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Tuesday 9 September 2025
Pakistan native pleads guilty, sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Saima Qamar, 55, a citizen of Canada and native of Pakistan, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to re-entry of a removed alien. She was then sentenced to serve three months in prison and will then be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who handled the case, stated that in April 2019, Qamar was physically removed from the United States. On June 9, 2025, she was found in Niagara County, NY, by Border Patrol Agents and did not have any documents allowing her to be legally present in the United States.
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol Niagara Falls Station, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Brady Waikal.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Distributing Child Pornography on Social Media PlatformRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Summit County man has been sentenced to prison for receiving and distributing sexually explicit photos of children through a social media platform.
Adam Kline, 23, of Mogadore, Ohio, has been sentenced to 144 months (12 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Bridget Meehan Brennan after pleading guilty in May to receipt and distribution of visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and to possession of child pornography, also known as child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). Kline was also ordered to serve 15 years of supervised release after imprisonment, pay $23,000 in special assessments, and pay $3,000 in restitution to one identified victim.
According to court documents, from on or about Jan. 9-May 21, 2024, Kline, knowingly distributed computer files that contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. At least one image involved a prepubescent minor who had not yet attained 12 years of age.
Federal agents discovered several accounts on a popular social media platform that were associated with Kline, where he was distributing child pornography. Investigators determined that approximately 675 sadistic and masochistic CSAM images were in Kline’s possession.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the FBI Akron Field Office.
The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph P. Dangelo.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ocoee Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Operating Fraudulent Tax Preparation BusinessRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced James Fednor Meristin to three years in federal prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States. The Court also ordered Meristin to pay $2,338,675 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. Meristin pled guilty on May 6, 2025.
According to court documents, Meristin and other co-conspirators operated a tax preparation business, Kings and Queens Multi Services, between 2019 and 2023, which prepared and filed false and fraudulent tax returns for its clients. These fraudulent returns were designed to maximize client refunds by, among other things, claiming COVID-related sick and family leave credits for which the taxpayer was not entitled. Because of the excessive returns generated for their clients, Meristin and his co-conspirators were able to charge and receive exorbitant fees for their tax preparation services, including as high as $20,000 per return. Meristin also admitted to deficiencies and fraudulent items in his own tax returns.
“Filing false tax returns is stealing from the U.S. government,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker, IRS Criminal Investigation Tampa Field Office. “Whether it is the taxpayer or tax preparer defrauding the government, IRS Criminal Investigation special agents will continue pursing and holding accountable individuals who violate our tax system.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert D. Sowell.
Norfolk Southern Agrees to Give Amtrak Trains Highest Priority over Freight Trains and Make its Delay Records for Amtrak Trains Available to the Department of JusticeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced a settlement with Norfolk Southern Corporation and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (together, Norfolk Southern) to resolve allegations that Norfolk Southern delayed Amtrak passenger trains on Amtrak’s Crescent Route in violation of federal law by failing to give Amtrak trains preference over freight trains. As a result of the settlement, the Justice Department has moved to dismiss its lawsuit against Norfolk Southern.
As part of the settlement, Norfolk Southern agreed to provide all Amtrak trains the highest priority; train its employees to give priority to Amtrak trains; require supervisor approval for any dispatching decision that does not give priority to Amtrak trains in non-emergency situations; and provide records regarding delays suffered by Amtrak trains traveling on the Crescent Route controlled by Norfolk Southern. Norfolk Southern has also pledged to assist the Justice Department in determining the root cause of any delays to Amtrak Crescent Route trains. Norfolk Southern’s Vice President of Compliance will annually certify that Norfolk Southern is in compliance with the agreement and its obligations under the law to provide Amtrak trains preference.
“Americans traveling by train are entitled to trips free from delays caused by railroads failing to give Amtrak preference over freight trains,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The settlement reached today, as well as Norfolk Southern’s improved performance on Amtrak’s Crescent Route, demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to protecting everyday American train passengers.”
The Crescent Route, operated by Amtrak (also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corporation), is a 1,377-mile passenger line that stops at 33 cities and towns connecting rural areas in Virgina, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana to each other and larger cities. Norfolk Southern controls 1,140 miles of rail line on the Crescent Route and handles dispatching for all trains along that segment. Approximately 304,000 passengers traveled on the Crescent Route during 2024 and year-over-year ridership has increased so far in 2025.
According to the complaint filed on July 30, 2024, federal law requires all rail carriers that contract with Amtrak to provide Amtrak passenger trains preference over freight trains. The complaint alleges that Norfolk Southern regularly failed to do so, leading to widespread delays to train passengers.
Since the Justice Department filed its complaint, passengers traveling on the Crescent Route have experienced widespread improvements. From 2024 to 2025, the number of delay minutes incurred by Amtrak’s Crescent trains has declined by 53%.
Trial Attorneys Max Goldman, Paulina Stamatelos and Oliver McDonald of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are handling the case.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Mexican man sentenced to prison for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Mexican man who was in the United States illegally was sentenced yesterday to 15 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Rigonaldo Diaz-Chixna, 30, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to illegal reentry.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on December 10, 2024, Diaz-Chixna, a Mexican citizen was arrested in Bozeman for obstructing a peace officer and for two outstanding warrants. Law enforcement officers conducted fingerprint analysis which confirmed Diaz-Chixna’s most recent removal from the United States was on or about July 19, 2022. This removal occurred after his felony conviction for illegal reentry on June 3, 2022, in the District of Montana. There is no indication in Department of Homeland Security files that Diaz-Chixna ever applied for or obtained the permission of the United States Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Clarke prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security and Bozeman Police Department.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Mexican man pleads guilty, sentenced for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jorge Alfredo Martinez Sanchez, 50, a citizen and national of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to illegal re-entry of a removed alien. He was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who handled the case, stated that in October 2017, Martinez Sanchez was physically removed from the United States. On July 27, 2025, he was found in Erie County, NY. Martinez Sanchez was encountered by United States Border Patrol and did not have with him any documents allowing him to be legally present in the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks.
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Mexican man pleads guilty to illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Oscar Leo Hernandez Sanchez, 38, a citizen and national of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to illegal re-entry of a removed alien. He was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who handled the case, stated that Hernandez Sanchez is an alien without any legal status in the United States. He was physically removed from the United States in December 2011. On June 26, 2025, Hernandez Sanchez was found Erie County, NY, by United States Customs and Border Protection and did not have any documents allowing him to be legally present in the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
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Mexican National with Felony Conviction Charged for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national made his initial court appearance on Monday to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country.
Felipe De Jesus Jauregui-Acosta, 43, is charged with one-count of deported alien found in the United States. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 22, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Brenda N. Weksler.
According to allegations contained in the criminal indictment and statements made during court proceedings, Jauregui-Acosta is a citizen and national of Mexico who was previously deported and removed from the United States on October 5, 2008, and reentered the United States illegally. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently identified Jauregui-Acosta after he was arrested by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police on May 4, 2025, for Resist Public Officer with Deadly Weapon not Firearm, Assault Deadly Weapon on First Responder, Battery Deadly Weapon on First Responder, and Use Posses Drug Paraphernalia.
On July 3, 2025, Jauregui-Acosta was convicted of Resisting Public Officer with Use of a Dangerous Weapon.
If convicted, Jauregui-Acosta faces the maximum statutory penalty of two years in prison, a one-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Acting Field Office 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 is prosecuting 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.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Heroin Trafficking Conspiracy in StocktonRead the Press Release
Alberto Ojeda Lopez, 69, of Mexico, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Ojeda Lopez conspired with his wife and daughter, co‑defendants Maria Medina Silvas, 66, of Mexico, and Alecsa Ojeda de Oregel, 44, of Stockton, to distribute heroin in and around Stockton. In September 2022, Ojeda Lopez and Medina Silvas sold an ounce of heroin to an undercover officer. In August 2023, they sold a kilogram of heroin to the undercover officer. The next day, law enforcement seized 2 kilograms of heroin from Ojeda Lopez’s and Medina Silvas’s vehicle. Law enforcement then searched the Stockton residence of Ojeda de Oregel, which was used as a drug and money stash house for the conspiracy, and seized 2.8 kilograms of fentanyl, 2 kilograms of heroin, almost a half of a kilogram of methamphetamine, and $83,119 in cash drug proceeds.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case.
Medina Silvas and Ojeda de Oregel are scheduled for jury trial on Feb. 17, 2026. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Ojeda Lopez is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Jan. 27, 2026. Ojeda Lopez faces a maximum statutory penalty of life 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.
Metairie Man Guilty of Possessing Materials Involving Sexual Exploitation of Minors and Violating Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ROBERT ANTHONY MARSH, JR.(“MARSH”), age 60, of Metairie, pled guilty on August 26, 2025, to Possession of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4)(B) and (a)(2), and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). As to the possession of sexual exploitation materials, MARSH faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten (10) years and a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. As to the firearm possession by a convicted felon, MARSH faces a maximum sentence of fifteen (15) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on December 19, 2024, MARSH’s home was searched by state law enforcement officials and agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. At the time of this search, MARSH was on supervised release for a 2014 state conviction for Pornography Involving Juveniles. On December 19, 2024, following the search of his home, MARSH was arrested by Louisiana State Probation and Parole for possession of a Model 922 H&R Arms Co. firearm by a prohibited person and possession of child pornography. Thereafter, MARSH was transferred from state to federal custody in connection with this federal investigation.
On August 26, 2025, MARSH pled guilty in federal court to knowingly possessing over 21 videos depicting the sexual victimization of minors and to knowingly possessing the firearm as a prohibited person.
Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for November 18, 2025, before United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s 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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Jefferson Parish Police Department; and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections, Probation and Parole. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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Member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club Pleads Guilty for Assault Against a Rival Motorcycle Club MemberRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays for his involvement in an assault against a member of a rival motorcycle club.
Mark A. Crump, also known as “Navajo,” 55, of Lee’s Summit, Mo., pleaded guilty today to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering.
On July 20, 2023, Crump, Jarrid A. Hammer, and another member of the Pagan’s assaulted a lone rival motorcycle gang member at a bar & grill in North Kansas City, Mo. Hammer told the victim that they were there to shut the victim’s club down, then flipped a table over knocking the victim to the ground. Once on the ground, Hammer, Crump and the other Pagan’s member began stomping, kicking and punching the victim. The victim later told law enforcement that those who assaulted him were wearing steel-toed boots. Crump, Hammer and the other Pagan’s member fled the bar & grill before any law enforcement arrived. The victim was later transported by ambulance to a local hospital, suffering from a head contusion (bruise on the brain), rib fracture, hemothorax (accumulation of blood in the area between the chest wall and lungs), a left pulmonary contusion (bruising of the lung), pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and a traumatic brain injury.
