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Friday 12 September 2025
Philadelphia Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Pandemic Relief Programs, Local Union ChapterRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Tracy Hardy, 52, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Judge Harvey Bartle III on Thursday on four counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false claim upon the United States.
The defendant was charged with those offenses by information, arising from two separate schemes — one to obtain disaster-related loans to which he was not entitled, and another to defraud a union through inflated and falsified bids for a construction project.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, from about May 2020 to May 2022, Hardy participated in a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) and multiple SBA-approved lenders participating in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, established as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a federal law enacted in March 2020.
Hardy, the owner of several Philadelphia-based businesses, including Lou & Choo Enterprises, Inc., Hardy & Hardy Holdings, LLC, and Monroe Press, Inc., began working with Person #1, who helped individuals and businesses obtain disaster-related loans with fraudulent financial information. Hardy provided Person #1 with background and financial information related to his companies, and Person #1 prepared and submitted to the lenders the loan applications, falsely inflating financial figures relating to the operations of the companies applying for the loans and drafting false documents to support the inflated figures.
As a result, Hardy obtained more than $2 million in pandemic relief funds by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, including: (a) by making false statements about the wages paid to employees of his businesses, the number of employees working for his businesses, the gross revenues of the businesses, the ownership of his businesses, and the intended use of the PPP loan proceeds; and (b) by providing false documentation, such as false tax documents and payroll summaries to support the loan applications.
As further detailed in court filings, from about January 2019 to June 2019, Hardy also participated in a scheme to defraud District 1199C, a local chapter of the National Union of Hospital and Healthcare Employees, which represented thousands of healthcare workers throughout the greater Philadelphia area.
In early 2019, District 1199C was seeking a construction company to renovate the bar area inside its union hall, located on the 1300 block of Locust Street in Philadelphia.
In addition to companies referenced above, Hardy was also the co-owner and operator of a construction company, Manayunk Construction & Development Corporation (“Manayunk Construction”).
On or about January 30, 2019, Hardy sent an email to Person #5, an officer of District 1199C, attaching a bid on the letterhead of Manayunk Construction for renovating the bar in the union hall. The bid detailed the work to be performed for a total cost of $47,490.
In February 2019, the defendant then submitted to Person #5 a new and inflated bid from Manayunk Construction, and two additional bids that he falsely and fraudulently created, purporting to be from two independent companies. In fact, the bids from those two additional companies were created by Hardy and were entirely fabricated.
The second bid from Manayunk Construction was fraudulently inflated by at least $45,000, with the bid accounting for some additional work to be done, as well as generating tens of thousands of dollars in proceeds for the benefit of the defendant and Person #5. Hardy’s bid from Manayunk Construction offered the lowest price of the three bids that he submitted.
In March 2019, the Executive Board of District 1199C voted to award the contract for the bar renovation project to Manayunk Construction, based on its low bid of $139,790. Manayunk Construction subsequently completed the bar renovation project and Hardy, through his company, was paid more than $150,000, an amount that was fraudulently inflated by at least $45,000.
The case was investigated by the FBI, with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen.
Ogden Market Beating Death in March 2021 Leads to 20 Year Prison TermRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Alvin Alexis Cruz Garcia, 27, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in Superior Court for the beating death of Ramon Gomez Yanez at the Ogden Market in Northwest, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Cruz Garcia was found guilty of one count of second-degree murder while armed following a four-day trial on June 6, 2025. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman sentenced Cruz Garcia to 20 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 8:28 p.m. on March 23, 2021, 38-year-old Ramon Gomez Yanez, parked his car and made his usual stop at the local food market, Ogden Market, located at 1500 Ogden Street NW. When Mr. Gomez came back outside, the defendant was standing on the sidewalk and urinating much too close to the back of Mr. Gomez’s car. The Ogden Market surveillance video, with no audio available, showed some exchange of words between the two men and then showed Cruz Garcia punch Mr. Gomez down to the ground. While Mr. Gomez was down on the sidewalk, the defendant kicked and punched Mr. Gomez multiple times in the head area, and then just walked away, leaving Mr. Gomez to die on the scene from those injuries.
Cruz Garcia was arrested on June 7, 2022, and has been in custody since.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Jin Park and Katrenia Shelly who prosecuted the case.
Nigerian National Sentenced to Prison for International Scheme that Defrauded Elderly U.S. VictimsRead the Press Release
Note, the release has been updated to include a quote from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
A Nigerian national was sentenced yesterday to 97 months in prison for his role in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme.
According to court documents, Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, 41, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States over the course of several years. The letters falsely claimed that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died overseas years before. Akhimie and his co-conspirators told a series of lies to victims, including that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes, and other payments to avoid questioning from government authorities. Akhimie and his co-conspirators collected money victims sent in response to the fraudulent letters through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to receive money and forward to the defendants or persons associated with them. Victims who sent money never received any purported inheritance funds. In pleading guilty, Akhimie admitted to defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable.
“The Justice Department will continue to pursue, prosecute, and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This case is a testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime. I want to thank our U.S. law enforcement partners, as well as those who assisted across the globe, including the National Crime Agency and Crown Prosecution Service of the United Kingdom, for their outstanding contributions to this case.”
“Schemes like this steal not only money but dignity from our seniors," said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. "Our Office stands with victims, ensures their voices are heard, and will relentlessly pursue those who prey on them.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting American consumers from being defrauded by Transnational Criminal Organizations,” said Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Miami Division. “We have long partnered with the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch to deliver justice and we will continue to do so.”
“Defrauding the elderly and other vulnerable populations is a betrayal of not just trust but of humanity,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ray Rede for HSI Arizona. “HSI and our law enforcement partners commitment to investigate criminals who steal money sends a clear message: justice will prevail, and those who exploit others for personal gain will be held accountable. We thank all our partners who assisted in this investigation.”
Akhimie is the eighth defendant sentenced to prison in connection with the scheme. District Court Judge Kathleen M. Williams for the Southern District of Florida previously sentenced six additional defendants in a related case. On April 25, the District Court Judge Roy K. Altman for the Southern District of Florida sentenced Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, who was extradited from Portugal, to 97 months in prison for his role in the scheme, describing the defendants’ offense conduct as “an incredibly serious crime” and stating that it merited a substantial sentence because it was important “to stand up for the most vulnerable, for the least protected members of our society who have done absolutely nothing wrong.”
USPIS and HSI investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol, and authorities from the UK, Spain, and Portugal all provided critical assistance.
Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
New York Woman Admits Depositing $2.7 million in Fraudulent Checks in Missouri, IllinoisRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from New York on Friday admitted attempting to deposit $2.7 million in fraudulent checks.
Gabrielle Borthwick, 23, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to 12 felonies: six counts of financial institution fraud and six counts of aggravated identity theft.
Borthwick admitted as part of her plea that she obtained counterfeit cashier’s checks and the stolen personal information (names, birthdates and Social Security numbers) of multiple people. She then went to a series of banks in Missouri and fraudulently opened, or attempted to open, accounts in the victims’ names without their permission. Borthwick presented the financial institutions with counterfeit out-of-state driver’s licenses that displayed her photograph but contained the victims’ names and dates of birth. To dispel concerns about the out-of-state licenses, Borthwick falsely claimed to have recently moved to Missouri and supplied fake utility and phone bills to support her claims. She then deposited counterfeit cashier’s checks in amounts ranging from $121,260 to $1.4 million. She claimed to run a wedding planning business to allay bank officials’ suspicions about the size of the checks. Borthwick then tried to withdraw cash or electronically transfer funds before the financial institutions realized that the checks were fake.
Borthwick deposited checks in multiple Missouri banks and in one bank in Illinois totaling $2,773,280.65. She fraudulently obtained $271,667.98, her plea agreement says.
Borthwick is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17. Financial institution fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both prison and a fine. Aggravated identity theft is punishable by two years in prison, consecutive to any other charge and a fine of up to $250,000. She will be ordered to repay the money.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and police departments in Eureka, O’Fallon and Union in Missouri and Edwardsville in Illinois investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf is prosecuting the case.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 105 Months for 2022 Gas Station ShootingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on September 10, 2025, U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion sentenced New Orleans resident, DANTRELL MCZEAL (“MCZEAL”), age 34, to 105 months imprisonment, and three years of supervised release following his imprisonment. MCZEAL must also pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. MCZEAL pleaded guilty on May 27, 2025 to being a felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to court documents, in July 2022 MCZEAL and an unknown individual, shot at one another in the parking lot of a New Orleans gas station. MCZEAL was shot in the leg during the gunfire exchange. Ballistic casings recovered from the parking lot revealed that MCZEAL fired nineteen (19) .223 rifle shots during the exchange. The unknown individual fled the parking lot in his vehicle. MCZEAL also fled the parking, lost control of his vehicle, and struck a light pole at a nearby intersection. MCZEAL was seen limping from his vehicle while in possession of a Palmetto State Armory Model PA-15, .223 REM/5.56 x 45mm semi-automatic rifle with an extended magazine.
New Orleans Police Department officers later recovered a loaded Glock Model 30GEN4, .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, with an extended magazine and a bullet in the chamber, from MCZEAL’s abandoned vehicle.
Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms. MCZEAL is a convicted felon, having previously been convicted in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court of aggravated battery, aggravated burglary, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit/Strike Force Unit.
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New Mexico Teenager Charged with Making Violent Online ThreatsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A New Mexico teenager has been charged with making violent threats on social media following the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
According to court documents, on or about September 11, 2025, Jace Allen, 19, used an account on X.com under the alias “Jebron Lames” to post a series of violent and racist threats following the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025. Among the threats, Allen wrote that he planned to commit mass murder, target minorities and Jews, and shoot up unspecified locations. He also threatened an Ohio city council member directly, telling the official, “You’re gonna be one of the first to die.”
