei/bianca-canastillo-madrid
- https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/cei/rasheed-pascua-hossain
Tuesday 18 November 2025
Winner Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison in Child Sex Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man and a woman, both from Winner, South Dakota, following their convictions in a case charging Sex Trafficking of a Child and Production of Child Pornography.
Richard Alan Kucera, age 67, was found guilty of two counts of Sex Trafficking of a Child and two counts of Production of Child Pornography following a four-day federal jury trial in July 2025. On October 20, 2025, he was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $400 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Ivy Rose Heron, age 37, pleaded guilty on April 9, 2025, to one count of Conspiracy to Engage in Sex Trafficking of a Child. On October 21, 2025, she was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Kucera and Heron were indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023.
At trial, the evidence established that between 2019 and 2021, Kucera and Heron entered into an agreement to recruit local girls in the Winner area to engage in sexual activity with Kucera in exchange for payment. Heron received a fee for each girl she recruited whom Kucera selected. Between 2020 and 2021, Heron recruited two sixteen-year-old girls, each of whom Kucera paid to engage in sexual activity on multiple occasions. Kucera also created child pornography images and videos of both minor victims, which he uploaded to Facebook. The arrangement between Kucera and Heron was discovered in June 2022, when the minor victims were interviewed by law enforcement.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Kucera and Heron were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Waterloo Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A two-time convicted felon who possessed a gun was sentenced on November 17, 2025, to six years in federal prison.
Jimarus Westley Puckett, age 38, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 28, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
On July 23, 2023, in Waterloo, Iowa, police officers stopped a car. Puckett was a passenger in the car. Officers searched the car and found a rifle that was equipped with a large capacity magazine in the back seat. Puckett was prohibited from possessing guns based on two prior felony convictions and a prior misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence.
Puckett was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Puckett was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. 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.
Puckett is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2037.
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Vernon Man Who Enticed Minors to Send Him Sexually Explicit Images on Snapchat Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on November 5, 2025, DARYL TODD, 45, of Vernon, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 84 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for enticing minors to send him sexually explicit images and videos on Snapchat.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force revealed that Todd used Snapchat to communicate with minor girls and entice them to send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves, sometimes in return for money that Todd sent the victims using the mobile payment service Cash App. Todd also sent sexually explicit images of himself to the minor victims.
After Todd was arrested on March 7, 2024, analysis of his cellphone and tablet revealed sexually explicit images of minor females.
On April 8, 2025, Todd pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography.
Todd, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on January 7.
This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
United States Attorney’s Office Summarizes Accomplishments During the Lapse in Government FundingRead the Press Release
Like federal employees across the country, during the lapse in funding that began on October 1, 2025, and ended during the evening of November 12, 2025, the men and women of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont were not paid for the work they performed. Nevertheless, during that time, the office’s accomplishments included the following:
Cases Charged
• On October 2, the Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Tashama Oates, 47, from Connecticut, with conspiracy to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. If convicted Oates faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 10 years’ imprisonment. On October 14, Oates was ordered detained pending trial.
• On October 15, the Grand Jury returned a superseding indictment charging Dontayveus Thomas, 33, of Florida, with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and possessing a firearm in connection with his drug conspiracy. If convicted Thomas faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 15 years’ imprisonment. He has been ordered detained pending trial.
• On October 16, the Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Deandre Watson, 35, from Detroit, Michigan, with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. If convicted, Watson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 5 years’ imprisonment. Watson had previously been charged by criminal complaint, and on October 10 was ordered detained pending trial.
• On October 16, the Grand Jury also returned an indictment charging Jamelle Willis, 39, from Brooklyn, New York, with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. If convicted Willis faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 5 years’ imprisonment. The government sought Willis’s detention, but he was ordered released on conditions.
• On October 22, Juan Pablo Espinoza-Morales, 51, of Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint with transporting nine aliens (from Brazil, Portugal, Guatemala, and Venezuela) into the United States from Canada. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment. He has been ordered detained pending trial.
• On October 23, the Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Isiah Smith, 38, from Brooklyn, New York, with conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base. If convicted, Smith faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 10 years’ imprisonment. Smith had been previously charged by criminal complaint, and on October 15 was ordered detained pending trial.
