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Friday 25 July 2025
KC Man Indicted for Illegal Firearms, Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally possessing firearms and drug trafficking.
Victor Roseberry, 60, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged in a three-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on June 27, 2025.
The indictment was unsealed and made public today following Roseberry’s arrest.
The indictment charges Roseberry with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
The indictment alleges Roseberry possessed firearms on June 9, 2023, and July 4, 2024. The indictment also alleges that on July 4, 2024, Roseberry possessed 5 or more grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. The indictment alleges Roseberry is an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
Roseberry has prior felony convictions for robbery, domestic assault, aggravated assault, tampering, and possession of a firearm by a person with three prior convictions for crimes of violence.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Under federal statutes, Roseberry is subject to a sentence of up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Jury Convicts Chicago Woman of Straw Purchasing and False Statements During Purchase of FirearmRead the Press Release
A woman who purchased several firearms for prohibited persons was convicted by a jury yesterday after a 4-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.
Cedrinique Coleman, 32, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of four counts of false statement and representation during a firearm purchase and two counts of purchasing a firearm for another for prohibited purposes commonly known as “straw purchasing;” she was acquitted of two counts of false statement and representation during a firearm purchase. The verdict was returned following about four hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that between April 2020, and July 2023, Coleman purchased seven firearms. Ms. Coleman came to the attention of law enforcement when the firearms began showing up at crime scenes both in Iowa, and out of state. Two Glock 19 handguns were converted to machineguns: one recovered in possession of a prohibited person in Chicago, the other was used in the shooting of a police officer in Minneapolis. A Glock 22 handgun was reported stolen by Coleman. Evidence at trial showed that this is a common tactic used in straw purchasing cases to distance the purchaser from the gun in case it is ever tied to a crime. The other handgun was found in possession of Coleman’s boyfriend on February 21, 2024, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at Coleman’s apartment. Coleman’s boyfriend is prohibited from possessing firearms because he is an illegal drug user and domestic abuser. Coleman was aware of his prohibition because she was the victim of his domestic abuse conviction stemming from 2020. Coleman’s boyfriend was also out on bond for an indictment for attempted murder out of Blackhawk County. Despite this, Coleman continued to purchase firearms for her boyfriend. Photos and text messages recovered from Coleman’s cell phone showed she was in communication with her boyfriend before and during the purchase of several of the firearms. Evidence showed Coleman bought the guns at the request or demand of her boyfriend.
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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Coleman remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Coleman faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement, Cedar Rapids Police Department, and Mason City Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin C. Fletcher and Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3038. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Jamaican Woman Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Jamaican woman pleaded guilty yesterday to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Tanya James, 53, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Sept. 3, 2025. James was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025.
In 2003, Tanya James was convicted in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts of possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine base. Subsequent to that conviction, she was ordered removed from the United States and was removed to Jamaica in 2004. In 2011, James was again ordered removed from the United States and was removed to Jamaica in 2012. On or about May 12, 2025, James was found to be in the United States without having received permission to reenter.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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 Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement.
International Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Drug Conspiracy That Smuggled Hundreds of Kilograms of Cocaine and Murdered A RivalRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL –United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Marlon Alexis Aguilar-Reyes (44, Guatemala), a/k/a “Padrino,” “Flack,” “New Flack,” and “Flack NW” has pleaded guilty for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. Aguilar was apprehended on March 4, 2024.
According to the plea agreement, Aguilar-Reyes was part of an organization in Guatemala that received cocaine from South American maritime vessels, transported the cocaine to locations near the Guatemala/Mexico border, and smuggled bulk cash throughout the country. Aguilar-Reyes controlled one of the land routes between northern Guatemala and southern Mexico and worked with corrupt law enforcement and politicians to further the conspiracy.
Throughout 2018, intercepted communications between Aguilar-Reyes and associates revealed multiple sales of cocaine and payments of millions of dollars. For example, in April 2018, Aguilar-Reyes negotiated a sale of 100 kilograms of cocaine for $1.2 million. On another occasion, Aguilar-Reyes and other coconspirators, including a coconspirator operating in Mexico, discussed the transfer of $5.877 million to Aguilar-Reyes and his organization. In May 2018, discussions between the conspirators, including a corrupt law enforcement officer, were involved in a murder near the Suchiate River crossing in Ayutla, Guatemala on the Guatemala/Mexico border. After confirming that the victim was killed, Aguilar-Reyes asked the officer to send a video recording to a local politician to show that the victim “was a freaking nuisance.”
This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. The U.S. Marshals Service provided critical support in the apprehension of the defendant. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
Honduran National Sentenced to 24 Months for Illegal Re-Entry of Removed Alien; Sentence Enhanced Due to Prior Felony ConvictionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CESAR A. LOBO-RAMOS (“,LOBO-RAMOS”) age 38, a native of Honduras, was sentenced on July 22, 2025, for illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long sentenced him to 24 months in federal prison.
According to court documents, LOBO-RAMOS re-entered the United States after being previously deported on April 10, 2018. LOBO-RAMOS came to the attention of Immigration and Customs Enforcement after he was arrested by the Kenner Police Department on November 2, 2023 for resisting arrest and obstruction of police. He faced an enhanced statutory maximum sentence of 20 years due to a Sexual Battery conviction in Jefferson Parish in 2010.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency and the Kenner Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TYRICK THOMAS, 35, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to a fentanyl trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 16, 2024, Tyrick was arrested after a search of his residence on Ashley Street residence revealed approximately 88 grams of a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine, fentanyl, and xylazine, and a search of his vehicle revealed nearly 200 wax folds of fentanyl and xylazine, and additional quantity of loose fentanyl.
Thomas pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 22.
Thomas has been detained since his arrest.
This investigation has been conducted by the DEA New Haven Task Force, the ATF, and the New Haven Police Department. The DEA Task Force includes members from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr. through Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Harrold Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Shulte has sentenced a man from Harrold, South Dakota, who was convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on July 21, 2025.
Jerrod Fallis, age 47, was sentenced to six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture of the firearm and silencer was also ordered.
Fallis was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024. He pleaded guilty on April 17, 2025.
On December 8, 2023, a traffic stop was conducted on a vehicle driven by Fallis. During a search of the vehicle, officers discovered a Rock River Arms AR15 rifle, silencer, and methamphetamine paraphernalia. Fallis is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior state felony drug convictions.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Hyde County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
Fallis was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Hawthorne Man Charged with Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – William Hernandez, 27, of Hawthorne, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for possessing with the intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.
Hernandez is scheduled for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida on July 29, 2025, at 2:15 p.m.
If convicted, Hernandez faces up to life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gainesville Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain and Adam Hapner.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Guilty Verdict in Road Rage Killing of Uber Driver Near Dupont CircleRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Rodney Baggott, 58, of the District of Columbia, was found guilty yesterday of murder and related counts in U.S. District Court in the 2024 road rage slaying of Uber Eats driver Rasheek Abdullah near the Dupont Circle Metro Station, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
A federal jury deliberated for a single day before finding Baggott guilty on July 24 of first degree murder while armed (premeditated), possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Judge Reggie B. Walton scheduled sentencing for Dec. 18, 2025.
Joining in the announcement was Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to court documents, on Jan. 30, 2024, Baggott was driving a white Mitsubishi Outlander to his then-girlfriend’s office at a law firm in Dupont Circle.
Shortly before 4 p.m., the girlfriend left her office and joined Baggott. The two drove to the intersection of Connecticut Ave. and Q St, NW. There, as Baggott made a right-hand turn, Mr. Abdullah passed him on the left-hand side. Baggott became enraged believing that Mr. Abdullah had cut him off. Baggott drove up next to Mr. Abdullah, pulled out a gun, and shot him in the neck. Mr. Abdullah ultimately died as a result of the shooting.
