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Thursday 24 July 2025
Three Pennsylvania Residents Sentenced to Prison for Narcotics TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Three residents of Pennsylvania have been sentenced in federal court on their convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of crack cocaine, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and/or methamphetamine, with one of the defendants also being sentenced for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
DefendantAgeResidenceSentenceAzheem Ellis49Philadelphia, Pa.96 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised releaseJames Dotson47Johnstown, Pa.180 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised releaseSandra Box59East Conemaugh, Pa.33 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release
The sentences imposed by United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan were:According to information presented to the Court, from in and around April 2019 to in and around July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Ellis conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine, and quantities of heroin, cocaine, and crack. During this same timeframe, Dotson conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine, 28 grams or more of a mixture of crack, 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl, and quantities of heroin and cocaine. Additionally, in and around June 2021, Dotson—who had been previously convicted of a felony—unlawfully possessed a firearm. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Further, from in and around February 2021 to in and around April 2021, Box conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of heroin and crack. The defendants were intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that they distributed to others, with Ellis and Dotson as two of the main targets of the wiretap investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of the defendants. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Texas man pleaded guilty today to filing false tax returns with the IRS before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower for the Western District of Texas. The plea must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Jason Smith, of Kerrville, was an independent distributor for a multi-level marketing (MLM) business that sold, among other things, essential oils and aromatherapy products. Smith created an entity, Live Young Now International Ministries (Live Young Now), and directed the MLM business to pay his compensation to that entity. Smith maintained control over Live Young Now’s bank accounts and used those funds to pay for personal expenses including his mortgage, automobiles, a motorcycle, a tractor, and an airplane. Although he received tax forms from the MLM business reporting his compensation as over $1,400,000 each year for both 2018 and 2019, Smith did not provide those forms to his return preparer and falsely told his return preparer that he did not have any such forms. This caused Smith’s return preparer to prepare false tax returns that omitted more than $2.9 million in income that Smith had earned from the MLM and instead reported that Smith earned only $43 from it. Instead, Smith reported earning only $43 from the MLM. In total, Smith caused a tax loss to the IRS over $1,500,000.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Parker Tobin and Daniel Lipkowitz of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Ten Arrested, One Wanted in FBI-led OCDETF Mississippi Multi-District TakedownRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – Ten local Mississippi men were arrested yesterday on criminal charges related to their alleged participation in a fentanyl and methamphetamine conspiracy and related money laundering.
According to court documents, Terrance Rush, Gary Wraggs, Tilnorris Macon, Tonnee Holmes, Tyler Tanksley, Darnell Stone, Harvey Savior, Marcus Metts, and Austin Snow are all charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Nine of these individuals were arrested in Winston County, MS, and one was arrested in Minnesota. One individual, Quinton McWilliams, 41, of Louisville, MS, is at large and wanted by the FBI for these crimes.
In addition, three individuals are charged with violating federal firearm laws. As alleged in the indictment, several of these individuals have prior serious drug or violent felony convictions. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This operation is part of Summer Heat, the FBI’s nationwide initiative targeting violent crime during the summer months. As part of this effort, the FBI has launched a multi-pronged offensive to crush violent crime. By surging resources alongside state and local partners, executing federal warrants on violent criminals and fugitives, and dismantling violent gangs nationwide, we are aggressively restoring safety in our communities across the country.
U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi; and the FBI made the announcement.
The U.S. Marshals Service, Winston County Sheriff’s Office, and Louisville Police Department provided invaluable assistance in yesterday’s arrests. The FBI is investigating the case. The Starkville Police Department, ATF, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service have provided key partnership in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel Stringfellow and Julie Addison are prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Stolen Checks Scheme Lands Oklahoma City Duo in Federal Prison for More than Three Years CollectivelyRead the Press Release
Pair also Ordered to Pay Nearly $178,000 in Restitution
OKLAHOMA CITY – GAYLEN DASHON STEPHENS, 29, and LENIE EUGENE JENNINGS, 29, both of Oklahoma City, have been sentenced to serve more than 40 months in federal prison collectively and pay $177,964.74 in restitution for their roles in a scheme to obtain and forge checks stolen from the United States Mail, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, from March 2023 through October 2023, Stephens and Jennings conspired to obtain checks stolen from the United States Mail, forge the checks by altering the payee name, and then deposit the forged checks into bank accounts created by Stephens and Jennings to obtain cash. During the course of the conspiracy, it’s alleged Stephens and Jennings attempted to steal approximately $277,000.
On July 17, 2024, a federal Grand Jury indicted Stephens and Jennings. Stephens has pleaded guilty to bank fraud and admitted he knowingly and intentionally engaged in a scheme to deposit a fraudulent check with the intent to defraud the bank. Jennings has pleaded guilty to bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud and forge checks. As part of her plea, Jennings admitted she conspired with Stephens to obtain and deposit fraudulent checks with the intent to defraud the bank.
At a sentencing hearing held on July 21, 2025, U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Stephens to serve 28 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. That same day, Judge Heaton also sentenced Jennings to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Heaton also ordered restitution in the amount of $177,964.74, the total amount of actual loss reported by the victim banks, to be paid jointly and severally by Stephens and Jennings. In announcing his sentencings, Judge Heaton noted that crimes involving theft of United States Mail and fraud upon financial institutions undermine public trust in these institutions, and that the nature of these crimes, combined with the substantial loss in this case, warranted the sentences imposed to reflect the seriousness of the offenses and to deter this kind of conduct by others.