• On October 23, the Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Ezra Dillon, 34, from Burlington, Vermont, with a Hobbs Act robbery in connection with his brandishing a knife while stealing from City Market in Burlington. If convicted, Dillon faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment. Dillon, who had been previously charged by criminal complaint, was ordered detained pending trial.
• On October 29, the Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Mark Billy Brown, 31, from Springfield, Massachusetts, with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. Brown faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted. Brown was previously charged by criminal complaint, and has been ordered detained pending trial.
• On October 29, the Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Raymond Regimbald, 54, from Rutland, Vermont, with various offenses relating to the distribution of cocaine. If convicted, Regimbald faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment. He has been ordered detained pending trial.
• On October 30, the Grand Jury returned a superseding indictment charging Maurice Jackson, 33, from Brooklyn, New York, with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute more than 280 grams of cocaine base. If convicted Jackson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years. He has been ordered detained pending trial.
• On October 30, the Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Aldrain Ashby, 40, with distribution of fentanyl and that such distribution resulted in the death of one victim, and serious bodily injury to another. Ashby was also charged with distributing fentanyl within 1000 feet of a school in South Burlington. If convicted Ashby faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. He has been ordered detained pending trial.
• On October 30, the Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Mohamed Mubarak, 28, from Kenya, with making a false statement in connection with his attempt to acquire firearms from a licensed firearm dealer. If convicted, Mubarak faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment. He has been ordered detained pending trial.
• On November 6, the Grand Jury returned a three-count superseding indictment charging Tremaine Knight, 43, from Hartford, Connecticut, with one count of murder-for-hire, one count of distribution of cocaine and fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, Knight faces up to a lifetime prison sentence. He has been ordered detained pending trial.
• On November 6, the Grand Jury returned a two-count indictment charging Haley Morgan, 21, from Burlington, Vermont, with enticing and attempting to entice a minor child to engage in unlawful sexual conduct and with distribution of child sexual abuse materials. If convicted, Morgan faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 15 years’ imprisonment. The government sought Morgan’s detention, but she was ordered released on conditions.
• On November 6, the Grand Jury returned a six-count indictment charging Ayman Khalifa, 25, from St. Albans, Vermont, with distribution of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. If convicted Khalifa faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least five years’ imprisonment. He has been ordered detained pending trial.
• On November 12, the Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Guadalupe Vargas, 43, from Arleta, California, with distributing methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and fentanyl, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug crime. If convicted, Vargas faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 10 years’ imprisonment. Vargas has been ordered detained pending trial.
• On November 12, the Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Dejaneiro McDaniel, 20, from Lancaster, California, with distribution of cocaine base and fentanyl. If convicted McDaniel faces up to 20 years in prison. He has not had a court appearance yet.
Sentencings
• On October 6, Davonne Brown, 42, from Manhattan, New York, was sentenced to a 110-month prison term, to be followed by three years of supervised release following his plea to conspiring to carry a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense.
• On October 9, Hussein Iman, 21, from Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced to a 120-month prison term, to be followed by three years of supervised release, following his guilty plea to drug and money laundering offenses.
• On October 16, Davon Lee, 26, from Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced to a 60-month prison term, to be followed by three years of supervised release, following his guilty plea to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
• On October 20, Meghan Cox, 40, from Laconia, New Hampshire, was sentenced to a 20-month prison term, to be followed by three years of supervised release, following her guilty plea to conspiring to commit a robbery by force on a commercial business. (On September 30, 2025, her co-defendant Christopher Boisvert had received a 74-month prison sentence following his guilty plea to bank robbery.)
• On October 22, Gordon Richard, 77, from Georgia, Vermont, was sentenced to an 18-month prison term, to be followed by three years of supervised release, following his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
• On October 22, James Plunkett, 40, recently from Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced to a 78-month prison term, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release, following his guilty plea to bank robbery.
• On October 23, Joseph Cadorette, II, 38, from Williamstown, Vermont, was sentenced to a 40-month prison term, to be followed by three years of supervised release, following his guilty plea to using and maintaining a place to further drug distribution activities.
• On October 27, Gabriel Lopes Da Silva Santos, 28, from Brazil, was sentenced to a 9-month prison term following his guilty plea to possessing a firearm as an alien in the United States without immigration status.
