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30 September 2025
Seven More Associates of St. Louis Drug Gang Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Seven more people associated with a south St. Louis drug gang have pleaded guilty to drug and gun crimes, U.S. Attorney Tom Albus announced Tuesday.
Michelle Harris, 47, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises. The six others have already pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced over the next three months.
Talito “Scoot” Amos, 32, of Beverly Hills, Missouri, pleaded guilty August 6 to four felony counts: conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He admitted selling fentanyl and meth as part of the “55 Boyz” drug trafficking organization. He also admitted sourcing the drugs, telling drug users who called or texted where to go to buy drugs and selling directly to the users, including an undercover law enforcement officer. He also admitted directing others in the conspiracy to answer calls and texts and meet users to sell fentanyl and meth.
On Jan. 23, 2024, shortly after Talito Amos sold an undercover ATF agent 312 capsules containing fentanyl and offered to sell a pound of meth, investigators conducted a court-approved search of a home on Castilon Avenue in St. Louis County. Talito Amos, Norey Amos and Jayvaughn Taylor were there, along with 1,178 capsules containing fentanyl, an AK-style pistol, meth, a pill press, digital scales, fentanyl powder and a drug ledger. Talito Amos had the phone being used by the drug trafficking organization to communicate with customers and over $1,900 in cash, his plea says. They also searched a home he sometimes used in Florissant, finding a disassembled AR-style rifle and 85 capsules containing fentanyl.
Fifteen other members or associates of the 55 Boyz were sentenced last year in a separate case. At one point, the gang was responsible for a significant amount of the fentanyl being sold in south St. Louis.
Carlos “Los Bandz” Amos, 28, entered an open plea on August 11 to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams of more of methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
Xavier Amos, 23, pleaded guilty on September 25 to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. He admitted acting as a driver for others, answering calls and texts from drug users and selling fentanyl and meth. Norey Amos, 25, pleaded guilty in June to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He admitted discarding a bag of 154 capsules containing fentanyl while being pursued by police. John Ford, 64, pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams of more of meth. Jayvaughn Taylor, 24, pleaded guilty in July to possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Taylor, Talito Amos, Xavier Amos and Norey Amos are half-brothers. Carlos Amos is a cousin. Harris is the mother of Taylor and Talito Amos.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.
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.
Sentencings, Plea Hearings in Southwest Georgia Armed Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – Ten defendants involved in an armed drug trafficking organization are being held accountable for their crimes at the federal level, resulting from a multi-level law enforcement effort in southwest Georgia that seized 30 firearms, including two machineguns, along with methamphetamine and fentanyl.
“This case amplifies the kinds of efforts across the Middle District of Georgia to get guns and drugs off our streets and make the communities we serve safer for everyone,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office is working alongside law enforcement at every level to identify the most egregious offenders to hold them accountable at the federal level.”
"As part of our ongoing efforts under Operation Take Back America, this case highlights the ATF's crucial role in combating the intersection of gun violence and drug trafficking. We will continue to leverage our resources to ensure that those who endanger our communities face justice,” said ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis.
“Collaboration with our state, local and federal partners was key to bringing these ten defendants to justice for trafficking drugs in Georgia communities,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Together, we are making our neighborhoods safer by removing violent offenders, dangerous weapons and deadly narcotics from our streets.”
The following ten defendants have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing:
Devin Covon Randle, 29, of Albany, was sentenced to serve 192 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release on Sept. 24, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on March 25;
Roy Clinton Billingsley, 35, of Albany, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release on Sept. 24, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on May 22;
Wade Lanier Tucker, 40, of Albany, was sentenced to 96 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Feb. 28, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Aug. 8, 2024;
Jessica Julianne Raines, 40, of Albany, was sentenced to 72 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Dec. 16, 2024, after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on May 15, 2024;
Mitchell Alexander Hilson, 30, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Sept. 24, 2025, and is facing a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment; sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026;
Rico Lashun Hall, 32, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Sept. 24, 2025, and is facing a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment; sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026;
Konterrious Antwon James, 44, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Sept. 10, 2025, and is facing a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment; sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026;
Bernard Charbrion Holsey, 29, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Sept. 10, 2025, and is facing a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment; sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026;
Brennan Terrell Woods, 35, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Sept. 10, 2025, and is facing a mandatory minimum of ten years imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment; sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026; and
Marcena Leundra Jordan, 32, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Aug. 5, 2025, and is facing a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment; sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026.
Co-defendant Rasheen Malik Garrett, 30, of Albany, is a fugitive and is charged by the indictment in this case filed on Aug. 14, 2024, with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of use of a drug-involved premise and is facing a maximum of life imprisonment. An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
If anyone has information regarding Garrett's whereabouts, anonymous tips can be submitted to the GBI by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, federal and state law enforcement began a criminal investigation in 2023 to target armed drug trafficking in southwest Georgia. During six months, agents conducted numerous controlled purchases of methamphetamine and firearms from Hilson, Randle and several co-conspirators in Albany between July and December 2023. At the conclusion of the investigation, law enforcement executed court-authorized search warrants at multiple local Albany hotels, which resulted in the recovery of additional quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, oxycodone and numerous firearms. In total, law enforcement seized 28 firearms, two machineguns, 2.3 kilograms of methamphetamine, nine grams of fentanyl and 30 grams of cocaine.
The collaborative effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Albany Dougherty Special Investigation Unit (ADSIU) and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Salem Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Possession of Unregistered Firearms and Possession of Firearms by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
Salem Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Possession of Unregistered Firearms and Possession of Firearms by a Prohibited Person
CONCORD – A Salem man pleaded guilty on September 30, 2025, in federal court for possessing unregistered firearms in violation of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Act and for being a prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Daniel Fratus, age 39, pleaded guilty in federal court in Concord to one count of 26 U.S.C. §§ 5841, 5845(a), 5861(d), 5871, and one count of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya B. McCafferty scheduled Fratus’s sentencing for January 15, 2026.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court, Daniel Fratus was indicted after an investigation that began on January 23, 2024. During that investigation, the Salem Police Department received a call from a concerned neighbor for shots fired coming from Fratus’s residence. Salem Police Department and Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) law enforcement members later executed a search warrant and entered the residence where they observed several firearms along with approximately 12,870 rounds of ammunition. Fratus had previously been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Possession of unregistered firearms has a maximum sentence of 10 years’ confinement, and possession of firearms by a prohibited person has a maximum prison term of 15 years. Both charges can have a maximum fine of $250,000.
ATF led the investigation. Salem Police Department provided valuable assistance. Special Assistant U.S Attorney Christopher Marin and Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Cherniske are prosecuting the case.
Rockford Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was sentenced yesterday to nine years in federal prison for possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number and selling firearms without a license
ANGEL BARRERA-ESTEVES, 27, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of possessing a firearm with the serial number removed and one count of selling firearms without a federal firearms dealer’s license. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Barrera-Esteves to 108 months in prison.
Barrera-Esteves admitted that in 2022, he illegally possessed a semi-automatic handgun that he defaced and later sold. Barrera-Esteves further admitted that between 2021 and 2022, he sold seven firearms, manufactured or obtained by him, without a federal firearms dealer’s license. Several of those firearms were obtained illegally through his mother, JESSICA BARRERA, who purchased the firearms and transferred them to Barrera-Esteves. Once received, Barrera-Esteves removed the serial numbers and sold the firearms to people he knew could not possess firearms or would use the firearms for illegal purposes. Barrera-Esteves also sold ammunition that he illegally obtained through his mother, as well as a Glock auto-sear.
Jessica Barrera, 56, of Rockford, was sentenced last month to nearly three years in federal prison for her involvement.
Barrera-Esteves’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of ATF’s Chicago Field Division. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincenza L. Tomlinson.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to tackle a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Religious Liberty Commission Hosts Third Hearing on Religious Liberty in Public EducationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the Religious Liberty Commission held its third hearing to discuss religious liberty issues in education from the perspectives of teachers and coaches, as well as religious liberty issues in school funding and educational choice, including testimony from school leaders, families, and experts impacted by religious liberty issues in school funding. The hearing’s objective was to understand the historic landscape of religious liberty in the educational setting, recognize present threats to religious liberty in education, and identify opportunities to secure religious liberty in this context for the future.
The hearing opened with a special panel on violence against people and communities of faith. The panel included testimony from friends of Charlie Kirk, who spoke of his commitment to faith and free speech and advocacy for religious liberty.
“Charlie Kirk was an American hero whose love for God, country, and family guided every step of his life,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our Religious Liberty Commission will continue to uphold his legacy of advocating for religious liberty, particularly at our educational institutions that too often seek to suppress free speech.”
“Physical violence and murder are the ultimate deprivations of religious liberty. We have seen a tragic rise in such violence targeted at communities and individuals of faith, including our friend Charlie Kirk,” said Commission Chairman Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. “This behavior is un-American and threatens every state in the nation. The Department of Justice Religious Liberty Commission stands with the Trump Administration in condemning it, finding the root cause of this violence, and doing everything possible to end it. We will not rest until we do.”
The hearing continued with scheduled programming on religious liberty issues in education, hearing from teachers, coaches, clergy, and other faith leaders on the grave challenges facing people and institutions of faith.
Chairman Patrick added: “In our hearing, we had heartbreaking testimony from great teachers and coaches who were bullied and threatened by the education system to choose between keeping their faith or keeping their jobs. Even after winning at the Supreme Court, the hateful attacks on them by the schools continued. No American should have to endure the grief and pain of being targeted by religious discrimination. Our Commissioners left with renewed conviction in the urgent need to restore First Amendment protections for our public and private schools and their staff.”
Panel on Violence against Faith Communities
Dr. Hutz Hertzberg: Chief Education Officer, Turning Point Education
Hutz Hertzberg has served as the Chief Education Officer for Turning Point Education since July 2022 and previously served as President of Christian Heritage Academy in Northfield, Illinois. Hutz’s organizational leadership experience includes serving as President of Christian Union, Director of the Orchard Network, and Executive Pastor of The Moody Church in Chicago. Hutz has also served for two decades in higher education administrative and faculty positions, including at Trinity International University, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Wheaton College, Judson University and the College of DuPage. Hutz is a licensed and ordained minister who served as a Chaplain in the United States Naval Reserve and continues to give leadership to the Protestant Chaplaincy at Chicago O’Hare and Midway Airports.