This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackson D. Eldridge prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
St. Tammany Parish Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Defraud Former Political Candidate and Four Other Louisiana ResidentsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that, on July 17, 2025, JOSEPH HAROLD WEST, JR. (“WEST”), a resident of St. Tammany Parish, was sentenced by United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe to 46 months of imprisonment, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. Following imprisonment, WEST will be placed on supervised release for 3 years. WEST was also ordered to pay $446,302.23 in restitution to his victims and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, from as early as November 2020, and continuing through at least May 2024, WEST, and others, conspired to: defraud Candidate 1 with fake campaign services; defraud Victim 1 out of approximately $236,867 in fake real estate purchases and associated costs; defraud Victim 2 out of approximately $83,268.05 in fraudulent claims of real estate and title work; and defraud Victims 3 and 4 out of approximately $112,328.18 in connection with a fake legal defense scheme. Among other things, WEST, and others, utilized numerous fake aliases and occupations, “burner” numbers for text messages and calls, and fraudulent invoices, to defraud their victims.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney, Andre J. Lagarde of the Public Integrity Unit.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man with ties to a local gang was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm and making a false statement during a firearm purchase.
Darius R. Thomas, 28, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 3 years in federal prison without parole, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
On Jan. 3, 2025, Thomas pleaded guilty to being an unlawful user of a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm and to making a false statement during a firearm purchase.
Thomas is a close associate of an area gang known as “FTO,” who have been linked to several area violent crimes and firearms offenses.
On June 1, 2023, officers with the Springfield Police Department (SPD) responded to a 911 call reporting a verbal altercation where two males were yelling at an unarmed man and waving guns around in the parking lot of the Kum & Go gas station located at 2930 South National Ave. The victim told the 911 operator, “I pulled up, they were making a fuss, and I said, ‘do not ask me questions when you got a gun pulled,’ that is all.” Officers were able to identify Thomas from the surveillance footage recording of the incident.
On June 21, 2023, SPD officers were dispatched to the parking lot of an apartment complex on East Elm St. in response to a 911 call reporting that people were exhibiting firearms within two cars parked in the lot. When officers questioned the occupants of the vehicles, Thomas told officers that they lived in the complex and were just smoking “weed.” During questioning, Thomas rolled a marijuana cigarette and smoked it in front of the officer. When the officer asked Thomas about the reported gun, he told them that he couldn’t buy firearms because he “smoked weed.” Thomas gave officers permission to search the car, and they located a backpack with ammunition and magazines that appeared to fit a Glock pistol.
When officers arrested Thomas, on Aug. 1, 2023, for a warrant issued for the June 1, 2023, incident, he was carrying the loaded Glock 29 that he brandished during the altercation at the Kum N’ Go.
Just two days after he was interviewed regarding the June 1, 2023, incident, Thomas went to a local federal firearm licensee (FFL) and attempted to purchase a firearm. On the ATF Firearm Transaction Form, Thomas falsely claimed he was not an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance including marijuana. By pleading guilty Thomas admitted that he lied on the ATF Firearm Transaction Form in violation of federal law and, at the time he filled out the form in connection with the purchase of a firearm, he was a regular user of a marijuana. The FFL did not transfer the weapon to Thomas.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Spencer Woman Sentenced for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Spencer woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for fraudulently obtaining Social Security benefits.
Gina Llerena-Donohue, 62, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to time served (approximately one day in prison) and three years of supervised release. Llerena-Donohue was also ordered to pay restitution of $45,154. In April 2025, Llerena-Donohue pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud.
From February 2006 through May 2021, Llerena-Donohue, fraudulently obtained approximately $41,954 in Social Security benefits and $3,200 in COVID economic impact payments. Llerena-Donohue held a power of attorney (POA) for a Social Security beneficiary that died in January 2006. She did not report the beneficiary’s death to either the Social Security Administration or the bank where the benefits were deposited. Instead, Llerena-Donohue accessed the improperly paid benefits through several counter cash withdrawals. Further, she submitted four false affidavits to the bank in 2018 and 2019 stating that the POA was still in effect because it had not been terminated by the death of the beneficiary.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Spalding, Nebraska Man Sentenced for Distribution of FentanylRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Tanner Hudson, 27, of Spalding, Nebraska, was sentenced July 24, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for distribution of fentanyl. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Hudson to 192 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Hudson is released from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On March 13, 2022, Hudson provided a round blue pill to the victim. Hudson believed the pill to be a controlled substance, a Percocet. This was confirmed through text messages and law enforcement interviews. Within an hour or so of receiving the pill, the victim loss consciousness. About five hours later, the victim’s roommate came home to find the victim alive, unconscious and suffering from pulmonary edema. Victim’s roommate called first responders. First responders arrived and administered Narcan to the victim. Eventually, medical doctors determined that the victim suffered two episodes of ventricular fibrillation and exhibited cerebral edema, which caused severe neurological damage. The victim remains in a vegetative state.
This case was investigated by the Kearney Police Department.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 100 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Terrence Dockery, 33 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Dockery was sentenced to 100 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release.According to documents in the case, police conducted a traffic stop as Dockery was riding his moped on a late summer night in South Bend. Police found Dockery in possession of two guns and about 30 grams of methamphetamine. Dockery has multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for dealing methamphetamine and arson, and as such, he is prohibited from possessing the firearm in this case.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
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.
Shiprock Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for $1.5 Million Bid-Rigging Scheme Against Federally Funded Educational OrganizationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has been sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for orchestrating a bid-rigging and money laundering scheme that defrauded a federally funded Native American educational institution of approximately $1.5 million over several years.
According to court documents, William Badoni, 62, conspired with an employee of Kinteel Residential Campus, Inc. (KRCI), from April 2018 to June 2019 to obtain confidential information about construction projects and the bidding process, which was used to ensure Badoni’s company secured KRCI contracts. Badoni also caused the creation of falsified or fictitious bids from other companies to evade KRCI's contracting policies. The contracts and related change orders brought in about $1.5 million in revenue for Badoni’s company between 2016 and 2019.
In return, Badoni paid kickbacks of approximately $50,000 in cash and checks, funds largely derived from the fraudulent contracts. Badoni additionally admitted to conducting financial transactions designed to conceal the proceeds by depositing portions of contract payments into bank accounts and taking other portions in cash to avoid creating records of fraudulently obtained funds.
“This wasn’t just a financial crime, it was a betrayal of a community and its children,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “Badoni exploited federal funds meant to support Native students and eroded trust in an institution working to serve them. This sentence brings accountability and reinforces our commitment to protecting these communities from abuse and corruption.”