Baggott fled the scene with his girlfriend sitting in the passenger seat. The girlfriend called an auto body repair shop to fix distinctive damage on the vehicle—distinctive damage that would go out on a police bulletin later that day and would ultimately be used to link Baggott to the shooting.
On March 2, 2024, a Montgomery County Police officer stopped Baggott and the girlfriend while they were in the white Mitsubishi Outlander. Baggott was arrested for illegally possessing a gun in the vehicle.
On March 3, 2024, law enforcement found the gun used in the shooting during the execution of a search warrant at Baggott’s girlfriend’s apartment. The firearm had DNA that linked it to both the girlfriend and Baggott.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive and the Metropolitan Police Department, with valuable assistance from the Montgomery County Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron Tepfer and Daniel Seidel, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Lipes.
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Gainesville Man Indicted for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Jesse Roger Armstrong, 35, of Gainesville, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.
Armstrong is scheduled for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Midori Lowry at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida on July 29, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.
If convicted, Armstrong faces up to 40 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Gainesville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 60 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Yesterday, Tracy Nicholson, Jr., 22 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Nicholson was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.According to documents in the case, Nicholson distributed more than 40 grams of fentanyl in July of 2024. He coordinated the delivery of about 500 fentanyl pills to law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Allen County Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Teresa Ashcraft.
Former Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Chairman Pleads Guilty to Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and former President of the Tribe’s Gaming Authority pleaded guilty yesterday to failing to report more than $177,000 in income on his federal income tax returns for 2014 - 2017. Most of the income was related to the First Light Resort and Casino, which the Tribe’s Gaming Authority is building in Taunton.
Cedric Cromwell, 60, of Attleboro, Mass. pleaded guilty to four counts of filing a false tax return. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Nov. 5, 2025, 2025. Judge Gorton will impose sentence on both Cromwell’s tax convictions and his reinstated extortion convictions at that time.
In March 2021, a federal grand jury sitting in Boston indicted Cromwell on the tax charges and charges that he extorted an architecture-and-design firm that had a contract to serve as the Gaming Authority’s “owner’s representative” for the casino project. The trial court severed the tax counts from the extortion counts, which went to trial in the spring of 2022. On May 5, 2022, a federal jury sitting in Boston convicted Cromwell of three counts of extortion under color of official right and one count of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right. The trial court dismissed the jury’s convictions, but the First Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated them on Sept. 27, 2024. Cromwell filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court but the Court declined to hear his appeal.
Cromwell’s unreported income included $57,549 that he extorted from the architecture-and-design firm. Cromwell also failed to report $45,023 that he received from the initial architect on the casino project. Finally, he failed to report $74,821 that he received from one or more companies which developed and supplied forest carbon offsets.
The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $100,000. The charges of extortion under color of official right and conspiring to commit extortion under color of official right each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and Jared C. Dolan of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Former Commissioner of Virgin Islands Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation and Co-Conspirator Convicted in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI — Acting U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that former Commissioner of Virgin Islands Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation Calvert White, 49, of St. Thomas, and Benjamin Hendricks, 62, also of St. Thomas, were convicted of Honest Services Wire Fraud and Federal Programs Bribery following a four day jury trial.
“No one is above the law,” said Acting United States Attorney Adam Sleeper. “Today’s convictions show that even high-ranking government officials will be held accountable for engaging in criminal misconduct. Our community deserves better.”
“Public corruption erodes the very fabric of our society. The community deserves honesty and integrity from public officials,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Devin Kowalski. “The FBI follows the facts no matter where they lead. Our mission is simple but powerful: to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States. Every person in the Virgin Islands is included in that promise. I want to thank our dedicated FBI agents and personnel here in the Virgin Islands who worked relentlessly on this investigation as well as our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office and the Public Integrity Section. We encourage anyone with information on federal crimes to contact us at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at Tips.FBI.Gov. Tipsters may remain anonymous.”
According to evidence admitted at trial, White solicited and accepted a bribe from a then-government contractor, David Whitaker, through Hendricks, who acted as an intermediary. The scheme began in at least December 2023 and continued until the defendants were approached in June 2024. In exchange for the bribe paid by Whitaker, White agreed to assist Whitaker in obtaining a contract budgeted for $1.6 million with SP&R. White, amongst other acts, provided confidential bid information to Whitaker and took official action to encourage the awarding of the contract to Whitaker. Hendricks served as a middleman for the payments and facilitated the bribery scheme.
The offense of Honest Services Wire Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and the offense of Federal Programs Bribery carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI San Juan Field Office, St. Thomas Resident Agency investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Alexandre Dempsey and Lina Peng of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Conley for the District of the Virgin Islands are prosecuting the case.
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Florida Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years for Scheme to Steal More Than $10.8 Million from MedicareRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Lino Mallari Gutierrez, a/k/a “Joe Gutierrez,” (59, Palm City) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay more than $5.6 million in restitution for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare. Gutierrez and his co-conspirators submitted over $10.8 million in fraudulent claims for durable medical equipment (DME) that Medicare beneficiaries did not want or need and that were procured through the payment of kickbacks. Gutierrez was convicted at trial in April 2025, of eleven health care fraud-related offenses, including conspiracy, health care fraud, and paying kickbacks.
According to court documents and testimony, over a six-month period from October 2018 to April 2019, Gutierrez conspired with others to steal millions of dollars from Medicare by creating sham companies that shipped braces to Medicare beneficiaries —some of whom co-conspirators identified through telemarketing and others whose personal identifying information conspirators stole to submit fraudulent Medicare claims. Gutierrez and his conspirators paid kickbacks to other companies in exchange for signed doctors’ orders. These companies used overseas call centers to solicit patients and fraudulent telemedicine companies to procure fake prescriptions for braces for Medicare beneficiaries.
As part of the conspiracy, Gutierrez, a licensed broker, also filed false records with his employer and a private regulatory organization of brokers to conceal his involvement in the DME companies.
On April 9, 2019, multiple federal law enforcement agencies participated in a nationwide action referred to as “Operation Brace Yourself.” The operation targeted ongoing schemes, such as Gutierrez’s, in which companies were paying illegal bribes to secure signed physicians’ DME brace orders for use as support for fraudulent claims submitted to the federal programs. In the Middle District of Florida, the April 2019 operation included, among other efforts, the execution of search warrants at numerous DME storefronts and civil actions.
Before the operation, Gutierrez was in the process of establishing six more DME companies, which were thwarted by law enforcement action. To hide the profits from the government, Gutierrez and his conspirators laundered the Medicare proceeds.
“The sentencing underscores HHS-OIG’s commitment to protecting patients and taxpayers from fraudulent schemes that exploit our health care system and are motivated by pure greed,” stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan Lynch with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations that individuals and entities are profiting from deceiving and abusing federal health care programs.”
“Mr. Gutierrez orchestrated a scheme to cost taxpayers over $10 million. When federally funded healthcare systems are cheated, we ALL pay the price. The FBI is dedicated to working with our partners to investigate and hold accountable those who exploit the health care system at the expense of patients,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor.
This case was investigated by the HHS-OIG and the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Peresie and Trial Attorney Margaret Mortimer of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Five drug dealers sentenced to federal prison in Centralia-area crackdownRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – Five drug dealers active in Fayette, Jefferson and Marion counties were sentenced to federal prison for distributing cocaine, meth or fentanyl in southern Illinois.
Jason Barnes, 53, of Odin, Illinois, pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of meth and one count of possession with intent to distribute meth. He was sentenced to 210 months for selling meth on multiple occasions in 2019 and 2020.