Eric Metaxas: Religious Liberty Commission Member
Writer, speaker, and radio host, Eric Metaxas has written dozens of books, including the national bestseller, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. The story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer was so beloved by readers that it was made into a major motion picture. Metaxas has testified before Congress on the global rise of anti-Semitism and been awarded the Canterbury Medal by the Becket Fund for Religious Freedom.
Pastor Jentezen Franklin: Religious Liberty Commission Advisory Board Member
Pastor Jentezen Franklin is the Senior Pastor of Free Chapel, a multi-campus church based in Gainesville, Georgia. He has written multiple books including the bestseller, Fasting: Opening the door to a deeper, more intimate, more powerful relationship with God.
Guest Speaker:
Dr. Larry Arnn: President, Hillsdale College
Dr. Arnn is the 12th president of Hillsdale College, where he is also a professor of politics and history. Dr. Arnn is on the board of directors of The Heritage Foundation, the Henry Salvatori Center of Claremont McKenna College, the Philadelphia Society, the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, and the Claremont Institute.
Panel II: Teacher and Coach Perspectives
Coach Joe Kennedy: Former Bremerton High School (BHS) Football Coach
School officials at BHS suspended—and later fired—football coach Joe Kennedy because he prayed a brief, quiet prayer after football games. A lawsuit was filed against the school district, arguing that banning coaches from quietly praying, just because they can be seen by the public, is wrong and violates the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit sided with the school district. The case eventually landed in the U.S. Supreme Court. In January 2022, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case and has since ruled in favor of Coach Joe.
Monica Gill: History Teacher at Loudoun County High School
Monica took a stand against her school district’s secret gender transition policy – Policy 8040 – that required teachers to lie to parents about their child’s identity and force them to use pronouns requested by students, even if it meant denying their religious beliefs. ADF filed suit, and in December 2021, the school board agreed to a permanent injunction prohibiting retaliation against teachers who opposed the policy. In December 2023, the school board changed its position on the policy, and in July 2025, the Loudoun County Circuit Court officially recognized the change, allowing teachers to avoid using pronouns that violate their religious beliefs.
Marisol Arroyo-Castro: Connecticut Public School Teacher
While teaching in the New Britain School District, Marisol placed a crucifix by her desk along with other personal items, such as student artwork and a church calendar. In December 2024, school leadership abruptly told Marisol to remove the crucifix or be charged with insubordination. Marisol was later suspended without pay, placed on administrative leave, and involuntarily transferred to a non-teaching position for objecting. Attorneys have intervened on Marisol’s behalf in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.
Keisha Russell: Former special education teacher, constitutional lawyer with First Liberty Institute
Keisha Toni Russell is a constitutional lawyer with First Liberty Institute in Texas, a non-profit law firm that specializes in religious liberty litigation. Keisha graduated from Emory University School of Law and was a 2017 Emory University Graduating Woman of Excellence. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Keisha was a special education teacher in an elementary school in Atlanta, Georgia.
Panel III: Protecting the Religious Identity and Autonomy of Faith-Based Schools
Rabbi David Zwiebel: Executive Vice President of Agudath Israel of America, RLC Advisory Board member
Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel is the Executive Vice President of Agudath Israel of America, an American organization that represents Orthodox Jews. In 2020, he helped organize one of the largest gatherings of Orthodox Jews in U.S. history.
Fr. Robert Sirico: Pastor Emeritus, Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Parish
To preserve its Catholic identity, Sacred Heart requires students, parents, and teachers to sign a doctrine upholding catholic principles regarding marriage and sexuality. In 2024, Sacred Heart Academy joined parents in suing the state of Michigan in federal court demanding a reprieve from the state’s sweeping “anti-discrimination” law, after lawmakers amended the state’s Civil Rights Act to cover sexual orientation and gender identity without a general religious exemption.
Dr. Todd J. Williams: President, Cairn University
Cairn University, a small, private, Christian school in southeastern Pennsylvania, made a strategic institutional decision to eliminate its School of Social Work and all related degrees and programs due to multiple factors, including declining enrollment, revenue disparities, and issues related to the program’s accrediting body, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) deemed incompatible with the school’s religious and theological commitments. Following Cairn’s decision, CSWE posted a press release on its website and social-media platforms publicly criticizing the university.
John Bursch: Former Michigan Solicitor General, Senior Counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom
John Bursch is senior counsel and vice president of appellate advocacy with Alliance Defending Freedom. Bursch has argued 13 U.S. Supreme Court cases and three dozen state supreme court cases, and he has successfully litigated six matters with at least $1 billion at stake. A recent study concluded that among all frequent Supreme Court advocates who did not work for the federal government, he had the 3rd highest success rate for persuading justices to adopt his legal position. Bursch served as solicitor general for the state of Michigan from 2011-2013.
Panel IV: Faith-Based Schools and the State
Carroll Conley: Former Headmaster of Bangor Christian Schools, Executive Director of the Christian Civil League of Maine
In June 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that Maine cannot prevent parents from using the state’s publicly funded tuition assistance program to send kids to private religious schools. The case, Carson v. Makin, was brought by two families in rural Maine who did not have access to public schools. Maine banned parents from using the money to send their kids to schools that provide religious education. The families successfully challenged that rule, alleging it violated both the religion clauses and equal protection clauses of the U.S. Constitution.
Laura Wolk Slavis: Speaking on behalf of Chaya and Yoni Loffman
Chaya and Yoni Loffman were forced to discontinue speech therapy for their son because of requirements under California’s Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that prohibit funding from being used at religious private schools. Now, the Loffmans and other religious Jewish parents of students with disabilities are plaintiffs in a lawsuit, Loffman v. California Department of Education.
Jason Bedrick: Research Fellow in the Center for Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation, Author, Adjunct Scholar with the Cato Institute
Bedrick is a Research Fellow in the Center for Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation, where he focuses on policies that promote education freedom and choice, religious liberty, classical education, and restoring the primary role of families in education. His research on education policy has been published by numerous national and state-level think tanks and media publications.
Prof. Nicole Stelle Garnett: Professor of Law and Associate Dean for External Engagement at University of Notre Dame
Garnett’s teaching and research focuses on education law and policy, religious liberty, and topics related to property law. Garnett received her B.A. with distinction in Political Science from Stanford University and her J.D. from Yale Law School. After law school, she clerked for the Honorable Morris S. Arnold of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and for Associate Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court of the United States. Before joining the law school faculty in 1999, she worked for two years as a staff attorney at the Institute for Justice, a non-profit public-interest law firm in Washington, D.C., where she helped to defend the constitutionality of the nation's first private-school-choice programs.
Closing Remarks:
Dr. Francis Beckwith: Professor of Philosophy and Church-State studies at Baylor University, RLC Advisory Board member
Dr. Beckwith teaches and publishes in the areas of religion, jurisprudence, politics, and ethics. A graduate of Fordham University (Ph.D. and M.A. in philosophy) and the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis (Master of Juridical Studies), he has published over 100 academic articles, book chapters, reviews, and reference entries.
Watch the hearing HERE.
The next hearing will be held in Dallas, Texas on November 17, and will consider religious liberty in the U.S. Military. Members of the public can learn more about registration at https://www.justice.gov/religious-liberty-commission/upcoming-hearings.
The Religious Liberty Commission was established by President Trump under Executive Order 14291 and is tasked with producing a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, increasing awareness of and celebrating America’s peaceful religious pluralism, highlighting current threats to religious liberty, and developing strategies to preserve and enhance protections for future generations.
Recidivist Drug and Firearm Felon Sentenced to More Than 11.5 Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and Cocaine Near Sharon Elementary School and Day Care CenterRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Sharon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 140 months in federal prison for fentanyl and cocaine trafficking within 1,000 feet of an elementary school and next-door to a day care center, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Larry Marrow, 37, also ordering Marrow to serve six years of supervised release following his prison term.
According to information presented to the Court, Marrow engaged in fentanyl and cocaine trafficking for several months in 2023, close to an elementary school and next-door to a day care center in Sharon. Marrow had four separate drug trafficking convictions and four separate gun convictions that occurred in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio prior to the instant drug trafficking crime.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Mercer County Drug Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Marrow.
Rapid City Sex Offender Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
Matthew Zook, 46, was sentenced to ten years and one month in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $95 in restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture was also ordered.
A federal grand jury indicted Zook for the charge in June 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 15, 2025.
In April 2024, Zook used Snapchat to communicate with a 14-year-old minor female. Zook described how he would use condoms for birth control and discussed his desire to try different sex positions with the young girl. Zook told the girl the reason he wanted to have sex with her was because his mother was sick and his girlfriend was mad at him. On April 20, 2024, just after midnight, Zook drove to the minor’s house and parked in her driveway. Unbeknownst to Zook, the minor had informed one of her parents, who alerted law enforcement. Zook was arrested while parked in the driveway. Zook was previously convicted in 2012 for Fourth Degree Rape of a minor when he was 33 years old, for which he received a suspended prison sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Rapid City Police Department, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Zook was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 3 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
Dylan Sanchez, 33, was sentenced to three years and six 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.
Sanchez was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025.
On April 10, 2024, in Rapid City, SD, Sanchez was stopped by law enforcement for traveling above the posted speed limit. After failing a field sobriety test, Sanchez was arrested and his vehicle inventoried. In his vehicle, law enforcement located over 200 rounds of ammunition, pistol magazines, including an extended magazine, cocaine, and distributable amounts of marijuana. Sanchez is prohibited from possessing ammunition because of a previous felony conviction.
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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Sanchez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pryor Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Jason Sanders, age 44, of Pryor, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment charged Sanders with knowingly possessing two semi-automatic pistols and 96 rounds of ammunition on May 5, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sanders will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Previously Deported Illegal Alien Sentenced to 5+ Years for Illegal Reentry and Violating Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Eunorio Cortez Cortez, 52, of Mexico, was sentenced to 64 months in prison for illegal reentry by a deported alien and violating the terms of his federal supervised release, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth D. Bell granted the government’s motion for an increased sentence based on Cortez’s extensive criminal history in Texas state courts, including a conviction for Indecency with a Child by Exposure and multiple convictions for Assault Causing Bodily Injury to Family Member.