“The sentencing should serve as a deterrent to those who consider defrauding Federal programs that support Native American educational institutions,” said Special Agent in Charge Jamie DePaepe. “The Office of Inspector General will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable individuals who violate the public’s trust and misuse funding intended for Native American students."
“Mr. Bodoni took corrupt actions to defraud a Native American institution, aiming only to enrich himself.” said Amanda Prestegard, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI Denver Field Office. “Our special agents will continue to work to find, investigate and prosecute those who steal money from essential government programs.”
Badoni pleaded guilty earlier to a 10-count Indictment charging conspiracy to commit federal program fraud, theft or bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and money laundering. Upon his release, Badoni will be subject to up to three years of supervised release. At sentencing, the Court heard testimony and victim impact statements from members of the community affected by the crime and who have attempted to ensure quality education for children in New Mexico despite the prolific fraud of tax-dollars caused by Badoni’s criminal conduct.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, the Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Inspector General and the IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office made the announcement today.
The U.S Department of the Interior, Office of Inspector General and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Probasco prosecuted the case.
Shiprock Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Deadly Drunk Driving CrashRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for causing a deadly drunk driving crash on the Navajo Nation reservation that resulted in two deaths and serious injuries.
According to court documents, on December 1, 2023, Brian Gonnie, 45, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol on Highway 64 in Shiprock, New Mexico. He was traveling at approximately 86 mph in a 35-mph zone when he crossed into the oncoming lane and struck another vehicle head-on. The crash claimed the lives of Gonnie’s passenger and the driver of the other vehicle. A passenger in the struck vehicle sustained life-altering injuries, including multiple fractures and required extensive surgery.
Gonnie’s blood alcohol concentration was measured at .267%, with numerous empty alcohol containers found in his vehicle. During an interview with FBI agents, Gonnie admitted to drinking and driving the night of the crash.
Gonnie subsequently pled to two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of assault. Upon his release, Gonnie will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
This case was investigated by the Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.
Schenectady Man Sentenced to 96 Months for Drug Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Terence Butler, age 36, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in prison for conspiring to distribute controlled substances and money laundering.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Michael McCarthy, Special Agent in Charge of the Newark Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
Butler previously admitted to directing multiple people to meet up with a drug distributer in Beverly Hills, California, to obtain drugs to ship back to various Schenectady addresses. On January 4, 2023, investigators seized a package containing 1.65 kilograms of cocaine that Butler had shipped from California to Schenectady. On August 3, 2023, investigators seized another Schenectady-bound package containing approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills and 5,000 methamphetamine pills before it could be delivered in Schenectady. Butler also admitted to having two people funnel $35,000 in drug proceeds back to his supplier over a three-week period in December 2022 and January 2023.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said, “Terence Butler brought a significant amount of lethal drugs into the Capital District. Now he will be serving a significant amount of prison time for his crimes. Every day, with our law enforcement partners, we work to intercept drugs bound for the Northern District of New York, and to investigate and prosecute those would seek to bring this poison into our communities.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy stated: “Terence Butler orchestrated a bold and dangerous operation, trafficking highly lethal drugs, including fentanyl, into the northeast from across the nation. He has now been held accountable for his reckless disregard for public safety. I commend HSI Newark’s Opioid Border Enforcement Security Task Force and our dedicated law enforcement partners for their unwavering commitment to protecting the community and prioritizing the public’s wellbeing above all else.”
United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also imposed a 4-year-term of supervised release and ordered the forfeiture of $77,427 in drug proceeds.
HSI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Sarasota Man Charged with Unlawful Possession of A Firearm and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Aristeo Ceron-Morales (48, Sarasota) with unlawful possession of a firearm and illegal reentry. If convicted on all counts, Ceron-Morales faces a maximum penalty of 17 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Ceron-Morales that the United States intends to forfeit a Sig Sauer P226 firearm, a Savage 410 shotgun, Hornady 9 mm ammunition, and Remington .38 ammunition, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.
According to the indictment, Aristeo Ceron-Morales is a convicted felon and illegal alien. In 2002, he was convicted of “Sex Offense Against Child Fondling – Conduct by Person 18 Years of Age or Older.” Ceron-Morales possessed firearms and ammunition despite not being able to legally do so based on his status as a convicted felon and illegal alien. Additionally, Ceron-Morales was previously removed from the United States in 2003 and had returned to the United States illegally.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security – Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bradenton Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King.
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).
San Rafael Certified Public Accountant Indicted for Filing False Tax Returns and Mail Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment yesterday charging a California man with filing false tax returns, mail fraud, and money laundering.
The following is according to the superseding indictment: Michael M. Gilbert, of San Rafael, filed false tax returns for himself and two business entities he controlled. Gilbert, a certified public accountant since 1985, allegedly underreported the total income his accounting and tax return preparation business, M.M. Gilbert & Company Inc., received during the years 2017 through 2020.
The superseding indictment further alleges that Gilbert solicited payments from clients of M.M. Gilbert for “tax strategies” and “donations,” among other things, which the clients paid to White Mountain Properties Inc., another entity Gilbert controlled. Gilbert allegedly did not report these payments as income on the company’s 2017 through 2021 business tax returns. These payments to White Mountain were allegedly proceeds from Gilbert’s scheme to defraud his clients through the promise of some tax benefit. In fact, the White Mountain funds did not create a tax benefit for Gilbert’s clients, and Gilbert allegedly instead diverted the payments for his own personal enrichment. In 2020-2021, Gilbert is alleged to have transferred more than $5 million from White Mountain to himself and then failed to report that income on his individual tax returns.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, Gilbert faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of mail fraud, 10 years in prison for each count of money laundering, and three years for each count of filing a false tax return. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen made the announcement.
Assistant United States Attorney Sara E. Henderson, with the assistance of Marina Ponomarchuk, and Trial Attorneys Julia M. Rugg and Patrick Burns of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by IRS-CI.
