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18 September 2025
Two North Dakota Men Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Credit Union RobberyRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced two men from New Town, North Dakota, convicted of Credit Union Robbery. The sentencings took place on September 15, 2025.
Jason Cook, age 40, was sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $99.91 in restitution, to be paid joint and several with DeMarce, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Conrad DeMarce, age 38, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $99.91 in restitution, to be paid joint and several with Cook, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Cook and DeMarce were indicted for Credit Union Robbery by a federal grand jury in April 2025. They pleaded guilty on June 12, 2025.
The convictions stemmed from Cook and DeMarce traveling to Eagle Butte, South Dakota, on April 8, 2025, where they entered the Black Hills Federal Credit Union dressed in black with their faces covered. They were armed with BB gun pistols that appeared to be real firearms. Cook and DeMarce pointed the pistols at four employees and a customer. Using the pistols to threaten and intimidate the employees, the men demanded money and fled in a vehicle driven by Cook after forcing the employees and a customer into a bathroom and breaking the customer’s phone. Cook and DeMarce engaged Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services Officers in a high-speed pursuit, reaching speeds of over 115 miles per hour. The men were arrested after their vehicle ran out of gas. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement located cash stolen from the credit union, clothing worn during the robbery, and the BB gun pistols used during the robbery.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Cook and DeMarce were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Two Convicted of COVID Fraud in West VirginiaRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Maryland woman and a New York woman have admitted to fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief funding on behalf of a West Virginia resident.
Kimberly VanKline, 56, of Hyattsville, Maryland, and Rhonda Brown-Moore, 65, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty today to conspiring to commit wire fraud related to the improper receipt of funds from the COVID Relief Act.
According to court documents, VanKline and Brown-Moore worked together to create and submit falsified documents to obtain CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for others, including a resident of the Northern District of West Virginia. VanKline and Brown-Moore were compensated for their illegal actions from the fraudulent proceeds.
VanKline and Brown-Moore face up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Conklin and Kimberley Crockett prosecuted the case on behalf of the government and the matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Turtle Creek Resident Sentenced to 11.5 Years in Prison for Narcotics Trafficking and Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 138 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute crack, cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Timothy Mollett, 35, on September 17, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around April 2019 to in and around July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Mollett conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of cocaine, 28 grams or more of a mixture of crack, and quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Mollett was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to others. Further, in and around July 2021, Mollett unlawfully possessed a firearm as a convicted felon and did so in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Mollett. Additional agencies participating in the investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach ththat leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Stilwell Resident Sentenced to Ten Years for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Mose Adam Smith, age 43, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 121 months in prison for one count of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, to be followed by three years of Supervised Release.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County, Wisconsin Sheriff’s Office, and the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory.
On April 10, 2025, Smith was found guilty by a federal jury at trial. According to investigators, on July 17, 2023, Smith struck the victim during an altercation at the victim’s Sallisaw residence. The victim died from blunt force trauma and injuries sustained in the fight. Smith and co-defendant Kimberly Dawn Ball-Gilbert fled the state in the victim’s truck and were apprehended ten days later by law enforcement in Illinois. The crime occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
On March 19, 2025, Ball-Gilbert, age 42, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to an Information of one count of Voluntary Manslaughter. At her plea hearing, Ball-Gilbert admitted to aiding and abetting Smith’s actions in causing the victim’s death. Sentencing for Ball-Gilbert has not yet been scheduled.
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. Smith 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 Patrick M. Flanigan and Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Alexander Summers, 30, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on September 17, 2025, to 150 months’ imprisonment. Summers pled guilty May 8, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea and sentencing hearings evidence showed that for about five months in 2023 Summers and others conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Sioux City, Iowa area. Specifically, on one occasion in 2023, Summers distributed nearly one pound of pure methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. Summers further admitted to trafficking approximately 2 ½ pounds of meth with other sources, and helping another person traffic meth in exchange for a place to live in Sioux City.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Summers was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 5-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Summers remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4051. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
September Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the September Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Selvin Leonel Alvarado-Castillo. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Alvarado-Castillo, 46, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jun. 2004. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-359
Freeman Buchanan. Illegal Possession of a Machinegun. Buchanan, 19, of Wagoner, is charged with knowingly possessing a machinegun conversion device. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Brasher is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-351
Mark Allen Burleson. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Burleson, 44, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with deliberately and unlawfully killing Heather Martinez. Further, Burelson is charged with using a firearm to assault a second victim, which resulted in bodily injury, and using a firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Ponce City Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-350
Colton Lee Crane. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition After a Misdemeanor Domestic Violence Conviction. Crane, 32, of Grove and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with intentionally assaulting a victim with a firearm that resulted in bodily injury and using a firearm during a crime of violence. Crane is further charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. Additionally, Crane is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after being convicted of a domestic violence crime. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Wright is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-352
Jose Carmelo Dubon-Pena. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Dubon-Pena, 39, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jul. 2024. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-353
Edgar Antonio Gomez-Sanchez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Gomez-Sanchez, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Mar. 2023. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Luster is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-354
Jose Luis Granados Baltazar. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Granados Baltazar, 33, a Mexican national, is charged with attempting to entice an individual he believed was under 18 years old to engage in sexual activity. Further, he is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jun. 2022. The Owasso Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Michel is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-337
Gerald Craig Jones. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes; Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. Jones, 54, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing cocaine with intent to distribute and maintaining a residence for cocaine distribution. Additionally, Jones is charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was convicted of a felony. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Flesher is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-338
David Wayne Licht. Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Licht, 47, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with knowingly receiving and distributing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Further, Licht is charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. The Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case.
25-CR-339Raymond Thomas McCrary. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. McCrary, 49, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-340
Joel Arturo Moreno-Miron. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Moreno-Miron, 30, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Apr. 2014. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-355
Jose Guadalupe Naranjo-Cruz. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age. Naranjo-Cruz, 28, a Mexican national, is charged with crossing a state line to engage in sexual activity with a child under 12 years old. The Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Ashley Robert are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-341
Jose Manuel Ramirez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Manuel Ramirez, 46, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jul. 2012. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema Onias is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-356
Rusty Dale Reece; Ryan Scott Ervin. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Robbery in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Robbery in Indian Country. Reece, 32, of Miami and a member of the Quapaw Tribe, and Ervin, 32, a transient, are charged with assaulting the victim, causing serious bodily injury, and taking items of value by force, violence, and intimidation. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Field Resident Office and the Quapaw Nation Marshal Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Dewhurst is prosecuting the case.
25-CR-342Gerardo Enrique Renteria-Banda. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Renteria-Banda, 40, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2018. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Scaife is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-357
Aaron Mitchell Robinson. Distribution of Methamphetamine (Counts 1 & 2); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 3); Possession of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 4). Robinson, 49, of Sperry, is charged with intentionally distributing methamphetamine. He is additionally charged with maintaining a residence for the purpose of drug distribution and possessing a firearm in relation to drug trafficking. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema Onias is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-361
Jexon Josue Villamil-Sosa. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Villamil-Sosa, 23, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2024. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-358
Carrie Williford. Attempted Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Williford, 42, of Sand Springs, is charged with attempting to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam McConney is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-343
Rutland, Vermont Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Drug and Firearms CaseRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on September 16, 2025, Todd Popovitch, 44, of Rutland, Vermont, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 48 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 7-year term of supervised release. Popovitch previously pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine base and possession without registration of a firearm governed by the National Firearms Act.
According to court records, Popovitch had previously successfully completed state and federal drug treatment court programs before returning to armed drug dealing in 2024.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia Cowles. Popovitch was represented by Natasha Sen, Esq.
Ringleader of Catalytic Converter Theft Ring Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
George Thomas, 72, formerly of Fresno and Clovis, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for selling thousands of stolen catalytic converters for millions of dollars in profits and conducting financial transactions to conceal those illicit profits, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today.
“George Thomas fueled a black market for stolen catalytic converters that victimized hardworking people who were forced to either pay thousands of dollars to replace their converters or go without their vehicles,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Thomas thought that he could cover his tracks, lie to the jury, and get away with it. Not so. Today’s sentencing shows that there will be significant consequences for such behavior. My Office will continue to partner with law enforcement to take out organized criminal networks like this one.”