According to filed documents and court proceedings, Cortez had been ordered removed from the United States to Mexico on four prior occasions (October 17, 2008, December 31, 2008, July 17, 2012, and November 8, 2021). Cortez had also been allowed to return voluntarily back to Mexico three times, and he has two federal convictions in the Western District of Texas for illegal reentry by an alien. On August 8, 2023, the Monroe Police Department arrested Cortez for an outstanding extradition arrest warrant out of Texas. Earlier, on December 5, 2022, Texas law enforcement authorities had issued a warrant against Cortez for 1st Degree Felony Sex Abuse of Child Continuous: Victim Under 14. At the time of the defendant’s arrest in Monroe, law enforcement also determined that Cortez was a previously removed alien. Court record show that, following his arrest, Cortez was extradited to Texas, where he was convicted of Indecency with a Child by Exposure, sentenced to two years of confinement, and required to register as a sex offender. Cortez was also charged in the Western District of North Carolina with illegal reentry of a deported felon.
On June 2, 2025, Cortez pleaded guilty to the federal charge. In sentencing Cortez, the Court considered the government’s upward departure motion, which was based on the argument that the defendant’s criminal history category under the federal sentencing guidelines did not fully represent the nature and extent of the violence and harm he had committed against his victims. Judge Bell granted the government’s upward departure motion, and he sentenced Cortez to 54 months in prison. The Court also found that Cortez, while on federal supervised release, had violated the terms of his release when he unlawfully returned to the United States and obtained another criminal conviction, and he ordered Cortez to serve an additional term of 12 months, for a total active sentence of 64 months in prison.
In announcing his sentence, Judge Bell said, Cortez “is a danger to anyone he’s related to,” and “he’s just a dangerous person.”
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations unit for leading the investigation. He also thanked the Monroe Police Department for its assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenny Smith of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Peruvian National Sentenced to More than Six Years in Prison in Transnational Scheme to Defraud Spanish-Speaking US ConsumersRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Peruvian national was sentenced yesterday to 80 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $3,000,000 in restitution for his participation in transnational fraud schemes that victimized vulnerable consumers in the U.S.
According to court documents, David Cornejo Fernandez, 36, of Lima, Peru, facilitated fraudulent schemes that stole millions of dollars from thousands of Spanish-speaking victims across the U.S. Cornejo provided Internet-based telephone lines, caller-ID spoofing services, and recording capabilities to a network of fraudulent call centers in Peru. Relying on Cornejo’s services, those call centers defrauded and extorted thousands of Spanish-speaking victims by falsely threatening them with court proceedings, fines, and other consequences if they did not pay for English-language products. Cornejo was extradited from Peru in November 2024 to face charges related to the scheme and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in July.
In pleading guilty, Cornejo admitted that he provided fraudulent call centers in Peru with the technology to impersonate federal agents, police officers, attorneys, court personnel, and other government officials to extort payments from victims. Cornejo provided telephone lines to his call center co-conspirators, which they used to place unsolicited, fraudulent and extortionate telephone calls to vulnerable U.S. victims. Cornejo also provided caller-ID spoofing software that allowed his co-conspirators to convincingly impersonate government officials and threaten victims with severe legal and financial consequences if they did not pay. Cornejo placed pre-recorded messages on his co-conspirators’ telephone lines that fraudulently convinced victims they had reached actual U.S. courts, police departments, and federal agencies. When victims reported that specific telephone numbers were fraudulent, Cornejo provided new telephone lines and numbers to his co-conspirators so they could continue the fraudulent scheme.
Cornejo and his co-conspirators ultimately caused more than $3 million in losses to more than 8,800 victims across the U.S.
With today’s sentencing in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, 13 defendants have now been convicted and sentenced in connection with transnational fraud schemes that defrauded and threatened Spanish-speaking U.S. consumers, claiming they would suffer legal consequences if they did not pay for English-language learning products they never requested. Collectively, these defendants were responsible for defrauding more than 30,000 U.S. consumers.
The 13 defendants include eight Peruvian call center owner-operators; four distribution center owner-operators who processed payments and distributed products in the U.S.; and now Cornejo, who facilitated the fraud schemes from Peru. Cornejo and many of these defendants shared strategies on how to impersonate the U.S. government and defraud Spanish-speaking residents of the U.S.
Cornejo is the ninth defendant to be extradited from Peru and sentenced in federal court for fraud related to Peruvian call centers involved in English language learning scams. In 2021 and 2022, U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola Jr., sentenced Henrry Milla, Carlos Espinoza, Jerson Renteria, Fernan Huerta, Omar Cuzcano, Evelyng Milla, and Josmell Espinoza to sentences ranging from 88 months to 110 months in prison. In 2024, U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams sentenced Jose Alejandro Zuñiga Cano to 98 months in prison.
USPIS and the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Carolyn Rice of the Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Peruvian National Prosecutor General’s Office, and the Peruvian National Police provided critical assistance.
The Justice Department continues to investigate and bring charges in other similar matters involving threats against Spanish-speaking residents of the U.S.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its fraud enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-20055.
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Pennsylvania man charged with attempting to defraud the 2022 PFDRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Pennsylvania man was criminally charged by information today with seven counts of wire fraud connected to a 2022 Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) fraud scheme.
According to court documents, beginning in January 2022 and continuing through February 2022, Adepoju Babatunde Salako, 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, allegedly devised a scheme to defraud the Alaska Department of Revenue (DOR) PFD program. Specifically, Salako fraudulently obtained the personal identifying information (PII) for legitimate Alaskan residents and submitted seven separate applications to the Alaska DOR to obtain their PFD funds. Salako was never an Alaskan resident and has never traveled to Alaska.
Court documents detail that Salako allegedly created new email accounts that he controlled for each legitimate Alaska resident whose PII he fraudulently obtained. Using the PII, Salako allegedly gained control of at least seven already established “myAlaska” online accounts—the platform Alaska residents use to apply for the PFD. Once inside the accounts, Salako allegedly changed the account information to route communications from “myAlaska” directly to the email accounts he controlled for each individual. Salako also allegedly changed each applicant’s bank information to route the PFD payments to bank accounts he controlled.
Court documents further allege that Salako tried to shield his identity and location by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to appear as though six of the seven application submissions were submitted from an Internet Protocol (IP) address in Alaska. The other application was submitted using an IP address in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Records from Salako’s personal email account showed logins from the same Philadelphia IP address.
The State of Alaska determined the applications to be fraudulent and denied the applications.
Salako faces up to 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for each count of wire fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Acting Commissioner Janelle Earls of the Alaska Department of Revenue made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and State of Alaska Department of Revenue, Criminal Investigations Unit investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ainsley McNerney is prosecuting the case.
If you suspect you've been a victim of PFD fraud, contact the Alaska Department of Revenue, Criminal Investigations Unit. Online Fraud Tips can be filed at https://pfd.alaska.gov/fraud-tip-form. You can also contact the Fraud Hotline: (907) 500-0360.
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Pair Sentenced for Attempted Armed Kidnapping and Robbery of Apartment Property ManagerRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two people who attempted to kidnap and rob a St. Louis apartment property manager at gunpoint in 2024 have been sentenced to prison for that and other crimes.
U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced Emma M. Cunningham, 33, to 112 months in prison. Judge Schelp sentenced Jervonz L. Williams, 49, to 225 months in prison on September 24.
Cunningham bought the .38-caliber revolver used in the attempted kidnapping months earlier. On Feb. 20, 2024, she lied on Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Form 4473 when she claimed she was buying the gun for herself and when she denied being an unlawful user of a controlled substance. She bought it for Williams, her boyfriend and a convicted felon who is barred from possessing firearms.
Williams used the gun to threaten others, including one of Cunningham’s neighbors. He also admitted using it to rob a drug dealer of $17, a gun and cocaine base in late June of 2024. Williams struck the dealer on the head with the revolver multiple times during the robbery.
Williams and Cunningham used that gun again during the Aug. 5, 2024, attempted kidnapping. The property manager arrived to meet Cunningham, her tenant, for a final apartment walkthrough that had been scheduled in advance by Cunnigham. After the victim arrived, Cunningham locked the apartment door. Williams threatened to kill the victim when she tried to call 911. Williams then demanded cash and the password to the victim’s phone so that the couple could access the victim’s financial accounts. They secured her to a chair with duct tape, but she broke free and was able to escape, even though Cunningham and Williams ripped off her shirt and tore out clumps of her hair trying to keep her from leaving. Two days later, police arrested the couple. Williams had the revolver and Cunningham was in possession of a box of ammunition.
“This case is a stark reminder of the devastation that follows when someone illegally buys a gun for another person,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bernard “Butch” Hansen, of the Kansas City Field Division. “A straw purchase is not a harmless favor. It’s a federal crime that can arm dangerous felons and fuel violent acts like the attempted kidnapping and robbery we saw here. ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold accountable anyone who thinks they can skirt the law and put our communities at risk.”
Both Cunningham and Williams pleaded guilty in June. Cunningham pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping, transfer of a firearm to a convicted felon and making a false statement in connection with the purchase of a firearm. Williams pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping, robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case.
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.
Pensacola Man Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Shawn Steele, 52, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts of bank fraud. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I am proud of the excellent investigative work by our federal law enforcement partners that uncovered and stopped this fraudster’s scheme. This successful prosecution should serve as a warning to others who think they can fraudulently enrich themselves by ripping off banks. Doing so will only book you a one-way ticket to prison.”
Between January 3, 2023, and June 30, 2023, the defendant obtained loans from PenAir Credit Union and Central Credit Union of Florida for a Jeep Wrangler, a Ferrari 488 Pista, and a Cape Horn boat. The defendant made knowingly false statements about in his income in the loan applications for the purpose of influencing the financial institutions.
The defendant faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervision upon release. Sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 2025, at 11:00 am, before District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.
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.
Pensacola Felon Charged for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Ernest L. Thomas II, 35, of Pensacola, was indicted by a federal grand jury this week charging him with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.
Thomas appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho on September 23, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for November 10, 2025, before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
If convicted, Thomas faces up to fifteen years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available 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.
Ontario man arrested for illegal entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Alexander Straub, 27, of Mississauga, Ontario, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal entry into the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Irvin Jefferson, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on August 30, 2025, at approximately 11:30 p.m., Straub was encountered by law enforcement near a residence in Lewiston, NY. United States Border Patrol Agents located an Ontario, Canada, driver’s license in Straub’s possession. A records check determined he was in the country illegally and Straub did not possess any immigration documents allowing him to be lawfully present in the United States. The investigation also determined that he had attempted to enter the United States at the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls on August 25 and on August 26, 2025, and was denied entry both times.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol Niagara Falls Station, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Brady Waikal.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Olean man pleads guilty to distribution of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Philip Young, 29, of Olean, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that on June 22, 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTipline Report that an image of a naked prepubescent girl was uploaded to the internet. The image was later traced back to Young. Investigators executed a search warrant at Young’s residence, seizing, among other items, a cellular telephone. The investigation determined that Young used the Telegram application on his phone and the internet to seek out, receive, and distribute child pornography. A forensic review of Young’s cell phone recovered a video constituting child pornography.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 26, 2026, before Judge Sinatra.