San Diego Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Benito Lopez of San Diego pleaded guilty in federal court today to possession with intent to distribute more than two kilograms of cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Lopez admitted the nearly $60,000 that investigators seized from his residence were drug dealing proceeds and has agreed to forfeit that money to the United States.
According to court documents, officers with the San Diego Police Department’s Gang Suppression Unit were conducting surveillance at a residence occupied by Lopez. While surveilling the residence, officers observed Lopez approach three different vehicles to conduct what appeared to be hand-to-hand transactions in less than an hour. During each transaction, Lopez exchanged small white objects for money with the occupants of each vehicle.
A subsequent traffic stop of Lopez’s vehicle revealed him to be in possession of multiple bags containing golf-ball sized amounts of cocaine. At the time of the traffic stop, Lopez was on parole for a state drug trafficking conviction and subject to search as a condition of his parole. Investigators with the San Diego Police Department conducted a parole search of Lopez’s residence and found two additional kilograms of cocaine, digital scales, empty plastic baggies, a loaded firearm .40 caliber Smith & Wesson firearm, and $59,246.00.
As part of his plea agreement, Lopez admitted he intended to distribute the cocaine seized from his residence and that the cash investigators found was money he made selling drugs. Lopez further admitted to knowingly possessing the loaded Smith & Wesson firearm despite previously being convicted of a felony crime, including a 2023 conviction for unlawful firearm possession and a 2024 conviction for possession of cocaine for sale, as alleged in the criminal complaint.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25CR2207
Benito Lopez Age: 30 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams and More of Cocaine — 21 U.S.C. §841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Forty years in prison with a minimum of five years in prison and a $5 million fine
Felon in Possession of a Firearm — 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Fifteen years in prison and a $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
San Diego Police Department
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Roxbury Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Heath Street Gang member/associate was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston on drug conspiracy charges.
Charles Bomman, 34, of Roxbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release. In January 2025, Bomman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Bomman was among more than 40 alleged Heath Street Gang members/associates arrested and charged in February 2024 with various charges including racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking, firearms and financial fraud.
From 2021 through 2024, Bomman participated in a conspiracy to distribute various controlled substances, in particular, powdered cocaine, cocaine base (crack) and fentanyl.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The investigation was supported by the Boston Housing Authority Police Department and Massachusetts State Police. Valuable assistance was provided by the Quincy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Crowley and Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Roswell Man Sentenced for Threatening Former FBI Director Christopher WrayRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – John Woodbury, 35, of Roswell, GA, has been sentenced to seventeen months in prison after pleading guilty to transmitting threats to injure then-FBI Director Christopher Wray.
“My office has zero tolerance for threats against law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Threatening to harm public servants who enforce our criminal laws weakens the foundation of our society and will be punished accordingly.”
“The functioning of our democracy requires that our country’s public servants be able to do their jobs without fearing for their lives,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “The sentencing of John Woodbury is yet another example of the FBI’s commitment to holding those accountable who threaten public officials.
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On June 7, 2023, Woodbury posted a message on 4chan.org that threatened violence against then-FBI Director Wray. In his message, Woodbury posted Director Wray’s purported home address and wrote: “Let’s show them what a fucking ‘Nazi’ . . . looks like. . . . It’s time to burn these mother fuckers down and hang them from trees. Hit them where it fucking hurts. Hit Chris at his home. Make his family fear stepping one foot outside their god damn door.”
Earlier today, United States District Judge Sarah E. Geraghty sentenced Woodbury to seventeen months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Woodbury was convicted of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, after he pleaded guilty on April 18, 2025.This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Rocky Mount Brothers Sentenced for Large-Scale Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Two Rocky Mount men were sentenced this week to federal prison for their roles in separate but related drug trafficking operations involving crack cocaine, fentanyl, and firearms.
“Pumping illicit narcotics—especially fentanyl—into our communities not only endangers the lives of our citizens, it is a serious federal crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “We’re grateful to our local and federal partners who worked to shut down both operations, hold these defendants responsible, and make Nash County neighborhoods safer.”
“I’m proud of the investigators who refused to stop at the street level and took this case to a higher level,” said Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone. “Their tireless work helped take down major players in the drug trade and made our community a safer place.”
Anivel Pedro Puddy, 35, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine. His brother, Carvell Shamike Puddy, 33, of Rocky Mount, was sentenced to nine years for distributing crack and possessing a firearm in connection with drug trafficking. Both men pleaded guilty earlier this year.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Anivel Puddy was selling crack and fentanyl-laced Percocet pills in the Rocky Mount area between 2023 and early 2024. Investigators used informants and surveillance to track his activities and eventually searched multiple residences associated to him. On one occasion, officers found more than 470 grams of cocaine, fentanyl pills disguised as Percocet, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and high-capacity magazines.
Carvell Puddy ran his operation from several homes across Rocky Mount. Law enforcement bought more than 500 grams of crack from him during undercover buys. When they searched his locations, they found over 60 grams of crack, a loaded 9mm handgun with an extended magazine, and a disassembled sawed-off shotgun.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Nash County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie A. Childress and Caroline Webb 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 No. 5:23-CR-00252 and 5:24-CR-00092.
Repeat Offender Sentenced for Meth Distribution in South GeorgiaRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A South Georgia resident with an extensive criminal history, who admitted to possessing methamphetamine while trying to run from troopers during a traffic stop, was sentenced today to federal prison for his actions.
Joshua Keith Thompson, 37, of Morven, Georgia, and formerly of Adel, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 200 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands on July 24. Thompson previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on April 22. There is no parole in the federal system.
"Convicted felons who repeatedly disregard the law will face federal accountability," said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. "This case highlights our commitment to collaborating with law enforcement to target those causing significant disruption and bring them to justice."
“Joshua Thompson has repeatedly shown he has no respect for the laws of our country,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “FBI Atlanta will continue to work with our partners to bring to justice those who continue to break the law and harm our communities.”