Hammer pleaded guilty to the assault on June 18, 2025, and is awaiting sentencing.
Under federal statutes, Crump is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant 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.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is 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.
McLaughlin Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a man from McLaughlin, South Dakota, convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on September 8, 2025.
Malachi Adam Marcus Howard, age 22, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Howard was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025.
The conviction stems from conduct that occurred between November 1, 2023, and March 19, 2024, when Howard caused a 10-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. The conduct occurred in Corson County, South Dakota, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, authorizes certain crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country to be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was also brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Valley City (ND) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Howard was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms Trafficking and Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in federal court for firearms trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Gicliff Rodriguez, age 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe to 63 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. In May 2025, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to firearms trafficking and possession of firearms by a prohibited person. On June 30, 2025, Rodriguez’ co-defendant, Rachael Cummings, was sentenced to 12 months of probation.
“Federal law is clear: if you are prohibited from possessing a firearm, you cannot try to get around that restriction by having someone else buy one for you,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan. “This defendant’s actions put the public in danger, and we will continue to prosecute those who attempt to sidestep the law at the expense of public safety.”
“The illegal trafficking firearms always poses a risk to the public. Rodriguez placed firearms in the hands of criminals who used them to commit acts of violence,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of that risk to the public and should serve as a warning to everyone that the unlawful trafficking of firearms will not be tolerated. ATF also commends the exemplary work of our partners at the Lowell Police Department for their assistance in this investigation.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, in February 2024, Rodriguez and Cummings drove from Massachusetts to a firearms and ammunition store in New Hampshire, where Rodriguez instructed Cummings to purchase three semiautomatic weapons for him. As a previously convicted felon, Rodriguez could not legally own or possess firearms. Investigators later recovered two of the three handguns purchased for Rodriguez, after they were used in violent crimes in Massachusetts.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S Attorney Matthew T. Hunter is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Manchester Woman Pleads Guilty to Offenses Related to 2 Embezzlement SchemesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that MARIA HIGGINS, 36, of Manchester, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to offenses related to two embezzlement schemes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from mid-2018 to April 2022, Higgins was employed as a bookkeeper for New England Kitchen & Bath LLC in Glastonbury. Higgins stole from the business by issuing company checks payable to herself, often including the words “commission” or “bonus” in the memo line of the check, and used a signature handstamp of the company’s owner to issue the checks; initiating wire transfers to bank accounts in her name; creating a fictitious supplier and billing the company for fictious expenses; using company debit cards to pay for personal expenses; and overseeing a construction proposal for a legitimate client project, expensing incurred costs of the project through the company, and having the client pay her directly. Higgins stole $504,807 through this scheme.
From February 2023 to April 2024, Higgins was employed as an accounting manager for PVC Solutions, Inc., in Danbury, a company that produces and distributes PVC products. Higgins stole from the company by issuing company checks payable to herself; creating duplicate vendor payment templates to initiate wire transfers to her personal bank account; creating fictitious suppliers to bill the company on her behalf; and paying personal expenses through the company’s bank account. Higgins manipulated the company’s accounting records to conceal her criminal activity. Higgins stole $356,181 through this scheme.
Higgins failed to report approximately $768,650 of her stolen income on her personal federal income tax returns for the 2018 through 2023 tax years, resulting in a loss of $167,831 to the IRS.
Higgins pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of stolen money, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and tax evasion, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for December 2.
Higgins has agreed to pay full restitution to New England Kitchen & Bath, PVC Solutions, Inc., and the IRS.
Higgins is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Use a Weapon of Mass Destruction and Attempting to Destroy an Energy Facility in NashvilleRead the Press Release
Skyler Philippi, 24, of Columbia, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to destroy an energy facility.
“For months, Philippi planned what he had hoped would be a devastating attack on Nashville’s energy infrastructure. He acquired what he believed to be explosives, surveilled his target, and equipped a drone to attack an electrical substation. Motivated by a violent ideology, Philippi wanted ‘to do something big.’ Instead, the FBI disrupted his plans, and Philippi now awaits sentencing,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division and the FBI will continue to protect our Nation’s critical infrastructure from would-be saboteurs.”
“Our office is fully committed to thwarting dangerous attacks motivated by hate,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. “I commend the agents who investigated this conduct and stopped this attack from victimizing our community. I commend the prosecutors who held the defendant accountable for his terrible actions.”
“Skyler Philippi planned to attack an energy facility with a drone containing explosives, which had the potential to knock out power to thousands of American homes and to critical facilities like hospitals,” said Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Through rigorous investigation, his plan was disrupted. Protecting our communities from threats to public safety is a priority for the FBI, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who attempt to damage critical infrastructure and threaten our national security.”
According to court documents, in June 2024, Philippi communicated to a confidential human source (CHS) that he wanted to commit a mass shooting at a YMCA facility located in or around Columbia, Tennessee. In July 2024, Philippi told another CHS about the impact of attacking large interstate substations and said that attacking several substations would “shock the system,” causing other substations to malfunction. Philippi researched previous attacks on electric substations and concluded that attacking with firearms would not be sufficient. Philippi, therefore, planned to use a drone with explosives attached to it and to fly the drone into the substation. Philippi said that his plan was to fly a drone with explosives attached to it into the electric substation, that he preferred to build a drone himself to avoid law enforcement detection, and that he wanted to attach TATP (Triacetone Triperoxide, a high-energy explosive material) or C-4 explosive material to the drone.
In August 2024, Philippi told an undercover employee (UCE) that he had written what he called a “manifesto” outlining his desire to attack “high tax cities or industrial areas to let the kikes lose money,” and about his previous affiliation with Atomwaffen Division and the National Alliance.
In September 2024, Philippi conducted reconnaissance of a specific electric substation. Philippi ordered a plastic explosive composition known as C-4 and other explosives from the UCEs. Philippi purchased black powder to be used in pipe bombs, which Philippi intended to use during the attack on the substation. Philippi texted: “if you want to do the most damage as an accelerationist, attack high economic, high tax, political zones in every major metropolis.” Referring to the substation, Philippi stated, “Holy sh**. This will go up like a fu**in fourth of July firework.”
On Nov. 2, 2024, Philippi met the undercover employees at a hotel and participated in a Nordic ritual, which included reciting a Nordic prayer and discussing the Norse god Odin. Philippi told the UCEs that “this is where the New Age begins” and that it was “time to do something big” that would be remembered “in the annals of history.” Philippi and the UCEs drove to the operation site. The UCEs moved to their assigned positions as lookouts for Philippi. Law-enforcement agents arrested Philippi. When he was taken into custody, Philippi was at the rear of the vehicle, with the drone powered up, and the explosive device was armed and located next to the drone. Philippi was prepared to attach the explosives to the drone when he was arrested.
Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026. Philippi faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Nashville Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Kurtzman for the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Machinegun Trafficker Sentenced to over 6 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Wolf Harper, 37, from Lansing, was sentenced to 83 months in prison for possession and transfer of machineguns and possession of a short-barreled rifle.
Harper sold a short-barreled rifle with a silencer (shown below) and 74 machinegun conversion devices, or auto sears, to an undercover agent. A conversion device enables semiautomatic firearms to fire as fully automatic weapons, shooting up to 1000 rounds of ammunition a minute and allowing a magazine to be emptied with a single pull of the trigger. A conversion device is a machinegun under federal law. When investigators arrested Harper, he had 30 more conversion devices in his possession and approximately 20 more at home.
Also in Harper’s home were nine silencers, numerous weapons, and tactical gear:
Law enforcement found a sophisticated firearms manufacturing workshop in one bedroom:
U.S. Attorney VerHey stated that he was pleased with the results of the case. “Street gangs and drug traffickers have recently escalated the danger they pose to our communities by choosing to carry machineguns rather than ordinary firearms when they can. This leads to tragic and predictable results: not only do the criminals harm and kill one another, innocent bystanders often get caught in the crossfire. Harper was willing to sell his deadly products to all buyers, no questions asked. My office will always put people like him at the top of the list of offenders we will investigate and bring to justice.”
“Wolf Harper was motivated by money and his actions demonstrated a complete disregard for the safety of others,” said James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Detroit Field Division. “Machinegun conversion devices are inherently dangerous and represent a clear danger to public safety. In the hands of prolific shooters who terrorize our neighborhoods with gun violence, these devices represent tools of urban warfare. In this case, Harper selfishly put profit ahead of logic. He will have plenty of time to reflect on that while he sits in federal prison. ATF will identify and prosecute anyone who traffics in these illegal devices and work with our partners to hold them accountable.”
This case was investigated by ATF. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Montgomery County Man Convicted of Robbery and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Mohammed Zeidan, a/k/a “Mo,” age 36, of East Greenville, Pennsylvania, was convicted on September 5, 2024, for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, and firearms conspiracy following a four-day trial before Senior United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Zeidan was friends with members of the Schuylkill County chapter of the Infamous Ryders Motorcycle Club, of which co-defendant Steven Wong was the president. Wong used his position to recruit members of the motorcycle club and other associates to participate in a series of brutal home-invasion armed robberies in Schuylkill and Berks County in the summer and fall of 2020. Zeidan agreed to participate in an August 29, 2020, home-invasion robbery with three other co-conspirators in which Zeidan and two others entered the home of a street-level drug dealer while wearing masks and armed with firearms and knives and rob the victims of drugs and drug proceeds. One of the firearms used was a fully automatic homemade AR-15 style assault rifle. Zeidan did not personally carry a firearm during the robbery but tried to break down the backdoor of the residence and impersonated a police officer in order to convince the potential victims to come downstairs. Instead, the victims jumped out of the second-floor window, injuring themselves. Zeidan and his fellow co-conspirators then ran from the home without stealing anything of value.
Zeidan was later blamed by the other conspirators for the failure of the August 29, 2020, attempted robbery. Members of the conspiracy later committed additional armed home-invasion robberies in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, and Shillington, Pennsylvania. Zeidan’s fellow co-conspirators, including Wong, have all been convicted and are currently awaiting sentencing.