Marvelous Burnett, 46, of Mount Vernon, Illinois, pleaded guilty to 16 counts of distribution of a controlled substance: cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance: cocaine. He was sentenced to 162 months for selling cocaine through the Centralia, Vandalia and Mount Vernon area in 2023 and 2024.
Kenneth Thornton, 61, of Centralia, Illinois, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl. He was sentenced to 78 months for selling more than a gram of fentanyl in December 2023.
David Barnes, 37, of Centralia, Illinois, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance: cocaine. He was sentenced to 72 months for distributing a half ounce of cocaine during a controlled buy in February 2023.
Karie Holstlaw, 40, of Salem, Illinois, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance: meth, and she was sentenced to 57 months for selling eight grams during a controlled buy in November 2022.
“These sentences send a clear message: drug trafficking in southern Illinois will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Thanks to the efforts of law enforcement, five fewer drug dealers are fueling addiction and violence in the Centralia area. Drug dealing is a cancer that causes all sorts of societal harm, and we will continue to use all our federal powers to protect communities."
“These sentencings further prove that the FBI Springfield's Southern Illinois TOC-West Task Force will not tolerate the continued flow of drugs in southern Illinois,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. S. Johnson. “Together with our local partners, we remain relentless in our mission to identify and arrest those who bring these substances into our community.”
The FBI Springfield Field Office’s Southern Illinois TOC-West Task Force and the Centralia Police Department contributed to the investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Reppert, Dan Kapsak and Dan Carraway represented the U.S. for the prosecutions.
Five People Indicted in Rockford for Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $1 Million in Federal BenefitsRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — Five individuals have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rockford in a scheme alleging more than $1 million in federal benefit fraud.
The indictment returned Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Rockford charges TYESHA BOWMAN, 32, of Beloit, Wis., with thirty-four counts of mail and wire fraud; LIBRA MARTIN, 48, of Rockford, with fourteen counts of wire fraud; LAMONT FOSTER, 38, of Rockford, with eight counts of mail and wire fraud; KHADIJAH BROWN, 31, of Rockford, with two counts of mail fraud; and SIETA CARRINGTON, 36, of Rockford, with one count of mail fraud. Arraignments have not yet been scheduled.
According to the indictment, Bowman and Martin schemed to defraud and fraudulently obtain over $500,000 in connection with the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, both programs enacted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”). Bowman, Foster, Brown, and Carrington schemed to defraud and fraudulently obtain over $500,000 in connection with the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count of mail and wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Federal jury convicts South Carolina man on sex trafficking and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a South Carolina man today on charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; sex trafficking of a minor; production of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct; transportation with the intent to engage in prostitution; transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in prostitution; and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, during July 2024, Johnny Thiel Banks, 30, of Summerville, transported a minor, identified as Jane Doe, from North Carolina to Virginia on multiple occasions. While in Virginia, he sex-trafficked Jane Doe at hotels, a truck stop, and a gas station in Hampton Roads, including in Suffolk and Virginia Beach. Jane Doe was 15 years old at the time and had just finished the 8th grade. Banks repeatedly threatened Jane Doe and her family to get her to comply with his demands. He also had her pose for and send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM). When she did not want to go back to Virginia to engage in commercial sex, he threatened to have her “floating in a creek.”
On July 31, 2024, while armed with a firearm, Banks took Jane Doe from a residence and brought her to a hotel in Virginia Beach to sex traffic her. He set up multiple commercial sex appointments that night. After they arrived in Virginia Beach, he argued with Jane Doe and strangled her, and she called a family member for help. After receiving information that Jane Doe was missing from Charlotte, the Virginia Beach Police Department quickly located Jane Doe in the parking garage of a hotel. As officers spoke with Jane Doe, Banks walked by and was detained.
Law enforcement obtained a search warrant and recovered Banks’ loaded handgun from his rental vehicle. As a previously convicted felon, Banks cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. Police also obtained search warrants for three cellphones that contained CSAM and evidence of sex trafficking.
Banks is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 19 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca Gantt and Megan M. Montoya are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-15.
Federal Jury Finds Red Lake Man Guilty of Sexually Assaulting a MinorRead the Press Release
BEMIDJI, Minn. – Following a four-day trial, Matthew Thomas McGregor, 35, a Red Lake man, was convicted by a federal jury with one count of sexual abuse of a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, McGregor groomed and sexually assaulted a minor victim, who was under the age of 15, in a residence. McGregor will be sentenced at a later date.
“Sexual violence against children is one of the most devastating crimes we prosecute, and tragically, it occurs at disproportionately high rates in our tribal communities. This conviction reflects our unwavering commitment to standing with our native nations like the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians in protecting their children and delivering justice. McGregor committed an unthinkable crime against a vulnerable child. We will not tolerate it. Our office will continue working alongside tribal, federal, and local partners to confront the crisis of sexual abuse head-on and ensure that survivors are heard, believed, and protected.”
“Yesterday, a federal jury convicted Matthew McGregor for sexual abuse of a minor,” said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. “Anyone who sexually assaults a child will feel the full force of our law enforcement efforts. The FBI will deploy every resource possible to protect the most vulnerable members of our community. We will work with federal prosecutors to seek an appropriate sentence, and we remain committed to keeping every child safe.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and Red Lake Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office commends the excellent work of the FBI and the Red Lake Police Department in this case and is grateful for this important partnership.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary S. Riverso and Rachel L. Kraker prosecuted the case.
Fatal Overdose Traced to Henderson Dealer Leads to Federal Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Henderson man whose distribution of fentanyl led to a fatal overdose has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison. Keymon Leahke Cofield, a/k/a “Keymoney,” a/k/a “Boi Fat,” 25, pleaded guilty on April 22, 2025, to charges of distribution of fentanyl and heroin and possession with intent to distribute both substances.
According to court records and evidence presented in court, on June 13, 2020, Cary Police Department officers responded to a 911 call for a suspected overdose at a hotel in Cary. Upon arrival, officers found a deceased 35-year-old man in the room alongside drug paraphernalia and 50 bindles of suspected heroin and fentanyl. Law enforcement determined that one of the bindles had been used, resulting in the victim’s overdose. The remaining bindles were tested and found to contain heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl. Investigators traced the fatal fentanyl back to Cofield, who was 20 years old at the time and had traveled from Henderson to Cary to sell the drugs.
The investigation continued through July and August, during which undercover officers conducted several purchases of heroin from Cofield. On July 15, 22, and 23, an undercover officer bought a total of more than 750 bindles from him. When Cofield arrived at another arranged deal on August 5, he was arrested. Law enforcement then seized an additional 651 bindles of suspected heroin and fentanyl. Lab testing confirmed the bindles contained mixtures of heroin, fentanyl, 4-anilino-N-phenethylpiperidine (ANPP), cocaine, and tramadol. A search of Cofield’s phone revealed photographs of large quantities of cash and firearms.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief United States District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Cary Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 5:22-CR-00278-M-RJ.
Former Mayoral Candidate Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of Dollar GeneralRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA –Whitfield Leland III, 45, was sentenced to 22 years’ imprisonment in federal court today for Hobbs Act Robbery, Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, and being an Armed Career Criminal in Possession of a Firearm. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to excellent work of our law enforcement partners, this career criminal will no longer be able to victimize and terrorize our community. My office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting violent criminals to hold them accountable to the full extent of the law in order to keep our communities safe.”