“The sentencing of Joshua Keith Thompson underscores the importance of holding repeat offenders accountable, including those whose criminal activity impacts multiple counties and communities,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Thompson repeatedly ignored the law and put public safety at risk. The GBI remains committed to working with our local, state and federal partners to protect our communities and stop repeat offenders from continuing their criminal activity.”
“This case shows that from a seatbelt violation to a federal court case, we partner with state and federal agencies to hold criminals accountable for their crimes,” said Colonel William W. Hitchens, III, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a Georgia State Patrol (GSP) trooper observed Thompson driving a sportscar and not wearing a seatbelt on March 25, 2023. During the traffic stop, Thompson handed the trooper a driver’s license with another person’s name on it. During the conversation, the trooper noticed what appeared to be a clear plastic baggie beside the defendant’s leg; consequently, he was asked to step out of the vehicle and was temporarily detained. A drug detection K-9 alerted on the passenger side of the vehicle. In the passenger side floorboard area, the trooper located a clear plastic baggie containing 784.53 grams of methamphetamine. After being told he was under arrest, the defendant fled on foot. The trooper displayed his taser and began giving verbal commands to stop. The defendant tripped and was quickly detained. Thompson has a lengthy criminal history in the South Georgia region, to include multiple felony convictions in Cook County, Georgia, Superior Court and convictions in Crisp County, Georgia, and Lowndes County, Georgia, Superior Courts. Thompson’s prior felony convictions include possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, burglary, theft by taking, giving false information to law enforcement and possession of controlled substances.
The case was investigated by the FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta Resident Agency, the GBI and the GSP, a division of the Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica L. Daniels is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Registered Sex Offender Convicted of Sex Trafficking Minors and an AdultRead the Press Release
DETROIT – After a seven-day trial, a federal jury convicted Kevin Lavon Giles of sex trafficking two minors and one adult, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Giles, 59, of Detroit, was convicted of four counts—two counts of sex trafficking children through force, fraud, or coercion, one count of sex trafficking an adult through force, fraud, or coercion, and one count of committing a felony against a minor after having been required to register as a sex offender. Giles was required to register as a sex offender based on his 1986 conviction for Criminal Sexual Conduct. United States District Court Judge Terrence Berg presided over the trial. Giles faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison and up to life.
The testimony at trial proved Giles exploited his female victims by requiring them to perform commercial sex acts in return for shelter for them and their children. Two of Giles’s victims were under 18 at the time he trafficked them. Giles posted advertisements for commercial sex for all his victims, arranged their commercial sex dates, and collected the proceeds of the sex acts. Witnesses testified that Giles used hidden cameras to monitor the sex acts of all his victims and to direct the sex acts of the adult victim.
“If you question whether evil exists, you have your answer,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon. “We are called to protect women and children. This man abused and exploited them to fill his pockets.”
"The conviction of Kevin Giles, a registered sex offender, reinforces our unwavering commitment to protecting our citizens, especially the most vulnerable from those who seek to exploit them,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to our Southeast Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes (SEMTEC) Task Force for their thorough investigative work. Investigating Human Trafficking is a top priority to the Bureau. We will continue to focus our efforts to save lives of those who are victimized by bad actors and bring those accountable to justice.”
The FBI’s Southeast Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes Task Force investigated this. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane Princ and Ranya Elzein prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Patio Furniture Company Grosfillex Inc. to Pay $4.9 Million to Resolve Allegations it Evaded Duties on Extruded Aluminum from the PRCRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Grosfillex Inc. (Grosfillex), a patio furniture company located in Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $4.9 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and other statutes by evading antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) on items made of extruded aluminum originating from the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
The Department of Commerce assesses, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) collects, antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) to level the playing field for domestic producers. Antidumping duties protect against foreign companies “dumping” products on U.S. markets at prices below cost, while countervailing duties offset foreign government subsidies. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that Grosfillex knowingly submitted, and caused to be submitted, false customs forms to CBP claiming that certain furniture parts made of extruded aluminum were not subject to AD/CVD. For a subset of such parts, the United States alleged that Grosfillex attempted to camouflage the aluminum extrusions by packaging the parts as sham furniture “kits.” In addition, for a different subset of such parts, Grosfillex knowingly failed to correct customs forms it had submitted previously, even after learning that the forms falsely stated to CBP that certain extruded aluminum parts were not subject to AD/CVD.
“Antidumping and countervailing duties protect American companies from unfair subsidies and trade practices that harm domestic industries,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates that the Justice Department will continue to actively pursue those who knowingly fail to pay customs duties.”
“This settlement should serve as a warning that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania will use every tool available to combat fraud in international trade,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “We will pursue those who seek an unfair advantage in U.S. markets by attempting to evade paying the customs, duties, or tariffs on foreign imports meant to level the playing field for U.S. manufacturers.”
“The investigation into Grosfillex Inc. highlights our relentless dedication to enforcing our nation's trade laws and protecting the integrity of our economy. By uncovering and dismantling intricate schemes to defraud the government, we ensure that all businesses operate on a fair and level playing field,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward V. Owens of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at the Philadelphia office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “The successful settlement of this case is a testament to the outstanding collaboration between HSI, CBP and the U.S. Department of Justice. We remain vigilant in our efforts to identify and hold accountable those who attempt to exploit our trade system for their benefit.”
The allegations resolved by this settlement arose from a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the False Claims Act by Edward Wisner, a former employee of Grosfillex. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens can sue on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. Wisner will receive a $962,662.74 share of today’s settlement.
The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from CBP.
Trial Attorney Nelson Wagner in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sherer for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania handled the matter.
The pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating fraud, waste, and abuse. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential customs fraud can be reported to CBP at www.help.cbp.gov/s/tip.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Note: Read the Settlement here.
Passaic County Man Sentenced to 194 Months in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 194 months in prison for transporting and possessing videos and images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced today.