The charges stem from an investigation involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Pennsylvania State Police, the Mahanoy City Police Department, the Schuylkill Haven Police Department, the Pottsville Police Department, the Shillington Police Department, the Reading Police Department, and the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James Buchanan and Sarah Lloyd.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
In this case, the maximum penalty is twenty years’ imprisonment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Local Gang Leaders Convicted for Facilitating Nationwide Prison Gang La Nuestra FamiliaRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian has handed down sentences to three local gang leaders for their roles in facilitating the criminal activities of a national prison gang called “La Nuestra Familia” (NF). Chief Judge Bastian sentenced Jacenir DaSilva of Moses Lake, Washington, to 120 months in federal prison on gun charges, Jesus Mirelez of Yakima, Washington, to 83 months in federal prison on gun charges, and Thomas Lee Weatherwax of Spokane, Washington, to 75 months in federal prison on money laundering and drug conspiracy charges, to be served after Weatherwax completes his current state prison sentence for Assault in the First Degree with a Deadly Weapon. Each defendant will also be on federal supervised release for several years after serving his custodial sentence.
Evidence showed that NF is attempting to make a targeted push to bring their “hardcore” principles and teachings to Washington State. NF doctrine dates back to the late 1960s and is encapsulated in multiple written documents, to include their own “constitution”. The rules of this criminal organization are mandatory and non-negotiable. NF leadership asserts they are engaged in this struggle for the betterment of Norteños – styled as “La Causa” or the “NF Movement”. Many individuals who have left the gang stated that La Causa is a ruse as its just about making money to perpetuate the criminal organization, which does not hesitate to use violence to achieve their objectives.
This persistent prison gang is purposely targeting minors to recruit into the gang and then indoctrinates them into their myopic way of life. These children are taught that if they are worthy Norteños, they will commit crimes and will end up in prison – so they need to follow the NF rules to be in “good standing” to comfortably serve their inevitable prison sentence. To advance further, these children will “owe a body” to advance their lifelong “careers”.
“These pervasive criminals intentionally seek out the next generation with the explicit goal of turning children into criminals (they call “soldiers”) with full knowledge that these children will be part of the gang for the rest of their lives, and commit crimes both inside and outside of prisons across the Nation to further a bill-of-goods they’ve been sold,” said Unit Chief Caitlin Baunsgard, the Assistant United States Attorney who handled this case. “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington will not stand idly by and watch this happen. We have and will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute these predators.”
The court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearings in the case showed the following.
Jacenir Amezcua DaSilva (gang name “Serio”)
DaSilva is the leader of the Moses Lake Norteño set Pancho Villa Loco (“PVL”). In this leadership role, he passed along the radical teachings of NF and the importance of Norteño adherence to NF’s “14 Bonds,” which is NF’s mandatory code of conduct for Norteños. He was also named the “channel” for Grant County by NF leadership, a highly prestigious position within NF’s hierarchy. As “the channel”, DaSilva oversaw Norteño and NF interests over all the Norteño sets in his geographic area. He also facilitated any activities necessary to ensure the success of the continuation of the NF criminal enterprise, including moving money, hosting gang meetings, discussing matters of common interest with other Norteño sets, passing along messages to the “street,” and participating in NF internal “investigations” into misconduct – that is, actions taken counter to the gang’s interests. Incarcerated Norteños would also reach out to DaSilva to pass along messages of Norteño import, which would include directing activities in “the streets.” In DaSilva’s case, this included assisting in the issuance of a “kill on sight” order for an individual some members of NF believed to be an informant.
DaSilva was deeply vested in the continuation of the Norteño way of life. He ran Norteño interests in Green Hill School, a juvenile detention facility that has become a “training ground” for the next generation of Norteño gang members whom the gang has indoctrinated into hardcore NF doctrines. Multiple witnesses identified the Green Hill School as “Gladiator School” because of its large population of Sureño gang members – the sworn enemies of Norteños. Norteño youth know that at Green Hill, they will have to fight every day – and if they survive, they will be considered worthy NF gladiators. Some young Norteños have gone as far as committing new serious crimes with the specific intent to be sent to this juvenile facility.
Jesus Antonio Mirelez (gang name “Dizzy”)
Mirelez was previously sentenced in federal court for his unlawful possession of two firearms and high-capacity magazines in 2022. Notably, one of the firearms Mirelez pled guilty to possessing in 2022 was linked by the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (“NIBIN”) — a national database that stores digital images of ballistic evidence, including fired bullets — to six separate shooting scenes in the Yakima Valley in 2022:
During the sentencing process in his 2022 case, he promised the Court he would not squander the opportunity to change his life. However, once he had served his 2022 sentence and was released on federal supervision, Mirelez continued his criminal conduct without pause. Only four months after being sentenced and promising change, he leaned into the radicalization of his Yakima-area Norteño gang set, La Raza (“LR”), and aligned them with the hard-core doctrine of NF. He was also appointed to a leadership position in LR – as the official “channel”. His penchant for victimizing the community also conducted. A few months later, he was drunk and mistook a random citizen as a Sureño and attempted to harm the citizen and follow the citizen into his residence. When he was rebuffed, he shot several rounds in the direction of the citizen’s residence. About a month later, Mirelez did the same thing again, resulting in a drive-by shooting that ended in him crashing his car. Both times, Mirelez ran from the police and threw away his firearms in locations where children could potentially find them, further endangering the community.
Mirelez also assisted NF members with paying their mandatory NF taxes on profits of their illicit ventures. He even enlisted his mother, Melissa Mirelez, to get word to the “streets” after his arrest about who he believed the informant in his case was – for the specific purpose of ensuring that the individual would be killed.
Thomas Lee Weatherwax (a/k/a “Wax”)
While serving a 57-year state sentence for Assault in the First Degree with a Deadly Weapon wherein he fired multiple rounds at multiple individuals he mistook for Surenos, Weatherwax continued to engage in criminal activity while inside the Washington State Penitentiary (“WSP”) in Walla Walla, Washington. Weatherwax, a member of the Spokane area Norteño gang set “Red Boyz,” chose to further his Norteño career by engaging in a scheme to smuggle drugs into the WSP to sell to other inmates and then to launder those drug proceeds. Weatherwax kept meticulous records of his inventory, his profits, and the “tax” payments that were made to NF. As a result of his conduct and being a good soldier for the NF cause, he was promoted by NF leadership to a position of authority in 2023 as a member of the NF Regimental Security Department Council at the WSP (the “RSD”). In that role, Weatherwax was one of three Norteño inmates in charge of overseeing NF interests and the success of the NF movement in all Washington Department of Corrections (“DOC”) facilities. Weatherwax was appointed as the head the “finance” department. As explained by NF leadership in a message sent and received via contraband cell phones:
In his leadership role, Weatherwax oversaw “day-to-day” tasks within WSP, as well as managing overall responsibilities over all Norteños inside Washington’s DOC programs. Like a first-line supervisor in a mainstream business, Weatherwax managed his team (Norteños in the Delta Wing at WSP), and reported the team’s work to his NF supervisor:
As a leader in WSP, Weatherwax was responsible for accounting for the controlled substances present in WSP to distribute to other inmates as well as for an accounting of the money owed to NF. In addition, Weatherwax and his RSD cohorts were also in charge of big picture operations of Norteños in all Washington DOC prisons, which included discipline decisions that had been blessed by NF leadership. For example, the RSD followed the directive to “remove” a Norteño named “Joker” from good standing in a Washington DOC facility based on his perceived rule transgressions. Weatherwax then reported the order being carried out by way of a “filter” (a small secretive writing) to NF management. Washington DOC confirmed that on March 19, 2024, “Joker” was beaten in prison by multiple Norteños until a non-lethal chemical irritant was deployed by guards. Overall, Weatherwax played a crucial role in the ongoing success of NF’s continuing criminal enterprise and ability to launder drug proceeds in furtherance of their criminal mission.
United States Attorney Pete Serrano commented on the extreme danger posed by these gang members, “even removing these predators from our communities and putting them behind bars has not been enough to stop them from engaging in ongoing violent crimes and victimizing our communities”. Serrano highlighted the collaborative efforts of law enforcement to investigate this new NF threat and hold those responsible accountable: “The conduct of NF members is unconscionable, but it will always be outmatched by the dedication and commitment of the US Attorney’s Office, ATF, BOP and our federal, state and tribal partnerships. The significant sentences imposed in these cases reflects the lengths to which federal law enforcement will go to protect our communities from being preyed upon by dangerous gang members.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais highlighted the danger presented by NF: “These defendants and their criminal enterprise brought the blight of illegal guns, violence, and fear into our communities. Dangerous gangs like La Nuestra Familia think they can take root in our cities and operate freely, threatening our citizens’ safety. I am here with a clear and unwavering message: ATF and our law enforcement partners will stop at nothing to bring them and every single one of their co-conspirators to justice.”
This case is being investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) Violent Crime Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), the United States Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”), Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (“BIA”), the Yakima Police Department (“YPD”), and the Washington State Department of Corrections (“DOC”). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Caitlin Baunsgard and Benjamin Seal.
1:24-CR-2027-SAB
Las Vegas Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Selling Fentanyl Pills Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas woman was sentenced today by United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware II to 10 years in prison followed by four years of supervised release for selling pills containing fentanyl, resulting in a victim’s death. The government recommended a prison sentence of 144 months.
From the fall of 2019 to January 2020, Danielle Partington was the victim’s pill supplier, and she supplied the victim with pills on multiple dates. On January 20, 2020, the victim called and texted Partington to purchase pills. Partington coordinated with a co-conspirator to deliver 80 pills containing fentanyl to the victim. On January 23, 2020, the victim overdosed on the fentanyl sold to him by Partington and her co-conspirator.
On March 7, 2025, Partington pleaded guilty to one-count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Illicit fentanyl is a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Just two milligrams, about the size of a few grains of salt, can be lethal. It is the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 45, and it kills at an unprecedented rate.
Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Deputy Special Agent in Charge Anthony Chrysanthis for DEA’s Los Angeles Division made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the DEA. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Brister and Edward Penetar prosecuted the case.
DEA has launched the public awareness campaign, One Pill Can Kill, to educate the public on dangers of counterfeit pills and how to keep Americans safe. For more information, visit DEA.gov/onepill.
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Kosovo National Pleads Guilty to Operating an Online Criminal MarketplaceRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Liridon Masurica (33, Gjilan, Kosovo), also known as “@blackdb,” has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud. Masurica faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Masurica was the lead administrator of BlackDB.cc—an online criminal marketplace in operation from 2018 until 2025. The marketplace illegally offered for sale compromised account and server credentials, credit card information, and other personally identifiable information of individuals primarily located in the United States, including those located within the Middle District of Florida. Once purchased, cybercriminals used the items purchased on BlackDB.cc to facilitate a wide range of illegal activity, including tax fraud, credit card fraud, and identity theft.
Masurica, a citizen and resident of Kosovo, was taken into custody by authorities in Kosovo on December 12, 2024, and later extradited to the United States pursuant to the extradition treaty between the United States and the Republic of Kosovo. His sentencing date has not yet been set.