The FBI’s Toledo Resident Agency quickly traced the account to Allen’s phone and residence in Jamestown, New Mexico. Agents from the FBI Gallup Resident Agency located and interviewed Allen at his home on September 11, 2025. Allen admitted to making the posts, acknowledged being a Neo-Nazi who hates Jews and minorities, and said he wanted to help spark a civil war by terrorizing people online.
Although Allen stated he did not own a firearm, a search of his phone revealed videos of him firing a rifle and handgun in August 2025.
Allen is charged with transmitting communications containing a threat to injure another person and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing. If convicted of the current charges, Allen faces five years in prison.
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. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew McGinley is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Miami Woman Indicted on Federal Aggravated Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Miami woman with 16 federal charges in connection with an unemployment insurance (UI) benefits fraud scheme. Tamika Nicole Jones, 33, of Miami, Florida, is charged with eight counts of wire fraud, seven counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of mail fraud. The indictment was unsealed following Jones’s arrest in South Florida by Special Agents with the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG).
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, DOL-OIG.
As detailed in the indictment, UI is a joint state and federal program that provided monetary benefits to eligible beneficiaries. UI payments are intended to provide temporary financial assistance to lawful workers who became unemployed through no fault of their own. Beginning in or around March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several federal programs expanded UI eligibility and increased UI benefits. This included the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, and the Lost Wages Assistance Program.
In Maryland, residents seeking UI benefits submitted online applications. Applicants answered specific questions to establish eligibility to receive UI benefits, including their name, Social Security Number (SSN), and mailing address, among other things. Additionally, the State required applicants to self-certify that they were unemployed, partially employed, or unable to work for a COVID-19-related reason. The Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) relied upon the information from the application to determine UI benefits eligibility. After approval, the MD-DOL typically distributed state and federal UI benefits electronically to a debit card, which claimants could use to withdraw funds and/or make purchases.
As alleged in the indictment, from May 2020 to June 2021, the defendant defrauded State Workforce Agencies, including the MD-DOL, by impersonating victim individuals for the purpose of submitting fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance. The defendant used victims’ personal identifying information, including name, date of birth, and/or SSN, to submit applications for UI benefits.
If convicted, Jones faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for wire and mail fraud. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison that runs consecutive to any other sentence.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information about the Department’s response to the pandemic, visit justice.gov/coronavirus. 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 (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared M. Beim who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Mexican National with Prior Felony Convictions Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national was sentenced yesterday by United States Chief District Judge Andrew Gordan to 13 months and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally reentering the United States after being removed on three prior occasions from the country.
According to court documents and statements made during court proceedings, on December 1, 2023, Jose Ricardo Lopez Munoz was found in the United States after he was previously deported to Mexico on November 13, 1995, February 26, 1997, and August 1, 2013.
On November 28, 2023, Lopez Munoz was arrested by state law enforcement in Clark County, Nevada, for False Statement to Obstruct Public Officer. Lopez Munoz has previous felony convictions for Menacing out of the District Court, El Paso County, Colorado, in 2002, and for Challenge to Fight with use of a Deadly Weapon and with the Intent to Promote Further or Assist a Criminal Gang out of the Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County, Nevada, in 2007. After serving over six years in prison he was deported for a third time in 2013.
Lopez Munoz pleaded guilty to one-count of Deported Alien Found in the United States. After serving his prison sentence he will be deported to Mexico a fourth time.
Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Acting Director Jason Knight made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
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Member of violent Third World Mob gang sentenced to more than 25 years in prison for trafficking more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuanaRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A member of the local violent criminal organization Third World Mob was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 310 months in prison.
Klegewerges Abate, 36, of Columbus was convicted by a jury in August 2024. After an 8-day trial before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr., jurors deliberated for less than six hours before finding him guilty on all counts.
Abate, who is also known as “Bells,” “Robell” and “Sosa,” was convicted of conspiring to traffic at least 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, firearms offenses, and wire fraud related to illegally obtaining COVID-19 pandemic relief funds.
According to court documents and trial testimony, Third World Mob members brought hundreds of pounds of marijuana into Ohio from other states like California and Georgia to sell in central Ohio. They used U-Haul trucks and rental cars to move the drugs. Coconspirators used rental houses or houses leased or owned in other individuals’ names as “stash houses” or “trap houses” to facilitate the drug trafficking and to store significant amounts of cash from the drug proceeds.
For example, in August 2019, Abate and others possessed a suitcase with approximately $940,000 in cash in it in a house on Phlox Avenue in Blacklick.
During a November 2022 search of a residence on Chapel Stone Road in Blacklick, law enforcement officials found Abate and two of his co-conspirators, along with more than 700 kilograms of marijuana and three firearms.
Third World Mob leaders and members used violence and the threat of violence to maintain authority over their drug trafficking.
Surveillance video presented at trial showed Abate, a convicted felon, shooting a man at a restaurant in Columbus. Jurors also heard testimony about numerous shootings, a pistol-whipping, and other acts of intimidation.
Abate was also convicted of wire fraud for falsely applying for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, fraudulently claiming that he had been a self-employed landscaper during the time he trafficked drugs.
In total, seven members of the Third World Mob have been charged federally since 2021.
Co-defendant Abubakarr Savage, 36, was also convicted at trial with Abate. He was sentenced July 2025 to more than 15 years in prison. Fellow Third World Mob member Menelik Solomon pleaded guilty in November 2023 and was also sentenced to more than 15 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit; and Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin announced the sentences imposed. U.S. Attorney Gerace recognized the assistance from the Columbus, and Whitehall, Ohio, and Tucson, Arizona, police departments and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth A. Geraghty and S. Courter Shimeall represented the United States in this case.
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Member of Ulster County Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK – Justin Torres, age 37, of Ellenville, New York, was sentenced today to serve 37 months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Ricky J. Patel, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York; and Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa, whose office leads the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT).
Torres admitted that during the conspiracy he distributed and possessed with intent to distribute approximately 580 grams of cocaine and 200 grams of fentanyl.
Torres was one of 11 defendants charged in the case. These defendants have pled guilty and have been sentenced or are pending sentencing:
- Joshuan Atkinson was sentenced to 156 months in prison, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release;
- Christopher Baez was sentenced to 71 months in prison, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release;
- Michael Herry was sentenced to 27 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release;
- Daryl Livingston was sentenced to 24 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release;
- Joshua Morales is scheduled to be sentenced on December 3, 2025;
- Joseph Logan is scheduled to be sentenced on November 19, 2025; and
- Timothy Hutcherson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “This case demonstrates our commitment to dismantling drug trafficking organizations in Ulster County, where Justin Torres and his co-conspirators sold cocaine and fentanyl. With our federal, state, and local partners, we continue to target these poison peddlers and protect the public from the deadly scourge of drugs. I commend and thank Sheriff Figueroa for his courageous leadership spearheading this operation with URGENT and all the brave officers of the task force who sacrificed themselves in the spirit in which we have all sworn an oath to as members of law enforcement. As I have stated time and time again, if these gangbangers had been charged locally, they would all be out on the streets in two hours continuing their acts of violence against our communities for a year or more while their cases moved through the state court system. The State Legislature and Governor should call a special session to repeal the reckless and dangerous cashless bail law that has imposed massive casualties amongst the citizens throughout the State of New York for eight long suffering years. My office shall do everything in its power to assist state and local law enforcement to combat the revolving door of crime.”
Ricky J. Patel, Special Agent in Charge of HSI New York, stated, “This sentence is the result of a coordinated, intelligence-driven investigation that disrupted this organization’s fentanyl and cocaine distribution, and in turn stopped a narcotics pipeline in its tracks. HSI New York remains steadfast in our commitment to deploying our expertise, data-driven strategies, and investigative resources to identify traffickers, dismantle their networks, and prevent deadly drugs from reaching our neighborhoods. Together with the Ulster County Sheriff's Office, URGENT, and our local partners, HSI New York will never waver in our commitment to protecting families within our communities and the public we serve every day.”
Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa stated, “This was a collaborative effort consisting of federal, state and local law enforcement. Drug trafficking continues to affect local communities and is a nexus to crime spikes. I thank the U.S. Attorney for prosecuting these criminals. I also thank the members of the URGENT task force who put long investigative hours into this critical case to rid our community of drugs.”
Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a fine of $5,000 and a 3-year term of supervised release to begin after Torres is released from prison.
This case is being investigated by HSI; the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with URGENT (the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement and Narcotics Team), an inter-agency taskforce targeting drug dealers and gang members in Ulster County; the New York State Police; the Village of Ellenville Police Department; and the White Plains Police Department, with assistance from the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda is prosecuting this case.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Mason City Man Sentenced to 11 years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearms and Intent to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
Jacob Shafer, 34, from Mason City, Iowa, was sentenced September 12, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Shafer pled guilty on May 7, 2025, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of illegal possession of a firearm. Shafer was previously convicted of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, and trafficking in stolen weapons in Iowa in March of 2022. Both of these convictions prohibit a person from possessing any firearm.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that in March 2024, during the execution of a search warrant at Shafer’s home, law enforcement seized the following: four bags of methamphetamine; drug paraphernalia including pipes, bongs, grinders, and baggies; a digital scale; ninety-six .380 caliber Winchester rounds of ammunition; a Ruger LCP, .380 pistol, and a total of 6 rounds of ammunition, which included a round in the chamber; a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol, and a total of 13 rounds of ammunition; an Intratec AB-10, 9mm pistol, and a total of 22 rounds of ammunition in the magazine; and a Rock Island Armory, .45 caliber pistol. Shafer admitted he had plans to distribute the methamphetamine that officers found.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Shafer was sentenced to 132 months’ imprisonment and will serve a four-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Shafer remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, Mason City Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin C. Fletcher and Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3055. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Carjacking Three Vehicles in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a man to 22 years in prison for carjacking three vehicles at gunpoint in Chicago and shooting one of the victims.