Edward M. O’Hagan, 51, of Hawthorne, New Jersey previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Judge Arleo imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement obtained records and legal process pertaining to two email accounts that were identified as belonging to O’Hagan. Based on these email accounts, law enforcement determined that, on or about January 19, 2023, O’Hagan transmitted video files containing child pornography through the internet. The investigation further revealed that O’Hagan’s email addresses utilized an encrypted file storage platform to upload and/or create files containing child pornography, which was accessed from an IP address that was traced to O’Hagan’s address.
Subsequent to a lawful search of O’Hagan’s residence on May 22, 2023, law enforcement officers recovered hundreds of images and videos depicting child pornography on O’Hagan’s electronic devices.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced O’Hagan to a lifetime term of supervised release, and to pay restitution of $86,000 to the victims.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. She also thanked the Hawthorne Police Department and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Farhana C. Melo and Aaron L. Webman of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Areeb Salim, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
Panama City Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking 10 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Calvin Eugene Williams, 35, of Panama City, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court today to two counts: possession with the distribute fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, this drug trafficker has been taken off our streets and he won’t be able to continue flooding our communities with this poison. My office remains committed to fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by aggressively targeting the drug traffickers who have victimized our communities for far too long.”
Court documents reflect that Williams was arrested on April 19, 2024, by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office after being stopped with six-ounces of methamphetamine and approximately 95 pressed-pills containing fentanyl. Williams subsequently bonded out of jail and was stopped on March 11, 2025, by the Florida Highway Patrol on I-10. During the traffic stop, FHP troopers developed probable cause to search the vehicle and found a firearm and approximately 10 pounds (4450.1 grams) of 97% pure methamphetamine hydrochloride. Williams had two cellphones which contained evidence of his drug-trafficking.
Williams faces up to life imprisonment.
The case involved an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 6, 2025, at 9:30 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Oklahoma City Man to Serve More than a Decade in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – ANTHONY MICHAEL GRIMM, 42, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 121 months in federal prison for possession of, and access with intent to view, child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, in May 2024, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) discovered Grimm had distributed multiple videos depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to an individual in Michigan. HSI executed a search warrant of Grimm’s apartment and confiscated Grimm’s cell phone where numerous images and videos depicting CSAM were found.
On January 7, 2025, a federal Grand Jury charged Grimm with possession of, and access with intent to view, child pornography. Grimm pleaded guilty on March 31, 2025, and admitted he knowingly accessed a cell phone that contained images depicting CSAM.
At the sentencing hearing on July 23, 2025, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Grimm to serve 121 months in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Jones noted the need to deter Grimm and to protect the public from future crimes of Grimm.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Nicholas County Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Carlisle, Ky., man, Ronald G. Miller, 43, was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 60 months in prison, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to his plea agreement, on July 2, 2024, law enforcement observed Miller, who was known to be a convicted felon, at the Blackberry Festival, openly carrying a loaded handgun on his hip. Miller admitted to knowing he was a convicted felon, and during his arrest, he yelled to his girlfriend to “go home and lock everything down.” A search warrant was obtained for Miller’s residence and revealed a rifle, pistol, and multiple magazines and boxes of ammunition.
Under federal law, Miller must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Office; Chief Gary Kinder, Carlisle Police Department; and Sheriff Berl Perdue, Jr., Clark County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by ATF, Carlisle Police Department, and Clark County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, Acting U.S. Attorney McCaffrey coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
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Newburyport Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Scheme to Defraud Home Repair Insurance Providers of More Than $2 MillionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Newburyport man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for defrauding a home repair insurance provider by billing for purported repair jobs that were never performed.
Christian Decristofaro, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Decristofaro was also ordered to pay $2,196,323 in restitution. The Court ordered forfeiture in the same amount. In March 2025, Decristofaro pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with wire fraud.
Decristofaro caused NE Premier Home Services LLC (NE Premier) – a purported home repair company he controlled – to enroll as a contractor with a home repair insurance provider (the victim). Decristofaro used false identities to enroll non-existent homeowners in insurance plans with the victim insurance provider. Decristofaro then reported fictitious home emergencies to the victim on behalf of the purported homeowners and requested that NE Premier be assigned to perform the repairs. He then caused NE Premier to bill the victim insurance provider for the repair jobs, even though there was no repair work done. As a result of these fraudulent billings, between approximately October 2020 and June 2023, the victim insurance provider paid NE Premier approximately $2,196,323 for services that NE Premier had not rendered.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Leslie A. Wright of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
New York Woman Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SASHA MAY, formerly known as Owen May, 24, of Pelham, New York, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a child exploitation offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between December 2023 and May 2024, May engaged in online conversations with an undercover law enforcement officer on the messaging platforms Kik and Whisper. In those conversations, May detailed her sexual interest in children and distributed child pornography.
May pleaded guilty to possession and access with intent to view child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of 20 years imprisonment. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for October 16.
May, who was arrested on a criminal complaint on August 26, 2024, is released on a $100,000 bond and on home confinement with electronic monitoring pending sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, the Greenwich Police Department, and the Pelham (N.Y.) Police Department. The Task Force includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Lembo.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
New York Man Indicted in Multi-Million Dollar Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A federal grand jury in Rhode Island returned a seven-count indictment alleging that a New York resident participated in a fraud and money laundering scheme that defrauded a Rhode Island law firm and other businesses of more than eight million dollars, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
The indictment charges Tushal Rathod, 45, of Baldwinsville, NY, with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud (two counts), aggravated identity theft, money laundering conspiracy, money laundering, concealment of money laundering, and engaging in transactions with proceeds of criminal activity.
The indictment alleges that Rathod worked with individuals that he met online to receive fraudulent proceeds and launder those funds through businesses and financial accounts, some of which he created, keeping an approximate 10% cut for himself. The fraud scheme involved business email compromise, account takeover, and counterfeit checks. Among the victims of the fraud and money laundering conspiracy detailed in the indictment are a Rhode Island law firm who was defrauded of more than $163,200; a California credit union that was defrauded of approximately $8,000,000; and an Information Technology company of $154,900.
As reflected in the indictment it is alleged that:
- Rathod opened business bank accounts at multiple financial institutions to receive fraudulent proceeds and recruited others to do the same.