This case was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in cooperation with Kosovo Police’s Cybercrime Investigation Directorate. The FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Sofia, Bulgaria and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Masurica. Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosova and Kosovo Police’s Cybercrime Investigation Directorate also provided substantial assistance in Masurica’s arrest. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
Justice Department Seeks Forfeiture of over $5 Million in Bitcoin Stolen in SIM Swapping ScamsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has filed a civil forfeiture complaint against over $5 million in bitcoin (BTC). The funds are alleged to be ill-gotten gains from multiple SIM swap attacks targeting victims across the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
As alleged in the complaint, these funds are traceable to the theft and unauthorized transfer of cryptocurrency from cryptocurrency wallets owned by five victims. The thefts took place between Oct. 29, 2022, and March 21, 2023.
Joining in the announcement were Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and FBI Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the Miami Field Office.
The perpetrators of these thefts utilized a SIM swapping technique that allowed the perpetrators to authenticate their unauthorized access to the victims’ cryptocurrency accounts and transfer the victim funds to perpetrator-controlled accounts.A SIM swap attack is a type of account takeover whereby a perpetrator generally targets weaknesses in multi-factor authentication in order to gain access to a victim’s phone number by swapping the victim’s phone number to a SIM card associated with a phone in the perpetrator’s control. With this access, the perpetrators intercept codes destined for the victim’s phone and utilize those codes to “authenticate” that they are the victim. This allows the perpetrators to masquerade as the victim and conduct unauthorized activity transfers from the victim accounts.
After each of the five thefts occurred, the perpetrators moved the stolen funds through multiple cryptocurrency wallets and ultimately consolidated them into one wallet that funded an account at Stake.com, an online casino. Many of these transactions were circular in that they eventually returned funds to their original source, and consistent with money laundering utilized to “clean” proceeds of criminal activity.
For example, from on or about March 20, 2023, to on or about March 22, 2023, shortly after a portion of victim funds were consolidated into a single wallet, that wallet and the Stake.com account engaged in at least 32 circular transactions, including repeated deposits and withdrawals of BTC. Circular transactions obfuscate the origin of funds by inflating the volume of inflows and outflows in an account, making the larger balance (or source of funds) appear to engage in legitimate business.
For more information regarding SIM swapping and how to prevent it, please visit www.ic3.gov/PSA/2024/PSA240411.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Jessica Peck and Gaelin Bernstein of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Columbia Kevin Rosenberg, Alexandra Hughes, and Asset Forfeiture Coordinator Rick Blaylock, Jr.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and obtained court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Justice Department Files Case Seeking to Revoke the Naturalization of Immigration FraudsterRead the Press Release
Today, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida filed a civil denaturalization complaint in the U.S. District Court in Orlando, Florida, against a native of Argentina who illegally procured his U.S. citizenship by gaining permanent resident status through the Cuban Refugee Adjustment Act based on a false claim that he was born in Cuba.
“The Justice Department is committed to preserving the integrity of United States citizenship and will aggressively pursue the denaturalization of fraudsters who lie to gain immigration benefits,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Civil denaturalization is an important tool in ensuring that only qualified individuals with good moral character earn U.S. citizenship. The civil complaint charges that Moio Bartolini exploited our immigration system and unlawfully secured the ultimate immigration benefit of naturalization. The filing of this case sends a clear message: if you do not tell the truth to immigration officials and break our immigration laws, we will prosecute you and denaturalize you.”
In 2013, Fernando Adrian Moio Bartolini, 50, a native of Argentina and resident of Windermere, Florida, was convicted in the Southern District of Florida of committing passport fraud. During criminal proceedings, he admitted that after he entered the United States on a visitor’s visa, purchased a fraudulent Cuban birth certificate, obtained a fraudulent Cuban passport, and applied for permanent resident status in the United States under the Cuban Adjustment Act, claiming that he was a native and citizen of Cuba.
After Bartolini illegally procured naturalization, he fraudulently obtained a U.S. passport, falsely stating on his passport application that he was born in Cuba. His fraud was uncovered when Moio Bartolini attempted to enter the United States at the Miami International Airport aboard a flight from Medellín, Colombia, and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer recognized his Argentinian accent. Moio Bartolini was arrested and charged with false statement in the application for and use of a passport. When he pleaded guilty, he admitted that he was born in Argentina and that he used the fraudulent Cuban documents to adjust status to permanent resident and, ultimately, to naturalize as a U.S. citizen.
The civil denaturalization complaint charges Moio Bartolini with illegal procurement of naturalization because he did not lawfully adjust to permanent resident status and because he provided false testimony in his naturalization interview. The complaint also charges that Moio Bartolini procured U.S. citizenship through concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation. The Immigration and Nationality Act requires the U.S. District Court to revoke Moio Bartolini’s naturalization if it finds him liable on any of the charges.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the Department of Homeland Security and will be litigated by the Affirmative Litigation Unit of the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation, General Litigation and Appeals Section.
The claims in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Justice Department Charges Light Rail Attacker with Federal CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal criminal complaint was filed in U.S. District Court in Charlotte today, charging Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., 34, with a federal crime in connection with the fatal attack of Iryna Zarutska on the city’s light rail system. Brown is charged with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.
“Iryna Zarutska was a young woman living the American dream — her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I have directed my attorneys to federally prosecute DeCarlos Brown Jr., a repeat violent offender with a history of violent crime, for murder. We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence — he will never again see the light of day as a free man.”
“The brutal attack on Iryna Zarutska on the Charlotte Light Rail was a disgraceful act that should never happen in America,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI jumped to assist in this investigation immediately to ensure justice is served and the perpetrator is never released from jail to kill again. I want to thank Attorney General Bondi for her pursuit of today’s federal charges, which are the first step toward delivering justice for Iryna and her family – as well as the millions of Americans who deserve to live in our great American cities free from being targeted by violent criminals."
According to allegations in the affidavit filed with the criminal complaint:
On August 22, 2025, at approximately 9:55 p.m., officers with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) responded to a call for service related to an assault that occurred on the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte. Callers indicated that a woman had been stabbed by a male. Responding officers located the victim inside the rail car. The victim, subsequently identified as Iryna Zarutska, had sustained fatal stab wounds. A pocketknife and other items were collected from the scene.
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage that showed the victim entering the light rail car and sitting down in the row in front of Brown. Approximately four minutes later, Brown pulled a knife from his pocket and unfolded it before striking the victim three times from behind. Following the attack, Brown walked away from the victim. Responding officers located Brown on the light rail platform and he was arrested.
“This brutal attack on an innocent woman simply trying to get to her destination is an attack on the American way of life,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Of course, crimes like this affect the victim the most—Iryna deserves justice, and we will bring justice to her and her family. But crimes like this also affect everyone who relies on mass transportation to get to and from work and go about their daily lives, and federal charges are necessary to protect the public and ensure confidence in our transportation systems.”
If convicted, Brown faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison or death. Ultimately, his sentence will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case with the assistance of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Odulio of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
The charges against Brown are allegations and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. v. Brown, September 9, 2025, Criminal Complaint
Jury Convicts Two Men Who Attacked a Man Outside of a Liquor StoreRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Phillip Bealle, 39 and James “Stacey” Williams, 54, were each found guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault with significant bodily injury while armed for their attack of an adult male victim outside a liquor store in Southwest D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The verdicts, which took place on September 5, 2025, following a three-day jury trial, were returned in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld scheduled sentencing for November 13, 2025.
According to the evidence and testimony presented at trial, on June 25, 2024, following a verbal altercation inside the liquor store, Bealle charged at the victim outside the liquor store when the victim tried to walk away. Bealle then began to beat the victim with a 2x4 wooden plank from a nearby construction site. Williams, who had also been standing outside the liquor store, joined in, beating the victim with his metal walking cane. Much of the attack was captured by the store’s surveillance footage. Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) officers located each defendant a short distance away from the scene of the offense on the same date. The victim was taken by ambulance to a local hospital where injuries to his head were stapled shut.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mikéla Cuffy and Katherine Ballou, who prosecuted the case.
Indiana Inmate Sentenced to 48 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Yesterday, Roger King, 39 years old, of Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Sara L. Ellis after pleading guilty to two counts of mailing threatening communications, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
King was sentenced to 48 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. This sentence will run consecutive to the state sentence King was serving at the time of the offense and is still serving today.
According to documents in the case, on November 9, 2021, while incarcerated on Indiana state charges at the New Castle Correctional Facility, King mailed a letter to the United States Supreme Court Clerk addressed to the “Republican Justices.” In the letter, King threatened to detonate a bomb at the United States Supreme Court building. King wrote that he was “very serious” and had “every intention to come to Washington to use a bomb” that would “blow up and kill all of you Republican Justices.”
Almost five months later, on April 1, 2022, while still incarcerated at the New Castle Correctional Facility, King mailed a letter to the United States District Court Clerk in the Southern District of Indiana addressed to two federal judges who were presiding over a civil case King had filed. The letter contained a harmless white powdery substance accompanied by language suggesting it was anthrax or boric acid. The letter was opened by a judicial employee, prompting an extensive law enforcement and public health response to contain the threat.
“Threats directed at members of the judiciary are not only criminal acts, but direct attacks on the rule of law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “No judge should ever have to fear that an adverse ruling will provoke an attack. Due to the outstanding collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement, King was brought to justice for making these serious threats. My office will continue to hold those accountable who threaten and intimidate judges and other public servants.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Supreme Court Police, with valuable assistance provided by the United States Marshals Service, the Indiana State Police, the Indiana Department of Corrections, the Marion County Public Health Department, and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas M. McGrath and Steven J. Lupa, who were appointed as Special Attorneys in the Southern District of Indiana.
Hiram Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Maintaining Drug, Weapons, and Money StashRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. - Darrlin Vernard Warner was sentenced to fifteen years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine while in possession of multiple firearms and more than $175,000 in drug proceeds.
“Fentanyl and methamphetamine are wreaking havoc on north Georgia, leading to addiction, crime, and loss of life,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “As a result of key collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, a significant drug trafficker is out of the community. His deadly drugs are off the street, his weapons have been seized, and his drug proceeds now belong to law enforcement.”
“Drug traffickers like Warner fuel addiction and violence by pushing fentanyl and meth into our communities while stockpiling weapons and cash,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Thanks to the outstanding partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement, we have dismantled a dangerous operation and made northern Georgia safer.”
“This sentencing is a significant victory in protecting the citizens of Georgia from the dangers drug traffickers bring into our communities. Traffickers of deadly substances like fentanyl and methamphetamine leave behind addiction, violence, and devastation that tear families apart,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI, alongside our local, state, and federal partners, remains committed to ensuring these criminals face justice and that these dangerous drugs are removed from our communities.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In October and November 2024, Warner conspired with others to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine in Paulding and Douglas counties. On November 13, 2024, federal, state, and local agencies searched Warner’s home and car, and seized more than two pounds of fentanyl, one pound of methamphetamine, five firearms, and $177,119 in cash.
