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Thursday 14 August 2025
Defendants Charged in over $200 Million Water Vending Machine Ponzi Scheme and Related Investment FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton; Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington, Teal Luthy Miller; Inspector in Charge of the New York Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), Daniel Brubaker; and Special Agent in Charge of the Seattle Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), W. Mike Herrington, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment and Superseding Indictment. The first Indictment charges RYAN WEAR, the former owner and operator of Water Station Management LLC (“Water Station”), with securities and wire fraud in connection with WEAR raising more than $200 million from investors by selling them water vending machines that, in many cases, did not exist, and paying promised returns through new investor money. The second, Superseding Indictment charges JORDAN CHIRICO, a former fund portfolio manager and investment adviser, with investment adviser fraud in connection with purchasing more than $100 million of Water Station bonds while concealing his personal financial stake in the company and, eventually, his knowledge of the fraud that had been perpetrated by WEAR. Together, the defendants’ conduct caused hundreds of millions of dollars in losses to Water Station investors and bondholders. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon.
“Ryan Wear raised hundreds of millions of dollars through false promises of a water vending machine business that became nothing more than a scam that victimized retail investors, including military veterans,” U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said. “Jordan Chirico made matters worse by putting his own financial interests before his professional duties, investing clients’ money in Water Station—helping himself and hurting his investors—even after he knew it was a scam. One fraud does not excuse another. With the assistance of our dedicated law enforcement partners and our colleagues throughout the Department of Justice, this Office will continue to aggressively pursue financial frauds on Wall Street and Main Street.”
“From the relatively small city of Everett, Washington, to the major financial markets in New York, this fraud scheme had a broad reach,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. “We appreciate our partnership with the Southern District of New York on this investigation.”
“The greed and deception of this Ponzi scheme has resulted in the same way they have throughout history, with unwitting investors seeing their hard-earned money grossly misused, and the scammers arrested and held accountable for their crimes,” said USPIS Inspector in Charge Daniel Brubaker. “Postal Inspectors, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively investigate and disrupt criminals from defrauding the American public.”
“The scale of this fraud, which resulted in at least $200 million in losses, is simply staggering,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington. “And the deception and obfuscation these two men allegedly engaged in to siphon funds from retail investors, even U.S. military veterans, is absolutely unconscionable. FBI Seattle is committed to working with our law enforcement partners throughout Washington state and the nation to hold accountable those who abuse investors’ trust and defraud them of their hard-earned savings.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and Superseding Indictment unsealed today:[1]
WEAR operated Water Station as a fraudulent investment scheme, deceiving investors about the nature and profitability of the purported business. He raised over $200 million from retail investors and military veterans through multiple fraudulent solicitations, initially claiming that each investment of $8,500 would fund individual water machines generating passive income. He later raised capital through bonds falsely claimed to be collateralized by numerous water vending machines.
WEAR perpetuated the fraud by manufacturing far fewer water machines than represented, selling the same machines to multiple investors, and claiming machines existed when they did not. The deployed machines failed to generate the revenue promised by WEAR. To satisfy questioning investors, WEAR operated a Ponzi-like scheme, using new investor funds to pay earlier investors while siphoning off millions to expand his traditional vending machine business and cover personal expenses. When he could no longer raise sufficient funds, Water Station was forced into bankruptcy in August 2024, causing at least $200 million in investor losses.
CHIRICO engaged in a scheme to defraud 3|5|2 Capital ABS Master Fund LP (the “352 Fund”), an investment fund that was part of Jefferies Financial Group’s Leucadia Asset Management. As a portfolio manager entrusted with hundreds of millions in investors’ funds, CHIRICO breached his fiduciary duties by causing the 352 Fund to invest almost $100 million in what he came to learn was a Ponzi scheme while concealing his personal financial stake in Water Station.
CHIRICO had a significant personal investment in Water Station, holding a joint venture partnership worth over $7 million. When Water Station needed a capital infusion, the company launched a $70 million bond issuance in April 2022. CHIRICO invested millions of the 352 Fund’s assets without fully disclosing his personal stake in Water Station, his monthly payments exceeding $90,000 from Water Station, or the $1.6 million he had received from referring friends and family members to invest in the company. After investing the 352 Fund’s money, CHIRICO sold his interests back to Water Station without disclosing that he was being paid with bond proceeds originating from, among others, the 352 Fund and its investors. CHIRICO also deliberately omitted other conflicts that jeopardized the fund’s investment, including millions of dollars that WEAR and Water Station owed CHIRICO in loan and note repayments.
By summer of 2023, CHIRICO learned of serious issues at Water Station, including the inability to locate thousands of water machines supposedly collateralizing the bonds. Rather than alert investors, CHIRICO—who was personally owed more than $1 million by WEAR—prioritized his own repayment. In January 2024, WEAR admitted to CHIRICO that thousands of machines collateralizing the bonds did not exist, and that WEAR had misappropriated tens of millions of dollars in bond proceeds. Despite learning of this fraud—which another Water Station investor described to WEAR and CHIRICO as “the largest franchise fraud case in the history of the United States”—CHIRICO did not disclose Water Station’s problems to the 352 Fund or its investors. Instead, CHIRICO directed the 352 Fund to buy another $19 million of additional Water Station-issued bonds, some of the proceeds of which WEAR used to repay CHIRICO. From April 2022 to February 2024, CHIRICO received from WEAR and Water Station more than $11 million in joint venture earnings, buyouts, and loan and note repayments. The 352 Fund has not received any principal payments on $106.925 million of Water Station bonds, for which CHIRICO caused the fund and its affiliates to pay almost $100 million.
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WEAR, 49, of Everett, Washington, is charged with one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. CHIRICO, 41, of Carmel, Indiana, is charged with one count of investment adviser fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the USPIS, FBI, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General. Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for their assistance and cooperation in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam S. Hobson and Justin V. Rodriguez, along with Dane Westermeyer of the Western District of Washington, are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment and Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._wear_indictment_-_copy.pdf u.s._v._chirico_indictment.pdf
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and Superseding Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment and Superseding Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Defendant in Anchorage drug trafficking conspiracy pleads guiltyRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man pleaded guilty last week to conspiring with others to traffic fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin in Alaska on behalf of a drug trafficking organization allegedly run by a California inmate.
According to court documents, on March 23, 2023, Richard Frye, 36, and co-conspirator Tiffani Couch, 31, drove their other co-conspirator Anna Petla, 25, to the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and dropped her off for departure. Petla entered the airport and attempted to board a flight to Sand Point. Law enforcement officials contacted her inside the airport, searched the backpack she was carrying and discovered nearly 3,000 blue fentanyl pills. Petla also possessed over 80 grams of methamphetamine.
Law enforcement officials subsequently contacted Frye and Couch as they waited in their vehicle outside the departure area and detained both. Officers searched the vehicle and found over 500 blue fentanyl pills and over 40 grams of other controlled substances.
On June 9, 2023, law enforcement officials contacted Frye and Couch during a traffic stop in Anchorage. Officers searched the vehicle and recovered roughly 1,400 blue fentanyl pills, over 12 grams of other controlled substances and two loaded ammunition magazines. Frye possessed the controlled substances that police seized in March and June 2023 with the intent to distribute them to people in Alaska on behalf of the drug trafficking organization.
Law enforcement officials arrested Frye and Couch following the traffic stop on June 9. When Frye was booked into custody at the Anchorage Correctional Complex, staff found a suspicious mass in Frye’s stomach during a body scan. It was later determined that before his arrest, Frye ingested fentanyl and suboxone wrapped in cellophane and condoms with the intent to distribute these substances inside the correctional facility.
Frye posted bail and was released but was ordered detained again following a bail hearing in state court on June 23, 2023. On June 25, 2023, correctional officers discovered Frye attempted to body carry roughly 70 suboxone strips into the detention facility with the intent to distribute them inside the facility.
Court documents also explain that between December 2022 and March 2023, Frye used a digital money transferring service to send 34 transfers totaling over $8,800 to a co-conspirator’s account. During the same time frame, Frye received nine transfers totaling over $1,000 from the same co-conspirator. Frye is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-defendants in this case are as follows:
- Couch, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Couch is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 22, 2026.
- Petla, of Dillingham, pleaded guilty on June 4, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Petla is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 16, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford of the District of Oregon made the announcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska has been recused from this case with the exception of certain personnel. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. Clymer from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York has been appointed as Special Attorney to the United States Attorney General to assist with this and other recused cases. He reports to and acts under the direction of the Deputy Attorney General, or his delegee, or U.S. Attorney Bradford in these cases. Special Attorney Clymer supervises personnel from the District of Alaska who have been exempted from the recusal.
The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Division Office and Anchorage District Office, FBI Anchorage Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division and Anchorage Domicile, Homeland Security Investigations Anchorage, Alaska Office, Alaska State Troopers and Anchorage Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephan Collins, Chris Schroeder and Alana Weber are prosecuting the case.
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Davis Picnic Day Shooter Indicted for Being Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Joseph Allen Davis, 19, of Sacramento, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, police officers began investigating Joseph Allen Davis after determining that he was a shooter at the April 12, 2025, shooting at Rainbow City Park in Davis, where three people were injured by gunfire. Law enforcement officers conducted a search of Joseph Allen Davis’s apartment and seized a short-barrel AR-15-style pistol. Davis is prohibited from possessing any firearms and ammunition because he has previously been convicted of a felony gun possession offense.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Davis Police Department, the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Davis faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.
Chinese National Sentenced to More than Two Years in Federal Prison for Laundering Approximately $3.5 Million Stolen from Fraud VictimsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Chinese national was sentenced today to 28 months in federal prison for laundering approximately $3.5 million in money stolen from victims of investment scams as part of so-called “pig butchering” schemes, including opening bank accounts used to launder the money and picking up packages of bulk cash sent by fraud victims.
Li Liu, 27, a.k.a. “Qiunan Li” and “Xiaoying Zhao,” of the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fernando M. Olguin.
She pleaded guilty on June 4 to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“Pig butchering” fraud schemes (a term derived from a foreign-language phrase used to describe these crimes) consist of scammers encountering victims on dating services or social media, or via unsolicited messages or calls, often masquerading as a wrong number. Scammers initiate relationships with victims and slowly gain their trust, eventually introducing the idea of making a business investment.
Victims are then directed to other members of the scheme operating fraudulent investment platforms and applications, where victims are persuaded to transfer money for the purpose of financial investments. Once funds are sent to scammer-controlled accounts, the purported investment platform often falsely shows significant gains on the purported investment, and the victims are thus induced to send more money for additional investments.
Ultimately, the victims are unable recover their money, often resulting in significant losses for the victims.
