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Wednesday 27 August 2025
New Bedford Couple Charged with Defrauding Clients of over $700,000 in Connection with Their Insurance BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A married couple was arrested today for their alleged involvement in a scheme to defraud individuals seeking insurance coverage through their business, BL Insurance Brokerage, LLC.
Brendan Lawler, 58, and Lisa Lawler, 45, both of New Bedford, Mass., were charged with one count each of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Both defendants will appear in federal court in Boston at 3:30 p.m. today.
According to the charging document, it is alleged that from March 2023 through March 2024, the Lawlers solicited and collected insurance payments from their clients, which should have been paid to the clients’ insurance providers. Instead of paying the insurance companies what they were owed, the Lawlers allegedly pocketed their clients’ payments and used the money for their own purposes. To conceal the theft of client funds and to keep their company BL Insurance afloat to perpetuate the scheme, the Lawlers allegedly used incoming client funds to pay outstanding balances due to other clients’ insurers. It is alleged that the Lawlers also created and distributed to certain insurance documents to the clients that indicated that the clients were insured. In total, through this scheme, it is alleged that the Lawlers defrauded at least 50 individuals or insurance providers and stole more than $700,000.
The charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the loss to the victim. 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 Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Division of Insurance and Insurance Fraud Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Cleary of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Nevada, Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Approximately $1.5 Million from Employer and Filing a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Nevada, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to a fraud scheme in which he embezzled approximately $1.5 million from his employer and to failing to disclose the embezzled funds as income on his federal income tax returns.
Justin R. Marquardt, 55, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return.
By pleading guilty today, Marquardt admitted that he stole approximately $1.5 million from his employer’s bank accounts and used those funds for his personal benefit. Marquardt held the title of executive director at his company and by virtue of his position, had access to all company finances and financial accounts from 1994 to 2023. As part of his scheme, Marquardt, without authorization, transferred funds from his employer’s bank accounts to his personal accounts and wrote himself unauthorized checks from business bank accounts. Marquardt spent most of the money on personal expenses, including travel and gambling online and at casinos. To hide his embezzlement, Marquardt omitted these unauthorized transactions from the business’s QuickBooks ledger that he provided to an accountant and tax preparer. Marquardt also recorded false and fraudulent payments as business expenses in the QuickBooks records to conceal his embezzlement.
For tax years 2017 – 2020 and 2023, Marquardt filed United States federal income tax returns on Forms 1040 in which he willfully failed to report his embezzled income.
Under federal statutes, Marquardt is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole on the wire fraud count and up to 3 years’ imprisonment on the filing a false tax return count. 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. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations.
Nevada Man Charged in $500,830 COVID-19 Unemployment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man made his initial appearance in court yesterday for allegedly defrauding the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation (DETR) and the California Employment Development Department (EDD) in a scheme to steal $500,830 in benefits meant to assist unemployed individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A federal grand jury indicted Craig Renard Gibson with five counts of bank fraud, one count of illegal transactions with access devices, and four counts of aggravated identity theft. United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts scheduled a jury trial to begin October 20, 2025 before United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware.
“An important part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud involving the unemployment insurance program. This collaborative investigative effort with our local, state, and federal partners reaffirms our commitment to investigate these types of allegations,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
According to allegations contained in court documents, from about August 26, 2020, to about December 9, 2020, Gibson and others possessed debit cards issued in the names of other individuals that contained unemployment insurance benefits provided by the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation (DETR) and the California Employment Development Department (EDD). After obtaining the debit cards, Gibson and others illegally withdrew over $500,000 in funds from these cards.
Gibson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 162 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $5,250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent-in-Charge Quentin Heiden for the Western Region, Department of Labor-OIG made the announcement.
The Department of Labor-OIG and Department of Homeland Security-OIG investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Mina Chang is prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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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Movie Producer Arrested on Federal Indictment Charging Him with $12 Million Schemes to Defraud Victims, Including Film ProjectsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former San Fernando Valley resident who worked as a producer and accountant in the movie business was arrested today on a 21-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he defrauded victims, including independent film projects, out of more than $12 million, in part by causing them to pay for COVID-19 testing that never occurred and misappropriating funds from film projects for his own personal use.
David Raymond Brown, 39, formerly known as “David Brown Levy” and “David Addison Brown,” a former Sherman Oaks resident now living in West Columbia, South Carolina, is charged with nine counts of wire fraud, 10 counts of transactional money laundering, and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
Brown made his initial appearance today in United States District Court in Columbia, South Carolina. Brown’s arraignment is expected in the coming weeks in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
According to an indictment that a federal grand jury returned on August 20, Brown worked in the movie industry in various roles, including as a producer, unit production manager, and production accountant. He worked on various independent film projects to which he owed a fiduciary duty to their production companies.
From December 2021 to August 2025, Brown defrauded his victims via several methods, including by misappropriating funds belonging to film production companies by causing money to be transferred from the companies’ financial accounts to accounts that Brown controlled.
To create the false impression that the misappropriated funds were to be used for legitimate production expenses, Brown caused the film production companies to make payments to Hollywood Covid Testing LLC, a Studio City-based company he organized and operated, for services never rendered or already paid for, including by using false or duplicative invoices.
Brown also represented to an individual referred to in the indictment as “Victim 1” that Brown would pool money with him to make real estate investments as part of a house-flipping business. Brown contributed minimal funds and took some of Victim’s 1’s money to maintain his own lifestyle.
Separately, Brown represented to another individual – referred to in the indictment as “Victim 2” – that they would contribute money to a company Brown controlled called Film Holdings Capital. The funds then were supposed to provide loans and other financing to film projects.
Brown contributed minimal funds to Film Holdings Capital and – without Victim 2’s knowledge or consent – spent a substantial portion of Victim 2’s money on maintaining his lifestyle and repaying prior victims, including Victim 1 and the film production companies, in a Ponzi-like scheme.
To inflate his résumé and credibility in the film industry – and to induce Victim 2 to give him more money – Brown provided Victim 2 a copy of another person’s IMDb (Internet Movie Database) profile, which Brown claimed to be his own.
To ensure Victims 1 and 2 would not be discouraged from doing business with him, Brown concealed from them numerous facts about himself, including a May 2023 article in the Los Angeles Times detailing numerous fraud accusations made against him. He also concealed numerous lawsuits filed against him that alleged fraud.
Instead of using his victims’ money on film productions as he promised, Brown used their funds to purchase vehicles such as a 2025 Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon and three Teslas, including a 2024 Cybertruck. He also made mortgage payments on his personal residence and on home remodeling, including approximately $99,000 for the installation of a pool.
Brown also used his victims’ money to buy a house for his mother, make payments to members of his family, pay for more than $70,000 on surrogacy and related services, private school tuition payments, and more than $970,000 in payments pertaining to “Untitled SLA,” the working title for a film project relating to the 1974 kidnapping and indoctrination of Patricia Hearst by the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), a domestic terrorist group.
To create the false impression that he had not misspent Victim 2’s money and that Film Holdings Capital was appropriately operating as a film finance business, Brown – among other things – tricked and fraudulently induced a third party into signing backdated loan documents and withheld purported health insurance payments from employees’ payroll while failing to maintain their health insurance coverage.
In total, the loss to victims exceeds $12 million.
An indictment contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted of all charges, Brown would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count, up to 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering count, and a mandatory two-year consecutive prison sentence for each aggravated identity theft count.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander B. Schwab, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, Joshua O. Mausner of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, and Sarah E. Spielberger of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case.
Monroe County Man Indicted with Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Mat Minnick, age 22, of Tannersville, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on charges of production of child pornography, online enticement, transfer of obscene material to a minor, and receipt of child pornography.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Minnick used the internet and an electronic device to persuade and entice a minor to engage in sexual conduct and to produce child pornography. The indictment also alleges that Minnick transmitted obscene materials to four minors.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations-RAC Allentown and the Pocono Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the crimes charged in the Indictment is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Mitchell, SD Woman and North Jackson, OH Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a woman from Mitchell, South Dakota, and a woman from North Jackson, Ohio, both convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencings took place on April 7, 2025, and August 25, 2025.
Catherine Hamilton, 55, of Mitchell, South Dakota, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The sentencing took place on April 7, 2025.