Earlier today, United States District Judge William M. Ray, II sentenced Darrlin Vernard Warner, a/k/a “Juice,” 40, of Hiram, Georgia, to fifteen years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. As part of the sentence, Warner forfeited the cash seized from his residence. Warner was convicted on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on June 5, 2025, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Northwest Georgia Drug Task Force, with valuable assistance provided by the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Paulding County Fire Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Calvin A. Leipold, III, Thomas M. Forsyth, III, and Jeffrey Brown prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Anyone with information about drug sales/trafficking in their area can report it to the GBI at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477) or DEA’s Atlanta Division Office at (404) 893-7000. Online tips can be submitted at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.
The Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia encourages parents and children to learn about the dangers of fentanyl and other drugs at the following websites: www.justthinktwice.gov, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com, www.operationprevention.com/, www.CampusDrugPrevention.gov, and www.dea.gov/onepill.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Videos and ImagesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JONATHAN WILLIAMS, 34, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 120 months of imprisonment and 20 years of supervised release for possessing child sex abuse material.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has been investigating a network of individuals who have been using private groups on an internet chat application to share images and videos of child sexual abuse. The investigation revealed that an account associated with Williams was an active member of one of these groups, and that Williams was convicted in 2015 in North Carolina of sexual exploitation of a minor in the third degree.
On June 1, 2023, investigators conducted a court authorized search of Williams’ residence. Williams was arrested at that time after a preliminary review of his laptop revealed videos of child sex abuse. Subsequent analysis of his laptop and iPhone revealed more than 1,500 videos and 7,000 images depicting child pornography, including videos and images of sadistic and masochistic conduct and other depictions of violence and sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
Williams has been detained since his arrest. On August 15, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
The penalties in this matter were enhanced based on Williams’ prior conviction in North Carolina.
This matter was investigated by HSI with the assistance of the Connecticut Center for Digital Investigations, the Connecticut State Police, and the Hartford and Westport Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit https://report.cybertip.org.
Harrison County Doctor Sentenced for Improper Prescribing of AdderallRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A West Virginia doctor was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison for the unlawful distribution of controlled substances and for destroying evidence of his crimes.
David Elwood Hess, 61, of Bridgeport, West Virginia, was convicted of one count of improper prescribing and one count of destroying records in a federal investigation after a trial earlier this year. Hess wrote prescriptions for Adderall to his patients without a legitimate medical purpose and beyond the bounds of professional practice. Once investigators seized Hess’s phone as evidence, Hess remotely wiped his iPhone.
Hess will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Cogar and Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Kleeh presided.
Guatemalan National Extradited to the United States to Face Federal Cocaine Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Guatemalan national has been extradited to the United States to face charges in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy. Roberto Carlo Giron Hernandez, a/k/a “Gordo,” a/k/a “RC,” 49, is scheduled to make his initial appearance in federal court in Miami tomorrow.
According to court documents, Giron Hernandez is charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine knowing, intending, or having reasonable cause to believe that the cocaine would be imported into the United States. Guatemalan authorities arrested Giron Hernandez on February 3, pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant.
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned a one-count indictment charging Giron Hernandez with conspiracy to distribute cocaine for importation into the United States. If convicted, Giron Hernandez faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and DEA Guatemala Country Attaché Aubree Fierro made the announcement.
DEA Miami Field Division and DEA Guatemala Country Office are investigating the case. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, Department of State, and the Guatemalan government provided valuable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Giron Hernandez.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Kirkpatrick is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20408.
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Georgia Woman Sentenced for $1 Million Wire FraudRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Chisom Okonkwo, age 29, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was sentenced today to 7 months in prison for wire fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Okonkwo and another defendant created an email address that spoofed that of an employee at a Gilmer County business, causing a vendor to send more than $1 million to a bank account controlled by the defendants. Okonkwo and the co-defendant expended more than $600,000 of the stolen funds before the scheme was discovered.
Okonkwo was ordered to pay $610,146.03 in restitution.
The second defendant, Prince Boateng Adjei, 31, also of Lawrenceville, Georgia, will be sentenced at a later date.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The United States Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ZAEKWON McDANIEL, also known as “Gap” and “Yung Gap,” 27, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to life in prison, and a mandatory 10-year consecutive term of imprisonment, for offenses related to his leadership of the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang. On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging McDaniel and 15 other 960 gang members with various offenses, including racketeering, murder, attempted murder and assault, firearm possession, narcotics trafficking, and obstruction of justice offenses.
According to the evidence presented during his trial:
- On October 31, 2017, 960 members were involved in a drive-by shooting in the area of Porter Street and Bank Street in Waterbury in an attempt to murder members of a rival gang. An individual was shot and wounded in the shooting. Investigators recovered 17 shell casings from four different firearms at the scene, and also identified the car used by the assailants. McDaniel’s DNA was found on the steering wheel of the car.
- On November 22, 2017, McDaniel and 960 members Malik Bayon and Tahjay Love shot at Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos who were in a car at a restaurant in Waterbury. Lewis sped from the scene at a high rate of speed and crashed into a house at the intersection of Wolcott Street and Dallas Avenue in Waterbury. Lewis, 22, and Santos, 20, were pronounced dead at the scene. Shell casings connected two of firearms used during the shooting to the shooting that occurred on October 31, 2017, and McDaniel’s DNA was found on a gun magazine that was dropped at the restaurant.
- On December 29, 2017, shortly before 9:00 p.m., McDaniel shot and injured the father of a rival gang member who was taking out the trash in front of his residence. 960 members videoed themselves wearing masks at the scene minutes before the shooting.
To promote 960, McDaniel and other 960 members made rap videos that glorified gang violence, firearm possession, and drug dealing. Many of the rap lyrics were tied to criminal conduct committed by 960 members.
McDaniel has been detained since January 3, 2018.
On February 14, 2024, a jury found McDaniel, Tahjay Love, and Malik Bayon guilty of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity with special circumstances, murder in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute, and two counts of causing death through the use of a firearm and in relation to a crime of violence. The jury also found McDaniel guilty of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; Love guilty of obstruction of justice; and Bayon guilty of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute narcotics, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
Love and Bayon await sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Waterbury Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Southington Police Department, Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the DEA Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo, who were cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
Former Storm Lake City Employee Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Brian Oakleaf, 52, from Storm Lake, Iowa, pled guilty September 9, 2025, to two counts of possession of child pornography in federal court in Sioux City.
At the plea hearing, evidence showed that from March 1, 2022, through July 29, 2024, Oakleaf received, distributed, and possessed child pornography, including a depiction involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age on two separate cellular phones. In May 2024, law enforcement conducted an investigation online into a file sharing program and directed their focus on an IP address that was sharing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Investigation into the ownership of the IP address at the time of the file sharing led investigators to Oakleaf. On July 29, 2024, investigators executed search warrants at Oakleaf’s residence and office at Storm Lake City Hall and seized cell phones and electronics. Forensic analysis of Oakleaf’s devices further showed that he used the file sharing program investigators were targeting and used a litany of known child exploitation search terms to obtain CSAM. Evidence further showed that he had used the alias of Dan Dyle to look at and trade child pornography. In the plea agreement, Oakleaf admitted he possessed 1 video over 90 minutes in length and over 20,000 images of child pornography across the two phones. The videos and images included depictions of toddlers, bondage, and sadistic and masochistic conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Oakleaf was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Oakleaf faces a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4020. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Former CEO of Orange County-Based Private Equity Fund Charged with Conning Investors Out of $62.5 Million via Bogus Promissory NotesRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man who was the founder and CEO of a private equity fund has been charged with defrauding hundreds of investors out of approximately $62.5 million via a promissory note scam involving real estate, Broadway shows, and cryptocurrency, the Justice Department announced today.
Marco Giovanni Santarelli, 56, of Laguna Niguel, is charged with one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance on October 20 in United States District Court in Santa Ana.
According to an information filed Monday, Santarelli founded and was the CEO of Norada Capital Management (NCM), a Laguna Niguel-based private equity fund. From June 2020 to June 2024, Santarelli solicited hundreds of investors nationwide to invest in unsecured promissory notes ranging from $25,000 to $500,000. He promised via marketing a high-yield monthly interest rate – approximately 12% to 15% – over three to seven years.
Santarelli told investors they would receive monthly interest payments from income generated from five categories of businesses in which NCM would invest their money, including e-commerce, real estate, Broadway shows, and cryptocurrency.
Via webinars, Santarelli promised that the notes were backed by diversified assets under management and offered steady, predictable monthly returns. He further promised that NCM was to be a “hands-off passive investment,” perfect for retirement funds, according to the information.
Santarelli also provided balance sheets to investors listing the status of the assets, liabilities, and equity of NCM to the note holders, which listed the total asset value between $143.3 million and $224 million.
In fact, NCM did not pay the promised returns and interest payments. Instead, the fund invested in risky assets that did not provide the promised safety and security, was unprofitable, had very little return on investment, and a large amount of debt. The balance sheets sent to investors hid more than $90 million in debt and included inflated assets. In Ponzi-scheme fashion, Santarelli made interest payments to investors using other investors’ money.
In total, Santarelli caused more than 500 investors to lose approximately $62.5 million.
An information contains allegations. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Santarelli would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI are investigating this matter with assistance from the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Federal law enforcement has seized more than $5 million in proceeds connected to this scheme and continues to look for additional assets.
Chief Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Waier is prosecuting this case.
Former Army Soldier Sentenced to Concurrent Sentences of Life for Sexually Abusing Two ChildrenRead the Press Release
Defendant faces a minimum of 30 years imprisonment
SAVANNAH, GA: A former Army soldier was sentenced on Thursday, September 4, 2025, after sexually abusing two children on Fort Stewart Military Reservation in Georgia.
Austin Michael Burak, 32, Oak Harbor, WA, was convicted of abusive sexual contact of a child and aggravated sexual abuse of a child following a jury trial in the Southern District of Georgia, said Meg E. Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker sentenced Burak to lifetime imprisonment for each of the two minor victims.
“There are appropriately severe consequences for sexually assaulting children,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We will continue to aggressively prosecute those who prey on the most innocent among us. The community is safer now that a sexual predator will spend the rest of his life imprisoned.”
As described in courtroom testimony, in August of 2017, Burak sexually abused and raped two minor boys while they slept in the safety of their own beds. Three other witnesses testified at trial to being sexually assaulted by Burak when they were minors, including one recounting years of sexual abuse at his hands.