“This case was truly a team effort. When local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies work together, we can eradicate crime in the communities we serve,” Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office explained. “Catalytic converter theft was a pervasive problem in the greater Fresno area, largely because of George Thomas’s multi-million-dollar criminal scheme. Together, justice was served.”
“Clovis Police Department detectives worked diligently on this lengthy investigation,” said Clovis Police Detective Corporal Kedric Anderson. “After Thomas’ arrest, we observed immediate results, leading to a significant reduction in catalytic converter thefts throughout our community. We extend our gratitude to the FBI for their valuable partnership in this investigation. The Clovis Police Department remains committed to protecting the community through proactive investigations and strong partnerships with federal agencies.”
A jury convicted Thomas of dealing in stolen converters and engaging in unlawful financial transactions on March 27, 2025, following a four-day trial that included over 120 exhibits and testimony from more than 15 witnesses. The evidence showed that, from January 2021 through November 2022, Thomas purchased stolen converters from a group of recurring thieves in the Fresno area who cut the converters off people’s vehicles. The sales occurred in the parking lots of motels, gas stations, and similar places at all hours of the day and night.
Thomas gave the thieves instructions on the types of converters he was looking for and how to best cut the converters off vehicles. He also loaned the thieves money to pay for their motel rooms, saws, and bail. The loans were contingent on the thieves continuing to steal for him.
After law enforcement officers executed an initial search at Thomas’ home and storage unit in mid-2021, Thomas continued with the illegal activities and tried to cover up the illegal activity by taking photographs of the thieves and their IDs each time he made the sales, requesting Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) for the vehicles from which the converters were supposedly cut, and having the thieves sign pieces of paper stating that the converters were not stolen.
But Thomas did not actually change anything. For example, he continued conducting sales in the same places with the same thieves. He allowed the thieves to use fake and stolen IDs and provide him with false VINs. In some instances when the thieves did not provide VINs, he went out on his own after the sales were completed and collected VINs from random vehicles. Thomas also completed sales to undercover law enforcement where he said that he did not care where the VINs or converters came from.
The following are examples of photographs of Thomas purchasing stolen converters from thieves, along with the stolen converters that were found at his home and storage unit.
Thomas drove the stolen converters to Oregon where he sold them to a metal recycling company for more than $2.7 million. The recycling company paid Thomas by wire transfer. He then withdrew the money from his bank accounts through hundreds of cash withdrawals that were under the $10,000 reporting threshold. The jury found that these transactions were designed to conceal his illegal activities.
After Thomas was arrested in April 2023, reports of converter theft in the Fresno area decreased by more than 90 percent.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Clovis Police Department, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Justin Gilio prosecuted the case.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to 14 years in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine in TexarkanaRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA – A prior felon was sentenced yesterday to 168 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing methamphetamine in Texarkana, Arkansas. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court at Texarkana.
According to court records, on August 11, 2021, Terry Duran Martin, age 40, sold more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with the Bi-State Narcotics Task force and the FBI. At the time, Martin had only recently completed a term of post-prison supervision stemming from a 2013 federal cocaine trafficking conviction.
Martin was indicted by the United States Grand Jury in connection with the August 11, 2021, methamphetamine transaction, and later pleaded guilty to that offense on December 12, 2024.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes made the announcement.
The Bi-State Narcotics Task Force and the FBI investigated the case,
Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Jones prosecuted the case.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
Rensselaer County Man Pleads Guilty to Money Order FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Matthew Dundas, age 26, of Petersburgh, New York, pled guilty on Tuesday to money order fraud. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Matthew M. Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Area Field Office of the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”), made the announcement.
Dundas admitted that between January 2023 and September 2024, while he was employed with the USPS, he fraudulently issued 105 money orders to himself without paying for them, and stole $76,976.61 from the United States.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Stealing from the government is a serious crime under any circumstance, but it is especially shocking when the perpetrator is a public servant engaged in self-dealing. We thank the Office of Inspector General for its continued efforts to root out fraud from within.”
USPS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Matthew M. Modafferi stated, “The Special Agents of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General will continue to maintain the integrity of the U.S. Postal Service and its personnel. Our office will continue to vigorously investigate Postal Service employees who violate the public’s trust. This case serves as an excellent example of the successful collaboration between the USPS OIG and the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York to pursue and prosecute Postal Service employees involved in criminal activity. The USPS OIG is thankful for the great longstanding relationships we have with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to combat fraud.”
Sentencing is scheduled for January 14, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Dundas faces a maximum term of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The USPS-OIG is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
Prior Federal Felon Is Sentenced to over 11 Years for Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. –Dillon James Surrett, 33, of Flat Rock, N.C., was sentenced today to 11 years in prison followed by two years of supervised release for illegal firearm possession, 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, and Sheriff Lowell S. Griffin of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to court records and proceedings, Surrett was previously convicted of a federal firearms violation and was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Court records show that on August 21, 2023, HCSO deputies were executing an arrest warrant against Surrett. Deputies arrived at Surrett’s residence and ordered him to exit. When Surrett opened the door, deputies observed a firearm. Surrett was then arrested, and a search of the premises was conducted. Deputies located four firearms, two of which had obliterated serial numbers, one was a short-barrel 12-gauge firearm, and one was loaded with six rounds of ammunition. Deputies also found 52 rounds of assorted ammunition, drug paraphernalia, over 21 grams of fentanyl, over 76 grams of methamphetamine, and over 12 pounds of marijuana.
Surrett pleaded guilty on November 25, 2024, to possession of a firearm by a felon. He remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville handled the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Preston County Man Sentenced for Federal Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Steven David Seeger, 46, of Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 360 months in federal prison for the coercion and enticement of minors for sex and production of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Seeger was communicating with three identified minor girls, and multiple unidentified minor girls online, persuading them to produce sexually explicit images and videos for his personal gratification. Seeger used his vast computer science knowledge to reach minor targets using multiple social media platforms and auto-generated covert phone numbers to engage in a pattern of abuse. Specifically, Seeger viewed himself as the victims’ master, treating these minor girls as his sex slaves and directing them to produce child sexual abuse material and to write messages related to his ownership over them on their bodies. Seeger’s acts came to light after Texas authorities were alerted that he sent illicit photos of a minor victim as “revenge porn” to her family and friends. Seeger has pending charges in Texas. The child exploitation matter was referred to West Virginia law enforcement once Seeger was identified.
“We are thankful one of his many victims came forward, and grateful to the law enforcement agencies who contributed to bringing this repeat and dangerous sexual offender to justice,” stated Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard. “We will continue to seek significant prison sentences for anyone who targets minors online and solicits sexually motivated images and videos from these minor victims.”
Seeger will serve a lifetime on supervised release following his prison sentence and he was ordered to pay $24,975 in restitution to his victims.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the West Virginia State Police, the Preston County Sheriff’s Office, and the Nacogdoches Police Department (Texas) investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Poplar man appears on triple homicideRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A man accused of killing three people in Poplar on September 11 appeared yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Michael J. Ackerman, a/k/a Michael J. Littlebull, 73, appeared on a complaint alleging he committed three counts of second-degree murder. Second degree murder carries maximum penalties of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. Ackerman was detained pending further proceedings.
The affidavit in support of the complaint alleges an individual called the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office on September 14, 2025, to report Ackerman admitted killing three people in Poplar. Deputies interviewed Ackerman and he said on September 11 he was using methamphetamine with the three victims, believed they were “setting him up,” and shot and killed them with his Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol. Ackerman told the deputies the bodies were in his residence in Poplar. Fort Peck Tribal law enforcement responded to the residence and found the three victims dead from apparent gunshot wounds.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley is prosecuting the case. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, the Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice, and the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office.
The complaint is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. 25-106.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
Poland Woman Sentenced, Ordered to Repay $165,878 for Theft of Government MoneyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Poland woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for Social Security fraud and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fraud.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Susie Files, 65, to 36 months of probation and ordered her to pay $165,878 in restitution. Files pleaded guilty on May 19, 2025.
According to court records, Files lied to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Maine Department of Health & Human Services (Maine DHHS) for more than a decade. In multiple benefit eligibility reviews, Files falsely represented to these agencies that she and her husband lived separately, and omitted his presence from her household despite knowing that she was required to disclose that information, and that it could affect her eligibility for benefits. Investigators uncovered the deception in March 2023. When interviewed, Files acknowledged that she lived with her husband during this period.