JAMARI EDWARDS carjacked the vehicles in August 2022 in the West Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. The first carjacking occurred in the drive-thru area of a coffee shop, while the other two occurred outside of a convenience store at a gas station. In each of the carjackings, Edwards pointed a gun at the driver and demanded the keys to the car. In the coffee shop carjacking, Edwards shot the driver in the leg after the driver had already given Edwards the key and exited the vehicle. Before shooting the driver, Edwards asked him words to the effect of, “Why are you not scared?”
Edwards, 23, of Chicago, was arrested in 2022 and has remained in law enforcement custody since then. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal carjacking and firearm charges. On Sept. 4, 2025, U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins sentenced Edwards to 22 years in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Simar Khera.
Man Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being RemovedRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being removed was sentenced September 11, 2025, to 127 days’ imprisonment.
Gerardo Santis-Jiron, also known as Pedro Simon Rivera-Perez, age 36, a citizen of Guatemala, received the prison term after a June 10, 2025 guilty plea to one count of being found in the United States after illegal reentry.
At the guilty plea, Santis-Jiron admitted he had previously been removed from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Santis-Jiron was previously removed in 2009. On April 27, 2025, immigration officials found him at the Linn County Jail following his arrest on state charges for operating while under the influence.
Santis-Jiron was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Santis-Jiron was sentenced to 127 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Santis-Jiron is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
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 case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by Enforcement and Removal Operations of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-36.
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Man Charged in Federal Court with Robbing Armored Truck Driver in Downtown ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man was charged in federal court today with robbing an armored truck driver in downtown Chicago earlier this week.
DAJON HARRIS robbed a Brinks armored truck driver on Wednesday morning in the first block of South State Street in Chicago’s Loop neighborhood, according to a criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The armored truck driver had just exited a store carrying several bags of cash when Harris allegedly approached him and tried to rip a bag out of his hand. A struggle ensued, and Harris punched the driver and took a bag of cash, the complaint states. During the struggle, the driver unholstered his gun and fired shots at Harris, the complaint states.
Harris fled west on Madison Street toward a Chicago Transit Authority subway station, the complaint states. Law enforcement officers encountered Harris in the station and recovered the stolen money. Harris was transported to a hospital for medical treatment.
The complaint charges Harris, 23, of Evergreen Park, Ill., with robbery, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. His initial appearance in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The complaint was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hanna Helwig.
The robbery occurred in the newly designated Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”) enforcement zone in downtown Chicago. On June 4, 2025, U.S. Attorney Boutros announced an expansion of PSN to include the economic centers in downtown Chicago and the entire rail system operated by the Chicago Transit Authority. The enforcement efforts in the newly designated PSN Enforcement Zones focus on the investigation and prosecution of individuals and organized groups who engage in robberies, illegal firearm possession, drug trafficking, carjackings, and other violent offenses most often involving the use of firearms. For violent offenders arrested downtown or aboard CTA trains, criminal prosecutors will bring appropriate charges to achieve maximum deterrence.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
harris_complaint.pdfLouisiana Chiropractor Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Health Care Fraud and Unemployment Insurance Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
A Louisiana chiropractor was sentenced today to seven years in prison for his role in health care fraud and unemployment insurance fraud schemes.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dr. Benjamin Tekippe, 40, of New Orleans, was a chiropractor and owner of Metairie Chiropractic & Rehab in New Orleans. Tekippe solicited patients with insurance from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana (BCBSLA) to visit his clinic by misleadingly offering “free” chiropractic massages for BCBSLA members. Tekippe would typically bill their insurance for the massage, which was generally a full-body massage performed by a massage therapist, and which was not covered. Tekippe would also routinely bill BCBSLA for several other chiropractic services that were either not performed or not performed as billed, including thousands of false and fraudulent claims for chiropractic services he purportedly provided to patients while he was out of the office, including on vacation in Aruba and incarcerated in Arizona and Washington in connection with state charges. When audited by BCBSLA, Tekippe fabricated patient records and instructed his staff to rewrite them in their own handwriting to make it falsely appear that services had been performed as billed. In total, Tekippe submitted over $2.3 million in claims to BCBSLA, and was paid approximately $740,000. Evidence at trial showed that Tekippe spent the fraudulent proceeds on luxury goods and gambling, including over $90,000 at Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans, among other things.
In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Tekippe submitted weekly certifications falsely claiming that he was unemployed when he was billing for chiropractic services purportedly performed during his claimed unemployment. Through this scheme, Tekippe received $12,952 in unemployment insurance benefits to which he was not entitled.
In April 2025, Tekippe was convicted by a federal jury of six counts of health care fraud and one count of wire fraud. In addition to the prison sentence, he was ordered to pay$753,794.36 in restitution.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana; and Special Agent in Charge Jason Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Dallas Region, Baton Rouge Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Kelly Z. Walters and Samantha Usher 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 9 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 HHS-OIG, 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.
Justice Department Sues Uber for Denying Rides to Passengers with Service Dogs, WheelchairsRead the Press Release
Yesterday, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Uber Technologies Inc. for discriminating against passengers with disabilities, including those who use service animals and mobility devices such as stowable wheelchairs. Uber is the largest provider of ride-hailing services in the United States. The lawsuit seeks $125 million for individuals who have been subject to discrimination and previously submitted complaints to Uber or the Department.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges Uber violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination based on disability by private transportation companies like Uber. The ADA also requires Uber to allow service animals to accompany individuals with disabilities in vehicles and to provide rides to, and assist, riders with stowable wheelchairs and mobility devices.
The Department’s civil complaint alleges that Uber and its drivers routinely refuse to serve individuals with disabilities; impose impermissible surcharges by charging cleaning fees for service animal shedding and cancellation fees to riders whom Uber has unlawfully denied service; and refuse to reasonably modify Uber’s policies, practices, or procedures, where necessary, to avoid discriminating against riders with disabilities, including by denying individuals with mobility disabilities the option to sit in the front seat when needed. Due to Uber’s ride denials, individuals with disabilities have experienced significant delays, missed appointments, and have been left stranded in inclement weather.
“For too long, blind riders have suffered repeated ride denials by Uber because they are traveling with a service dog,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This lawsuit seeks to end this persistent discrimination and allow riders with disabilities to use Uber. We will enforce the ADA’s guarantee that people with disabilities have equal opportunity and full participation in all aspects of American society, including transportation.”
“Rideshare companies like Uber are prohibited from denying riders with disabilities the same access to transportation that riders without disabilities enjoy,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian of the Northern District of California. “This complaint underscores the United States’ commitment to enforcing the ADA’s promise of equal access.”
The lawsuit seeks a court order to force Uber to stop discriminating against individuals with disabilities, to modify its policies to comply with the ADA, and to train its staff and drivers on the ADA. In addition to the monetary damages to compensate aggrieved individuals subjected to Uber’s discrimination, the lawsuit demands that Uber pay a civil penalty to vindicate the public’s interest in eliminating disability discrimination.
To learn more about the Civil Rights Division visit www.justice.gov/crt, and to report possible violations of federal civil rights laws go to www.civilrights.justice.gov. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov.
Justice Department Sues Uber for Denying Rides to Passengers with Service Dogs, WheelchairsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Yesterday, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Uber Technologies Inc. for discriminating against passengers with disabilities, including those who use service animals and mobility devices such as stowable wheelchairs. Uber is the largest provider of ride-hailing services in the United States. The lawsuit seeks $125 million for individuals who have been subject to discrimination and previously submitted complaints to Uber or the Department.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges Uber violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination based on disability by private transportation companies like Uber. The ADA also requires Uber to allow service animals to accompany individuals with disabilities in vehicles and to provide rides to, and assist, riders with stowable wheelchairs and mobility devices.
The Department’s civil complaint alleges that Uber and its drivers routinely refuse to serve individuals with disabilities; impose impermissible surcharges by charging cleaning fees for service animal shedding and cancellation fees to riders whom Uber has unlawfully denied service; and refuse to reasonably modify Uber’s policies, practices, or procedures, where necessary, to avoid discriminating against riders with disabilities, including by denying individuals with mobility disabilities the option to sit in the front seat when needed. Due to Uber’s ride denials, individuals with disabilities have experienced significant delays, missed appointments, and have been left stranded in inclement weather.
“Rideshare companies like Uber are prohibited from denying riders with disabilities the same access to transportation that riders without disabilities enjoy,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian of the Northern District of California. “This complaint underscores the United States’ commitment to enforcing the ADA’s promise of equal access.”
“For too long, blind riders have suffered repeated ride denials by Uber because they are traveling with a service dog,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This lawsuit seeks to end this persistent discrimination and allow riders with disabilities to use Uber. We will enforce the ADA’s guarantee that people with disabilities have equal opportunity and full participation in all aspects of American society, including transportation.”
The lawsuit seeks a court order to force Uber to stop discriminating against individuals with disabilities, to modify its policies to comply with the ADA, and to train its staff and drivers on the ADA. In addition to the monetary damages to compensate aggrieved individuals subjected to Uber’s discrimination, the lawsuit demands that Uber pay a civil penalty to vindicate the public’s interest in eliminating disability discrimination.
To learn more about the Civil Rights Division visit www.justice.gov/crt, and to report possible violations of federal civil rights laws go to www.civilrights.justice.gov. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov.
Uber Complaint
Justice Department Issues Policy Defending Parental Rights in SchoolsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – On September 8, 2025, Attorney General Pamela Bondi issued a memorandum to all United States Attorneys highlighting the Department of Justice’s policy to prevent and act upon violations of parental rights and First Amendment liberties in educational settings. General Bondi also directed United States Attorneys to work with federal, state, and local partners to identify and respond to credible threats against parents whose federal rights have been violated.