In September 2024, Liu – using a fake passport under the alias “Xia Ran” and other documents – opened a bank account for a sham company named Ocean X Trading Ltd Inc. and had access to the account until April 2025. Multiple investment scam victims wired their money to this account. During October 2024 alone, Liu transferred $83,461 out of this bank account to a Hong Kong-based company called Alamo Tech Ltd.
As part of the conspiracy, Liu and her co-conspirators also used fake IDs – including passports and California driver’s licenses – to open accounts at mail receiving facilities and pick up package of bulk currency sent by wire fraud victims.
For example, in March 2025, Liu – using a fake passport with the name “Qiunan Li” along with other documents for a business called Sunny South Trading Inc. – opened an account at a shipping company located in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles. During two days in April 2025, six packages containing bulk cash – were received at this location. Liu picked up, opened, and photographed the packages’ content then consolidated the money and sent it to co-defendant Shaui Lyu, 28, of Koreatown, and other co-conspirators.
Lyu possessed on his cellphone approximately 46 images of bulk currency, many of which Liu sent to him. Law enforcement estimated that the bulk currency in the images totaled approximately $3.5 million of laundered money.
Finally, the conspiracy used couriers to deliver bulk cash from fraud victims. In March 2025, Liu was involved with someone transporting from Dallas to Los Angeles more than $200,000 in bulk currency of wire fraud victims. The co-conspirators also used an image of a serialized U.S. dollar bill for each courier pick up of currency, with the courier and the victim each showing the same serialized dollar bill to confirm the courier’s identity at pick up. In April 2025, Lyu on his cellphone, possessed more than 100 images of serialized dollar bills, each representing a different pick up of bulk cash.
Liu admitted in her plea agreement that she received payment for laundering the fraudulently obtained money. Law enforcement searching Liu’s residence found $104,000 in cash from fraud victims that had not yet been sent to other co-conspirators. Law enforcement also recovered 27 packages that Liu and Lyu had not picked up from mail receiving facilities, which were found to contain about $285,000 in cash and $87,000 in gold bars.
Lyu – who is an illegal alien from China – also pleaded guilty on June 4 to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and will face up to 20 years in federal prison at his September 4 sentencing hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Erik M. Silber of the Post-Conviction and Special Litigation Section prosecuted this case.
Career criminal sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for firearms violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A career criminal, with at least 10 felony convictions in Jefferson County, has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Kendrick Malbrough, 29, of Humble, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on August 14, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on October 30, 2024, law enforcement officers observed a vehicle commit traffic violations and attempted to initiate a traffic stop at the intersection of Concord and Steelton in Beaumont. The driver, Malbrough, eventually exited the vehicle while it was still rolling and attempted to flee on foot, discarding a pistol in the process. During his arrest, Malbrough was found in possession of $1,990 cash and he had attempted to hide almost 5 grams of crack cocaine in a baggie in his mouth. Further investigation revealed Malbrough had at least 10 felony convictions in Jefferson County beginning in 2014. As a convicted felon, Malbrough is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn.
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Canadian resident arrested at border with 109 kilograms of cocaineRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Vishavpal Singh, 31, a citizen of India residing in Canada, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $10,000,000.
“This seizure represents one of the largest ever at international border crossings in the Western District of New York,” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “The investigative efforts of our law enforcement partners is a very important step in preventing this vast amount of illegal narcotics from ending up on the streets of our community, and those attempting to smuggle this cocaine into our neighborhoods will be held accountable.”
HSI Buffalo Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan stated, “As alleged, Vishavpal Singh brazenly transported hundreds of pounds of cocaine through multiple states and into New York, where his cross-country trip was abruptly halted. with the assistance of eagle-eyed federal agents and officers, an investigation into Singh’s tractor trailer uncovered 108 kilos of cocaine inside boxes comingled within a large shipment of fabric softener. this arrest underscores the indispensable value of law enforcement collaboration, and i commend both CBP buffalo and HSI buffalo along with our partners across the country for their quick thinking and coordinated efforts.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Richard Antoine, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Singh was associated with a previous seizure of approximately 228 kilograms of cocaine in July 2025, at the Detroit Ambassador Bridge Port of Entry. An individual, identified as Pawanjit Gill, was arrested after bulk quantities of cocaine were found during an inspection of his outbound traveling commercial vehicle. Subsequent investigation determined that earlier that day, Gill met with Singh at a nearby travel center. HSI Port Huron alerted HSI Buffalo Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) that Singh was traveling within the United States. On the afternoon of August 13, 2025, Customs and Border Protection and HSI Buffalo BEST conducted an outbound inspection on Singh, who was operating a commercial tractor, at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry. During the inspection, CBP officers discovered boxes containing approximately 109 kilograms of suspected cocaine. Singh was taken into custody.
Singh made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and is being held pending a detention hearing on August 19, 2025.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy. Additional assistance was provided by HSI Port Huron.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Baltimore Recidivist Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Ethan King, 20, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person and was sentenced to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
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; Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to the guilty plea, on February 7, 2024, law enforcement observed surveillance video of King, a previously convicted felon, entering a Baltimore convenience store. While inside the store, King purchased a Glock 19 handgun equipped with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device from another individual.
Then on March 15, law enforcement recovered the Glock 19 handgun during a search of King’s residence. When law enforcement recovered the firearm, it was equipped with an extended magazine loaded with 31 rounds of 9mm ammunition and a machinegun conversion device. Machinegun conversion devices, also known as “Glock switches,” are designed to convert a semi-automatic Glock-style pistol into a fully automatic firearm.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, ATF, and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tsuei who prosecuted this 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.
Baltimore Man Sentenced for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Ethan King, 20, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person and was sentenced to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
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; Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to the guilty plea, on February 7, 2024, law enforcement observed surveillance video of King, a previously convicted felon, entering a Baltimore convenience store. While inside the store, King purchased a Glock 19 handgun equipped with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device from another individual.
Then on March 15, law enforcement recovered the Glock 19 handgun during a search of King’s residence. When law enforcement recovered the firearm, it was equipped with an extended magazine loaded with 31 rounds of 9mm ammunition and a machinegun conversion device. Machinegun conversion devices, also known as “Glock switches,” are designed to convert a semi-automatic Glock-style pistol into a fully automatic firearm.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, ATF, and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tsuei who prosecuted this case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Baltimore Felon Convicted by Jury of Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, a federal jury found Donte Williams, 33, of Baltimore, Maryland, guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the verdict with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
During the three-day trial, the United States presented evidence that, on September 28, 2022, Williams was sitting in the 500 block of Cumberland Street in Baltimore, Maryland. BPD officers approached Williams and spoke with him. As Williams walked away, officers observed a large quantity of suspected narcotics in his pocket. Law enforcement then arrested Williams, recovering approximately 72 gel caps containing fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl from his pocket, and an Arcus Model 98DA 9mm pistol, loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition from his waist band. He was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to numerous prior convictions,
Williams also possessed approximately $820 in drug trafficking proceeds on him. After a subsequent search of his vehicle, law enforcement uncovered his identification and an additional 97 blue-and-white gel caps that matched the ones in his pocket which also contained fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl.
Separately, the jury found Williams not guilty on two counts of alleged firearms possession in relation to a car stop on September 4, 2022.
Williams is facing up to life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum term of five years for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. The drug trafficking count is punishable by up to 20 years and the unlawful firearm and ammunition count is punishable up to 15 years. Sentencing is scheduled for Friday, November 21, at 10 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.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stanton Lawyer and Patricia McLane, who are prosecuting the federal case, and recognized Paralegal Specialist Alisha Swiger for her assistance and legal support.
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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Baltimore County Woman Admits to Impersonating Nurses, Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland –Thomasina E. Amponsah, 50, of Baltimore County, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to false statements in connection to health care matters and aggravated identity theft. Amponsah used stolen nursing licenses to obtain employment as a registered nurse (RN) and licensed practical nurse (LPN) but never held a nursing license or credential of her own.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
According to the plea agreement, beginning in or about September 2019, and continuing until in or about August 2023, Amponsah used stolen nursing credentials and false educational and professional histories. This helped her to obtain health care work as a purported licensed nurse at no less than 40 facilities in Maryland. Most of the facilities served as skilled nursing facilities that provided in-patient rehabilitation and medical treatment centers and were staffed with trained medical professionals.
These facilities billed for services that Amponsah provided to health care benefit programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Other facilities included a Baltimore City public school and multiple nursing homes. Amponsah earned at least $100,000 in wages from working at these facilities with her false credentials.
On or about August 21, 2019, Amponsah submitted a job application to Nursing Facility 1. In her application, Amponsah fraudulently used a Maryland nursing license number issued to Identity Victim T.R.S. She also provided a duplicated picture of Identity Victim T.R.S.’s nursing license to Nursing Facility 1.
Additionally, on her application, Amponsah modified her name to falsely include Identity Victim T.R.S.’s last name as part of her purported name. In her purported professional and educational history, Amponsah also claimed that she previously served as an LPN supervisor, and that she held a nursing degree from Florida State University, although neither claim was true.
As a result of this fraudulent application, Nursing Facility 1 hired Amponsah as an LPN. Nursing Facility 1 terminated Amponsah after she admitted forging a physician’s signature for Tramadol — an opioid painkiller — on a controlled medication prescription form and then faxing the form to a pharmacy.
Amponsah also admitted she used a second stolen identity to obtain nursing positions. On or about July 18, 2021, Amponsah submitted an online job application to Staffing Agency 1. Nurses who work for Staffing Agency 1 can sign up for nursing shifts at partner facilities. On her Staffing Agency 1 application, Amponsah used a Florida nursing license number that belonged to Identity Victim E.A. She also provided a duplicated picture of Identity Victim E.A.’s nursing license to Staffing Agency 1 and submitted a fictitious resume.
Additionally, Amponsah used her fabricated application to obtain employment in numerous other skilled nursing facilities. In total, between July 18, 2021, and October 9, 2022, Amponsah worked for at least 21 different skilled nursing facilities in connection with her fictitious Staffing Agency 1 application.
Through Staffing Agency 1, Amponsah also obtained several shifts at Nursing Facility 2 in October 2022. During these shifts, Amponsah failed to administer prescribed medication to multiple patients and falsified the corresponding medical records. Although Nursing Facility 2 and Staffing Agency 1 confronted and eventually terminated Amponsah for working as an unlicensed nurse, she continued applying for and accepting employment as a licensed nurse using Identity Victim T.R.S.’s and Identity Victim E.A.’s credentials.
Amponsah faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for false statements related to health care matters, and a mandatory two-year sentence, consecutive to any other imposed sentence, for aggravated identity theft.