Files’ husband, Peter Files, previously pleaded guilty to MaineCare and SNAP fraud on May 8, 2025. He was sentenced to repay $45,615.78 in restitution to those programs on August 25, 2025.
The SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and Maine DHHS’s Fraud Investigation and Recovery Unit investigated the case.
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Okmulgee Resident Sentenced for StalkingRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Garrick DaVaughn McCrary, age 30, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for one count of Stalking.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department.
On May 9, 2025, McCrary pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, from April 2023 until January 16, 2025, McCrary used the internet and social media apps to send graphic messages designed to injure, harass, and intimidate the victim.
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. McCrary 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 Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Okmulgee Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sterling Ross, IV, age 32, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Okmulgee Police Department.
On March 12, 2025, Ross pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on April 29, 2024, Ross ran a stop sign, then attempted to evade police. Ross then led police on a high-speed chase through Okmulgee before fleeing the vehicle, leaving with the engine running and the doors open. While securing the vehicle, police discovered a Glock magazine with 12 rounds of ammunition. Ross had previously been convicted a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment at the time he possessed the ammunition.
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 Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Ross 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 Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Norfolk dealer sentenced to 16 years in prison for federal drug and firearms crimesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced yesterday to 16 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute para-fluorofentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, in March and April 2024, narcotics investigators conducted three controlled transactions with Winston Jerome Perry, aka Chuck, 42. Investigators then conducted a search of Perry, his vehicle, and a residence associated with Perry. Perry was in possession of several small baggies of fentanyl and cocaine and investigators recovered a handgun from the vehicle. Inside the residence investigators recovered four handguns, digital scales, packaging materials, a suspected ledger, and narcotics including: 42.06 grams of cocaine base; 34.56 grams of cocaine hydrochloride; 69.1 grams of fentanyl; 242.42 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl; 255.31 grams of a mixture of heroin, para-fluorofentanyl, cocaine, and fentanyl; 554.86 grams of a mixture of para-fluorofentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl; 64.55 grams of a mixture containing para-fluorofentanyl, heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and ketamine; and 197.11 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride.
Perry was convicted previously for eluding a police officer, reckless driving, driving without a license, possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. As a previously convicted felon, Perry cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Christopher Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police; and Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Marek prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-139.
Nigerian Man Extradited to the U.S. After being Indicted for Sextortion and other Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
BOISE – Acting United States Attorney Justin Whatcott announced that Olamide Shanu, 34, of Lagos, Nigeria, made his initial appearance yesterday after his extradition to the United States from the United Kingdom. Shanu faces prosecution in an indictment for his role in several cyber-enabled schemes including “sextortion” and romance scams. Shanu made his initial appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Juge Debora K. Grasham.
Shanu is charged in an eight-count indictment with wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit interstate communications with intent to extort and cyberstalking, conspiracy to commit extortion, money laundering conspiracy, extortion, interstate communications with intent to commit extortion, and cyberstalking. Authorities in London arrested Shanu in the United Kingdom on November 7, 2023, based on the indictment filed in the District of Idaho. Shanu has remained incarcerated since the arrest.
According to the indictment, Shanu and his conspirators posed as females on social media and persuaded their victims, typically males, to send sexual images of themselves. The indictment alleges that once the victims sent the explicit images, the conspirators threatened to send the explicit images to the victims’ friends and families unless the victim paid money. The indictment alleges that the conspirators engaged in this extortion of numerous victims across the United States, including a college student in Idaho. The indictment alleges the conspirators also perpetrated, among other cyber-enabled schemes, a romance scam scheme. Proceeds from the schemes were allegedly laundered using peer-to-peer payment applications and several cryptocurrency wallet addresses before allegedly being transferred to the scheme’s perpetrators in Nigeria. According to the indictment, Shanu fraudulently obtained at least $2,000,000 from the fraud schemes.
If convicted of the charges, Shanu faces up to 20 years in federal prison. He also faces restitution for the losses incurred by the victims of the scheme.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott thanked the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) and the U.S. State Department for their help in facilitating the arrest and extradition of Shanu. Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott also extends his appreciation and thanks to the National Extradition Unit of the United Kingdon’s National Crime Agency, who provided critical assistance with the arrest and extradition of Shanu.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Boise Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brittney Campbell and Sean Mazorol and Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) Trial Attorney Vasantha Rao.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Nigerian Man Charged with Unauthorized Computer Intrusion and Wire Fraud for Theft of over $235,000 from Western Pennsylvania UniversityRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Nigerian citizen residing in the United Kingdom has been arrested pursuant to a United States request for extradition following his indictment on charges of wire fraud and computer fraud, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Farouk Adekunle Adepoju was arrested by U.K. authorities on September 15, 2025, and is currently awaiting extradition to the United States to face the seven-count Indictment in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
According to the Indictment, which was unsealed today, between March 2023 and April 2023, Adepoju remotely accessed a protected computer belonging to a Western Pennsylvania construction company that was performing work for a university also located in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Adepoju used this unauthorized access to create rule changes within the email account of an employee with the construction company, and then registered a spoofed domain and spoofed email account to assume the identity of another employee of that company. From that spoofed email account, Adepoju sent fraudulent emails to employees of the university, requesting that they update the construction company’s payment information to a fraudulent bank account. Relying upon the emails, the university updated the payment information to the fraudulent bank account that Adepoju provided and sent a payment of approximately $235,266.80 to that account, funds that the university has not recovered.
“Adepoju is charged with using sophisticated cyber means to illegally access accounts belonging to a business in order to victimize one of our region’s universities,” said Acting United States Attorney Rivetti. “Even from halfway across the world, however, Adepoju was not beyond the investigative reach of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. His arrest in the United Kingdom underscores our district’s unwavering commitment to aggressively locate and prosecute cybercriminals worldwide with the assistance of our law enforcement partners—both here and abroad.”
“Criminals who think they can reach across the globe into the United States to line their pockets at the expense of the American public need know one thing: the FBI and our partners are not going to let you get away with it,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “We will find you and bring you to justice, no matter where you might be. Email compromise schemes are not victimless crimes; they are one of the costliest threats large and small businesses, universities, and organizations face today.”
Adepoju is charged with six counts of wire fraud and one count of computer fraud. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison for each of the wire fraud offenses and up to five years in prison for the computer fraud offense. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States, with significant assistance provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Pittsburgh Field Office conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New York and South Carolina Men Charged with Conspiring to Distribute Cocaine and Cocaine Base in RutlandRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on September 17, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging James Brown, 43, of Troy, New York, and Lionell Thompson, 40, of Manning, South Carolina, with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, as well as multiple counts of distributing cocaine and cocaine base.
Brown and Thompson are scheduled to be arraigned today before Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle in Burlington at 3pm.
According to court records, Brown, Thompson, and others conspired to distribute cocaine and cocaine base between July 2024 and September 2025. Brown and Thompson’s conduct in that conspiracy, including the reasonably foreseeable conduct of other members of the conspiracy, involved more than 280 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base. Brown’s conduct in that conspiracy, also involved more than 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. The indictment also alleges that Brown distributed cocaine base on January 30, January 31, February 20, March 27, and April 2, 2025, and distributed cocaine on March 13, 2025. The indictment alleges that Thompson distributed cocaine base on October 8, 2024, as well as February 26 and April 2, 2025. The indictment also alleges that Thompson distributed cocaine on July 16 and October 16, 2024, and March 13, 2025. According to court documents, law enforcement has conducted over 35 controlled purchases into Brown and Thompson’s drug organization and the distribution charges are the result of controlled purchases conducted by a law enforcement confidential informant and an undercover detective.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Brown and Thompson are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Both Brown and Thompson face up to a life sentence of incarceration, with a mandatory minimum prison sentence of ten years if convicted. The actual sentences, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police’s Vermont Drug Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Rutland City Police Department, Vermont National Guard Counterdrug Program, the Brandon Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the New York State Police, the Rutland Town Police Department, New England State Police Information Network, and Capital Region Crime Analysis Center.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jason Turner. James Brown is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon. Lionell Thompson is represented by John-Claude Charbonneau, Esq.