- Rathod monitored the activity in those accounts and communicated account information to other members of the conspiracy.
- Rathod created and provided false documents to financial institutions to gain access to funds deposited into the receiving accounts, which he withdrew and transferred in a manner designed to conceal the nature, source, location, ownership, or control over the funds.
- Rathod converted some of the fraudulent proceeds into Bitcoin.
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sandra R. Hebert.
The matter was investigated by the FBI.
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indictment.pdfNebraska Man Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl AnalogueRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Larry D. Moss, 22, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced on July 23, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for distributing fentanyl analogue. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Moss to 125 months’ imprisonment to be served consecutively to the state sentence he is presently serving at the state penitentiary. There is no parole in the federal system. After Moss’ release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On September 13, 2023, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobaccos and Firearms (ATF) special agents received information from a confidential source (CS) that Larry Moss and co-conspirator Craig Ruffin had acquired 1,500 fentanyl pills. Agents arranged a controlled purchase of approximately 200 ‘M30’fentanyl pills for $2,000 from Moss at his Omaha residence, during which Moss sold the pills containing fentanyl analogue.
On March 27, 2024, Drug Enforcement Agency task force officers (TFOs) encountered a suspicious package sent from Laveen, Arizona to a Bellevue residence. TFOs executed a search warrant on the package and found it contained approx. 2,000 ‘M30’ fentanyl pills. TFOs delivered the package to the residence where Moss collected it and drove away. Law enforcement pursued and attempted to stop his vehicle, but Moss drove onto the sidewalk and through a construction site and ultimately escaped. He threw the package out of the window. Officers also found a Sig Sauer P250, .357 SIG handgun in his path.
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, Drug Enforcement Administration and the Omaha and Bellevue Police Departments.
Monroe Man Sentenced to 48 Months’ Imprisonment for Committing $2 Million in Covid-19 Pandemic FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brian J. Albelli, age 46, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 23, 2025, to 48 months of imprisonment by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion, following his convictions of wire fraud and money laundering.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, Albelli filed approximately 20 fraudulent applications for pandemic stimulus funds, including under the Payment Protection Program (PPP) and for Economic Injury and Disaster Loans (EIDLs). Albelli filed the applications in the name of various business entities under his and his family’s control, listing himself, his wife, and his parents as the signatories. Some of the applications submitted by Albelli were filed on behalf of corporate entities under his control that did not, in fact, have actual business operations.
Through his scheme, Albelli secured over $2.2 million in pandemic stimulus funds. Instead of using his funds on business expenses, as intended, Albelli used them to purchase automobiles, a boat, and make casino withdrawals, among other personal expenses. A significant portion of the loan proceeds were passed through an account held in the name of Outbreak Assets LLC, a company Abelli created for the sole purpose of receiving fraudulent proceeds, before being used on personal expenses.
In addition to the sentence of imprisonment, Judge Mannion also sentenced Albelli to three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment, to pay full restitution of $2,232,077, and to forfeit numerous assets seized by investigators which included funds in bank accounts, two vehicles, and jewelry.
The PPP and EIDL programs, both funded by the March 2020 CARES Act, were designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP funds were offered in forgivable loans, provided that certain criteria are met, including use of the funds for employee payroll, mortgage interest, lease, and utilities expenses. EIDL funds are offered in low-interest rate loans, designated for specific business expenses, such as fixed debts, payroll, and business obligations.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle A. Moreno prosecuted the case.
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Monmouth County Man Admits to Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County man admitted to armed bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Jeffrey L. Kniffin, 51, of Wall Township, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi on July 22, 2025, to a one-count Information charging him with armed bank robbery.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On October 23, 2024, Kniffin entered a bank in Wall Township, New Jersey armed with a loaded handgun, approached a bank teller, and demanded cash from the teller. After demanding the money, Kniffin removed the handgun from his pocket and displayed it towards the teller. During his interaction with the teller, Kniffin instructed multiple times, “Don’t do anything stupid.” Kniffin received approximately $27,072 in cash from the teller and then fled the bank. He was apprehended and arrested by law enforcement several minutes later. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement recovered from Kniffin and his immediate surroundings a loaded firearm and more than $25,000 in cash.
The count of armed bank robbery carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for November 24, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited task force officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the Wall Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Sean O’Halloran, and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago, for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: John M. Holliday, Esq.
kniffin.information.pdfMiddle District of Florida Prosecutors Charge More Than 150 Individuals with Immigration-Related Offenses During the Third Quarter of 2025Read the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces today that federal prosecutors have charged 154 defendants with immigration and immigration-related offenses during the third quarter of fiscal year 2025, ending June 30, 2025. The majority of the defendants (146) have been charged with illegally reentering the United States.
During the same time period, 123 defendants pleaded guilty, and 96 defendants were sentenced for illegal reentry or other immigration-related offenses.
“Enforcement of our country’s immigration laws is one of the top priorities of the United States Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “We, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to work to investigate and prosecute aliens who enter or remain in the United States in violation of our laws, and any individuals that help them do so.”
Q3 FY 2025 Highlights
U.S. v. Ana Juanita Andrade-Reyes
Ana Juanita Andrade-Reyes, a Honduran national illegally present in United States, was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit tax fraud. The court also ordered Andrade-Reyes to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $2,084,182 and entered a money judgment against Andrade-Reyes in the amount of $664,588, representing the proceeds of the wire fraud. According to court documents, Andrade-Reyes established a shell company that obtained a workers’ compensation insurance policy to cover a minimal payroll for a few purported employees. Andrade-Reyes then “rented” the workers’ compensation insurance to work crews who had obtained subcontracts with construction contractors on projects, sent the contractors a certificate of insurance as “proof” that the work crews had insurance, and falsely represented that the work crews worked for the shell company. As part of the scheme, Andrade-Reyes facilitated the employment of undocumented illegal workers and avoided payroll taxes, resulting in a loss to the government of $2,084,182.
