Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Monday 22 September 2025
Federal Investigators Seek Public’s Help in Identifying Possible Victims of Charleston County MagistrateRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Investigators with Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are seeking the public’s help to identify possible victims in an ongoing child sexual exploitation investigation involving Charleston County magistrate James Gosnell.
If your child, or a child you know, was ever alone with, or held by James Gosnell, please notify the Homeland Security Investigations’ tip line listed below:
Email: [email protected]
Federal Charges Filed Against Suspect in KXTV/ABC 10 ShootingRead the Press Release
The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Anibal Hernandez Santana, 63, of Sacramento, over the weekend, and a three-count amended criminal complaint was filed against him on Monday morning, charging him with possessing a firearm within a school zone, discharging a firearm within a school zone, and interfering with a radio communication station, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, Hernandez Santana fired one shot towards, and three shots into, the KXTV/ABC 10 station on Broadway in Sacramento. While standing on the sidewalk around the block from the station, in front of 2555 3rd Street, Hernandez Santana fired the first shot into the air in the direction of the station. He then drove to the front of the station and fired three shots directly into the building’s lobby. A KXTV/ABC 10 employee was inside the lobby at the time, although no one was injured. The location from where Hernandez Santana discharged the first shot was within a school zone.
Law enforcement executed a search of Hernandez Santana’s person, home, and vehicle. There was a weekly planner attached to the refrigerator in his home. Under “Friday,” there was a handwritten note that stated, “Do the Next Scary Thing.” Law enforcement also found in his car a handwritten note that read, “For hiding Epstein & ignoring red flags. Do not support Patel, Bongino, & AG Pam Bondi. They’re next. – C.K. from above.”
The Sacramento Police Department initially arrested Hernandez Santana on Friday evening, but Hernandez Santana was released on bail the next day. The FBI arrested him hours later. Hernandez Santana is scheduled to make his initial appearance on the amended criminal complaint on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Hernandez Santana faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possessing and discharging a firearm within a school zone, and a maximum of one year in prison and a $10,000 fine for interfering with a radio communication station. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Dominican National Admits to Role in KidnappingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A citizen of the Dominican Republic admitted his role in a Paterson, New Jersey, kidnapping, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Joel Ramon Garcia, 33, pleaded guilty on September 9, before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court to an Indictment charging him with kidnapping. The sentencing date is scheduled for January 20, 2026.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On or about November 15, 2023, Garcia and another individual kidnapped two victims at gun point in Paterson, New Jersey, and then drove the victims to Massachusetts, where they held the victims for ransom. Shortly after the kidnapping or about November 15, 2023, the kidnappers contacted the father of one of the victims and threatened that the victim’s fingers would be cut off if the ransom was not paid. The kidnappers ultimately released the victims on or about November 17, 2023.
The charge of kidnapping carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited members of the FBI’s New Jersey field office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked members of the FBI’s Boston field office under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge Ted Docks, the Paterson Police Department, under the leadership of Officer in Charge Patrick Murray, members of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the leadership of Sheriff Thomas Adamo, members of the Clifton Police Department, under the leadership of Police Chief Thomas Rinaldi, members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the leadership of Prosecutor Mark Musella, and members of the Cedar Grove Police Department, under the leadership of Police Chief Francis Pumphrey with their help in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Maloy of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit and Carolyn Silane, Deputy Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
###
Defense counsel: Michael Rubas, Esq.
garcia.indictment.pdfDistrict Jury Finds Recently Released Felon Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Deshawn Raphael Loggins, 24, a previously convicted felon on federal supervised release who resides in Capitol Heights, MD, was found guilty on Thursday, September 18, in U.S. District Court of narcotics and firearms charges, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Following a four-day trial, a federal jury deliberated for over a day and found Loggins, also known as “Dae Dae,” guilty of unlawful possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, of unlawful possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, and of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled sentencing for Jan. 13, 2026.
According to court documents, on June 6, 2024, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) were called to a building on the 100 block of Atlantic Street SE, in response to ongoing complaints.
Officers entered the vestibule and observed four individuals, including Loggins, seated around in a circle in the hallway. At the foot of Loggins’ chair was a bottle of promethazine-codeine in a woman’s name and a black drawstring bag. Immediately to Loggins’ left was a clear bag containing three grams of a substance that field tested positive for crack cocaine. Loose cash was strewn on a flight of stairs. Through the open door of a nearby apartment, officers observed in plain view suspected crack cocaine, blue zips in clear plastic bags, additional U.S. currency, and a digital scale.
Officers placed Loggins under arrest and escorted him outside where he was searched. From Loggins’ pockets, officers recovered $1,689 in cash and a key fob to a rented Dodge Charger. The Dodge Charger was parked nearby. After a trained MPD drug canine sniffed the vehicle, officers conducted a search of the car. In the center console, they found a firearm with an extended magazine, a plastic bag containing 50 grams of crack cocaine, and 177 oxycodone pills of assorted types.
Loggins has a prior felony conviction for drug trafficking, was recently released, and was on federal supervised release at the time he committed in the instant offense. In October 2022, Loggins was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing cocaine base. As part of that plea, Loggins admitted that he was responsible for selling between 28 grams and 112 grams of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Washington, D.C. field office, with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department. In addition, valuable assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Iris Y. McCranie and Michael L. Barclay of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking (VCNT) section.
24cr505
Defendants Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Mail and Committing Bank FraudRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: Two Richmond County men were sentenced to federal prison for using a United States Postal Service key to steal mail, commit bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
Cameron Martinas Curry, 22, and Quavaun Enreco Rhodes, 22, both of Augusta, were sentenced to 120 months in prison respectively, along with substantial financial penalties and supervised release each upon completion of the prison term. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen Jr. ordered Curry to pay a $2,000 fine, $400 in special assessments, and to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Judge Bowen also ordered Rhodes to pay a $2,000 fine, $400 in special assessments, and to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
As described in court documents and at sentencing, the Defendants obtained a U.S. Postal Service collection key and used that key to steal mail, including business checks, from collection boxes in the Augusta, Georgia area. The Defendants then altered the business checks, deposited the altered checks into the bank accounts of co-conspirators, and withdrew the money. The money was withdrawn and stolen before the banks realized the checks were fraudulent. The Defendants tried to steal more than $550,000 through his fraudulent scheme.
“There were hundreds of citizens of this District who were victimized by these two Defendants. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting and defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use and aggressively pursuing those who would commit fraud in this district. With the collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners, fraudsters who use the mail to steal will be brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Heap.
“Stealing from the U.S. Mail and defrauding financial institutions are serious crimes that erode public trust,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI and our partners will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who abuse federal systems and victimize our communities for personal gain.”
“I am very grateful for our partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice, Southern District of Georgia. These individuals defrauded multiple citizens and businesses in our community, and that is simply unacceptable. Working together, we will continue to protect our residents and businesses from fraud, theft, and other crimes that undermine trust and financial security,” said Richmond County Sheriff Eugene Brantley.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the FBI and prosecuted for the United States by First Assistant United States Attorney David H. Estes and Assistant United States Attorney Patricia Rhodes.
For any questions, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Coalport Woman Sentenced for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A former resident of Coalport, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to time served of approximately six months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on her conviction of violating federal narcotics laws related to a six-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around Blair, Cambria, Centre, and Clearfield counties, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Lesley Wilt, 39.
According to information presented to the Court, Wilt was a participant in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine to various individuals throughout the Western District of Pennsylvania. Specifically, Wilt assisted Jason Lynn, an Altoona-based narcotics distributor, in redistributing the drugs to others after Lynn obtained the narcotics from a New York-based supplier. Lynn is currently awaiting sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Service–Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Wilt.
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.
Chairman of the Board of Puerto Rican Bank Pleads Guilty to Multimillion-Dollar Wire Fraud Conspiracy That Led to Bank’s CollapseRead the Press Release
The chairman of the board of Nodus International Bank (Nodus), a Puerto Rican international banking entity, pleaded guilty today for his role in leading a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $13.6 million from Nodus, which ultimately led to the bank’s failure in 2023.
“The defendant abused his position as Chairman of the board of directors to fraudulently divert funds from the bank that he had been entrusted to run, resulting in the bank’s collapse,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division is committed to investigating and prosecuting white-collar fraudsters, no matter how lofty their position, to ensure their crimes do not pay.”
“Banks hold a sacred trust — the savings, investments, and livelihoods of the communities they serve," said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. "Ramirez abused that trust, siphoning millions for personal gain and leaving behind collapse and loss. The Southern District of Florida will hold corporate leaders accountable when they turn financial institutions into vehicles of fraud. Our Office will continue to protect investors, safeguard the integrity of the banking system, and defend the rule of law.”
“The Chairman’s fraud brought down more than a bank — it undermined public trust," said Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami. "IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to use our financial expertise to protect the integrity of the U.S. financial system."
According to court documents, Juan Francisco Ramirez, 60, of Miami, Florida, conspired with others to siphon money from Nodus. Ramirez and a co-conspirator concealed from other Nodus board members and executives, and the bank’s regulator — the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions of Puerto Rico (OCIF) — that certain investments or loans were for the benefit of Ramirez and a co-conspirator, in violation of Puerto Rican law and Nodus policy regarding insider transactions.
From 2017 to 2023, Ramirez conspired with others to invest more than $11 million of Nodus’s funds in a Miami-based lender so that it could loan those funds to Ramirez and a co-conspirator for their own benefit. Ramirez and his co-conspirators knew that these transactions were illegal and took steps to conceal their prohibited nature by having the bank make sham investments in the lending entity.
Further, between January 2018 and September 2021, Ramirez and a co-conspirator fraudulently induced Nodus’s board and comptroller to agree to, or facilitate, the purchase of at least 47 promissory notes totaling approximately $25.3 million from Miami-based finance company that Ramirez and the co-conspirator jointly owned. These promissory notes purported to fund loans to legitimate individuals or businesses, but in fact Ramirez and a co-conspirator used the loan proceeds for their own benefit, including to make personal investments in third-party companies, pay personal mortgages, or cover personal credit card expenses.