Under the leadership of President Trump and General Bondi, parents’ First Amendment rights – and their “fundamental right to direct the moral and religious education of their children” – will be protected from unlawful attacks.
United States Attorney Ellis Boyle stated, “Here in the Eastern District of North Carolina, parents should feel safe to raise their children in accord with their religion and customs and as the Supreme Court recently recognized in Mahmoud v. Taylor to protect them from the radical ideology that has infiltrated our schools. We will protect parental rights when parents interact with their children’s schools. To promote this and inform parents across the District, we shared a copy of the Attorney General’s memo with all county boards of education in the EDNC, the North Carolina Department of Education, the Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, and the President Pro Tempore of the North Carolina Senate. Let me be very clear – here in Eastern North Carolina, we fully support the Attorney General’s policy, and we will act quickly to enforce it. Conspiring to violate constitutional rights is a crime under federal law. We will enforce these laws.”
The Attorney General’s full memo can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1413671/dl?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
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Jury Convicts Stanislaus County Man of Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Stanislaus County man today for receipt of child pornography. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California Eric Grant; Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel of the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office; and Chief Jason Hedden of the Turlock Police Department made the announcement.
“Today, a jury found Cragg guilty of crimes that encouraged the gross abuse of our society’s most vulnerable members,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “The U.S. Department of Justice will continue to target for prosecution and imprisonment those who contribute to this vile conduct.”
“The defendant was convicted by a jury for collecting videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, including toddlers and infants who were subject to horrific abuse,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Galeotti. “This content is vile and illegal, and we will aggressively prosecute those who engage with it.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Edward Cragg, 46, of Turlock, used a file-sharing program in 2015 and 2016 to search for and download more than 130 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants and toddlers.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Turlock Police Department investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Justice Department’s High Technology Investigative Unit within the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa of the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of CEOS are prosecuting the case.
Cragg is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 8, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Cragg faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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 www.justice.gov/psc.
Jury Convicts California Man of Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a California man today for receipt of child pornography.
“The defendant was convicted by a jury for collecting videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, including toddlers and infants who were subject to horrific abuse,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This content is vile and illegal, and we will aggressively prosecute those who engage with it.”
“Today, a jury found Cragg guilty of crimes that encouraged the gross abuse of our society’s most vulnerable members,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “The U.S. Department of Justice will continue to target for prosecution and imprisonment those who contribute to this vile conduct.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Edward Cragg, 46, of Turlock, California, used a file-sharing program from approximately Aug. 1, 2015, through March 1, 2016, to search for and download more than 130 child sexual abuse videos. He would then watch these videos, sort them, and move them to an external hard drive. Some of the videos depicted images of infants or toddlers being subjected to sadistic or masochistic abuse. Cragg told law enforcement that the child sexual abuse videos were “interesting … like a dead cat on the side of the road.” He also stated that he did not think looking at child sexual abuse material was wrong.
Cragg is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 8 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and the Turlock Police Department investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Justice Department’s High Technology Investigative Unit within the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).
Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of CEOS and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa of the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States 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.
Identical Twins Who Moonlighted as Golf Tee-Time Brokers Charged with Failing to Report More Than $1.1 Million in Income to IRSRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two identical twin brothers and MRI technicians have been arrested on a 10-count federal grand jury indictment charging them with deliberately failing to report to the IRS more than $1.1 million in income, including money they made from running a golf tee-time brokering business on the side, the Justice Department announced today.
Se Youn “Steve” Kim, 41, of Buena Park, is charged with two counts of tax evasion, one count of making and subscribing to a false tax document, and two counts of willful failure to pay tax.
Hee Youn “Ted” Kim, 41, of Pomona, is charged with two counts of tax evasion, in addition to three counts of willful failure to pay tax.
The Kim brothers were arrested Thursday morning and were arraigned late Thursday afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles. Both defendants pleaded not guilty, and a November 4 trial date was scheduled. A federal magistrate ordered both defendants released on $20,000 bond.
According to the indictment that was unsealed Thursday, between 2021 and 2023, the Kim brothers operated a golf tee time brokering business in which they reserved golf tee times online, including at public golf courses, and resold them to members of the public for a fee, frequently in violation of municipal regulations. The brothers marketed, solicited, and communicated with their customers through various social medial platforms, including KakaoTalk, an instant messaging application.
As part of their business, the brothers reserved thousands of tee times for resale at numerous golf courses nationwide, including at least 17 different public courses across Southern California. The brothers created a monopoly of Los Angeles and Orange County area golf course tee times by securing the most sought-after early morning slots, often within seconds of their release to the public. As a result, the brothers made it more difficult and more expensive for members of the public to reserve tee times at these courses without paying them an additional booking fee, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Kim brothers often directed their golf tee time clients to pay these reservation fees to their personal accounts, including Venmo and Zelle accounts, and then transferred those funds into their personal bank accounts.
In June 2022, Steve Kim incorporated Birdie Tour Inc., a Buena Park-based company, and served as its CEO and chief financial officer, while Ted Kim was its secretary. The brothers obtained an employer identification number from the IRS and opened a bank account in the business’s name.
In total, between 2021 and 2023, the Kim brothers earned nearly $700,000 from their tee time brokering business. Despite earning substantial income and owing taxes from this business, and from their job as MRI technicians, the brothers willfully failed to report a combined total of more than $1.1 million in income to the IRS for tax years 2022 and 2023.
The Kim brothers also accumulated substantial tax liabilities by failing to pay taxes assessed. Rather than using their available funds to pay off their outstanding tax balance, the Kim brothers spent their money on a timeshare in Hawaii, luxury vehicles, and high-end retail purchases from brands such as Chanel, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, and Prada, among other things.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Steve Kim and Ted Kim would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each tax evasion count, and up to one year in prison for each count of willful failure to pay tax. If convicted, Steve Kim faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in federal prison for making and subscribing to a false tax document.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Solomon Kim of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
ICE Captures Illegal Alien Who Cape Hatteras Park Rangers Cited for Poaching FishRead the Press Release
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Earlier this week, the U.S. Marshals arrested Walter Betancourth, 46, a Honduran citizen illegally present in the United States, and turned him over to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”). The Marshals arrested Betancourth following his appearance in Federal Court related to fish and wildlife crimes at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Court documents show that on June 15, 2025, Park Rangers noticed a group of five Hispanic males overfishing red drum. The Rangers’ investigation revealed that Betancourth and his gang poached 16 red drum. The daily limit is one per person. Several of the fish were too big and should have been thrown back. Betancourth had an existing final order of removal from the United States from April 14, 2022.
“Illegal Aliens come to our land and exploit our national resources doing as they please because they completely disregard our shared values, customs, and rules. North Carolina strictly regulates our fish to ensure their availability to all North Carolina citizens now and in the future. This sort of disgusting disregard for our natural bounty is exactly the sort of behavior you might expect from someone who chose to unlawfully enter and illegally remain in the United States, ignoring a final order of removal,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Let this serve as a reminder to those aliens who are illegally present – we will find you and send you back no matter where you are or what you are doing – even just fishing at the beach. I commend the fine cooperation of the Park Rangers, the Marshals, and ICE in effectuating Betancourth’s deportation.”
Betancourth’s arrest was facilitated by active cooperation between ICE, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Those and other components of the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security will continue to work together to further the nationwide mission to repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.
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Husband and Wife Each Sentenced to a Year and a Half in Prison for Scheme to Import and Sell Counterfeit Cell Phones, AccessoriesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Yangwei Li, aka Jason Lee, Jason Li, Bryan Li, and Ryan Li, 38, and Yawen Huang, aka Yvonne Huang, 38, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were each sentenced this week to 18 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $60,000 in restitution by United States District Judge Chad F. Kenney, for their scheme to import and sell counterfeit cell phones.
The defendants were charged by indictment in September 2023 and pleaded guilty to two counts of mail fraud in November of last year.
As detailed in court filings, starting in July 2018, United States Customs and Border Protection (“Customs”) began to intercept shipments of telephones and telephone accessories in the Ports of Philadelphia, New York, and Louisville. These shipments were addressed to defendant Li, under one of his multiple aliases, at three Philadelphia addresses associated with Li and his wife, co-defendant Huang.
The devices in these packages bore counterfeit trademarks of major manufacturers, such as Samsung, Apple, and AKG, as well as counterfeit Underwriters Laboratories symbols. The counterfeit status was established by experts from the trademark owner and/or Customs.
In total, between July 2018 and July 2020, Customs seized 24 shipments of counterfeit telephones and accessories imported by Li and Huang, with a total manufacturer’s suggested retail price of nearly $350,000.
When Customs seized the defendants’ counterfeit items, it issued notices of seizure to Li, under his various aliases, at the listed import addresses. Each of those notices identified the items had been seized, advised that they were counterfeit, and solicited contrary evidence. Neither Li nor Huang responded to any of the Customs notices. Likewise, Samsung sent a total of six cease and desist letters to Li, under various aliases. Neither Li nor Huang responded to Samsung’s letters.
On April 2, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Li and Huang’s residence on the 2100 block of Chandler Street in Philadelphia. Agents recovered numerous types of counterfeit items, including Apple and Apple Watch charging kits; Apple accessory kits; iPhones and iPhone charging cables; Samsung wall and car chargers; Samsung headphones; AKG headphones; LG chargers; and UL charging cables. The domestic value of the items seized at the defendants’ residents was approximately $224,197. Agents also found Samsung and iPhone packaging, as well as laptops, thumb drives, and cell phones linking Li and Huang to six eBay sites selling counterfeit items.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Shapiro and Ruth Mandelbaum.