Christine Hughes, 66, of North Jackson, Ohio, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The sentencing took place on August 25, 2025.
Hamilton and Hughes were indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in April 2024. Hamilton pleaded guilty on January 27, 2025; Hughes pleaded guilty on May 27, 2025.
Court documents show that Hamilton received several packages of methamphetamine through the United States Postal Service from Hughes in Ohio. Hamilton then distributed the methamphetamine to others in South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Mitchell Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Hamilton and Hughes were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mississippi Man Sentenced for Attempted Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – AVERY FREEL (“FREEL”), age 23, of Ocean Springs, MS, was sentenced on August 21, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, after previously pleading guilty to the Attempted Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
According to court documents, the case against FREEL stemmed from an online investigation by a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“HSI”) special agent. On July 19, 2023, within the Eastern District of Louisiana, FREEL was contacted by an individual on an online messaging application. The individual told FREEL that she was 14 years old. FREEL disclosed to the individual, he believed to be a minor, that he was 21 years old and lived in Ocean Springs, MS. FREEL suggested the two of them communicate via another online messaging application. The individual he believed to be a minor received a friend request from FREEL. FREEL and the individual he believed to be a minor communicated on the online messaging application for several days. In their communications on July 25-26, 2023, FREEL asked the individual, he believed to be a minor, to take sexually explicit images of herself and send them to FREEL. On July 27, 2023, FREEL traveled from Ocean Springs, MS to Hammond, LA where he was arrested by HSI special agents.
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.
United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon sentenced FREEL to sixty (60) months in the Bureau of Prisons, followed by (8) eight years of supervised release, a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee, and a requirement to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Hammond Police Department, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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Mission Man Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a man from Mission, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of a Stolen Firearm. The sentencing took place on August 25, 2025.
Marlow Poor Thunder, 30, was sentenced to three years and 11 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Poor Thunder was indicted for Possession of a Stolen Firearm and Felon in Possession of a Firearm by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm on July 28, 2025.
According to court documents, on October 24, 2024, Poor Thunder was driving a stolen vehicle when he was stopped by a trooper with the South Dakota Highway Patrol. At that time, Poor Thunder possessed a stolen firearm, which he had stolen earlier that day from another vehicle. Law enforcement located and seized the firearm.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the Yankton Police Department, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Poor Thunder was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mexican National with Prior Drug Trafficking Convictions Sentenced to over 13 Months in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Gloria Navarro to 13 months and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally reentering the United States after being twice removed from the country. The defendant has a prior drug trafficking conviction, where he was sentenced to 10 to 25 years in prison.
According to court documents and statements made during court proceedings, on December 13, 2024, Gutierrez-Chavarria was arrested by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police for 3 counts Sell/Transport Controlled Substance and Trafficking Controlled Substance. Gutierrez-Chavarria was released on bail and on February 20, 2025, Gutierrez-Chavarria was arrested by ICE. Gutierrez-Chavarria was previously deported on April 5, 2022, and again on September 6, 2022. Gutierrez-Chavarria was deported the first time after spending 16 years in prison on a 2007 felony drug trafficking conviction.
Gutierrez-Chavarria pleaded guilty to one-count of Deported Alien Found in the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City 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 prosecuted the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
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Mexican National Indicted for Drug Crimes in UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Mexican national, who has been living in the United States illegally, has been indicted by a federal grand jury today for drug crimes after law enforcement seized over 15,000 fentanyl pills and heroin.
Alfredo Tovar-Ruiz, 26, of Mexico, who has been living in West Valley City, Utah, was charged by complaint August 22, 2025.
According to court documents, since July 2025, detectives with the Davis Metro Narcotics Strike Force have been investigating a drug trafficking organization. On August 20, 2025, detectives stopped a male, later identified as Tovar-Ruiz, in a parking lot as he approached a vehicle that belonged to the drug trafficking organization. Tovar-Ruiz and the vehicle were searched pursuant to a search warrant. Detectives seized 84 grams of fentanyl pills (approximately 840 pills), and 29 grams of heroin. During a subsequent search of Tovar-Ruiz’s residence in West Valley City, detectives seized an additional 1,930 grams of heroin and 1,478 grams of fentanyl pills (approximately 14,780 pills). In total, law enforcement seized approximately 15,620 fentanyl pills and 1,959 grams of heroin.
Tovar-Ruiz is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for September 2, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the Davis Metro Narcotics Strike Force and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maryland Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The former director and one of the corporate officers for 1st Adult N Pediatrics Healthcare pled guilty yesterday to conspiring with others to commit federal healthcare fraud.
Carolyn Bryant-Taylor, 61, of Clinton, Maryland, pled guilty yesterday to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. At sentencing, Bryant-Taylor faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Bryant-Taylor was charged in March 2025, along with: Kafomdi “Josephine” Okocha, 48, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; Samuel Okocha, 50, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; Shekita Gore, a.k.a. Shekita Steele, 38, of Clinton, Maryland; Elizabeth Ilome, 41, of Stafford, Virginia; and Eno Utuk, 47, of Stafford, Virginia.
According to court documents, Bryant-Taylor, Josephine Okocha, and Samuel Okocha were owners and operators of 1st Adult N Pediatric Healthcare Service, a Medicaid-enrolled home health agency providing private duty nursing, personal care, and respite care services throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, including in the Western District of Virginia. Gore was the director of nursing, while Utuk and Ilome were employed by 1st Adult to provide nursing and personal care.
The defendants conspired to submit false claims to Medicaid for services that were not provided to patients, including falsifying records and documentation in support of the fraudulent claims submitted for reimbursement.
As part of this scheme, between 2017 and 2023, Bryant-Taylor and her co-defendant, Josephine Okocha, planned arrangements to pay the parents or guardians of patients in exchange for blank, signed nursing notes which would be filled out and used to support billing to Medicaid. In these arrangements, the amount billed to Medicaid either reflected nursing services that were not provided at all, or an amount of nursing services that was in excess of what was actually provided.
On multiple occasions between 2017 and 2023, Bryant-Taylor provided payments to parents or guardians of patients. In exchange, the patients’ parents or guardians agreed to sign off on skilled nursing that had not occurred and Bryant-Taylor, or other employees at 1st Adult, received blank, signed nursing notes.
Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Farina of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virginia Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit are investigating the case, with assistance from the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Jones and Laura Taylor, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Terry, a Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, are prosecuting the case.
Man Sentenced to a Year and a Half in Federal Prison for Covid-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge in Chicago has sentenced a man to a year and half in prison for scheming to fraudulently obtain nearly $2 million in small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
In 2020, SAMUEL W. JACKSON engaged in fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL)—two sources of relief under the CARES Act. Jackson submitted to lenders and the U.S. Small Business Administration numerous applications on behalf of businesses he controlled. The applications contained false statements and misrepresentations concerning, among other things, the purported businesses’ employment figures, payroll costs, and operating expenses. The fraud scheme caused a loss to lenders and the SBA of more than $1.9 million.
Jackson and others used the loan proceeds for their personal benefit, including $500,000 on luxury vehicles, nearly $230,000 at restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues, and $116,000 on rent.
Jackson, 45, formerly of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to wire fraud and money laundering charges. On Aug. 20, 2025, U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly sentenced Jackson to 18 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay approximately $1.9 million in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance was provided by the SBA Office of Inspector General.
“Defendant was the hub of a fraudulent scheme,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher K. Veatch and Branka Cimesa argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant abused a federal program funded by taxpayer money and designed to help those in need.”
Madison Man Indicted for Producing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Madison, Wisconsin, returned an indictment today against Robert Gilkey-Meisegeier, 30, of Madison. Gilkey-Meisegeier is charged with producing, attempting to produce, and possessing child pornography. The indictment alleges that on May 16, 2025, Gilkey-Meisegeier produced and attempted to produce images of child pornography, and further that he possessed images of child pornography on June 1, 2025.
If convicted of either of the production related charges, Gilkey-Meisegeier faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. The possession count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years.