In early March 2023, OCIF notified Nodus of its intention to place the Bank into liquidation, and later that month Nodus agreed to enter into a voluntary liquidation. On April 28, 2023, knowing that the liquidation process would commence imminently and without authorization from OCIF, Ramirez and a co-conspirator caused Nodus to purchase from their Miami-based finance company a loan portfolio totaling approximately $26 million. Most of these loans were delinquent, nonperforming, and otherwise uncollateralized. Ramirez and a co-conspirator caused Nodus to accept the loan portfolio as payment of their Miami-based finance company’s debt arising from the 47 promissory notes that Nodus had purchased during 2018 to 2021. This resulted in a direct benefit to the finance company (and Ramirez and his co-conspirator) by relieving the finance company of its debt to the bank.
As part of his plea agreement, Ramirez agreed to forfeiture in the amount of at least $13.6 million, which represents the value of the proceeds he derived from the conspiracy.
Ramirez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on a later date and faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Javier Urbina and Samir Paul of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), Bank Integrity Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Felipe Plechac-Diaz for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Cedar Rapids Man Who Sold Fentanyl Near Elementary School Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who distributed fentanyl near a school was sentenced today to more than 11 years in federal prison. D’quon Morrow, age 27, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 28, 2025 guilty plea to one count of distribution of at least 40 grams of fentanyl near a protected location.
Evidence in a plea agreement and at sentencing showed that between February 2024 and July 2024, in Cedar Rapids, Morrow agreed with others to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. In March 2024, he distributed 6.50 grams of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl to another person. In April 2024, he sold a firearm to another person. At the time, Morrow had a felony conviction for eluding. In May 2024, he distributed 20.75 grams of fentanyl to another person. In June 2024, he distributed 48.60 grams of fentanyl to another person near Madison Elementary School in Cedar Rapids. In July 2024, law enforcement searched Morrow’s residence and recovered two firearms, ammunition, and over 1,000 fentanyl pills.
Morrow was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Morrow was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment and must also serve an eight-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Morrow 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 Devra T. Hake and investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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).
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-4.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Ramon Velazquez Rodas, 46, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case demonstrates the value of close collaboration between our local and federal law enforcement officers to target, investigate, and arrest the criminals flooding our streets with deadly drugs. My office remains committed to backing up the hard work of our law enforcement partners with aggressive prosecutions to keep our communities safe.”
Court documents reflect that in August 2022, as part of an ongoing drug investigation targeting multiple individuals, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence where Velazquez Rodas was found in Tallahassee, Florida. In a bedroom where Velazquez Rodas and another occupant were found, officers located methamphetamine and fentanyl, a stolen handgun, $2,900, and other items indicative of drug distribution. Velazquez Rodas is a convicted felon, who has previously been convicted of numerous felony offenses, including Burglary of a Dwelling, Burglary of an Unoccupied Dwelling, Possession of Burglary Tools, Dealing in Stolen Property, and Possession of Controlled Substances.
Velazquez Rodas faces up to life imprisonment.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 4, 2025, at 2:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Mark Walker.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) 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 United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Bristol Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Bristol, Virginia man, who spent two years on the run as a fugitive in Mexico before being arrested in March, pled guilty today to failing to register as a convicted sex offender.
Corey Richard Parton, 36, pled guilty today to failing to register and update a registration under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”) and failing to provide information required by SORNA relating to intended travel in foreign commerce.
According to court documents, in December 2018 Parton was convicted in Russell County, Virginia for proposing a sex act by a communications system and soliciting child pornography, both felonies. Based on these convictions, Parton was a sex offender who was required to register under SORNA. Records indicate that Parton completed his initial registration as a sex offender with the Commonwealth of Virginia on April 16, 2019. Parton was required to re-register every 90 days.
On August 8, 2023, the Virginia State Police (“VSP”) began an investigation into Parton’s SORNA registration information. The VSP investigation determined that Parton had failed to update his home address, vehicle registration information, place of employment, and use of social media - which he was prohibited from using - and place of employment. As a result, re-registration forms were sent to Parton with instructions for Parton to update this information.
However, these forms were never returned.
As a result, Parton was charged with three SORNA violations in Bristol, Virginia General District Court and subsequently arrested on August 16, 2023, and given a bond. Through further investigation, law enforcement discovered that, following his release, Parton had traveled to Galveston, Texas where he boarded a cruise ship that stopped in Cancun, Mexico. Parton got off the cruise ship in Cancun and never boarded the ship when it left port.
Authorities located Parton living at the Ocean Dream Hotel in Coco Bongo Beach, Cancun, Mexico living under the name Dominque Garcia. He was arrested on May 25, 2025.
Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia and Colonel Matthew D. Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement.
The United States Marshals Service and the Virginia State Police are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Stone is prosecuting the case.
Bergen County Company Settles Matter Alleging Receipt of Improper CARES Act LoansRead the Press Release
Newark, N.J. – A manufacturer and supplier of concrete formwork, shoring and temporary scaffolding systems based in Fair Lawn, New Jersey entered into a settlement agreement with the United States resolving allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act by taking a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan to which it was not entitled, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
According to the allegations in the complaint and the contentions of the United States in the settlement agreement:
In January 2021, Ulma Form Works, Inc. (Ulma) applied for and received a $2 million PPP loan. Under the eligibility rules in effect at that time, businesses with more than 300 employees were not eligible for PPP loans. Applicants were instructed that the 300-employee limit was inclusive of the applicant’s affiliates, including affiliates whose employees were based outside of the United States. In its loan application, Ulma certified that it was eligible for the loan and that it employed no more than 300 employees. However, Ulma was not eligible for its loan because, inclusive of its affiliates and their foreign employees, it had more than 300 employees. After receiving the PPP loan, Ulma sought and received forgiveness of the total amount of the loan, plus interest that had accrued.
Ulma fully cooperated in the investigation and resolution of this matter. In accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement, Ulma will pay the United States $2,902,795. The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties, called relators, to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. In this matter, the relator is receiving $290,279 as the share.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited the special agents from the Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Eastern Regional Office, and the SBA’s Office of General Counsel for their assistance in this matter.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the Health Care Fraud and Opioid Enforcement Unit in Newark.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Verity Investigations, LLC v. Ulma Form Works, Inc., 25-890 (D.N.J.).
###
Counsel for Ulma Form Works, Inc.: Mark A. Rush, Esq., Pittsburgh, PA
Counsel for Relator Verity Investigations, LLC: Steven M. Shepard, Esq., New York, NY
ulma.agreement.pdfActing U.S. Attorney Ellison Leads Multi-Agency Discussion on Public Safety Challenges in Española and Rio Arriba CountyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE –Last week, Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison convened a meeting with federal, tribal, and local law enforcement leaders to address violent crime and drug trafficking in Española and Rio Arriba County.
The meeting brought together representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, DEA, ATF, and Homeland Security Investigations, alongside Española Police Chief Mizel Garcia, Rio Arriba County Sheriff Lorenzo Aguilar, Santa Clara Police Chief Mitchell Maestas and Pueblo of Pojoaque Police Chief Freddie Trujillo.
(Left to right) Española PD Chief Mizel Garcia, Pueblo of Pojoaque PD Chief Freddie Trujillo, Pueblo of Pojoaque PD Major Nathan Barton, Santa Clara PD Chief Mitchell Maestas, Rio Arriba County Sheriff Lorenzo AguilarEllison opened the session by describing the region as “ground zero” for violent crime and overdose deaths in New Mexico. He emphasized the need for strong partnerships, an increased federal presence on the ground, and coordinated action plans. While acknowledging that federal partners cannot solve the problem alone, he underscored that federal law enforcement can lead a sustained effort. He closed his remarks with a clear warning: offenders will face prosecution and significant federal prison time.
(Right to left) DEA ASAC Jeffrey Armijo, FBI ASAC Philip Russell, U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, ATF ASAC Sarah Mauricio, HSI SAC J.T. StevensLocal and tribal law enforcement leaders offered detailed assessments of the challenges and progress in their communities. Española Police Chief Mizel Garcia described intensified collaboration among agencies and identified Mexican cartels as the number one public safety threat. Pueblo of Pojoaque Police Chief Freddie Trujillo highlighted the success of license plate reader technology and joint operations at Buffalo Thunder Resort that produced successful prosecutions through the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Santa Clara Pueblo Police Chief Mitchell Maestas noted how technology offsets staffing shortages and praised state efforts to close loopholes that once allowed non-Indians to commit crimes on tribal lands without consequence. Rio Arriba County Sheriff Lorenzo Aguilar emphasized that cartels operate with organization and discipline, urging federal partners to provide matching levels of resources, intelligence, and data. He also outlined the state’s work to deputize tribal officers to make arrests against non-Indians.
In direct response, Ellison announced expanded federal priorities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will now consider accepting all provable firearm cases, stressing that “felon in possession” charges carry powerful penalties for repeat offenders. His office will also consider taking all A- and B-level drug cases, as well as every provable fentanyl trafficking case brought forward.
(Right to left) FBI ASAC Philip Russell, U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, ATF ASAC Sarah MauricioFederal agency leaders reinforced their commitment to addressing public safety threats. Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge J.T. Stevens echoed concerns about cartel communications and pledged close cooperation with local authorities, stressing that true success is measured in safer streets, not statistics. ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Sarah Mauricio outlined support ranging from an explosives-sniffing K9 to eTrace, NIBIN, and advanced training opportunities. FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell emphasized a “whole of government” approach with seamless interagency coordination. DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Armijo pledged more training for local officers to strengthen federal case-building and offered to provide additional license plate readers.
Officials sit at a long table with the U.S. flag, surrounded by attendees.Representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office also described internal strategies to support this effort. Supervisory AUSA Samuel Hurtado (Violent and General Crimes) pledged responsiveness and highlighted the ability to pursue cases the state cannot. Deputy Supervisory AUSA Paul Mysliwiec (Violent and General Crimes) offered guidance to local and tribal law enforcement regarding the types of cases that they should push to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for federal prosecution. Supervisory AUSA Matthew McGinley (Indian Country Crimes) announced an increased focus on drug trafficking in Indian Country and an expanded tribal liaison program, supported by victim-witness specialists. Deputy Supervisory AUSA Lou Mattei (Narcotics and Organized Crime) encouraged early engagement with federal agencies, stressing that even low-level drug crimes can expose broader cartel operations.