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North Carolina Man Who Posed as Investment Adviser Pleads Guilty in Connection with Investment Fund Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Hunter Haithcock, 24, aka Hunter Elliott, of Matthews, North Carolina, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of investment adviser fraud in connection to the theft of at least $650,000 in funds from at least 64 investors in the District of Maryland.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
According to his plea agreement, beginning in September 2019, and continuing through October 2022, Haithcock stole at least $657,138.93 from at least 64 individual investors. The victims entrusted Haithcock with their funds after he fraudulently represented himself as an investment advisor. Haithcock deceptively claimed he worked for Company #1 with a registered investment adviser (the “victim investment advisor”). Then Haithcock told the victim investors if they invested with him, he would guarantee their investment principal and provide them significant returns on their investments.
In connection with the scheme, Haithcock routinely provided investors with fabricated reports that purported to show investors’ portfolio gains. But Haithcock created the fictitious documents to perpetuate and conceal his scheme. Instead of investing his clients’ investment funds, Haithcock stole them. Haithcock funneled the money to accounts he controlled and used the funds for his own purposes. Specifically, he used the stolen funds to pay for credit card bills, meals, entertainment, car payments, travel expenses – including hotels and flights, and to trade cryptocurrency for his own benefit.
As described in the plea agreement, Haithcock met his victims in a variety of ways, including through a local church and by word-of-mouth referrals. Haithcock routinely represented himself as Hunter Elliott, a licensed securities broker for Company #1, who could invest their money in securities and provide them with very large, 100-200 percent or larger, returns. But Haithcock has never been employed with Company #1 or any other broker-dealer. Haithcock also never had a license to trade securities and does not know the victim investment advisor.
Additionally, Haithcock promised investors that their investment principal was protected from loss regardless of the risk of the performance of the market and the size of their initial investment. Some victims invested tens of thousands of dollars while others invested $10,000 or less. Haithcock routinely lied about the future projected performance of anticipated investments.
After victims invested funds with Haithcock, he routinely provided investors with fraudulent “Statement Reports,” often on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. These reports purported to list, among other things, each investor’s portfolio value and purported stock trades Haithcock made on their behalf. Eventually, when investors began to ask for the return of their funds, Haithcock fabricated reasons why he could not return their money. Haithcock then stopped returning their calls and text messages. But he did use a small portion of the client investor funds he received from other investors to pay a few of them back.
Haithcock is facing a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud offense and five years for the investment adviser fraud offense. U.S. District Judge Matthew Maddox scheduled sentencing for Friday, February 6, at 10 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and praised the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Cecil County Sherriff’s Office, and the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Maryland for their assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Riley, LaShanta Harris, and Joseph Wenner who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Nigerian National Extradited from Poland to Face Elder Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Tochuwku Albert Nnebocha, 43, of Nigeria was extradited from the Republic of Poland and faces federal charges of engaging in a transnational criminal organization that operated an inheritance fraud scheme that cheated many American seniors out of their savings. Nnebocha made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday in Miami.
Nnebocha was arrested in April 2025 by authorities in Poland, based on an indictment filed in the Southern District of Florida, and has remained incarcerated since then.
According to court documents, Nnebocha is charged with operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme. Over the course of more than five years, he, along with others, allegedly sent personalized letters to elderly consumers in the U.S., falsely claiming that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who purportedly had died years before in Spain. Victims were told that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes, and payments to avoid questioning from government authorities. Victims sent money to the defendants through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to receive money and forward to the defendants or persons associated with them. According to the indictment, victims who sent money never received their purported inheritance funds.
The defendant is charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as mail fraud and wire fraud. Nnebocha made his initial court appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett. If convicted, Nnebocha faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Two additional defendants have pleaded guilty and been sentenced in this case. U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman previously sentenced both Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, who was extradited from Portugal, and Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, who was extradited from the United Kingdom, to 97 months of incarceration for their roles in the scheme.
USPIS and HSI are investigating the case.
This case is one example of efforts by the Justice Department to protect American seniors from domestic and foreign based scams. These efforts include cases against those who engage in, and knowingly facilitate, romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud, and grandparent scams. Romance fraud is a confidence scheme where a perpetrator feigns romantic interest with a victim only to later extract money or property under false pretenses. Lottery fraud schemes trick victims into believing they have won a non-existent lottery or sweepstakes prize in order to extract fake fees, taxes, or other fabricated charges from the victim. Tech support fraud scams involve perpetrators tricking victims into believing that their computer or phone has a problem, often through fake pop-up messages, and to later seek funds from the victims in order to “fix” the “problem.” Grandparent scams, another type of confidence scheme, involve scammers impersonating a grandchild or close family member who experiences a fictitious emergency and needs money from the victim as soon as possible.
Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Josh Rothman of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the Federal Bureau of Investigations Legal Attache in Poland, INTERPOL, and Polish Authorities, all provided critical assistance.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-20140.
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Newburgh Woman Who Made Headlines for False Claims About Homeless Veterans Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Stolen ValorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that SHARON TONEY‑FINCH, who made false public claims about assisting homeless veterans, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day by U.S. District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti for a years-long scheme to defraud military veterans’ charities and falsely claiming that she was a Purple Heart recipient. TONEY-FINCH previously pled guilty in March 2025 to wire fraud and stolen valor offenses. In issuing the Court’s sentence, Judge Briccetti described TONEY-FINCH’s conduct as “appalling” and “disrespectful to [her] fellow veterans.”
“Sharon Toney-Finch falsely claimed to be a Purple Heart recipient and used her foundation to defraud donors and others induced by that lie,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Let today’s sentence reaffirm that fraud built on lies about service and sacrifice will carry a heavy price.”
As alleged in the Indictment and in statements made in public filings and public court proceedings:
TONEY-FINCH is an Army veteran and founder of the Yerik Israel Toney Foundation (the “YIT Foundation”), a registered 501(c)(3) charity that was established in Sullivan County. TONEY-FINCH was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army with various commendations, but she never received a Purple Heart award.
TONEY-FINCH’s YIT Foundation reportedly strived to raise awareness of premature births, offer assistance to premature babies and their families, and provide a place to stay or transportation while the babies were in the neonatal intensive care unit. The YIT Foundation also claimed to help homeless and low-income military service veterans in need of living assistance.
In fact, the YIT Foundation was largely a fraud. TONEY-FINCH helped virtually no military veterans and, instead, used the money that had been donated to the YIT Foundation by bona fide military veterans’ charities principally for her own benefit, including to pay for her BMW, a gym membership, travel, meals, and other personal expenses. In raising funds for the YIT Foundation, TONEY-FINCH also lied extensively about her military service, claiming falsely that she had been injured in an improvised explosive device attack in Iraq and doctoring her military discharge paperwork to reflect that she had received a Purple Heart, among other things. In total, TONEY-FINCH obtained approximately $85,000 as part of the scheme.
For example, in June 2022, TONEY-FINCH induced a local foundation that donates money to charities that serve veterans, food pantries, and domestic violence survivors to give the YIT Foundation $10,000 ostensibly to fund the construction of housing for homeless veterans. TONEY-FINCH used this grant money not to construct a home for veterans but rather principally to pay for her luxury vehicle and for her personal expenses at bars, restaurants, and gyms.
In May 2023, TONEY-FINCH made national news after claiming to a newspaper that the YIT Foundation had been supporting numerous homeless veterans who were being evicted from a hotel in Newburgh to make room for migrants who were being bussed from New York City. This claim caused at least one donor to wire the YIT Foundation $25,000. TONEY‑FINCH’s claims about housing homeless veterans who were supposedly displaced by migrants were false.
In the process of soliciting other donations for the YIT Foundation, TONEY-FINCH frequently and fraudulently held herself as a military hero who had received a Purple Heart medal. For example, in September 2021, TONEY-FINCH submitted a doctored military discharge certificate to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor and was honored at a Purple Heart ceremony alongside commissioned military officers. And in July 2022, TONEY-FINCH appeared on a video podcast to discuss the YIT Foundation and her claimed military record. At the outset of this appearance, TONEY-FINCH stated that she is the founder of the YIT Foundation and falsely claimed that she was “a Purple Heart and Valor Award recipient.” TONEY-FINCH then told an elaborate and false story about being the victim of an improvised explosive device attack in Iraq, in which TONEY-FINCH supposedly sustained injuries that required dozens of surgeries and simultaneously saved the lives of multiple fellow servicemembers.
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In addition to the prison term, TONEY-FINCH, 43, of Newburgh, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $84,000 in restitution and $85,000 in forfeiture.
Mr. Clayton praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Hudson Valley White Collar Crime Task Force, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison and Margaret N. Vasu are in charge of the prosecution.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Impersonating Crypto Influencers in Investment ScamRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Noman Saleem, 38, of Queens and Levittown, New York, pled guilty today, in connection with his role in a wire fraud scheme. Saleem conspired to steal the victims’ money — including a victim in Maryland — under the guise of a crypto staking or crypto investment opportunity with guaranteed returns.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
According to the plea agreement, beginning in December 2020, and continuing through at least March 2021, Saleem engaged in the investment scheme by promoting himself as popular online crypto influencers, convincing several victims to send crypto to virtual wallets that he owned and controlled. The victims invested with Saleem under the guise of a crypto staking or crypto investment opportunity with guaranteed returns. After Saleem took control of the victims’ crypto, he ceased communicating with them and disappeared with their crypto.
Cryptocurrencies are not tied to any nation’s fiat currency. The owner of cryptocurrency is assigned a mathematical encryption key pair consisting of a public key and a private key. A public key, also known as an address, is visible to the public. The public key allows the public to verify the owner of virtual currency and to send and receive cryptocurrencies. A private key, also known as a secret key, utilizes a password to complete cryptocurrency transactions. Secret keys are typically only shared with the owner of the public key. A wallet can hold multiple public keys for a user and an account can hold multiple wallets for a user.
