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Monday 28 July 2025
Shelton Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that BURNEST GEYER, JR., 32, of Shelton, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to a child exploitation offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that Geyer had told an individual that he possessed child pornography videos, and that he had communicated with a second individual through Telegram, an encrypted phone messaging application, about his child pornography collection. During a Telegram communication in July 2024, Geyer shared his laptop screen and showed pictures and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Geyer was arrested on October 8, 2024. On that date, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of his residence and seized his iPhone and other items. Analysis of the Telegram app on the iPhone revealed more than 3,000 images and videos depicting child pornography, including the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
The investigation further revealed that Geyer engaged in dozens of conversations with others on Telegram and WhatsApp regarding his interest in the sexual abuse of minors, and offered to pay adult content creators to sexually exploit their children over video calls with him.
Geyer pleaded guilty to receipt and distribution of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Geyer, who is currently released on a $100,000 bond, has a detention hearing scheduled for tomorrow in Bridgeport.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Bridgeport Police Department and the Shelton Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Gordon.
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.
Santa Fe Woman Charged with Drug Distribution Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Santa Fe woman has been charged by federal authorities in connection with a drug distribution case that resulted in a fatality.
According to court documents, on October 6, 2023, Aimee Lamar, 34, distributed a mixture containing fentanyl and methamphetamine to an individual who died as a result of using the substance.
Lamar is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and one count of distribution of methamphetamine resulting in death and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Lamar faces no less than 20 years and up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Santa Fe Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany DuChaussee and Louis Mattei are prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment (Lamar).pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sacramento Man Charged with Damaging Customs and Border Protection VehicleRead the Press Release
castillo_criminal_complaint.pdfSACRAMENTO, Calif. — A criminal complaint was filed today charging Jose Manuel Castillo Jr., 31, of Sacramento, with depredation of government property, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, on July 17, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) conducted an operation at a Sacramento-area Home Depot store. During the operation, Castillo refused numerous commands to move away from law enforcement’s position and shouted obscenities at CBP agents as the agents were transferring arrested aliens to a van for transportation to immigration custody.
Castillo was seen walking towards the SUV from the rear passenger side, and agents near the vehicle’s driver’s side heard a pop and a loud hissing noise. Castillo was seen walking away from the vehicle, and agents noticed the rear passenger side tire was punctured and completely flat.
After being ordered to stop by law enforcement Castillo turned and ran away. After a short chase, agents caught Castillo and later searched him. In Castillo’s pants pocket, law enforcement found a folding pocketknife with a blade consistent with the width of the hole in the SUV’s tire.
Castillo is not in custody and will appear for an initial hearing at a date and time chosen by the Court.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
If convicted, Castillo faces a maximum statutory penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced for Sexually Exploiting Two ChildrenRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Court Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Harrison James Miller, 32, of Hagerstown, Maryland, to 37 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Miller previously pled guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child as well as commission of a felony crime involving a minor by a registered sex offender.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Gina M. Cirincion, State’s Attorney for Washington County; and Chief Paul Kifer, Hagerstown Police Department (HPD).
According to the guilty plea, Miller was ordered to register as a sex offender after a conviction in Pennsylvania involving an 8-year-old child. In August 2022, upon release from prison, Miller moved to Hagerstown, Maryland, but did not register as a sex offender as required by law.
Miller then gained access to two children, ages 4 and 5, and sexually abused them over a period of several months. Additionally, Miller took images of the minors which he stored in a password protected folder on his cell phone. Authorities arrested and charged Miller after one of the minors disclosed the abuse to his mother. Through a search of Miller’s phone, law enforcement uncovered the hidden images and other evidence.
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 Attorney’s 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 justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office, and HPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Q Link Wireless LLC and Issa Asad to Pay More than $110M in Global Resolution to Resolve Criminal Charges and False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Q Link Wireless LLC (Q Link) and its owner, Issa Asad (Asad), located in Dania Beach, Florida, have agreed to pay $110,637,057 to resolve criminal charges and civil allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Lifeline Program. The Lifeline Program, created by Congress in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, provides nearly $2 billion each year to assist low-income consumers with their telecommunications needs.
Eligible Telecommunications Carriers (ETCs), such as Q Link, receive monthly federal payments for providing discounted phone services to qualified consumers who must use their Lifeline phones at least once every 30 days. In order to qualify for Lifeline payments, ETCs certify their compliance with Lifeline rules, including the requirement to de-enroll and to stop submitting claims for customers that are not using their Lifeline phones.
The settlement resolves allegations that Q Link and Asad received monthly federal payments from the Lifeline Program that they were not entitled to through a scheme directed by Asad. The United States alleged that Q Link, Asad, and others conspired to knowingly submit and caused to be submitted false and fraudulent claims to Lifeline for customers who were not using their cellphones consistent with FCC usage regulations, including customers who did not possess activated phones. The United States also alleged that Q Link and Asad understood that Q Link was required to de-enroll and stop seeking payment for customers who were not using their phones consistent with the FCC’s usage rules. The United States further alleged that Q Link, Asad, and others, in order to deceive the FCC and in order to continue billing for Q Link’s customers, manufactured cellphone activity on behalf of Q Link customers who were not using their cellphones. The United States also alleged that, in order to obscure Q Link’s and Asad’s actions, Q Link provided false and fabricated records to the FCC purporting to show cellphone usage for customers who were not using their cellphones including for some cellphones that were actually in the FCC’s possession at the time. As a result of this alleged conduct, Q Link received approximately $38,438,541 in improper Lifeline payments between February 2018 and October 2019. Under the civil settlement, Q Link’s and Asad’s payment of the criminal restitution they owe related to the Lifeline Program will be credited toward the amount due under the civil settlement.
“When individuals and corporations target programs that serve vulnerable populations to line their own pockets with millions, our office stands ready to investigate and pursue those allegations using all appropriate civil enforcement tools,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “This settlement addresses the integrity of the Lifeline Program, an important program that helps low-income Americans connect to people and information, a modern-day necessity.”
“The Justice Department will take action where companies and individuals knowingly violate the rules of federal programs and claim federal funds to which they are not entitled,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to preventing fraud against important FCC subsidy programs like Lifeline.”
“The FCC takes very seriously any instance of misuse of public funds and misrepresentation. Protecting taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse is central to our work,” said FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. “I thank our partners at the Justice Department and the tireless teams at the FCC – including the Office of General Counsel and Office of Inspector General – for their relentless pursuit of this matter.”
“FCC OIG is committed to vigorously protecting FCC’s low-income subsidy programs and legitimate customers from telecommunications providers who use deceptive practices to perpetrate fraud,” said FCC Inspector General Fara Damelin. “We appreciate the dedication and outstanding work of our investigative team, our law enforcement partners at DOJ, and our FCC colleagues, in particular OGC, who together strengthen the integrity of FCC programs and ensure that bad actors are held accountable.”
As part of a global resolution, Q Link and Asad entered into criminal plea agreements with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. On Oct. 15, 2024, Q Link and Asad pled guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and theft of government funds and defrauding the United States, related to the conduct at issue in today’s civil settlement. Asad also pled guilty to money laundering arising from conduct not related to the civil investigation. Q Link and Asad were sentenced by United States District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on July 24. In connection with the criminal resolution, Q Link and Asad further agreed to not participate in any program administered by the FCC and agree to cooperate in transitioning its Lifeline customers to other ETCs.
The civil False Claims Act resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, and the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, with assistance from the FCC’s Office of Inspector General and the FCC’s Office of General Counsel.
The civil False Claims Act investigation was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Rosaline Chan and former Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Cheek for the Southern District of Florida, as well as Trial Attorney David M. Sobotkin, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Miriam L. Alinikoff.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of civil liability.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20363.
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Q Link Wireless LLC and Issa Asad to Pay More than $110M in Global Resolution to Resolve Criminal Charges and False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Q Link Wireless LLC (Q Link) and its owner, Issa Asad (Asad), located in Dania Beach, Florida, have agreed to pay $110,637,057 to resolve criminal charges and civil allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Lifeline Program. The Lifeline Program, created by Congress in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, provides nearly $2 billion each year to assist low-income consumers with their telecommunications needs.
Eligible Telecommunications Carriers (ETCs), such as Q Link, receive monthly federal payments for providing discounted phone services to qualified consumers who must use their Lifeline phones at least once every 30 days. In order to qualify for Lifeline payments, ETCs certify their compliance with Lifeline rules, including the requirement to de-enroll and to stop submitting claims for customers that are not using their Lifeline phones.
The settlement resolves allegations that Q Link and Asad received monthly federal payments from the Lifeline Program that they were not entitled to through a scheme directed by Asad. The United States alleged that Q Link, Asad, and others conspired to knowingly submit and caused to be submitted false and fraudulent claims to Lifeline for customers who were not using their cellphones consistent with FCC usage regulations, including customers who did not possess activated phones. The United States also alleged that Q Link and Asad understood that Q Link was required to de-enroll and stop seeking payment for customers who were not using their phones consistent with the FCC’s usage rules. The United States further alleged that Q Link, Asad, and others, in order to deceive the FCC and in order to continue billing for Q Link’s customers, manufactured cellphone activity on behalf of Q Link customers who were not using their cellphones. The United States also alleged that, in order to obscure Q Link’s and Asad’s actions, Q Link provided false and fabricated records to the FCC purporting to show cellphone usage for customers who were not using their cellphones including for some cellphones that were actually in the FCC’s possession at the time. As a result of this alleged conduct, Q Link received approximately $38,438,541 in improper Lifeline payments between February 2018 and October 2019. Under the civil settlement, Q Link’s and Asad’s payment of the criminal restitution they owe related to the Lifeline Program will be credited toward the amount due under the civil settlement.
“The Justice Department will take action where companies and individuals knowingly violate the rules of federal programs and claim federal funds to which they are not entitled,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to preventing fraud against important FCC subsidy programs like Lifeline.”
“The FCC takes very seriously any instance of misuse of public funds and misrepresentation. Protecting taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse is central to our work,” said FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. “I thank our partners at the Justice Department and the tireless teams at the FCC – including the Office of General Counsel and Office of Inspector General – for their relentless pursuit of this matter.”
“When individuals and corporations target programs that serve vulnerable populations to line their own pockets with millions, our office stands ready to investigate and pursue those allegations using all appropriate civil enforcement tools,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “This settlement addresses the integrity of the Lifeline Program, an important program that helps low-income Americans connect to people and information, a modern-day necessity.”
“FCC OIG is committed to vigorously protecting FCC’s low-income subsidy programs and legitimate customers from telecommunications providers who use deceptive practices to perpetrate fraud,” said FCC Inspector General Fara Damelin. “We appreciate the dedication and outstanding work of our investigative team, our law enforcement partners at DOJ, and our FCC colleagues, in particular OGC, who together strengthen the integrity of FCC programs and ensure that bad actors are held accountable.”