(Left to right) Supervisory AUSA Samuel Hurtado, Deputy Supervisory AUSA Paul Mysliwiec, Supervisory AUSA Matthew McGinley, Deputy Supervisory AUSA Lou MatteiSheriff Aguilar closed the discussion by emphasizing that criminals do not recognize jurisdictional boundaries and law enforcement cannot afford to either. Leaders concluded the meeting with a unified message: Only a coordinated, multi-pronged strategy, backed by federal resources, tough prosecution, and close collaboration, can improve public safety in Española and Rio Arriba County.
A group of 21 people, including police officers and officials, pose on the steps of a gazebo with a red roof
Friday 19 September 2025
York County Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Eric Michael Deon Brown, 37, of York County, has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 400 grams of fentanyl.
The investigation revealed that Brown was responsible for selling drugs that were obtained from other members of a drug conspiracy operating out of Rock Hill. Agents learned the group obtained cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, and pills that resembled 30 mg Oxycodone tablets, also known in the generic form as Roxicodone. The pills were produced by members of the conspiracy with fentanyl at various locations in the Rock Hill and Charlotte region. Brown was supplied with fentanyl and fentanyl laced pills.
United States District Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Brown to 168 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, York County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Rock Hill Police Department, York County Sheriff’s Office, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.
###
Western District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office Adds Nearly 300 New Immigration CasesRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today that federal prosecutors in the district filed 294 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Sept. 12 through 18.
Among the new cases, Mexican national Ramiro Barrera-Gonzalez was charged in San Antonio with assault on a federal officer after he was initially arrested for illegal entry by an alien. A criminal complaint alleges that while he was in U.S. Border Patrol custody on Sept. 11, Barrera-Gonzalez ingested bleach and was transported to a San Antonio hospital for medical treatment. Two days later, as a Border Patrol agent escorted Barrera-Gonzalez to a hospital restroom, Barrera-Gonzalez allegedly lunged toward the agent’s holstered firearm. An altercation ensued, causing both the Barrera-Gonzalez and the agent to fall to the ground and resulting in an injury to the agent’s forearm.
Two U.S. citizens were arrested on Sept. 12 when they approached a Del Rio Border Patrol checkpoint and allegedly drove away at a high rate of speed after refusing to open the trunk of their vehicle and failing to pull over for secondary inspection. A criminal complaint alleges that Border Patrol agents caught up in a pursuit and observed the driver, Andre Limon Criston Austin, pull over before the car’s trunk opened and two females were seen attempting to climb out. As the agents approached, Austin allegedly accelerated again, causing the trunk to close with the females still inside. Austin’s vehicle allegedly stopped again, and one female exited the trunk before he accelerated another time, causing the second female to fall out of the vehicle. Both females were found to be in the U.S. illegally. Austin and a female passenger in his vehicle, Paris Engjqulique Walpool, were eventually taken into custody. Further investigation revealed that Austin and Walpool allegedly co-conspired with other facilitators after accepting a job in a Facebook group to “move” things in Eagle Pass for $2,500. Austin and Walpool are both charged with bringing in and harboring certain aliens.
Another U.S. citizen was charged in a separate incident for allegedly conspiring to transport two illegal aliens further into the United States. Sebastian Medina-Carrillo was arrested near Carrizo Springs on Sept. 11 when U.S. Border Patrol agents conducted a traffic stop on and allegedly observed physical abnormalities in an external fuel tank of his vehicle. An immigration vehicle inspection allegedly revealed two illegal aliens concealed inside the fuel tank. A criminal complaint alleges Medina-Carrillo was transporting the two aliens to Dilley and would be paid $1,000.
Three individuals, including two male illegal aliens and a female with a Permanent Resident Alien Card, were arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents after allegedly using two vehicles in an attempt to pick up and transport six illegal aliens who had crossed the border fence more than seven miles east of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry. The two vehicles were allegedly seen speeding away from where the illegal aliens had been observed. USBP agents initiated traffic stops, arresting Juan Pedro Zamarron-Navarrete, a Mexican national, who was identified as the driver of one vehicle. The alleged driver of the second vehicle, Ayde Castaneda-Rivera, and her passenger Oscar Chapa-Gomez, who was confirmed to be an illegal alien, were also arrested. Further investigation revealed that Zamarron-Navarrete had illegally re-entered the U.S. on Sept. 2, after serving six months in jail for an alien smuggling conviction and being removed to Mexico. The investigation also revealed that Castaneda-Rivera and Chapa-Gomez allegedly served as lookouts for Zamarron-Navarrete, who decided to leave the pick-up location when he saw USBP arriving.
On Monday, USBP agents in El Paso responded to a vehicle suspected of picking up seven illegal aliens who had just crossed into the U.S. A criminal complaint alleges that the agents observed an empty driver’s seat when they located the vehicle, and they found the seven aliens, including two unaccompanied illegal aliens, attempting to hide inside the vehicle. The driver, identified as U.S. citizen Miguel Arturo Corral, was allegedly located attempting to conceal himself in a nearby cotton field and was arrested on a human smuggling charge. Corral’s criminal history includes several prior convictions, including racing on the highway, driving with an invalid license, evading arrest, and two DWIs.
U.S. citizen Lucio David Rivera-Esparza was also arrested and charged with human smuggling in El Paso. USBP agents arrested two illegal aliens on Sept. 11 and noticed that one of the aliens possessed a cell phone that continuously received calls from a number originating in Mexico. A criminal complaint alleges that the cell phone led agents to a pick-up location where they met Rivera-Esparza, who had coordinated to transport illegal aliens further into the United States. Agents searched Rivera-Esparza’s vehicle and allegedly discovered a loaded handgun and an unknown amount of money in the center console. Agents also seized an additional $1,921 that Rivera-Esparza allegedly obtained by smuggling and transporting illegal aliens. Rivera-Esparza was convicted in April 2024 for a state charge of smuggling of persons and sentenced to five years in jail.
In Austin, Honduran national Jose Orellana Espana was taken into ICE custody after being encountered at the Travis County Jail. He had been arrested and charged with assault causing bodily injury to a family member and unlawful restraint. Espana was previously convicted in 2017 of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful restraint.
Ricardo Quiroz-Rincon, a Mexican national, was also encountered at the Travis County Jail where he had been charged with assault causing bodily injury. Quiroz-Rincon has been previously removed from the U.S. five times since 2009. He’s been twice convicted for improper entry by an alien, with three additional convictions for illegal re-entry.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
West Virginia Man Sentenced for Federal Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Nelson Cortes, age 50, of Beverly, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 65 months in federal prison for the distribution of methamphetamine. Cortes was selling methamphetamine, sometimes from his home, in Randolph County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office; and the Buckhannon Police Department.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 102 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 102 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On September 18, Ruben Castaneda, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found 15 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the spare tire well of Castaneda’s vehicle when he applied for entry into the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On September 18, Efrain Viveros Otero, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Viveros was intercepted by a Border Patrol agent while hiding near a bush about 1.5 miles east of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, a half mile north of the U.S.-Mexico border. He had been previously deported in January through San Ysidro.
Also recently, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases:
- On September 18, Edgar Ramirez-Guzman, a Mexican national who was previously convicted twice for Inflicting Corporal Injury on Spouse (2013 and 2023) and being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm (2020), was sentenced in federal court to 12 months and 1 day of custody for attempting to enter the United States again after deportation.
- On September 19, Manuel Francisco Gallegos-Felix, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of conspiracy to possess narcotics with intent to distribute and found with 11 firearms (including a fully automatic machine gun located in his bedroom), was sentenced in federal court to 10 months in custody for again entering the U.S. illegally.
- On September 19, Andrew Aquarious Thomas, a United States citizen, was sentenced in federal court to 15 months in custody for importing 33 kilograms of methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico.
- On September 19, Erik Adrian Serveriano-Torres, a Mexican citizen who has seven prior immigration crimes, was sentenced in federal court to 19 months in custody for again entering the United States illegally.
- On September 19, Francisco Marvel Melchor Rosales, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of felony importation of methamphetamine in 2014, was sentenced to 140 days in custody for again entering the U.S. illegally.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending September 19, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 65 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 8 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 44 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 84 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for illegal reentry, theft, robbery, and possession of counterfeit identification.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
U.S. Attorney Tom Albus Welcomes New Citizens at the Old Courthouse in St LouisRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. Attorney Tom Albus on Friday welcomed 29 new citizens from 19 different countries at a naturalization ceremony at the historic Old Courthouse in St. Louis.
Rachel MarshallAt the ceremonies, which are held dozens of time a year in and around St. Louis, new citizens take their oath and receive their Certificate of Citizenship. The U.S. attorney or an assistant U.S. attorney acts as the naturalization examiner.
For more information about becoming a citizen, contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at www.uscis.gov. For information about the ceremonies, click here.
Two New Caney individuals charged for firebombing Buddhist templeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Two Montgomery County residents have been indicted in connection with the November 2023 firebombing of the Huyen Trang Buddhist Meditation Center, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Austin Willard Tanton, 28, and Kayla Lynn Thompson, 31, have been charged with conspiracy to commit malicious use of explosive materials and using explosive materials in the commission of a felony. Tanton is also charged with possession of an unregistered destructive device.
They are expected to make their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Ho at 2 p.m.
“The use of firebombs to attack a place of worship is a direct threat to the safety and peace of our community,” said Ganjei. “No one should fear being attacked in their house of worship. The Southern District will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who seek to spread fear and violence through acts of hate or intimidation.”
According to the charges, on Nov. 5, 2023, Tanton allegedly threw a crude incendiary device, known as a Molotov cocktail, through a window of the temple, igniting a fire that damaged a rug and flooring inside the building.
Monks who had been asleep in the temple awoke and quickly extinguished the fire, which caused smoke damage and forced the temple to close temporarily, according to the charges. The indictment alleges that four individuals, including the center’s head nun, were inside.
According to the charges, surveillance video captured a vehicle stopping near the property gate late at night. After the vehicle left, a man allegedly approached the building, broke a window screen, ignited a gasoline-filled jar and threw it inside before fleeing on foot.
The charges alleged the authorities later identified Tanton as the suspect and Thompson as the driver of the vehicle. The two allegedly conspired together, along with others, to carry out the attack on the Buddhist worship center.
“On Nov. 5, 2023, Austin Tanton and Kayla Thompson allegedly conspired to burn down the Huyen Trang Temple in New Caney, TX,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “Their purported actions intimidated a peaceful community, shattered the safety of a neighborhood, and struck at the heart of American religious freedom. For nearly two years, dedicated FBI Houston investigators worked jointly with the Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Houston to bring justice in this case. The arrests of Tanton and Thompson make clear that the right to practice one’s faith without fear is a cornerstone of our democracy and will be fiercely defended by the FBI.”