Guatemalan National Arrested for Illegal Reentry and Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Jairon Micael Juarez-Gomez (36, Guatemala) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien and failure to register as a sex offender. If convicted, Juarez-Gomez faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Juarez-Gomez was convicted of a felony offense—sexual battery with a child aged 12-18 years—on November 30, 2020. Following his conviction, Juarez-Gomez was required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). He was subsequently deported, excluded, and removed from the United States to Guatemala on December 29, 2020. Juarez-Gomez was found to be voluntarily back in the United States on August 8, 2025. He had not received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to this country. Juarez-Gomez also had knowingly failed to register as a sex offender upon his return, as required by SORNA.
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 is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the United States Marshals Service, the Mount Dora Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
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.
Four Defendants Charged with Federal Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – A federal grand jury in Huntsville has charged four individuals with immigration crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona.
The following defendants were indicted for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported:
- Victor Alfonso Contreras-Gonzalez, 41, a citizen of Mexico;
- Arturo Ayala-Aviles, 33, a citizen of El Salvador;
Jose Jacuinde-Gutierrez , 32, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported and distribution of cocaine.
Marco Antonio Sanchez-Avila, 47, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and an alien in possession of a firearm.
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). Operation Take Back America partner Homeland Security Investigations investigated these cases.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
Former Plant Supervisors Indicted for Discharging Wastes to Nashville Sewer System and Tampering with a Monitoring DeviceRead the Press Release
A grand jury indictment was unsealed today charging two individuals for their alleged involvement with bypassing treatment processes and tampering with a monitoring device at a Nashville waste treatment facility.
The indictment alleges that Randall Ray Stark, of Texas, and Caleb Warren Randall, of Tennessee, conspired to defraud the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to violate the Clean Water Act. According to court documents, Stark was the Facility Operations Manager and Randall was the Plant Supervisor at the facility operated by Allwaste Onsite, doing business as Onsite Environmental (Onsite). As part of the alleged conspiracy, Stark and Randall directed Onsite employees to bypass treatment processes and discharge untreated and partially treated wastewater into the Nashville sewer system in December 2022 and in January 2023. The indictment further alleges that Stark and Randall tampered with and caused Onsite employees to tamper with a sampling device that the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County placed to monitor Onsite’s compliance with its pretreatment permit.
On Aug. 5, Onsite pleaded guilty in Nashville to federal charges relating to the discharges.
If convicted, the defendants face a total sentence of up to 17 years in prison, as well as fines, restitution, and supervised release.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and Acting U.S. Attorney Robert McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Matthew T. Morris of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed A. Safeeullah for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
Former New Hampshire Police Officer Indicted for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Haverhill man was indicted for receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
John Giarrusso, 49, a former Seabrook, N.H., police officer, was indicted on one count of receipt of child pornography. In August 2025, Giarrusso was arrested and charged by criminal complaint. He will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, on or about Oct. 16, 2024 through Oct. 17, 2024 Giarrusso knowingly received video files that depict CSAM on Kik. The children in these videos appeared to be between approximately five to 11 years old.
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Haverhill Police Department and Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Soto of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former NASA employee and husband convicted in mortgage fraud schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A Missouri City couple have admitted to their roles in orchestrating a fraudulent financing and refinancing mortgage loan scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Noreen Khan aka Noreen Khan-Mayberry, 52, and her husband Christopher Mayberry, 53, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for making false statements to loan businesses in relation to several mortgage loans they financed. Khan had been a technical manager for NASA, while a NASA contractor had employed Mayberry.
Beginning in 2016, Mayberry and Khan, while employed at NASA, took out significant personal loans to fund the purchase of their luxury home before quickly defaulting on them.
The couple attempted to dispute the debts, claiming to be victims of identity theft. Khan filed a false police report, submitted a false report to the Federal Trade Commission and sent letters to credit bureaus seeking to have loans removed from her credit.
As part of the scheme, the couple signed three separate loan agreements with mortgage lenders related to the financing of their home from 2017 to 2021.
They also admitted to providing false employment information and fake documents, including pay stubs, tax forms and account statements, to lenders.
Khan and Mayberry face up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine in addition to the possible forfeiture of their luxury home. They must also pay restitution in the amount of $276,709 prior to sentencing, which is set for Dec. 18 before U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge.
Both were permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
NASA’s Office of Inspector General-Office of Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter is prosecuting the case.
Former Fort Belvoir soldier sentenced to 15 years in prison for assaulting and permanently injuring a newborn child and raping an adultRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former U.S. Army private was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of sexual abuse. This sentence is to be served consecutively to a 15-year sentence he is currently serving for assault on an infant in violation of Montana law.
According to court documents, on June 24, 2012, Austin Blair Johnson, an active duty soldier residing on Fort Belvoir, was watching his infant daughter, identified as Minor Victim 1 (MV1), who was born prematurely only 15 days earlier. MV1 was crying, so Johnson picked her up and carried her, but she continued to cry. While holding MV1 in front of him with one hand under each of her arms, Johnson rapidly and forcefully shook MV1 multiple times before letting go of her, causing her to flip and land on her head.
Johnson then picked up MV1 and ran with her upstairs to a bedroom where he woke MV1’s mother, identified as Adult Victim 1 (AV1). Johnson falsely told AV1 that he had accidentally dropped MV1 and that he had successfully broken her fall with his foot. AV1 and Johnson took MV1 to the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital emergency room where she presented with a fever, bruising on her head and shoulder, and blood coming out of her mouth. A CT scan conducted there revealed that MV1’s skull had been fractured. MV1 was transferred later to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Walter Reed Medical Center. MV1 was diagnosed with extensive injuries and remained hospitalized at Walter Reed for the next 10 days.
The day she was discharged, MV1 was left in Johnson’s care while AV1 was out. Johnson again rapidly and forcefully shook MV1 and dropped her. MV1 was 26 days old. The following morning, AV1 took MV1 to a previously scheduled follow-up appointment with a pediatrician at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. At the appointment, MV1 began having seizures and was sent directly to the emergency room. MV1 was transferred later to the PICU at Children’s National Medical Center, where doctors discovered myriad injuries, including a second skull fracture, and identified extensive brain damage.
When she was finally discharged on July 20, 2012, MV1 was placed in the custody of Child Protective Services, where she remained for approximately 14 months until she was returned to the custody of Johnson and AV1. On June 22, 2015, shortly after her third birthday, MV1 was forced to undergo a hemispherectomy during which the entire left side of her brain was removed in an effort to control her irrepressible seizures.
MV1 is now legally blind, non-verbal, and the entire right side of her body is paralyzed. Cognitively, MV1 functions at the level of a mature infant. As part of his sentence, Johnson was ordered to pay over $1.1 million in restitution.
In addition to his assaults on MV1, in 2013, at their residence on Fort Belvoir, after AV1 had rebuffed Johnson’s requests to be intimate with her, Johnson proceeded without her consent. AV1 protested and tried to hit Johnson to get him to stop, which he eventually did.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; and Jake Cameron, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Blanchard prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-151.
Former D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services Employee Gets Prison Term for Sexually Abusing a Minor in His CareRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON—Kelvin Powell, 63, of Temple Hills, Maryland, was sentenced today for the sexual abuse of a 17-year-old minor, who was in the custody of his former employer, the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Powell was found guilty on July 1, 2025, on four counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a ward, four counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, four counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a ward, and four counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor, by a Superior Court jury. The Honorable Judge Rainey Brandt ordered Powell to serve 20 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Powell is also required to register as a sex offender.
“The court’s sentencing demonstrates that no one is above the law and that justice will prevail,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “The collaborative efforts of my Office, FBI and MPD is a reminder that criminal actions, especially from a child sexual predator, will be met with serious consequences, especially on behalf of our most vulnerable victims.”
"Powell is a sexual predator who repeatedly abused a 17-year-old," said Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division. "As his sentencing demonstrates, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will pursue public servants who use their positions to prey on individuals in their care and custody."
According to the government’s evidence, Powell was a Youth Development Representative (YDR) at the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS)’s Youth Services Center (YSC). DYRS is the District of Columbia government agency responsible for the supervision, custody, and care of young people detained while pending charges for a delinquent act. As a YDR, Powell was responsible for the care, custody, and control of the juvenile residents being detained at YSC.
Between December 2021 through February 2022, Powell used his position and his authority to repeatedly sexually abuse a then-seventeen-year-old minor ward residing at YSC. During that time, Powell repeatedly isolated the minor in areas of YSC that were not covered by video surveillance cameras. In those areas, Powell repeatedly sexually abused the minor by committing sexual acts and sexual contacts to her. In an incident captured by surveillance cameras, Powell sexually abused the minor by groping her clothed buttocks in a hallway at YSC.
Joining in the announcement was FBI Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Special Agent in Charge Davis commended those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also commended the valuable assistance provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. In addition, they acknowledged the efforts of former Assistant United States Attorneys Risa Berkower and Cara Gardner, who provided critical assistance, Paralegal Specialists Liliana Villamizar and ReShawn Johnson, supported by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Liz Aloi and Bryan Han, Victim Specialist Veronica Vaughan, Litigation Tech Specialists Leif Hickling, Will Henderson, and Charlie Bruce, who provided critical assistance. Finally, they thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Tim Visser, Jessica Wash, and Niki Holmes, who prosecuted the case.
Former Cruise Line Employee Sentenced for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on September 9, 2025, REZA HETA PRATAMA (“PRATAMA”), age 29, a foreign national of the Republic of Indonesia, was sentenced by United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion for Possession of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2).
According to court documents, PRATAMA was previously employed by a cruise line and was arrested in July 2024 after special agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, found PRATAMA in possession of child pornography at the Erato Street Cruise Terminal in New Orleans.
Judge Papillion sentenced PRATAMA to 48 months imprisonment, 10 years of supervised release, a payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, and a payment of $100 pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 2259A. The Court also ordered that restitution be paid to all victims. A restitution hearing is set for November 4, 2025.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany L. Reed of the Violent Crimes/Strike Force Unit.
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Florida Businessman Charged with Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Miami returned an indictment on Wednesday charging a Florida businessman with evading taxes on millions in income and filing false tax returns.