As part of a global resolution, Q Link and Asad entered into criminal plea agreements with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. On Oct. 15, 2024, Q Link and Asad pled guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and theft of government funds and defrauding the United States, related to the conduct at issue in today’s civil settlement. Asad also pled guilty to money laundering arising from conduct not related to the civil investigation. Q Link and Asad were sentenced by United States District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on July 24. In connection with the criminal resolution, Q Link and Asad further agreed to not participate in any program administered by the FCC and agree to cooperate in transitioning its Lifeline customers to other ETCs.
The civil False Claims Act resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, with assistance from the FCC’s Office of Inspector General and the FCC’s Office of General Counsel.
The civil False Claims Act investigation was handled by Trial Attorney David M. Sobotkin, Assistant United States Attorney Rosaline Chan, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Miriam L. Alinikoff and Christopher Cheek for the Southern District of Florida.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of civil liability.
Portland Man Charged with Assaulting a Federal Law Enforcement Officer and Damaging Federal Property During Violent Protest at Local ICE OfficeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – A Portland man made his initial appearance in federal court today after committing various offenses – including aggravated assault of a federal officer and damaging federal property – during a violent protest at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland.
Robert Jacob Hoopes, 24, of Portland, has been charged by criminal complaint with the felony offenses of aggravated assault of a federal officer with a dangerous weapon, and depredation of federal property in an amount exceeding $1,000.
According to court documents and information shared in court, on June 14, 2025, Hoopes was present at a protest at the ICE building. He was seen throwing large rocks at the building. He threw one of those rocks at an ICE officer and struck the officer in the head, causing a significant laceration over the officer’s eye. Later that same day, he and two other individuals were seen using an upended stop sign as a makeshift battering ram, which resulted in significant damage to the main entry door to the ICE building. Hoopes was identified from a photo online later that same day. Hoopes was arrested by FBI agents on Friday, July 25, 2025.
Hoopes made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. Hoopes was ordered released pending trial.
Aggravated assault of a federal officer with a dangerous weapon that results in bodily injury is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Depredation of federal property in an amount exceeding $1,000 is a felony punishable by up to ten years in prison.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Since June 13, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged 23 defendants with offenses committed at the ICE building including assaulting federal officers, arson, possession of a destructive device, and depredation of government property.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pierre Woman, Sixth in a Large-Scale Conspiracy, Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine in the Pierre AreaRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a woman from Pierre, South Dakota, who had been convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on July 21, 2025.
Misty Stahlhoefer, age 42, was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Stahlhoefer was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. She pleaded guilty on April 14, 2025. Her conviction stemmed from a drug distribution conspiracy beginning in June 2023 and continuing until September 2024. Misty Stahlhoefer and co-defendant Heather Stahlhoefer were the source of supply to several other individuals in the Pierre area. The Stahlhoefers would acquire up to one pound of methamphetamine per trip to be further distributed by themselves and others including Whitney Marrowbone, Wendy Mealer, Brent Larvie, David Rinehart, and Heath Choal. The conspiracy involved between 30 and 35 pounds of methamphetamine.
“Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the FBI’s Northern Plains Safe Trails Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, the Chamberlain Police Department, and the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office, Misty Stahlhoefer and her local co-conspirators are facing significant time in federal prison for pushing drugs that are ravaging our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Drug traffickers should take note that in South Dakota, they will be met with the full force of law enforcement—federal, state, local, and tribal—and unrelenting federal prosecution out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“For years, Misty Stahlhoefer distributed illegal drugs in the Pierre, SD area,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. “Stahlhoefer will pay dearly for her reprehensible conduct. Those who choose to harm our community by enriching themselves and leading others to drug addiction will pay a heavy price. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to rid our communities of illegal drugs.”
The co-defendants were earlier sentenced to federal prison as follows:
• Heather Stahlhoefer was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.
• Marrowbone was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.
• Mealer was sentenced to six years in federal prison.
• Larvie was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison.
• Rinehart was sentenced to two years in federal prison.The seventh co-defendant, Heath Choal, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 2, 2025.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, the Chamberlain Police Department, and the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges.
Stahlhoefer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison and lifetime supervised release for transporting a minor with the intent to sexually abuse the child and for accessing with intent to view child pornography. He was also ordered to pay $12,000 in restitution.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, George Travis Woodfield, 41, of Macungie, drove an 11-year-old child across state lines for an overnight trip to New York City in November 2018 in order to engage in sexual activity with the child. After a day of sightseeing, Woodfield sexually abused the child in his hotel room. Further, between September 2015 and July 2024, Woodfield accessed numerous depictions of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including images of prepubescent children being sexually abused.
“Child sexual abuse is a depraved criminal act that harms the most innocent among us,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This defendant took a child across state lines with the express intent of abusing that child, and he exploited others by viewing child sexual abuse material. We will swiftly bring to justice any individual who commits these horrific crimes against children in our communities.”
“Woodfield didn’t just view images of child sexual abuse, he sought out sex with a child,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “The sexual exploitation of children causes unthinkable harm. While prosecuting a predator like Woodfield can’t undo that damage, his prison sentence prevents him from causing further harm and provides his victim justice.”
“There’s no greater priority than safeguarding our children from those who seek to exploit or harm them,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “I commend the work done by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit and our field office whose expertise was critical in bringing this offender to justice. This sentence is a testament to our shared resolve to hunt down predators that rob children of their innocence. We will not rest until those who commit these heinous crimes are held fully accountable.”
"The exploitation of children remains among the most heinous crimes we investigate,” said Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office. “Let today's sentencing send a message: if you prey upon our most vulnerable, you will be found and you will be brought to justice. This case is a powerful testament to the unwavering dedication of the personnel in our Allentown Resident Agency and our law enforcement partners, who work tirelessly to protect our children and ensure those who harm them are held accountable.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency and FBI Richmond, with assistance from the High Technology Investigative Unit of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).
CEOS Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban, CEOS Senior Trial Attorney Jennifer Toritto Leonardo and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca J. Kulik for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Oxon Hill Man Found Guilty of Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – After a two-day trial, a federal jury convicted Lester Massey, Jr., 42, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, of being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland announced the conviction with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to the evidence presented at trial, on August 11, 2023, ATF agents, with the assistance of PGPD officers, executed a court-ordered search-and-seizure warrant at Massey’s residence. During the search, law enforcement located and recovered 243 live rounds of ammunition throughout the apartment.
Law enforcement also found assorted gun parts — including an AR style receiver — a slide, spring, barrel, two magazines, and gun tools. The ammunition traveled in interstate commerce prior to law enforcement finding Massey in possession of it in August 2023. Massey was previously convicted of a state crime punishable by more than two years imprisonment and was aware that his conviction prohibited him from possessing firearms and ammunition. Sentencing is set for Wednesday, October 1, at 2 p.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and PGPD for their work in the investigation. U.S. Attorney Hayes thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Appleby-Rumon and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Nicholas Potter who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Ohio Woman Sentenced for Role in Public Corruption SchemeRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Cleveland woman who conspired with an elected public official to defraud local nonprofits has been sentenced.
Sinera Unique Jones, aka Sinera McCoy, 46, has been sentenced to three years of probation with two months of home detention by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko, after pleading guilty in April to conspiring to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud by acting in concert with a public official to defraud multiple community stakeholders. Additionally, she was ordered to pay $143,598.47 in restitution.
According to court documents, from about December 2018 to June 2021, Sinera Jones conspired with former Cleveland city councilman for Ward 7, Basheer Jones, 40, with whom she was in a romantic relationship, to persuade local nonprofits to enter into arrangements from which the two could financially benefit. Basheer Jones sought and obtained funds from the nonprofits under the guise of working on projects to redevelop Ward 7.
The scheme involved convincing nonprofits to make payments toward projects they believed were for Ward 7 revitalization projects. But instead, the money went into bank accounts that Sinera Jones controlled which, at Basheer Jones’s direction, she then diverted to herself, to Basheer Jones, and to others.
The two took steps to ensure that their personal connection was not discovered and used various methods to obtain money from the organizations. In one scheme, a nonprofit hired Sinera Jones as a consultant for community outreach on the recommendation of Basheer Jones. She submitted invoices to the nonprofit despite doing little work and was subsequently paid through her consulting business—all while concealing her personal relationship to the councilman.
In another scheme, Basheer Jones represented to a nonprofit that he was assisting with the acquisition of a distressed piece of property from the original owner. At the same time, Basheer Jones arranged for the owner to sell Sinera Jones the property for only $1 with the promise to the seller that she would pay the $40,500 city demolition bill. Sinera Jones, who put the property in the name of a business entity when she made the purchase, immediately re-sold the property to the nonprofit for $45,000 without paying the demolition bill or disclosing it or disclosing her ties to Basheer Jones. In all, Sinera and Basheer Jones were able to defraud various nonprofits out of more than $140,000.
On April 1, 2025, Basheer Jones was sentenced to 28 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $143,598.47 in restitution.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General, and the IRS – Criminal Investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erica Barnhill and Elliot Morrison for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report fraud, visit justice.gov/action-center/report-crime-or-submit-complaint.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Drug and Machinegun OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –LOVON WHITE (“WHITE”), age 22, was sentenced on July 23, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $300 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute tapentadol and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, WHITE was using social media to sell drugs and machinegun conversion devices. These devices turn a semi-automatic handgun into a fully-automatic firearm. In June of 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at WHITE’s residence and recovered an Anderson Manufacturing Model AM-15 pistol and a Glock Model 21, .45 caliber pistol, both equipped with machinegun conversion devices; tapentadol and marijuana that WHITE intended to sell; drug trafficking supplies; and hundreds of dollars in drug sale proceeds.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
Neshoba County Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS –A Neshoba County man was sentenced to over fifteen years in federal prison for possession of child pornography.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon and Robert Eikhoff, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Office, made the announcement.
According to court documents, Brandon Keith Farmer, 23, filmed himself engaging in sexual contact with a female minor. Court records show that the offense occurred in the Pearl River Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation in July of 2024.
In addition to being sentenced to federal prison for 182 months, once released, Farmer will serve a twenty-five-year term of supervised release. Farmer was also ordered to pay $3,000.00 to the Child Pornography Victims Reserve Fund established by the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian K. Burns and Kevin J. Payne prosecuted the case.
Mother-Daughter Duo Sentenced in Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A mother and daughter have been sentenced for their involvement in an elder fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Mykia L. Henderson, 32, of Moody, to 87 months in prison, and Cynthia H. Mixon, 50, of Fairfield, to 57 months in prison. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to the plea agreements, between December 2020 and February 2022, Mixon and Henderson were the in-home caretakers for the elderly victim. In their role as caretakers, Henderson and Mixon had access to the victim’s financial information, which they shared with one another and with other members of the conspiracy. The defendants devised a scheme to defraud the victim by using fake and fraudulent accounts they set up through Square, Inc. and Stripe, Inc. Through the scheme, the defendants charged the victim’s credit cards through the Square and Stripe accounts and then deposited the funds into their bank accounts or shared the proceeds with one another. The defendants hid the charges from the victim by including false “descriptions” to prevent their discovery. The defendants also wrote unauthorized checks to themselves that were drawn on the victim’s bank accounts. In total, members of the conspiracy stole nearly $500,000 from the victim.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Mountain Brook Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan S. Rummage prosecuted the case.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcements’ efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. [ET]. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov.