“The FBI is unwavering in its commitment to protect our most vulnerable—our children,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This sentence ensures that Austin Burak will never again have the opportunity to harm another child, and it demonstrates the dedication of our agents and law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to bring justice to survivors of these heinous crimes.”
“The sentencing of Austin Burak represents a significant outcome in the pursuit of justice for the victims in this horrific case,” said Special Agent in Charge Michele Starostka of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Western Field Office. “Army CID worked diligently alongside our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this case, and we remain steadfast in our dedication to protecting our communities.”
The case was investigated by the Army Criminal Investigation Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sherri A. Stephan and Michael Z. Spitulnik.
Felon Indicted for Illegal Possession of a Firearm Following Arrest in NorthwestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyzell Myrick, 29, of Bowie, Maryland, has been charged in an indictment, unsealed today in U.S. District Court, on a federal firearms charge as part of the “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful” initiative, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Myrick is charged federally with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to court documents, on Aug. 17, 2025, at around midnight, MPD officers were on patrol in the U Street corridor when they noticed Myrick allegedly carrying a firearm in his waistband. The officers recovered a Glock 22 .40 caliber pistol, loaded with one round in the chamber and an additional 20 rounds in the magazine.
Myrick is prohibited from possession of a firearm and ammunition due to a prior 2018 conviction for Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
This prosecution comes as part of the "Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful" initiative, which is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
The case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the MPD. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Liss is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Charges Filed Against Madison Man for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Alex Cornelius Smith, 47, of Madison, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Smith appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick on September 5, 2025, in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for October 27, 2025 at 8:30 am before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker.
If convicted, Smith faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment with a maximum of life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Harley W. Ferguson and Eric W. Welch.
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.
Drug Trafficker Charged with Possessing 15 Kilograms of Cocaine in Hidden Compartment of CarRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced that EDDIE RUIZ has been charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. RUIZ was arrested on August 29, 2025, and presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker in Manhattan federal court on August 30, 2025.
“As alleged, Eddie Ruiz was transporting over 15 kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment in his specially modified vehicle,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Sadly, drug trafficking involves a vast, sophisticated, international network full of players who are motivated by profit and have no regard for the lives they ruin. New Yorkers want that network broken and the players taken off the streets. Together with our law enforcement partners, the women and men of the Southern District of New York will do everything in our power to fight drug trafficking on behalf of New Yorkers.”
“An authorized vehicle search revealed Eddie Ruiz allegedly possessed significant quantities of cocaine seemingly packaged for distribution that were hidden in storage compartments in the vehicle,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “Ruiz’s alleged intentions to introduce addictive narcotics to our neighborhoods greatly jeopardizes the health and wellbeing of those residents. During Operation Summer Heat, the FBI will continue to apprehend and interrupt any criminal who seeks to supply lethal substances to our communities.”
As alleged in the Complaint:[1]
On or about the afternoon of August 29, 2025, a member of New York state law enforcement pulled over a vehicle that RUIZ was driving in Sullivan County near Mamakating, New York, for several violations of New York’s Vehicle and Traffic Law. Following RUIZ’s suspicious behavior during that traffic stop, law enforcement officers approached the vehicle with a drug-detecting canine, which signaled that it had detected the scent of narcotics within. Law enforcement officers then began a roadside search of the vehicle and found a hidden compartment, also known as a “trap,” in its trunk. After partially opening the trap, the officers observed what appeared to be bricks of narcotics, as pictured below.
Once the automobile was transported to a secure law enforcement location, the officers fully opened the trap and found it to contain 15 tightly wrapped rectangular packages, packaged consistently with distribution-level quantities of narcotics and weighing approximately one kilogram each. Field-testing of these packages, pictured below, was positive for cocaine.
* * *
RUIZ, 47, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI, and the New York State Police and their Troop F Community Stabilization Unit and Troop K Community Stabilization Unit.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmi Schickler is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._ruiz_complaint.pdf
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Dealing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Lawrence pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to drug distribution charges.
Hector Santana Guzman, a/k/a “DJ Black,” 34, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl. United States District Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Dec. 10, 2025.
During an investigation of the transnational criminal organization 18th Street Gang, Santana Guzman met with a cooperating witness on two dates in June 2024 to sell fentanyl. On June 6, 2024, Santana Guzman sold approximately 50 grams of powder fentanyl to a cooperating witness. Later, on June 25, 2024, Santana Guzman again sold approximately 70 grams of powder fentanyl.
The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; Suffolk County and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Falmouth, Lynn, Medford, Nantucket and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Wyshak of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This effort is 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.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national, who previously unlawfully resided in Lawrence under a false name, has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to conspiring to possess and distribute controlled substances.
Eduardo Morales-Perez, a/k/a “Yenni Rafael Guerrero Aybar,” 41, pleaded guilty on Sept. 2, 2025 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Oct. 8, 2025.
In March 2018, law enforcement arranged an undercover cash pickup as part of a money laundering investigation. An individual arrived at the pre-arranged meeting location for the controlled purchase and provided $275,090 in cash to undercover law enforcement. That individual was driving a white Volvo registered to Morales-Perez’s girlfriend.
Following the transaction, the white Volvo was observed at a property in Peabody. In May 2018, during surveillance of the Peabody location, Morales-Perez was observed exiting a truck with a can of acetone – a chemical commonly used in the illicit manufacturing process of fentanyl analogues – and carrying it into the Peabody residence. A subsequent search of the Peabody property in May 2018 resulted in the recovery of one kilogram pill press; drug distribution paraphernalia; over 2.8 kilograms of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues; over five kilograms of ANPP (a controlled substance that is frequently used in the manufacturing process of fentanyl); and $130,000 in cash that was packaged like the cash provided in the March controlled purchase. The drugs and cash were located in a hidden compartment above a light fixture.
The charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The defendant is 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 Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Medford, Peabody and Ipswich Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren A. Graber and Brian J. Sullivan of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.Defendant Charged with Threatening to Murder a Federal JudgeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Robert Phillip Ivers, age 72, was charged by complaint with threatening to assault and murder a federal judge, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. Ivers was previously convicted federally of threatening to kill a federal judge.
“At a time when Minnesota is reeling from acts of violence, the last thing we need is someone spreading fear into our churches, libraries, and courts,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Ivers’s threats are bone chilling. After the past few months, we are not taking chances. When someone threatens our community, we believe them, and we will act swiftly to protect Minnesotans.”
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.
“Threats of violence directed at federal judges not only undermine the integrity of our legal system but also pose a grave risk to the principles of justice and democracy,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners consider all threats of violence against judges, or any public servants, with grave seriousness. These actions will not be tolerated. As this chilling case confirms, we are fully committed to protecting judges who devote themselves to our communities and legal system.”
Ivers will make his initial appearance this afternoon in federal court. The United States will request that he be detained during the pendency of his federal case.
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 also thanks the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for its quick action and important partnership in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melinda A. Williams is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Defendant Charged in over $50 Million Ponzi Scheme and Related Investment FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging PAUL REGAN with conspiracy, securities fraud, and wire fraud. The charges in the Indictment arise from a scheme to defraud retail investors in projects called Next Level Holdings (“Next Level”) and Yield Wealth Ltd. (“Yield”) by misrepresenting how those companies would use investors’ money and the protections investors would have against losses. REGAN’s fraudulent scheme tricked over 300 people to invest more than $60 million in the Next Level and Yield investment products. When the fraud was eventually exposed, REGAN’s investors were left with over $50 million in losses. REGAN was arrested in the Southern District of Florida on September 4, 2025, and ordered detained following his removal from the Republic of Colombia. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni.
“As alleged, Paul Regan promised high returns but, in reality, he simply used money from new investors to pay off old investors, keeping the fraud going until pointed questions were asked,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “There is no place in our markets for scammers, particularly those who prey on Main Street investors. The women and men of the Southern District are committed to putting these scammers out of business permanently.”
“Paul Regan allegedly defrauded over 300 investors of more than $60 million through false promises of protected investments and guaranteed returns while using these deposits to quietly repay other entities,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “This alleged scheme was shrouded in deceit to entice hundreds of clients before ultimately betraying their confidence and their savings. The FBI will continue to investigate all widespread schemes exploiting the wallets of victims, regardless of where the defendant may be located.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed on September 4, 2025, in Manhattan federal court:[1]
From at least 2022 through December 2024, REGAN and a team of salesmen and associates defrauded hundreds of retail investors by offering investment products through two entities, Next Level and Yield, based on false and misleading statements. REGAN and his co-conspirators misrepresented how Next Level and Yield would use investors’ money and what protections investors would have against losses. These misrepresentations fraudulently induced over 300 people to invest more than $60 million in the Next Level and Yield investment products. When REGAN’s fraud was eventually exposed, REGAN closed Next Level and Yield, leaving investors with over $50 million in losses.
Next Level Notes
REGAN advertised himself as the Chief Executive Officer of Next Level and claimed that Next Level was in the business of providing capital and operational support to mining operations in Colombia. In exchange for this support, Next Level supposedly received precious metals at discounted prices, which Next Level sold at a profit.
In at least in or about mid-2022, REGAN and others began using Next Level to sell what REGAN called “Next Level Holdings Principal & Interest Protected Guaranteed Note[s]” (the “Next Level Notes”). REGAN sold Next Level Notes himself and recruited independent salespeople to sell Next Level Notes using information and sales techniques that REGAN and others working at Next Level provided.
According to marketing materials that REGAN circulated to investors and salespeople, investors who purchased Next Level Notes were guaranteed to receive double-digit returns, with no risk of loss, through Next Level’s precious-metals business. For example: Next Level’s marketing materials represented that investors who made a minimum investment of $50,000 could purchase a Next Level Note with a term of three, five, seven, or 10 years. Each Note came with a contractually guaranteed double-digit annual yield—typically between 12% and 15% depending on the duration of the Note; Next Level’s marketing materials represented that each Next Level Note came with a “noncancelable indemnity or surety bond backed by an insurance company that guarantee[d] that principal and interest will be paid in compliance with the contractual agreement or promissory note.” This meant that holders of Next Level Notes “[could not] lose their principal investment and also serve[d] as a guarantee that [investors] will receive the interest offered in our enhanced annuity note offering in full.”
The Next Level marketing materials that REGAN circulated also made representations about how Next Level would use investor funds and how it planned to protect investors from losses. With respect to returns, the marketing materials represented that Next Level had a successful track record in “gold and precious metals trade finance operations,” and that Next Level would use investor funds to finance mining operations and generate returns from selling precious metals. As for protections, the marketing materials represented that Next Level would obtain for investors “full insurance protections” from a handful of companies, including a Colombian entity (“Company-1”) and an American reinsurance company (“Company-2”). The marketing materials said that this insurance was designed to offer noteholders “ultimate safety and peace of mind for your retirement portfolio in these very uncertain times.”