New Hampshire Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Filing a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
A New Hampshire woman pleaded guilty yesterday to filing a false tax return.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Denise Thibodeau, of Berlin, owned and operated North Country Angels, a home health care business. Most of her clients were elderly individuals who needed frequent in-home health care assistance. To perform the work, Thibodeau hired caregivers and paid them using an under-the-table cash payroll. Specifically, Thibodeau required clients to pay her in checks made payable to cash. Thibodeau cashed the checks, kept a portion of the cash as her own income, and paid the remainder to the caregivers without withholding any Social Security, Medicare, or federal income taxes from the caregivers’ wages as required by law. She did this to conceal the wages paid to the caretakers and her own income.
On Thibodeau’s individual income tax returns, Thibodeau significantly underreported the income she and her business earned. For 2018-2020, for example, Thibodeau reported on her returns that the business earned a total of $35,000 in gross receipts when it actually earned nearly $1.7 million.
Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 7, 2026. Thibodeau faces a maximum of three years in prison. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Justice Department’s Tax Division is prosecuting the case.
New Britain Man Who Recorded His Sexual Abuse of a Child Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ORLANDO GUZMAN, 74, of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 240 months of imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release for recording his sexual abuse of a minor and possessing thousands of child sexual abuse images and videos.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has been investigating a network of individuals who have been using private groups on an internet chat application to share images and videos of child sexual abuse. The investigation revealed that an account associated with Guzman was an active member of two of these groups. The investigation further revealed that, between February and August 2022, Guzman sexually abused a minor female and used mobile devices to record and store images and videos of the abuse.
On September 2, 2022, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Guzman’s mobile devices. Analysis of the devices revealed more than 3,000 video files and more than 2,000 image files of child pornography, including images and videos depicting Guzman’s abuse of the minor victim.
Guzman has been detained since his arrest on September 7, 2022. On January 22, 2025, he pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
This investigation was conducted by HSI with the assistance of the New Britain Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Naranjito Man that Plead Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking Sentenced to 7 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Today, United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño Coll sentenced Dalien Enrique Nieves-Santiago to seven years in prison and five years of supervised release for possession of a pill press die or set used to manufacture counterfeit pills, drug trafficking, and firearms violations. His wife, Zuleyka M. Santiago-Andino also pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and possession of a pill press die and will be sentenced at a later date. Nieves-Santiago, 38, and Santiago-Andino, 35, from Naranjito, PR, were charged in a superseding indictment on December 6, 2023, and pleaded guilty on June 5, 2025.
According to court documents, Dalien Enrique Nieves-Santiago pled guilty pursuant to a plea agreement to: (Count 1) possession of a punch and die set; (Count 2) conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl; and (Count 5) possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On April 14, 2023, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers in San Juan, Puerto Rico encountered a UPS package while conducting inspections of inbound parcels that were subject to routine border search as they entered the United States. The package, shipped from an address in China, was addressed to defendant Zuleyka M. Santiago-Andino. After an import cargo database search based on the address selector, international shipments records indicated that she received a total of twenty-three (23) shipments between July 3, 2018, and April 8, 2023, at their address in Naranjito, Puerto Rico. All 23 shipments originated from China.
Upon further inspection, CBP Officers discovered a “pill die” set inside the package. A “pill die” is used with a pill press to cut and mark narcotic tablets and other such controlled substances in a pill or tablet form and used in the furtherance of manufacturing and distribution of controlled substances including, but not limited to, pills such as Oxycodone. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Juan Agents assigned to the AirTAT agreed to take custody of the pill die, in order to conduct a controlled delivery.
The above-mentioned pill die displays the mark “M” and “30”. “30” is an imprint pressed on to Oxycodone Hydrochloride tablets. HSI and DEA agents executed a court authorized search warrant. Among the items seized in the residence included approximately 2 kilograms of a blue colored bonding agent, approximately 302 grams of Xanax pills and a small scale.
HSI agents also recovered two firearms: a 9 mm Smith & Wesson pistol, one 9 mm magazine and eleven (11) 9 mm rounds of ammunition; and a loaded .40 caliber Glock pistol, three (3) .40 caliber magazines, and twelve (12) .40 caliber rounds of ammunition next to 1,037 Xanax pills.
A laboratory analysis concluded that a total net weight of 286.51 grams from the 1,037 white rectangular pills with “Xanax” imprinted on one side and “2” on the other side. The substances identified in the pills were fentanyl. A total net weight of 1,921.15 grams of the blue bonding agent typically used to manufacture Oxycodone Hydrochloride tablets with the use of a pill die.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, and the Drug Enforcement Administration were in charge of the investigationand their respective Airport Investigations and Tactical Teams (AirTAT).
Assistant United States Attorney Luis A. Valentin from the Asset Recovery, Money Laundering and Transnational Organized Crime Unit prosecuted the case.
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Murray County Resident Sentenced for Assault with A Dangerous Weapon and Eluding A Peace OfficerRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jayson Geoffrey Evans, age 51, of Sulphur, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and 46 months in prison for one count of Eluding Peace Officer in Indian Country. The Court ordered the sentences to be served concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation—Oklahoma City Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Murray County Sheriff’s Office, the National Parks Service, and the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department.
On May 7, 2025, Evans pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on December 30, 2023, Evans fled from a Trooper during a roadside traffic stop, leading law enforcement on a chase at speeds reaching 90 mph. During the pursuit, Evans threw road-spikes—known as caltrops—into the path of the pursuing law enforcement, causing damage to a law enforcement vehicle and two civilian vehicles. Evans was taken into custody but failed to appear to face charges, eluding law enforcement for over a year until his campsite was discovered in the Chickasaw National Recreation Area in April of 2025. The crimes occurred in Murray County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to protect the American people. Harming, or attempting to harm them for doing their job is completely unacceptable,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “For nearly two years, this dangerous fugitive went to extreme lengths to evade justice, but he was not successful. I appreciate the efforts of the FBI Oklahoma City JTTF, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Murray County Sheriff’s Office, the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department, the National Parks Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who brought this case to a resolution.”
“Evans’ brazen and reckless acts endangered law enforcement and the public,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I commend the collaborative work of troopers, rangers, deputies, officers, agents, and prosecutors for their tireless efforts in locating and bringing the defendant to justice.”
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. Evans 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 Lewis M. Reagan and Jarrod Leaman represented the United States.
Multi-Convicted Felon Is Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Assault of Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Erik Dezjhion Tillman, 29, of Charlotte, was sentenced to seven years in prison followed by two years of supervised release for assaulting federal officers attempting to arrest him on outstanding warrants, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Jamaal Thompson, Chief Inspector of the United States Marshals Service, Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force (CRFTF), joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to filed documents and the sentencing hearing, Tillman was wanted on multiple warrants for crimes committed in Mecklenburg County and a felony probation violation in South Carolina for a Strong Arm Robbery conviction. Court records show that, on November 8, 2024, members of a CRFTF apprehension team located Tillman asleep on the passenger side of a parked vehicle. Law enforcement ordered Tillman to exit the vehicle, but Tillman ignored the commands. Instead, Tillman started the vehicle and rammed it into the SUV of the CRFTF apprehension team in an attempt to escape. Ignoring commands of law enforcement and with his car now unable to move further, Tillman got out of the car and escaped through a wooded area. On November 13, 2024, a CRFTF apprehension team located Tillman. He again ran from law enforcement officers and refused to comply with their commands, but was taken into custody by the CRFTF.
Tillman will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals until he is transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. attorney Ferguson thanked the CRFTF and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kelly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
More Than 30 Charged in Akron Firearms and Drug CrackdownRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio today announced the unsealing of 17 federal indictments charging more than 30 people allegedly involved in connection with firearms offenses and illegal drug violations. Ten additional defendants will face state charges.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from numerous federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, led the investigation and apprehension of defendants in a series of coordinated arrests that concluded this morning. One federal defendant remains at large.
The law enforcement initiative was conducted over a 60-day period and focused on Akron’s most violent areas. During the investigation, law enforcement seized 32 pistols, one revolver, six rifles, two suppressors, and one machinegun conversion device. Illegal substances seized included 417.6 grams of powdered cocaine, 376 grams of cocaine base (crack), 94 grams of heroin, 4663.4 grams of methamphetamine, 443.5 grams of marijuana, and 134.6 grams of fentanyl.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio; Acting Special Agent in Charge John G. Smerglia for the ATF Columbus Field Division; and Chief Brian J. Harding of the Akron Police Department.