Crypto staking involves holding cryptocurrency holdings for a period of time to earn interest or rewards. Crypto staking is often accomplished through groups of people or pools, with participants earning passive income on their holdings, ranging from 5 to 20 percent.
In 2020, Saleem began using Telegram as a messaging application. Saleem created a handle on Telegram used by a popular crypto influencer. Thousands of people joined Saleem’s public channel, and Saleem also created a VIP sub channel by subscription in exchange for approximately $500 to $600 of crypto. Saleem led members to believe that he was the influencer, as VIP channel members could direct message him. He also created a second handle using another popular crypto influencer’s handle and offered channel members the option to join his VIP channel by subscription.
Saleem advertised staking rewards through his Telegram channels, with terms of 30 to 90 days. He then enticed potential investors with promises that the more crypto that they invested, the greater the returns. Saleem never actually staked any crypto.
While conducting the crypto influencing and staking scheme, Saleem obtained at least $1,798,529 in U.S. currency. The Government seized much of these losses back in the form of crypto and U.S. currency, as identified in the plea agreement.
Saleem is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud. His sentencing is set for March 3, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Evelyn L. Cusson, who are prosecuting the case, and recognized Paralegal Specialist Shelbe Mascaro for her valuable assistance.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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New Orleans Resident Guilty of Demanding Ransom for Release of Kidnapping VictimRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –JANETTE RAMIREZ (“RAMIREZ”), age 34, pleaded guilty on September 25, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe to interstate transmission of a ransom demand, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(a).
According to court documents, the victim was kidnapped by RAMIREZ’s co-defendants, Hector Mondragon-Flores and Edwin Salgado-Nunez. They bound the victim’s hands and legs together, held him at gunpoint in Mondragon-Flores’s apartment, and demanded the payment of a $7,000 ransom from the victim’s father for the victim’s release. Salgado-Nunez was arrested by New Orleans Police Department officers during a ransom exchange after the victim’s father paid Salgado-Nunez’s associate $3,000 in cash.
Following Salgado-Nunez’s arrest, Mondragon-Flores took the victim to RAMIREZ’s apartment. Mondragon-Flores then instructed the victim to facilitate a payment from the victim’s girlfriend for the victim’s release. RAMIREZ translated a conversation concerning the ransom payment, between the victim and his girlfriend, from English to Spanish for Mondragon-Flores so that he could monitor the conversation. RAMIREZ also agreed to use her CashApp account to receive the ransom payment and sent the victim’s girlfriend CashApp payment requests knowing that they would be viewed as a request for ransom for the victim’s release.
RAMIREZ faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys David Berman and Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit are in charge of the prosecution.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Create and Distribute Videos Depicting Monkey Torture and MutilationRead the Press Release
Note: the release has been updated to include only information about Morelli. Additional information about another individual who has been charged in the case has been removed.
A New Jersey man was sentenced to prison today in connection with his involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.
Giancarlo Morelli, of Wharton, New Jersey, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for conspiring to create and distribute animal crush videos.
“Those making or sharing animal crush videos have reason to fear capture and swift justice in the form of sentences like today’s,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Congress has said clearly that this conduct has no place in our society. Beyond dark corners of the web, it is reviled. Anyone who sees it should turn in perpetrators to federal law enforcement. We will prosecute everyone we can, as we did with this chat group. If you’re involved in these groups, get out and get help.”
“If you pay others to torture animals or to share images of that horrific abuse, you can expect to be held accountable as if you committed the torture firsthand,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio. “Today’s sentence shows our resolve to punish everyone who participates in these despicable and sadistic conspiracies.”
“The acts of torture and abuse of young monkeys in this case are beyond disturbing,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Adam Lawson of FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office. “As a result of the work of the FBI, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and our Department of Justice partners, those involved in the creation and distribution of these repulsive animal torture videos are being held accountable for their criminal actions.”
“Those who produce or distribute animal crush videos should know that federal law enforcement is fully committed to identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting these offenders,” said Assistant Director Doug Ault of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement. “Such acts are universally condemned, and we commend vigilant members of the public who report these crimes when they are discovered. As demonstrated by this successful prosecution, we will aggressively pursue all who participate in these abhorrent acts.”
According to court documents, Morelli paid another individual 19 times for videos depicting the torture and abuse of monkeys. Morelli also kept up an extensive correspondence with the individual supplying him with the videos, providing feedback on the content of the videos, and offering suggestions for future videos.
According to statements of facts signed by Morelli, the videos included depictions of baby and adolescent monkeys being tortured in a multitude of ways, including having their genitals burned and cut off.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Adam C. Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section is prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Oakley for the Southern District of Ohio also helped prosecute the case.
New Jersey Man Sentenced for Failing to Stop for Inspection at Calais International Port of EntryRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A New Jersey man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for failing to report his arrival and present himself for inspection at the international port of entry in Calais.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison sentenced Jason Brenner, 53, to 115 days of imprisonment, followed by a year of supervised release. Brenner pleaded guilty on August 12, 2025.
According to court records, on July 1, 2025, Brenner drove a vehicle traveling outbound from the United States and entered Canada. After a brief encounter with Canadian immigration officials, Brenner turned his vehicle around and sped back towards the U.S. Instead of stopping his vehicle and presenting himself for inspection at the Calais port of entry, Brenner entered the U.S. by traveling in the outbound lane in the wrong direction, bypassing the incoming traffic inspection lanes. Following a pursuit where Brenner reached speeds of over 100 mph, he crashed the vehicle and was found in the woods with a loaded firearm, two loaded magazines, and wearing body armor. Another loaded firearm was found inside the vehicle.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol and the Baileyville and Indian Township police departments.
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New Hampshire Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for 2024 Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on September 30, 2025, Christopher Boisvert of Swanzey, New Hampshire was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 74 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
On June 10, 2025, Boisvert pleaded guilty to one count of Bank Robbery and stipulated to the commission of a second bank robbery and an attempted robbery of a marijuana dispensary, all committed on August 26, 2024. Boisvert’s conspirator, Meghan Cox, 40, of Laconia, New Hampshire, pled guilty on June 12, 2025 to her role in conspiring to rob the marijuana dispensary. Cox is scheduled to be sentenced on October 20, 2025.
According to court records, starting at around 2:00 p.m. on August 26, 2024, Boisvert and Cox attempted to rob a marijuana dispensary then Boisvert went on to successfully rob TD Bank in Bellows Falls and Brattleboro Savings & Loan in Brattleboro. Throughout the spree, Boisvert was masked, appeared to be armed, and obtained $7,500 by threatening bank tellers and their families with violence. After the Brattleboro robbery, Boisvert led law enforcement on a high-speed chase through back roads of Vermont before abandoning his truck in a business parking lot. Upon returning to their home in New Hampshire, Boisvert and Cox called law enforcement and falsely reported the truck stolen and claimed to be hiking all afternoon. Prior to this offense, Boisvert had multiple arrests and convictions for armed robberies from 2012 through 2023.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vermont State Police, the Brattleboro Police Department, the Bellows Falls Police Department, the Keene (New Hampshire) Police Department, the Swanzey (New Hampshire) Police Department, the Cheshire County (New Hampshire) Sheriff’s Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the Athol (Massachusetts) Police Department, and the Winchendon (Massachusetts) Police Department.
The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Ophardt and Dana Hill. Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon represents Christopher Boisvert and Meghan Cox is represented by Richard C. Bothfeld, Esq.
Nevada Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
RENO – A Winnemucca man was sentenced today by United States District Judge Miranda M. Du to 10 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for transporting a 15-year-old girl from Colorado to Nevada, and having sexual contact with her, after meeting each other on a social media application.
According to court documents, from December 31, 2024, to January 2, 2025, Tyler Monson communicated via Snapchat with a 15-year-old victim who lived in Littleton, Colorado. During the conversation, Monson told the victim that he was 16 years old and lived in Colorado. Monson and the victim exchanged nude photos, and he sent the victim $2,000 via Venmo. They agreed to meet in person. Monson traveled from Nevada to Colorado for the purpose of sexual activity with the victim. While traveling back to Nevada with the victim, Monson sexually assaulted the victim multiple times.
Monson pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Elko County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, with assistance provided by the Winnemucca Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Megan Rachow prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
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Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty to Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tommy Lynn Byrd, Jr., age 37, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on January 9, 2025, Byrd assaulted the victim, resulting in serious bodily injury.
The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muskogee Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Byrd will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Gross and Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Mexican man arrested, charged with illegal reentryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Agustin Meza Lopez, 30, a citizen and national of Mexico, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal reentry, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Irvin Jefferson, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in the early morning hours of August 31, 2025, Lopez was encountered by a Customs and Border Protection officer at the Lewiston Bridge Port of Entry in Lewiston, NY. He was an occupant in a Virigina plated vehicle that made a wrong turn onto the bridge. Lopez claimed to be a Mexican citizen but did not present any identity documents at the time. He was referred to secondary inspection to determine his identity and immigration status in the United States. A records check determined that Lopez was physically removed from the United States in August 2021.
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.
Lopez made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the US After Prior RemovalsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Mexican national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal.
According to court records, on September 16, 2025, Javier Amateco-Navarrette, 38, was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by the U.S. Border Patrol in Oakland, Maine. During the traffic stop, Amateco-Navarrette admitted he was a citizen of Mexico and in the U.S. illegally. He was previously removed from the country on two separate occasions in 2018.
Amateco-Navarrette faces up to two years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
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).
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Mexican National Guilty of Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ALFREDO RAMIREZ-VAZQUEZ (“RAMIREZ-VAZQUEZ”), age 55, a citizen of Mexico, pled guilty on September 16, 2025, to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. ' 1326(a). Chief U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter scheduled the sentencing for November 13, 2025.
According to court records, RAMIREZ-VAZQUEZ reentered the United States sometime prior to April 1, 2025, after having been previously removed on or about February 5, 2024.
RAMIREZ-VAZQUEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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).
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Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Cedar County man who distributed methamphetamine was sentenced on September 29, 2025, to almost 12 years in federal prison.
Shane Robert McDowell, age 44, from Clarence, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 14, 2025 guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that, between 2016 and 2022, McDowell obtained methamphetamine from several different sources of supply and distributed it to drug customers. On February 5, 13, and 28, 2024, law enforcement officers conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from McDowell. In total, McDowell agreed that he was involved with at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine.
McDowell was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. McDowell was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a five‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
McDowell is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by former Special Assistant United States Attorney Jared Manternach and Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, the Tipton Police Department, the Muscatine County Drug Task Force, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24‑CR‑00070‑CJW.