The charges against him are the result of an investigation conducted by the Sun Prairie Police Department with assistance from the University of Wisconsin Police Department, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger is handling the case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Madera Man Arrested on Gun Charges and for Possessing Counterfeit U.S. Postal Service KeysRead the Press Release
Brian Hindman, 49, of Madera, was arrested today on criminal complaint for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of counterfeit U.S. Postal Service keys, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court records, on July 25, 2025, as Hindman pulled into a casino parking lot, law enforcement officers arrested him for an outstanding state warrant for burglary. Hindman was found with a loaded 9 mm Ruger pistol that he was prohibited from possessing due to several prior felony convictions for which he spent over four years in state prison. Hindman was also found with six counterfeit U.S. Postal Service keys that are commonly used by thieves to steal mail, and several driver’s licenses and debit cards in other people’s names.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Hindman faces maximum penalties of 15 years in prison for the gun charge and 10 years in prison for the possession of counterfeit USPS keys charge. He also faces up to a 250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
MS-13 Gang Associate Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for the Murder of 17-Year-Old Victim in Kissena Park in QueensRead the Press Release
Juan Amaya-Ramirez, also known as “Cadaver,” an associate of the La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as “MS-13,” a transnational criminal organization, was sentenced yesterday, in federal court in Brooklyn, by United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall to 45 years in prison for his role in the April 23, 2018 murder of 17-year-old Andy Peralta in Kissena Park in Queens, New York. Amaya-Ramirez and co-defendant Oscar Flores-Mejia, also known as “Chamuco,” who is also an associate of the MS-13 gang, pleaded guilty to the murder in September 2024. Flores-Mejia is awaiting sentencing.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Ricky J. Patel, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI) announced the sentence.
“The senselessness of this murder is matched only by its brutality,” said United States Attorney Nocella. “The defendants lured Andy Peralta to a secluded part of Kissena park where they beat him mercilessly before Amaya-Ramirez choked him to death and Flores-Mejia hacked him with a knife. The murder of this young victim is a chilling reminder of MS-13’s callous disregard for human life. Bringing those who commit violent crimes to justice is one of our Office’s highest priorities.”
“Juan Amaya-Ramriez, an MS-13 associate, brutally attacked and murdered Andy Peralta out of senseless retaliation,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “The defendant unjustly sentenced Peralta to a horrific death due to a false perception of his status as a rival. The FBI continues to make significant strides throughout Operation Summer Heat to hold accountable gang members maliciously acting as the judge, jury, and executioner to promote their operations.”
“For far too long, senseless gang violence has plagued our neighborhoods and devastated families,” stated HSI Special Agent in Charge Patel. “Andy Peralta was viciously beaten, stabbed, and strangled to death by savages whose sentences now reflect the seriousness of their crimes. Together with our law enforcement partners, HSI New York will not stand by as our streets are overrun by violent gang members. The eradication of gang violence on Long Island and throughout the state remains an utmost priority for HSI New York and our law enforcement partners.”
As proved at a hearing in connection with codefendant Leyla Carranza’s sentencing, the defendants sought to murder Peralta because they believed he was associated with the 18th Street gang, an MS-13 rival. Flores-Mejia found a video online that depicted Peralta, who the defendants did not know, briefly flashing a sign associated with the 18th Street gang. This was enough in the defendants’ eyes to mark him for death. Flores-Mejia recruited a 16-year-old boy to help kill Peralta, and Amaya-Ramirez’s then-girlfriend Leyla Carranza was recruited to befriend Peralta and lure him to his death in the park.
The day of the murder, Flores-Mejia bought black winter gloves to be used in the attack and carried a knife. Carranza messaged Peralta and then took him to a predetermined location in Kissena Park. Amaya-Ramirez, Flores-Mejia and their 16-year-old accomplice were waiting. Flores-Mejia gave a signal, and the men attacked Peralta. They beat Peralta until they were exhausted. Peralta got up, but Flores-Mejia kicked Peralta down. Amaya-Ramirez then began strangling Peralta while Flores-Mejia was stomping on his head. Peralta begged for his life and called out for his mother and father. Flores-Mejia put dirt in his mouth to silence him and Amaya-Ramirez choked him to death. Flores-Mejia then stabbed Peralta in the back and slashed his tattoo of his girlfriend’s name.
The men then took a photograph of themselves posing over Peralta’s lifeless body and flashing MS-13 hand signs. They then stole Peralta’s money and dragged his body to a small body of water, where he was found the following day.
Today’s sentencing is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of MS-13. MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador and Honduras, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders, and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 45 murders in the district and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by our law enforcement partners including HSI and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, comprising agents and officers of the FBI and NYPD.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime & Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nadia E. Moore, Jonathan Siegel, and Anna L. Karamigios are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JUAN AMAYA-RAMIREZ (also known as “Cadaver”)
Age: 27
Fresh Meadows, QueensDefendant Awaiting Sentencing:
OSCAR FLORES-MEJIA (also known as “Chamuco”)
Age: 25
Elmhurst, QueensDefendant Previously Sentenced:
LEYLA CARRANZA
Age: 24
Richmond, VirginiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-228 (LDH)
Monticello Man Indicted for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Vertis McNeil Robinson, 47, of Monticello, FL, has been indicted in federal court for attempted enticement of a minor. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge.
Robinson appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick on August 21, 2025, in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for October 20, 2025, at 8:15 am before District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
If convicted, Robinson faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
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 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The 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.
Luzerne County Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Ricky Charles Patterson, age 44, of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on charges of drug trafficking, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and illegal possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about May 2, 2025, Patterson possessed with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, both Schedule II controlled substances. It is further alleged that Patterson possessed a Smith & Wesson .44 caliber revolver in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime knowing that he was a prohibited possessor as a convicted felon.
The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (“ATF”), the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Kingston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson is prosecuting the case.
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 maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Louisville Physician Agrees to Pay $250,000 to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Dr. James Charasika, a Louisville physician, agreed to pay $250,000 to resolve allegations that he and his practice, Louisville Patient Centered Medical Home (LPCMH), submitted false claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE related to improper billing of services provided by nurse practitioners, announced U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky.
Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE pay for medical services provided by nurse practitioners, but the amount of payment is different than if the service is provided by a physician. The United States alleged that Dr. Charasika and LPCMH violated the False Claims Act by billing government programs as if he provided medical services when, in fact, the services were provided by nurse practitioners. For Medicare, if particular conditions are satisfied, services provided by a nurse practitioner may be billed as if they were performed by a physician, but the United States alleged that Dr. Charasika and LPCMH did not satisfy those conditions.
The claims resolved by this settlement include claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States of America v. Louisville Patient Centered Medical Home, P.S.C., et al., Case No. 3:20-cv-3390-CRS (WDKY). Under the qui tam provisions, the relators received more than $35,000 from the settlement proceeds.
“This office is committed to investigating allegations of healthcare fraud and protecting federal healthcare programs,” said U.S. Attorney Bumgarner. “I appreciate the whistleblowers coming forward in this case and encourage others who see fraud to do the same.”
“The alleged conduct affects the integrity of the government healthcare programs that our most vulnerable citizens rely on,” said Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman. “I’m grateful for the opportunity for our team to work with our federal partners to investigate allegations of healthcare fraud.”
The Kentucky Office of Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit helped investigate this matter and received more than $68,000 of the settlement amount due to the alleged false claims submitted to Medicaid. The United States Department for Health and Human Services Office of Counsel to the Inspector General and Office of Investigations also helped obtain this settlement.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Thompson handled this matter.
The claims resolved by settlement agreement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
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Livingston man sentenced to 2 years in prison on drug chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Livingston man who trafficked methamphetamine was sentenced today to 24 months in prison to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Kyle Richard Lewellen, 43, pleaded guilty in November 2023 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in March of 2020, law enforcement began investigating Lewellen and others for distributing methamphetamine in Livingston and elsewhere in Montana. Investigators obtained the data from the phones of Lewellen and his co-conspirators. There were text messages between them discussing methamphetamine trafficking as well as using the trunk lining in Lewellen’s vehicle as a place to hide drugs while transporting them. In those exchanges Lewellen offered to quickly flip any drugs a co-conspirator could front him. He also negotiated the price of ounces of methamphetamine in coming shipments.