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. Amponsah’s sentencing is currently set for Wednesday, November 12, at 2:30 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the HHS-OIG for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph L. Wenner and Sean Delaney, who are prosecuting the case, and recognized Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Phelps and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. 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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Bronson Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Kashone Demetrious Bing, 20, of Bronson, Florida, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “I deeply appreciate the great work of our state and federal law enforcement partners in this case, and my office remains committed to prosecuting violent felons like this defendant to keep our communities safe.”
Court documents reflect that Bing had a loaded firearm in his lap when law enforcement went to execute an arrest warrant at his residence. Bing is prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was previously convicted of two felonies, including aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement.
Bing faces up to fifteen years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 28, 2025, at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Armed Drug Distributor Is Sentenced to 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Antoine Depray Jackson, 54, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 144 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release today on drug and gun charges, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Sheriff Donald G. Brown II of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to court records, law enforcement began an investigation into Jackson after he was identified as a drug distributor in the Mecklenburg, Lincoln, and Catawba County areas. On October 4, 2023, a federal search warrant was executed at Jackson’s residence. Law enforcement seized quantities of cocaine base and a loaded KAHR Arms model CT-45, 45 caliber pistol. Jackson has prior criminal convictions, and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
On February 7, 2025, Jackson pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a felon. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF, the DEA, and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Albuquerque Couple Indicted for Conspiring to Harbor Illegal Aliens and Laundering Human Smuggling Proceeds Through Real EstateRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque couple is accused of conspiring with human smugglers, turning their rental properties into stash houses for human smuggling operations, and laundering what they believed to be human smuggling profits through a real estate deal structured to avoid detection.
According to court records, between March 2023 and July 2025, Nan Zhang, 44, and her husband Sanjay Khurana, 62, both naturalized U.S. citizens, conspired with human smugglers to rent properties in Albuquerque to be used as stash houses for individuals who had been unlawfully brought into the United States. The properties included four locations in Albuquerque:
- An eight-unit apartment complex at 919–923 Alvarado Dr. SE
- A six-unit apartment complex at 529–535 Utah St. NE
- A three-story townhouse at 4505 Villa Loma Ln. NE
- A six-unit apartment complex at 1033–1037 Alvarado Dr. SE
The indictment further alleges that Zhang and Khurana charged inflated rents for units used to harbor illegal aliens, warned co-conspirators of law enforcement activity, and continued leasing apartments to human smugglers even after law enforcement discovered undocumented individuals at the properties. In one instance, officers responded to a shooting and found 12 undocumented individuals hidden inside a stash house.
Beginning in late 2024, Zhang and Khurana also allegedly conspired to launder money they believed to be proceeds of human smuggling. According to court documents, they offered to sell real estate for large cash payments while structuring the deals to avoid financial reporting requirements, including offering to use a third-party name and falsify sale records.
“This case exposes the dangerous lengths to which some will go to profit from human suffering,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “Turning homes into hideouts for smuggling operations and disguising illicit profits through real estate transactions not only fuels crime but endangers our communities. By targeting criminal enterprises that exploit our city’s neighborhoods and real estate market, we are cutting off the infrastructure these smugglers rely on to operate.”
“Human smugglers prey on the vulnerable and exploit them for profit, showing complete disregard for human life,” said Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge of HSI El Paso. “This case demonstrates our unwavering commitment to dismantle these dangerous networks, protect our communities from harm, and ensure that those who enable or profit from these crimes are brought to justice.”
“The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to defend our homeland. By leveraging our Safe Street and Transnational Organized Crime Task Forces, we were able to combat the influence and reach of these organized crime groups," said Philip Russell Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque Field Office. "We are grateful for our partnerships with HSI, IRS, and APD as we fight to eliminate the transnational organized crime groups that threaten the national and economic security of the United States.”
Zhang and Khurana are charged with conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conducting unlawful financial transactions. If convicted, they face forfeiture of the properties and up to 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick of IRS Criminal Investigation's Phoenix Field Office made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and IRS Criminal Investigation jointly investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Trembley and Patrick E. Cordova are prosecuting the case as part of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorney’s Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs (OIA), among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 405 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 355 U.S. convictions; more than 305 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
View the Indictment (Zhang and Khurana).pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wednesday 13 August 2025
Wewoka 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 Erin Nicole Hodge, age 30, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on February 10, 2024, Hodge assaulted a victim, resulting in serious bodily injury.
The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Hodge was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
West Columbia Man Sentenced to More than 8 Years in Federal Prison for Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kendolius Cortez Jones, 32, of West Columbia, was sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence presented to the court showed that from April through June 2023, Jones sold 13 firearms to undercover agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The firearms sold consisted of stolen firearms and firearms capable of accepting large capacity magazines.
Jones was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior felony convictions for criminal conspiracy, assault and battery, failure to stop for blue light, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, forgery, driving under suspension, and multiple drug related offenses, including distribution of crack cocaine.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Jones to 107 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
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, Homeland Security Investigations, West Columbia Police Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case.
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Venezuelan National Indicted for Child Exploitation and Obscenity OffensesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis announced that a federal grand jury recently returned a two-count indictment charging Kleider Enrique Garcia Ochoa, age 30, a Venezuelan national who is present in the United States without authorization, with attempted enticement of a minor and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Ochoa appeared for his arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges.
According to the indictment, on or about March 31, 2025, Ochoa used social media applications and the name “Conociendo” to attempt to convince someone he believed was a 15-year-old male in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to engage in an illegal sexual relationship. Ochoa is also alleged to have transferred obscene material to the supposed 15-year-old male.
If convicted, Ochoa faces a minimum of ten years and up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and sex offender registration requirements. He is also subject to removal or deportation from the United States upon completing his sentence.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, and Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Allen Ross.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
U.S. Attorney announces immigration case updates for the Eastern District of VirginiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today case updates on seven immigration cases in the district.
On Jan. 20 the President signed executive orders addressing the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. Protecting the American People Against Invasion recognized that enforcing our Nation’s immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States, and that it is the policy of the United States to faithfully execute the immigration laws against all inadmissible and removable aliens, particularly those aliens who threaten the safety or security of the American people. The order tasked the Department of Justice with prioritizing the prosecution of criminal offenses related to the unauthorized entry or continued unauthorized presence of aliens in the United States. Securing Our Borders prioritizes the pursuit of criminal charges against illegal aliens who violate immigration laws and against those who facilitate their unlawful presence in the United States.
Between Sept. 1, 2004, and April 29, 2015, Salvadoran national Wilber Alexander Andrade-Castellon, 45, was removed from the United States on three occasions, each time pursuant to a final order of removal. Following his third removal in 2015, Andrade-Castellon again illegally re-entered the country. On Aug. 9, 2024, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) learned Andrade-Castellon was unlawfully present in the United States when he was arrested and detained at the Fairfax County Detention Center. On May 14, Andrade-Castellon pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-101
In 2018, Honduran national Daniel Alberto Urbina Romero, 28, was convicted in Virginia of abduction with intent to defile and aggravated sexual battery. Pursuant to a final order of removal, Urbina Romero was removed from the United States on Jan. 27, 2023. On March 19, ICE agents learned that Urbina Romero was illegally present in the United States following a traffic violation in Loudoun County. On July 31, Urbina Romero pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States after removal for an aggravated felony conviction. He remains subject to the previous order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-161
Salvadoran national Carlos Antonio Flores Monroy, 52, illegally entered the United States in 2001. On July 6, 2007, an Immigration Judge ordered Flores Monroy to be removed. On Feb. 14, 2024, Flores Monroy was arrested in Richmond for carrying a concealed weapon, for which he was convicted on July 19, 2024. He was removed on Oct. 3, 2024. On May 1, immigration officials encountered Flores Monroy in Richmond. On Aug. 5, Flores Monroy pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a prior removal. He remains subject to the previous order of removal. Case No. 3:25-cr-83
After illegally entering the United States, Honduran national Maynor Dionicio Hernandez-Reyes was deported on Aug. 20, 2021, pursuant to a final order of removal. On April 10, ICE agents learned that Hernandez-Reyes had unlawfully reentered the United States when he was detained at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail in James City County. On Aug. 7, Hernandez-Reyes pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the previous order of removal. Case No. 4:25-cr-45
Pursuant to a final order of removal, Honduran national Jose Adoney Monge-Santos, 33, was removed from the United States in 2013, 2015, and 2016. He was first removed after he was arrested twice in 2013 for being drunk in public. On April 10, 2023, having illegally re-entered the United States following his third removal, he was arrested for public intoxication, assault and battery, and property damage after he grabbed a chair from behind a bar and struck a security guard on the head. On Nov. 11, 2024, Monge-Santos was arrested for felony malicious wounding by mob when he and others allegedly attacked a victim and forcibly tried to recruit him to their gang. On Nov. 15, 2024, ICE agents learned that Mr. Monge-Santos was back in the United States and had been detained at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. On June 9, Monge-Santos was arrested for public intoxication and trespass. On June 10, ICE officers arrested Monge-Santos and on Aug. 11 he pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a prior removal. He remains subject to the previous order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-194
Salvadoran national Miguel Angel Alvarado Cordero, 23, was first removed from the United States on Feb. 11, 2022. On Feb. 19, ICE officers learned that Alvarado Cordero had unlawfully reentered the country following his detention in Fairfax County for two felony counts of possession of controlled substances, failure to appear on a felony offense, obstructing justice, disorderly conduct, property damage, and public intoxication. On May 9, Alvarado Cordero was arrested on a federal warrant and on Aug. 6 he pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the previous order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-159
On June 5, 2005, Honduran national Wilmer Roberto Lopez-Mejia, 46, illegally entered the United States. According to police reports, on July 11, 2008, Lopez-Mejia raped and repeatedly stabbed the mother of his two children, then left her to die. On March 26, 2009, following an extensive manhunt, Lopez-Mejia was apprehended and charged in Fairfax County with rape by force, threat, or intimidation; malicious wounding; and abduction with the intent to defile. On Sept. 28, 2009, Lopez-Mejia pled guilty to one count of unlawful wounding. Following his incarceration, Lopez-Mejia was removed from the United States, but Lopez-Mejia subsequently re-entered the United States illegally. On Feb. 26, Lopez-Mejia was arrested for the illegal re-entry. He pled guilty on April 24 and is awaiting sentencing. Lopez-Mejia remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-78
Operation Take Back America is 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for the case number provided above.