Motel Shooting Leads to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Oklahoma City Man Who Illegally Possessed a Firearm and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – ANTJUAN LAMONT GAINES, 47, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 162 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, on June 12, 2024, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department responded to a motel on reports of a shooting. The victim told police that as she was attempting to leave the motel in her car, an individual she didn’t know, later identified as Gaines, shot at her several times from a separate vehicle. Nobody was injured as a result of the shooting. Officers executed a search warrant on Gaines’s room and seized more than 140 grams of methamphetamine and a firearm.
Prior to this arrest, Gaines had been convicted of multiple felonies, including convictions in Oklahoma County District Court for larceny of a motor vehicle in case number CF-2006-479; assault and battery on a police officer and possession of a weapon in case number CF-2007-5284; and possession of methamphetamine and cocaine in case number CF-2011-2084.
On September 17, 2024, a federal Grand Jury charged Gaines with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Gaines pleaded guilty on January 8, 2025, and admitted he possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a firearm despite his previous felony convictions.
At the sentencing hearing on July 22, 2025, Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced Gaines to serve 162 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge DeGiusti noted the seriousness of the offense.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Laney Ellis prosecuted the case. SAUSA Ellis is an attorney with City of Oklahoma City whose position is funded by a federal Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) grant awarded to the City of Oklahoma City to enhance efforts to address and reduce violent crime. PSN is 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.
This case is also part of “Operation Shots Fired,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of PSN, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Operation Shots Fired targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
More Than Eight Year Sentence Handed Down for Facebook Marketplace Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Elijah Porter, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on July 25, 2025, in Superior Court, to 106 months in prison, for charges pertaining to two armed robberies he committed in 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Porter pleaded guilty on February 7, 2025, to armed robbery for an incident on December 2, 2023, and to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault with intent to commit robbery for an incident on November 8, 2023. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Deborah Israel also ordered Porter to serve three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on December 2, 2023, Porter, using a false Facebook account, responded to a Facebook Marketplace advertisement for the sale of an Apple MacBook. The defendant arranged for the victim to meet him in the 1300 block of Orren Street, NE. When the victim arrived, Porter asked to inspect the MacBook, so the victim handed the MacBook to the defendant. The defendant then pulled out what appeared to be a black handgun and stole the MacBook from the victim. A search, conducted two days later at Porter’s residence, resulted in the recovery of the victim’s MacBook.
On November 8, 2023, Porter created an advertisement for the sale of Apple iPhones using a false Facebook account, and the victim responded to the advertisement, eventually agreeing to meet with the defendant to discuss the purchase of the iPhones posted for sale. Porter arranged for the victim to meet him in the 1300 block of Orren Street, NE. When the victim arrived, Porter and an accomplice got into the victim’s vehicle and struck the victim in the face with a handgun. Porter and the accomplice then stole personal property belonging to the victim.
Porter was arrested on December 4, 2023, and he has remained in custody since.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Hanley and Travis Wolf, who prosecuted the case.
Midwest City Man to Serve a Decade in Federal Prison after Pointing a Gun in Road Rage Incident, Shooting at a Home, and Other Incidents Threatening Violence with a FirearmRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – MARK RYAN JORDAN, 38, of Midwest City, has been sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, on October 28, 2024, a deputy with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) responded to a road rage incident. The reporting party told the deputy a man driving a truck, later identified as Jordan, followed her and her juvenile daughter, yelling, gesturing, and tailgating her vehicle near Broadway and Waterloo. Jordan followed the victims to a gas station, where he pulled out a firearm and pointed it at their vehicle.
That same day, LCSO received another report that the defendant had stolen a shotgun and intended to get in a shootout with law enforcement. Public record further reflects that Jordan shot the bedroom window of a Midwest City home, then drove to the house of a family member of the homeowner in an attempt to find them. Officers with the Midwest City Police Department were waiting for Jordan at the family member’s house, and he was arrested soon after. In his vehicle, officers recovered a 12-gauge shotgun and several rounds of both live and spent ammunition.
Prior to this arrest, Jordan had previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court that include domestic abuse by strangulation and domestic abuse – assault and battery in case number CF-2013-4060 and domestic abuse – assault and battery in case number CF-2016-170.
On December 17, 2024, a federal Grand Jury charged Jordan with being a felon in possession of a firearm. On March 28, 2025, Jordan pleaded guilty and admitted he possessed a firearm despite his previous felony convictions.
At the sentencing hearing on July 22, 2025, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Jordan to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the defendant’s escalating violence and the need to protect the public.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and the Midwest City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn M. Hutzell prosecuted the case.
This case is part of “Operation 922” and Operation “Shots Fired,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. “Operation 922” prioritizes prosecution of federal firearms violations connected to domestic violence. “Shots Fired” targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Mexican National to Serve 14 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry into the U.S. Following Arrest for Assault and Battery of a Police Officer and Other ChargesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – JOSE REYES ZAMORA-DE LA TORRE, 33, of Mexico, has been sentenced to serve 14 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, on January 16, 2025, Zamora-De La Torre was found to be knowingly within the United States after having previously been removed from the United States to Mexico on May 31, 2024. Zamora-De La Torre was encountered by immigration authorities after he was arrested on warrants related to state charges in Oklahoma County District Court for assault and battery upon a police officer, public intoxication, and obstruction of an officer in case number CF-2024-2332, and malicious injury to property of less than $1,000 in case number CF-2024-1809, crimes for which he has since been convicted.
On February 28, 2025, Zamora-De La Torre was charged with illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal. Zamora-De La Torre pleaded guilty on April 4, 2025, and admitted he knowingly reentered the United States without proper consent.
At the sentencing hearing on July 22, 2025, U.S. District Judge David L. Russell sentenced Zamora-De La Torre to serve 14 months in federal prison. In announcing his sentence, Judge Russell noted the sentence was warranted because, while in the U.S. illegally, Zamora-De La Torre engaged in other criminal conduct for which he was convicted in state court.
This case is the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Mexican National Sentenced for Violating Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – FULGENCIO CARDENAS-RIVERA (“CARDENAS-RIVERA”), a 35-year old Mexican national, was sentenced on July 22, 2025, to 60 months imprisonment, 4 years supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
According to court documents, CARDENAS-RIVERA traveled into the Eastern District of Louisiana with approximately three kilograms of cocaine secreted in the trunk of the car he was driving, with the intent to distribute such cocaine.
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 that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office and assisted by the Louisiana State Police, United States Border Patrol, Kenner Police Department, and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
Merrillville Man Sentenced to 108 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Raul Martinez, 50 years old, of Merrillville, Indiana was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge James T. Moody after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Martinez was sentenced to 108 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, between October 2021 and July 2022, Martinez sold cocaine on six separate occasions. During the execution of a search warrant at his residence located in Merrillville, law enforcement recovered approximately five kilograms of cocaine, nine firearms, ammunition, cocaine presses, digital scales, and a money counter.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Toth.
Lowell Man Arrested for Allegedly Hiding More Than $6 Million in PayrollRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man was arrested today in connection with his alleged involvement in payroll tax avoidance and workers’ compensation insurance fraud.
Henry Lam, 67, was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 25, 2025 on charges of failure to collect and pay over taxes and mail fraud. Lam will appear in federal court in Boston at 3:45 p.m. this afternoon.
According to court records, between 2016 and 2023, Lam owned and operated HL Temporary Services – a temporary employment agency in Lowell that served client companies in Massachusetts. The client companies paid HL Temporary Services for the temporary employees’ work on an hourly basis. Lam allegedly cashed these client’s checks at check cashing businesses in Massachusetts and paid the temporary employees primarily in cash. By using cash payments, Lam allegedly hid over $6.1 million in payroll and avoided paying more than $2.4 million in required payroll taxes. It is further alleged that Lam also used HL Temporary Services’ false payroll numbers to obtain worker’s compensation insurance at lower premium rates.
The charge of failure to collect or pay over taxes provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and restitution. The charge of mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, restitution, and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Lehigh County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that George “Travis” Woodfield, 41, of Macungie, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr. to 360 months in prison and lifetime supervised release for transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and accessing with intent to view child pornography. Woodfield was also ordered to pay $12,000 in restitution.
Woodfield was indicted by a federal grand jury in December of last year and pleaded guilty in March.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Woodfield drove an 11-year-old child across state lines for an overnight trip to New York City in November 2018 in order to engage in sexual activity with the child. During the trip, Woodfield sexually abused the child in their hotel room. Further, between September 2015 and July 2024, Woodfield accessed numerous depictions of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including images of prepubescent children being sexually abused.
“Woodfield didn’t just view images of child sexual abuse, he sought out sex with a child,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “The sexual exploitation of children causes unthinkable harm. While prosecuting a predator like Woodfield can’t undo that damage, his prison sentence prevents him from causing further harm and provides his victim justice.”
“The exploitation of children remains among the most heinous crimes we investigate,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Let today’s sentencing send a message: if you prey upon our most vulnerable, you will be found and you will be brought to justice. This case is a powerful testament to the unwavering dedication of the personnel in our Allentown Resident Agency and our law enforcement partners, who work tirelessly to protect our children and ensure those who harm them are held accountable.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency and FBI Richmond, with assistance from CEOS’s High-Tech Investigations Unit, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca J. Kulik, CEOS Senior Trial Attorney Jennifer Toritto Leonardo, and CEOS Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban.
Laurel County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A London, Ky., man, Brandon Bustle, 39, was sentenced on Monday to 13 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and for violating the conditions of his federal supervised release.
According to his plea agreement, between December 2023 to March 23, 2024, Bustle and an associate developed access to multiple related sources from whom they regularly obtained distribution quantities of methamphetamine. Bustle and his associate would travel together to obtain methamphetamine from those suppliers, some of whom were in the Louisville area, and transport it back to the Laurel County area for further distribution. On February 28, 2024, Bustle was traveling to Laurel County to deliver a methamphetamine mixture. However, before the delivery occurred, Bustle wrecked the vehicle and removed the methamphetamine from the vehicle and tried to hide it in the woods. When law enforcement responded to the scene, they located over a kilogram of Bustle’s methamphetamine mixture that he had intended to distribute, along with a loaded firearm, scales, and $2,223 in cash.
At the time of these events, Bustle was on supervised release in connection with a prior federal crime. Bustle previously had been sentenced in 2013 to 96 months in prison for the same offense, i.e., conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture.
Two of Bustle’s co-conspirators were previously sentenced in the same case. On June 16, 2025, Josh Caldwell was sentenced to a total for 135 months in prison, followed by six years of supervised release, for possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing firearms in furtherance of that drug trafficking offense. On July 10, 2025, Merinda Robinson was sentenced to 100 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiring with Bustle to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Under federal law, Bustle must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for seven years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, ATF, Louisville Field Division; John Root, Laurel County Sheriff; Winston Tye, Barbourville Police Chief; and Rusty Hedrick, Corbin Police Chief, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF, Laurel County Sheriff’s Department, Barbourville Police Department, and Corbin Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Trimble is prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Kansas man sentenced to 30 years in prison for child pornography productionRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse materials while engaging in acts of voyeurism.