The following is according to the indictment: from 2013 to 2021, Joseph Stewart, of Miami, earned more than $6.8 million in dividends from his 50% ownership in a business that sold internet access to American servicemembers and contractors stationed abroad. Though he filed tax returns before the business became profitable, Stewart allegedly stopped filing timely tax returns once he began receiving significant dividends from his business.
The indictment further alleges that, after Stewart received letters from the IRS in 2019, he hired a tax attorney and return preparers and told them a false story: that over $3.8 million in dividends that he received between 2013 and 2018 were nontaxable loans. Stewart allegedly also falsely told these professionals that he did not know the other shareholders of the business. As a result of these falsehoods, the tax professionals allegedly drafted tax returns for Stewart for 2013 through 2020 that underreported his income and taxes due. Except for the 2013 return, all these false tax returns were allegedly filed with the IRS.
The indictment also alleges that in April 2016, Stewart filed a false affidavit with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service that affirmed that he had filed federal tax returns for the previous three years. Additionally, Stewart allegedly attached false unfiled copies of federal tax returns while falsely attesting that they were the true and correct copies of the returns that had been filed with the IRS.
If convicted, Stewart faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each tax evasion count and a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of subscribing to a false tax return. Stewart also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Ezra Spiro and Likhitha Butchireddygari of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Jury Convicts Texas Man of Traveling to North Carolina to Engage in Sexual Activity with A ChildRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury in Charlotte returned a guilty verdict late yesterday against a Texas man for traveling to North Carolina to engage in sexual activity with a child, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The jury also found Rusty Joseph Whittaker, 44, of Austin, guilty of enticing a minor and producing child pornography. U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr., presided over the four-day trial.
James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of our children,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson, “and we will do whatever it takes to protect them. Thanks to the exceptional work of the FBI, CMPD, and the federal prosecutors in this office, this predator was identified, found, and brought to justice, and we will continue that effort.”
“An adult who takes advantage of a child for sexual gratification is vile, loathsome, and abominable. We must protect our children and warn them of the dangers of communicating online and meeting someone in person. We hope the victim can receive the care needed to recover and highlight the importance of the FBI Victims Assistance Specialist who can help," said James C. Barnacle Jr., the FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge.
According to filed court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, Whittaker met the minor in an online platform called Antiland, which provides its users anonymity and automatically deletes messages and content shared by its users. Whittaker then moved the conversation to Snapchat, which also automatically deletes messages and content. Using these online messaging platforms, online payment platforms, and other means, Whittaker solicited and viewed sexually explicit images and videos of the victim while continuing to pressure the victim to meet him in person for illicit sexual activity. On May 20, 2023, Whittaker traveled from Nashville, where he was attending a conference, to Charlotte for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual activity with the minor. Trial evidence showed that Whittaker waited for the minor’s father to fall asleep, picked her up from her home, drove her to a hotel, and engaged in sexual activity with the minor. Whittaker provided the minor things of value before driving her back home and dropping her off a distance away from her home, leaving her to walk barefoot.
Whittaker remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Under federal statutes, Whittaker is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. Whittaker’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI for their investigation of the case and CMPD for its substantial assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
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 the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Grand Jury Charges Three Men with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A federal grand jury has returned indictments charging three individuals with allegedly residing in the United States without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security for readmission, in violation of Title 8 U.S. Code 1326, illegal reentry of a removed alien.
These individuals are charged in separate cases and not related:
- Gabriel Raymundo-Bernal, 28, a citizen of Guatemala, was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion, with the most recent being April 4, 2019. On Aug. 25, 2025, he was found in Wood County, Bowling Green, Ohio.
- Hitai Perez-Jeronimo, 27, a citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion, with the most recent being July 29, 2016. On Aug. 7, 2025, the defendant was found in Putnam County, Ottawa, Ohio.
- Rosendo Gomez-Santiz, 35, a citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion, with the most recent being July 16, 2017. On Aug. 24, 2025, he was found in Williams County, Stryker, Ohio.
The investigations leading to these indictments were conducted by U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Al-Sorghali and Frank H. Spryszak.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Former Louisiana Department of Education Employee Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis announced that Romney Manuel, age 51, of Prairieville, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Manuel’s conviction is punishable by a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, and a period of supervised release.
According to admissions made during his plea, beginning on or about April 2020 and continuing to at least March 29, 2021, Manuel conspired with another to devise a scheme to obtain federal funds in the form of LaCAP grant money from the Louisiana Department of Education. During the course of said conspiracy, Manuel and his co-conspirator made a non-existent childcare provider appear operational and manipulated spreadsheets and data systems utilized by the Louisiana Department of Education in order to steal $74,250 in federal funds.
LaCAP grant money is a benefit authorized, transmitted, disbursed, and paid in connection with a Presidentially Declared Major Disaster or Emergency (as those terms are defined in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122)).
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Louisiana State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson.
Anyone with information about allegations of pandemic fraud can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Former Leon County Sheriff’s Deputy Charged with Possessing Multiple Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Bill Culpepper, 57, of Havana, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for three counts of possession of a machine gun, three counts of possession of an unregistered firearm/short-barrel rifle, and one count of possession of an unmarked silencer. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Culpepper appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick for his arraignment in federal court on September 11, 2025, in Tallahassee, Florida. Trial is set for November 4, 2025 at 8:30 am, before United States Chief District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
If convicted, Culpepper faces up to ten years’ imprisonment for each count.
The case was investigated 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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.
Former Home Health Care Operator Settles Fraud Allegations of Billing Federal Health Care Programs for Services Performed by Unlicensed Foreign DoctorsRead the Press Release
DETROIT - United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced today that Irene Oluwatoyin Oshiyoye has agreed to pay $250,000 to resolve allegations that she violated the False Claims Act by defrauding the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
The United States contended that Irene Oshiyoye, together with her late husband, Dr. Adekunle Oshiyoye, formerly operated Advance Visiting Physicians, P.C. (“Advance Visiting Physicians”), which provided home health care services to patients in Southeast Michigan from its offices in Farmington Hills. The civil settlement resolves allegations that from January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2021, Irene Oshiyoye submitted, or caused the submission of, false claims by Advance Visiting Physicians to Medicare and Medicaid for home health visits performed by unlicensed and unsupervised foreign doctors, in violation of Medicare and Medicaid rules.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the settlement or judgment. The qui tam case is captioned United States and the State of Michigan ex rel. Telusnor v. Advance Visiting Physicians, P.C., et al., Case No. 2:20-cv-12602 (E.D. Mich.). The settlement amount and payment structure were based on Irene Oshiyoye’s ability to pay.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, and the Michigan Attorney General Health Care Fraud Division. Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Gentner from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan handled this matter for the United States.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
FCI Allenwood Inmate Sentenced to 21 Months' Imprisonment for Possessing WeaponRead the Press Release
Williamsport-The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eric Rodriguez, age 32, an inmate in FCI Allenwood, was sentenced yesterday to 21 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for possessing contraband in prison.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, Rodriguez was indicted by a federal grand jury after being found in possession of a razor blade with a handle made from electrical tape during a random pat search. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to possessing contraband in prison before being sentenced.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Zenzinger prosecuted the case.
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Everett Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Everett man pleaded guilty on Sept. 10, 2025 in federal court in Boston to possessing, distributing and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The defendant committed these offenses within months of being released from federal prison.
Robert Sokolowski, 52, pleaded guilty to one count each of possession of child pornography; distribution of child pornography; and receipt of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor scheduled sentencing for Dec. 17, 2025.
In September 2024, Sokolowski lost his cell phone on an MBTA Green Line trolley. After the phone was turned in, an employee attempting to identify the owner of the lost phone discovered images of CSAM on the phone. The phone was found to contain hundreds of images and videos depicting CSAM, depicting children as young as toddlers.
This case is Sokolowski’s third federal conviction for CSAM offenses. In 2005, Sokolowski was convicted in U.S. District Court for possession of CSAM and was sentenced to 46 months in prison. In 2015, Sokolowski was convicted a second time in U.S. District Court for possession of CSAM and sentenced to 150 months in prison. He committed the offenses in this case seven months after being released from prison for the 2015 offense.
Due to Sokolowski’s prior convictions, the charge of possession of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of receipt and distribution of child pornography provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the MBTA Transit Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Dominican National Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican man, unlawfully residing in Boston, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Danny Miguel Tejada Hernandez, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy to 37 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In June 2025, Tejada Hernandez pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Tejada Hernandez was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025.
On an unknown date, at an unknown place, Tejada Hernandez entered the United States unlawfully. On March 9, 2020, in Chelsea District Court, Tejada Hernandez was convicted of one count of possession to distribute a Class A controlled substance, two counts of possession to distribute a Class B controlled substance and one count of distributing/dispensing a Class B controlled substance. Tejada Hernandez was deported in August 2021.
Sometime after his August 2021 removal, Tejada Hernandez unlawfully reentered the United States. On Feb. 1, 2024, in Suffolk County Superior Court, Tejada Hernandez was convicted of possession to distribute Class A controlled substance and one count to distribute/dispense of a Class A controlled substance. He is currently serving a three-year state prison sentence on those charges.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Soto of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted case.
Dominican National Charged with Forcibly Resisting Federal Officers During Immigration ArrestRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for resisting multiple federal officers during an immigration arrest.
Cesar Pena Pimental, 29, was charged with one count of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal officers engaged in the performance of official duties.
According to the indictment, on June 6, 2025, Pena Pimental forcibly assaulted, resisted, opposed, impeded, intimidated, or interfered with federal officers while the agents were engaged the performance of their official duties.
The charge of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal officers engaged in the performance of official duties provides for a sentence of up to eight years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant will be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra W. Amrhein of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dominican National Charged with Forcibly Resisting ArrestRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for resisting federal officers during an immigration arrest.