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Mescalero Man Faces Federal Sexual Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man is facing federal charges after allegedly engaging in sexual acts with a minor.
According to court documents, following a report made to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in February 2021, an investigation was initiated into Deverne Torres, Jr., 45, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. The complaint arose after a witness claimed to have seen Torres kissing and touching a minor and reportedly threatened the witness to keep quiet.
During a subsequent interview, the victim disclosed that Torres had engaged in sexual acts with them beginning when they were under the age of 12 and continuing for years.
Torres is charged with Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Sexual Abuse of a Minor and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Torres faces up t0 life in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackson Dering is prosecuting the case.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is seeking other potential victims of Torres. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Bureau of Indian Affairs at (575) 464-4479.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mercer County Man Admits to Fraudulently Obtaining over $256,000 in Veterans BenefitsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey man admitted that he defrauded the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs by improperly obtaining over $256,000.00 in program benefits, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Mark Stratton, 67, of Lawrence Township, New Jersey, pled guilty on September 25, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with theft of public money.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs provided disability benefits to Stratton’s father, which passed to Stratton’s mother after his father died. Those benefits were paid monthly through electronic funds into a joint bank account held by both Stratton and his mother. After Stratton’s mother died in 2008, the benefits should have been terminated; however, Stratton did not notify the Department of Veterans Affairs about his mother’s death. Instead, he made withdrawals of the disability benefits for his own personal use. Through a joint investigation by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, law enforcement determined that between 2008 and 2025, Stratton improperly withdrew approximately $256,027.00 in benefits.
The charge of theft of public money carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for January 27, 2026.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Abrams of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Jonathan Marshall, Esq.
stratton.information.pdfMays Landing Woman Admits to Conspiring to Defraud the IRSRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Mays Landing woman admitted to conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service by filing false employment tax returns that concealed a company’s cash payroll, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Denise Davis, 52, of Mays Landing, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court to an information charging her with one count of conspiring to defraud the IRS.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Davis worked at Davis Brothers Chimney Sweep & Masonry (“Davis Brothers”), a business located in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, owned by Davis’s spouse. Davis admitted that between January 1, 2018 and April 30, 2024, she conspired with Henry Collins, the business’s bookkeeper, to defraud the IRS. As part of the conspiracy, Collins utilized a commercial check casher to negotiate a substantial amount of Davis Brothers’s gross receipts checks. Collins used some of the resulting cash to pay himself and other Davis Brothers employees in cash. Collins provided the rest of the cash to Davis and her spouse. Davis and Collins then provided false and misleading information to the business’s outside accounting firm that resulted in the preparation and filing of false payroll tax returns that omitted the employees paid in cash and their cash wages. Davis also admitted that she failed to file individual income tax returns for herself and her spouse during the same time period. Davis admitted that the conspiracy resulted in a tax loss of approximately $1.18 million.
The count of conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for February 4, 2026.
Collins previously pleaded guilty for his role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced in December 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Defense counsel: Michele Finizio, Esq., Moorestown, New Jersey
davis.information.pdfMaryland Accountant Sentenced to Federal Prison in Connection with $24-Million COVID Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Harold Dotson, 54, of Gaithersburg Maryland, to three years in federal prison, followed by three years supervised release — including six months of home confinement — in connection with a conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting financial institutions. The fraud involved submitting more than $24 million in fraudulent CARES Act loan applications. Judge Bennett also ordered Dotson to pay $24,807,432 in restitution.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It gives financial assistance including forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and other expenses. Established by the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) — administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA) — along with the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), helped businesses meet their financial obligations. An EIDL advance does not have to be repaid, and small businesses can receive an advance, even if they are not approved for an EIDL loan. The maximum advance amount is $10,000.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, beginning in April 2020, and continuing through January 2022, Dotson engaged in multiple wire fraud conspiracies. These conspiracies involved submitting fraudulent loan applications for various COVID-19 relief benefits, including EIDL and PPP loans.
Dotson, an accountant and tax preparer, served as the owner and principal of H&M Tax Service LLC (H&M Tax), doing business as H&M Financial Group, LLC — a tax preparation business — during the time frame of the conspiracies. He used his accountant expertise to assist with preparing numerous false and fraudulent EIDL and PPP applications for purported businesses that did not exist in any legitimate capacity.
The fraudulent loan applications included false information about the phony businesses’ number of employees, monthly payroll costs, and revenue. Dotson also routinely created false and fraudulent Internal Revenue Service tax forms. He created the fraudulent tax forms for co-conspirator Ahmed Sary, 47, of Brooklyn, Maryland, and other co-conspirators to submit with the false PPP applications.
In return, Dotson received a percentage of the fraudulent loan proceeds, ranging from 2 to 27 percent. Through the scheme, Dotson received more than $828,498.95 from the co-conspirators. Then Dotson primarily used the fraudulent funds to gamble at various casinos in Maryland, including Maryland Live, the Horseshoe, and MGM National Harbor. He also used the money for a gambling trip to Las Vegas.
Dotson’s conspiracy with Sary resulted in the disbursement of $14,807,609.37 in fraudulently obtained PPP funds in connection with more than 85 fraudulent PPP loans. Additionally, Dotson’s conspiracy with another co-conspirator resulted in the disbursement of at least 30 fraudulent PPP loans valued at least $6,499,823.12. More than $3,500,000 was funded and disbursed in connection with Dotson’s submission of fraudulent EIDL applications.
In June 2024, Judge Bennett sentenced Sary to seven years in federal prison in connection with the conspiracy.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, SBA-OIG and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul A. Riley and Joseph L. Wenner, who are prosecuting the case, and recognized Paralegal Specialist Julie Jarman and Joanna Huber for their valuable assistance.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Man and woman arrested for stealing mailRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Alexandria E. Duncan, 22, of West Seneca, NY, and Timothee S. Tidwell, 25, of Buffalo, NY, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit mail theft, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that in October 2024, law enforcement began focusing on specific U.S. Postal Service blue collection box locations that were identified as being regular targets of suspected mass mail theft. One location was adjacent to 35 Main Street, and a second was a small shopping plaza on Sunset Drive, across Camp Road, both in Hamburg, NY.
Between October 9, 2024 through October 12, 2024, law enforcement observed an individual, later identified as Tidwell, use a key to access a mailbox outside 35 Main Street in Hamburg. On October 14, 2024, a Village of Hamburg Police officer on patrol observed Duncan drop off Tidwell near the entrance to the Hamburg Post Office on Camp Road. She then drove to a gas station across the street and parked. The officer approached the vehicle and activated his patrol vehicle police lights. As he did this, Tidwell fled from the are of the mailboxes into a nearby wooded area behind the post office. Investigators executed a search warrant on the vehicle, recovering various opened and unopened mail taken from the mailboxes that did not belong to Duncan or Tidwell.
Later in the day on October 14, 2024, a witness contacted the Town of Hamburg Police to report a suspicious encounter with an individual, later identified as Tidwell, earlier that morning. The witness stated that Tidwell came into the witness’ business seeking shelter. He was soaking wet and muddy, teeth chattering, and requested a cup of coffee. According to the witness, Tidwell stated that he has a key, was at the post office, and told the witness not to put anything in “those boxes” because they are not secure. Tidwell then used the business’s phone, and later, Duncan came and picked Tidwell up. That same day, Duncan’s father posted a Facebook message on the Town of Hamburg Police Department’s Facebook page, stating that his daughter was arrested for mail fraud and that her boyfriend abandoned her while she was getting arrested.
Duncan and Tidwell made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and were released on conditions.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Village of Hamburg Police, under the direction of Chief Richard Schara, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Ketty Larco Ward, Boston Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Maine Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Trafficking Whale and Bird PartsRead the Press Release
Sergey Bachkovsky, of Greene, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland, Maine, to trafficking whale and bird parts in violation of the Lacey Act.
According to court records and statements during today’s hearing, between June 2023 and March 2024, Bachkovsky imported wildlife items from Eastern Europe and sold them online to buyers across the United States. The items included sperm whale and marine mammal teeth (both raw items and scrimshaw art pieces), blue whale and Antarctic minke whale ear bones, and a broad-winged hawk carcass. The charging document also includes a notice of forfeiture for wildlife items that Bachkovsky intended to sell, including marine mammal and bear teeth, whale vertebrae, and feathers and wings from eagles, hawks, owls, and vultures.
It is a violation of the Lacey Act, the oldest U.S. wildlife trafficking law, to trade in wildlife taken, possessed, transported or sold contrary to another U.S. or state law. The sperm whale and blue whale have been protected by the Endangered Species Act since 1973. The Marine Mammal Protection Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act prohibit the sale and transportation of whale and migratory bird items without a permit, such as for public display, scientific study, or enhancement of species survival.
Bachkovsky will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the illegal activity.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), Acting U.S. Attorney Craig Wolff for the District of Maine, and Assistant Director Doug Ault of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement.
Bachkovsky was investigated and charged as part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Operation Raw Deal, which targeted the unlawful import and resale of whale teeth and bone (such as in a South Carolina case recently sentenced).
Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Scott for the District of Maine are prosecuting the case.
Long-Term International Investigation into Conspiracy to Steal American-Funded Aid Concludes with 2 Indicted, 1 ConvictedRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A long-term investigation concluded today with the unsealing of an indictment in the District of South Carolina charging two foreign nationals with conspiring against the United States to illegally divert U.S.-funded global health commodities from a Kenyan government-run corporation, Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).
Eric Ndungu Mwangi, 40, a Kenyan national, and Davendra Rampersaud, 42, a Guyanese national, and their associated businesses were charged in a 2021 superseding indictment brought by a federal grand jury in the District of South Carolina. The superseding indictment was originally filed under seal to protect the ongoing investigation.
The investigation, led by the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), focused on the approximately $650 million USAID-funded KEMSA Medical Commodities Program (MCP). The purpose of KEMSA MCP was to establish and operate a safe, secure, reliable, and sustainable supply chain management system for HIV/AIDS commodities needed to provide care and treatment of persons with HIV/AIDS in Kenya, and to support the warehousing and distribution of select family planning, nutrition, and malaria commodities.
Beginning in 2014, Mwangi and his company, Linear Diagnostics (LD), systematically stole HIV test kits and other commodities intended for KEMSA. The stolen goods found a buyer in Rampersaud and his Guyanese company, Caribbean Medical Supplies, Inc. (CMS). In 2015, Rampersaud fraudulently secured a "Letter of Authority" to operate as an authorized distributor. This allowed him to secure a lucrative, sole-source contract with the Guyana Ministry of Health for the products he was acquiring illegally.