According to court documents, Clell Lacy, 78, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child (production of child pornography).
In May 2024, Lacy used closed-circuit recording devices to surreptitiously record two minor teenagers engaging in sexual acts. He then used the Secure Digital (SD) card from the camera to print images, which he stored at his home. In August 2024, these materials were discovered and reported to law enforcement.
The Wichita Police Department and Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.###
Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Steven Jamar Alexander, also known as “Dook,” 39, of Nitro, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Alexander sold approximately 20 grams of fentanyl on two separate occasions in March 2025, each time to a confidential informant in St. Albans.
Alexander further admitted that he was previously convicted of a serious drug felony, distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on May 13, 2019, and was released from prison for that conviction within 15 years of the current offense.
Alexander is scheduled to be sentenced on November 10, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, at least six years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $2 million fine.
Today’s guilty plea results from an investigation that also led to the indictment of 13 other individuals on charges alleging they participated in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025. Rafael Cee-Erwin Solomon, also known as “Rip,” 43, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty on June 30, 2025, to three counts of distribution of fentanyl as a result of this investigation and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 9, 2025. The charges against the remaining defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-70.
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Justice Department Sues Green Bay Landlord for Sexual Harassment and Retaliation in Violation of the Fair Housing ActRead the Press Release
Green Bay, WI
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on July 24, 2025, the United States filed a civil complaint alleging that David Jones and D Jones Properties LLC discriminated on the basis of sex in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA).
Jones manages multiple rental properties in the Green Bay, Wisconsin, area, and the complaint alleges that he engaged in severe, pervasive, and unwelcome sexual harassment of a female tenant by, among other things, making unwelcome sexual comments, grabbing the tenant without her consent, entering the tenant’s home without her permission, and taking adverse housing-related actions against the tenant when she asserted her rights under the FHA. The case was referred to the Department of Justice after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) received a complaint, conducted an investigation, and issued a charge of discrimination. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate persons harmed by the alleged harassment and a court order barring future discrimination.“No one should be forced to choose between safe housing and their right to live free from sexual harassment,” said Acting United States Attorney Frohling. “The Department of Justice is committed to vigorously enforcing fair housing protections and holding housing providers accountable when they exploit their power over tenants.”
Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other types of housing discrimination at rental dwellings owned or managed by David Jones or D Jones Properties LLC, or who have other information that may be relevant to this case, can contact Assistant U.S. Attorney Nia Schmaltz at 414-297-4516 or [email protected].
The FHA prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
The public is cautioned the United States’ complaint states allegations only; the defendants can only be held liable when and if the Government proves its case by a preponderance of the evidence.
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For further information contact:Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Justice Department Announces Winners of the Access to Justice Prize CompetitionRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the winners of the Access to Justice Prize Competition. The Department is proud to uplift the incredible work being done across the country through innovative solutions to improve access to justice for all Americans. The Access to Justice Prize focuses on closing the rural justice gap, recognizing that rural communities face unique and significant barriers to resources and support in the legal system. This competition highlights the creativity and dedication of organizations working to expand justice for all. The winning projects represent actionable approaches that will help provide legal support for communities across America.
The Access to Justice Prize was launched on Challenge.gov, and after reviewing an inspiring and thoughtful round of submissions, the Department of Justice is pleased to recognize the five winners whose innovative ideas stood out from a competitive field of applicants. Each of these organizations brought a unique perspective and a shared commitment to expanding resources for communities in rural America.
- The 12th Judicial District of Colorado Access to Justice Committee: creating “Lawmobile,” a vehicle designed to bring legal and administrative assistance directly to remote residents, as well as residents with disabilities, who lack childcare or technological access.
- Florida Department of Corrections: bridging the justice gap in rural areas by deploying Mobile Probation Units and Mobile Reentry Units to bring probation and reentry services directly to underserved rural communities.
- People Living in Recovery Inc.: expanding access to justice through an innovative forensic peer mentoring program in rural county jails in Georgia to reduce recidivism and support reentry.
- South Dakota Bar Foundation: creating the Project Rural Practice Hub, an online resource center that provides on-demand training, technical assistance, and mentorship to rural attorneys.
- Veterans Advocacy Law Clinic at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law: expanding the clinic’s Rural and Tribal Veterans Outreach Project to effectively connect veterans living in rural communities with legal services.
“The Department of Justice applauds the Prize winners’ dedication, bold ideas and steadfast belief in a better future,” said Acting Director Christina Smith of the Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice. “The winners are addressing access to justice barriers with innovative solutions that are informed by the needs and strengths of rural communities.”
Each winning organization will receive prize funding of $15,000 to advance their project. The Department of Justice congratulates all prize participants for their passion to remain committed to introducing fresh perspectives and novel approaches to advance access to justice for all.
Hopkinton Couple Sentenced for Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Hopkinton couple were sentenced in federal court in Boston for separate schemes to defraud their workers’ compensation insurance carriers, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and their mortgage lender.
Ronaldo Solano, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, with the first six months on home detention. Adriana Solano, 41, was sentenced on June 23, 2025 to time served (one day), to be followed by 27 months of supervised release, with the first three months on home detention. Ronaldo and Adriana Solano were also ordered to pay $1,625,872.03 jointly in restitution. Ronaldo Solano was ordered to pay an additional $627,675.88 in restitution. In January 2025, Ronaldo Solano pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, one count of mail fraud, and one count of wire fraud. Adriana Solano pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud. In March 2024, Ronaldo and Adriana Solano were indicted by a federal grand jury.
Between in or about 2012 and in or about 2020, Ronaldo Solano — who operated a roofing and construction company based in Framingham under the names H&R Roofing & Construction Inc. and H&R Roofing & Siding Corp. with his wife Adriana Solano — avoided more than $627,000 in workers’ compensation insurance premiums by underreporting payroll and paying workers through an uninsured third company.
Separately, between in or about 2021 and in or about 2022, Ronaldo and Adriana Solano submitted a loan application on behalf of H&R Roofing & Siding Corp. to the SBA under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, which provided for pandemic relief under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. In the application, Ronaldo and Adriana Solano requested $2 million in relief funds for working capital and other eligible business expenses. After receiving the relief funds, Ronaldo and Adriana Solano transferred $1 million of the funds to a personal bank account they shared, from which they used more than $825,000 for a down payment towards a luxury home in Hopkinton. Ronaldo and Adriana Solano borrowed another $770,500 from a mortgage lender to fund the purchase of the Hopkinton home but did not disclose to their lender that they were claiming $1 million of the EIDL funds as an asset and using it for the down payment.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the EIDL Program, through which the SBA offers loans that can only be used on certain permissible business expenses, which can include payment of fixed business debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other business-related expenses that could have been paid had the COVID-19 disaster not occurred.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Additionally, this case was investigated in connection with the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force, which was established to promote transparency and coordinate oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC brings together federal agents from 20 agency Inspector Generals to detect fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in authorized COVID-19 funds. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help Inspector Generals and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Re-Entry After DeportationRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Guatemalan national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for illegally re-entering the United States after a prior removal.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Marvin Aguilar-Lopez, 24, to time served (approximately 4 months). Aguilar-Lopez pleaded guilty on May 29, 2025.
According to court records, Old Orchard Beach police officers pulled over Aguilar-Lopez in March 2025 for a taillight violation. Aguilar-Lopez produced an invalid international license and told police he was from Guatemala. Immigration records showed that he had previously been removed from the U.S. in 2023 and did not have a visa or other documentation that would allow him to re-enter the country.
U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
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Georgia Resident Found Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Romance ScamRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced the conviction of KENNETH G. AKPIEYI, a/k/a “Phillip Anderson,” age 44, of Marietta, Georgia, after a four-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo. The jury convicted the defendant on all three counts of the superseding indictment: conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and mail fraud related to a years-long romance scam.
According to the evidence presented at trial, AKPIEYI played a key role in defrauding women through a scheme where perpetrators represented themselves to victims, mostly women, as romantic partners. They often claimed to be generals, philanthropists, or entrepreneurs who lived outside the United States. Conspirators would meet victims on Facebook, Instagram, and similar social media platforms, gain the trust of the victims, and then ask the victims to move their conversations to WhatsApp or another encrypted platform. Thereafter, the perpetrators would foster a romantic relationship with their victims and then ask the victims to send money for fraudulent reasons, such as to help with charitable work or to assist sick family members
Evidence at trial showed that AKPIEYI would then receive victim funds under the alias “Phillip Anderson” at his residence in Marietta, Georgia. AKPIEYI also used his company, KGA Autobrokers, LLC, to funnel money to other bank accounts, often using accounts at different banks to obscure the movement of victim money. On one occasion, AKPIEYI deposited two checks totaling $300,000 from the same victim at two different banks in the Marietta area on the same day, even though both checks were written to KGA Autobrokers. Frequently, victim funds ended up in bank accounts in foreign countries such as China and the United Arab Emirates. Eight victims testified at trial, explaining how they had been defrauded through the scheme. They testified to total losses of over $3 million.
Judge Milazzo scheduled AKPIEYI’s sentencing for November 5, 2025. The maximum penalties for each of the counts of mail fraud and for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud are 20 years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine or the greater of twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss, up to three years of supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. The maximum penalties for conspiracy to commit money laundering are 20 years in prison, a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved in the transactions, up to three years of supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the FBI New Orleans Field Office in investigating this matter. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson also extended his thanks to the FBI Atlanta Field Office and the Cobb County, GA, Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Payne of the Financial Crimes Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit handled the prosecution.
Fresno Man Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Prison for Conspiring with Pharmacist to Illegally Traffic Hundreds of Thousands of Opioid PillsRead the Press Release
Kelo White, 44, of Fresno, was sentenced today to seven years and six months in prison for illegally distributing oxycodone and hydrocodone pills, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court records, from 2014 through 2018, White and Donald Ray Pierre, 56, of Fresno, obtained more than 450,000 oxycodone and hydrocodone pills based on fraudulent prescriptions that were filled by their co-conspirator, Ifeanyi Vincent Ntukogu, 49, of Fresno, who was a pharmacist in Madera. White was responsible for more than 250,000 of those pills. The fraudulent prescriptions were purportedly from more than 10 different doctors whose signatures had been forged.
White and Pierre had Ntukogu review each prescription before he filled it to make sure that government regulators would not deem it suspicious. For example, Ntukogu reviewed and rejected prescriptions that were supposedly written by certain doctors or that were written for individuals who were having prescriptions filled at other pharmacies because he believed those prescriptions may raise red flags. White and Pierre paid Ntukogu in cash, and then they sold the pills for a significant profit.
Ntukogu was sentenced on Nov. 25, 2024, to seven years and three months in prison. Pierre was sentenced on July 21, 2020, to nine years and four months in prison.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the California Department of Health Care Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Antonio Pataca and Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated under the DOJ’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was also part of the DOJ’s Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, which is a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers.