On September 20, 2022, a co-defendant was interviewed by law enforcement. He described how another co-defendant would use Lewellen’s car for meth trafficking and how Lewellen would wire them money for ounces of methamphetamine. On November 15, 2022, another co-defendant was interviewed and described “renting” Lewellen’s car for drug runs and that he would pay Lewellen an ounce of methamphetamine in exchange. The co-defendant said this happened approximately 10 times.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Missouri River Drug Task Force and the Park County Sheriff’s Office.
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Lawton Couple Sentenced to Serve More Than 45 Years Collectively in Federal Prison for Their Roles in Child Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Defendants Ordered to Pay Nearly $480,000 in Restitution
OKLAHOMA CITY – JACKIE DUNCAN, 35, and NIA HALL, 30, both of Lawton, have been sentenced to serve more than 45 years collectively in federal prison and ordered to pay $479,832.97 in restitution for engaging in sex trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, in May 2024, two juveniles ran away from a juvenile group home in Lawton, Oklahoma, and were entered into law enforcement databases as missing juveniles. One of the juveniles was located by officers with the Plano Police Department on July 16, 2024, at a motel in Collin County, Texas, where she disclosed that she and the other missing juvenile had been sex-trafficked. The victim told officers that after she and the other juvenile had fled the group home, they were approached by two people, later identified as Duncan and Hall, at a gas station. The juveniles began living with Duncan and Hall, who soon after drove the girls to various Texas cities, where they performed sex acts for cash, which Duncan and Hall kept. In return, Duncan and Hall gave the girls food and shelter. The juvenile told authorities she had recently escaped Duncan and Hall’s vehicle in the Dallas area. On September 30, 2024, the second juvenile was found and recovered in San Antonio, Texas. She recounted a similar account of being sex-trafficked by Duncan and Hall. During the investigation, local and federal law enforcement reviewed sex advertisements associated with Hall, which contained photos of the victims. Duncan and Hall were arrested on December 16, 2024.
On January 21, 2025, a federal Grand Jury charged Duncan with sex trafficking of children and Hall with a conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. On April 30, 2025, Duncan pleaded guilty, and admitted he knowingly recruited two minors under the age of 18 to cause them to engage in commercial sex acts and that he aided and abetted Hall to do the same. Hall pleaded guilty on May 19, 2025, and admitted she knowingly worked with Duncan to recruit and transport the juveniles for purposes of commercial sex acts.
At sentencing hearings this week, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Duncan to serve 360 months in federal prison, followed by supervised release for life, and Hall to serve 188 months in federal prison, followed by supervised release for life. Judge Palk also ordered Duncan and Hall to pay restitution in the amount of $479,832.97. In announcing his sentences, Judge Palk noted the depraved nature of the offenses, the need to protect the public, and the need for the sentences to send a “shockwave” through the community of individuals who would consider engaging in this kind of conduct.
“The sexual exploitation and trafficking of children is among the most vile and heartbreaking crimes in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “These sentences stand as a powerful reminder that those who prey on children will be held fully accountable under the law. Through the tireless and unified efforts of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we have ensured that these predators have been stopped from harming any other children. We remain steadfast in our mission to protect the most vulnerable among us and to pursue those who target them.”
“The exploitation of vulnerable youth is among the most reprehensible crimes we confront,” said Richard “Glen” Melville, Director of Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services. “This case underscores the critical importance of collaboration across jurisdictions to protect children and hold traffickers accountable. We are grateful to our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their tireless efforts in bringing justice to the victims and ensuring those responsible face the full weight of the law.”
“Two child sex traffickers have received significant sentences, underscoring the seriousness of their crimes and serving as a reminder that the FBI will identify and arrest child predators,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “We are proud to have worked closely with our law enforcement partners to pursue these defendants who preyed on our society’s most vulnerable members.”
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, FBI, Lawton Police Department, Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics & Dangerous Drugs Control, Fort Smith Police Department, Arkansas State Police, San Antonio Police Department, Plano Police Department, and Fort Worth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Ganz and Brandon Hale prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Lakeland Couple Arrested After Committing String of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest and filing of criminal complaints charging Andres Correa (39, Lakeland) and Cassandra Kerr (46, Lakeland) with Hobbs Act robbery. The complaint alleges that Correa committed a series of armed robberies in August 2025. Kerr aided and abetted Correa in committing the robberies on August 5 and August 7, 2025. If convicted, each faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each charge.
According to the complaints, on August 5, 2025, Correa and Kerr robbed a gas station in Tampa. Correa brandished a pistol and demanded money. Correa pressed the firearm into one of the victim’s stomachs until he received money from the business. Kerr acted as a lookout for Correa in her vehicle outside the store.
Two days later, Correa and Kerr robbed a food mart in Tampa. During the robbery, Correa entered the business, produced a pistol, and demanded money. Correa held one of the store clerks at gunpoint until receiving the money from the register. Kerr again acted a lookout for Correa during this robbery.
On August 19, 2025, Correa robbed a smoke shop in Seffner. After pulling a pistol from his chest area, Correa grabbed a customer and moved him back towards the counter. Correa pointed the firearm at the back of the victim’s head and neck as he demanded cash from the clerk. The clerk complied by handing Correa the cash register drawer.
On August 26,2025, FBI and ATF agents, along with detectives from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, executed search warrants at two residences. In one of the residences, officers located clothing consistent with surveillance footage, a firearm consistent with the firearm used in the robberies, a stomach holster, and a ledger with a list of banks and smoke shops and directions on how to get to those businesses.
These arrests were the result of joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Kansas City Man Sentenced for Embezzling $612,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for reimbursing himself $612,000 in fictitious business-related expenses from his employer.
Jeremy M. Ubben, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 33 months in federal prison and 3 additional years of supervised release. The court ordered Ubben to pay $612,000 in restitution to his former employer, $127,589 to the Internal Revenue Service, and $27,038 to the State of Missouri. The court also ordered Ubben to forfeit to the government $40,000 in laundered stolen funds.
On Feb. 5, 2025, Ubben pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of income tax evasion, and one count of money laundering. Ubben admitted that he embezzled $612,000 from his law firm employer between March 2023 and Aug. 2024. According to court documents, Ubben was employed as the firm’s business manager and had full administrator rights to the firm’s online payroll processing program. Beginning in March 2023, Ubben submitted and approved for himself reimbursement requests for fictious business expense expenditures totaling tens of thousands of dollars. Ubben also admitted that he laundered proceeds from his theft through his TD Ameritrade brokerage account.
Ubben admitted that he failed to file a federal income tax return for tax year 2023. During that year, Ubben had taxable income of $262,000. The total federal tax loss for that year is $98,785.30. The total tax loss to the state of Missouri is $27,038.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Constance. It was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations.
Justice Department Opens Investigation into California Environmental Protection Agency for Discriminatory Employment PracticesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has opened an investigation into the California Environmental Protection Agency (CAL EPA), including the California Air Resources Board (CARB), to determine whether it may be engaged in employment practices that discriminate based on race, sex, color, and national origin.
In publicly available guidance documents, CAL EPA highlights “hiring, promotion and retention practices and policies” that indicate it may be using protected characteristics to “advance racial equity.” Further, CARB, a division of CAL EPA, appears to use these policies to engage in discriminatory employment practices in its “Racial Equity Framework,” which aims to advance race-based decision-making within the agency.
The Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section is investigating whether the California Environmental Protection Agency is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, sex, and other protected characteristics, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.
“Race-based employment practices and policies in America’s local and state agencies violate equal treatment under the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Agencies that unlawfully use protected characteristics as a factor in employment and hiring risk serious legal consequences.”
You can read the notice letter here.
Jury Finds Guatemalan National Guilty of Using U.S. Citizen’s Information to Work Illegally in the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury today found Sindi Yamileth Mejia Avila (22, Guatemala) guilty of aggravated identity theft, false representation of a Social Security number (SSN), and false claim of United States citizenship. Avila faces a maximum penalty of 12 years in federal prison. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 4, 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, Avila used a U.S. citizen’s personal identifying information to apply for a construction job in the Middle District of Florida. Avila obtained a fake North Carolina driver license in the U.S. citizen’s real name and date of birth but displaying Avila’s photo. She also obtained a fake Social Security card listing the U.S. citizen’s real name and SSN. Avila submitted these fake documents with her I-9 work authorization form when she applied for the construction job. On the I-9 form Avila falsely claimed that the U.S. citizen’s name, date of birth, and status as a United States citizen was her own.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, and the Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Karyna Valdes and Lindsey Schmidt.