Next Level issued each investor who purchased a Next Level Note a “Fully Insured Secured Promissory Note,” which set forth the terms of the investment (including the principal amount and interest rate) and included an “Unconditional Loan Guarantee,” representing that Next Level would provide the investor “with a noncancelable surety bond, or other like insurance policy or product to serve as an unconditional guarantee for the Holder that he shall receive payment of both principal and interest on this note.”
Consistent with that representation about insurance, Next Level also sent investors two insurance-related documents: the first was a document titled a “Surety Bond Contract,” purportedly from Company-1, which guaranteed that Company-1 would pay the noteholder the full amount of principal and interest Next Level owed under the note, in the event Next Level did not pay. The second was a document titled a “Reinsurance Cover Note,” purportedly from Company-2, which guaranteed that Company-2 would also insure the noteholder up to the full amount of principal and interest payments required under the terms of the note.
Between 2022 and late 2024, Next Level sold approximately 300 Next Level Notes to investors, including to at least one investor located in the Southern District of New York. In total, the investors in Next Level Notes sent more than $45 million to business entities under the control of REGAN.
Yield Term Deposits
In or about early 2024, REGAN and others launched a new business venture called Yield, which REGAN advertised as an alternative to traditional banks that could offer investors higher returns on their savings and greater protections.
In or about March 2024, REGAN began using Yield to sell what he called “Mega High Yield Term Deposit[s]” and “Super High Yield Term Deposit[s]” (collectively, the “Yield Term Deposits”). As with Next Level Notes, REGAN sold Yield Term Deposits himself and recruited independent salespeople to sell Yield Term Deposits using information and sales techniques that REGAN and others working at Yield provided.
Much like with Next Level Notes, REGAN circulated marketing materials to investors and salespeople, claiming that investors in Yield Term Deposits were guaranteed to make significant returns with no risk. For example: yield marketing materials described Yield as “revolutionizing the banking industry with Enhanced Term Deposits, offering yields up to 10.5% APY and security through insurance coverage up to $10 million.” The materials went on to explain that investors could invest in Yield Term Deposits, with terms of between five and 10 years. Investors would receive guaranteed interest payments each year, with rates ranging up to 10.5% per year, depending on the term of the deposit and other payment options the investor selected. The marketing materials represented that interest payments and investors’ principal would be fully insured, stating that “[y]our APY is 100% guaranteed and insured” and that Yield Term Deposits “offer[] additional insurance on deposits up to $10 million, ensuring unparalleled security for your savings”; similarly, Yield’s website advertised Yield as a new, digital bank that gave investors access to better interest rates and protections than traditional financial institutions. The website allowed investors to calculate returns they would receive from different Yield Term Deposits and touted that Yield Term Deposits were backed by insurers who “provid[e] our depositors the ultimate in insurance protection for both . . . principal and interest”; Yield’s website claimed that Yield would generate returns for investors through a “diverse portfolio that spans multiple industries, including the lucrative sectors of mining and rare minerals.” REGAN separately represented to investors and people selling Yield Term Deposits that Yield would also use investor funds to make investments in plans related to the Affordable Care Act.
Yield sent investors who purchased Yield Term Deposits a “Subscription Agreement” and a “Limited Partnership Agreement,” through which the investors purchased units in either the Mega High-Yield Term Deposit LP or the Super High-Yield Term Deposit LP. The agreements represented, among other things, that investors would receive “an annual percentage yield of no less than” between 5.5% and 8.5%, depending on the type of investment.
Over the course of 2024, Yield sold approximately 85 Yield Term Deposits, totaling more than $15 million deposited by investors.
The Defendant Defrauded Investors
The promises that REGAN and others made to investors about how Next Level and Yield would use their money and protect their investments were materially false and misleading.
When REGAN promoted Next Level Notes and Yield Term Deposits, a core component of that pitch was that Next Level and Yield would use investors’ money to generate significant returns, including through precious-metals operations and investments related to the Affordable Care Act. Those claims were false and misleading. In reality, REGAN and his co-conspirators ran Next Level and Yield like a Ponzi scheme, using money obtained from earlier investors to pay later investors and to pay commissions to salespeople. Meanwhile, Next Level and Yield made no meaningful investments in either precious-metals operations or investments related to the Affordable Care Act. Instead, REGAN and his co-conspirators misappropriated investor money, which included using investor funds for personal payments and sending large sums of money to entities that did not generate returns for Next Level or Yield, let alone investors.
Another important representation that REGAN made when marketing Next Level Notes and Yield Term Deposits was that investors would have insurance to guarantee promised interest payments and prevent them from losing their investments. Those representations were also false and misleading.
Next Level did not obtain insurance for the vast majority of noteholders and did not maintain insurance for any of them. Specifically, between in or about 2022 up to and including late 2023, Next Level obtained authentic surety bonds from Company-1 and reinsurance from Company-2 for approximately 70 Next Level Notes, with a total investment value of approximately $7.75 million. Next Level then stopped paying to maintain that coverage and did not purchase any surety bonds or reinsurance for the more than 200 Next Level Notes it issued over the course of 2024. Instead, Next Level sent the investors who purchased those notes forged surety bonds and forged reinsurance paperwork. REGAN and his co-conspirators also furthered this fraudulent scheme by sending investors and salespeople forged letters that appeared to come from a senior executive at Company-1 and represented that Company-1 would insure more than $100 million of Next Level Notes. Similarly, notwithstanding the representations that Yield Term Deposits had insurance to guarantee interest payments and protect up to $10 million of principal, Yield did not purchase or maintain insurance for Yield Term Deposits.
Investors Suffered Significant Losses
On or about August 30, 2024, a news outlet published an article about Yield and REGAN expressing skepticism about Yield. REGAN responded to the article by holding a videoconference with salespeople, in which REGAN claimed that the article was false and misleading and urged salespeople to continue selling Yield Term Deposits.
In or about November 2024, Next Level and Yield closed, leaving investors with over $50 million in losses.
* * *
REGAN, 48, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of conspiring to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which also carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory term of two years in prison.
Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a civil enforcement action, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia and the authorities of the Republic of Colombia for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas S. Burnett and Maggie Lynaugh are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._regan_indictment.pdf
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Davis Man Pleads Guilty to International Drug Trafficking Conspiracy in the United States and CanadaRead the Press Release
Parampreet Singh, 59, of Davis, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, opium, and ketamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Parampreet Singh and his co-conspirators, including co‑defendants Amandeep Multani, 37, of Roseville, and Ranvir Singh, 42, of Sacramento, coordinated cocaine, heroin, opium, and ketamine deals in Canada. They coordinated these deals from California over encrypted cellphone applications. Parampreet Singh was the leader and organizer of the conspiracy. In total, between October 2020 and April 2021, they coordinated sales to undercover officers of approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine, 1.5 kilograms of opium, 2 kilograms of ketamine, and multiple samples of heroin, for a total of $637,600 in Canadian dollars and $75,190 in U.S. dollars, in deals in Canada and Sacramento.
As part of his plea agreement, Parampreet Singh agreed to forfeit $2 million to the United States.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the York Regional Police in Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Placer County Special Investigations Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David W. Spencer and Haddy Abouzeid are prosecuting the case.
Multani pleaded guilty on Dec. 13, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 18, 2025.
Ranvir Singh is scheduled for a jury trial to begin on Oct. 6, 2025. The charges against Ranvir Singh are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Parampreet Singh is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Jan. 27, 2026. Parampreet Singh faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. 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.
Court Enters Consent Order Requiring North Carolina to Fix Inaccurate Voter ListRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that a federal court has entered a consent order that remedies North Carolina’s failure to maintain an accurate voter list in violation of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). The successful resolution of the case is another step toward achieving the mandate in President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order 14248 entitled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections,” to ensure that elections are being held in compliance with federal laws which guard against illegal voting, unlawful discrimination, and other forms of fraud, error, or suspicion.
In the lawsuit filed on May 27, the United States alleged that North Carolina, in violation of HAVA’s mandate and clear Congressional intent, used a State voter registration form that did not require a voter to provide identifying information such as a driver’s license number or last four digits of a social security number. When the lawsuit was filed, it is estimated that at least 100,000 voters did not have the required identifying information on North Carolina’s registration rolls. As of early September, that number has decreased as North Carolina engages in remedial actions to comply with HAVA.
“Unsuccessful intervenors showed breathtaking hubris when they made alarmist accusations against the Department of Justice, and yet claimed credit for the very relief that the Department actively pursued in the complaint,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Nevertheless, we are pleased with the progress North Carolina has made and will continue to make as it cleans up its registration rolls, as required by federal law.”
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the integrity of the vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.
Court Appoints Theodore S. Hertzberg as United States Attorney for the Northern District of GeorgiaRead the Press Release
ATLANTA, Ga. – Theodore S. Hertzberg will remain as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia after the judges of the United States District Court voted on Monday for him to serve in that role indefinitely.
“I am deeply honored that the Court has entrusted me with the continued leadership of the United States Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Hertzberg. “I pledge that the prosecutors under my charge will act decisively and aggressively to excise dangerous offenders from our community, and our litigators will represent the interests of the United States zealously. The citizens of the Northern District deserve nothing less.”
Pursuant to the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, Attorney General Pamela Bondi previously appointed Mr. Hertzberg to serve as U.S. Attorney on May 13, 2025. Under 28 U.S.C. § 546(c)(2), a U.S. Attorney appointed by the Attorney General may only serve up to 120 days. Accordingly, Mr. Hertzberg’s term will expire today. However, based on the court’s vote yesterday, Mr. Hertzberg will continue to serve until the confirmation of a Presidentially appointed successor.
Today, Chief United States District Judge Leigh Martin May administered Mr. Hertzberg’s oath of office in front of an audience of U.S. Attorney’s Office staff, judges, federal law enforcement officers, and court personnel.
As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Hertzberg is the chief law enforcement officer for the Northern District of Georgia, which spans 46 counties in northern Georgia and is home to more than seven million citizens. The U.S. Attorney’s Office works closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to prosecute federal crimes occurring in the district and to litigate and defend civil cases in which the United States is a party.
Since his initial appointment in May, Mr. Hertzberg has led the Office to take swift action targeting transnational criminal organizations, violent repeat offenders, drug traffickers, and cybercriminals. Under U.S. Attorney Hertzberg’s leadership, the Office has also sought to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse in government by charging defendants with criminal misappropriation of federal funds and recovering tens of millions of dollars in civil settlements.