U.S. Attorney Announces Settlement with Members-Only Social Club for Covid Relief FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the Eastern Regional Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General (“SBA-OIG”), Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, announced today that the United States has settled a civil fraud lawsuit against TCC INTERNATIONAL LLC, CORE GRAVITY LLC, and CORE CLUB MEMBERS CORP. (collectively, the “Defendants”), for falsely certifying to the SBA that they were eligible to receive two Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans and have those loans forgiven, as well as a Restaurant Revitalization Fund (“RRF”) grant in violation of the False Claims Act.
Under SBA rules and regulations, private clubs were ineligible for PPP loans and restaurants that were either not-for-profits or did not primarily serve the public (such as restaurants operating within private clubs) were ineligible for RRF grants. The settlement resolves claims that TCC International LLC and Core Gravity LLC falsely certified that they were eligible to receive and have forgiven two PPP loans despite being ineligible because TCC International LLC and Core Gravity LLC intended to, and did, use the PPP funds to operate a private club; and Core Club Members Corp. falsely certified that it was eligible to receive a RRF grant despite being ineligible because it was a not-for-profit organization with no food or beverage sales to the public.
Under the settlement approved today by U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, the Defendants will pay the United States a total sum of $360,000. The settlement amount is based on the Office’s assessment of the Defendants’ ability to pay, as reflected in financial information they provided. The Defendants have also executed a Consent Judgment in the amount of $8,189,172.10, which may be enforced if they do not make the payments required under the settlement agreement. Additionally, the Defendants have admitted and accepted responsibility for conduct alleged in the Government’s Complaint.
“The Paycheck Protection Program and Restaurant Revitalization Fund were intended to assist small businesses suffering the financial impacts of a pandemic-related lockdown,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “New Yorkers supported these programs to protect their neighbors and their community. New Yorkers also want those who abused the programs held accountable. Our Office and the SBA are committed to doing so.”
“Falsely certifying eligibility for Paycheck Protection Program loans and Restaurant Revitalization Fund grants undermines critical relief programs designed to support small businesses and public-facing restaurants,” said SBA-OIG Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “OIG remains dedicated to protecting the integrity of SBA’s programs and holding accountable those who exploit them for personal gain.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:
Under the PPP, eligible businesses could obtain SBA-guaranteed loans; however, before receiving a PPP loan, businesses were required to certify that they were, in fact, eligible for the loan. By regulation, certain businesses, such as private clubs, were ineligible for PPP loans. The SBA also allowed for forgiveness of PPP loans. To receive forgiveness, businesses were required to submit signed loan forgiveness applications in which they certified that the PPP funds were used for eligible expenses.
Under the RRF, qualifying bars and restaurants could apply for grants to offset pandemic-related revenue losses. Per the RRF rules, certain businesses were ineligible for funding, including not-for-profit entities and restaurants and bars where on-site sales to the public comprised less than 33% of gross receipts in 2019.
TCC International LLC and Core Gravity LLC applied for and received two PPP loans totaling approximately $2.3 million and the SBA ultimately forgave all but $514,176.45 of those funds. Core Club Members Corp. received an RRF grant of more than $2.3 million and did not repay any of that amount. However, TCC International LLC and Core Gravity LLC were ineligible to receive their PPP loans or have them forgiven because they intended to, and did, use the funds for the benefit of a private club. Additionally, Core Club Members Corp. was ineligible to receive its RRF grant because none of its gross receipts in 2019 were derived from on-site sales to the public and it was not-for-profit.
As part of the settlement, the Defendants admit, acknowledge, and accept responsibility for the following conduct:
- TCC International LLC d/b/a Core Gravity, through its authorized representative, certified in a first-draw PPP loan application seeking $960,400 that it was eligible for funding and that the funds would be used in accordance with PPP rules. However, TCC International LLC d/b/a Core Gravity was not eligible for a PPP loan, as it intended to, and did, use the funds to fund payment of employees of a members-only club.
- Core Gravity LLC sought and obtained partial forgiveness for the first-draw PPP loan in the amount of $446,223.55, after its authorized representative falsely certified in a loan forgiveness application that the funds as to which forgiveness was sought were used to pay business costs that were eligible for forgiveness.
- TCC International LLC d/b/a The Core Club, through its authorized representative, certified in a second-draw PPP loan application seeking $1,344,675.50 that it was eligible for funding and that the funds would be used in accordance with PPP rules. However, TCC International LLC d/b/a The Core Club was not eligible for a PPP loan, as it intended to, and did, use the funds to fund payment of employees of a members-only club.
- TCC International LLC sought and obtained full forgiveness for the second-draw PPP loan, after its authorized representative falsely certified in the forgiveness application that the funds as to which forgiveness was requested were used to pay business costs that were eligible for forgiveness.
- Core Club Members Corp. submitted an application to SBA to obtain a grant of $2,303,687.00 through the RRF, in which its authorized representative certified the applicant’s eligibility for funding and that the funds would be used in accordance with RRF rules. However, Core Club Members Corp., a not-for-profit company that did not serve food or drink to the public, was not eligible for an RRF grant.
In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and settlement, the Government joined a private whistleblower lawsuit that had been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act.
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Mr. Clayton thanked the SBA-OIG for its assistance with this case.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica F. Rosenbaum is in charge of the case.
u.s._v_tcc_international_llc_et_al_complaint_in_intervention.pdf u.s._v_tcc_international_llc_et_al_settlement_agreement.pdfTwo Men Arrested in Connection with Seizure of Approximately 73 Kilograms of Cocaine with an Estimated Value of over $1 MillionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Massachusetts men have been arrested and charged in connection with the seizure of approximately 73 kilos of cocaine in Revere, Mass.
Noel Betances, 42, of Chelsea and Reylin Segura, 31, of Boston, were charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. The defendants made their initial appearances in federal court in Boston earlier today.
According to court documents, in 2023 law enforcement began an investigation of packages sent from Puerto Rico to Massachusetts that were suspected to contain narcotics. Betances was identified as the individual allegedly picking up the packages and transporting them to locations around Chelsea, Revere and Boston, including 16 Rand Street, Revere. On Aug. 12, 2025, Betances was seen exiting 16 Rand Street with a box, which he allegedly transferred to Segura in exchange for a plastic bag. It is alleged that the box was later found to contain four kilograms of cocaine along with a bag containing bundled cash. According to court records, a subsequent search of 16 Rand Street resulted in the seizure of an additional 69 kilograms of cocaine and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash. The value of the cocaine seized is estimated at over $1 million.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and up to life and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Revere Police Department, Boston Police Department and the Worcester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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 details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Toppenish Man Sentenced to More Than 16 Years in Federal Prison for Shooting at Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington –United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced Leland James Vijarro, age 26, was sentenced after pleading guilty to assaulting federal officers and firearm charges. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 198 months to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on February 8, 2024, Vijarro broke into his brother’s home in Toppenish, Washington, and stole thirteen firearms and a suppresser. Then, on February 10, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to a report of gun fire coming from the Vijarro’s vehicle in Toppenish. During the stop of the vehicle, the Vijarro fled the scene and barricaded himself inside a nearby home. After law enforcement officers set up a permitter around the vicinity of the home, Vijarro went into the backyard of the home and fired six shots from a handgun that had been stolen from his brother. The majority of the shots fired by Vijarro were aimed at law enforcement officers, who had set up a permitter across the street from the defendant’s location. Two Yakima County Sheriff’s Office marked police vehicles in the permitter, which law enforcement officers were shielding themselves behind, sustained damages from the shots. The Vijarro ultimately retreated to another residence and surrendered a few hours later.
At sentencing, Assistant United States Attorney Bree Black Horse noted that the defendant “possessed over a decade of criminal convictions and arrests characterized by assaults, arson, firearm offenses, thefts, and domestic violence crimes.” In asking for the 198-month sentence, AUSA Black Horse argued “the defendant’s criminal history, gang affiliation, and the circumstances surrounding the offense demonstrate that the defendant is a clear threat to public safety on the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation.” AUSA Black Horse observed that it was “fortunate in this case that no law enforcement officers were injured or killed as a result of the defendant’s conduct” and that a significant custodial sentence “will ensure the public is protected as long as possible from further violent crimes perpetrated by the defendant.”
In imposing the 198-month sentence, the Court highlighted the history of escalating violent behavior perpetrated by the defendant and explained the significant custodial sentence was necessary to protect the community from the defendant. The Court also thanked the YCSO officers who were present at sentencing for their service and continued efforts to keep the community safe despite incidents like the one perpetrated by the defendant.
“Mr. Vijarro’s actions were violent and reckless. I am grateful for the brave men and women in law enforcement who put their own lives at risk to arrest him,” said U.S. Attorney Serrano. “I’m grateful to AUSA Black Horse’s great work on this case; this is another example of the men and women of our office holding violent offenders accountable who are a danger to our community.”
“During two days of volatile and dangerous activities, Mr. Vijarro entered several houses that did not belong to him, including his own brother’s, to steal firearms and evade capture by law enforcement,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Seattle. “Even worse, he used one of the stolen guns to shoot at law enforcement officers attempting to contain the situation. This case is an example of the FBI’s commitment to combatting violent criminals and gangs, as emphasized in Operation Summer Heat, a nationwide initiative targeting violent criminals and restoring safety in our communities.”
“On Feb 10, 2024, law enforcement officers and deputies were lucky to escape injury when they encountered Mr. Vijarro. A violent offender whose actions were without regard to anyone’s safety, we are grateful for the successful prosecution by AUSA Black Horse and her team,” said Sheriff Robert Udell. “Our partnership with federal law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Washington, continues to be a significant boon to Yakima County public safety.”
This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bree R. Black Horse.
1:24-cr-2055-MKD
Three Philadelphia Men Arrested in Connection with June Armored Car RobberyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Daishaun “Daisha” Hughes-Murchison, 30, Brian Wallace, 31, and Trayvine Jackson, 31, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) and use of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, in connection with the June 21, 2025, armed robbery of a Brink’s armored car, in which they stole more than 2 million dollars.
The defendants had their initial appearances in court last week. Jackson has been ordered detained, Wallace and Hughes-Murchison will have detention hearings later this week.
As presented in the criminal complaints and other filings, on June 21, 2025, at approximately 8 a.m., a Brink’s armored car driver was nearing a Home Depot on the 2500 block of Castor Avenue in Philadelphia, as part of his scheduled route.
The driver was walking down the rear alley of Home Depot, when two men armed with AR-style rifles approached him from behind. The men forced the driver to the ground, disarmed him of his company-issued firearm, and took his keys. One of the robbers stayed with the driver, while the other entered the armored vehicle and stole a significant amount of cash belonging to Brink’s Inc.