Jefferson Parish Resident Guilty of Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JELISSA LACOUR (“LACOUR”), age 36, a resident of Jefferson Parish, pleaded guilty on August 14, 2025 before United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier to two counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
According to court documents, LACOUR admitted that she obtained numerous Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans using falsified tax forms, and that she fraudulently obtained Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds in the names of numerous purported renters. In some instances, the PPP and ERAP applications were for her accomplices who sought to benefit from the fraudulent applications, while in other instances, LACOUR misused others’ identities to obtain payments in their names.
At sentencing, LACOUR faces up to 20 years of imprisonment, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release for each wire fraud count, and two years of imprisonment, to be followed by up to one year of supervised release, for each aggravated identity theft count. Each count is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon of the of the Public Integrity Unit.
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Jasper County felon sentenced for federal firearms and drug trafficking crimesRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Buna man has been sentenced to over 33 years in federal prison for firearms and drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Leotis Cornelius McMahon, 48, was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on February 5, 2025. McMahon was sentenced to 400 months in federal prison by Judge Crone on August 27, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in 2023, law enforcement was investigating McMahon for distributing narcotics within Southeast Texas. On January 5, 2024, following a prolonged surveillance operation, a traffic stop was conducted on McMahon in Lumberton where he was found to be transporting nearly a kilogram of methamphetamine. After the traffic stop, a search warrant for McMahon’s residence in Buna was obtained and executed. Law enforcement discovered materials used in the distribution of narcotics as well as four separate firearms, one being an AR style pistol. One of the firearms seized from McMahon’s residence was stolen.
McMahon was operating what was described as a mobile illegal drug shop. The amounts of controlled substances, along with the tools used in trafficking such as scales and bags used for distribution, seized from McMahon indicated that he was dealing significant quantities of drugs for profit.
Further investigation revealed McMahon is a convicted felon and prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations; Lumberton Police Department; Jasper County Sheriff’s Office; Beaumont Police Department; and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Lee and John B. Ross.
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Jamestown woman pleads guilty for her role in narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Anabell Santiago, 53, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine, maintaining a drug involved premises, and being a user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum penalty of 40 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that in November 2023, a search warrant was executed at a Van Buren Street residence, during which law enforcement seized cash, a quantity of fentanyl, pills, and drug paraphernalia. As law enforcement was securing the apartment, Anabell Santiago’s husband and co-defendant Santos Santiago attempted to destroy his fentanyl causing a large amount of fentanyl to go airborne. Two officers inhaled the cloud with one experiencing physical effects requiring medical attention.
In March 2024, investigators made a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Anabell Santiago. In April 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at the Santiago’s Whitley Avenue residence, seizing fentanyl, crack cocaine, oxycodone, two loaded pistols, ammunition, $30,369.00 in cash, and drug paraphernalia. The defendant admits the seized U.S. currency converts to at least 300 grams of fentanyl. Anabell Santiago admits that at the time of her possession of the firearms, she was an unlawful and habitual user of fentanyl. On January 15, 2025, Anabell Santiago pleaded guilty in Chautauqua County Court to possession of more than four ounces of fentanyl.
Santos Santiago was convicted and sentenced to serve 132 months in prison.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 23, 2025, before Judge Sinatra.
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Jamaican National Charged with Possession of a Firearm by an Alien Unlawfully in the CountryRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Michael Wilson, 24, of Kingston, Jamaica, has been charged by criminal complaint in federal court with possession of a firearm while being an alien unlawfully present in the United States. On August 26, 2025, Wilson appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Wilson be detained pending trial.
According to court records, at approximately 11:44 a.m. on June 28, 2025, near Dorset Street in South Burlington, Wilson shot an individual with whom he had a dispute stemming from the previous night at a bar. Wilson shot his victim in the shoulder. After the shooting, Wilson fled Vermont to Connecticut, where he was eventually arrested.
On June 30, 2025, the State of Vermont charged Wilson with attempted second-degree murder and reckless endangerment. On August 25, 2025, however, the State withdrew its request that Wilson be held without bail, resulting in Wilson’s release from State custody.
According to the July 1, 2025, federal criminal complaint, Wilson faces federal prosecution because federal law enforcement determined that Wilson, a citizen of Jamaica, had arrived in the United States in June 2023 as a visitor but had overstayed his visa. Wilson thus had no legal status in the United States when he possessed the firearm he used in the shooting. Because a federal arrest warrant was issued at the time the federal complaint was filed, when Wilson was released from state custody, he was transferred to federal custody.
“This federal prosecution is an example of the vigilance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, working closely with the United States Border Patrol, to protect the public by enforcing federal firearms laws that prohibit the possession of firearms by foreign nationals who are here unlawfully,” said Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Wilson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Wilson faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
In addition to ATF and Border Patrol, Acting United States Attorney Drescher also commended the investigatory efforts of the South Burlington Police Department, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, and the Winooski Police Department. The Windsor Connecticut Police Department also provided valuable assistance in apprehending Wilson.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Gilman. Michael Wilson is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Charles N. Curlett, Jr.
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).
Ithaca Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Zachary Jackson, age 38, of Ithaca, New York, pled guilty on Tuesday to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine; possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
Jackson admitted that on November 19, 2024, he possessed a kilogram of cocaine and a Glock handgun he used to protect himself during the course of his drug sales. Law enforcement investigation revealed that Jackson sold cocaine to drug users in the Ithaca and Auburn, New York, areas. Jackson could not legally possess a firearm, as he had been previously convicted of a New York State felony assault for which he served over 10 years in prison.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Drug dealers, especially ones with violent criminal histories like this defendant, should know that law enforcement in the Northern District of New York will find them and put them behind bars. Thanks to the investigative efforts of local agencies and the DEA, our communities are now safe from this dealer, his drugs, and his gun.”
Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, stated: “Drugs and weapons too often go hand in hand. Today’s guilty plea from Zachary Jackson serves a clear reminder that justice will be delivered to those who flood our communities with narcotics. The DEA remains steadfast in its commitment to working alongside our law enforcement partners in protecting our communities and enhancing public safety.”
Sentencing is scheduled for December 18, 2025, before United States Chief District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. At sentencing, Jackson faces a prison term of at least 10 years and up to life; a fine of up to $5,000,000; and a supervised release term of at least 4 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
DEA is investigating the case with assistance from the New York State Police; the Finger Lakes Drug Task Force (FLDTF); the Auburn Police Department; the Ithaca Police Department; and the Onondaga, Cayuga, and Tompkins County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Iowa City Man Sentenced to 132 Months in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison for Receipt of Child Pornography.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Heath Ashley Harmon, 49, received, uploaded, and distributed files containing child sexual abuse material. During an online investigation into the BitTorrent network, law enforcement discovered Harmon was distributing child pornography content over the internet from August 2023 through January 2024. During a search warrant at Harmon's Iowa City residence, law enforcement seized several electronic devices. A forensic examination showed Harmon stored child pornography on seven devices, including a laptop, two phones, SD cards, and other storage devices.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Harmon will be required to serve an eight-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Harmon was also ordered to pay $35,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa. This case was investigated by Johnson County Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Illinois Man Sentenced to 84 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Robert Holder, 33 years old, of Markham, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Holder was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in the spring of 2024, Holder sold fentanyl to law enforcement on five occasions.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel L. Mathur.
Husband and Wife Indicted in $1.1 Million Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Donna Johnson Waterman (51, Orlando) and Oliver Raymond Waterman (50, Orlando) with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies the Watermans that the United States intends to forfeit $1,142,595, the proceeds of conspiracy.