The charges filed today coincide with the ATF announcement of a new Akron Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC). The CGIC will serve as an intelligence hub and coordination center for local, state and federal response to crimes involving firearms. CGICs use cutting-edge forensic science and evidence to support the investigation and prosecution of violent criminals.
These returned indictments are separate and not related. All defendants are from Akron unless otherwise noted:
Case Number (CN) 5:25CR430
- Robert Hazel, 40, of Tallmadge, is charged with Engaging in the Business of Manufacturing and Dealing Firearms without a License and Possession of Unregistered Firearms.
CN 5:25CR431
- Charles Klein, 49, of Tallmadge, is charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine.
CN 5:25CR432:
- Michael Czerpak, 45, and Jennifer Schaeffer, 37, are charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Distribution of Methamphetamine.
CN 5:25CR433:
- David Felix, 33, is charged with Distribution of Cocaine.
CN 5:25CR434
- Gary Robinson, 26, is charged with Distribution of Marijuana, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Trafficking in Firearms.
- Walter Hicks, 23, is charged with Trafficking in Firearms.
- Alonzo Brewer, 22, Lily Palmer, 23, Madison Schreckengost, 23, and Diamond Taylor, 25, are all charged with making False Statements during Purchase of Firearms and Straw Purchase of a Firearm.
CN 5:25CR435
- Terrance Bivens-Boyd, 19, is charged with Distribution of Cocaine, Trafficking in Firearms, Illegal Possession of a Machinegun, and making False Statements During Purchase of a Firearm.
- Elijah Hawkins, 28, is charged with Trafficking in Firearms.
- Ellis Bloodworth II, 25, is charged with making False Statements During Purchase of Firearm and Straw Purchase of Firearm.
CN 5:25CR436
- Anthony Maurice Mims, 32, is charged with being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm; previous convictions include burglary in 2012; and domestic violence in 2020.
CN 5:25CR440
- Davante Neal, 31, and Larry Vaughan, 67, are both charged with Distribution of Cocaine.
CN 5:25CR441
- Jaelyn Barnhart, 26, and Traci Howard, 26, are both charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
CN 5:25CR442
- Devontae Simmons, 32, is charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
CN 5:25CR443
- Brandon Travis, 38, is charged with being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; prior convictions for involuntary manslaughter in 2008; and robbery in 2022. He is also charged with Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, and Distribution of Methamphetamine.
CN 5:25CR448
- Antonio Guice, 42, and Wathen Milliner, 40, are both charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Troy Miller, 54, Guice, and Milliner are all charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine.
CN 5:25CR456
- Devant’tair Brown, 25, and Davone Smith, 33, are charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Distribution of Cocaine.
CN 5:25CR458
- Dazzmond Lenoir-Pratt, 24, and Darren Tibbets, 31, are both charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Fentanyl and Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl.
CN 5:25CR459
- Jermaine Baker, 42, is charged with Distribution of Cocaine.
CN 5:25CR460
- Teon Brown, 22, of Medina, and Jaylyn Blackmon, 20, are both charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Distribution of Methamphetamine.
CN 5:25CR473
- Damon McKinney, 53, of Shaker Heights, is charged with Distribution of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine.
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to the case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, their role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigations leading to the indictments were conducted by the ATF Columbus Division’s Cleveland Field Office, Akron Police Department, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Barberton Police Department, University of Akron Police Department, and the Ohio Adult Parole Authority.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Peter E. Daly, Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel, Yasmine Makridis, Margaret A. Sweeney, Stephanie A. Wojtasik, Brett S. Hammond, Brenna L. Fasko and Joseph H. Walsh for the Northern District of Ohio, with valuable assistance from the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office.
The assistance of the U.S. Marshals is also acknowledged for providing related support for this crime reduction initiative.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Montana man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for engaging in a cryptocurrency money laundering conspiracyRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Montana man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in a cryptocurrency money laundering conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Randall V. Rule, 73, formerly of Kalispell, Montana, was found guilty by a jury of money laundering conspiracy, money laundering, and a conspiracy to violate the Bank Secrecy Act, following a three-day trial in federal court. On September 17, 2025, Rule was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle.
“Special Agents from the United States Secret Service and the United States Postal Inspection Service did tremendous work in their response to the victimization of our citizens, some who lost their life savings. Agents were relentless in their resolve to seek justice for victims,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “Let scammers and those who facilitate their crimes by laundering the criminal proceeds be on notice: You cannot hide your crimes by using crypto currency; we will find you and we will prosecute you.”
“Sophisticated money laundering networks, such as the one in this case, are the path for victims’ funds to be sent to transnational criminal organizations,” said U.S. Secret Service Resident Agent in Charge Brad Schley. “We must continue to dismantle these networks and assist victims with recovery of their losses and the administration of justice. We are honored to work with the team of tremendous prosecutors at the US Attorney’s Office in the EDTX, and I commend them for their dedication and work in seeking a just result in this case.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will not tolerate attacks on the United States Mail. These defendants weaponized the mail system to carry out fraud and money laundering, and they have been held accountable,” said Kai Pickens, Inspector in Charge, Fort Worth Division. “Postal Inspectors will relentlessly protect the American public and the integrity of the mail system. I commend our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Secret Service, for working decisively with us to stop the illicit flow of funds and secure justice for the victims.”
According to information presented in court, Rule and Gregory C. Nysewander, formerly of Irmo, South Carolina, conspired with others to launder the proceeds of wire fraud and mail fraud schemes through cryptocurrency. The defendants converted funds from romance scams, business email compromises, real estate scams, and other fraudulent schemes into cryptocurrency and sent the cryptocurrency to accounts controlled by foreign and domestic co-conspirators. The defendants and their co-conspirators made false representations and concealed material facts, to avoid discovery of the fraudulent nature of deposits, wires, and transfers, such as providing instructions to co-conspirators and victims to label wire transfers as “loan repayments” and “advertising.” Nysewander created videos instructing other co-conspirators how to package money to be shipped without detection for the purpose of laundering the funds. The defendants also made false representations and concealed material facts when completing account opening documents and when communicating with financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges. During the conspiracy, Rule, Nysewander, and their co-conspirators laundered more than $2.4 million and willfully violated the money services business requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act. As a result of the scheme, many victims lost their life savings, and a multi-generational family business was bankrupted.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys D. Ryan Locker, Dustin Farahnak, and Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld.
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Missouri Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking A MinorRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jerome Anthony Oliver a/k/a “Daddy,” age 53, from Kansas City, Missouri, was indicted by a federal grand jury for sex trafficking a minor and related offenses.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, the indictment alleges that between November 1, 2024 and April 28, 2025, Oliver sex trafficked a minor by force, fraud, and coercion. The indictment further alleges on April 28, 2025, Oliver transported a minor and a second victim in interstate commerce with the intent for the victims to engage in prostitution. Pennsylvania State troopers arrested Oliver on that day, and he is currently in state custody on related charges.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Dukes is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the crimes charged in the Indictment is a lifetime term of imprisonment, with a minimum of 15 years, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Mississippi Man Convicted of Federal Civil Rights and Arson Charges for Setting Fire to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day SaintsRead the Press Release
Yesterday, a federal jury in Gulfport, Mississippi, convicted Stefan Day Rowold on six counts of federal arson and civil rights charges for vandalizing and setting fire to a house of worship.
On July 5, 2024, and July 7, 2024, Rowold vandalized and set fire to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Wiggins, Mississippi. Evidence at trial showed that Rowold targeted the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints because of his disagreement with what he believed to be their religious views. During a confession, Rowold admitted to breaking into the building, vandalizing the interior walls of the building with hateful messages, and ultimately setting a fire in the middle of the church’s multipurpose room so they could not hold services. Rowold used the church’s hymnals as kindling for his original fire.
Rowold also confessed to breaking into the building two days later to finish the job, and after police had attempted to secure the scene. The second time he broke in, Rowold set another fire using cardboard and a piece of firewood.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.
A sentencing hearing is set for Jan. 14, 2026. Rowold faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison on each of the arson charges, a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison for each of the civil rights charges, and a minimum penalty of ten years in prison for the use of fire to commit a federal felony offense.