“The deliberate use of firebombs to target a house of worship is both a violent crime and a direct attack on the sense of safety in our community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel. “ATF remains committed to working alongside our federal, state and local partners to investigate and bring to justice anyone who seeks to spread fear and destruction through explosives and fire.”
If convicted, they both face up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine for conspiracy to commit malicious use of explosive materials and use of explosive materials in commission of a felony. Tanton could also face an additional 10 years, served consecutively, and up to a $10,000 fine if convicted of possessing an unregistered destructive device.
The FBI and ATF conducted the investigation with the significant assistance of Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Weinhold and Anthony Franklyn are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Two Chinese Chemical Company Executives Sentenced to 25 and 15 Years in Prison, Respectively, for Fentanyl Precursor Importation and Money Laundering OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Terrance C. Cole, announced that QINGZHOU WANG, a/k/a “Bruce,” and YIYI CHEN, a/k/a “Chiron,” were sentenced to 25 and 15 years in prison, respectively, for fentanyl precursor importation and money laundering offenses. WANG and CHEN, both nationals of China, were found guilty on February 3, 2025, following a two-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe, who imposed the sentences. WANG, who was also convicted of importing a methamphetamine precursor, was sentenced today, September 18, 2025, and CHEN was sentenced on August 22, 2025.
“American families are burying loved ones because of fentanyl and individuals like Qingzhou Wang and Yiyi Chen who unlawfully market and supply the ingredients to make it,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “There is no place to hide for those who callously fuel the fentanyl epidemic, and these sentences—which were only possible because of the extraordinary efforts of the career prosecutors in this Office and our partners at the DEA and abroad—prove it.”
“These executives turned a Chinese chemical company into a pipeline of poison, shipping hundreds of kilos of fentanyl-related precursors into the United States, disguising them as everyday goods, and cashing in through cryptocurrency,” said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole. “Americans were dying, but they kept selling. Thanks to DEA and our global partners, they now face justice, and this case sends a clear message: anyone, anywhere in the world who profits from American deaths will be found and held accountable."
As reflected in the Indictment, public filings, and the evidence presented at trial:
AMARVEL BIOTECH was a chemical manufacturer based in the city of Wuhan, in Hubei province, China, that exported vast quantities of the precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl and its analogues.
During this investigation, AMARVEL BIOTECH and its principal executive, WANG, its marketing manager, CHEN, and a sales representative, FNU LNU, a/k/a “Er Yang,” a/k/a “Anita” (“YANG”), shipped more than 200 kilograms of precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl and its analogues from China to the U.S. They shipped the precursors to the U.S. after being told that the chemicals would be used to produce fentanyl in New York, and then they agreed to supply multi-ton shipments of fentanyl precursors despite being told that Americans had died after consuming fentanyl made from the chemicals that the defendants had sold. In exchange, AMARVEL BIOTECH received tens of thousands of dollars in payment in cryptocurrency.
In or about November 2022, YANG began negotiating the sale of fentanyl and methamphetamine precursors to a DEA confidential source (“CS-1”) posing as a fentanyl trafficker in Mexico with operations in the U.S. AMARVEL BIOTECH thereafter shipped from China to New York approximately 999.7 grams of the fentanyl precursor 1-boc-4-AP, approximately 1,002.6 grams of the fentanyl precursor 1-boc-4-piperidone, and approximately 893.6 grams of the methamphetamine precursor methylamine.
In or about March 2023, WANG and CHEN traveled from China to Bangkok, Thailand, to meet with an individual whom CS-1 represented was CS-1’s boss but who was in fact another DEA confidential source (“CS-2”). During the meeting, WANG and CHEN discussed AMARVEL BIOTECH’s ability to supply ton-quantities of fentanyl precursors to New York for CS-1 and CS-2’s fentanyl manufacturing operation. After CS-2 stated that CS-2 wanted a different formula for manufacturing fentanyl and that several of CS-2’s American customers had purportedly died, WANG and CHEN advised they had “a lot of customers in America and Mexico” who could provide technical assistance with fentanyl production.
After the March 2023 meeting in Bangkok, AMARVEL BIOTECH, WANG, CHEN, and YANG agreed to sell CS-1 and CS-2 approximately 210 kilograms of fentanyl precursors, again in exchange for payment in cryptocurrency. During an April 10, 2023, video call with WANG and CHEN, CS-2 stated that the approximately 210 kilograms of fentanyl precursors would be used to manufacture approximately 50 to 55 kilograms of fentanyl—an amount that, as noted above, could contain approximately 25 million deadly doses.
In or about May 2023, AMARVEL BIOTECH, WANG, CHEN, and YANG sent to the U.S. the shipment ordered by CS-1 and CS-2. On or about May 5, 2023, the DEA retrieved the precursor shipment from a warehouse near Los Angeles, California. Lab testing confirmed the presence of a precursor chemical for a fentanyl analogue. In an encrypted messaging group chat with CS-1, CS-2, WANG, and CHEN, YANG explained that “New York, the United States, has been strict in checking the precursors of the ‘final product’ some time ago, so for the sake of safety, this time it is sent to California.”
In or about June 2023, WANG and CHEN traveled from China to Fiji to meet again with CS-2. During the meeting, WANG and CHEN discussed with CS-2 a multi-ton order of fentanyl precursor chemicals. WANG and CHEN also discussed the need to take additional measures to protect themselves from detection and interdiction of their shipments “because recently American government . . . seized some Mexican group and they followed the routes to China,” where the U.S. Government found “our competitor in China”—an apparent reference to fentanyl-related charges filed in the Southern District of New York and announced in April 2023 against, among others, leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel and certain China-based precursor chemical company executives.
AMARVEL BIOTECH openly advertised online its sale of precursor chemicals for use in manufacturing fentanyl. Through its website and a host of other storefront sites, AMARVEL BIOTECH targeted precursor chemical customers in Mexico, where drug cartels operate clandestine laboratories and distribute finished fentanyl into and throughout the U.S., including by advertising fentanyl precursors as a “Mexico hot sale,” guaranteeing “100% stealth shipping” abroad, and posting to its websites documentation of AMARVEL BIOTECH shipping chemicals to Culiacan, the home city of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the dominant drug trafficking organizations in the Western Hemisphere and which is largely responsible for the massive influx of fentanyl into the U.S. in recent years.
AMARVEL BIOTECH also endeavored to thwart law enforcement interdiction of its precursor chemical shipments. AMARVEL BIOTECH advertised online the business’s ability to use deceptive packaging—such as packaging indicating the contents are dog food, nuts, or motor oil—to ensure “safe” delivery of the illicit contents of such shipments. During this investigation, law enforcement seized approximately $900,000 in cryptocurrency from accounts tied to AMARVEL BIOTECH and domain names for 12 websites tied to AMARVEL BIOTECH.
* * *
In addition to their respective prison terms, WANG, 37, and CHEN, 33, both of China, were each sentenced to three years of supervised release. WANG was ordered to forfeit $67,168.25, and CHEN was ordered to forfeit internet domain names for 12 websites previously seized by law enforcement.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit. Mr. Clayton also thanked the DEA Bangkok Country Office, DEA Wellington Country Office, DEA Beijing Country Office, DEA Honolulu District Office, DEA New York Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Strike Force, DEA Riverside District Office, DEA Special Testing Laboratory, the DEA Southwest Laboratory, the Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, the Royal Thai Police Narcotics Suppression Bureau, the Fiji Police Force Narcotic Bureau, the Fiji Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Li and Kevin Sullivan are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Sabrina Jim Munoz.
Three-Time Convicted Felon Faces Federal Charges after Purple Fentanyl and Numerous Weapons SeizedRead the Press Release
Atlanta – Dontrell Lamar Brown, a three-time convicted felon, was arraigned in federal court earlier today on charges related to his alleged distribution of large amounts of “purple” fentanyl and possession of numerous firearms in his Midtown Atlanta condominium. Brown’s girlfriend, Karleah Edwards, also faces charges for allegedly moving the fentanyl out of Brown’s condominium to conceal it from law enforcement.
“Despite three prior drug felony convictions, Brown allegedly continued his criminal activities by distributing fentanyl and illegally possessing numerous weapons to protect his drugs and money,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Due to strong law enforcement partnerships, Brown now faces serious federal drug and weapons charges, and his lethal fentanyl and weapons cache are off of the street.”
“This case exemplifies the importance of collaboration among law enforcement agencies,” said ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian “Chris” Johnson. “By working together, we can effectively combat the threats posed by drug traffickers and keep our neighborhoods safe from violence and illegal firearms.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On June 19, 2025, Brown was arrested on outstanding warrants after he fled from a traffic stop in DeKalb County. While in the DeKalb County Jail, Brown allegedly made recorded jail calls instructing Edwards, in coded language, to remove drugs from his midtown condominium and give them to another individual. Using a ruse concocted by Brown, Edwards allegedly gained access to the condominium and removed a briefcase containing over eight pounds of fentanyl. The DeKalb County Police Department later recovered this “purple” fentanyl at a residence in Stone Mountain. On June 24, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Brown’s condominium and seized six firearms scattered throughout the residence, including a rifle with a large capacity magazine, over $30,000 in cash, a wrapper containing purple residue, a kilogram press, and a money counter.
Brown has three prior felony convictions from the Gwinnett County Superior Court, including sale of methamphetamine and cocaine, in 2015; possession of cocaine, in 2017; and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and theft by receiving stolen property, in 2023.
Dontrell Lamar Brown, 32, of Atlanta, Georgia, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 9, 2025, on charges of conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of firearms by a convicted felon, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment also charges Karleah Edwards, 26, of Scottdale, Georgia, with conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the DeKalb County Police Department’s HIDTA, Narcotics, and Gang Units. Valuable assistance has been provided by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael Herskowitz is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Three Mexican Nationals Arrested for Conspiracy to Distribute 133.5 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On September 17, Mariano Gomez Padilla, 28, Eduardo Garcia Lopez, 21, and Abel Martinez Valenzuela, 25, all Mexican nationals living in Arizona, were charged by federal criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
According to the complaint, on September 17, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force agents established surveillance at an apartment complex in Glendale, Arizona, in anticipation of an expected methamphetamine drug purchase. From the complex, agents followed Gomez Padilla and Garcia Lopez as they drove in tandem to another location in Glendale.