Former and Present Owners of Standish Surveying Company Plead Guilty in Scheme to Defraud the United States Department of TransportationRead the Press Release
BAY CITY – Jeffrey Bartlett and Brian Bartlett, current owners and executives of Surveying Solutions Inc. (SSI), a surveying firm based in Standish, Michigan, and Andrew Semenchuk, a former owner and executive of SSI, have pleaded guilty today to defrauding the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) through the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced.
Gorgon is joined in this announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Michigan Division, and Anthony Licari, Special Agent in Charge United States Department of Transportation – Midwestern Region.
Jeffrey Bartlett, 52, of Standish, Michigan, Andrew Semenchuk, 53, of Rives Junction, Michigan, and Brian Bartlett, 50, of Bentley, Michigan pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States. According to facts made public at the plea hearings, from approximately February 2011 through July 2019, the Bartletts, Semenchuk, and two others owned and operated SSI, a surveying company that was directly or indirectly awarded millions of dollars in highway construction contracts by MDOT. Those contracts were funded almost entirely by federal funds through USDOT. In the course of seeking and participating in MDOT contracts and reimbursement for work performed on those contracts, the Bartletts, Semenchuk, and two others engaged in fraudulent overbilling resulting in MDOT making millions of dollars of overpayments to SSI, a large portion of which the Bartletts, Semenchuk, and two others distributed among themselves. This fraudulent overbilling included reporting false and non-existent employee and information technology costs, reporting improper and inflated equipment and real property lease costs, and concealing the true ownership of and control over the SSI entities to justify the overbillings.
“Today’s guilty plea highlights a calculated attempt to exploit the competitive contracting process for personal enrichment,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “Fraud of this nature erodes public trust, undermines the integrity of government programs, and unfairly disadvantages honest businesses. I want to commend the dedicated agents of our Bay City Resident Agency for their thorough and meticulous investigative efforts. The FBI in Michigan remains steadfast in our commitment to work alongside our law enforcement partners to uncover complex financial crimes and ensure those responsible are held fully accountable under the law.”
“Contracting with the United States government demands fairness and integrity,” said Anthony Licari, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Region. “Our agents will continue to collaborate closely with law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to identify and dismantle fraud schemes that undermine public trust and compromise DOT-funded programs in Michigan and across the nation.”
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Karen L. Reyolds, T. Patrick Martin, William Vailliencourt, and K. Craig Welkener.
Former Wilmington Tax Preparer Sentenced to 80 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Wilmington, Del. – A Wilmington man was sentenced today to 80 months in federal prison for leading a fraud scheme that resulted in more than $9.1 million in disaster-relief loans being issued to more than 60 businesses across the country. None of the loans were ever repaid.
According to court documents, Jady Solano, 43, was a tax preparer in Wilmington. Solano used his tax expertise to prepare fraudulent applications for loans available under the Paycheck Protection Program—a COVID-19 relief program designed to safeguard workers’ jobs during the pandemic. Solano prepared the applications on behalf of shell companies that, in fact, had no operations or employees. Solano falsely claimed, however, that the companies had substantial payrolls, sometimes north of $1 million annually. Solano also created false documents, including false tax forms and bank statements, to support the applications.
In total, Solano prepared 62 fraudulent applications, resulting in more than $9.1 million in wrongful loan disbursements. Solano personally received nearly $1.4 million through the scheme, all of which he must repay to the federal government pursuant to a restitution order to be entered by the U.S. District Court.
Across two charging instruments, seven other members of Solano’s scheme have been charged. Those members are:
DefendantCase NumberStage of CaseShatoya Moss24-cr-91-2 (JLH)Guilty plea entered; sentenced to 18 months in prison and restitution of $578,133.09Carl Lawrence24-cr-109-1 (JLH)Acceptance of guilty plea recommended by U.S. Magistrate Judge; recommendation now under review by U.S. District JudgeBrigitte Miller-Levy24-cr-109-2 (JLH)Indicted[1]Amber Baldwin24-cr-109-3 (JLH)IndictedMarvin Edwards24-cr-109-4 (JLH)IndictedAnthony McKinzy24-cr-109-5 (JLH)IndictedDevlon Porter24-cr-109-6 (JLH)IndictedJulianne Murray, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, stated, “The American taxpayers work hard for their money. And we will work hard to ensure that, when taxpayer money is misused—through waste, fraud, or abuse—the wrongdoers are brought to justice. Jady Solano led a nationwide scheme to steal more than $9 million from the federal government. And the funds he stole were meant for an especially important purpose: helping American workers keep their jobs during a deadly pandemic. Solano’s egregious misconduct warranted the substantial prison sentence the Court handed down today. We hope that sentence sends a message to other potential white-collar criminals: in this District, financial crimes simply will not pay. We thank our law enforcement partners at IRS-CI and the FBI for their tireless and terrific work on this important case.”
“Today's sentencing of Jady Solano again emphasizes that the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation will continue their aggressive pursuit of those who use fraudulent methods in an attempt to corrupt our nation's tax system,” stated Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office.
“62 times – over and over and over again – Solano fabricated, embellished and lied to steal millions from the government and ultimately, every taxpaying citizen. Now he will pay for each of those lies with this lengthy sentence,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno. “The FBI will continue to partner with our fellow agencies to identify and unravel these fraud schemes and bring criminals to justice.”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace prosecuted the case. Agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and the FBI Baltimore Field Office’s Wilmington Resident Agency investigated the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 24-cr-91 and 24-cr-109.
[1] For all defendants who have been indicted and not adjudicated guilty, their involvement in the fraud scheme described above is merely an allegation, and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida Woman Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring with Family Members to Hide more than $90M from the IRSRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Florida woman, and dual U.S. and Colombian citizen, was sentenced on Friday to 30 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States by, among other things, concealing tens of millions of dollars in undeclared foreign financial accounts, filing false tax returns, and evading taxes.
The following is according to court documents: between 2010 and 2022, Gilda Rosenberg, 60, of Golden Beach, conspired with two family members to conceal from the IRS more than $90 million in assets and income held in undeclared bank accounts in Andorra, Israel, Panama, and Switzerland.
Rosenberg’s family had maintained offshore accounts since the 1970s. By the late 1990s, Rosenberg — who was identified as an owner and an authorized signer on some of the accounts — knew that she and her family members had not disclosed their ownership of these foreign financial accounts to the U.S. government and that they had not paid any taxes on the income earned from the assets in those accounts as was required by law.
Starting in the early 2000s, the family consolidated their assets at accounts with Credit Suisse in Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Family members told Credit Suisse employees that they were U.S. persons and seeking to hide their assets from U.S. authorities. The assets remained at Credit Suisse until 2013, when Credit Suisse closed the accounts because the family members were U.S. persons.
When Credit Suisse closed their accounts, the family moved their assets, which were typically titled in the names of nominee entities, to new accounts located at Bank Leumi in Israel, Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) and PKB Privat Bank SA in Switzerland, and an Andorran bank. Rosenberg was documented as the beneficial owner of accounts at UBP and the Andorran bank. She also signed false account opening documents that claimed she was a Colombian citizen and not a U.S. citizen.
Rosenberg, as well as her relatives, did not file Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBARS) disclosing their foreign financial accounts, as they were required to do. In addition, Rosenberg and her relatives continued to file false tax returns that omitted income generated by their offshore assets.
In or about 2017, as part of a scheme to continue to evade their U.S. tax and reporting obligations, Rosenberg and the family members divided the family’s assets and signed documents to make it appear that Rosenberg and a relative gifted the offshore assets to another relative after he had renounced his U.S. citizenship. Rosenberg and her relatives then tried to covertly transfer assets to Rosenberg in the United States and to conceal their ongoing and historical tax evasion. To do so, Rosenberg and her relatives, among other things, created fake loan and investment documents to make it appear that transfers to and from Rosenberg were loans and business investments.
From 2010 through 2017, Rosenberg filed false tax returns that did not report income she earned from assets in the account she concealed at UBP. For the 2009 through 2017 tax years, unreported income belonging to Rosenberg and two of her co-conspirators totaled more than $5.5 million, causing a tax loss of $1,927,342. Prior to her sentencing, Rosenberg had agreed to pay $1,927,342 in restitution to the IRS. She had also agreed to pay interest on the restitution. Separately, Rosenberg’s plea agreement required her to agree to pay a penalty of $5,857,045.50 to the IRS to resolve her civil liability for failing to file an FBAR.
Rosenberg previously pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Texas to an information charging her with conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to a scheme to defraud the Army and Air Force Exchange Service by making and presenting false reports in order to avoid fully paying contractually required commissions. See United States v. Rosenberg, 4:24-cr-00062-ALM-AGD (E.D. Tex.).
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation’s International Tax & Financial Crimes Unit investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in obtaining important evidence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana Maria Martinez for the Southern District of Florida and Senior Litigation Counsel Mark Daly, as well as Trial Attorney Marissa Brodney of the Tax Division, prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20005.
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Florida Woman Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring with Family Members to Hide more than $90M from the IRSRead the Press Release
A Florida woman, and dual U.S. and Colombian citizen, was sentenced on Friday to 30 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States by, among other things, concealing tens of millions of dollars in undeclared foreign financial accounts, filing false tax returns, and evading taxes.
The following is according to court documents: between 2010 and 2022, Gilda Rosenberg, of Golden Beach, conspired with two family members to conceal from the IRS more than $90 million in assets and income held in undeclared bank accounts in Andorra, Israel, Panama, and Switzerland.
Rosenberg’s family had maintained offshore accounts since the 1970s. By the late 1990s, Rosenberg — who was identified as an owner and an authorized signer on some of the accounts — knew that she and her family members had not disclosed their ownership of these foreign financial accounts to the U.S. government and that they had not paid any taxes on the income earned from the assets in those accounts as was required by law.
Starting in the early 2000s, the family consolidated their assets at accounts with Credit Suisse in Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Family members told Credit Suisse employees that they were U.S. persons and seeking to hide their assets from U.S. authorities. The assets remained at Credit Suisse until 2013, when Credit Suisse closed the accounts because the family members were U.S. persons.
When Credit Suisse closed their accounts, the family moved their assets, which were typically titled in the names of nominee entities, to new accounts located at Bank Leumi in Israel, Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) and PKB Privat Bank SA in Switzerland, and an Andorran bank. Rosenberg was documented as the beneficial owner of accounts at UBP and the Andorran bank. She also signed false account opening documents that claimed she was a Colombian citizen and not a U.S. citizen.
Rosenberg, as well as her relatives, did not file Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBARS) disclosing their foreign financial accounts, as they were required to do. In addition, Rosenberg and her relatives continued to file false tax returns that omitted income generated by their offshore assets.
In or about 2017, as part of a scheme to continue to evade their U.S. tax and reporting obligations, Rosenberg and the family members divided the family’s assets and signed documents to make it appear that Rosenberg and a relative gifted the offshore assets to another relative after he had renounced his U.S. citizenship. Rosenberg and her relatives then tried to covertly transfer assets to Rosenberg in the United States and to conceal their ongoing and historical tax evasion. To do so, Rosenberg and her relatives, among other things, created fake loan and investment documents to make it appear that transfers to and from Rosenberg were loans and business investments.