The FBI Jackson Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi State Fire Marshal, and the Wiggins Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner for the Southern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Chloe Neely of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Indicted for Trafficking Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Jose Tobias Jimenez-Martinez, 35, a Mexican national residing in Madera, charging him with trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on March 4, 2025, probation officers arrived at Jimenez’s residence in Madera to conduct a probation search. Jimenez is on probation for a prior state felony conviction. During the search, officers found and seized several thousand fentanyl pills and more than 75 pounds of methamphetamine. Jimenez later admitted to transporting the methamphetamine from San Diego and was planning to distribute it in Reno, Nevada. The methamphetamine was individually packaged in several plastic bags.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Madera Police Department; the Fresno High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), which is composed of personnel from the California Department of Justice, the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Madera County Narcotics Enforcement Team (MADNET); the Madera County District Attorney’s Office; and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Jimenez faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million 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.
Members of Drug Trafficking Organization Associated with Bloods Street Gang Sentenced to 108 Months’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Three members of a drug trafficking organization associated with the Sex, Money, Murder subset of the Bloods street gang street gang were each sentenced to 108 months in prison, Acting United States Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Jerry Ross, a/k/a “Molly” (“Je. Ross”), age 47, Luis Delvalle, a/k/a “Lou” (“Delvalle”), age 42, and Joseph Ross, a/k/a “Rock” (“Jo. Ross”), age 43, each previously pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to Informations that charged each of them with conspiracy to distribute large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and heroin. Jo. Ross also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Je. Ross was the leader of the drug trafficking organization, and Delvalle was a manager and supplier. All three received sentences of 108 months in prison.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The Ross brothers, Delvalle, and their co-conspirators are all members and associates of a drug trafficking organization that operated an open-air narcotics market in and around the area of West 3rd Street in Plainfield, New Jersey (“West 3rd Street”). The West 3rd Street drug trafficking organization is affiliated with, and the defendants are members and associates of, the Sex, Money, Murder subset of the Bloods street gang. For several months, law enforcement conducted extensive surveillance of the area, conducted numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, and analyzed telephone records, all of which demonstrated extensive interactions related to drug trafficking between and among the members of the conspiracy. Following the execution of search warrants and arrests of the defendants, law enforcement recovered multiple firearms, controlled substances including fentanyl, and supplies to package and distribute those drugs on the street.
All co-conspirators charged in the case, including Je. Ross, Delvalle, Jo. Ross, Pernell White, 37, Jaquay Bell, 36, Andre Gaddy, 32, Jacob Douglas, 43, Tarrell Strond, 43 and Tayeire Thomas, 27, all of New Jersey, have also pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. Thomas was sentenced to 48 months in prison and Strond was sentenced to 36 months in prison. The remaining defendants are set to be sentenced in the coming weeks.
“These sentences confirm our commitment to eradicating the Bloods and all violent criminal street gangs throughout New Jersey. For too long, this gang plagued the residents of Plainfield with a scourge of drugs, primarily deadly fentanyl, weaponizing addiction for their own personal gain. Every law-abiding citizen deserves to feel safe in their neighborhoods and free from gangs infiltrating their communities,” said Acting United States Attorney and Special Attorney Habba. “My office is committed to our long-standing partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement to eliminate gangs like the Sex Money Murder set of the Bloods, wherever they attempt to gain a foothold. Let these sentences serve as a clear message that if you engage in gang activity, we will find you, dismantle your operation, and prosecute you.”
“These sentencings send a clear message: violent criminals who poison our communities with dangerous drugs will be held accountable,” said HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy. “These convictions are the product of a relentless two-year investigation into a drug trafficking network that put New Jersey families and the American public at risk. As additional defendants await sentencing, HSI remains steadfast in tearing down criminal organizations and protecting the safety of our neighborhoods.”
Acting United States Attorney Habba credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations in Newark under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, detectives of the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William Daniel and Chief Harvey A. Barnwell, and officers of the Plainfield Police Department under the direction of Director James Abney and Captain Brian Newman, with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked agents with United States Customs and Border Protection for the Port of New York/New Jersey under the direction of Port Director TenaVel Thomas, and officers of Perth Amboy Police Department under the direction of Chief Lawrence Catano, for their assistance with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Goldberg of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit and Rachelle M. Navarro of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering and Recovery Unit in Newark.
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Media Advisory - Press ConferenceRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Ellis Boyle, along with representatives from the Henderson Police Department, the 11th Prosecutorial District Attorney Mike Waters, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol Colonel Freddy Johnson, the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Secretary Leslie Cooley Dismukes, and the ATF will hold a press conference on Friday to provide an update on a joint state and federal law enforcement operation in Henderson. The update will include information on state and federal arrests and illegal firearm and drug seizures.
WHERE: Henderson Police Department, 200 Breckenridge St., Henderson, NC 27536
WHEN: Friday, September 19, at 3:00 p.m.
Media please arrive at the police department by 2:30 p.m. for set up.
For logistical information in advance of the media availability, the Public Information Officer with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. No case specific information is available until the press conference.
McKees Rocks Resident Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 46 months of imprisonment, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, on his conviction of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Brandon Jennings, 38, on September 18, 2025.
According to the information presented to the Court, in and around March 2021 and July 2021, Jennings possessed 926 images and 803 videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, some of whom were infants, toddlers and prepubescent. Other child sexual abuse material possessed by Jennings portrayed sadomasochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.
Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Allegheny County Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Jennings.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Meridian Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Meridian, MS man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for his operation of a large drug trafficking organization in the Meridian area. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, Marcus Tremaine Powell, 40, conspired with at least 15 others charged with him in the Meridian area to distribute illegal drugs, including kilogram quantities of powder cocaine and crack cocaine, as well as large amounts of crystal methamphetamine, ecstasy, and marijuana. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Powell’s sentence was increased because of his lengthy criminal history in state court and because (1) Powell was manager or supervisor of the drug trafficking operation that involved 5 or more people; (2) during the criminal activity a firearm was possessed; (3) Powell used or directed the use or threat of violence; and (4) when fleeing from law enforcement, Powell recklessly created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to others.
Marcus Tremaine Powell was one of approximately 50 Meridian drug dealers arrested in January 2024 who were charged in a series of 9 federal indictments. Powell was charged in two of those indictments. He pled guilty in both indictments to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a series of illegal drugs.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matthew Reidell, Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics Director Phillip Pope, and Lauderdale County Sheriff Ward Calhoun, III, made the announcement.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the East Mississippi Drug Task Force of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carla J. Clark and Adam T. Stuart prosecuted 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).
Luzerne County Main Sentenced to 134 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Conspiracy OffenseRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ryan Medar, age 38, of Jenkins Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 134 months’ imprisonment and four years of supervised release by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani for one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 50 grams and more of methamphetamine.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, Medar previously pled guilty to conspiring with his co-defendants Jamie Smicherko, Patrick Russin, Carlos Laurel, and others to distribute controlled substances in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, between October of 2023 to April of 2024. Medar was responsible for distributing cocaine and over 50 grams of methamphetamine. During the investigation, law enforcement officers utilized a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine and a pistol from Medar.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), the Kingston Police Department, the Plains Township Police Depart, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Pittston Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, and the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted, and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Leader of Houston robbery crew sentenced to nearly 20 yearsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 21-year-old Houston man has been sentenced for his role in multiple gunpoint robberies, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Danial Starr pleaded guilty March 20 to two counts of aiding and abetting robbery and two counts of aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm during the commission of the crimes.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner has now ordered Starr to a 70-month-term of imprisonment for his involvement in a series of robberies. He also received 168 months for the firearms charges, which must be served consecutively to the other sentence imposed. The total 238-month prison term will be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court also imposed $1,960 in restitution to the victims for all the money he and his accomplices stole.
“Hard-working, law-abiding people should be able to go about their day without having their lives threatened in armed robberies,” said Ganjei. “This sentence was richly deserved. A difficult childhood is not an excuse for committing crime-plenty of people with similar upbringings manage to lead productive lives and not stick guns in other people’s faces. If you are thinking about committing robbery in the Southern District of Texas, you’d better think twice.”
At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence describing Starr’s challenging upbringing as an orphan in the foster care system. Despite this background, the court emphasized that the victims had experienced significant trauma during the robberies and would carry those memories with them.