Court documents reflect that Leland robbed a Tallahassee Dollar General at gunpoint on May 20, 2024. During the robbery, Leland pointed a pistol at the store manager and demanded that the manager open the safes. A customer observed the robbery in progress and called 911. Officers from the Tallahassee Police Department responded within minutes and surrounded the store while Leland was still inside. Leland then stole the manager’s Dollar General shirt and exited the store pretending to be an employee. Leland made it outside the store in his disguise but kept running when ordered to stop. Officers chased Leland and were able to follow a trail of dropped money to where he was hiding in nearby bushes, still wearing the Dollar General shirt and with additional money stuffed into his pants. Officers were able to recover $689 stolen during the robbery.
Leland is a 13-time convicted felon who qualified as an Armed Career Criminal because he had convictions for three violent felonies committed on separate occasions: two separate incidents of resisting a law enforcement officer with violence and one conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Leland was a 2022 candidate for Tallahassee mayor.
Leland received a sentence of 22 years in prison, which will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Leland was also ordered to pay restitution.
“The safety of our community is always our top priority,” said Chief Lawrence Revell of the Tallahassee Police Department. “Thanks to the quick actions of our officers and strong collaboration with our federal partners, a repeat violent offender is off the streets. This outcome reflects our continued commitment to protecting Tallahassee’s residents and businesses from harm.”
The case involved an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
FCI Lewisburg Inmate Charged with Assault with A Dangerous Weapon and Possession of Weapons in PrisonRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Andrew Dion, age 57, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution Lewisburg (FCI Lewisburg), Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on July 24, 2025, by a federal grand jury on two counts of possessing contraband in prison and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on June 2, 2025, Dion was in possession of a broken, wooden broom handle, approximately 13 inches in length, which he used to assault another inmate. The indictment further alleges that Dion was also in possession of a bent brush with exposed metal prongs, approximately 8 inches in length.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Zenzinger is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine. A sentence would also include a period of supervised release following imprisonment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged by indictment are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Everett Man Indicted for Selling FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Everett man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for trafficking firearms.
Joao Victor Da Silva Soares, 21, was indicted on one count of dealing firearms without a license and one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. He will be arraigned in federal court in Boston on July 30, 2025. Da Silva Soares was previously charged by criminal complaint in January 2025.
According to the charging documents, between August and September 2024, Da Silva Soares supplied firearms for sale in Eastern Massachusetts. Specifically, on Aug. 26, 2024, Da Silva Soares allegedly delivered two AM-15 rifles and sold them for $6,000 in a parking lot in Malden. It is further alleged that on Sept. 11, 2024, Da Silva Soares participated in another sale involving a total of five firearms (consisting of rifles, pistols and a shotgun) outside a residence in Milford.
The charges of conspiracy and engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Malden and Milford Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Reynolds of the Organized Crime & Gang 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.
Erie Felon Sentenced to Six Years of Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking and Possession of Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 72 months of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal drug and firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Djimon Dapree Johnson, 27, on July 24, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, on or about October 20, 2021, Johnson possessed with the intent to distribute 382.61 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. In addition, Johnson possessed two stolen firearms and a 50-round 9mm drum magazine as a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Baxter ordered that Johnson’s federal sentence be served consecutive to the sentence Johnson is already serving for violation of his parole for an unlicensed firearm conviction.
Assistant United States Attorney Molly W. Anglin prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Johnson.
Ecuadorian National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Ecuadorian national illegally residing in Yarmouth was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Jose Tomas Lema Pugo, a/k/a Jose Luis Ledezma, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to time served (approximately six weeks in prison) and one year of supervised release. He is subject to deportation upon completion of the sentence imposed. Earlier in the hearing, Lema Pugo pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Lema Pugo was arrested by immigration authorities on May 9, 2025 and indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025.
Lema Pugo was deported from the United States to Ecuador in November 2013. Sometime after his November 2013 removal, Lema Pugo illegally reentered the United States without permission.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Zacks of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Dominican National Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Onassis Alexander Tejeda-Arias, age 42, a Dominican Republic National previously residing in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 51 months in prison by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley for illegally reentering the United States following his deportation after committing an aggravated felony.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, Onassis Alexander Tejeda-Arias illegally entered the United States on at least two prior occasions. After illegally living in Lawrence, Massachusetts, since 2009, Onassis Alexander Tejeda-Arias was deported to the Dominican Republic on October 16, 2018, following a Massachusetts criminal conviction in 2015, for possession with the intent to distribute 635.7 grams of heroin. That crime resulted in a three-and-a-half-year imprisonment sentence. Thereafter, in early 2020, the defendant illegally reentered the United States through Texas. On October 6, 2022, Onassis Alexander Tejeda-Arias was arrested by agents with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for his involvement in significant drug trafficking activities where he was supplying various co-conspirators with bundles of heroin/fentanyl. This second drug trafficking conviction following his illegal reentry netted a sentence of two and half to five-years’ imprisonment. On April 24, 2025, Tejeda-Arias the defendant pleaded guilty to the Federal Indictment charging illegal reentry. Judge Munley ordered that the 51 months’ imprisonment sentence was to run consecutive to the defendant’s state drug trafficking sentence. After service of his sentences, Tejeda-Arias will be deported to the Dominican Republic.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera and Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus prosecuted the case.
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Dominican National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Chelsea has been indicted for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Dawin Hereaux-Pena, 30, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
According to the charging documents, Hereaux-Pena was deported from the United States to the Dominican Republic on or about Feb. 5, 2019. It is alleged that sometime after his removal, Hereaux-Pena unlawfully reentered the United States and was arrested in Chelsea on May 29, 2025.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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 Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak of the Organized Crime & Gang 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.
Dominican National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Luis de Jesus Pichardo, age 57, a native and citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for a charge of reentry of previously removed aliens.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Pichardo, a foreign national, having previously been removed in both 1996 and 2000, was found to be in the United States on or about July 16, 2025, in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, and he did not have authority for readmission to the United States at the time he was encountered.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Berti is prosecuting the case.
Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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District of Arizona Charges 135 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 19, 2025, through July 25, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 135 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 67 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 50 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 11 cases against 13 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement is a key part of border vigilance, and prosecutors also charged 5 individuals in 3 cases for assaulting federal officers.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Santos Mendivil Contreras, Jr., et al: On July 22, Santos Mendivil Contreras, Jr. and Emanuel Mendivil Cervantes were charged by criminal complaint with assaulting federal officers. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) had been investigating Contreras based on his unlawful presence in the United States and his attempt to purchase firearms in April 2025. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to contact Contreras in June and July, HSI agents initiated a traffic stop on July 22. Contreras, who was accompanied by Cervantes, attempted to flee by accelerating the vehicle. He ultimately stopped in front of his residence, exited the vehicle, and began walking toward the home. An HSI agent drew his firearm and gave commands, at which point Contreras reached for the agent’s weapon, leading to a physical struggle over control of the firearm. Three additional agents arrived at the scene. Cervantes exited the vehicle and began kicking the agents who were attempting to arrest Contreras. During the altercation, Contreras bit and struck multiple agents. Both Contreras and Cervantes were eventually taken into custody. All four agents sustained injuries. [Case Number: 25-MJ-9300]
United States v. Benigno Armando Rios Pacheco, et al: On July 24, Benigno Armando Rios Pacheco and Janeth Karina Montoya Estrada were charged by criminal complaint with assaulting federal officers. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents were investigating Rios for being unlawfully present in the United States. During the course of their investigation, agents learned that Rios was also wanted in Mexico for the theft of a vehicle involving a firearm. DEA agents conducted a traffic stop on Rios, who complied with verbal commands and was placed in handcuffs without incident. Shortly thereafter, Montoya arrived at the scene with another individual. Montoya became aggressive toward the agents, approaching them closely and yelling. She then physically pushed a DEA agent. As agents attempted to place Montoya under arrest, she made erratic movements that resulted in injuries to several agents. Simultaneously, Rios began to resist by throwing his elbows and using his body weight, causing himself and one agent to fall to the ground. Both Rios and Montoya were eventually subdued and taken into custody. Two agents sustained injuries during the incident. [Case Number: 25-MJ-9327]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-126_July 25 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Daviontae Lately, also known as “Dave,” 32, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 7, 2023, Lately sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Beckley residence where Lately was staying. As part of his guilty plea, Lately admitted to the transaction. Lately further admitted to selling a quantity of fentanyl to the same confidential informant on September 8, 2023.