According to the indictment, Donna Waterman was an office manager at a law firm in the Middle District of Florida (“VC”). As part of her duties, Donna Waterman maintained the finances of VC. Between October 2020 and March 2024, Donna Waterman fraudulently accessed VC’s PayPal Account and diverted more than $1.1 million of VC funds to accounts belonging to herself and her husband, Oliver Waterman. The Watermans used the fraudulently obtained funds on lavish vacations, gambling, and retail expenditures.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Rockledge Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
Honduran man sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Honduran man who was in the United States illegally was sentenced today to three months in prison, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Nahun Esau Suazo-Varela, 48, pleaded guilty in June 2025 to illegal reentry.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on May 22, 2025, law enforcement identified a vehicle in Havre, Montana registered to an individual who had overstayed the terms of admission into the United States. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and identified the defendant, Nahun Esau Suazo-Varela, as the passenger in the vehicle. He presented his Honduran passport and acknowledged he had no immigration documents allowing him to legally be in the United States. Suazo-Varela was transported to the Havre Border Patrol Station, where he acknowledged he had illegally crossed into the United States after his deportation near McAllen, Texas, in October 2010.
Between 2006 and 2010, Suazo-Varela had numerous law enforcement contacts in Ohio for traffic-related offenses. He was ordered removed from the United States on September 30, 2010.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the United States Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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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Holland Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS – United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that Darian Howard, 25, of Holland, was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child.
“My office takes very seriously its obligation to protect vulnerable victims, and children this young are among the most vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney VerHey. “Child exploitation is one of the most troubling crimes we prosecute and we work diligently to secure justice and appropriate sentences for predators.”
In November 2024, a woman called 911 after learning that Howard had taken sexually explicit photographs of her three-year-old daughter. A police investigation revealed that Howard had taken sexually explicit images of two three-year-old girls, including a video that depicted him sexually assaulting one of the minor girls. Howard was charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a child and pleaded guilty to one of the counts in May 2025.
“One of the Holland Department of Public Safety’s primary goals is to make the Holland Community safe from criminal activity,” said Kris Haglund, Captain of Criminal Investigations for Holland Department of Public Safety. “By partnering with the FBI and Children’s Advocacy Center we are pleased with the conclusion of this case. Without these partnerships, this case would not have had the result it did. We hope that the families who were impacted by this incident can have a sense of closure because of this prosecution.”
“The indictment of Darian Howard reaffirms the FBI’s commitment to pursuing justice against those alleged to exploit the most vulnerable members in our community,” said Reuben Coleman, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The alleged actions are disturbing and will not be tolerated. I want to thank the dedicated members of our FBI Grand Rapids Resident Agency, including the West Michigan-based Child Exploitation Task Force (WEBCHEX), Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office and the Holland Police Department for their diligent work. The FBI will remain steadfast in pursuing those who target our children and work to hold alleged predators accountable under federal law.”
The Holland Department of Public Safety, Ottawa County Sherriff’s Office, and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Doaa Al-Howaishy prosecuted it.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor’s offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
Helena man sentenced to over 10 years in prison on drug chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Helena man who trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl was sentenced today to 148 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
David Alan Moorse, 39, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement received information David Moorse was distributing fentanyl powder in Montana. Moorse told one source he had a good hook up in Helena and sent pictures of a brick of fentanyl powder.
On January 9, 2025, Moorse was located at a casino in Helena, Montana, and arrested for a state probation violation warrant. He had 94 grams of methamphetamine, 106 grams of fentanyl pills and 25 grams of fentanyl powder in his vehicle. Moorse admitted in an interview that he sold one to ten fentanyl pills a day to make a little money to buy a few grams of meth for personal use. Moorse denied distributing a large quantity of drugs despite the quantity located in the car. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Moorse’s phone and found messages related to distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Hays woman pleads guilty to strangulationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Hays woman who strangled another woman on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Rochelle Lynn Jones, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of strangulation. Jones faces 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for December 17, 2025. Jones remains detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on June 10, 2024, Jones and Jane Doe consumed alcohol and got into an argument. Jones choked Jane Doe and Jane Doe said she could not breathe and lost consciousness momentarily. Two witnesses observed the strangulation and intervened to stop the assault. The witnesses contacted the police for help.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Hendricks prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Great Falls man convicted of illegal possession of guns and ammunitionRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man who possessed guns and ammunition illegally was found guilty by a federal jury today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Following a one-and-a-half-day trial, Ian Allister Tomlinson, 45, was found guilty of one count of felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Tomlinson faces 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for December 17, 2025, in Great Falls. Tomlinson will remain released on conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Tomlinson was convicted in the District Court for the First Judicial District of the State of Idaho of felony possession of a controlled substance. On July 9, 2024, Tomlinson appeared in person and was sentenced to a minimum fixed and determinate period of custody of one year followed by an indeterminate period of custody of up to one year, for a total unified sentence not to exceed two years. The Court suspended the sentence for two years and placed Tomlinson on probation for a period of two years. That same day, Tomlinson signed an acceptance of probation statement, acknowledging he understood the conditions of his probation. Thereafter, Tomlinson’s supervision was transferred to the State of Montana Probation and Parole.
In August 2024, Tomlinson signed an acknowledgement that his right to possess or own firearms or ammunition was suspended while on supervision. Specifically, he signed a Firearms and Voting Regulations form which states:
I further understand that my right to possess or own firearms or ammunition is suspended while under supervision. Federal law prohibits a convicted felon from possessing or receive firearms or ammunition [Title 18, United States Code Section 922(g)(1)] Therefore, I understand I could be prosecuted for violation Federal law. I also understand that I could be punished for violating my conditions of supervision AND federally prosecuted.The next day, Tomlinson signed his conditions of probation and parole. Condition 15 states: “Weapons: I will not use, own, possess, transfer, or be in control of any firearms, ammunition (including black powder), or weapons.”
On October 4, 2024, a witness contacted the Probation and Parole Office and reported that Tomlinson had a gun safe with several guns inside it a local storage unit. Probation and Parole officers located Tomlinson at his place of employment. He provided the combination to the gun safe and admitted he had several firearms in the safe as well as some of his personal paperwork.
Probation and Parole officers located five rifles, six pistols, miscellaneous ammunition, Tomlinson’s passport, and other paperwork belonging to him inside the safe. They also recovered surveillance footage from the storage facility showing Tomlinson accessed the storage unit a few days prior to the search.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Starnes prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by State of Montana Probation and Parole Office with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office.
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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Gorham Man Receives 22-Year Sentence for Using Handgun While Robbing Waterboro Bank Last SummerRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Gorham man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for robbing a bank, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Timothy Riley, 42, to 22 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, and she ordered him to pay restitution to the victim bank. Riley pleaded guilty on March 17, 2025.
According to court records, in June 2024, Riley demanded money from a bank teller at a Waterboro bank while brandishing a Glock Model 19 handgun. Riley then fled the bank with money, leaving the scene on a dirt bike. Responding York County Sheriff’s Office deputies spotted the vehicle and followed Riley in pursuit until he headed off-road where law enforcement vehicles could no longer travel. During canine tracking, investigators recovered a handgun and dark-colored baseball cap consistent with items observed during the robbery. Once apprehended later that evening, Riley admitted to the robbery.
Riley’s criminal history includes past state convictions for burglary and robbery, and a federal conviction for interfering with commerce by robbery. His criminal history precludes him from possessing any firearms.
The FBI investigated the case, with the assistance of the York County Sheriff’s Office and the Buxton Police Department.
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Gonzales Man Sentenced for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JULES GIBSON (“GIBSON”), age 40, formerly a resident of Gonzales, Louisiana, was sentenced to 120 months on August 12, 2025, before United States District Judge Susie Morgan after previously pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess, with Intent to Distribute, and Distribute Cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, 846; and Felon in Possession of a Firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). He was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment on each charge. Judge Morgan ordered the sentences to run concurrently. He was also ordered to serve an eight-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison.
Documents filed in court reflect that a co-defendant, who also pled guilty, was arrested by Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) deputies. The deputies recovered, from his pick-up truck, several clear plastic bags containing cocaine and crack cocaine, a black digital scale, a Black Taurus PT 24/7 PRO Handgun and his cell phone. This cell phone was examined by JPSO experts, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents. It revealed a significant amount of text messages, photographs and other information documenting his trafficking activities over an extended period of time, including the retail drug traffickers, such as GIBSON, that he was supplying. The records revealed both purchases and payments by GIBSON. GIBSON was later arrested by JPSO patrol officers in possession of a fully loaded Taurus PT140 PRO, .40 caliber pistol.
GIBSON had previously been convicted of a serious drug felony and was, therefore, subject to increased penalties
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller of the Narcotics Unit is assigned the prosecution.