• On November 3, Jaquan Rivera, 26, from New Britain, Connecticut, was sentenced to a 48-month prison term, to be followed by three years of supervised release, following his guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Other Matters
• The United States also successfully forfeited the Milton residence of Gordon Richard, because he had utilized that location to further the drug crime for which he was sentenced on October 22, as described above.
All indictments and complaints are allegations only. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are convicted. Upon conviction, the Court’s sentencing decisions will be informed by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines and Statutory Sentencing Factors.###
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones Swears in Veteran Trial Lawyer Maria Guzman as Assistant United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – United States Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones today announced the swearing-in of Maria Guzman as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Guzman joins the Narcotics Section, bringing more than three decades of trial experience in state and federal courts.
Guzman is a graduate of Columbia University and the University of Miami School of Law. She began her career as an Assistant District Attorney in Houston, Texas, where she tried more than fifty misdemeanor and felony jury trials. After several years in private practice handling criminal and civil matters, she returned to public service in Miami as an Assistant State Attorney for Miami-Dade County. There, she prosecuted violent crime, robbery, and homicide cases, rising to Assistant Chief of the Robbery/Career Criminal Unit and Felony Division Chief. She tried approximately thirty homicide cases during her tenure.
Following her time in Miami, Guzman served for seventeen years as an Assistant Federal Public Defender in the Middle District of Florida. She was lead trial counsel on hundreds of federal cases, including matters involving firearms, narcotics, RICO conspiracies, child exploitation, fraud, immigration, and international money laundering. Her years as an AFPD shaped her reputation as a skilled litigator, a demanding courtroom advocate, and a trusted trainer for young attorneys.
Most recently, Guzman served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Middle District of Florida, prosecuting violent crime, narcotics trafficking, health care fraud, immigration offenses, overdose death cases, and OCDETF investigations. She served as the office’s Violent Crimes Coordinator, leading significant investigations and securing notable jury verdicts in complex robbery and firearms cases.
In announcing her appointment, U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones stated: “Maria is the kind of prosecutor who makes a district stronger the moment she walks through the door. She has tried more than 300 cases, served our justice system from every angle, and brings a depth of experience that is rare in any district. Our Narcotics Section gains a steady hand, a battle-tested trial lawyer, and a public servant committed to protecting our community.”
Guzman is fluent in English and Spanish and is admitted to practice in Florida and Texas.
She will begin her duties in the Narcotics Section immediately.
###
Two Nigerian-Born Men Sentenced to Prison for Laundering Millions of Dollars in Criminal ProceedsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two Nigerian-born men were sentenced to prison today for laundering millions of dollars in criminal proceeds that were derived from fraud schemes targeting hundreds of victims, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
James C. Barnacle, Jr. Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in North Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
Olumide Olorunfunmi, 40, and Emmanuel Unuigbe, 43, were each sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In addition to the prison terms imposed, they were each ordered to pay more than $4.6 million in restitution.
According to court documents and court proceedings, from 2020 through 2023, Olorunfunmi conspired with Unuigbe and others to launder the criminal proceeds of various illegal activities, including romance scams that typically targeted elderly victims and business email compromise schemes. Court records show that the victims of the schemes were directed to transfer funds into domestic and international bank accounts controlled by Olorunfunmi, Unuigbe, and their co-conspirators. Upon receiving the fraud proceeds, Olorunfunmi, Unigibe, and their co-conspirators transferred the funds to other bank accounts, in the U.S. and overseas. Court documents show that the scheme caused more than 125 victims to transfer over $4.5 million of proceeds stemming from illegal activities.
Olorunfunmi and Unuigbe profited by keeping a portion of the criminal proceeds obtained through the schemes. They also profited by agreeing to “pay” for the domestic deposits received by others by transferring Nigerian Naira from accounts the co-conspirators controlled in Nigeria to other accounts in Nigeria, based upon a “black market” exchange rate for United States Dollars to Naira.
Olorunfunmi and Unuigbe previously pleaded guilty. A related individual, Samson Amos, was also sentenced today for his role in conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. He was sentenced to five years of probation that included a six-month period of home confinement. He was also ordered to pay restitution.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI for the investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Ryan with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.