From 2010 through 2017, Rosenberg filed false tax returns that did not report income she earned from assets in the account she concealed at UBP. For the 2009 through 2017 tax years, unreported income belonging to Rosenberg and two of her co-conspirators totaled more than $5.5 million, causing a tax loss of $1,927,342. Prior to her sentencing, Rosenberg had agreed to pay $1,927,342 in restitution to the IRS. She had also agreed to pay interest on the restitution. Separately, Rosenberg’s plea agreement required her to agree to pay a penalty of $5,857,045.50 to the IRS to resolve her civil liability for failing to file an FBAR.
Rosenberg previously pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Texas to an information charging her with conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to a scheme to defraud the Army and Air Force Exchange Service by making and presenting false reports in order to avoid fully paying contractually required commissions. See United States v. Rosenberg, 4:24-cr-00062-ALM-AGD (E.D. Tex.).
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation’s International Tax & Financial Crimes Unit investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in obtaining important evidence.
Senior Litigation Counsel Mark Daly and Trial Attorney Marissa Brodney of the Tax Division, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana Maria Martinez for the Southern District of Florida, prosecuted the case.
Fairfield Man Sentenced for Prescription Drug DiversionRead the Press Release
Des Moines, Iowa – A Fairfield man was sentenced on July 28, 2025, to four years of probation for stealing thousands of prescription pills from a pharmacy that he owned and operated.
According to public court documents, Bryan Paul Vander Linden, 43, admitted that from June 2022 to at least November 2023, he obtained prescription pills from Summit Pharmacy of Iowa for his own use. To obtain the pills, Vander Linden would order and not report the pills in the pharmacy’s inventory, take from the pharmacy stock, or take pills from the controlled substance collection bin. In total, Vander Linden obtained more than 3,500 oxycodone and hydrocodone pills, Schedule II controlled substances, and more than 400 carisoprodol pills, a Schedule IV muscle relaxant.
Vander Linden was ordered to pay a $9,500 fine.
“Pharmacists are entrusted with the handling of controlled substances and ensuring that laws are followed in their handling,” DEA Omaha Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Rafael Mattei said. “This Iowa pharmacist broke that trust by diverting controlled substances for his own use. I commend the DEA Diversion Investigators whose work uncovered the diversion of controlled substances in this case and who work diligently to ensure that pharmacies follow the law and maintain a safe and secure environment.”
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa and Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
East Orange Convicted Felon Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An East Orange, New Jersey man was sentenced on July 24, 2025, to 120 months for possessing quantities of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine he intended to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Ibraheem Muhammad, 41, of East Orange, New Jersey previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an Indictment charging him with one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Law enforcement investigated Muhammad for his drug distribution from an apartment in East Orange (the “Residence”). On May 9, 2022, Muhammad was arrested on a warrant after law enforcement saw him exit the Residence and engage in a suspected drug transaction. He was caught in possession of numerous envelopes of suspected heroin and keys to the Residence. A subsequent search of the Residence revealed Muhammad to be in possession of controlled substances that subsequently lab tested positive for heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl, and various glassine envelopes and other paraphernalia used for packaging drugs. Law enforcement also recovered approximately $14,000 in cash; a Girsan 9mm semi-automatic handgun, loaded with fourteen (14) rounds of 9mm ammunition; and an additional fifteen (15) rounds of 9mm ammunition.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Muhammad to 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., Newark Field Division; and the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Maurice Boyd, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Farhana C. Melo and Aja Espinosa of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Jacqueline Cistaro, Esq, New York, NY
East Aurora man pleads guilty to receipt of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Brian O’Brien, 42, of East Aurora, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000. O’Brien will also have to register as a sex offender.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who is handling the case, stated that between June 2022, and July 19, 2023, O’Brien used Snapchat and WhatsApp to receive, view, and upload visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on his cellular telephone. Between June 2022, and March 2023, O’Brien used WhatsApp to communicate with an individual located in Phoenix, Arizona. During these communications, he discussed sexually abusing minor children, and distributed files containing child pornography to the other individual.
Between December 2022, and May 2023, O’Brien communicated by text message with a person he knew as “J.J.” During these communications, he solicited J.J. to find a minor boy for him to sexually abuse. J.J. provided O’Brien with a phone number for a person purported to be a 15-year-old boy. O’Brien then negotiated with the purported 15-year-old boy to perform sex acts. O’Brien then sent a message to J.J. in which he agreed to pay both the purported 15-year-old boy and J.J. for sexual activity with the purported minor, and offered to buy drugs for the purported minor.
In July 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at O’Brien’s residence in East Aurora, during which numerous devices were seized, including two cell phones, a hard drive, and a laptop computer. A search of the devices recovered over 2,000 images and videos of child pornography.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 1, 2025, before Judge Vilardo.
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District Man Sentenced to 35 Year Prison Term for Killing Man in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dennis Chase, 33, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on July 25, 2025, to 420 months in prison for the 2020 murder of Anthony Orr in Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
In October of 2024, a jury sitting in Superior Court found the defendant guilty of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to the government’s evidence, the defendant drove around the Washington Highlands neighborhood with the victim, Anthony Orr, sitting in the passenger seat. As the defendant slowly drove down Xenia St. SE, he raised a gun to Mr. Orr’s head and fired one lethal shot. The defendant pushed Mr. Orr out of the car and sped off. The defendant drove 30 miles North of the District to the woods of Severn, Maryland, where he doused the car in diesel exhaust fluid and attempted to light it on fire. The defendant then hiked through the woods until he found a random home, where he stripped down and hid his clothes and other evidence in the back shed, knocked on the back door, and asked for help. The homeowner called 911, and Anne Arundel County Police arrested the defendant on an unrelated warrant. MPD Homicide Detectives later charged defendant for the murder of Mr. Orr. The defendant testified at trial and claimed he acted in self-defense.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Anne Arundel County Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case form the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Investigative Analyst Zach McMenamin, Paralegal Specialist Meridith McGarrity, Litigation Technology Specialists Leif Hickling and Charlie Bruce, Victim/Witness Advocate Jenn Clark, and Victim/Witness Coordinators Maenylie Watson and Katina Adams-Washington.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Roman, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wes Faulkner and Andrea Antonelli, who prosecuted the case.
Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Huntington Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Mark Lawrence Lowe, also known as “Cell,” 24, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Lowe admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least September 2023 through November 2023, Lowe participated in the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl at various locations in the Southern District of West Virginia and elsewhere as part of the DTO.
On September 9, 2023, Lowe and co-conspirator Paul Anthony Rucker were transporting fentanyl and methamphetamine from Huntington to Nitro when law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of their vehicle on Interstate 64 in Cabell County. An officer seized approximately 149 grams of fentanyl and 222.62 grams of methamphetamine from the vehicle during the traffic stop. As part of his guilty plea, Lowe admitted that he and Rucker intended to distribute the seized controlled substances.
Rucker, 48, of Nitro, was sentenced on July 15, 2024, to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Lowe and Rucker are among 27 individuals indicted on charges alleging the DTO distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl transported from Detroit, Michigan, in Huntington and other locations within the Southern District of West Virginia.
Lowe, Rucker and 22 other defendants have pleaded guilty, including one who pleaded guilty to a separate charge in lieu of the offenses alleged in the indictment. Charges against the remaining defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-180.
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Delaware County Man Arrested for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Brent G. Trimbell, age 44, of Delaware County was arrested Sunday evening and had his initial appearance today on a charge of sexual exploitation of a child. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
The complaint alleges that Trimbell exchanged sexually explicit messages with a female child victim, including messages persuading her to create and send him videos of her engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The child created the content Trimbell requested and sent it to him over social media. The complaint also alleges that Trimbell had sexual contact with the victim on at least three occasions and sent the victim videos depicting him masturbating.
Trimbell was first charged by state authorities with state sex offenses related to the foregoing conduct, but late last week he was released on bail.
If convicted of sexual exploitation of a child, Trimbell faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years and a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years, a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life, a fine of $250,000, forfeiture of property used to commit the offense, and restitution to the victim. Trimbell also would be required to register as a sex offender.
Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Trimbell was charged with serious state sex offenses but was released on bail. Now, Trimbell is in federal custody—facing serious federal offenses—which if convicted, will result in a mandatory term of imprisonment of 15 years. This is how we keep the children in our community safe.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “FBI Albany is incredibly thankful for the swift coordination from our partners at the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and United States Attorney’s Office that has now resulted in serious federal charges against Mr. Trimbell. The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to coordinate with our state and local partners to share the information and resources needed to ensure anyone hurting our most vulnerable is investigated and brought to justice.”
Following the initial appearance, Trimbell was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending further proceedings.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Cranston Man Admits to Trafficking Tens-of-Thousands of Methamphetamine-Laced PillsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Cranston man today pleaded guilty to charges related to his trafficking of tens-of-thousands of counterfeit pills laced with methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Anthony Stevens, 37, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to two counts of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30, 2025. The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to information presented to the court, in November 2023, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) opened an investigation into Stevens for trafficking in counterfeit Adderall pills. At the same time, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) developed information that Stevens was in possession of a large quantity of counterfeit pills.
Subsequently, during an investigation that spanned nine months, DEA seized a total of 30,226 pills containing methamphetamine from Steven’s vehicle and from a Providence residence he utilized as a stash house, along with $3,360 in cash.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie White.
The matter was investigated by the DEA and ATF.
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Covington Woman Charged for Distributing Animal Crush VideosRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ARIEL KORNIENKO (“KORNIENKO”), age 42, of Covington, Louisiana, was charged by bill of information on July 23, 2025 for distributing animal crush videos, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 48(a)(3).
According to the bill of information, KORNIENKO distributed animal crush videos online, in particular, videos depicting the impaling of monkeys in the genitals, penetrating them with inanimate objects, and subjecting them to serious bodily injury and death.
If convicted, KORNIENKO faces up to 7 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting United States Attorney Simpson reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cyber Crimes Group in conjunction with HSI Wildlife and Environmental Unit. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Nearly Nine Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a HandgunRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who possessed drugs and handgun and fled from police was sentenced today to more than eight years in federal prison.
Daijon Stokes, age 32, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 10, 2025, guilty plea to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Information from the sentencing hearing showed that on December 3, 2023, Stokes was stopped by an officer with the Waterloo Police Department. During the stop, Stokes took off in his car. While driving through a residential area, he reached speeds of nearly 90 mph. Stokes eventually crashed his car into another vehicle. A woman and two young children were in the other vehicle. Stokes then ran from officers on foot and had to be tackled. Officers found a loaded handgun, marijuana, and other drugs in the car.
Stokes was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Stokes was sentenced to 104 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Stokes is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-cr-2012.
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Cadence Design Systems Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay over $140 Million for Unlawfully Exporting Semiconductor Design Tools to a Restricted PRC Military UniversityRead the Press Release
Note: View a copy of the plea agreement and criminal information.
The Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES) of the Justice Department’s National Security Division (NSD), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California (NDCA) today announced that Cadence Design Systems Inc. (Cadence), a multinational electronic design automation (EDA) technology company headquartered in San Jose, California, has agreed to plead guilty to resolve charges that Cadence committed criminal violations of export controls by selling EDA hardware, software, and semiconductor design intellectual property (IP) technology to the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT).
NUDT, a university in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) under the leadership of the PRC’s Central Military Commission, was added to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List in February 2015 due to its use of U.S.-origin components to produce supercomputers believed to support nuclear explosive simulation and military simulation activities in the PRC.
Today, the Department filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California a criminal information charging Cadence with conspiracy to commit export control violations and the Department’s plea agreement with Cadence, pursuant to which the company has agreed to plead guilty and pay criminal penalties of nearly $118 million to resolve the charges.
In addition to the criminal charges, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) today announced the resolution of a parallel civil enforcement action against Cadence in which Cadence has agreed to pay over $95 million in civil penalties. The Department of Justice and BIS have coordinated the resolution of the parallel criminal and civil actions, with each agreeing to credit against their respective fines a portion of the payments made by Cadence to satisfy the other agency’s fine. After the Department of Justice and BIS credit payments made by Cadence under the coordinated agreements, Cadence will pay aggregate net criminal and civil penalties and forfeiture totaling more than $140 million.
“Cadence has agreed to accept responsibility for unlawfully exporting sensitive semiconductor design tools to a restricted Chinese military university and has implemented a strong export compliance program to help prevent any further illegal transmission of American technology,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “American ingenuity is one of our Nation’s most precious assets, and the National Security Division will vigorously enforce U.S. export control laws to protect the technological advantage we enjoy because of that ingenuity.”
“Export controls safeguard America’s advanced technological know-how from falling into the wrong hands, which is particularly important in the Silicon Valley as the epicenter of groundbreaking innovation,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California. “With this plea, Cadence has admitted to unlawfully exporting its semiconductor design technology to a restricted PRC military university using a front company, and accepted responsibility for its wrongdoing. Cadence’s remedial measures are a positive step toward rectifying the company’s violations of export control laws and demonstrating corporate responsibility.”
“Protecting the U.S. semiconductor industry is critical to our national defense,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “Working with NUDT, which has been on the entity list for a decade for its work to advance China’s military capabilities, is unacceptable. The FBI will stop at nothing to defend the homeland from China’s Communist Party.”
According to Cadence’s admissions and court documents, from February 2015 to April 2021, Cadence and its indirectly owned and wholly controlled subsidiary in the PRC, Cadence Design Systems Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (Cadence China), engaged in a conspiracy to commit export control violations in connection with the provision of EDA tools that were subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to NUDT through Central South CAD Center (CSCC), an alias for NUDT, and another associated entity, Phytium Technology Co. Ltd. (Phytium), without seeking or obtaining the requisite licenses from BIS. Specifically, Cadence, Cadence China, and their employees exported, reexported, and transferred in-country U.S.-origin EDA tools to CSCC in the PRC, despite having knowledge that CSCC was an alias for NUDT. As a result, Cadence and Cadence China exported and caused to be exported EDA tools at least 59 times through September 2020, when Cadence terminated Cadence China’s business relationship with CSCC due to CSCC’s association with NUDT.
In court documents, Cadence admitted that Cadence China employees installed EDA hardware on NUDT’s Changsha, China, campus and that NUDT personnel downloaded EDA software and IP technology from Cadence’s download portals while Cadence and Cadence China, through its employees, had knowledge that NUDT had been added to the Entity List. On Feb. 18, 2015, the same day that NUDT was added to the Entity List, Cadence’s export control officer emailed Cadence and Cadence China employees that NUDT had been added to the Entity List “meaning that export licenses will be required if sales are made.” Further, in March 2016, a Cadence China employee authored a presentation for a quarterly sales review meeting with her colleagues stating (as translated from Chinese) that as of Feb. 18, 2015, the U.S. Department of Commerce had “embargoed” four national supercomputer centers in the PRC, including NUDT, due to U.S. microprocessor chips being used in the “TianHe” supercomputing systems believed to be used for nuclear explosion simulation. Cadence also admitted that its employees who conducted work at CSCC’s location on NUDT’s campus knew about connections between CSCC and the PRC military.
According to Cadence’s admissions and court documents, employees of Cadence China did not disclose to and/or concealed from other Cadence personnel, including Cadence’s export compliance personnel, that exports to CSCC were in fact intended for delivery to NUDT and/or the PRC military. For example, in May 2015, a few months after NUDT was added to the Entity List, Cadence’s then-head of sales in China emailed colleagues, cautioning them to refer to their customer as CSCC in English and NUDT only in Chinese characters, writing that “the subject [was] too sensitive.” Further, in October 2019, a Cadence China employee instructed another to recall and recirculate an updated version of a weekly email on Cadence China’s customers in the PRC. The updated version of the weekly email removed a reference to the People’s Liberation Army of the PRC in relation to CSCC that was written in the original version. Employees of Cadence’s subsidiaries, including employees of Cadence China involved in sales to CSCC, also received sales commissions that incentivized achieving sales quotas as part of their compensation packages.
Further, in October 2020, while Cadence and Cadence China had knowledge that items previously sold and exported to CSCC had in fact been exported to NUDT in violation of U.S. export control laws, Cadence consented to CSCC’s assignment to Phytium, a semiconductor company closely associated with CSCC and NUDT in the PRC, of CSCC’s contracts for Cadence EDA tools. Prior to the transfer of Cadence’s business from CSCC to Phytium in or about October 2020, Cadence’s business with CSCC included contractual agreements with Phytium, reflecting Phytium’s ongoing collaboration with CSCC and NUDT during the period in which CSCC was used as an alias for NUDT. Cadence, through its subsidiaries, including Cadence China also had knowledge that Cadence China’s business with CSCC involved Phytium, and that NUDT personnel were affiliated with Phytium. Some of Cadence China’s contracts with CSCC listed Phytium as the contractual party and stated that the work would occur at NUDT. Internal Cadence communications show certain Cadence employees’ understanding that CSCC and Phytium were effectively the same entity both before and after the decision to transfer Cadence China’s business from CSCC to Phytium. Cadence and Cadence China transferred U.S.-origin EDA software and IP technology to Phytium until February 2021. In March 2021, Cadence placed Phytium on export hold as a result of its internal compliance review and discontinued transactions with Phytium without completing all of the originally anticipated transfers, including any hardware transfers. Phytium was later designated on the Entity List in April 2021.
CES and NDCA entered into the plea agreement with Cadence after considering the factors set forth in the Department’s Principles of Federal Prosecution of Business Organizations and the National Security Division Enforcement Policy for Business Organizations (NSD Enforcement Policy). The Department reached this resolution with Cadence based on a number of factors, including Cadence’s failure to voluntarily disclose the misconduct to NSD pursuant to the NSD Enforcement Policy; the nature and seriousness of the offense, which included exports of sensitive semiconductor design tools and technology to a restricted PRC military university involved in the development of supercomputers with applications for military and nuclear explosive simulations, and which included Cadence agreeing to an assignment of the hardware and software contracts to another PRC-based company despite being aware that those items had been unlawfully exported to a restricted PRC military university; Cadence’s willingness to accept responsibility for the actions of its employees and agents, including its subsidiary Cadence China, by entering into the plea agreement with the Department and resolving the parallel civil investigation with BIS; and Cadence’s efforts to remediate the root cause of the offense conduct by enhancing and agreeing to enhance further its export control compliance program. Cadence received partial credit for its cooperation with the Department’s investigation, which involved collecting and disclosing relevant evidence, facilitating interviews with certain employees, making detailed factual presentations, and agreeing to toll the statute of limitations, but Cadence did not receive full credit for cooperation because it failed proactively to obtain and disclose to the government relevant communications, and it failed proactively to facilitate interviews of certain China-based employees with information relevant to the offense conduct. Accordingly, the amount of the criminal monetary penalty attributable to the criminal fine reflects a 20 percent reduction off the statutory maximum fine.
The plea agreement is subject to the approval of a federal district judge in the Northern District of California.
BIS’s Office of Export Enforcement and the FBI investigated the case.
Chief Counsel Ian C. Richardson, Deputy Chief Counsel Christian J. Nauvel, and Trial Attorney Emma Dinan Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, together with Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Cheng of the National Security and Special Prosecutions Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, are prosecuting this case.
Cadence Design Systems Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay over $140 Million for Unlawfully Exporting Semiconductor Design Tools to A Restricted PRC Military UniversityRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California (NDCA) and the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES) of the Justice Department’s National Security Division (NSD) today announced that Cadence Design Systems Inc. (Cadence), a multinational electronic design automation (EDA) technology company headquartered in San Jose, California, has agreed to plead guilty to resolve charges that Cadence committed criminal violations of export controls by selling EDA hardware, software, and semiconductor design intellectual property (IP) technology to the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT).
NUDT, a university in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) under the leadership of the PRC’s Central Military Commission, was added to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List in February 2015 due to its use of U.S.-origin components to produce supercomputers believed to support nuclear explosive simulation and military simulation activities in the PRC.
Today, the Department filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California a criminal information charging Cadence with conspiracy to commit export control violations and the Department’s plea agreement with Cadence, pursuant to which the company has agreed to plead guilty and pay criminal penalties of nearly $118 million to resolve the charges.
In addition to the criminal charges, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) today announced the resolution of a parallel civil enforcement action against Cadence in which Cadence has agreed to pay over $95 million in civil penalties. The Department of Justice and BIS have coordinated the resolution of the parallel criminal and civil actions, with each agreeing to credit against their respective fines a portion of the payments made by Cadence to satisfy the other agency’s fine. After the Department of Justice and BIS credit payments made by Cadence under the coordinated agreements, Cadence will pay aggregate net criminal and civil penalties and forfeiture totaling more than $140 million.
“Export controls safeguard America’s advanced technological know-how from falling into the wrong hands, which is particularly important in the Silicon Valley as the epicenter of groundbreaking innovation,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California. “With this plea, Cadence has admitted to unlawfully exporting its semiconductor design technology to a restricted PRC military university using a front company, and accepted responsibility for its wrongdoing. Cadence’s remedial measures are a positive step toward rectifying the company’s violations of export control laws and demonstrating corporate responsibility.”
“Cadence has agreed to accept responsibility for unlawfully exporting sensitive semiconductor design tools to a restricted Chinese military university and has implemented a strong export compliance program to help prevent any further illegal transmission of American technology,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “American ingenuity is one of our Nation’s most precious assets, and the National Security Division will vigorously enforce U.S. export control laws to protect the technological advantage we enjoy because of that ingenuity.”
“Protecting the U.S. semiconductor industry is critical to our national defense,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “Working with NUDT, which has been on the entity list for a decade for its work to advance China’s military capabilities, is unacceptable. The FBI will stop at nothing to defend the homeland from China’s Communist Party.”