On September 12, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Beckley residence where Lately was staying and seized additional quantities of fentanyl, a quantity of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and approximately $9,360 including $1,400 from the controlled buys involving the confidential informant. Lately admitted that he intended to distribute the seized fentanyl and crack, and that the seized cash represented proceeds of drug trafficking activity.
Lately is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
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. 5:24-cr-174.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Five Years on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has been sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm equipped with a machinegun conversion device, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Jua’Ques Antonio Mitchell, 28, of Birmingham, to 70 months in prison. In April, Mitchell pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the plea agreement, while conducting routine patrol on May 17, 2024, officers with the Birmingham Police Department observed several individuals sitting on top of a vehicle openly rolling what appeared to be a marijuana blunt. Mitchell was in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. During the encounter, officers recovered a Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol equipped with a machine gun-conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch,” and a loaded Glock magazine. The firearm had been reported stolen in Bessemer, Alabama on October 15, 2023. Mitchell was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant for a probation violation related to a 2021 attempted murder conviction in Jefferson County, Alabama.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Keown, Sr. prosecuted the case.
Collin County man sentenced to over 24 years in federal prison for COVID- fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A McKinney man has been sentenced to over 24 years in federal prison in a COVID - fraud conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Olamide Olatayo Bello was found guilty at trial to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering and was sentenced to 293 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant on July 24, 2025. Judge Mazzant sentenced Bello to the statutory maximum allowed by federal guidelines.
According to information presented in court, Bello devised and orchestrated a conspiracy to defraud the United States of millions of dollars during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bello fraudulently acquired government loans, which were designed to provide financial assistance to legitimate small businesses in need, and recruited others in an elaborate scheme. In so doing, Bello took advantage of government programs and used those funds for his personal gain and enrichment.
In March 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who suffered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These included the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL). The EIDL program provided low-interest financing to small businesses, renters, and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters. Bello assisted and/or completed and submitted materially false applications for COVID government program benefits for himself and his co-defendants. The defendant received proceeds and “kickbacks” for the fraud scheme.
“People who exploit our system to steal public money from the citizens of this country are engaged in despicable behavior,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “Let this sentence serve as a clear message: anyone who endeavors to steal from the public coffers within our jurisdiction will be pursued and held fully accountable under the law.”
This case was investigated by FBI, Department of the Interior, and the Small Business Administration. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chalana A. Oliver.
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Clarksville, Tennessee Man Sentenced to 1 Year and 8 Months in Federal Prison for Defrauding EmployerRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Clarksville, Tennessee, man was sentenced on June 21, 2025, to 1 year and 8 months in federal prison for engaging in a scheme to defraud his former employer.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
Timothy Allen Pew, 43, was sentenced to 1 year and 8 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for seven counts of wire fraud. According to court documents, between March 2023 and January 2023, Pew committed wire fraud by engaging in a scheme to embezzle over $250,000 from his employer. Pew, who was employed as a purchasing manager for a manufacturing company in western Kentucky, embezzled the funds from the company by using a company credit card to transfer money to his personal PayPal account.
Pew was also ordered to pay $257,400.08 in restitution.
“Pew engaged in a brazen pattern of lies and deception from the outset, lying to his employer about his prior relevant experience, engaging in multiple fraudulent transactions on the company credit card once employed, and then creating a paper trail to cover it all up,” said U.S. Attorney Bumgarner. “This sentence reflects the egregiousness of Pew’s conduct.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI Hopkinsville Satellite Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Civil Rights Division Moves to Dismiss Court-Ordered Agreement Regarding Leflore County Juvenile Detention CenterRead the Press Release
Today, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced that it has moved to dismiss a 2015 Court-Ordered Settlement Agreement regarding the Leflore County Juvenile Detention Center (the Center) in Greenwood, Mississippi because the Center has achieved sustained substantial compliance with all areas of the Settlement Agreement.
The Center implemented reforms to ensure that children are not subjected to undue restraint use; children who feel suicidal or need to talk to mental health are connected to a mental health provider within hours; children are not punished with isolation and instead receive programs and activities that include cooking and robotics classes; sleeping rooms are clean and have appropriate beds. Additionally, the Center implemented an outstanding compliance review system and staff misconduct is taken seriously and handled professionally.
“All children deserve to be protected from harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “We thank the Center’s leadership and staff for their commitment over the years to ensuring safety for these children and for the community of Leflore County.”
“The counties and municipalities that this center serves can now move forward, knowing that when they make use of this facility to hold juveniles, that they can do so with the knowledge that these youths are held safely in a constitutionally compliant manner,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner for the Northern District of Mississippi.
California Man Sentenced to Nearly 22 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine in the Sioux Falls AreaRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a man from Lancaster, California, who had been convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, including methamphetamine and fentanyl. The sentencing took place on July 21, 2025.
Clarence Williams, a/k/a “CJ,” 34, was sentenced to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Williams was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on March 5, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine.
Williams is from Lancaster, California, and came to Sioux Falls to sell methamphetamine and fentanyl. Williams sourced the drugs from California, and worked with others from California and South Dakota to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Sioux Falls area using vehicles and the postal system. Throughout the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 2 kilograms of fentanyl pills/powder through intercepted parcels and search warrants at a residence in Sioux Falls. The group also trafficked multiple pounds of methamphetamine. Throuhgout his involvement in the conspiracy, Williams also possessed firearms, three of which were seized by law enforcement during the investigation. In total, the group trafficked approximately 3 kilograms of fentanyl in pill and powder form and over 20 pounds of methamphetamine.
“This case is yet another example of the tremendous collaboration taking place between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to dismantle drug trafficking organizations in South Dakota,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Williams will rightfully spend the next two decades of his life in federal prison for callously exploiting drug addictions for his own financial gain.”
“Those attempting to harm members of our South Dakota communities by pushing poisons like fentanyl and methamphetamine should take note of this sentencing,” Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Rafael Mattei said. “Our agents leave no stone unturned as they work to locate and arrest the drug trafficking criminals who look to profit by inflicting pain and suffering on others. These attempts won’t fly in South Dakota. You will be brought to justice and you will serve time.”
This case was investigated by the DEA, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Williams was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Burglar Gets Prison Term for Stealing from the Same Business Twice in One DayRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antonni Flores, 29, was sentenced to 42 months of jail time for breaking into a local business, stealing money and food, and returning the next day to break in a second time to steal a TV, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Flores was found guilty by a jury on April 28, 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to two counts of second-degree burglary. As part of the sentence, Superior Court Judge Deborah Israel sentenced him on July 18, 2025, to 42 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for each count to be served concurrently.
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning of July 26, 2024, the defendant broke into a local business. While inside, the defendant stole food, money, and various items before leaving the business. Surprisingly, the defendant returned less than 24 hours later with an accomplice. Once again, the defendant forced entry into the business and stole a large screen TV. Fortunately, the burglar alarm swiftly went off in the establishment and a Metropolitan Police Department officer, on the beat patrolling, stopped and arrested the defendant who was seen walking shirtless with the local business’s large screen TV.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mikéla Cuffy and Michael Dal Lago, who prosecuted the case.