Eddy Rafael Matos-Lara, 35, was charged with one count of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal officers engaged in the performance of official duties.
According to the indictment, on June 16, 2025, Matos-Lara forcibly assaulted, resisted, opposed, impeded, intimidated, or interfered with federal officers while the agents were engaged the performance of their official duties.
The charge of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal officers engaged in the performance of official duties provides for a sentence of up to eight years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District of Arizona Charges 215 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from September 6, 2025, through September 12, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 215 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 99 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 99 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 14 cases against 16 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement is a key part of border vigilance, and prosecutors also charged 1 individual for assaulting a federal officer.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), 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).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Isaia David Ralph Gutierrez, et al.: On September 10, 2025, Isaia David Ralph Gutierrez and Shay Nicole Fernandez were charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. Gutierrez, the driver, and Fernandez, the front seat passenger, were pulled over by a Pinal County Sheriff’s Office deputy for state traffic violations. Upon approaching the vehicle, the deputy observed an individual wearing camouflage clothing and lying down on the rear passenger seat floorboard. The deputy suspected that Gutierrez was engaged in human smuggling and contacted U.S. Border Patrol for assistance. Border Patrol Agents responded to the scene to conduct an immigration inspection and learned that the rear seat passenger was a citizen of Mexico, illegal present in the United States. [Case Number: 25-MJ-05415]
United States v. Robin Estuardo Perez Ramos: On September 11, 2025, Robin Estuardo Perez Ramos, an illegal alien and citizen of Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint with Assault on a Federal Officer. While conducting surveillance, agents from ICE and ERO saw Perez Ramos, who had been ordered removed from the United States by an Immigration Judge in 2020, get into a vehicle and leave the area. ICE/ERO officers activated their emergency lights and attempted to stop Perez Ramos, but he fled, alternating between speeding up and hitting his brakes. Perez Ramos then put his vehicle in reverse and rapidly accelerated backwards towards the vehicle of one of the ICE officers. Perez Ramos hit the front bumper of officer's vehicle, causing damage, and then fled away at a high rate of speed. While fleeing, Perez Ramos appeared to initially lose control of his vehicle, causing him to accelerate across the median into oncoming traffic. The vehicle then spun around. For safety reasons, ICE/ERO deactivated their emergency equipment and tried to follow Perez Ramos covertly. ICE/ERO temporarily lost sight of the vehicle but located it soon after in a Walmart parking lot. A second ICE officer then attempted to stop Perez Ramos, but he again rapidly reversed and swerved into the officer's emergency vehicle, causing significant damage to the front passenger side. Perez Ramos then drove to an apartment complex, abandoned the vehicle, and ran into the apartment complex. Ramos Perez entered the apartment of a female occupant, who did not know Perez Ramos and was afraid for her and her children’s safety. Perez Ramos was ultimately taken into custody. [Case Number: 25-MJ-05425]
United States v. Jose Eulice Arrendondo-Duran: On September 8, 2025, Jose Eulice Arredondo-Duran was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Jose Eulice Arredondo-Duran was previously removed from the United States in 2014 after being convicted of Conspiracy to Violate Uniform Control Substance Act and Trafficking in Methamphetamine, both felony offenses, in the Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County, State of Nevada. In that case, Arredondo-Duran was sentenced to 12-48 months on the Conspiracy, and to 36-120 months on the Trafficking, with both counts to be served concurrently with one another. [Case Number: 25-MJ-05395]
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).
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.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-147_September 12 Immigration Enforcement
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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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Defendant who directed mail check theft scheme sentenced to 6 years in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Treyvon Alexander, 21, of Georgetown, Kentucky, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 72 months in prison for orchestrating the largest known theft of checks from the mail in Cincinnati.
As part of his sentence, Alexander is ordered to pay more than half a million dollars in restitution.
According to court documents, Alexander conspired with others, including a postal employee, to commit bank fraud relating to checks stolen from the mail.
In total, law enforcement agents identified 1,480 stolen checks with a face value of approximately $7.4 million. Many of the checks were recovered during the execution of search warrants and delivered by the United States Postal Service to the intended recipient without any actual loss.
Court documents detail that former postal employee Destiny Neblett, 23, of Cincinnati, was stealing from a mail processing facility during her work hours and turning the checks over to her boyfriend, Lonnel Lucas, 23, of Cincinnati. Lucas then sold the stolen checks to Alexander, who processed them and converted the stolen funds. The stolen mail often included checks to various local companies.
Alexander pleaded guilty in February 2025 to conspiring to commit bank fraud. Neblett pleaded guilty in August 2025 and Lucas is scheduled to appear in federal court for a plea hearing on Sept. 30.
Dominick S. Gerace, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case.
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Defendant Indicted for Threatening to Murder a Federal Judge, a Supreme Court Justice, and a Defense AttorneyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Robert Phillip Ivers, age 72, was indicted yesterday in a three-count indictment with threatening to assault and murder a federal judge and a Supreme Court Justice, as well as interstate transmission of threats to injure others, including a defense attorney, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. Ivers was previously convicted federally of threatening to kill a federal judge. Ivers was charged by complaint earlier this week and was ordered detained pending further proceedings.
“Threats to murder a federal judge, a Supreme Court Justice, and a defense attorney are not just words on a page. They are direct attacks on the rule of law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “We will not allow violent rhetoric to become routine. When someone threatens our judges, we will answer with swift federal prosecution.”
According to the complaint, on September 3, 2025, law enforcement responded to the Wayzata Library in Wayzata, Minnesota, based on a report of a man printing off copies of a manifesto entitled, “How to Kill a Federal Judge.” This man was Robert Ivers. Law enforcement learned that Ivers showed the manifesto to library staff including a page of the manifesto that talked about killing children and had a picture of a gun on it. Ivers also gave library staff a three-page “flyer” advertising his manifesto before he left the library. The flyer stated that the manifesto “is designed to teach extremists on how to plan, train, hunt, stalk and kill anyone including judges, their family members, politicians and more!” It also advertised that the “harsh reality is that judges are going to die.”
In investigating the case, law enforcement learned that, on August 28, 2025, Ivers had been reported for concerning behavior at an Episcopal church in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Ivers attended multiple services and told church members that he planned to attend upcoming church events on September 7 (a family picnic and potluck), September 11 (a blessing of children going back to school, with state legislators in attendance), and September 14 (an annual baptism service). Church staff searched Ivers online and discovered his history included past threats of violence, a felony conviction, and racist commentary. Church staff then contacted law enforcement.
On the evening of September 3, 2025, the Wayzata Police Department located Ivers and arrested him. During his transport, Ivers claimed that he was having a heart attack. Law enforcement transferred Ivers to the hospital from the jail. Ivers was subsequently released from the hospital later that night.
Law enforcement searched Ivers’s vehicle and found, among other things: (1) a photo of the former Pope with crosshairs centered on his head; (2) twenty copies of a spiral bound printed book titled, “How to Kill a Federal Judge” by Robert Ivers; (3) multiple copies of flyers advertising the contents of the book; (4) lists of federal judges; (5) a copy of the Anarchist Cookbook; (6) a white foam box containing a toy replica firearm, a box of Co2 cartridges, and a container of pellets; and (7) a box of fireworks.
On September 5, 2025, Wayzata Police Department re-arrested Ivers. Following his arrest, Ivers was interviewed. Ivers admitted to showing a copy of his manifesto to library staff. Law enforcement asked Ivers if he thought his book would have scared anybody. In response, Ivers shouted: “It was supposed to!”
Ivers’s manifesto is 236 pages long. The cover page is entitled, “How to Kill a Federal Judge” and features a photo of a man holding a rifle. In his manifesto, Ivers focused on the perceived wrongs done to him by the judicial system. He discussed these wrongs—and his anticipated revenge—at length. The manifesto contains various types of writings and many disturbing sketches, apparently drawn by Ivers. The manifesto also contains handwritten threats to kill, including threats to kill judges, as well as their children and pets. Ivers made clear his purpose was to instill fear. He wrote, “If this book doesn’t instill fear in you then your already dead.”
Many names appear in the manifesto, including the names of federal judges. Ivers fixated on Federal Judge A, who presided over his federal trial, and Federal Judge B, who Ivers was previously convicted of threatening to kill. In the manifesto, Ivers threatens to kill Federal Judge A. Ivers has a long history of threatening judges and others. In 2019, Ivers was convicted at trial of threatening to kill Federal Judge B, a federal judge in Minnesota, in United States v. Robert Ivers, 18 CR 90.
Ivers made his initial appearance in federal court on Tuesday afternoon. He is held in custody pending a detention hearing, which will likely occur next week.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Wayzata Police Department, and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota thanks both the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for their assistance and important partnership in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melinda A. Williams is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Defendant Convicted at Trial for Participating in Transnational Telemarketing Scheme that Defrauded Dozens of Victims of More than $12 MillionRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Yveler Marcellus was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in connection with a fraudulent scheme that targeted dozens of vulnerable victims in the United States. The verdict followed a five-day trial before United States District Judge Carol Bagley Amon. When sentenced, Marcellus faces up to 40 years in prison.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Daniel Brubaker, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS), announced the verdict.
“The evidence showed that Yveler Marcellus worked closely with a crew based in New York, along with co-conspirators abroad, to perpetrate a sprawling, transnational money laundering and fraud scheme that cruelly preyed on vulnerable victims’ fears that their money was compromised and that they were running afoul of the law,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s verdict underscores our Office’s commitment to vigorously prosecute criminals who conspire with foreign actors for their own monetary gain and to the financial detriment of elderly and other vulnerable victims.”
Mr. Nocella thanked Homeland Security Investigations, New York, and the Nassau County Police Department for their assistance on the case.