“The United States leads the world in semiconductor innovation, with Silicon Valley at the forefront of that global leadership. The FBI, working alongside our partners at the Department of Commerce, is committed to protecting sensitive U.S. technology from falling into the hands of the PRC government,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Today’s guilty plea is a clear reminder that U.S. companies must take export control laws seriously and closely monitor where their most advanced technologies are headed. This case should serve as a wake-up call to the broader emerging tech and innovation ecosystem: safeguarding our technological edge is not optional – it is essential to national security.”
According to Cadence’s admissions and court documents, from February 2015 to April 2021, Cadence and its indirectly owned and wholly controlled subsidiary in the PRC, Cadence Design Systems Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (Cadence China), engaged in a conspiracy to commit export control violations in connection with the provision of EDA tools that were subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to NUDT through Central South CAD Center (CSCC), an alias for NUDT, and another associated entity, Phytium Technology Co. Ltd. (Phytium), without seeking or obtaining the requisite licenses from BIS. Specifically, Cadence, Cadence China, and their employees exported, reexported, and transferred in-country U.S.-origin EDA tools to CSCC in the PRC, despite having knowledge that CSCC was an alias for NUDT. As a result, Cadence and Cadence China exported and caused to be exported EDA tools at least 59 times through September 2020, when Cadence terminated Cadence China’s business relationship with CSCC due to CSCC’s association with NUDT.
In court documents, Cadence admitted that Cadence China employees installed EDA hardware on NUDT’s Changsha, China, campus and that NUDT personnel downloaded EDA software and IP technology from Cadence’s download portals while Cadence and Cadence China, through its employees, had knowledge that NUDT had been added to the Entity List. On Feb. 18, 2015, the same day that NUDT was added to the Entity List, Cadence’s export control officer emailed Cadence and Cadence China employees that NUDT had been added to the Entity List “meaning that export licenses will be required if sales are made.” Further, in March 2016, a Cadence China employee authored a presentation for a quarterly sales review meeting with her colleagues stating (as translated from Chinese) that as of Feb. 18, 2015, the U.S. Department of Commerce had “embargoed” four national supercomputer centers in the PRC, including NUDT, due to U.S. microprocessor chips being used in the “TianHe” supercomputing systems believed to be used for nuclear explosion simulation. Cadence also admitted that its employees who conducted work at CSCC’s location on NUDT’s campus knew about connections between CSCC and the PRC military.
According to Cadence’s admissions and court documents, employees of Cadence China did not disclose to and/or concealed from other Cadence personnel, including Cadence’s export compliance personnel, that exports to CSCC were in fact intended for delivery to NUDT and/or the PRC military. For example, in May 2015, a few months after NUDT was added to the Entity List, Cadence’s then-head of sales in China emailed colleagues, cautioning them to refer to their customer as CSCC in English and NUDT only in Chinese characters, writing that “the subject [was] too sensitive.” Further, in October 2019, a Cadence China employee instructed another to recall and recirculate an updated version of a weekly email on Cadence China’s customers in the PRC. The updated version of the weekly email removed a reference to the People’s Liberation Army of the PRC in relation to CSCC that was written in the original version. Employees of Cadence’s subsidiaries, including employees of Cadence China involved in sales to CSCC, also received sales commissions that incentivized achieving sales quotas as part of their compensation packages.
Further, in October 2020, while Cadence and Cadence China had knowledge that items previously sold and exported to CSCC had in fact been exported to NUDT in violation of U.S. export control laws, Cadence consented to CSCC’s assignment to Phytium, a semiconductor company closely associated with CSCC and NUDT in the PRC, of CSCC’s contracts for Cadence EDA tools. Prior to the transfer of Cadence’s business from CSCC to Phytium in or about October 2020, Cadence’s business with CSCC included contractual agreements with Phytium, reflecting Phytium’s ongoing collaboration with CSCC and NUDT during the period in which CSCC was used as an alias for NUDT. Cadence, through its subsidiaries, including Cadence China also had knowledge that Cadence China’s business with CSCC involved Phytium, and that NUDT personnel were affiliated with Phytium. Some of Cadence China’s contracts with CSCC listed Phytium as the contractual party and stated that the work would occur at NUDT. Internal Cadence communications show certain Cadence employees’ understanding that CSCC and Phytium were effectively the same entity both before and after the decision to transfer Cadence China’s business from CSCC to Phytium. Cadence and Cadence China transferred U.S.-origin EDA software and IP technology to Phytium until February 2021. In March 2021, Cadence placed Phytium on export hold as a result of its internal compliance review and discontinued transactions with Phytium without completing all of the originally anticipated transfers, including any hardware transfers. Phytium was later designated on the Entity List in April 2021.
NDCA and CES entered into the plea agreement with Cadence after considering the factors set forth in the Department’s Principles of Federal Prosecution of Business Organizations and the National Security Division Enforcement Policy for Business Organizations (NSD Enforcement Policy). The Department reached this resolution with Cadence based on a number of factors, including Cadence’s failure to voluntarily disclose the misconduct to NSD pursuant to the NSD Enforcement Policy; the nature and seriousness of the offense, which included exports of sensitive semiconductor design tools and technology to a restricted PRC military university involved in the development of supercomputers with applications for military and nuclear explosive simulations, and which included Cadence agreeing to an assignment of the hardware and software contracts to another PRC-based company despite being aware that those items had been unlawfully exported to a restricted PRC military university; Cadence’s willingness to accept responsibility for the actions of its employees and agents, including its subsidiary Cadence China, by entering into the plea agreement with the Department and resolving the parallel civil investigation with BIS; and Cadence’s efforts to remediate the root cause of the offense conduct by enhancing and agreeing to enhance further its export control compliance program. Cadence received partial credit for its cooperation with the Department’s investigation, which involved collecting and disclosing relevant evidence, facilitating interviews with certain employees, making detailed factual presentations, and agreeing to toll the statute of limitations, but Cadence did not receive full credit for cooperation because it failed proactively to obtain and disclose to the government relevant communications, and it failed proactively to facilitate interviews of certain China-based employees with information relevant to the offense conduct. Accordingly, the amount of the criminal monetary penalty attributable to the criminal fine reflects a 20 percent reduction off the statutory maximum fine.
The plea agreement is subject to the approval of a federal district judge in the Northern District of California.
BIS’s Office of Export Enforcement and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Cheng of the National Security and Special Prosecutions Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and Chief Counsel Ian C. Richardson, Deputy Chief Counsel Christian J. Nauvel, and Trial Attorney Emma Dinan Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting this case.
Cadence Information
Cadence Plea Agreement
Buffalo man going to prison for 20 years for selling fentanyl that led to fatal and non-fatal overdosesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Davon Mitchell, a/k/a Blu Boyy, 35, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who handled the case, stated that beginning in 2019, Mitchell obtained and distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine in the Western District of New York to numerous regular drug customers. Between March 22 and May 12, 2022, he sold approximately 2.7 grams of fentanyl, 72 grams of methamphetamine, and 3 grams of crack cocaine to an undercover police officer. On June 1, 2022, law enforcement arrested Mitchell and executed a search warrant at his Janice Street residence, recovering a quantity of methamphetamine, $3,257 in cash, a cell phone, a revolver, ammunition, and drug paraphernalia.
Mitchell admitted that he distributed fentanyl that resulted in the overdose deaths of two individuals from acute fentanyl intoxication. Mitchell also admitted selling fentanyl that resulted in the non-fatal overdose of another individual on three occasions.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alphonso Wright, the West Seneca Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Cosgrove, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto.
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Buchanan Man to Serve 24 Years on Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Buchanan, Virginia man, who exposed the genitals of a minor female during a party at his residence and took pictures of the victim on his cell phone, was sentenced today to 24 years in federal prison.
Christopher Buono, 45, pled guilty in January 2025 to one count of child sexual exploitation and one count of possession of child pornography.
“Individuals who take advantage of children, be it online or in person, must be held accountable for their actions,” United States Attorney C. Todd Gilbert said today. “This sentence sends a clear message that anyone targeting children in the Western District of Virginia will be held accountable to the fullest extent possible.”
According to court documents, in January 2024, a party was hosted at the defendant’s home in Buchanan, Virginia. At one point in the evening, Buono took a minor female, who was approximately six years old at the time, to Buono’s game room, and either the minor victim or Buono pulled down her pants and underwear, exposing her genitals.
Buono then used his cellphone to take sexually explicit photographs of the minor victim. Later that night, Buono used a messaging application to send one of these photos to another individual with a sexual interest in minors.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security with assistance from the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Scheff prosecuted the case for the United States
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Brinks Armored Car Robbery Defendant Sentenced to Additional Time for Jail StabbingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Anthony McNair, 36, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced earlier today to 42 months in prison for a jail stabbing that occurred on October 11, 2024, at the DC Central Detention Facility, located at 1901 D Street SE in Washington, D.C., announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
On January 27, 2025, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon for the jail stabbing. The Honorable Judith Pipe, of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, ordered McNair to the prison term on July 28, 2025.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 11:00 a.m., on October 11, 2024, in the Southwest 2 housing unit of the DC jail, McNair used a sharp object to repeatedly stab another inmate, 28-year-old Tyjuan McNeal, in an apparently unprovoked attack. The attack was captured on the facility’s surveillance cameras. In the footage, McNair can be observed with a clenched fist repeatedly using a stabbing motion while holding a sharp, white object to stab McNeal all over his body, at one point pulling a shirt over McNeal’s face so that he could not see to defend himself. McNair did not stop assaulting McNeal until a correctional officer intervened. As a result of the attack, the victim sustained multiple stab wounds on his head, neck, shoulder, chest, and palm, and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.
At the time of the assault, McNair was in custody pending sentencing in a matter before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In that case, a federal jury found McNair guilty of charges stemming from his involvement in a series of armed robberies of Brinks armored cars in Washington, D.C., that took place in late 2021 and early 2022, and resulted in the loss of approximately $1.2 million. For his role in the robberies, the defendant was sentenced on March 26, 2025 by U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth to 31.5 years. His co-defendants in the robbery case – William Brock and Erin Sheffey, were sentenced to 54.7 years and 18 years, respectively.
McNair’s sentence for the jail robbery will run consecutive to any other sentence he is already serving, including the sentence for the Brinks robberies.
Joining the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Lieberman, who prosecuted the case.
Armed Drug Cocaine Trafficker Convicted at TrialRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Georgelys Natal Vazquez (29, Hudson) guilty of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Natal Vazquez faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison on the conspiracy charge and a consecutive term of at least 5 years’ imprisonment for the firearm offense. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 28, 2025. Natal Vazquez was charged in a superseding indictment on March 28, 2024, along with twelve other co-conspirators for charges related to drug trafficking. The others all previously pleaded guilty.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Natal Vazquez was a high-ranking member in a familial drug trafficking organization operating between Puerto Rico and the Middle District of Florida. Natal Vazquez had over 470 grams of cocaine in her freezer and a loaded firearm in her home on January 18, 2024, during the execution of a search warrant at her home.
Natal Vazquez was also seen delivering cocaine to a home used by the drug trafficking organization. Agents obtained a warrant for her phone following her arrest and located photographs of Natal Vazquez with suspected cocaine and the same firearm recovered during the search warrant.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Beckman and Jeff Chang.