The two men then fled in a black Hyundai Sonata bearing a Virginia temporary tag, with a third man following in silver Ford Fusion with a Pennsylvania tag.
As alleged, investigators determined that the Ford Fusion belonged to Hughes-Murchison, and the Hyundai Sonata had been rented by Wallace, who returned the car a few hours after the robbery. Video surveillance footage obtained by law enforcement showed that, after returning the Sonata, Wallace walked to Hughes-Murchison’s Fusion, got into the passenger side, and the vehicle left. Cell records place the phones of defendants Wallace and Jackson in the area of the car rental site at that time, the complaints allege, and place Wallace’s and Hughes-Murchison’s phones in the area of the Home Depot at the time of the robbery.
As detailed in court filings, Brink’s advised investigators that Jackson had been a Brink’s employee, until he was suspended and then terminated after an internal investigation.
This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda R. Reinitz.
The charges and allegations contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Three Fugitives Transferred to the United States from Mexico Arraigned in San DiegoRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Three fugitives transferred from Mexico facing a range of federal charges made their initial appearances today in federal court in the Southern District of California. Pablo Edwin Huerta Nuno, also known as “Flaquito,” Juan Carlos Felix Gastelum also known as “El Chavo Félix,” and Abdul Karim Conteh, were transferred on August 12th from Mexico to the United States pursuant to Mexico’s National Security law. They were among more than two dozen wanted fugitives facing a wide array of federal and state charges arraigned today all around the country.
At today’s hearing, Huerta Nuno, Felix Gastelum, and Conteh were arraigned and entered not guilty pleas before U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie E. Torres. Huerta Nuno’s next court appearance is scheduled for September 19th, for a motion hearing/trial setting in front of U.S. District Court Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro. Felix Gastelum’s next court appearance is scheduled for September 12th, for a motion hearing/trial setting in front of U.S. District Court Chief Judge Cynthia Bashant. Conteh’s next court appearance is scheduled for September 19th, for a motion hearing/trial setting in front of U.S. District Court Chief Judge Janis L. Sammartino.
Pablo Edwin Huerta Nuno, also known as “Flaquito,” is alleged to be a violent Tijuana Plaza boss who has operated with impunity during the last 15 years. Huerta-Nuno is alleged to have supplied thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine to distributors and cells located throughout San Diego and Los Angeles. In return, millions of dollars in narcotics proceeds were delivered to him and his organization via shipments of bulk cash from San Diego into Tijuana.
Juan Carlos Felix Gastelum also known as “El Chavo Félix,” is alleged to be a major Sinaloa Cartel cell leader and son-in-law to former Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. He is additionally alleged to be a principal operator of the Sinaloa Cartel’s clandestine methamphetamine manufacturing laboratories located in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Sinaloa and Durango, Mexico involved in the manufacturing and distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico into the United States.
Abdul Karim Conteh allegedly led a human smuggling organization that smuggled thousands of migrants to the United States through Mexico. These smuggled migrants originated from countries around the world, including Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Somalia, Cameroon, Senegal, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Egypt, and others. The migrants paid smuggling fees, often tens of thousands of dollars. Conteh allegedly oversaw the migrants’ unlawful entry into the United States by various surreptitious and unlawful means, including the use of ladders and tunnels.
“Those who export dangerous drugs and smuggle aliens to the United States while seeking to evade capture will find no place to hide,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Today is a win, but justice is not satisfied. The work of the Homeland Security Task Forces ensures that the indictment of high-level targets will remain a top priority nationally, but especially, in the Southern District of California.”
“The capture of Pablo Edwin Huerta-Nuno, one of the Cartel Arellano Felix’s (CAF) most violent leaders, is a testament to the FBI’s commitment of getting violent criminals off our streets,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis of the FBI’s San Diego Field Office. “Huerta-Nuno wreaked havoc for years while trafficking drugs, laundering money and engaging in unspeakable violent acts across our border. The FBI will continue to put all our resources into our mission of keeping our citizens safe.”
“Drug traffickers prey on our communities spreading violence and fear,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Special Agent in Charge Jake Galvan. “Justice is not optional, and justice has a long reach. We will continue to pursue, arrest, and bring to justice those who profit from drug trafficking. These arrests are a step toward a safer future.”
“Cartel-driven drug trafficking poses a threat to the safety of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego Field Office. “The capture of Pablo Edwin Huerta-Nuno is one step forward in our united effort to dismantle these criminal networks and bring those responsible to justice.”
“Mr. Huerta Nuño is accused of being a member of and a money launderer for a narcotics trafficking organization, who is hellbent on pushing deadly drugs into American households,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Los Angeles Field Office. “IRS-CI stands steadfast with our law enforcement partners to combat violent narcotics traffickers, and we will leverage our unique skillset to follow the money to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations who bring death into American communities on a daily basis.”
“The capture of Abdul Karim Conteh is a clear example of how strong partnerships between law enforcement agencies can make our communities safer,” said Acting Chief Jeffrey Stalnaker of the U.S. Border Patrol San Diego Sector. “We will continue working together to ensure that those who break the law are held accountable”.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Sutton, Joshua Mellor, Robert J. Miller, and Francisco Nagel and the Conteh case is also being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Sausedo contributed significantly to the cases.
DEFENDANTS
Pablo Edwin Huerta Nuno Age: 33 Mexico 25cr1761-RBM
Juan Carlos Felix Gastelum Age: 42 Mexico 22cr2262-TWR
Abdul Karim Conteh Age: 41 Sierra Leone 24cr1059-JLS
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Pablo Edwin Huerta Nuno
International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances for Purpose of Unlawful Importation, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 959, 960 and 963. Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine.
Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 952, 960 and 963. Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine.
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846. Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine.
Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. 1956(h). Term of custody up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved.
Juan Carlos Felix Gastelum
International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances for Purpose of Unlawful Importation, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 959, 960 and 963. Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine.
Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 952, 960 and 963. Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine.
Abdul Karim Conteh
Conspiracy to Bring in Aliens at a Place Other Than Designated Port of Entry - Title 8, U.S.C., Secs. 1324(a)(1)(A)(i) and (v)(I) - Term of custody including a maximum of 10 years in prison.
Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gains - Title 8, U.S.C., Sec. 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii). Term of custody includes a mandatory minimum of 3 years in prison and a maximum of 15 years in prison.
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
FBI
DEA
HSI
IRS-CI
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Border Patrol
U.S. Marshals Service
Office of Enforcement Operations of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division
Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs
INTERPOL
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
The Conteh case is a result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, Districts of Arizona and New Mexico and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 405 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of alien smuggling, more than 355 U.S. convictions, and more than 305 significant jail sentences imposed and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Third Defendant Sentenced in Federal Court for Installing Skimmers throughout the Southern District of MississippiRead the Press Release
JACKSON, MS – Bogdan Gabriel Radu, 23, of Romania, was sentenced yesterday to 15 months in federal prison for possession of device-making equipment, also known as skimmers. His co-defendants, Alexandru Ionut Gheorghe and Marian Aurelian Neacsu, were sentenced on April 15, 2025, to 15 months in federal prison for the same crime. All three defendants are Romanian nationals who entered the United States illegally.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning on June 21, 2024, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office Cyber Crime Division began receiving reports from various agencies regarding the discovery of skimmer devices being located at various stores in central Mississippi. The Cyber Fraud Task Force began investigating leads that would determine the location of installed skimmers throughout the Southern District of Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana.
Gheorghe, Neacsu, and Radu could be seen on surveillance video at various stores throughout the Southern District of Mississippi placing skimming devices on point-of-sale machines in June and July 2024. The skimmers were adhered using double-sided tape and were equipped with electronics that captured or recorded bank card magstripe track data and PIN numbers, stored the skimmed card data, were Bluetooth capable for remote connectivity, and were powered by lithium batteries. Gheorghe and Neacsu would install the skimmers while making a small purchase using a gift card. Radu was primarily responsible for retrieving the stolen data from the skimmers.
Included in the information skimmed or stolen by these defendants were SNAP benefits totaling over $85,000, for which the defendants will be required to pay restitution. SNAP provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget. These stolen SNAP benefits were used in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and can be traced back to the skimming devices in Mississippi.
A criminal complaint was filed against Gheorghe and Neacsu on August 2, 2024. A federal grand jury returned an indictment against them on August 13, 2024. Thereafter, a superseding indictment was filed on November 6, 2024, adding Radu as a codefendant. As the defendants entered the United States illegally, they may be subject to deportation upon their release from prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office investigated the case through their partnership in the Cyber Fraud Task Force with assistance from the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly T. Purdie and Samuel Goff prosecuted the case.
Tech Company CEO Charged with Securities and Wire Fraud After Gambling Away Seed Round FundingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced the unsealing of an Indictment yesterday charging RICHARD KIM, the former Chief Executive Officer of Zero Edge Corporation (“Zero Edge”), with engaging in a scheme to defraud investors and prospective investors of Zero Edge by making false and misleading statements regarding the use of investor funds and subsequently misappropriating those funds. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield.
“As alleged, Richard Kim misled investors by promising that he would build a blockchain-based casino gaming app, but ironically Kim turned around and gambled away the very funds he said he would use to build a better casino,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Founders who abuse the trust of their investors threaten the integrity of our important and uniquely American venture capital market.”
“Richard Kim allegedly misappropriated millions of investors’ dollars intended to develop his online casino company by redirecting these funds for personal gambling and trading ventures,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “Kim allegedly hedged his bets that false assurances would induce more investments and conceal the true nature of his spending. The FBI remains committed to apprehending any individual who leverages executive positions to defraud others for selfish purposes.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:[1]
KIM founded Zero Edge in March 2024, purporting to build an app-based casino using blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies. KIM represented to prospective investors that Zero Edge would develop on-chain games beginning with craps, and later offering roulette, baccarat, and blackjack. KIM also represented to investors that their funds would be used to build the business and its technology. Instead, KIM misappropriated the proceeds of the company’s seed round to make speculative cryptocurrency trades and gamble at an online casino.
Shortly after closing on the approximately $4.3 million seed financing round, KIM diverted approximately $3.8 million of investors’ funds first into a personal cryptocurrency account held at Coinbase and then sent approximately $1 million on to a variety of other crypto exchanges, including Binance, Kraken, and Backpack. Between in or about June 21, 2024, and June 27, 2024, KIM made transfers of approximately $7 million, and net transfers of approximately $1 million, from Coinbase and Kraken to a personal account held at Shuffle.com, which advertises itself as a “VIP Crypto Casino and Sportsbook.” KIM also directed a net sum of approximately $450,000 to other cryptocurrency wallets with unknown owners and transferred approximately $145,000 more from Kraken to a personal checking account.