Georgia man pleads guilty to his role in fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Ameer Clark, 34, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum of 30 years, and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Bonanno and Sasha Mascarenhas, who are handling the case, stated that between January and September 2022, Clark, along with co-conspirators Lorenzo Jones, Quentavious Price, and Montez White, and others, conspired to defraud financial institutions. Members of the conspiracy would travel from Atlanta, Georgia, to the Western District of New York, and steal genuine checks from businesses. Using those checks, they would create fraudulent checks drawn on the bank accounts of the businesses. Members of the conspiracy then recruited individuals to cash the fraudulent checks, buy clothes for the individuals to make them appear to be construction workers or laborers, and then drive them to area financial institutions and direct them to cash the fraudulent checks. If the checks were successfully cashed, the individuals received a small payment. Specifically:
- in January 2022, Price, Jones, and two others flew from Atlanta to Buffalo and drove an individual to various KeyBank branches to cash or attempt to cash fraudulent checks drawn on the KeyBank accounts of a business based in Elma, NY, and a second business based in Tonawanda, NY.
- in March 2022, Price and two others came to Buffalo from Atlanta and drove three individuals to M&T Bank branches, Bank on Buffalo branches, and Evans Bank branches to cash, or attempt to cash, fraudulent checks drawn on the bank accounts of businesses based in Tonawanda, Clarence, NY, and Sanborn, NY.
- in September 2022, Clark, Price, Jones and White flew from Atlanta to Rochester, NY, and drove six individuals to M&T Bank branches, KeyBank branches, Northwest Bank branches, Bank on Buffalo branches, and Evans Bank branches, to cash or attempt to cash, fraudulent checks drawn on the bank accounts of two businesses based in Rochester, and one based in Alden, NY.
The total loss amount, including actual loss and intended loss, Is $64,979.67.
Co-conspirators Lorenzo Jones and Quentavious Price were previously convicted. Charges remain pending against Montez White.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special-Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie P. Feroleto.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 5, 2026, before Judge Vilardo.
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Georgia Man Sentenced for Hate Crime Attack Against Letter CarrierRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Washington County, Georgia, man who made threats and racial slurs against a letter carrier and then six months later escalated his threats when he hit the letter carrier’s vehicle with a harrow attached to his tractor was sentenced to serve more than five years in prison for his crimes.
William Charles Franklin, 37, of Tennille, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 66 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and pay $5,101.74 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Aug. 27. In March, Franklin was found guilty at trial of one count of obstruction of the mails, one count of assault upon a federal officer, one count of aggravated assault upon a federal officer and one count of retaliating against a witness. Additionally, Franklin was found guilty of a hate crime enhancement for each of the last three counts. There is no parole in the federal system.
“We will seek justice for victims of hate crimes,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Letter carriers, federal employees and all citizens have the right to live and work in peace and safety. I commend the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service for helping us hold the defendant accountable for assaulting a postal employee.”
“As Washington County Sheriff, I am proud that the diverse citizenry of Washington County works together for the good of our community. I am disappointed when I learn of criminal behavior motivated by racial animus,” said Washington County Sheriff Joel Cochran. “I hope this conviction and sentence sends a clear message that those who commit such crimes will be held accountable and such behavior will not be tolerated.”
“No one should ever have to endure hate-filled rants and violent attacks for simply doing their job,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Atlanta Division. “This was more than an attack on our letter carrier, it was an attack on the community we serve. The U.S. Postal inspection Service will go after anyone who uses intimidation to target our employees and make them feel the full weight of the law.”
According to court documents, evidence and statements referenced at trial, the USPIS received a complaint on June 11, 2024, and began an investigation into threats and obstruction made by Franklin to a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier serving the Washington County, Georgia, area. Under the advice of the supervisor, the letter carrier recorded the end of a confrontation between him and Franklin, arguing about moving the letter carrier’s vehicle. Franklin was recorded using racial slurs against the letter carrier and stated that his free speech was protected. The letter carrier was recorded stating that if he was off duty, such statements and threats would lead to a fight. Franklin responded that they could “square up” right then. The letter carrier said no because he would lose his job. Franklin can be heard getting agitated and aggressive with the letter carrier and issuing more salacious racist slurs about him and the community where he lives. The letter carrier told investigators that Franklin threatened to punch his face, run him over with Franklin’s tractor and had called someone else to come to the location to bring a rope so that Franklin could “drag” him away. A family member corroborated that Franklin called to request a rope.
On Dec. 3, 2024, the letter carrier’s vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run with a green tractor in Washington County. The letter carrier observed the tractor with a harrow attached come towards the USPS vehicle, and he pulled over to allow the tractor to pass. The harrow hit the letter carrier’s vehicle, destroyed a stop sign and fled the scene. Soon afterward, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the USPIS discovered a tractor matching the description in a nearby field, its engine still warm with fresh damage. The tractor was registered to Franklin. In addition, two witnesses reported seeing a vehicle registered to Franklin’s wife, come to the area at a high rate of speed immediately following the incident. Warrants for Franklin’s arrest and the seizure of his and his wife’s cell phones were issued on Dec. 5. After reviewing Franklin’s phone, agents found where Franklin had saved the letter carrier’s picture following the incident on June 11. They found additional evidence that supported the finding that Franklin’s crimes were motivated, at least in part, by the race and color of the letter carrier. Franklin was taken into custody on Dec. 6. At his arrest, agents found two AR-15 styled rifles inside his truck and Franklin was carrying a loaded pistol.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the GBI and the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sonja Profit and Elizabeth Howard prosecuted the case for the Government.
George, Iowa, Man Sentenced to 130 Months in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine, distributed methamphetamine, and possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine, was sentenced August 21, 2025, to more than 10 years in federal prison.
John Rothkehl, Jr., 40, from George, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 11, 2025, guilty plea.
Evidence at plea and sentencing hearings showed that from January 2022, through October 2024, Rothkehl and others conspired to distribute at least 150 grams of pure methamphetamine. In September 2024 Rothkehl distributed methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. In October 2024, law enforcement stopped a vehicle with Rothkehl as a passenger. A K-9 indicated the presence of controlled substances. A search of the vehicle revealed over 35 grams of pure methamphetamine in the backseat with Rothkehl. Rothkehl admitted he intended to distribute the methamphetamine to another person or persons. Rothkehl was arrested and admitted that he had a fentanyl pill hidden in his underwear. Evidence further showed that Rothkehl made trips to Spencer, Iowa, and South Sioux City, Nebraska, to obtain methamphetamine to further distribute in the George, Iowa, area.
Rothkehl was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Rothkehl was sentenced to 130 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Rothkehl is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Shawn Wehde and Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4091. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Fredericktown Man Charged with Attempting to Purchase Firearm While Charged with FeloniesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Fredericktown, Mo., man was arraigned in federal court yesterday following an indictment by a federal grand jury for attempting to buy a firearm while he had pending felony charges.
William Bruce Branum, 64, was charged in a single count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on July 22, 2025. The indictment alleges that on April 26, 2025, Branum, submitted a false written statement to a Federal Firearms Licensee in Alton, Mo., in an attempt to acquire a firearm.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Under federal statutes, Branum is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal 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. Attorney Anthony M. Brown It was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Operation Take Back America
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).
Franklin County Woman Admits Using Stolen Mail to Commit FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from Franklin County, Missouri on Wednesday admitted using stolen mail to commit bank and check fraud.
Miranda Burgess, 30, pleaded guilty to all 13 counts that she faces: one count of aggravated identity theft, three counts of possession of stolen mail and nine counts of bank fraud.
As early as Feb. 1, 2022, Burgess obtained mail that had been stolen from a Missouri victim, including mail with information about the victim’s bank accounts. Burgess used that information to transfer funds from the victim’s bank to her own accounts with Acorns, Green Dot, M1 Finance, Square and Wave, her plea agreement says. Burgess initiated $76,270 in fraudulent electronic transfers, but $50,000 was later returned to the victim.
Burgess also deposited counterfeit checks bearing the victim’s name, forged electronic signature and account number, costing the victim $1,200
Burgess is scheduled to be sentenced on December 3. Bank fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million or both prison and fine and possession of stolen mail matter carries a penalty of up to five years and a $250,000 fine. Aggravated identity theft is punishable by a mandatory two years in prison, consecutive to the prison sentence for all other charges.