During the drive, agents attempted to stop the suspects’ vehicles, but both drivers failed to yield. Instead, Garcia Lopez exited his vehicle and fled but was apprehended after a short foot pursuit. Gomez Padilla also failed to yield to law enforcement and instead rammed his vehicle into one of the agent’s cars as well as two other vehicles parked on the street, causing significant damage. Shortly thereafter, Gomez Padilla and Martinez Valenzuela, who was riding as a passenger in Gomez Padilla’s vehicle, were also apprehended after trying to flee on foot.
Agents searched the vehicles and seized approximately 61.75 pounds of methamphetamine from the car that Garcia Lopez had been driving. Agents also searched a nearby Ford F-250 associated with the investigation and seized an additional 71.75 pounds of methamphetamine, which was packed identically to the drugs found in Garcia Lopez’s car.
Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute 500 grams or More of Methamphetamine carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years up to life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000,000.
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 Drug Enforcement Administration Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force HIDTA and the Mesa Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Zander, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-8495-PHX-JZB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-153_Gomez Padilla, et al# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Three Members of MS-13 Convicted of Two Murders and Multiple Attempted MurdersRead the Press Release
U.S. vs. Wilson Arturo Constanza-Galdomez, Edis Omar Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and Jonathan Pesquera-Puerto, Defendants, No. 1:22-cr-00409-SAG, filed 05/08/25Baltimore, Maryland – Today, a federal jury convicted three men, Wilson Arturo Constanza-Galdomez, also known as Humilde and Marco Saravia, 26, of El Salvador, Edis Omar Valenzuela-Rodriguez, also known as Little Felon, 24, of Honduras, and Jonathan Pesquera-Puerto, also known as Truney, 24, of Honduras; for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise involving murders, and attempted murders, as well as murder in aid of racketeering.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the convictions with Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti, Justice Department, Criminal Division, and Assistant Director Jose A. Perez, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Criminal Investigative Division.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the defendants were members and associates of La Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, a transnational criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from Central America, with members operating in the State of Maryland, including in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, and throughout the United States. In Maryland and elsewhere, MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region. The defendants, as members and associates of MS-13, were required to commit acts of violence to increase their status and rank within the gang. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. In Baltimore City and Baltimore County, MS-13 maintained a rivalry with the 18th Street Gang, among others.
“The MS-13 gang continues to show a total disregard for human life,” Hayes said. “These defendants’ commitment to carrying out multiple vicious attacks and murders, including the killing a 16-year-old girl, is unconscionable. Members of this ruthless, international gang thrive on murdering and terrorizing others, and in this case, did so to advance their standing within this lawless organization. We, along with our law-enforcement partners, are committed to relentlessly pursuing and prosecuting those who commit these despicable crimes and dismantling the violent criminal organizations that terrorize our communities.”
“Over the course of a few short months, these defendants – seeking to be promoted within the ranks of the designated foreign terrorist organization MS-13 – spread fear through the streets of Baltimore by committing brutal and heinous acts, including the murder of two young women,” Galeotti said. “Today’s verdict demonstrates the Department of Justice’s unwavering commitment to prosecuting MS-13 members to the fullest extent of the law in order to eradicate the transnational street gang, obtain a measure of justice for their victims, and restore the safety and security of our communities.”
“The defendants convicted today engaged in excessive and brutal violence as members of MS-13, a transnational criminal organization that routinely shows contempt for the rule of law,” Perez said. “We are proud of the work that has taken these individuals off the streets so that they can no longer harm the community of the greater Baltimore area, and we will continue our nationwide efforts in thwarting MS-13.”
Constanza-Galdomez and Pesquera-Puerto were members or associates of the Carlington Locos Salvatrucha (CALS) clique, and Valenzuela-Rodriguez was a member of the Huntington Criminales Locos Salvatrucha (HCLS) clique. From June 2019 through at least October 2021, the defendants participated in the racketeering activities of MS-13, including two murders, four attempted murders, and witness tampering.
On April 25, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13 conspired to assault a man whom they suspected was a rival gang member. That same day, they allegedly assaulted the victim in Baltimore by striking him with machetes multiple times, causing injuries to the victim’s face and arm.
On May 29, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, Pesquera-Puerto, and other members and associates of MS-13 lured Gabriela Gonzalez-Ardon, a 16-year-old girl whom they suspected of associating with rival gang members, to an area near Loch Raven Reservoir in Cockeysville, Maryland. There the defendants and other members and associates of MS-13 struck her with a machete and stabbed her multiple times, murdering her. After the murder, members and associates of MS-13 reported the murder to MS-13 leadership to get credit for participating in the murder and to increase their status within MS-13.
On June 5, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other MS-13 members and associates lured Michelle Tenezaca, whom they suspected was a rival gang member that cooperated with law enforcement, to an area near the CSX Bayview Train Yard in Baltimore, Maryland. There the gang stabbed her 143 times, killing her and leaving her body near the train tracks. After the murder, members and associates of MS-13 reported the murder to MS-13 leadership to get credit for participating in the murder and to increase their status within MS-13.
In June 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13, conspired to murder a man who had disputes with the gang. Therefore, on June 6, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other MS-13 members and associates confronted the man and his girlfriend, the sister of one of the homicide victims, at a library in Baltimore, Maryland. Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13 then ordered younger members of the gang to take the woman to an area near the train tracks where Michelle Tenezaca was killed. The younger members of the gang then stabbed the woman over 70 times. Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13 then forced the male, at knifepoint to go to Dundalk, Maryland, to murder him. The defendants then attempted to murder the man by stabbing him multiple times with knives. Both victims survived the attacks.
Constanza-Galdomez was convicted of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison. Valenzuela-Rodriguez was convicted of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison. Pesquera-Puerto was convicted of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and one count of murder in aid of racketeering. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Marshal’s Service, Baltimore County Police Department, and Baltimore City Police Department for their work in the investigation, along with the offices of Ivan J. Bates, Baltimore City State’s Attorney, and Scott Shellenberger, Baltimore County State’s Attorney, for their valuable assistance with this case. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James Wallner, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, and Trial Attorneys Grace Bowen and Chrisopher Taylor, Justice Department – Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, who are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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 Neighborhoods (PSN).
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and HSI both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
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.
# # #
Three Members of MS-13 Convicted of Two Murders and Multiple Attempted MurdersRead the Press Release
CORRECTION: an earlier version incorrectly mentioned drug trafficking offenses
Today, a federal jury in Maryland convicted three men, Wilson Arturo Constanza-Galdomez, also known as Humilde and Marco Saravia, 26, of El Salvador, Edis Omar Valenzuela-Rodriguez, also known as Little Felon, 24, of Honduras, and Jonathan Pesquera-Puerto, also known as Truney, 24, of Honduras; for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise involving murders, attempted murders, as well as murder in aid of racketeering.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the defendants were members and associates of La Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, a transnational criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from Central America, with members operating in the State of Maryland, including in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, and throughout the United States. In Maryland and elsewhere, MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region. The defendants, as members and associates of MS-13, were required to commit acts of violence to increase their status and rank within the gang. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. In Baltimore City and Baltimore County, MS-13 maintained a rivalry with the 18th Street Gang, among others.
“Over the course of a few short months, these defendants – seeking to be promoted within the ranks of the designated foreign terrorist organization MS-13 – spread fear through the streets of Baltimore by committing brutal and heinous acts, including the murder of two young women,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s verdict demonstrates the Department of Justice’s unwavering commitment to prosecuting MS-13 members to the fullest extent of the law in order to eradicate the transnational street gang, obtain a measure of justice for their victims, and restore the safety and security of our communities.”
“The MS-13 gang continues to show a total disregard for human life,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “These defendants’ commitment to carrying out multiple vicious attacks and murders, including the killing a 16-year-old girl, is unconscionable. Members of this ruthless, international gang thrive on murdering and terrorizing others, and in this case, did so to advance their standing within this lawless organization. We, along with our law-enforcement partners, are committed to relentlessly pursuing and prosecuting those who commit these despicable crimes and dismantling the violent criminal organizations that terrorize our communities.”
“The defendants convicted today engaged in excessive and brutal violence as members of MS-13, a transnational criminal organization that routinely shows contempt for the rule of law,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “We are proud of the work that has taken these individuals off the streets so that they can no longer harm the community of the greater Baltimore area, and we will continue our nationwide efforts in thwarting MS-13.”
Constanza-Galdomez and Pesquera-Puerto were members or associates of the Carlington Locos Salvatrucha (CALS) clique, and Valenzuela-Rodriguez was a member of the Huntington Criminales Locos Salvatrucha (HCLS) clique. From June 2019 through at least October 2021, the defendants participated in the racketeering activities of MS-13, including two murders, four attempted murders, and witness tampering.
On April 25, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13 conspired to assault a man whom they suspected was a rival gang member. That same day, they allegedly assaulted the victim in Baltimore by striking him with machetes multiple times, causing injuries to the victim’s face and arm.
On May 29, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, Pesquera-Puerto, and other members and associates of MS-13 lured Gabriela Gonzalez-Ardon, a 16-year-old girl whom they suspected of associating with rival gang members, to an area near Loch Raven Reservoir in Cockeysville, Maryland. There the defendants and other members and associates of MS-13 struck her with a machete and stabbed her multiple times, murdering her. After the murder, members and associates of MS-13 reported the murder to MS-13 leadership to get credit for participating in the murder and to increase their status within MS-13.
On June 5, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other MS-13 members and associates lured Michelle Tenezaca, whom they suspected was a rival gang member that cooperated with law enforcement, to an area near the CSX Bayview Train Yard in Baltimore, Maryland. There the gang stabbed her 143 times, killing her and leaving her body near the train tracks. After the murder, members and associates of MS-13 reported the murder to MS-13 leadership to get credit for participating in the murder and to increase their status within MS-13.