“Postal Inspectors have long investigated telemarketing scams and mail fraud, and unfortunately the elderly are often victims of these schemes by greedy and callous individuals. This verdict is another victory for consumers, and sends a strong message to those who use the U.S. Mail to prey on our seniors, you will be brought to justice and pay for your crimes.” said USPIS Inspector In Charge Brubaker. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to combating elder fraud designed to defraud innocent victims primarily by illegal use of the U.S. Mail, and we continue taking steps to educate Americans about the dangers of various types of frauds.”
As proven at trial, between January 2022 and December 2023, Marcellus and his co-conspirators participated in a “tech” scheme, through which co-conspirators based in India contacted victims by phone and convinced them to send money instruments, including checks and money orders, to the defendant and other U.S-based co-conspirators at various addresses in the Eastern District of New York. After receiving the victims’ checks, Marcellus and his U.S.-based co-conspirators laundered the check proceeds through their own bank accounts and other bank accounts that they controlled, shared the proceeds amongst themselves, and sent the remainder of the laundered proceeds to the co-conspirators in India. The scheme is estimated to have netted over $12 million from victims across the United States.
Seven of Marcellus’s co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme and are awaiting sentencing.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Molly Delaney and David Berman are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists John Schneider and Erin Payne.
The Defendant:
YVELER MARCELLUS
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-9 (S-1) (CBA)
Defendants Who Have Previously Pleaded Guilty:
DANIEL VERNON
Age: 29
Queens, New YorkFELIX MARCIAL
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkTATIANA WILLIAMS
Age: 28
Miramar, FloridaASHEEM HENRY
Age: 34
New York, New YorkRAHMEL THOMPSON
Age: 26
Queens, New YorkGEORGE MIMS
Age: 38
New York, New YorkDAQUAN MITCHELL
Age: 34
New York, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-9 (CBA)
Defendant Charged with Second Instance of Assaulting a Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Defendant Julie Winters, 46, of Portland, made a first appearance in federal court yesterday after being charged by criminal complaint with assaulting a federal officer and resisting arrest.
According to court documents, on August 20, 2025, Winters became hostile when deputies from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) attempted to place Winters under arrest for violating the conditions of her pretrial release for an earlier charge of assaulting a federal law enforcement officer. Winters began to fight and resisted arrest. After several minutes, the deputies were able to handcuff and escort Winters to a holding cell. A short time later in the holding cell, Winters had a medical incident, and the Deputy U.S. Marshals provided immediate care. The Deputy U.S. Marshals removed the restraints as they waited for additional medical personnel to respond. As soon as the restraints were removed, Winters began fighting with the Deputy U.S. Marshals. Winters grabbed a Deputy U.S. Marshal by the hair at the base of the scalp and began to whip the Deputy U.S. Marshal around by the hair.
Winters was on pretrial release for a separate incident on June 24, 2025, for which she was indicted on two counts of attempted assault on an officer and intimidation of a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.
According to court documents, on June 24, 2025, officers observed Winters attempting to light an incendiary device next to the guard shack of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office. As Federal Protective Service officers engaged with Winters, she pulled a large knife from her backpack and began waiving the blade toward the officers. Winters threw the knife at an officer, but it did not strike the officer. Winters began to flee but an officer deployed a taser, bringing Winters to the ground. As officers attempted to secure Winters, she pulled a second large knife from her waistband. Officers finally disarmed Winters and arrested her.
The case is being investigated by the United States Marshal Service and the FBI and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.Corpus Christi resident sentenced to 10 years for methamphetamine traffickingRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 62-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Robert Hall pleaded guilty March 3, 2022.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Hall to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court emphasized that Hall had no arguments that could alter the statutorily required sentence.
On March 16, 2019, law enforcement pulled Hall over for a traffic violation in Corpus Christi. A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered a black backpack containing approximately 54 grams of methamphetamine, a scale and unused plastic baggies.
Hall admitted he knew the methamphetamine was in the backpack and that he was on his way to drop it off to someone else in Corpus Christi.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley A. Pruitt prosecuted the case.
Convicted murderer among 306 people charged in border security-related cases during second week of SeptemberRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 303 cases have been filed in relation to immigration and border security matters from Sept. 5-11, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Among those charged are 126 individuals who allegedly reentered the country illegally after removal. Most have felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses and prior immigration crimes. Another 162 people face charges of illegally entering the country, while 14 others are allegedly involved in human smuggling. The remaining four individuals face charges that include firearms offenses and other immigration-related crimes.
Some charged with felony reentry after removal are five illegal aliens who had just been removed this summer. One is Mexican national Luis Pablo Estolano-Velasquez. The charges allege he has a prior conviction for capital murder of multiple persons, for which he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and removed in June. However, authorities allegedly found him near Pharr, illegally in the country this week.
Other criminal complaints allege Mexican nationals Adan Jaimes-Gomez and Jose Alvarado-Aguirre were removed June 23 and Aug. 21, respectively, while Honduran nationals Franklin Geovanny Escobar-Matias and Jose Mauricio Garcia-Martinez were removed July 27 and Aug. 1. Each allegedly has prior convictions, including illegal reentry, robbery or manufacturing and delivering a controlled substance.
Authorities also found in the Rio Grande Valley Mexican nationals Juan Gerardo Garcia-Torres and Juan Manuel Zamudio-Villasenor as well as Honduran national Cesar Ernesto Amendola-Hernandez with no legal permission to be in the United States, according to the complaints against them. The charges allege all have prior convictions for illegal reentry.
All face up to 20 years in prison, if convicted.
The Southern District of Texas also indicted a 33-year-old Mexican national for illegal reentry following his second alleged DWI and a fatal crash. Law enforcement allegedly arrested Eduardo Balderas-Zuniga May 11 for a DWI in Harris County. Authorities removed him from the country, but the charges allege he illegally returned and was again arrested after allegedly driving drunk and causing the death of an innocent civilian.
In addition to the new cases, eight violent MS-13 gang members, all El Salvadorian citizens who illegally resided in Houston, pleaded guilty and face decades in prison for racketeering charges involving multiple murders and witness tampering. The men used machetes, a baseball bat and strangulation to expand the gang’s power. They also then sent photos of the victims’ bodies to MS-13 leaders in El Salvador, sometimes after mutilating or dismembering them. Under their plea agreements, three will each serve 50 years in federal prison, while the others face sentences ranging from 35-50 years.
“This case demonstrates the tremendous public safety threat that MS-13 and other criminal terrorist organizations pose to American communities,” said Ganjei. “Here, defendants carried out a series of murders - bludgeoning, butchering, and strangling their victims with sadistic glee. These are people without remorse or pity. When it comes to eradicating these gangs, the United States cannot afford to either relent or fail. As the facts of this case show, the stakes are too high.”
In Brownsville, a Mexican citizen illegally residing in the Weslaco area was sentenced to 204 months following his conviction for illegal reentry after removal, conspiracy to possess with the intent to deliver over five kilograms of cocaine and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Jorge Huerta-Garcia was indicted in March 2024 for illegal reentry after removal. During this time, law enforcement was also investigating him as part of a drug trafficking organization and linked him to an incident involving nearly 40 kilograms of cocaine. Huerta-Garcia, previously convicted in 2017 of being a felon in possession of a firearm and removed from the United States in 2022, was again arrested in March 2024 with a loaded AR-10 rifle, ammunition and firearm magazines.
Mexican national and gang member Raul Angel Serna Buentello was sentenced in Houston to 100 months for illegally reentering the country. The sentence included 24 months for violating the terms of his supervised release following a previous conviction for the same offense. At the hearing, the court heard confirmation of his status as a member of the Tango Blast gang and about other troubling behavior which contradicted defense claims about him allegedly being a loving, family man. He was removed on two occasions and has a conviction for illegal reentry but was found in the United States in 2022 after an arrest and conviction for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and evading arrest. He has a criminal history dating back to the age of 14 including multiple burglaries/thefts of vehicles, evading arrest and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Also announced this week was a 62-year-old Alamo resident who pleaded guilty to transporting two Mexican citizens hidden under blankets on the top bunk of a tractor-trailer’s sleeper cab. Authorities said Lazaro Rosendo Vega appeared abnormally loud and excited at the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint. He faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Another case out of Corpus Christi federal court was a La Villa resident and repeat human smuggler who received 46 months in federal prison for conspiring to transport 27 illegal aliens, two of whom were minors. The court noted his prior convictions for bulk cash smuggling and the transportation of illegal aliens. He was also on supervised release when he committed the crime. Authorities found the illegal aliens lying on produce pallets in a refrigerated trailer set at approximately 50 degrees.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and 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.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Contra Costa County Man Charged with Attempted Enticement and Coercion of A MinorRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Joel Lawrence Benitzhar with the federal crime of attempted enticement and coercion of a minor victim to engage in illegal sexual conduct. Benitzhar was arrested yesterday and made his initial appearance in federal district court in Oakland this morning.
According to the criminal complaint and court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip from a popular social media platform that an account, later determined to be associated with Benitzhar, 18, of Martinez, California, contained possible enticement and coercion of at least nine potential minor victims.
The complaint alleges that in chat messages with Minor Victim 1, Benitzhar claimed to have “traded CP” (i.e., child pornography), had sexual intercourse with the minor victim, and arranged to meet up with the minor victim in January 2025. Benitzhar is also alleged to have messaged another social media user that he met with a 14-year-old girl in real life.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Brannigan made the announcement.
Benitzhar is currently in federal custody. Benitzhar is next scheduled to appear in district court on Sept. 16, 2025, for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Kang.
A criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the charge of attempted enticement and coercion of a minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b). Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly I. Volkar is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James and Yenni Weinberg. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the FBI, HSI, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, and the Walnut Creek Police Department, with assistance from the Martinez Police Department.
Anyone who has information relevant to this case can report it by contacting the FBI at (415) 553-7400 or tips.fbi.gov.