Brooklyn Man Convicted of Possessing 18 Rounds of Ammunition Inside Federal CourthouseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced the conviction of JONATHAN BANYAN yesterday for possessing ammunition after a felony conviction. On April 7, 2025, BANYAN brought ammunition into the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse. The defendant was found guilty following a four-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.
“Everyone who enters a federal courthouse—judges and juries, lawyers and litigants, the press and the public—must know they are safe,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “This conviction sends a clear message: ammunition carried by a convicted felon should not be tolerated in our community, let alone in the court.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and the evidence presented at trial:
On April 7, 2025, BANYAN entered the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse wearing a backpack. Inside that backpack were 18 bullets in three different calibers. As BANYAN passed through the security station, court security officers spotted the bullets. BANYAN grabbed the bag of bullets and tried to hide it in his pocket, but court security officers stopped him and recovered the ammunition. BANYAN has previously been convicted of a felony.
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BANYAN, 39, of Brooklyn, New York, was convicted of knowingly possessing ammunition after having been convicted of a felony, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. BANYAN is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1, 2025.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for information purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Marshals Service. He also thanked the court security officers for their assistance.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James G. Mandilk, Ariana L. Bloom, and Nicholas S. Bradley are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samantha Roberts.
Brazilian National Indicted for Selling Nearly a Dozen FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Marlborough was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for trafficking firearms.
Guilherme Fernandes-Tavares, 31, was indicted on one count of dealing firearms without a license. He will be arraigned in federal court on July 30, 2025. Fernandes-Tavares was previously charged by criminal complaint on March 7, 2025.
According to the charging documents, between December 2023 and May 2024, Fernandes-Tavares sold 11 firearms and ammunition across 10 different dates and offered others for sale. It is alleged that the firearms sold were pistols, some of which were privately manufactured firearms without serial numbers and one of which had an obliterated serial number. It is further alleged that one of the firearms was sold with a large capacity magazine that could hold 28 rounds of ammunition. In addition, a package intended for Fernandes-Tavares sent from Florida was intercepted and allegedly found to contain an additional firearm.
The charge of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; and the Westborough Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Reynolds of the Organized Crime & Gang 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.
Brazilian National Indicted for Selling FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully living in the Clinton and Framingham areas has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for trafficking firearms.
Patrick Rodrigues DeOliveira, 25, was indicted on one count of dealing firearms without a license and one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. He will be arraigned in federal court in Boston on July 30, 2025. Rodrigues DeOliveira had previously been charged by criminal complaint Sept. 18, 2024.
According to the charging documents, between August and September 2024, Rodrigues DeOliveira conspired to obtain firearms in South Carolina and sell them in Massachusetts. Specifically, in August 2024, Rodrigues DeOliveira allegedly traveled with others to South Carolina to obtain firearms. Additionally, it is alleged that Rodrigues DeOliveira sold a shotgun and a pistol outside of a motel in Framingham on Sept. 10, 2024 for $3,500.
The charges of conspiracy and engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Framingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Reynolds of the Organized Crime & Gang 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.
Brazilian National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Weymouth has been indicted for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Josimar Fernandes-Pessoa, 38, is charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
According to the indictment, Fernandes-Pessoa was removed from the United States in 2019 after being apprehended near the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas. Prior to his removal, Fernandes-Pessoa pleaded guilty to improper entry by an alien in the Western District of Texas. It is alleged that sometime after his 2019 removal, Fernandes-Pessoa unlawfully reentered the United States.
This charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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 Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Cutshall of the Criminal Division 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.
Brazilian Man Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the US After Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Brazilian man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for re-entering the country after being deported.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Americo Lopes-Da Silva, 37, to time served. Lopes-Da Silva pleaded guilty on May 20, 2025.
According to court records, on April 7, 2025, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent from the Rangeley Border Patrol Station was on routine patrol when he ran the license plate of a white van from Massachusetts. He learned that the van was registered to a person who entered the United States in 2018 but had overstayed their visa. The agent stopped the vehicle to investigate further and found the driver and his passenger, Lopes-Da Silva, to be the vehicle’s only two occupants. Both men acknowledged that they did not have lawful authority to be in the country. The agent transported both men back to the Border Patrol station where further checks revealed that Lopes-Da Silva had been ordered removed and deported from the U.S. in 2021.
The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
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Bogalusa Man Sentenced for Federal Drug ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that HENRY JERMAINE MILLER (“MILLER”), age 41, of Bogalusa, LA, was sentenced to 75 months imprisonment, followed by three (3) years of supervised release, and payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee, by U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe on July 17, 2025, after MILLER previously pled guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute, an amount of heroin and methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).
According to court documents, MILLER conspired with other individuals in the Bogalusa area to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, a variety of drugs, including methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl. This conspiracy began in 2021 and continued through 2023.
Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bogalusa Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Baltimore Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Vincent Edison, 45, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of firearms by a prohibited person. Edison led a fentanyl trafficking operation that distributed large quantities of fentanyl throughout the state of Maryland.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) – Washington Division; Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS); and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
According to the guilty plea, in 2022, the DEA identified Edison, as the leader of a drug shop operating on Winchester and North Dukeland Streets in West Baltimore. During the investigation, Edison’s drug shop sold fentanyl capsules to countless individuals, including undercover officers, daily, for 10-12 hours a day for several months. The investigation also revealed that Edison routinely sent text messages to street dealers imploring them to “open his drug shop on time,” 7 a.m. – or he would “dock” half their pay. Law enforcement also uncovered additional text messages from Edison terminating street dealers’ employment with his drug shop and collecting proceeds from drug sales.
In addition to Edison’s Baltimore-based customers, he supplied fentanyl to buyers from distant counties. On December 7, 2022, investigators surveilled the drug shop via closed circuit cameras. Law enforcement observed Edison arriving at the street shop in the afternoon where he delivered a black plastic bag to one of his dealers. Meanwhile, drug customers’ cars were parked near the drug shop.
Investigators checked the parked cars’ registrations and took note of a Chevy registered to an individual from Washington County, Maryland. The customer that owned the Chevy returned from the drug shop, got in the car, and left the area. The DEA notified local enforcement to conduct a traffic stop on the Chevy. When the Chevy arrived in Washington County, Maryland, law enforcement stopped and searched it, recovering 500 gel caps of fentanyl inside of a black plastic bag for a total weight 263 grams.
As the investigation progressed, investigators identified Edison’s stash location, in Baltimore County, Maryland. The stash location was used to prepare fentanyl for distribution. Investigators observed Edison frequenting the stash location daily and believed that he obtained drugs that he secreted inside black plastic bags. Then Edison delivered them to his street level dealers.
During the afternoon of December 11, investigators surveilled the stash location via a covert camera and observed Edison leave the stash location with a black plastic bag. Edison drove to the street shop and delivered the bag to street dealers. Soon after, investigators observed an increase in drug activity at the drug shop.
Then on January 27, 2023, investigators executed search warrants for Edison’s Baltimore City residence and his Baltimore County stash location. Edison was present when investigators searched his residence. During the search, law enforcement recovered five firearms, including an AR style rifle; a 12-gauge shotgun; and three, loaded semi-automatic handguns. Investigators also recovered 70 grams of fentanyl; multiple luxury jewelry items, valued at approximately $150,000; and approximately $90,805.