In e-mails KIM later sent to investors, KIM admitted to misappropriating the investors’ funds, writing that he was “solely responsible for the loss of $3.67m of the Company’s balance sheet” following “leveraged trading losses from seed round financing proceeds” and that the company had lost nearly all its money. But even as KIM admitted to some investors that he had misappropriated funds, he continued to conceal the true nature of his conduct, telling investors that he had lost the money as a result of a “treasury management strategy” rather than personal gambling.
At the time of his arrest, KIM admitted to the FBI that he knew what he did “was clearly wrong from the beginning” and “completely unjustifiable.”
* * *
KIM, 39, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents from the FBI. Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a parallel civil action.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan T. Nees is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._kim_indictment.pdf[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Tallahassee Man Pleads Guilty to International Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Austin Keith Hibbert, 25, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to attempting to entice or persuade a minor to engage in sexual activity, attempting to travel for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct, and transferring obscene material to a person less than 16 years of age. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I am incredibly grateful for the tireless efforts of our international and domestic law enforcement partners to investigate and intervene in cases like this, particularly because predators like this defendant are relentless in committing these disgusting crimes. This case represented one of parents’ worst nightmares – the targeting, grooming, and attempted exploitation of their child – but thankfully that nightmare did not become a reality for this family. My office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting offenders like this defendant to the fullest extent of the law.”
Court documents reflect that between May 2023, and August 2024, Hibbert communicated almost daily through multiple social media platforms with a 13-year-old child from Estonia, a country in Northern Europe. Hibbert met the child through a popular Internet game. The communications between Hibbert and the child quickly became sexual in nature. Hibbert told the child that he intended to travel to Estonia to meet and to engage in sexual activity. Additionally, Hibbert sent the child more than twelve explicit videos. In August 2024, law enforcement officials learned that Hibbert had applied for a U.S. passport and had booked an international flight from Tallahassee to Estonia. On August 12, 2024, law enforcement officials intercepted Hibbert as he attempted to board his flight at the Tallahassee International Airport. A search of Hibbert’s person and carry-on bags revealed items indicative of his intent to travel to meet with the child, including his U.S. passport, a bracelet, and a box of condoms. A later search of Hibbert’s electronic devices confirmed Hibbert’s communications with the child, his travel plans, and showed that he reserved lodging near where the child lived.
Hibbert faces a minimum mandatory of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment, followed by five years to life of supervision upon release.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tallahassee Police Department, with assistance from the Estonian Police and Border Guard Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 27, 2025, at 11:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida, before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Statement on Revocation of Biden-Harris Executive Order on CompetitionRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division salutes the President’s decision to revoke Executive Order 14036. The Division will use this opportunity to continue its work to recalibrate and modernize the Federal approach to competition policy to suit the needs of our dynamic and innovative economy.
“America First Antitrust focuses on empowering the American people in the free markets, not enabling regulators and bureaucrats to prescribe outcomes,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “We are unleashing the new American Golden Age through antitrust enforcement that removes barriers to innovation and opportunity and limits regulatory burdens on free competition.”
Instead of an overly prescriptive and burdensome approach, the Division commends the Administration for promoting competition via tailored executive orders that call for lowering drug prices and opening regulatory barriers to competition. Beyond implementing these Executive Orders, the Antitrust Division has made steady progress in freeing up deal flow by appropriately streamlining the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act (HSR) review process. In particular, the Division has reinstated the practice of granting early termination in uncontroversial HSR reviews as well as reinstating a willingness to settle merger reviews with targeted and well-crafted consent decrees. Both practices were eschewed during the Biden administration. Moving forward, the Division will continue adapting towards focused law enforcement that matches the complexity and pace of the modern economy.
St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Sharing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Monday sentenced a St. Louis County, Missouri man who shared child sexual abuse material with an undercover police officer to eight years in prison.
Judge Clark also ordered James C. Astorian to pay $10,000 in restitution to the victims that have been identified in the images that he collected.
Astorian was caught with 6,110 images and 728 videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) after an investigation that began after Astorian shared multiple images and videos containing CSAM with a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer via a peer-to-peer network.
Astorian told investigators that he had been trafficking in CSAM for about two years, according to a government sentencing memorandum, which also says some of the images were “notably violent.”
Astorian, 40, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in March to one count of possession of child pornography.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Southwest Georgia Man Found Guilty at Trial of Pandemic Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia resident was found guilty at trial this week of wire fraud resulting from a larger pandemic fraud scheme involving family members.
Tyreek Brown, 28, of Pelham, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of wire fraud on Aug. 12 following a two-day trial that began on Aug. 11. Brown is facing a maximum of 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine. His sentencing hearing will be scheduled by the Court.
Brown’s two codefendants previously entered guilty pleas in this case, and will be sentenced on Nov. 12:
Sherronica Jackson, 38, of Pelham, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud on July 29, and faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $1 million fine; and
Alan Brown, 52, of Pelham, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud on July 16, and faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.
Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our office will pursue justice for these types of criminal schemes that deliberately defraud taxpayers,” stated U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “I thank our law enforcement and prosecutorial team for holding those responsible accountable.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in Court, Sheronica Jackson applied for and obtained a United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in March 2021, a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll during the historic COVID-19 outbreak as part of the federal CARES Act, which was signed into law to address the pandemic. Jackson claimed a gross income for 2019 of $97,000, which she did not earn. She also did not identify a business by name or category on the application. She received a $20,207 loan on March 31, 2021.
Jackson then assisted her stepfather, Alan Brown, and her stepbrother, Tyreek Brown, in obtaining fraudulent PPP loans. Alan Brown falsely claimed loans for a non-existent contracting business, claiming a gross income in 2019 of $101,005, which he did not earn, nor did he have any professional licenses, business affiliations or employment information. Both loans were approved and awarded on April 19, 2021, and May 16, 2021, totaling $20,833. Tyreek Brown applied for two different loans as a sole proprietor with Harvest Small Business Finance, LLC, using the same Pelham, Georgia, address his father and sister used on their applications as the place of business. No such business existed, and Brown did not earn the gross income in 2019 of $103,400 that he claimed on the application. Tyreek Brown received the fraudulently obtained loans on April 15, 2021, and May 12, 2021, totaling $20,833. After the loan was approved, Tyreek Brown sent Jackson money from a joint account he shared with Alan Brown via Cash App and Zelle, amounting to $3,000.
The case was investigated by the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG), as part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Taskforce.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis is prosecuting this case for the Government.
Shiprock Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Shooting into VehicleRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man was sentenced to 102 months in prison for a drive-by shooting that left a victim seriously injured.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on January 9, 2025, Larence Cambridge, 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was a passenger in his own car when he fired multiple shots at another vehicle carrying two victims along U.S. Highway 64 near Shiprock, New Mexico. Cambridge struck the vehicle several times, seriously injuring one occupant, then fled the scene.
Upon his release from prison, Cambridge will be subject to five years of supervised release and over $13,000 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco prosecuted the case.
Senior Member of the Sinaloa Cartel Transferred from Mexico to Face Cocaine Trafficking Charge in Federal Court in BrooklynRead the Press Release
Jesus Guzman-Castro, also known as “Chuy,” “El Narizon” and “Pinocho” was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge James R. Cho at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on an indictment charging him with participating in a large-scale cocaine distribution conspiracy. The defendant, a Mexican citizen, was arrested in Mexico on a provisional arrest request issued from the Eastern District of New York and subsequently transferred from Mexico to the United States on August 12, 2025 pursuant to Mexico’s National Security Law. Guzman-Castro was ordered detained pending trial.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA New York), made the announcement.
“As alleged, Guzman-Castro was a senior member of the Sinaloa Cartel, a prolific and violent drug trafficking organization that has flooded American streets with deadly narcotics for decades,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Guzman-Castro will now face justice in a courtroom in the United States for all the harm his actions have wrought. The total elimination of drug cartels is a national priority, and the Department of Justice and our Office are fully committed to carrying out that objective.”
Mr. Nocella also expressed his appreciation to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, DEA’s Rocky Mountain Division, DEA’s office in Mexico City, the United States Marshals Service, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the Government of Mexico.
“The arrest and transfer of Jesus Guzman-Castro is the result of the relentless efforts of the DEA and our law enforcement partners to dismantle the most dangerous drug trafficking organizations” stated DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Tarentino. “For decades, Guzman-Castro helped flood American streets with deadly narcotics, and the DEA remains committed to pursuing those who threaten the safety and well-being of our communities.”
As set forth in the indictment and court filings, Guzman-Castro was a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel, a violent Mexican drug trafficking organization that was previously led by Ismael Zambada Garcia, also known as “El Mayo,” and Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera, also known as “El Chapo.” As a senior member of the Sinaloa Cartel, Guzman-Castro oversaw numerous underlings, including armed gunmen, transporters of narcotics, and money launderers. For years, the defendant directed the trafficking of thousands of kilograms of cocaine and the laundering of millions of dollars in drug proceeds. Guzman-Castro is charged with participating in an international cocaine distribution conspiracy from December 2015 through March 2021. Guzman-Castro sourced thousands of kilograms of cocaine from drug trafficking organizations in Guatemala and then arranged for the transportation of the cocaine through Mexico and into the United States.
The charge in the indictment is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces up to life in prison.
The prosecution of Guzman-Castro is the result of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the DEA. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Wang is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JESUS GUZMAN-CASTRO (also known as “Chuy,” “El Narizon” and “Pinocho”)
Age: 56
MexicoE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-278 (FB)
Scranton Man Charged with Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Lee Wood, age 48, of Scranton, Pennsylvania was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that from May 28, 2024 through August 17, 2024, Wood conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. The indictment further alleges that on August 8, 2024, Wood distributed, and possessed with intent to distribute, cocaine.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), and the Lackawanna County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Keith Edmonds, age 30, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty yesterday to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
Edmonds admitted that on April 24, 2025, he possessed 425 pills containing methamphetamine that he intended to sell. Edmonds also admitted that between October 2024 and March 2025, he sold more than 1,300 pills containing either methamphetamine or benzodiazepine to buyers in the Capital Region.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “Edmonds brazenly sold poisonous pills in this District and faces a serious term of imprisonment as a result. This office and our law enforcement partners will continue to disrupt, arrest and prosecute drug dealers in the Northern District of New York.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “Keith Edmonds’ guilty plea is the result from the unity the DEA and our law enforcement partners show when successfully targeting those individuals who are causing the most harm to our families, friends, and neighbors. Illicit drugs have no place in our communities and the DEA is committed to apprehending those who distribute counterfeit pills and inflame the ongoing opioid crisis.”