Between 2015 and 2019, Rampersaud paid Mwangi over $177,000 for the diverted medical supplies, including the stolen, USAID-funded HIV test kits meant for Kenya. Rampersaud then profited again by selling these stolen health commodities to the Guyanese government. Rampersaud and CMS also acquired and sold test kits stolen from another separate USAID program.
“This was an incredibly complicated investigation, spanning years and an ocean,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina “These defendants jeopardized a vital public health mission and caused a significant loss to the American taxpayers.”
In February 2021, Kenyan authorities arrested Mwangi on charges relating to theft and fraud. He is currently awaiting trial in Kenya. On the American charges, Mwangi faces up to 20 years on various counts, fines, and a term of supervised release.
In January 2023, Rampersaud was arrested on charges arising out of the superseding indictment when he flew into Miami in the United States during a flight layover, while attempting to travel back to Guyana. He was transported to Charleston, South Carolina, and pleaded guilty to conspiracy and to stealing or converting health commodities that USAID paid for as part of a health care benefit. He was sentenced by United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel. Rampersaud received credit for time served and was additionally sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay an $84,000 fine.
This case was investigated by Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Agency for International Development. The Justice Department and USAID OIG appreciate the substantial assistance provided by the Office of International Affairs, the Department of State’s Regional Security Offices in Nairobi, Kenya, and Georgetown, Guyana, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Kittrell and Dean Secor are prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Little Rock Man Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Possess Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A Little Rock man was convicted by a federal jury on conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the guilty verdict which was handed down recently.
Spencer Walker, 36, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a superseding indictment on August 5, 2025, and charged with the three counts he took to trial. The four-day jury trial was held before United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky. The jury deliberated less than 45 minutes before returning a guilty verdict on all three counts for which Walker had been indicted.
The evidence at trial revealed that in September 2022, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) intercepted two packages, each containing five pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers performed a controlled delivery of those packages to Walker’s address. After the controlled delivery, they were able to secure a search warrant for Walker’s residence. During a search of Walker’s residence, law enforcement officers located an additional unopened package that was found to contain 10 pounds of methamphetamine; in his bedroom they located a shotgun with a 25-round drum magazine.
Law enforcement officers continued their investigation into the owner of the residence, tracing his location for a period of time. They noted that the owner frequented a house in Bryant, Arkansas. Law enforcement officers then discovered that an additional three packages addressed to the Bryant residence containing 10 pounds of methamphetamine each, had been previously intercepted. In January of 2023, law enforcement officers intercepted another package going to the Bryant residence that contained 10 pounds of methamphetamine. It was through the interception by USPIS of those parcels, as well as several witness statements and photo identification, that law enforcement officers were able to identify Walker as the intended recipient of all the packages containing methamphetamine.
Walker faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the DEA. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katie Hinojosa.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
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Lewisville man sentenced to federal prison for string of bank robberiesRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Lewisville man has been sentenced to federal prison for bank robbery in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Kyung Heo, 31, pleaded guilty to bank robbery and was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III on September 30, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on November 18, 2022, Heo entered the Comerica Bank on State Highway 121 in Lewisville and approached the bank manager asking if the bank could process a cashier’s check. When told the bank could only process cashier’s checks for clients, Heo produced a handgun and pointed it at the manager. Heo pushed the manager out of the way, pointed the handgun at the tellers, and demanded they give him money. After taking the money, Heo exited the bank and departed the area on foot.
On April 6, 2023, Heo entered the American National Bank on Cross Timbers Road in Flower Mound, approached a teller station, pulled out a handgun, jumped over the counter, and instructed the tellers to empty their cash drawers. Heo then placed the money in a plastic bag before departing the area on foot. Shortly after the robbery, officers searched the area and located a plastic bag containing $18,943 cash in a nearby drainage ditch. American National Bank reported an additional loss of $10,208 for a total amount of loss is $29,151. An analysis of surveillance videos from the two robberies was also used to link Heo to the June 6, 2023, robbery of the Citizen’s National Bank in Weatherford. Heo was convicted in the Northern District of Texas for that robbery and sentenced to 57 months in federal prison. His Eastern District of Texas sentence will run concurrently to the sentence for the Weatherford bank robbery.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Lewisville Police Department, and the Flower Mound Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
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Leader of Conspiracy to Fraudulently Register Vehicles in Missouri Sentenced to 5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a man to five years in prison for bribing employees of Missouri motor vehicle license offices to fraudulently register motor vehicles.
Judge Schelp also ordered Gary Wilds, 48, to pay restitution of $335,218, including $319,778 to the state of Missouri.
Wilds bribed employees of motor vehicle license offices to falsely represent to the Missouri Department of Revenue that vehicles had passed emissions and safety inspections, that owners had paid their property taxes and had proof of insurance or other evidence of financial responsibility. Wilds also bribed employees into submitting forged documents claiming that vehicle owners were eligible for sales tax exemptions, thus reducing tax assessments from thousands of dollars per vehicle to as little as $11.
Wilds recruited Michelle Boyer and Megan Leone to aid his conspiracy. When Leone was promoted to manager, she told Ashlyn Graeff, who was her subordinate and who began working at the office in 2018, to fraudulently complete vehicle registration documents on behalf of Wilds. Wilds paid his recruits up to $100 for each transaction. Graeff initially conducted one or two fraudulent registrations per week for Wilds but that eventually grew to as many as 10 per day.
Some of the customers of Wilds’ business, Pinnacle Concierge, knew that Wilds was going to fraudulently register their vehicles because their vehicles could not pass emissions tests, they had outstanding child support orders or they had been barred from registering vehicles by another state agency. Customers who weren’t aware have suffered financial losses because Wilds only submitted part of their fees to the state and the fraudulent registrations were subsequently revoked. Even though these customers paid Wilds for their registrations, they are unable to properly register their vehicles without submitting the unpaid taxes and paying taxes and penalties to the state.
In one example in Wilds’ plea agreement, Wilds and Graef fraudulently registered a 2022 Dodge Ram for a customer on Sept. 13, 2022. Wilds told his customer that $1,350 would satisfy the fees and taxes due, but Wilds only sent $14.50 to the Missouri Department of Revenue. Wilds and Graeff avoided paying sales taxes by submitting a fraudulent form that falsely claimed that the vehicle weighed 24,000 pounds and was being leased to an interstate carrier registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Gary Wilds pleaded guilty in June to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 22 counts of wire fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft and six counts of making a false statement. Graeff, now 40, pleaded guilty to three counts of making a false statement. Leone, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of making a false statement. Boyer, 53, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Boyer was sentenced on September 18 to five years of probation and ordered to pay restitution of $206,847. Graeff was sentenced on July 17, 2024, to four years of probation and ordered to pay $84,554 in restitution. Leone is scheduled to be sentenced on October 8.
The case was investigated by the Missouri Department of Revenue and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.
Latvian Broker Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Illegally Export U.S. Aircraft Technology to RussiaRead the Press Release
Latvian national, Oleg Chistyakov, aka Olegs Čitsjakovs, 56, pleaded guilty today for his role in a years-long conspiracy to circumvent U.S. export laws by filing false export forms with the U.S. government and, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, continuing to procure and sell sophisticated and controlled avionics equipment to customers in Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
According to court documents, Chistyakov admitted that he conspired with U.S. citizens Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky, 62, and Douglas Edward Robertson, 58, of Kansas, to facilitate the sale, repair, and shipment of U.S.-origin avionics equipment to customers in Russia and in other countries that operate Russian-built aircraft, including the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB). Buyanovksy and Robertson were charged and arrested in Kansas in March 2023 and have pleaded guilty.
Chistyakov also admitted that, after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and despite additional U.S. economic countermeasures levied against Russia, Chistyakov and his conspirators continued to smuggle and export sophisticated and controlled avionics equipment to companies in Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Chistyakov further admitted that, while operating from Latvia and often through his Emirati company RosAero FZC, he worked with Buyanovsky and Robertson through their U.S. company, KanRus Trading Company Inc. (KanRus), to circumvent U.S export laws by purchasing avionics equipment from U.S. companies for customers in Russia.
Chistyakov admitted that he and his conspirators took numerous actions to conceal their illegal activities including creating false invoices, transshipping items through third-party countries, such as Laos and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), using bank accounts in third-party countries, such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and the UAE, and exporting items to intermediary companies which then reexported the items to the ultimate end destinations. As part of his guilty plea, Chistyakov also agreed to the imposition of a personal forfeiture judgment against him.
As a result of today’s guilty plea, Chistyakov faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 10, 2026.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser for the District of Kansas, and Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Counterintelligence Division made the announcement.
The FBI and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Rask and Ryan Huschka of the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Adam Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs secured the arrest and August 2024 extradition from Latvia of Chistyakov and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection provided substantial assistance.
L.A. Fashion District Wholesaler and Executives Sentenced for Money Laundering and Avoiding Customs Duties and TaxesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A wholesale clothing importer located in the Fashion District of downtown Los Angeles and two of its executives have been sentenced for avoiding the payment of more than $8 million in customs duties on imported clothing, and for running a scheme in which the company laundered money and failed to report on tax returns more than $17 million derived from cash transactions, the Justice Department announced today.
On late Monday, C’est Toi Jeans Inc. (CTJ), which imported apparel from China and other nations and exported clothing to customers in Mexico, Central America, and South America, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark C. Scarsi to five years of probation and was ordered to submit to federal monitoring. Judge Scarsi also fined CTJ $11.5 million and ordered it to pay more than $15 million in restitution.
Si Oh Rhew, 71, of La Cañada Flintridge, CTJ’s president and a 75% owner of the company, was sentenced by Judge Scarsi to 103 months in federal prison, fined $8 million, and was ordered to pay more than $19 million in restitution.
Lance Rhew, 38, of downtown Los Angeles, Si Oh Rhew’s son, a CTJ corporate officer, and the owner of another Los Angeles-based company called GLLR Inc. that did business as CTJ, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison, fined $500,000, and was ordered to pay restitution.
CTJ was a business owned by Si Oh Rhew and his wife that the Rhews operated. CTJ received U.S. currency in bulk cash that was derived from drug trafficking as payment for customer invoices. Those funds were delivered to CTJ by money couriers unrelated to and unknown to CTJ or to the customers whose invoices were being paid.