Additionally, investigators identified a fentanyl lab at the stash location. The lab contained hundreds of capsules, 22 Cap-M-Quick capsule fillers, a digital scale, numerous latex gloves, and paraphernalia for packaging fentanyl for distribution. Investigators also recovered 133.28 grams of fentanyl powder from a clear bag and 400 capsules of fentanyl powder, totaling 307 grams.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, DPSCS, BCPD, and Washington County Sherriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin C. Miner who is prosecuting the 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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Athens, Georgia, Woman Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking and Threat OffensesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –Gabryele “Gabby” Watson, 29, pled guilty today to four counts of cyberstalking, two counts of interstate transmission of threats to kidnap or injure, and two counts of unlawful use of a means of identification, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“The defendant’s callous actions and complete disregard for the families she victimized was not only disturbing, it was also a violation of federal law,” said Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney. “We will aggressively seek to vindicate the rights of caring people who simply wanted to adopt, love and raise a baby and, instead, were heartlessly victimized by the defendant.”
“The devastating effects of cyberstalking cannot be understated, and I hope the victims can find some closure to the nightmares they endured during Gabby Watson’s relentless reign of harassment,” said Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “This plea is the result of the hard work of motivated agents and analysts. The FBI will continue to protect the community from those who try to commit similar scams.”
From May to June 2023, Watson cyberstalked a married couple living in the Middle District of Tennessee, who had been trying to adopt a baby for eight years. She assumed the identity of a real 16-year-old in Pennsylvania who was pregnant (Minor Victim 1), obtaining accurate details about Minor Victim 1 and her pregnancy from Minor Victim 1’s social media posts. These included Minor Victim 1’s full name and nickname, her date of birth, her home state, the full name and nickname of Minor Victim 1’s teenaged boyfriend, who was also the baby’s father (Individual A), and details about, and photographs and video recordings depicting, Minor Victim 1’s pregnancy. She obtained photographs and video recordings of Minor Victim 1 and Individual A, including a series of “baby bump” photographs and videos of Minor Victim 1 displaying her pregnant belly at various stages of development. She also obtained sonogram photographs and videos of Minor Victim 1 and Individual A’s unborn baby at various stages of development. Over the next several months, as Minor Victim 1 posted new content on her social media accounts, Watson copied that new content for continued use in her scheme.
Posing as Minor Victim 1 and using Minor Victim 1’s real nickname, Watson contacted Victim One online, initially through her social media adoption page and then later through spoofed text messages, spoofed voice phone calls, and e-mail messages using an account the defendant created in Minor Victim 1’s name. In their early conversations, the defendant claimed that she was 16 years old, was facing an unplanned pregnancy, and wanted to give her baby up for adoption. She shared detailed information about her (really, Minor Victim 1) life and elicited similar personal information from Victim One. Watson shared photographs of sonographs of Minor Victim 1’s unborn baby, and repeatedly assured Victim One and Victim Two (Victim One’s husband) that they were going to adopt her baby and encouraged them to share their good news with others. Over time, Watson began to demand that Victims One and Two be available at all hours to respond to her frequent communications and that they purchase baby-related gear and maternity clothing. Watson also repeatedly threatened to cancel the adoption, claimed that “her” baby suffered from various life-threatening health emergencies, and pretended to being stalked and to have disappeared from home. Watson also threatened to abort or injure the unborn baby or to commit suicide while pregnant. Finally, she threatened to kill Victims One and Two.
Watson engaged in the same disturbing conduct with Victims Three and Four, another married couple living in the Middle District of Tennessee, when she pretended to be a pregnant 18-year-old living in Arkansas (Victim Five). This time, Watson pretended to be pregnant with high-risk twins. She also communicated on speaker phone with Victim Three and Four’s two young sons and encouraged them to be excited about the adoption. She made similar claims about “her” unborn babies’ health, was verbally abusive to Victim Three, and threatened to kill Victims Three and Four and their children.
Watson is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2026. She faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000, for each of the eight counts in the second superseding indictment. The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison is prosecuting the case with the assistance of the Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCPIS).
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Arizona Man Sentenced for Hand Sanitizer Scheme During the COVID PandemicRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron today sentenced Frank Richard Nickens (58, Arizona) to three years in federal prison for wire fraud. The court also ordered Nickens to forfeit $69,155 traceable to proceeds of the offense and to pay restitution to the victims. Nickens pleaded guilty on March 3, 2025.
According to court documents, in April 2020, at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, Nickens falsely claimed that he was a commercial producer of hand sanitizer. After promising to produce tens of thousands of units of hand sanitizer, three companies sent Nickens money to acquire his product. In truth, Nickens had no ability to produce hand sanitizer and was using the opportunity of high demand to require up-front deposits of 50% for the product that he never intended to provide. Nickens was a resident of Ormond Beach, Florida when he committed the crime.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.
203 Federal Immigration Cases Added This Week in the Western District of TexasRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 203 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from July 17 through July 24.
Among the new cases, Mexican national Pablo Alfredo Cazares-Carrion was turned over to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)/Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) on July 22. He had been in Bexar County Adult Detention Center since he was arrested April 13 for assault causing bodily injury to a family member. Cazares-Carrion was previously convicted for illegal re-entry in October 2017 and sentenced to 40 months in federal prison. He is again charged with illegal re-entry, facing up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
A Mexican national was arrested in Waco and charged with one count of failure to possess registration form. A criminal complaint alleges that Noe Fermin Guerrero-Mendieta was located on July 24 by the ICE Waco Fugitive Operations team without his required certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card. Upon his original apprehension by immigration authorities, Guerrero-Mendieta was granted an immigration bond and released from immigration custody. By federal law, he is required to, at all times, carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card.
In Del Rio, Mexican national Emmanuel De Jesius Arroyo-Aviles was arrested for illegal re-entry. On Jan. 28, Arroyo-Aviles was convicted and sentenced to 10 years of probation in Zavala County for smuggling of persons with a likelihood of serious bodily injury or death. Three days after that sentence hearing, on Jan. 31, he was deported to Mexico.
U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Mexican national Cesar Alejandro Munoz-Lopez for illegal re-entry in Eagle Pass. Munoz-Lopez was previously removed to Mexico through San Diego, California, on May 6, but also had an active warrant for failure to appear in court out of Fort Collins, Colorado, as of April 28. Munoz-Lopez has two prior convictions for assault and one felony conviction for bribery of a public servant, for which he was sentenced in 2012 to six years imprisonment.
Angel Amilcar Martinez-Martinez, a Honduran national, was also arrested for illegal re-entry in Eagle Pass. Martinez-Martinez is a convicted felon, having been sentenced in Houston in August 2021 to one year in prison for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Less than three months later, in November, he was convicted for causing an accident involving damage to a vehicle in Houston and sentenced to 90 days confinement. Martinez-Martinez was again convicted in Houston in May 2023 for assault causing bodily injury. He was sentenced to one year confinement and deported for the fourth time on April 5, 2024.
In El Paso, Mexican national Jose Alberto Ramos-Chino was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry after he was found on a Greyhound bus during an immigration checkpoint inspection. Ramos-Chino allegedly did not possess immigration documents allowing him to legally be or remain in the U.S. Estrada has been removed from the U.S. three times, the last time being to Mexico on May 18. Ramos-Chino has been removed from the U.S. twice before and was convicted of two felony charges for drug and firearm possession in 2021.
U.S. citizen Isaac Saldana was charged in El Paso for his alleged involvement in alien smuggling. A criminal complaint alleges that, on July 16, U.S. Border Patrol agents were searching for two illegal aliens who were observed illegally entering the U.S. less than four miles ease of the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry. During their search, a vehicle allegedly driven by Saldana was seen speeding away, running a stop sign and making a hard turn. The agents conducted a traffic stop and transported Saldana to the El Paso Processing Center for further investigation. The investigation revealed that Saldana had been arrested for alien smuggling in 2024 by the Texas Department of Public Safety, and that he allegedly coordinated with a known smuggler for drivers to pick up aliens. A search of Saldana’s phone allegedly indicated approximately 20 instances of such coordination between March and July 16.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Thursday 24 July 2025
Whittier Man Arrested on Federal Indictment Alleging He Used Dating Apps to Con Victims Out of More Than $2 MillionRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A Whittier man was arrested today on a 14-count federal indictment alleging that he used dating apps and websites such as Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble to con victims of his romance scams out of more than $2 million.