Photograph of MS-13 graffiti near the CSX Bayview Train Yard in Baltimore, MarylandIn June 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13, conspired to murder a man who had disputes with the gang. Therefore, on June 6, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other MS-13 members and associates confronted the man and his girlfriend, the sister of one of the homicide victims, at a library in Baltimore, Maryland. Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13 then ordered younger members of the gang to take the woman to an area near the train tracks where Michelle Tenezaca was killed. The younger members of the gang then stabbed the woman over 70 times. Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13 then forced the male, at knifepoint to go to Dundalk, Maryland to murder him. The defendants then attempted to murder the man by stabbing him multiple times with knives. Both victims survived the attacks.
Constanza-Galdomez was convicted of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison. Valenzuela-Rodriguez was convicted of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison. Pesquera-Puerto was convicted of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and one count of murder in aid of racketeering. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes made the announcement, and also thank Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger for their offices’ assistance in the case.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Baltimore City Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Grace Bowen and Chrisopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Wallner for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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 Neighborhoods (PSN).
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and HSI both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
Texarkana Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA – A Texarkana man was sentenced on September 17, 2025, to 168 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing over a kilogram of pure methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court at Texarkana.
According to court records, on March 26, 2024, Miller County Sheriff’s Office investigators executed a search warrant at the Texarkana, Arkansas, residence of Christopher D. Nard, age 40, also known as “Killa Chris.” Inside Nard’s residence, investigators found and seized approximately 2.3 pounds of methamphetamine, a loaded firearm, and a large amount of cash. Following Miranda warnings, Nard admitted he had been trafficking pound quantities of the drug weekly for some time.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes made the announcement.
The Miller County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case,
Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Jones prosecuted the case.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
St. Augustine Man Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Robert George Morgen, Jr. has pleaded guilty to willfully making a false tax return. Morgen faces up to three years in federal prison. He has also agreed to pay $280,910 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). His sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, in March 2019, Morgen submitted a false tax return for the 2017 tax year. Morgen knew that when he signed his tax return that his gross receipts and income were higher than reported. Due to multiple years of false reporting, Morgen owes the IRS $280,910 in back taxes.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
Six-Time Deported Guatemalan National Indicted for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Jose Godinez-Mendoza (39, Guatemala) with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Godinez-Mendoza faces up to two years in federal prison and subsequent deportation and removal from the United States.
According to court documents, Godinez-Mendoza was previously removed from the United States on six separate occasions from December 29, 2011, through his most recent deportation on December 28, 2018. Godinez-Mendoza has never applied to U.S. immigration authorities for permission to lawfully reenter the United States.
On September 7, 2025, Godinez-Mendoza was found voluntarily back in the United States in the St. Augustine area, where he was encountered during a traffic stop by a deputy with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. On September 11, 2025, he was arrested by federal agents and detained pending trial in this case.
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 Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the United States Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime and human trafficking.
Sex Offender Sentenced to Ten Years for Possession of Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Michael Alan Schumaker (57, Port Richey) to 10 years in federal prison for possession of child sex abuse material (CSAM). Schumaker pleaded guilty on May 16, 2025.
According to court documents, in 2021, law enforcement received a cyber tip about a user uploading images of CSAM to a social media platform. The investigation led to Schumaker, a registered sexual offender. Law enforcement located more than 25 images and 23 videos of CSAM on Schumaker’s cellphone. Schumaker admitted to viewing the CSAM.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Savannah Man Sentenced for Possession of a MachinegunRead the Press Release
Savannah man sentenced to 37 months imprisonment for the illegal possession of a machinegun
SAVANNAH, GA: Javon Edwards (31) of Savannah, Georgia, pled guilty to the Illegal Possession of a Machinegun in April 2025.
On September 11, 2025, Edwards was brought before Chief Judge R. Stan Baker for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia for sentencing. Edwards was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
“Sadly, we have seen an unfortunate uptick in criminals possessing illegal conversion devices that transform semi-automatic pistols into fully automatic weapons of war. We will continue to work with our state and federal partners to apprehend these criminals and ensure they are brought to justice,” stated Margaret Heap, United States Attorney.
"The illegal possession of machineguns is not just a violation of the law; it endangers our communities, and we will continue to pursue those who threaten public safety,” said ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent Robert Davis.
This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer.
The case was being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Savannah Police Department. The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese.
Rockford Man Sentenced to over a Year in Prison for Straw Purchasing FirearmsRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was sentenced yesterday to thirteen months in federal prison for straw purchasing three firearms.
JAMARIUS HOLMAN, 25, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of knowingly providing a false and fictitious written statement to a federally licensed dealer of firearms, misrepresenting that he was the actual buyer of the firearms, when, in fact, he knew he was not the actual buyer.
Holman admitted that in May of 2023, he purchased three firearms in two separate transactions for an individual who was legally prohibited from owning a firearm and did not have a valid Firearm Owners Identification. Holman falsely completed firearms transaction records indicating that he was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearms.
Holman was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston in federal court in Rockford.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of ATF’s Chicago Field Division.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to tackle a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.
Ponte Vedra Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Traffic Firearms and Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Braden Huston Hobbs (27, Ponte Vedra) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms, making a materially false statement to a licensed firearms dealer, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including 500 grams or more of cocaine. Hobbs faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the conspiracy offense, up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the false statement offense, and a minimum of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison for the drug offense. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to court documents and court proceedings, law enforcement began investigating Hobbs after learning that several firearms purchased by him were recovered during unrelated law enforcement investigations. These firearms were recovered in the homes of drug distributors and a convicted felon. Additionally, during a series of controlled purchases conducted in the summer of 2024, agents purchased 11 firearms from two co-conspirators, Alton Wayne Cope III and Jayden Lance Cope, who were also prosecuted. Hobbs was the original purchaser of multiple firearms purchased from the Copes. Cellphone records later showed that Jayden Cope regularly purchased firearms from Hobbs.
Further investigation revealed that between March 2022 and June 2024, Hobbs had purchased at least 120 firearms from three different federally licensed firearms dealers in Jacksonville, with 67 of those firearms being purchased between January and June 2024. Hobbs then sold those firearms to others. On multiple occasions, Hobbs advertised firearms for sale to potential customers before acquiring the firearms from the federally licensed firearms dealer.
Customers typically paid Hobbs in cash or traded drugs in exchange for the firearms. Hobbs was aware that some of his customers intended to resell the firearms, were drug users, or were drug distributors. Hobbs also asked his co-conspirators to assist him in finding buyers for the firearms and the co-conspirators advertised Hobbs’s firearms for sale. Hobbs told people that he “deal[s]” in firearms. Although he engaged in the business of dealing firearms, Hobbs was not a federally licensed firearms dealer, as required by federal law.
When Hobbs purchased the firearms from the federally licensed firearms dealers, he indicated on the required ATF Form 4473 that he was the actual buyer or transferee of the firearms. In addition, Hobbs indicated that he was not a user of or addicted to controlled substances. Both statements were false as Hobbs intended to sell the firearms and therefore was not the actual buyer or transferee of them. Further, he was a habitual user of controlled substances.
In addition, Hobbs distributed controlled substances, including over 500 grams of cocaine and Adderall. Hobbs routinely advertised controlled substances for sale and coordinated narcotics transactions. Hobbs often sold the controlled substances to the same individuals to whom he was selling firearms. On June 26, 2024, Hobbs was arrested by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for driving under the influence and trafficking in cocaine. During a search of Hobbs’s car, officers seized more than 200 grams of cocaine and 17 grams of Adderall, as well as various items used to package and distribute controlled substances.
In related court proceedings, Alton Wayne Cope III was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and conspiring to deal firearms without a license. Jayden Lance Cope has pleaded guilty to conspiring to deal firearms without a license. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 2025.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the United States Secret Service, the North Florida HIDTA Tri-County Narcotics Task Force with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Pinedale Man Sentenced for Violent Knife AttackRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Pinedale man was sentenced to 37 months in prison for slashing a man’s throat during a confrontation.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on February 17, 2025, Laberto Curley, 25, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, used a knife to slash John Doe’s throat during a physical altercation, resulting in serious bodily injury. Fortunately, others nearby were able to intervene, disarming Curley and tending to John Doe’s injuries while Curley fled the scene.
Upon his release from prison, Curley will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup 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 Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro prosecuted the case.
One of “Savannah’s Top Ten Most Wanted” Indicted FederallyRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Ra’Quavius Rawls (24) of Savannah, Georgia, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
On July 24, 2024, officers with the Savannah Police Department responded to an anonymous tip that Ra’Quavius Rawls, an individual on “Savannah’s Top Ten Most Wanted” list was at a local gas station. As officers arrived, Rawls exited the property by vehicle. The officers then conducted a traffic stop and identified Rawls as a passenger. A search of the vehicle revealed a firearm in the passenger side glove box.
“Removing illegally possessed firearms from convicted felons play a key role in reducing violent crime in our communities,” said Margaret Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to prioritize taking these tools of violence out of the hands individuals who are prohibited from possessing them.”
"The collaboration between the ATF and local law enforcement is essential in identifying and apprehending individuals who pose a threat to public safety, particularly those on lists like 'Savannah's Top Ten Most Wanted’,” said Acting Assistant Special Agent Robert Davis.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Savannah Police Department. The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese.
All indicted defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
North Fort Myers Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years for Offenses Related to Possessing and Accessing Child Sexual Abuse Images and VideosRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Patrick William Cotton (48, North Fort Myers) to six years and six months in federal prison for possessing and accessing with intent to view images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Cotton was also sentenced to a term of life of supervised release and ordered to register as a sex offender. Cotton pleaded guilty on June 17, 2025.
According to court documents, from February 14 through November 6, 2024, Cotton knowingly possessed and accessed with intent to view images and videos of child sexual abuse that he had searched for using social media applications and the internet.
In February 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cybertip from an electronic service provider reporting that Cotton had uploaded videos that depicted child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from his cellphone. The FBI then executed a search warrant for Cotton’s social media account which revealed videos and images depicting children being sexually abused.
In November 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at Cotton’s residence and seized Cotton’s two cellphones. After Cotton agreed to speak with agents, he advised that he had accessed his social media account using his cellphone and collected CSAM. Cotton said that he had received links to CSAM in different groups he participated in using his social media account. Cotton also admitted that he had paid an individual to send him CSAM on another social media application.
The subsequent forensic examination of Cotton’s cellphones revealed CSAM.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Nicaraguan Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Federal Prison for Smuggling More Than 400 AliensRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Nicaraguan national was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 63 months in prison for harboring and transporting over 400 illegal aliens between October 2023 and February 2024.