She will also be ordered to repay the money.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Arnold Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf is prosecuting the case.
Former US Forest Service law enforcement officer sentenced for fraudRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Thompson Falls man who falsified time and attendance records was sentenced today to 5 years of probation, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $13,923.77.
Nathan J. Snead, 48, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to theft of government money.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Snead was required to work 40 hours of regular time per week, and he was compensated for administratively uncontrollable overtime, which is premium pay designed to compensate law enforcement officers (LEOs) for irregular and unscheduled overtime duty.
Snead documented his regular and overtime hours on his Time and Attendance Record for each pay period and signed the following certification: “I certify that the above information on hours worked, and leave used is true and accurate.” He also completed a record of overtime for each pay period in which he provided a case number and justification for the overtime and signed the following certification: “I certify that the official duties were performed as described above and were administratively uncontrollable.”
On May 2, 2023, based on information Snead was not working his claimed hours, agents installed a GPS tracker on his government-issued patrol vehicle to monitor his movements. The tracker data showed Snead’s patrol vehicle was stationary at his house during hours he claimed to be working.
On several occasions, Snead certified on his Time and Attendance Record he worked an 8-hour regular shift. However, his patrol vehicle remained stationary at his house for the entire 8 hours. Additionally, Snead claimed overtime hours when his patrol vehicle was stationary at his house for much of his regular shift and for the entire period of claimed overtime.
Agents also evaluated Snead’s law enforcement statistics from 2021 through 2023. His productivity levels, measured via incident reports and the issuance of violation notices, were much lower than other similarly situated LEOs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Clarke prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Law Enforcement and Investigations, Office of Professional Responsibility.
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Former Steuben County Sheriff’s deputy pleads guilty to child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Stuart J. McHenry, 35, of Hornellsville, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, which carries a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that McHenry knowingly possessed digital images of child pornography. At least one of the images depicted prepubescent minors under 12-years-old. The investigation began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip from the instant messaging application Kik, which stated that Kik user “acman990,” uploaded approximately 24 files of suspected child pornography. A review found that approximately 22 of the files constituted child pornography. Subsequent investigation traced the account to the defendant and revealed messages between the defendant and other users in which the defendant sought, received, and distributed child pornography. Some of the videos and images possessed by McHenry contained violent conduct, and one of the images depicted the sexual exploitation of an infant. At the time of the offense, McHenry was working as a deputy for Steuben County Sheriff’s Office.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm, and the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Jim Allard.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 6, 2026, at 10 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.
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Former Silicon Valley CEO Charged with Fraud and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of California returned an indictment charging a Hawaii man with wire fraud, securities fraud, and obstruction in connection with a scheme to defraud investors of $170 million as the CEO and Founder of the social media company Get Together, a privately held social media startup known as “IRL”.
According to court documents, Abraham Shafi, 38, of Pepeekeo, Hawaii, allegedly committed fraud in connection with Get Together’s 2021 “Series C” funding round, which raised $170 million at a valuation of over $1 billion. In seeking investment, Shafi told potential investors that IRL was spending only $50,000 a month in paid advertising and that user signups “were not incentivized or paid.” However, Shafi had spent millions of dollars on paid advertising in the form of incentive advertising, a form of advertising in which users are provided a reward in a third-party app if they download IRL. In the lead up to Series C, Shafi asked his vendor for a “big burst” of ads for “a few days” to drive more installs of the IRL app. During the Series C process, investors specifically asked about paid advertising, and Shafi falsely responded that “[u]nlike other apps that spend aggressively to acquire new users, we spend very little.” Shafi concealed IRL’s spending on incentive ads by having them invoiced to a third-party firm, ensuring that the nature and amount of the expense did not appear on IRL’s ledger.
Shafi continued to conceal the amount that IRL was spending in incentive ads after the Series C closed, instructing an IRL employee to create false invoices that listed the ad spending as being related to infrastructure, or “infra costs,” and falsely telling his investors that the money spent on incentive ads had instead been used for other forms of advertising. When the SEC opened an investigation into IRL, Shafi restored his cell phone to a previously saved backup, resulting in the deletion of records, and instructed other IRL employees to lie about his involvement in the scheme.
Shafi is charged with wire fraud, securities fraud, and obstruction. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California; and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani of the FBI San Francisco Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Attorney Laura Connelly of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sailaja Paidipaty and Evan Mateer for the Northern District of California are 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.
Former Silicon Valley CEO Charged with Fraud and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Hawaii man with wire fraud, securities fraud, and obstruction in connection with a scheme to defraud investors of $170 million as the CEO and Founder of the social media company Get Together, a privately held social media startup known as “IRL.”
According to court documents, Abraham Shafi, 38, of Pepeekeo, Hawaii, allegedly committed fraud in connection with Get Together’s 2021 “Series C” funding round, which raised $170 million at a valuation of over $1 billion. In seeking investment, Shafi told potential investors that IRL was spending only $50,000 a month in paid advertising and that user signups “were not incentivized or paid.” However, Shafi had spent millions of dollars on paid advertising in the form of incentive advertising, a type of advertising in which users are provided a reward in a third-party app if they download IRL. In the lead up to Series C, Shafi asked his vendor for a “big burst” of ads for “a few days” to drive more installs of the IRL app. During the Series C process, investors specifically asked about paid advertising, and Shafi falsely responded that “[u]nlike other apps that spend aggressively to acquire new users, we spend very little.” Shafi concealed IRL’s spending on incentive ads by having them invoiced to a third-party firm, ensuring that the nature and amount of the expense did not appear on IRL’s ledger.
Shafi continued to conceal the amount that IRL was spending in incentive ads after the Series C closed, instructing an IRL employee to create false invoices that listed the ad spending as being related to infrastructure, or “infra costs,” and falsely telling his investors that the money spent on incentive ads had instead been used for other forms of advertising. When the SEC opened an investigation into IRL, Shafi restored his cell phone to a previously saved backup, resulting in the deletion of records, and instructed other IRL employees to lie about his involvement in the scheme.
Shafi is charged with wire fraud, securities fraud, and obstruction. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sailaja Paidipaty and Evan Mateer for the Northern District of California and Acting Assistant Chief Attorney Laura Connelly of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are 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.
Shafi Indictment
Former Border Patrol Agent Sentenced to a Year in Prison for Civil Rights ViolationsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Shane Millan, age 53, of Jefferson County New York, was sentenced today in federal court in Syracuse to 12 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to two misdemeanor counts of deprivation of rights under color of law. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Vance Kuhner, Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Office, Office of Professional Responsibility, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, made the announcement.
Acting United States Attorney Sarcone stated: “Everybody deserves respect, and we will not tolerate the sexual exploitation of immigrants by members of law enforcement. Nobody is above the law.”
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) holds its employees to the highest standards of conduct and does not tolerate any employee who violates their oath or the rights of citizens and non-citizens,” said Special Agent in Charge Vance Kuhner. “The actions of this ex-U.S. Border Patrol agent are deeply troubling and do not reflect the values of the Border Patrol or CBP’s mission to protect the American people, safeguard our borders, and enhance the nation’s economic prosperity.”
In pleading guilty, Millan admitted that, while acting under color of law as a Border Patrol Agent, he willfully deprived multiple victims of their constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches when, during virtual processing concerning their admission to the United States, he commanded the victims to expose their bare chests to him via webcam. Millan further admitted that he told these women that his requests were for legitimate searches incident to admission into the United States, but he knew his demands to see the victims’ breasts were for his own gratification.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility Investigative Operations Directorate is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael F. Perry and Michael D. Gadarian are prosecuting the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Former Kissimmee Police Officer for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Dariel Javier Quiles-Davila (27, Kissimmee) guilty of receiving child sexual abuse material. Quiles-Davila faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 16, 2025.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Quiles-Davila was an officer with the Kissimmee Police Department in October 2023. At that time, Quiles-Davila met a child victim while on duty. After learning the child victim’s contact information, Quiles-Davila began to communicate directly with the child victim with his personal cellphone and over social media. He also sent the child victim money and solicited and received sexually explicit photographs and videos of the child victim.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kissimmee Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.