CTJ and Si Oh Rhew failed to file currency transaction reports, which are required for any transaction involving more than $10,000 in cash, and the defendants concealed the cash receipts from an accountant who prepared their taxes, which led to the fraudulent omission of more than $17 million in gross sales from tax returns filed with the IRS.
The defendants also avoided customs duties and tariffs by purchasing garments from overseas manufacturers, including from China, but then submitting false information to United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that understated the true value of the items being imported into the United States.
As a result, the import duties owed on the shipments were lowered. The indictment alleges that the defendants sent 515 individual wire transfers totaling $137,156,726 to pay overseas suppliers for undervalued garments. Overall, CTJ imported goods that were undervalued by more than $51 million, causing approximately $8.4 million in unpaid tariffs and duties that should have been paid to CBP.
At the conclusion of a six-week trial, CTJ and Si Oh Rhew were found guilty by a jury in October 2024 of two conspiracies and multiple counts of failure to file reports of currency transaction over $10,000 in a trade or business. All three defendants were found guilty of three counts of entry of falsely classified goods, three counts of entry of goods by means of false statements, three counts of passing false and fraudulent papers through a customhouse, and two counts of international promotional money laundering.
CTJ was found guilty of an additional two concealment money laundering counts involving drug proceeds. Si Oh Rhew was found guilty of an additional two counts of aiding, assisting, and procuring the filing of a false tax return. Lance Rhew was found guilty of one additional count of aiding, assisting, and procuring the filing of a false tax return. Lance Rhew was also found guilty of one conspiracy count.
The jury found the defendants not guilty of several additional criminal counts, including – for CTJ – two counts of concealment money laundering and – for Lance Rhew – several counts of failure to file a report of a currency transaction in a nonfinancial trade or business.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and IRS-Criminal Investigation. They were aided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Monterey Park Police Department, the El Segundo Police Department, the Long Beach Police Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Gardena Police Department, and the West Covina Police Department.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The investigation was conducted by the HSI-led El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, a multi-agency task force that includes federal and state investigators who are focused on financial crimes in Southern California.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lana Morton Owens of the Transnational Organized Crime Section and James E. Dochterman of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section prosecuted this case.
Kansas Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl in South DakotaRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a woman from Prairie Village, Kansas, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
Amanda Acosta, 43, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Acosta was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in February 2025. She pleaded guilty on July 17, 2025.
Acosta became involved with a California-based drug trafficking organization, operating out of Sioux Falls, in July 2024. She acted as a sub-distributor for the organization, purchasing significant quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl and then selling the drugs for a profit to individuals in Sioux Falls and other areas throughout South Dakota. She also allowed the organization to ship packages of fentanyl pills directly to her residence through the mail. Acosta’s involvement with the organization ended with her arrest in September 2024.
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). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Acosta was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kansas City Woman Sentenced to 11 Years for Covid-19 Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her leadership role in two cases that resulted in more than $500,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and more than $3,000,000 in stolen Treasury checks.
Briauna Adams, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 11 years imprisonment based upon her guilty pleas to wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of government funds relating to a counterfeit check scheme and stolen United States Treasury checks. The defendant also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering relating to a scheme to fraudulently obtain Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans, guaranteed by the SBA under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents, Adams rented a townhome in Raymore, Mo., using the name and personal identification information of another person. On July 27, 2024, Adams opened an individual investment account from the Raymore residence. On Aug. 15, 2024, Adams deposited a Treasury check worth $1,445,443.69 in her name to the investment account. Fraud investigators with the investment account company determined the $1,445,443.69 Treasury check was fraudulent and reversed the deposit before suffering a financial loss.
On Nov. 14, 2024, a search warrant was executed on Adam’s rental townhome in Raymore. Approximately 253 stolen Treasury checks were found in the residence. The total value of the checks was approximately $700,000.
Finally, Adams conspired with others to prepare and file fraudulent PPP loan applications on their behalf. Adams filed false PPP loan applications for numerous persons resulting in a loss of approximately $540,302, which she was ordered to pay back in a restitution judgment.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department.
Kansas City Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing eight firearms.
David Michael Gager, also known as David Kash, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 71 months in federal prison without parole for being a felon in possession of firearms.
On Mar. 7, 2025, Gager pleaded guilty to five counts of knowingly being a felon in possession of firearms between Apr. 19, 2024, and May 16, 2024. During this period, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives utilized a confidential informant and an undercover agent to conduct four separate controlled purchases of firearms from Gager. During these transactions, Gager mentioned that he could get machineguns and methamphetamine for future transactions. During one transaction, Gager indicated that he acquires firearms in Kansas City and transports them to Chicago where he sells them for a profit. On May 9, 2024, Kansas City, Mo. Police Department officers executed a warrant for Gager’s arrest. The arrest occurred at a convenience store located on Prospect Avenue. Officers discovered a 9mm handgun that Gager had thrown in a trashcan near the front of the convenience store when he noticed officers approaching.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department.
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).
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Meth and FentanylRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to being in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Donnique H. Kelley, 36, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to participating in a conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents, between the dates of Dec. 14, 2022 and March 23, 2023, Kelley and others sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to law enforcement officials on at least seven separate occasions.
On Sept. 12, 2023, following a car stop on East 63rd Street, Kansas City, Mo., a co-conspirator and source of supply of fentanyl and methamphetamine for the conspiracy was found in possession of 4.45 kilograms of methamphetamine, 2.02 kilograms of marijuana, and $14,382.
Under federal statutes, Kelley is subject to a sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life 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 Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Overland Park, Kansas Police Department.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Files First Lawsuit in Support of Gun Owners Seeking Concealed Weapons PermitsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – In the first affirmative lawsuit in support of gun owners, the Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) alleging a pattern and practice of infringing the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens seeking concealed carry weapons (CCW) permits.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division on March 27, 2025, initiated the first-of-its-kind Second Amendment investigation because of numerous complaints of unreasonable delays in CCW permitting decisions by LASD. After analysis of data and documents spanning more than 8,000 CCW permits, the Division today filed suit seeking relief on behalf of law-abiding applicants.
“Citizens living in high-crime areas cannot afford to wait to protect themselves with firearms while Los Angeles County dithers,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “The right to bear arms is among the founding principles of our nation. It can and must be upheld.”
“The Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This lawsuit seeks to stop Los Angeles County’s egregious pattern and practice of delaying law-abiding citizens from exercising their right to bear arms.”
Shortly after Assistant Attorney Harmeet K. Dhillon was sworn in to lead the Civil Rights Division, numerous complaints received by the Division revealed inexplicable delays well beyond California statutory requirements and in violation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.
Almost two months after receiving notice of the Division’s investigation, LASD provided data and documents that revealed only two approvals from more than 8,000 applications, and that LASD set out interviews to approve licenses as far as two years after receiving the completed application. The lawsuit was filed in United States District Court for the Central District of California.
This investigation was conducted by attorneys at the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys within the Central District of California’s U.S. Attorney Office.
If you or someone you know has applied for a concealed carry permit in Los Angeles or any jurisdiction within the United States and have not received a reply or decision within four months after applying, please email [email protected]. The mailbox is actively monitored by attorneys assigned to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.
Justice Department Sues New Orleans-Area Tax Preparation Business and Related Preparers to Stop Alleged Tax Preparation FraudRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a civil injunction suit today in federal court in New Orleans to bar Unnisha Paige, Rosetta Jones, Capriata Oatis, Keyante St. Cyr, Leah Smith, Laporscha Thompson, Deshira Horton, and India Toppins, who do business as Paige’s Income Tax Services (Paige Tax), from preparing tax returns for others and owning or operating a tax preparation business. The complaint also requests that the court require the defendants to disgorge the return preparation fees they obtained by preparing allegedly false or fraudulent tax returns.
According to the complaint, Paige franchises Paige Tax stores and is a full or partial owner of each franchise location. The complaint further alleges that Paige sells tax preparation software and provides training to individuals seeking to start their own tax preparation business. The complaint asks the court to bar Paige from selling or licensing a tax preparation business or franchise and tax preparation software.
The complaint alleges that the defendants, and those acting at their direction, prepare and file tax returns to falsely increase their customers’ refunds, and they profit through high and often undisclosed preparation fees — at the expense of their customers and the U.S. Treasury. According to the complaint, the defendants and those acting at their direction engage in misconduct, including:
- Falsely claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit
- Fabricating businesses and related business income and expenses reported on Forms Schedule C
- Claiming false fuel tax credits
- Claiming false child and dependent care credits
- Claiming fabricated COVID-19-related tax credits
The Tax Division reminds taxpayers that the IRS has information, tips and reminders on its site for choosing a tax preparer carefully (Choosing a Tax Professional and How to Choose a Tax Return Preparer) and has launched a free directory of credentialed federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers taxpayers tips to protect their identities and wallets when filing their taxes.
In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $79,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too.
In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained civil injunctions and criminal convictions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Justice Department Sues Missouri Housing Authority for Sexual Harassment of Public Housing Applicant by Former Executive DirectorRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it filed a lawsuit against Eddie Joe Hankins and the Housing Authority of the City of Bloomfield, Missouri, for sexually harassing a female housing applicant in violation of the Fair Housing Act. Hankins was the executive director of the Missouri Housing Authority from 2019 through 2022.
“There is no place in America for public officials who abuse their trust to coerce sexual acts from the people they are duty-bound to help, be it in public housing or other areas. We will hold them accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
The lawsuit, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, alleges that in 2021, a woman living with her three children applied for public housing. After her application was denied, the complaint alleges that she went to meet with Executive Director Hankins, who made unwanted sexual advances toward her. The suit also alleges that Hankins made sexual comments about the applicant’s appearance, conditioned housing for her family upon submission to his conduct, and that he refused to assist her with obtaining housing once she resisted his sexual advances. The lawsuit also alleges that the Housing Authority is vicariously liable for Hankins’ unlawful conduct.
The applicant filed a complaint against the Housing Authority and Hankins with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). After an investigation, HUD determined that the Housing Authority and Hankins discriminated against the applicant in violation of the Fair Housing Act and issued a charge of discrimination. After the applicant chose to have the matter decided in federal court, HUD referred the matter to the Department of Justice.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate the applicant harmed by the alleged harassment and a court order barring future discrimination.
If you are a victim of sexual harassment by another landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative. The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 50 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered nearly $16.2 million for victims of such harassment.