According to court documents, Jose David Betanco-Ramirez, 37, conspired with two other individuals to transport and harbor approximately 20 illegal aliens per week for approximately five months. In June 2024, San Antonio Police Department officers investigated a report of human trafficking and sexual assault at a San Antonio address. Upon arrival, officers confirmed that the residence was being used as a stash house for human smuggling and observed the woman who matched the description in the sexual assault report. In a bedroom with the victim, the officers located Betanco-Ramirez. In a separate room, they located co-conspirators Leomar Jose Mendoza-Amador, of Nicaragua, and Rony Jose Gonzalez-Amaya, of Honduras, as well as another Nicaraguan national who was in the U.S. illegally. The residence was reported to be sparsely furnished but with numerous beds in the living room and throughout the house. A search warrant resulted in the recovery of a bag containing nine cell phones.
The investigation revealed that the sexual assault victim had entered the U.S. illegally several days prior to the reported incident and was transported along with approximately 60 other undocumented aliens, including other women and children, in the back of a tractor trailer truck before they were shuffled between multiple stash houses. The victim also reported that on the first night in her final stash house, Betanco-Ramirez told the other males that she was “his” and that they were not to touch her. The following night, he sexually assaulted her for the first of two instances.
Betanco-Ramirez, Mendoza-Amador and Gonzalez-Amaya were each indicted on April 3, 2024, for one count of conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens and one count of harboring illegal aliens. Betanco pleaded guilty to both charges on April 8, 2025. His two co-defendants pleaded guilty to the alien smuggling charge. Mendoza-Amador and Gonzalez-Amaya were both sentenced to 51 months in federal prison earlier this year. U.S. District Court Judge Xavier Rodriguez presided over the court proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
ICE and the San Antonio Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Spears prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
###
Mexican National Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mexican national unlawfully residing in Hudson, Mass. was sentenced in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Fredi Rios-Nolasco, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to six months in prison. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In June 2025, Rios-Nolasco pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. In April of 2025, Rios-Nolasco was indicted by a federal grand jury.
On March 6, 2025, immigration authorities lodged a detainer against Rios-Nolasco after he was arrested by the Hudson Police Department and charged in Marlborough District Court for trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine. Fingerprints taken during his arrest matched biometrics from his prior removals.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Admits Distributing Cocaine in New HavenRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARTIN ONOFRE-MENDEZ, 50, a citizen of Mexico last residing in New Haven, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to a cocaine trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2024, the DEA New Haven District Office Task Force learned that Onofre-Mendez was distributing narcotics from a restaurant on Grand Avenue in New Haven. Between May and September 2024, investigators made multiple controlled purchases totaling approximately 600 grams of cocaine from Onofre-Mendez.
Onofre-Mendez was arrested on October 1, 2024. On that date, investigators seized 225 grams of cocaine from Onofre-Mendez and 480 grams of cocaine from a location he used to store drugs. He has been detained since his arrest.
Onofre-Mendez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is scheduled to sentenced on December 12.
This matter has been investigated by the DEA New Haven District Office (NHDO) Task Force and the New Haven Police Department. The Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. Keefe.
Marketer Sentenced for $11.5M Genetic Testing Fraud and Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
Robert Desselle, 47, was sentenced today in Tampa, Florida, to 57 months in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks. Desselle pleaded guilty in February 2025. In addition, Desselle was ordered to pay $4.5 million in restitution and to forfeit $2.1 million of the criminal proceeds.
According to court documents, Desselle and his co-conspirators convinced Medicare beneficiaries to take genetic tests that they did not need. Desselle paid other marketers, who were not medical professionals, to recruit vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries at grocery stores, pharmacies, or car dealerships and persuade them to take the tests using deceptive methods. Desselle then bribed a telemedicine company to supply doctors’ orders for the tests. The orders and test kits were then sent to clinical laboratories who paid Desselle and his co-conspirators kickbacks in exchange for the referrals.
From June 2018 to December 2020, Desselle and his co-conspirators caused the laboratories to bill $11.5 million to Medicare. Medicare paid out $4.5 million on these claims. Desselle personally earned over $2.1 million from the scheme.
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank for HHS-OIG made the announcement.
Trial Attorney Charles D. Strauss of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Man Pleads Guilty in March 2025 Shooting and March 2025 Carjacking; Co-Defendant Pleads Guilty in Same CarjackingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Keon Preston, 19, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in Superior Court for a shooting that occurred in the afternoon on March 23, 2025, and an armed carjacking that occurred later that same day. Mekhi Greene, 19, of Washington, D.C., also pleaded guilty for the carjacking, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Preston pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to assault with intent to kill, possession of a machine gun, and carjacking. Greene pleaded guilty in the Superior Court to carjacking. Sentencing is scheduled for December 19, 2025, before the Honorable Judge Deborah Israel. Carjacking carries a mandatory minimum term of seven years of incarceration.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 4:11 p.m., on March 23, 2025, in the 4600 block of G Street Southeast, Preston and two other unidentified suspects fired approximately 30 rounds at a victim as the victim exited his house and walked towards a bus stop. The victim was not hit, but multiple rounds struck the victim’s house and car.
Later that same day, at approximately 9:19 p.m., in the 3500 block of East Capitol Street Northeast, Preston, Greene, and two unidentified suspects, wearing masks and dark clothing, carjacked a victim at gunpoint. MPD officers canvassed the area, spotted the vehicle, and attempted a traffic stop. The vehicle abruptly pulled into a dead end on the corner of 33rd Street Southeast and C Street Southeast. The defendants fled on foot but were caught by police. Officers recovered two illegal firearms from the vehicle, one of which had an automatic conversion switch.
Preston and Greene were arrested at the scene and have been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Green.
Lackawanna County Business Owners Plead Guilty to Failing to Pay Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Vincent Guntur, age 34, of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, and Angelica Jones, age 65, of Hauppauge, New York, both pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion to one count of failure to remit employment taxes. Both Guntur and Jones were charged by criminal information on September 9, 2025.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, from approximately 2018 through the third quarter of 2024, Guntur and Jones owned and operated four companies, Mega & G Inc., Yoagen LLC, Phoenix 89 LLC, and Starlight & Sun Inc., and engaged in the business of temporary employee staffing, that is, leasing temporary employees to other companies, such as food services companies. As individuals who exercised control over the companies’ financial affairs, both Guntur and Jones were persons responsible for collecting, accounting for, and paying over to the Internal Revenue Service employment taxes for their companies’ employees. Guntur and Jones, however, willfully failed to collect, account for, and pay more than $1.3 million in employment taxes due and owing to the IRS during that timeframe.
Both Guntur and Jones agreed to make full restitution of the employment taxes due and owing to the IRS as part of their sentence.
“Business owners have a responsibility to withhold income taxes for their employees and then remit those taxes to the Internal Revenue Service,” stated Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office.
The case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle A. Moreno prosecuted the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
# # #
Kissimmee Claims Adjuster Found Guilty of Wire Fraud Against His Employer After Jury TrialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found James Octavias Tobias Owens (34, Kissimmee) guilty of 10 counts of wire fraud. Owens faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 9, 2025. Owens was indicted on March 19, 2025.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, between March 2021 and February 2022, Owens defrauded his employer, a regional insurance company, out of more than $580,000. Owens, who worked as a claims adjuster at the company, would reopen claims files that had already been settled and paid out. He would upload “comparative estimates” that he created to the claim files to make it look like additional work had been done. Owens would then cause checks to be issued on the claims to a shell company that he controlled that was disguised as a construction and roofing company. After the checks were issued, Owens would cash the checks at Orlando-area ATMs. He then used the proceeds for his own personal benefit, including to purchase designer clothing, jewelry, hotel rooms, vehicle accessories, and other luxury items.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt and Special Assistant United States Attorney Bianca Bansal.
Kalamazoo Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Keith Smith, 46, from Kalamazoo, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
VerHey said, “A thirty-year sentence is a long time, but Keith Smith worked hard to earn it. He got federal attention because his drug trafficking was killing people in Kalamazoo. Nothing short of a long prison term will stop Smith from dealing drugs: When we charged him, Smith already had many drug convictions in state court, and he went right back to moving large amounts of methamphetamine, while illegally armed with guns, while under federal court supervision. The community is safer without Smith in it.”
In 2022, investigators used a confidential informant to buy a pound of methamphetamine from Keith Smith. They subsequently searched Smith’s home, where a woman was found dead from drug poisoning, and seized more than two kilograms of methamphetamine from inside the residence. They also searched Smith’s car and found fentanyl, cocaine, and a stolen pistol. A federal grand jury indicted Smith for that conduct and he was released on bond. While free, investigators found that Smith was still dealing drugs. On January 13, 2025, police caught Smith with a package containing more than 13 pounds of methamphetamine. Smith was a career offender under the federal sentencing guidelines based on his offense conduct in this case and his criminal history, which included more than ten prior felony convictions, including six for dealing drugs.
“Mr. Smith is a career criminal. We hope this sentence sends a message to those who continue to commit criminal activity in and around Kalamazoo,” said Captain Michael Ferguson of the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team (KVET).
“Through DEA’s combined efforts with KVET and the U.S. Postal Inspectors Service, we are able to take another violent criminal off the streets and prevent the poisoning and potential overdoses of many American citizens,” said Special Agent in Charge Andrew Lawton. “This was an individual who showed no remorse in his criminal actions by continuing to bring lethal amounts of narcotics into the communities while awaiting adjudication for other extremely serious and harmful crimes. Yesterday’s sentencing will reflect the seriousness of Mr. Smith’s crimes and bring a small measure of relief in western Michigan.”
This case was investigated by KVET, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Austin Hakes, Dan McGraw, Jonathan Roth, Olivia Ghiselli, and Alex Jansen.
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Enbridge CaseRead the Press Release
Note: View statement of interest here.
The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and Civil Division last week filed a statement of interest in a case in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan between Enbridge Energy and the State of Michigan.
“The federal government already comprehensively regulates pipeline safety, but Michigan is trying to usurp the Department of Transportation’s statutory authority,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of ENRD. “President Trump has made clear that the United States will not tolerate state overreach that interferes with American energy dominance.”
In 2020, Michigan issued a notice terminating Enbridge’s easement for its Line 5 pipeline that traversed underground through the Straits of Mackinac between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Michigan issued the notice — which in effect is a safety standard — so it could shut down an international pipeline that provides significant energy to the United States.