On Jan. 27, 2024, Starr robbed three Houston-area smoke shops and a liquor store along with three other men, former high school classmates and peers. Calvin Deshazo and others distracted store employees by pretending to be customers, Starr entered the stores wearing a mask and brandishing a firearm, demanding cash.
Approximately two days later, Starr targeted the Spring Smoke Shop on Veteran’s Memorial Drive, one of the same locations he had robbed earlier. Patrick Norman acted as a lookout while Starr once again threatened an employee with a firearm, swiftly stealing cash and smoke products.
Deshazo, 19, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the robberies and was ordered to serve a total sentence of 112 months in federal prison July 11.
Norman, 20, was convicted after a three-day trial by jury of aiding and abetting the smoke shop robbery on Jan. 29, 2024, and sentenced to 33 months in federal prison July 24.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the joint investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco J. Rodriguez and Anh-Khoa Tran prosecuted the case.
Las Vegas Woman Arrested and Charged with Threatening and Assaulting Flight CrewRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was arrested Tuesday and made her initial court appearance today for allegedly assaulting a flight attendant and intimidating other flight attendants during a flight to Las Vegas, Nevada.
According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint and statements made in court, on September 16, 2025, Ketty J. Dilone was a passenger aboard an American Airlines flight from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, to Las Vegas, connecting through Charlotte, North Carolina. On the flight from Charlotte to Las Vegas, Dilone was walking down the aisle and yelling. She allegedly started to verbally threaten multiple flight attendants. Due to Dilone’s disruptive and threatening behavior, she had to be restrained in her seat with zip ties and duct tape. She allegedly kicked a flight attendant causing the flight attendant to fall. When the flight arrived at Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers responded and took Dilone into custody.
Dilone is charged with one-count of interference with a flight crew and one-count of assault by striking, beating, or wounding.
United States Magistrate Judge Elayna J. Youchah scheduled a preliminary hearing for October 1, 2025.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty is 20 years of imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement.
The FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Tina Snellings is prosecuting the case.
If you’ve been the victim of a crime committed aboard an aircraft or have witnessed one take place, report it to your flight crew, airport authority police, and the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov.
A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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KC Man Sentenced for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for producing and distributing child pornography.
Leonardo Leon, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Leon to 5 years of supervised release following incarceration.
On March 28, 2025, Leon pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers learned that Leon was having sex with a 15-year-old minor victim. Investigators learned that Leon had recorded himself having sex with the minor victim, and that he had sent a copy of the video to a friend of the minor victim a week after the minor victim died in 2024.
Leon will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Justice Department Seeks Forfeiture of Vehicle Used by a Convicted Sex Offender Who Drove from Maryland to D.C. with Intent to Sexually Abuse a ChildRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department filed a civil forfeiture complaint today against a 2020 Subaru Forester SUV belonging to a convicted sex offender who distributed child pornography before he traveled to the District in the Subaru for the purpose of engaging in sexual contact with a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Kaziah Matthew White, 33, pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2024, to a charge of distribution of child pornography. He was sentenced on May 7, 2025, to 87 months in prison and ordered to serve a lifetime term of supervised release.
White, of Long Lake, New York, communicated online with an undercover officer who had posed as an abusive father offering up his own 10-year-old son for sex with others.
In March 2024, White sent the undercover officer more than 100 videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children and toddlers, as well as sadomasochistic abuse involving a blindfolded child. During the chats, White agreed to meet the undercover officer in Washington D.C. for a “playdate” with the fictional child and even bought them Spiderman-themed underwear to wear.
White drove the Subaru SUV from Maryland to a coffee shop in D.C. on March 28, 2024, to meet with the purported abusive father. Agents of the FBI-MPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force arrested White soon after arrival.
The Subaru SUV is currently in FBI custody and will be transferred to the United States Marshals Service in the District of Columbia.
The United States regularly seeks to lawfully forfeit defendant property to punish and deter criminal activity by depriving criminals of property used in illegal activities and to recover the assets so that they may be used to compensate victims.
The government is represented in this case by Asset Forfeiture Coordinator Rick Blaylock Jr. for the District of Columbia in conjunction with Deputy Chief Janani Iyengar of the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Section. Former Assistant United States Attorney Jocelyn Bond prosecuted the criminal case.
Justice Department Investigates Austin, Texas for Racially Discriminatory Employment PracticesRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched an investigation into the City of Austin, Texas, to determine whether it engages in employment practices that discriminate based on race, sex, color, and national origin in violation of Title VII of the Civil Right Act of 1964, as amended.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate discriminatory race-based employment practices and DEI policies, in Austin or other cities,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Such practices are illegal and un-American, and we will vigorously protect equal opportunity and hold accountable those who seek to perpetuate vestiges of outlawed discrimination.”
According to its website, the City of Austin’s Office of Equity and Inclusion, Equity Division “works across all City departments . . . to build capacity and leadership in working from a racial equity lens.” The Equity Division publicly promotes City guidance that recommends delineating “clear racial equity expectations regarding hiring,” applying “stronger racial equity criteria to the design and execution of executive-level searches,” and using “racial equity tools” that are “designed to integrate explicit consideration of racial equity in decisions, including policies, practices, programs and budgets.”
You can read the notice letter here.
Justice Department Awards over $19 Million to the Louisiana Commission on Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Ellison C. Travis announced that the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime has awarded $19,207,912 to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement (“LCLE”) to provide resources to crime victims.
$2,104,000 was awarded to support Louisiana’s VOCA (Victim of Crimes Act) Victim Compensation Program. This program assists state-administered victim compensation programs, helping to reimburse victims for expenses such as medical care, counseling, lost wages, and other out-of-pocket costs incurred due to a crime.
$17,103,912 was awarded to provide subgrants to local community-based organizations and public agencies that provide services directly to crime victims, such as crisis counseling, telephone and onsite information and referrals, criminal justice support and advocacy, shelter, therapy, and additional assistance.
LCLE is a foundation located in Baton Rouge dedicated to improving the operations of the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems and to promoting public safety by providing progressive leadership and coordination within the criminal justice community.
For more information about this award, please contact the OJP Office of Communications at 202-307-0703 or [email protected].
Indiana Man Sentenced to More Than 19 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA – A South Bend, Indiana man was sentenced yesterday to 235 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for possessing 20 kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute it. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the trial and sentencing hearing, which were held in the U.S. District Court in Texarkana.
According to court documents, on February 26, 2022, an Arkansas State Trooper conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Sidney Hunt, age 42, on Interstate 30 near Hope, Arkansas. Hunt initially consented to a search of the vehicle, but after the Trooper located a large amount of narcotics in the rear compartment, Hunt fled across all four lanes of Interstate 30 and into the woods. Hunt was later located walking alongside the interstate and taken into custody. The narcotics seized from Hunt’s vehicle were later determined to be approximately 20 kilograms of cocaine.
Hunt was indicted on drug trafficking charges by a Federal Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in July of 2022. In April 2025, a Texarkana-area federal jury found Hunt guilty of all charges. During the trial, a Drug Enforcement Administration agent testified that the street value of 20 kilograms of cocaine at the time of Hunt’s arrest was approximately $360,000. Trial testimony also revealed that Hunt obtained the narcotics in Texas and was transporting them to a drug trafficker in Tennessee when he was stopped by Arkansas law enforcement.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
Arkansas State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Still and Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Jones prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
Illegal Alien and Arizona Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Mailing Kilograms of Fentanyl to AtlantaRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Walter Alexander Argueta-Aguilar, an illegal alien from El Salvador, and Jorge Manuel Zamora Cano have been sentenced for their roles in shipping and distributing tens of thousands of fentanyl-laced pills disguised as prescription medication.
“Argueta-Aguilar and Cano profited from the opioid epidemic and endangered thousands of lives by trafficking fentanyl-laced pills resembling actual medicine,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg “Thanks to collaboration among our law enforcement partners, these defendants, including an illegal alien, have been prevented from causing further harm in our community.”