Sentencing is scheduled for December 11, 2025. Edmonds faces a prison term of at least 5 years and up to 40 years, as well as a supervised release term of at least 4 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
DEA investigated the case with assistance from the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office and the Albany County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal is prosecuting the case.
Savannah Man Convicted at Trial for Possession of Ammunition Following ShootingRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah man has been found guilty at trial for possession of ammunition by a prohibited person following an October 2021 shooting.
Charlie Sapp, 58, of Savannah, was convicted after a two-day trial in U.S. District Court on the charge of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The conviction subjects the Defendant to 10 years imprisonment, followed by a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
As described at trial, on October 8, 2021, Sapp pointed a firearm at another individual and pulled the trigger three times. An eyewitness to the shooting immediately called 911. Savannah Police Department officers responded within five minutes and located two 9mm Luger shell casings at the scene. An expert with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives analyzed the shell casings and determined they qualified as ammunition under federal law and that they were not manufactured in the State of Georgia, making this a federal crime. The United States was able to prove that the shell casings found at the crime scene were fired from the firearm Sapp used during the shooting. Sapp was prohibited from possessing ammunition because of previous felony convictions in the Superior Court of Chatham County.
Sapp was previously tried for this conduct in November 2022 by the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office. That trial did not result in a conviction.
ATF SAC Benjamin Gibbons stated, “Our commitment to public safety is unwavering. The prosecution of individuals who unlawfully possess firearms and ammunition is critical in our efforts to reduce gun violence in our communities."
“This is a win for all law enforcement involved,” said Lenny B. Gunther, Savannah Chief of Police. “I would like to especially thank the men and women of the ATF for their hard work and diligence in this case.”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer.The case was being investigated by the ATF, Savannah Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura.
Saratoga County Man Charged with Cyberstalking Family Member of Slain UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian ThompsonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Shane Daley, age 40, of Galway, New York, was charged with cyberstalking and arrested today for sending harassing and threatening voicemail messages to a family member of murdered UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
A criminal complaint alleges that between December 4 and 7, 2024, beginning just hours after Thompson’s murder in midtown Manhattan, Daley placed multiple calls to a work phone line used by a member of Thompson’s family. In a series of voicemail messages, Daley used threatening and harassing language that focused on, among other things, Thompson’s killing, expressed satisfaction over the fact and manner of his death, and stated that the victim and Thompson’s children deserved to meet the same violent end.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “Brian Thompson was gunned down in midtown Manhattan. Daley, as alleged, gleefully welcomed this tragedy and did all that he could to increase the Thompson family’s pain and suffering. My office and its partners will now do all that we can to hold him accountable for this vicious and outrageous conduct.”
Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said: “As alleged, Daley threatened and harassed a grieving family in the immediate aftermath of a loved one’s murder. These selfish, harmful, and callous actions undermine public safety and will not be tolerated. This Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will pursue and prosecute those who seek to intimidate victims and their families. We are grateful to be working on this case alongside the Northern District of New York.”
Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said: “Shane Daley allegedly repeatedly harassed the grieving family of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare gunned down in New York City. The recurrent calls and messages in the days following Brian Thompson’s murder were more than callous and cold-hearted harassment – they were threatening and terrified a family already suffering following the violent death of their loved one. The FBI will continue to bring to justice any individual attempting to stalk and harass innocent Americans.”
The charge filed against Daley carries a maximum term of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Daley will be arraigned today at 2 p.m. in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart.
The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal of the Northern District of New York, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominic A. Gentile and Jun Xiang of the Southern District of New York, are prosecuting the case.
Salvadoran nationals plead guilty in conspiracy to steal and sell catalytic convertersRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Salvadoran nationals pled guilty to conspiracy to engage in interstate transportation and sale of stolen goods.
According to court documents, beginning in September 2024, Erick Alfaro Guevara, 46, and Jose Wilmer Ortiz Granados, 23, stole catalytic converters from cars in Virginia and sold them in Maryland. Alfaro Guevara and Ortiz Granados used their cellphones to communicate about stealing catalytic converters, which they typically did at night or in the early morning, and used saws to remove the catalytic converters from parked vehicles.
On Dec. 18, 2024, Alfaro Guevara and Ortiz Granados traveled from Maryland to Arlington County where they burglarized multiple vehicles and stole catalytic converters. Later, law enforcement in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, responded to the scene of a single-car accident involving the vehicle Alfaro Guevara and Ortiz Granados had used. Alfaro Guevara and Ortiz Granados were gone by the time officers arrived at the scene. Investigators recovered 17 stolen catalytic converters as well as Alfaro Guevara’s cellphone.
Ortiz Granados pled guilty on July 1 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 30. Alfaro Guevara pled guilty yesterday and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 28. They face up to five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
The Fairfax County Police Department, Arlington County Police Department, Richmond Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, and Anne Arundel County Police Department provided significant assistance in the investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Fisher are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:25-cr-160 (Otiz Granados) and 1:25-cr-224 (Alfaro Guevara).
Rigby Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Caleb Sickinger, 45, of Rigby, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today.
According to court records, in November 2023, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents in Alabama arrested an individual on charges of coercion and enticement and possession of child pornography. In a post-arrest interview, the individual told FBI agents that he had received images of child pornography from a “woman” in Idaho. His communications with the “woman” revealed her name and included images of her. FBI agents in Idaho received this information and began an investigation. Agents identified the “woman” and also identified the child depicted in the child pornography. Agents obtained and executed a search warrant at the woman’s residence in Rigby, Idaho. However, none of the electronic devices recovered or email addresses used by the woman matched the evidence from the investigation.
Agents eventually learned that the woman had not been involved in the crime. Caleb Sickinger, who was a police officer at the time, ultimately admitted to falsely assuming the woman’s identity—without her knowledge—by utilizing images from her social media account. Sickinger also admitted to obtaining images of the child from social media and having the images digitally altered to appear as child pornography. Sickinger then distributed those altered images to the individual in Alabama.
Chief U.S. District David C. Nye also ordered Sickinger be placed on supervised release for the remainder of his life following his prison sentence. Sickinger will be required to register as a sex offender. Sickinger pleaded guilty to the charge on April 8, 2025.
“This defendant victimized a child and her mother in committing this horrible crime,” Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott said. “I commend the cooperative efforts of the federal, state, and local law enforcement agents who identified him as the perpetrator and held him appropriately accountable.”
“Every image and video created and shared perpetuates the abuse of a child who will carry that trauma for the rest of their lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI is unwavering and united with our partners in the fight to protect our children from predators who seek to exploit and harm them.”
“I want to thank my ICAC investigators, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our local and federal law enforcement partners for their efforts in securing today’s outcome,” said Attorney General Labrador. “Idahoans are safer today because of their hard work and dedication to protecting our state.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Pocatello, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho Falls Police Department, and the Idaho ICAC Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal 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.
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Rhode Island Man Indicted for Threats Against President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, and White House Chief of Staff MillerRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rhode Island for allegedly threatening to take the life of President Trump and to kill or injure Attorney General Pamela Bondi and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, announced Acting Rhode Island United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
The indictment returned today charges Carl D. Montague, 37, with threats against the President and interstate communications of threats.
Court documents filed previously allege that on June 27, 2025, Montague issued a profanity-laced posting on Truth Social threatening to shoot and kill President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Miller.
A federal criminal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Montague, released with GPS monitoring following his initial appearance on a criminal complaint filed previously in this matter, will be arraigned on a later date.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan.
The matter was investigated by the FBI, United States Secret Service, and the Providence Police Department.
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Registered Sex Offender from Waushara County Indicted for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 12, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Adam A. Juslen (age: 41), a registered sex offender from Waushara County, Wisconsin. Juslen was charged with possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252A(a)(5)(B) and 2252A(b)(2).
According to the indictment, Juslen possessed several sexually explicit images depicting children under the age of 8 years old. Juslen was previously convicted of possession of child pornography in three state cases in Calumet County (2010), Waushara County (2014), and Outagamie County (2015). If convicted of the federal charge, he would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Waushara County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexander E. Duros.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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For further information contact:Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of Glock While on Supervised Release for AssaultRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lamaas Lowery-Bey, 28, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 70 months in prison for being a previously convicted felon in possession of a .40 caliber Glock semi-automatic handgun while he was still on supervision following his incarceration for assault, announced U.S Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Lowery-Bey pleaded guilty on Apr. 18, 2025, before Judge Dabney L. Friedrich to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the 70-month prison term, Judge Friedrich ordered Lowery-Bey to serve three years of supervised release.
Joining in the announcement were FBI Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the Washington Field Office Criminal Division and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to court documents, law enforcement was focused on the Fairlawn neighborhood in the area of 19th Street SE and Minnesota Ave SE, following a series of five homicides in 2023.On Sept. 14, 2023, Lowery-Bey was observed pulling a black semi-automatic handgun out of the front of his pants in the 1900 block 18th Street SE. From the way he held the gun, it appeared to have an extended magazine.
On Oct. 4, 2023, MPD officers executed a search warrant at Lowery-Bey’s residence. Behind a canvas painting which hung above a bathroom toilet, officers recovered a .40 caliber Glock semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine. As they removed the canvas, the loaded firearm fell onto the toilet tank.
The firearm, loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition, was also equipped with a “switch,” which would have enabled it to fire like a machine gun if it was operable. A check revealed that the gun had been reported stolen.
Lowery-Bey has been held since his arrest in November 2024.
Prior to the arrest in this case, Lowery-Bey was detained in June 2023 for unlawful possession of a 9mm Taurus Millenium handgun loaded with 19 rounds of ammunition and a 50-round drum magazine. He was charged in D.C. Superior Court. The counts were dismissed.
Lowery-Bey was previously convicted for attempted assault with a dangerous weapon (gun), possession of a firearm (prior conviction), and felony contempt that stemmed from an incident of domestic violence on Aug. 6, 2019. He threatened to shoot his then-girlfriend, her daughter, and the daughter’s friend. He then barricaded himself in the bathroom and did not surrender to police until three hours later. Investigators believe he attempted to flush a black Velocity 9mm semiautomatic firearm down the toilet.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Iris McCranie.
24cr502
Plymouth Man Indicted for Embezzling More than One Million DollarsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Christopher Erik Septon, age 52, of Plymouth, Minnesota, was indicted on charges relating to his embezzlement of more than $1 million from his former employer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
“Fraudsters never stop inventing new ways to steal, and Septon’s crime—posing as government agencies in his scheme to embezzle more than a million dollars—was no exception,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “The fraudsters of Minnesota should understand this: no matter how clever the con, we are coming for you, and you will face federal justice.”