Mr. Hertzberg previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for nearly ten years. His tenure with the Justice Department began in the Savannah headquarters of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia. In Savannah, Mr. Hertzberg prosecuted violent criminals, drug dealers, fraudsters, and money launderers while also serving as chief of the asset forfeiture section. Upon relocating to Atlanta in 2018, Mr. Hertzberg transferred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, where he prosecuted gang leaders, child sex predators, gun traffickers, armed felons, and other dangerous offenders. Even as U.S. Attorney, Mr. Hertzberg has maintained his presence in the courtroom, personally prosecuting child exploitation and violent crime cases throughout the District.
Before joining the Department of Justice, Mr. Hertzberg practiced law in the New York office of Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, and he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Kristi K. DuBose of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama. He is a graduate of Amherst College and New York University School of Law.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Convicted Felon from Northampton Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Narcotics ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Northampton, Mass. man pleaded guilty in federal court in Springfield yesterday to firearm and narcotics offenses. The defendant was previously convicted in federal court of possessing a loaded ghost gun and ammunition.
Gabriel Lebron, 35, pleaded guilty to one count each of felon in possession of firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and heroin. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Jan. 15, 2025.
On April 9, 2025, law enforcement Hadley responded to a 911 call about a man in the Howard Johnson hotel lobby brandishing a firearm where Lebron was found in possession of a Jimenez Arms, Model JA 25, .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with five rounds of .25 caliber ammunition, including one in the chamber, 10 “snap caps” of crack cocaine and two bundles of heroin. He was immediately taken into custody. At the time of his offense, Lebron was on federal supervised release for a Vermont firearms conviction for possessing a loaded ghost gun with a laser sight and multiple rounds of ammunition, for which he was sentenced to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release in 2023.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and heroin provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of three years and up to 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of $1,000,000. 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 Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Feld Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance provided by the Hadley Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Second Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rockland, Mass. man has pleaded guilty to being to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Lamont Boswell, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition while being a convicted felon. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Dec. 3, 2025. Boswell also pleaded guilty to violating the terms of his supervised release. He has been in custody since he was arrested for violating his conditions of federal supervised release on April 3, 2025.
On April 2, 2025, while conducting a wellness check on Boswell who appeared to be passed out in the driver’s seat of his parked car, law enforcement found a pistol inside the vehicle. The recovered firearm was a Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handgun, loaded with 13 9mm rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one 9mm round in the chamber.
At the time of the offense, Boswell was under federal supervision following a 2021 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, for which he was sentenced to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In that case, Boswell was also found to have illegally possessed a loaded firearms while driving his car.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years 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 Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and the Scituate Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak III of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Company Insider Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Laboratory Research Products for Illegal Export to ChinaRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Gregory Muñoz (47, Minneola) to 18 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $100,000, the proceeds of the wire fraud. Muñoz pleaded guilty on May 9, 2024.
Muñoz’s co-conspirator, Pen Yu, pleaded guilty in May 2024 and was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison, later reduced to two years and six months in prison. Another co-conspirator, Jonathan Thyng, pleaded guilty in July 2024 and was sentenced to probation.
According to court documents, beginning in at least July 2016 and continuing through at least May 2023, Yu ordered biochemical products from MilliporeSigma, a subsidiary of multinational science and technology company Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, with help from Muñoz, a MilliporeSigma salesperson, by falsely representing that Yu was affiliated with a biology research lab at a Florida university. This fictitious affiliation led MilliporeSigma to provide Yu millions of dollars’ worth of discounts and other benefits, such as free overnight shipping, not available to the public. Yu gave Muñoz thousands of dollars in gift cards for facilitating these fraudulent discounted orders. When the products arrived at the university stockroom, a stockroom employee diverted the products to Yu, who repackaged them and shipped them to China. To avoid scrutiny, Yu made false statements about the value and contents of these shipments in export documents.
This scheme continued until MilliporeSigma compliance personnel identified certain orders as suspicious, prompting the company to retain outside counsel who voluntarily disclosed the misconduct to the Department of Justice’s National Security Division one week later. MilliporeSigma made the disclosure well before its counsel had completed their investigation and understood the full nature and extent of the scheme. MilliporeSigma offered exceptional cooperation to the prosecution team, including by proactively identifying and producing documents to the Department that established probable cause to search residences and electronic devices of culpable individuals. MilliporeSigma’s cooperation allowed investigators to quickly identify the individuals responsible for the scheme, including Yu, Muñoz, and Thyng, and secure their felony guilty pleas.
This case was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Marcet for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the cases.
Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Use a Weapon of Mass Destruction and to Destroy an Energy Facility in NashvilleRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Skyler Philippi, 24, of Columbia, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to destroy an energy facility.
“For months, Philippi planned what he had hoped would be a devastating attack on Nashville’s energy infrastructure. He acquired what he believed to be explosives, surveilled his target, and equipped a drone to attack an electrical substation. Motivated by a violent ideology, Philippi wanted ‘to do something big.’ Instead, the FBI disrupted his plans, and Philippi now awaits sentencing,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division and the FBI will continue to protect our Nation’s critical infrastructure from would-be saboteurs.”
“Our office is fully committed to thwarting dangerous attacks motivated by hate,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. “I commend the agents who investigated this conduct and stopped this attack from victimizing our community. I commend the prosecutors who held the defendant accountable for his terrible actions.”
“Skyler Philippi planned to attack an energy facility with a drone containing explosives, which had the potential to knock out power to thousands of American homes and to critical facilities like hospitals,” said Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Through rigorous investigation, his plan was disrupted. Protecting our communities from threats to public safety is a priority for the FBI, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who attempt to damage critical infrastructure and threaten our national security.”
“As he admitted in federal court today, in furtherance of his ideological beliefs, Skyler Philippi conducted extensive research into explosive devices and potential targets to launch an attack against critical infrastructure,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI is committed to doing everything in our ability to detect, disrupt, and deter attacks by domestic violent extremists. It is thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the FBI Nashville Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, and law enforcement partners that Philippi’s plot was detected and stopped.”
According to court documents, in June 2024, Philippi communicated to a Confidential Human Source (CHS) that he wanted to commit a mass shooting at a YMCA facility located in or around Columbia, Tennessee. In July 2024, Philippi told another CHS about the impact of attacking large interstate substations and said that attacking several substations would “shock the system,” causing other substations to malfunction. Philippi researched previous attacks on electric substations and concluded that attacking with firearms would not be sufficient. Philippi, therefore, planned to use a drone with explosives attached to it and to fly the drone into the substation. Philippi said that his plan was to fly a drone with explosives attached to it into the electric substation, that he preferred to build a drone himself to avoid law enforcement detection, and that he wanted to attach TATP (Triacetone Triperoxide, a high-energy explosive material) or C-4 explosive material to the drone.
In August 2024, Philippi told an undercover employee (UCE) that he had written what he called a “manifesto” outlining his desire to attack “high tax cities or industrial areas to let the kikes lose money,” and about his previous affiliation with Atomwaffen Division and the National Alliance.
In September 2024, Philippi conducted reconnaissance of a specific electric substation. Philippi ordered a plastic explosive composition known as C-4 and other explosives from the UCEs. Philippi purchased black powder to be used in pipe bombs, which Philippi intended to use during the attack on the substation. Philippi texted: “if you want to do the most damage as an accelerationist, attack high economic, high tax, political zones in every major metropolis.” Referring to the substation, Philippi stated, “Holy sh**. This will go up like a fu**in fourth of July firework.”
On Nov. 2, 2024, Philippi met the undercover employees at a hotel and participated in a Nordic ritual, which included reciting a Nordic prayer and discussing the Norse god Odin. Philippi told the UCEs that “this is where the New Age begins” and that it was “time to do something big” that would be remembered “in the annals of history.” Philippi and the UCEs drove to the operation site. The UCEs moved to their assigned positions as lookouts for Philippi. Law-enforcement agents arrested Philippi. When he was taken into custody, Philippi was at the rear of the vehicle, with the drone powered up, and the explosive device was armed and located next to the drone. Philippi was prepared to attach the explosives to the drone when he was arrested.
Philippi will be sentenced on January 8, 2026. At sentencing, Philippi faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Nashville Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Kurtzman of the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
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Colorado Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Threats to Kill Cayuga County ManRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Jerry Gordon, age 56, of Colorado, pled guilty Friday to transmitting a threat in interstate commerce to injure another person. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Gordon admitted that from April 22, 2025, to April 25, 2025, he sent four threatening text messages to a man in Aurora, New York. In the text messages Gordon told the victim to get his affairs in order before Friday April 25, 2025, as he was going to “drink your blood from the chalice that I will make out of your heart.” Gordon was arrested by FBI agents as he was getting off a plane in Syracuse, on April 25, 2025, after law enforcement became aware of the threats.
Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Vile threats to kill the citizens of our district will not be tolerated. Local, state and federal agents, working together, quickly responded to the impending threat and apprehended the defendant as he was getting off the plane having traveled from Colorado to Syracuse to attack the victim.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “This case demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to working with our partners to swiftly investigate, intercept, and bring to justice anyone who threatens our citizens with disturbing acts of violence.”
At sentencing before United States District Judge Elizabeth C. Coombe on November 24, 2025, Gordon will face a maximum term of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the New York State Police, Syracuse Regional Airport Authority Police Department, Syracuse Police Department, Cornell Police Department, Tompkins County Sherriff’s Office, United States Marshals Service, Cayuga County District Attorney’s Office, Federal Air Marshal Service, and the Oneida County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown is prosecuting the case.
Cleveland Man Sentenced to Nearly 14 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Sell Fentanyl and MethRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Cleveland man has been sentenced to prison for taking part in a drug conspiracy that distributed fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout Northeast Ohio.
Davion Shepherd, 31, was sentenced to 167 months (approximately 14 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko after pleading guilty to the following charges:
- One count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Three counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance
Shepherd was also ordered to serve four years of supervised release after imprisonment.
According to court documents, from about Jan. 3-Feb 16, 2023, Shepherd and others intentionally conspired to distribute 10 grams or more of a mixture containing fluorofentanyl, a Schedule I controlled substance and 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. Among the items that federal agents seized during a search warrant execution in Shepherd’s residence were 608.95 grams of a fentanyl analogue and 34.13 grams of methamphetamine.
Co-defendant Jerome A. Brown, 31, of Twinsburg, Ohio, pleaded guilty to his lesser role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to 27 months in prison and ordered to serve four years of supervised release after imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Southeast Area Law Enforcement Task Force and the FBI Cleveland Division.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Payum Doroodian for the Northern District of Ohio.