“The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General is committed to combating the deadly fentanyl crisis facing our nation by holding those accountable that believe they can misuse the U.S. Mail to traffic drugs,” said Tammy Hull, Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service. “Our special agents, along with our federal and local law enforcement partners, will always work together to aggressively investigate these federal crimes to ensure the integrity of the nation’s postal system. We appreciate the U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta for their support and prosecution of this case.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In February 2024, federal agents began investigating Argueta-Aguilar, an illegal alien who was living in Norcross, Georgia, for receiving mail parcels containing counterfeit pills with the imprint M30, which is a common imprint on legitimate oxycodone tablets. On March 19, 2024, federal agents intercepted a package Cano shipped to Argueta-Aguilar from Arizona. The package contained more than 125 grams of fentanyl-laced blue M30 pills in a vacuum-sealed plastic baggie.
The investigation revealed that, between July 2023 and March 2024, Cano mailed dozens of packages containing over 50,000 blue M30 fentanyl pills to the Atlanta area. Argueta-Aguilar received more than 28,000 of the pills. The pills were often concealed in items such as stuffed animals to avoid detection.
Both defendants subsequently pled guilty to drug trafficking-related offenses and received the following sentences:
- Walter Alexander Argueta-Aguilar, 21, of Sonsonate, El Salvador, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and attempted possession with intent to distribute fentanyl on March 5, 2025. He was sentenced to five years in prison on July 7, 2025, and will face deportation from the United States.
- Jorge Manuel Zamora Cano, 23, of Mesa, Arizona, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and unlawful use of a communication facility on May 8, 2025. He was sentenced to ten years in prison and five years of supervised release on September 17, 2025.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, with support from Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Gwinnett County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamil A. Favors, Laurel B. Milam, and Benjamin Wylly prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at www.justthinktwice.gov and www.getsmartaboutdrugs.gov. Additional resources on fentanyl and fentanyl pills, as well as prevention and treatment, are available at www.dea.gov/onepill.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jose Luis Jimenez-Hernandez, a/k/a Jose Luis Jiminez-Hernandez, age 45, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division.
The Indictment alleged that on July 24, 2025, Jimenez-Hernandez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on January 10, 2012, June 14, 2013, and October 25, 2013.
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 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.
Jimenez-Hernandez will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Carlos Arturo Cahuex-Martinez, a/k/a Carlos Arturo Cahuex, a/k/a Carlos Cahuex-Martinez, a/k/a Carlos Martinez, age 45, a Guatemalan national unlawfully present in Wagoner, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division.
The Indictment alleged that on July 22, 2025, Cahuex-Martinez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on July 3, 2018, November 13, 2018, and January 26, 2022.
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 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.
Cahuex-Martinez will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.
Honduran National Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Laundering $12 Million in International Telemarketing SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that CESAR RAFAEL COELLO DOMINGUEZ was sentenced yesterday to seven years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. COELLO DOMINGUEZ previously pled guilty on May 21, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who imposed yesterday’s sentence.
“Cesar Rafael Coello Dominguez helped steal millions from victims across the U.S.,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Yesterday, he learned that the women and men of our Office are committed to prosecuting those who defraud hard-working Americans.”
According to the charging documents and other public filings and statements made in public court proceedings:
COELLO DOMINGUEZ’s participated in a years-long scheme, primarily based in Costa Rica, which operated call centers that targeted and defrauded victims across the U.S. (the “Call Center Scheme”). From September 2019 to January 2023, COELLO DOMINGUEZ defrauded and laundered at least $12 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable. Members of the Call Center Scheme intentionally targeted victims across the U.S. with promises that the victims had won a nationwide sweepstakes that required the victims to pre-pay certain taxes and fees. Once the members of the Call Center Scheme realized that the victims had become aware that the promised sweepstakes prize was a scam, they would often contact the same victims again—this time masquerading as lawyers or members of U.S. law enforcement—and attempt to trick the same victims into paying even more money into the scheme. DOMINGUEZ regularly traveled to the U.S. in order to set up dozens of shell bank accounts, which he used to collect millions of dollars of stolen victim funds on behalf of the scheme and transfer those funds back to Costa Rica.
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In addition to the prison term, COELLO DOMINGUEZ, 39, of Heredia, Costa Rica, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. COELLO DOMINGUEZ was also ordered to forfeit $12 million and to make restitution to victims.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, who assisted in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgia V. Kostopoulos is in charge of the prosecution.
Honduran National Admits Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Honduras who is in the United States illegally on Thursday admitted illegally possessing ammunition.
Lesman Jeroan Rivera-Vasquez, 22, waived his right to indictment by a grand jury and pleaded guilty to one count of possession of ammunition by an illegal alien. Rivera-Vasquez admitted that on August 10, 2025, he violated a stop sign, causing a crash with a law enforcement vehicle. Rivera-Vasquez and his passengers had a rifle and a deer that they shot out of season. Rivera-Vasquez also admitted possessing two boxes of ammunition on August 8 that had been purchased by someone else in a St. Peters, Missouri store.
Two Warren County Sheriff’s deputies were injured in the crash.
Rivera-Vasquez, who was living in Breckenridge Hills, was charged by complaint in U.S. District Court on August 21. He is currently scheduled to be sentenced in December. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and fine. He will be deported after his release from custody.
In February of 2019, Rivera-Vasquez told an immigration judge that he had entered the United States illegally. He was granted the ability to voluntarily depart, but did not do so, his plea says.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Warren County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JORDAN FLYTHE, also known as “T,” 33, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 70 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for distributing fentanyl and cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 31, 2021, Flythe was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 36 months of imprisonment for distributing fentanyl and crack cocaine. He was released from federal prison in September 2022.
In August 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and Middletown Police Department determined that Flythe was distributing fentanyl and other narcotics in Middletown. Between August and November 2024, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl from Flythe. On December 18, 2024, a court authorized search of Flythe’s residence on Adelaide Street in Hartford revealed approximately 240 grams of fentanyl mixed with xylazine and other additives, and approximately 160 grams of cocaine.
Flythe has been detained since his arrest on March 6, 2025. On June 10, 2025, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine.
This investigation was conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force, the Middletown Police Department, and the Hartford Police Department. The task force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham.
Harlem man pleads guilty to sexually abusing a minor on the Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - A Harlem man who sexually abused a minor on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Ivan Daniel Raining Bird, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse of a minor. Raining Bird faces a term of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for January 29, 2025. Raining Bird was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that John Doe was about 13 years old when he received a Facebook Message from a user who went by “Ivey” and appeared to be a woman. “Ivey” turned out to be the defendant, Ivan Raining Bird, who was in his late twenties at the time. Doe and Raining Bird continued to message, and Raining Bird eventually invited Doe over to his house.
When Doe arrived at Raining Bird’s house, he realized Raining Bird was a man dressed as a woman. Doe and Raining Bird shared substances and Raining Bird performed oral sex on Doe. For several months, Raining Bird committed similar assaults on Doe.
The FBI investigated Doe’s disclosure of the abuse and interviewed Raining Bird. Raining Bird admitted sharing drugs with teenagers in the past and specifically admitted he knew John Doe was a minor and sexually assaulted him on multiple occasions.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Great Falls convicted felon sentenced to over a year in prison for illegally possessing firearmRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls convicted felon who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced yesterday to 16 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Montana Lee Covington, 21, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on the afternoon of June 1, 2024, Great Falls Police were dispatched to the Grizzly Inn based on reports someone had threatened another person with a gun. When police arrived, they saw the person identified as the suspect in a Jeep in the parking lot. An officer stopped the Jeep and requested the names of the driver and passenger. The driver identified himself while the passenger, Covington, gave a name the officer knew to be false because the officer recognized Covington from previous interactions and confirmed with a booking photo he was the passenger. The officer asked both occupants of the Jeep whether there was a gun in the vehicle, and the driver showed the officer a rifle on the passenger side of the vehicle with Covington. The rifle was taken into evidence, along with 110 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition.
Officers spoke with the victim, Jane Doe, who told them Covington had threatened to shoot her. Doe also said she had seen Covington sitting in the passenger side of the Jeep with a rifle, loading a magazine with bullets. Officers also spoke with the driver, who similarly reported Covington had threatened Doe and had been sitting in the passenger seat with the rifle. Covington denied threatening Doe with a gun but admitted telling her he had guns in the car.
Covington is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a felony theft conviction in Montana state court for which he received a four-year suspended sentence. His probation and parole conditions from that conviction prohibit him from possessing firearms and ammunition, and he acknowledged he knew felons were prohibited from possessing firearms.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Great Falls Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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