According to the indictment, Septon worked for Ellis Properties, a family-run commercial real estate business located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Septon worked for the company from 2010 until 2024, when his embezzlement was discovered.
Septon and was trusted with authority to use company funds to pay vendors, contractors, and other third parties. Septon abused his position of trust to embezzle from the company. He improperly charged more than $800,000 on the company credit card, directing the payments to his own payment-processing accounts. He hid the fact that these payments were to his own accounts by writing false statements in the transaction memo lines, misrepresenting that the transactions were business-related and with third parties, when, in fact, they were transfers to Septon.
Septon also fraudulently obtained “reimbursement” checks from the company for business expenses he claimed he had paid personally, when, in fact, he had not. He used fake invoices, fake emails, and other lies to induce company personnel to issue the unwarranted reimbursement checks.
As part of the scheme, Septon also impersonated government agencies. Without their knowledge, Septon used the names of the City of Minneapolis, the Metropolitan Council, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to fraudulently obtain money from Ellis Properties, falsely claiming Ellis Properties owed certain payments to those agencies and instead directing the funds to himself.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits from the fraud were transferred from account to account, then retained by Septon. In total, Septon embezzled more than $1 million from Ellis Properties.
Septon made his initial appearance yesterday. He is charged with four counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Forbes is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pike County Man Convicted of Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, AL – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced that a federal jury in Montgomery has convicted 52-year-old Jeffery Wayne Parker, of Troy, Alabama, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The jury returned its verdict on August 12, 2025.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on October 10, 2023, deputies with the Pike County Sheriff’s Office went to Parker’s residence to execute a search warrant. When law enforcement arrived, Parker quickly exited through the back door and began running but stopped when ordered to do so by deputies.
As law enforcement approached, they observed a handgun in a holster on Parker’s waist. A subsequent search of Parker’s vehicle, which was parked on the property, uncovered an additional 21 firearms stored in the trunk, including 14 shotguns and rifles, and seven handguns. Parker has prior felony convictions and is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Following this conviction, Parker faces a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
The Pike County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Markovits and J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted.
Pennsylvania Woman Convicted in Million-Dollar Government Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, AL – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, with the IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office, announced that a federal jury has convicted a York, Pennsylvania woman for her role in a conspiracy that defrauded the United States government of more than $1 million. On August 13, 2025, the jury found 44-year-old Queen Naja, also known as Renata Winifred Ince and Naja Talibah Zahir, guilty of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in April 2021, Naja contacted 42-year-old Quentin Diego Sturgeon of Montgomery, Alabama, through social media with a proposed scheme to illicitly obtain funds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The plan involved creating a legal trust, filing false documents with the IRS, and submitting a fraudulent check in order to trigger a payment to Sturgeon to which he was not entitled.
Testimony at trial detailed the coordinated efforts of the two co-conspirators. First, Sturgeon, as directed by Naja, created a trust naming himself as trustee. The two then submitted multiple fraudulent documents to the IRS falsely reporting tax payments from the trust. Naja also submitted a payment voucher accompanied by a bogus check. Once that was done, Sturgeon filed paperwork claiming the trust had made an overpayment and requested a refund. As a result of these combined false submissions, the IRS issued a U.S. Treasury check for $1,010,561.26.
Sturgeon pleaded guilty on November 25, 2024, to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering. During his plea hearing, Sturgeon admitted to his role in the scheme and acknowledged using proceeds to purchase high-value personal items, including a Mercedes-Benz automobile.
Sentencing hearings for both defendants will be scheduled in the coming months. Naja and Sturgeon each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, substantial fines, and an order of restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This conviction is the result of outstanding cooperation between federal prosecutors, IRS Criminal Investigation, and local law enforcement,” stated Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “This verdict should send a clear warning that if you defraud the United States government, you will be held accountable. Our office will continue to protect taxpayer dollars and pursue those who seek to steal from the public treasury.”
“The federal jury held Queen Naja accountable for their fraudulent methods to steal money from American taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Hardeman. “Criminal prosecution and lengthy prison terms await those who defraud the tax system. IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are highly skilled at following the money to find those who defraud our tax system for personal gain.”
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) investigated this case with assistance from the Montgomery Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan A. Kirkpatrick and Melanie E. Corbett are prosecuting the case.
Okmulgee Resident Pleads Guilty to Robbery in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darin Treyvon Miles, a/k/a Elmo, age 21, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Robbery in Indian Country, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on May 8, 2025, Miles, by force, violence, and intimidation, took items of value from the victim.
The crime occurred in Okmulgee 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 Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal 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.
Miles will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Okemah Resident Sentenced for Felony AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Gregory Dwayne Guinn, a/k/a Gregory Dewayne Guinn, age 24, of Okemah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, and to 120 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence. The Court ordered those terms to be served consecutively.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Okfuskee County Sheriff's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On February 5, 2025, Guinn pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on January 15, 2024, Guinn drove by the Okemah residence of an acquaintance, fired multiple rounds at the house from his vehicle, then fled. One resident was struck in the drive-by-shooting. The crimes occurred in Okfuskee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
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 Honorable John Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Guinn will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob R. Parker, Patrick M. Flanigan, and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Muldrow Resident Sentenced for Child AbuseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that James Dean Bledsoe, age 32, of Muldrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for three counts of Child Abuse in Indian Country.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muldrow Police Department.
On March 12, 2025, Bledsoe pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, between January 1, 2024, and September 24, 2024, Bledsoe restrained and covered the faces of three children entrusted to his care, causing them to be unable to breathe. Bledsoe also punished the children by spraying them with cold water and withholding food. The crimes occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Bledsoe will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
Mounds Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of A MinorRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ned Elmer Johnson, age 36, of Mounds, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that from April 2021 until April 2023, Johnson knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a person who had attained the age of 12 years but not yet attained the age of 16 years and was at least four years younger than Johnson.
The crime occurred in Okmulgee 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 Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, 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.
Johnson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Middle School Librarian Arrested for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A middle school librarian for the Longmeadow Public Schools in Massachusetts was arrested today for allegedly distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Children’s underwear, bedding, a Santa costume, diapers, diaper cream and other items allegedly recovered in a locked case during a residential search.
Scott McGinley, 55, of Holyoke, Mass. is charged by criminal complaint with one count of distribution of child pornography. He will make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson at 3:00 p.m. today.
The defendant is employed as the school librarian for Williams Middle School and Glenbrook Middle School in Longmeadow. It is alleged that, in July 2025, McGinley distributed CSAM to a group called, “Little boyz only,” on an encrypted messenger application. When contacted by undercover law enforcement posing as a fellow user on the app, McGinley allegedly disclosed his sexual preference for “boys age 2-12” and “especially 4-7.” It is further alleged that, in the conversations with undercover law enforcement, McGinley stated he had “students” who were “11-14 years old” but, “ha[d]n’t touched them sexually,” and that he sat “hot boys strategically so [he could] see under their desks, and close to [him],” and made graphic sexual statements about the boys.
On Aug. 8, 2025, searches of McGinley’s person and residence allegedly resulted in the recovery of various electronic devices – including two iPhones, an Apple Watch, a tablet and two laptops. A locked Pelican case was recovered in the basement which is alleged to have contained a medley of items for children approximately five to seven years old – including but not limited to, assorted children’s clothes, a Santa costume, diapers, diaper cream and apple sauce packets. The Pelican case also allegedly contained a toolbox with boys’ underwear and bedding stuffed inside.
According to the charging documents, a forensic examination of McGinley’s phone revealed over 100 files depicting CSAM. Further review of McGinley’s devices remains on-going.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact [email protected].
The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Division and the Longmeadow and Holyoke Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Merck of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexican national, illegally living in Angelina County, guilty of unlawfully returning to the United StatesRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Mexican national, illegally living in Diboll, has pleaded guilty to unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Eduardo Barajas-Macias, 32, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported alien before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine L. Stetson on August 13, 2025.
According to information presented in court, Barajas-Macias was located in Diboll on March 26, 2024, after an investigation revealed he had been previously deported from the United States to Mexico in 2023.
Barajas-Macias faces up to 2 years in federal prison and deportation at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing 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 U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; FBI; and Angelina County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Carter.
Mexican national sentenced to 96 months despite claim minor victim was his wifeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 22-year-old Mexican man has been ordered to prison for transportation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Edi Quinones pleaded guilty Nov. 8, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Quinones to serve a total of 96 months in prison. The court enhanced the sentence after finding Quinones produced child pornography found on his phone. The court also issued a finding that a sexual act occurred while the minor victim was in his custody and control. The defense attempted to argue that his sentence should be mitigated because he was married to the minor victim in Mexico. The court heard evidence to rebut this claim and found no legal marriage could exist because the minor victim was under the age of 18.
Quinones will also be ordered to register as a sex offender and is expected to face removal proceedings following completion of his sentence.
On Sept. 11, 2024, Quinones attempted to enter the United States through the Hidalgo Port of Entry with his family. When questioned, authorities were notified his “wife” was 16 years of age.
During a review of his electronic device, authorities recovered numerous CSAM files depicting Quinones and the minor victim. Quinones admitted the minor victim was 15 years old at the time of the video production. Authorities discovered approximately 20 videos on the phone Quinones had filmed. The videos depicted two minor victims engaged in various illegal sexual acts.
Quinones has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Mexican man pleads guilty to illegal reentryRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A man from Mexico accused of being in the United States illegally admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Daniel Yepez-Gaytan, 41, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien. Yepez-Gaytan faces 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen DeSoto presided. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for December 10, 2025. Yepez-Gaytan was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on April 23, 2025, Daniel Yepez-Gaytan, aka Daniel Guzman-Calderon, an alien and citizen of Mexico, who was last removed from the United States in November 2013, was found in Bozeman, Montana without having received express consent of the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
On April 23, 2025, law enforcement stopped a pickup truck driven by Daniel Yepez-Gaytan. He provided law enforcement with a Washington State driver’s license. After querying government databases, law enforcement was able to determine that Yepez-Gaytan was a foreign national present in the United States illegally, with no claim to citizenship or documentation pending to support any claim to legal status.
Yepez-Gaytan confirmed his identity, nationality, illegal entry, previous removals, and his lack of application to the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of Homeland Security for permission to re-enter after his removals.
Yepez-Gaytan’s alien registration file shows he was originally deported on July 30, 2004, through El Paso, Texas. He has three subsequent removals with the last removal date of November 14, 2013, through Laredo, Texas. Additionally, Yepez-Gaytan has two prior criminal convictions from 2011 for illegal entry and illegal reentry.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Missouri River Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.
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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