Christopher Earl Lloyd, 39, is expected to make his initial appearance and be arraigned on the felony charges this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana.
Lloyd is charged with 13 counts of wire fraud and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from the fraud.
According to the indictment that a federal grand jury returned on July 2, from April 2021 to February 2024, Lloyd used dating apps and websites to befriend and engage in romantic relationships with his victims. Lloyd lied to his victims to give them the impression that he was financially successful and knowledgeable about investments.
Lloyd’s falsehoods included that he had closed on multiple properties, that he had been a financial manager for years, that he was the vice president of a company called Planet 13 Holdings, and that he worked for an investment company called Landmark Associates. None of these statements was true.
Lloyd fraudulently induced his victims to provide money and property to him, including in the form of purported investments, by telling them he knew of investment opportunities that would benefit them. Lloyd also told his victims that he would invest their money, that they would receive regular returns on these investments, and that they could withdraw these investments at any time.
He supported his false statements by signing contracts with victims that specified the investments that the victims were to make and setting a false schedule of investment returns. Lloyd’s victims then sent him money, including via wire transfers, Cash App, Zelle, or cash payments. Lloyd used the victims’ money for his own personal benefit. For example, in May 2023, Lloyd allegedly withdrew $40,000 in funds a victim sent him to write a check to a Lexus car dealership in Mission Viejo.
In total, Lloyd caused his victims to suffer more than $2 million in losses.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Lloyd would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and up to 10 years in federal prison for the monetary transaction count.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Fu of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.
Warren County Man Admits Sharing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Warren County, Missouri on Thursday admitted sharing child sexual abuse material online.
Donald Carl Held, 50, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. He admitted sharing photos with an undercover investigator with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that Held claimed depicted a 15-year-old girl. He also claimed he was engaged in sexual activity with the teen. A joint HSI - St. Charles County Police Department investigation resulted in a court-approved search of Held’s home on March 4, 2024, that recovered electronic devices containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Held told investigators that he shared CSAM almost every day with others online via a messaging app, Teleguard. He said he lied about the teen.
Held’s cellphone contained 1,077 images and videos with CSAM. His Teleguard and Telegram accounts contained “extensive” communications between Held and others during which they shared and promoted CSAM. Held also advised others on how to avoid law enforcement detection.
Held is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27. Each charge carries a potential prison sentence of up 20 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Utah Man Sentenced for Wire Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
A Utah man was sentenced yesterday to 108 months in prison for wire fraud, impersonating a federal officer, aggravated identity theft, and making a false statement.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: from 2018 through 2020, Santiago Garcia Gutierrez (Garcia), of Salt Lake City, defrauded a single victim out of more than $2.8 million by falsely representing that he was a confidential informant with the Department of Homeland Security. He also falsely represented that he could acquire, at discounted prices, exotic cars, planes, and vessels that had been seized by the U.S. government through forfeiture. Garcia falsely induced the victim to use him as an intermediary to receive the money that the victim believed was then being used to purchase what turned out to be non-existent luxury assets. To convince his victim the scheme was legitimate, Garcia contacted the victim on numerous occasions via text message from multiple phone numbers, falsely claiming to be a confidential government informant, federal agent and, at times, Garcia’s own attorney.
In addition, from 2019 through 2024, Garcia defrauded eight additional victims across the country. To execute these other frauds, Garcia falsely induced victims to invest money into federal oil wells in which he had an ownership interest, promising large returns on investment. The victims never realized any profits, however, because Garcia diverted the investment funds for his own benefit. To effectuate these schemes and lend them legitimacy, Garcia again assumed the identity of his attorney. In total, Garcia defrauded these victims of more than $900,000.
Finally, Garcia did not pay royalties to the federal government on the sale of oil extracted from the wells, despite knowing that he had a duty to do so.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Howard C. Nielson Jr. for the District of Utah ordered Garcia to pay $3,795,930.60 in restitution to the victims of his crimes, and to forfeit $2,853,789.27.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah, and Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Phoenix Field Office made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation’s Phoenix Field Office and the EPA investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Richard M. Rolwing and former Trial Attorney Erika Suhr of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Illegal Re-Entry to the United StatesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Two men pleaded guilty today in federal court in separate, unrelated cases to illegally re-entering the United States after having been previously removed.
Selvin Mejia-Ramos, 32, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie Epps, Jr. to one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after previously being removed. According to court records, Mejia-Ramos had previously been removed from the country in 2020.
Rubin Pinot-Banegas, 38, a Honduran national, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie Epps, Jr. to one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after previously being removed. According to court records, Pinot-Banegas had previously been removed from the country four times – on Dec. 20, 2007, June 4, 2009, Oct. 22, 2015, and April 19, 2017.
Under federal law it is illegal for an alien to knowingly re-enter the United States without permission after being removed.
Under federal statutes, Mejia-Ramos is subject to a sentence of up to 2 years in federal prison without parole. Pinot-Banegas is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Both men are subject to a maximum fine of $250,000. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
These cases are both being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. They were investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations.
Operation Take Back America
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Three people sentenced to prison for a series of armed robberiesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A northern Virginia trio has been sentenced to prison for their roles in a series of armed robberies in northern Virginia.
According to court documents, on July 5, 2024, Javon Rustin Louis Paige, 38, robbed a cellphone store in Alexandria at gunpoint. Paige ordered an employee to the ground, hit the employee on the head with the handgun, and kicked the employee. Paige forced the employee through a back door into another business, then forced the owner of that business and the employee of the cellphone store back into the cellphone store and made them lie on the ground behind the counter. Paige stole several electronic devices and cash from the store, then fled.
On July 25, 2024, Paige robbed another Alexandria cellphone store with Vincent Henry Kirkland Jr., aka Daniel Eugene Robinson, 31, whom Paige met in prison. Paige pointed a handgun at an employee and customer, ordering them onto the ground and then to the back of the store. Kirkland started to drag the customer toward the back of the store before the customer was able to get up and walk to the rear. In the back of the store, Paige and Kirkland encountered the store manager and demanded cellular devices. Kirkland and Paige stomped on the employee’s head and Paige struck the store manager in the back of the head with his handgun. Paige and Kirkland loaded store merchandise and cash into backpacks and a trash can. Paige pepper-sprayed the employee and customer before fleeing the store.
On August 13, 2024, Brianna Mamie Oceolia Archie, 27, drove Paige and Kirkland to a Woodbridge business that sells and repairs electronic merchandise. Paige and Kirkland, both armed with handguns, entered the store and ordered two victims to the ground, demanded money, and ordered the victims to open the cash register. Paige and Kirkland struck both victims in the head with a handgun, causing injury. Paige and Kirkland loaded store merchandise and cash into bags and fled from the store. Archie then drove them back to a hotel in Dumfries where Paige was staying at the time.
Paige, Kirkland, and Archie were arrested in December 2024.
On March 11, Archie pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. On June 17, she was sentenced to five years and ten months in prison.
On March 11, Kirkland pled guilty to two counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. On July 15, Kirkland was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
On April 29, Paige pled guilty to two counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Paige was sentenced today to 16 years in prison.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police; and Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Smalky and Megan Braun prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:25-cr-50 (Archie), 1:25-cr-59 (Kirkland), and 1:25-cr-63 (Paige).