The United States’ statement notes that the federal Pipeline Safety Act charges the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) with setting nationwide safety standards for interstate pipelines and related infrastructure. By imposing its own safety standards on an interstate (and international) pipeline, Michigan improperly encroached on PHMSA’s exclusive authority under the Pipeline Safety Act.
Additionally, the pipeline is subject to a treaty between the United States and Canada. The statement highlights that shutting down this international pipeline interferes with the United States’ exclusive authority in foreign affairs.
Chief of Staff and Senior General Counsel John Adams of ENRD filed the motion.
Enbridge v. Whitmer - United States SOI.pdfJury Convicts Illegal Alien for Operating Atlanta-Area Methamphetamine Labs and Unlawfully Possessing a .50 Caliber RifleRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Following a five-day federal trial, a jury convicted Ramiro Contreras-Sandoval, 41, an illegal alien originally from Michoacan, Mexico, of distributing over 135 kilograms of a liquid methamphetamine mixture and possessing firearms as an illegal alien and in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes.
“Without any regard for the safety of our community, Contreras-Sandoval operated two methamphetamine conversion labs in homes in the Atlanta area,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “He also possessed a firearm to protect his methamphetamine operation, as well as a Bushmaster .50 caliber rifle. Thanks to the relentless efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and local law enforcement partners, the methamphetamine, weapons, and nearly $100,000 in drug proceeds were seized, and Contreras-Sandoval was convicted by a jury for his crimes.”
“This case represents the continued commitment of the DEA to identify and hold accountable those who engage in the distribution of dangerous drugs,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This guilty verdict is a critical step toward protecting our neighborhoods and ensuring these violent drug traffickers are removed from our streets.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between March 2019 and October 2021, Contreras-Sandoval and Genaro Davalos-Pulido operated two clandestine liquid methamphetamine conversion laboratories in the Atlanta area. On April 23, 2019, DEA agents seized over 135 kilograms of a methamphetamine mixture in paint buckets that Contreras-Sandoval and Davalos-Pulido attempted to transport in a vehicle driven by a conspirator. Both men fled to avoid arrest.
In August 2021, DEA located Contreras-Sandoval and Davalos-Pulido at a second methamphetamine conversion lab in a Norcross, Ga. residence. On October 21, 2021, agents searched the home and found Davalos-Pulido inside with a full-scale liquid methamphetamine conversion operation; a loaded firearm on the couch’s center armrest, which also concealed over $84,000 in cash; and a .50 caliber rifle that appeared ready to be shipped to Mexico. Agents arrested Contreras-Sandoval outside the home and found approximately $12,000 in his vehicle and pockets.
On September 16, 2025, following a jury trial, Contreras-Sandoval was convicted of all charges against him: one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.Contreras-Sandoval’s sentencing hearing will be scheduled soon. U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross sentenced Davalos-Pulido to 20 years in federal prison on October 11, 2024, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with substantial assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Long Beach (California) Police Department, Georgia State Patrol, Lawrenceville Police Department, and Clayton County Police Department.Assistant United States Attorneys Bethany L. Rupert and Thomas M. Forsyth, III are prosecuting the case.
This case was part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Judge convicts Kansas man of receiving child pornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal judge convicted a Kansas man of receiving child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) after a bench trial.
Frank Castro, 50, of Kansas City, Kansas, was found guilty of one count of receipt of child pornography.
In September 2020, Castro used social media to exchange messages with Antonio Galicia of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Galicia offered to send Castro a video Galicia made of himself sexually abusing a young child. Galicia then used an app to send Castro the video file containing CSAM. Castro knowingly accepted and viewed the video file containing CSAM.
Later while the Milwaukee Police Department was investigating Galicia for a series of child sex crimes, officers found evidence of the video transmission to Castro and passed the information on to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Castro is scheduled to be sentenced on December 16, 2025, and faces a penalty of five to twenty years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey McCormick and Scott Rask are prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood
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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
###Jefferson County Man Convicted on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal jury has convicted a Jefferson County man on drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
The jury returned a guilty verdict against Jaylin Artez Patton, 29, of Birmingham, Alabama, after three days of testimony before U.S. District Court Judge Annemarie C. Axon. Patton was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machinegun, possession of fentanyl, and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
According to evidence presented at trial, officers with the Birmingham Police Department, along with assistance from agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, attempted to make a traffic stop on Patton to execute an arrest warrant. Patton fled the scene and officers pursued him. Patton refused to stop his vehicle and drove off the interstate into a ditch and a fence. Patton exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Shortly after a foot pursuit, officers apprehended Patton. Officers recovered fentanyl and a Glock pistol that had been converted to a machinegun using a machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch.”
The ATF investigated the case, along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William R. McComb and Darius Greene are prosecuting the case.
Indian National Charged with Making a False Statement in the Attempted Acquisition of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Harkamal Singh, 34, of Ludhana, India, has been charged by criminal complaint with making a false statement to a federal firearms licensee during the attempted purchase of a firearm.
On September 18, 2025, Singh had his initial court appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. A detention hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at 1:00pm in Burlington before Magistrate Judge Doyle. Singh remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending that hearing.
According to court records, it is alleged that Singh falsely indicated that he had lawful status in the United States when he filled out ATF Form 4473 during the attempted purchase of a firearm, when Singh knew that he did not have lawful status to be in the United States.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Singh is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Singh faces up to ten years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) and the United States Border Patrol.
The prosecutor is Special Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham. Singh is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon.
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).
Illegal Firearm Possession Lands Oklahoma City Felon in Federal Prison for More Than Seven Years after Firing Weapon Outside HomeRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – DAVY EUGENE KING, 52, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 90 months in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, on February 2, 2025, and into the early morning hours of February 3, 2025, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) responded to a home due to a reported shooting. The calling party told OCPD that King had become argumentative, had exited the home, and began firing his weapon at others and into the air before fleeing the scene. Nobody was injured. Shortly after, OCPD officers spotted King inside a nearby gas station and surrounded the convenience store. Officers witnessed King pull out a firearm and throw the gun across the counter before he was arrested.
Public record further reflects that King has numerous previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court, including second-degree murder in case number CF-1990-5376, possession of a stolen vehicle in case number CF-2014-4630, attempted grand larceny in case number CF-2014-5432, and domestic abuse (great bodily injury after former felony conviction) in case number CF-2014-2946.
On March 4, 2025, a federal Grand Jury charged King with illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction. King pleaded guilty on April 19, 2025, and admitted he possessed a firearm despite his previous felony convictions.
At the sentencing hearing on September 17, 2025, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced King to serve 90 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Palk noted King’s long criminal history, which includes violent and domestic violence offenses, and emphasized the seriousness of the offense given that King not only illegally possessed the weapon, but fired it, as well.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Laney Ellis prosecuted the case. SAUSA Ellis is an attorney with City of Oklahoma City whose position is funded by a federal Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) grant awarded to the City of Oklahoma City to enhance efforts to address and reduce violent crime. PSN is 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.
This case is part of “Operation Shots Fired,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of PSN, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Operation Shots Fired targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok/project-safe-neighborhood-psn.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Hope Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA – A Hope man was sentenced yesterday to 144 months in federal prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for distributing child pornography. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing, which was held in the U.S. District Court in Texarkana.
According to court documents, Bradley Hunter Cox, age 36, used an online social media platform to distribute child pornography to multiple users. Cox’s crime came to light after agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation agents in Washington D.C. discovered Cox was distributing child pornography to a recipient in their area. Local FBI agents then conducted a search warrant at Cox’s residence and confirmed that he had, in fact, distributed child pornography. Cox later admitted to distributing files using three separate social media platforms and to creating groups for distribution purposes.
Cox was indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in July of 2024 and entered a plea of guilty in January of 2025.
U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Arkansas State Police, Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office, and Hope Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Still prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
Honduran National Faces Minimum of 20 Years in Prison After Pleading Guilty to Multiple Armed Robberies in AustinRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Honduran national pleaded guilty in federal court this week to committing multiple armed robberies.
According to court documents, on Dec. 31, 2023, Christian Lopez-Burgos, 27, used a black-over-tan pistol during an attempted robbery of a fast-food restaurant on Interstate Highway 35 in Austin and a convenience store robbery on North Lamar Boulevard in Austin. From the convenience store, Lopez-Burgos and two other masked, armed males stole approximately $6,000 while Lopez-Burgos pointed his pistol at an employee working the cash register.
On Jan. 23, 2024, Lopez-Burgos was caught on security video driving the same vehicle from the two previous robberies as he and four co-conspirators robbed another convenience store on North Lamar Boulevard, brandishing firearms at two employees and stealing approximately $5,000 from the store’s cash register. Later that day, Lopez-Burgos arrived in his previously noted vehicle at a vape and smoke shop in San Marcos. He returned four days later, on January 27, 2024, with three other individuals to rob the business, stealing CBD and kratom items, as well as glass pipes, while one of the robbers pointed a shotgun at a store employee and ripped a necklace from the victim’s neck.
Lopez-Burgos was also identified as one of three individuals who robbed another convenience store on Lamar Boulevard in Austin on Feb. 3, 2024. In that robbery, Lopez-Burgos and a co-conspirator entered the store brandishing firearms while the third robber served as a lookout at the front door. Lopez-Burgos demanded money from the store employee in a check-cashing room and fired three rounds at the victim in response to an alarm being pressed beneath the employee’s desk. Two other employees in the store then provided approximately $3,000 to the robbers.
Lopez-Burgos was arrested in Houston on Feb. 15, 2024, after he attempted to evade police in the same vehicle with which he committed most of the string of armed robberies. A search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of multiple articles of clothing and items both worn during the robberies and stolen from the robberies, including glass pipes and the necklace stolen from the vape and smoke shop employee. Searches of Lopez-Burgos’s phones revealed a photo of the black-over-tan handgun and internet searches related to robberies in Austin on Dec. 31, 2023.
Lopez-Burgos pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery; two counts of Hobbs Act robbery; two counts of discharge of firearm in furtherance of crime of violence; and one count of brandishing of firearm in furtherance of crime of violence. He faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI along with the Austin, San Marcos, and Houston Police Departments are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Keith Henneke, Thomas Parnham and Gabriel Cohen are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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).
###