U.S. v. Pedro Antunez-Galarza
According to court documents, Pedro Antunez-Galarza, a Mexican citizen, was removed from the United States in 2018 after he was convicted of an aggravated felony and served a prison sentence. He illegally reentered the United States, and when law enforcement found him in the Middle District of Florida in July 2024, he unlawfully possessed a firearm, ammunition, and false permanent resident and Social Security cards. For these offenses and for violating his supervised release, he was sentenced to a total of four years and eight months in federal prison.
U.S. v. Hubert Richard Crew
In May 2025, Hubert Richard Crew, a Jamaican national, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States by an alien. According to court documents, Crew, after serving a prison sentence for multiple felony offenses, was removed from the United States multiple times—most recently in 2016. He illegally reentered the United States again and was found in the Middle District of Florida in November 2024.
U.S. v. Angel Antonio Trochez-Cruz
Angel Antonio Trochez-Cruz was sentenced to six years in federal prison for illegal reentering the United States. According to court records, Trochez-Cruz, a native and citizen of Honduras, was removed from the United States in 2014 after serving a state prison sentence for robbery. Federal immigration authorities found him in the Middle District of Florida in December 2023 after he was arrested on a state charge for unlawful sexual activity—a crime for which he received a sentence of 24 months in prison. The court ordered the federal sentence to run consecutive to the term of imprisonment imposed in the state case.
U.S. v. Juan Leon David Vazquez
Juan Leon David Vazquez, a Colombian national, was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. According to court documents, Vazquez shot and injured a man during an argument. Before fleeing the scene, he told the victim that he would kill him if he called the police. Despite the threat, the victim called 911 and reported the shooting. Law enforcement, after determining that Vazquez was the shooter and arresting him, searched the Vazquez’s residence and located the firearm.
Mexican National Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry into the U.S. Following Fentanyl Trafficking ArrestRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – ADRIAN GOMEZ-OSORIO, 40, of Mexico, has been sentenced to serve 64 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, on October 17, 2024, Gomez-Osorio was found to be knowingly within the United States after having previously been removed from the United States to Mexico on July 2, 2020. Gomez-Osorio was encountered by immigration authorities after he was arrested and charged in Oklahoma County District Court with acquiring proceeds from drug activity, aggravated trafficking, and trafficking of fentanyl crimes he has since been convicted of in case number CF-2024-5079.
On November 19, 2024, a federal Grand Jury charged Gomez-Osorio with illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal. Gomez-Osorio pleaded guilty on February 14, 2025, and admitted he knowingly reentered the United States without proper consent.
At the sentencing hearing on July 23, 2025, U.S. Chief District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced Gomez-Osorio to serve 64 months in federal prison. In announcing his sentence, Judge DeGiusti noted the need to promote respect for the law, and to protect the public from future crimes of Gomez-Osorio.
This case is the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mexican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Luis Fernando Lara Uribe, 49, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to one year and one day in prison. The defendant will be subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In April 2025, Lara Uribe pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
Lara Uribe was previously deported five times, the last being in February 2015. Sometime after his removal in 2015, Lara Uribe unlawfully reentered the United States.
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 Robert E. Richardson of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Mexican Citizen Living Illegally in Charleston Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Maximino Montalvo Salas, 20, a Mexican citizen living illegally in Charleston, pleaded guilty today to the felony offense of knowingly possessing a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card (“Green Card”) and was sentenced to time served. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainers on Salas and he will be transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 28, 2025, law enforcement officers encountered Salas in Charleston. ICE agents confirmed that Salas is a citizen of Mexico in the United States illegally and used a counterfeited Immigration Form I-551, also known as a Permanent Resident Card or Green Card, to obtain employment in the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-83.
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Member of Violent Gang Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston-area man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang.
Wilter Rodrigues, 39, was sentenced on July 22, 2025 by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In July 2024, Rodrigues pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base.
According to court documents, Rodrigues was identified as member of Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that uses violence and threats of violence to preserve, protect and expand its territory, promote a climate of fear and enhance its reputation.
Rodrigues worked with two co-defendants to allegedly distribute cocaine and cocaine base from an apartment in Somerville. Rodrigues has a lengthy criminal record, including a previous federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and two state court convictions for drug-distribution offenses.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maryland Man Sentenced in Connection with Pet-Selling Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Anomah Ndonwi, 32, of Chillum, Maryland, to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with David Richeson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington Field Office, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS).
Beginning in at least September 2019, and continuing through at least December 2022, Ndonwi conspired with others to devise a scheme to obtain money through materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. The scheme involved various non-delivery schemes, including victims throughout the United States who responded to internet websites offering the sale of pets such as dogs and horses.
After exchanging messages with the supposed seller of the pet, victims paid using a wire transfer or electronic-app transfer. Following the payments, victims never received the pet they paid for nor a refund.
Another scheme involved the non-delivery of agricultural goods, such as meat products. Victims, often from foreign countries and representing foreign businesses, responded to an alleged sale offer, and paid for goods using an interstate or international wire communication. After payment, the victims never received the ordered products nor a refund from the supposed seller.
Ndonwi opened U.S. bank accounts to receive the proceeds from these schemes using fraudulent identifications. In total, Ndonwi opened at least 14 bank accounts, primarily in Maryland, using alias names. Ndonwi opened at least 12 of the accounts with fraudulent passports purportedly from the Republic of Cameroon. These fraudulent passports showed Ndonwi’s picture but listed an alias name.
Through this scheme, Ndonwi received at least $930,105 in proceeds from the wire-fraud conspiracy which affected 10 or more victims.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DSS for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Coreen Mao and Dawn Williams who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Mexican Men Charged with Immigration-Related Crimes Following Search Warrants in NavarreRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA –Crescencio Diaz-Diaz, 36, and Marcelo Perez-Santiz, 33, both of the country of Mexico, have been charged in federal court with illegal reentry of a removed alien. Diaz-Diaz has additionally been charged with possession and use of fraudulent employment authorization documents. The charges were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Court documents allege that Crescencio Diaz-Diaz reentered the United States illegally after being previously deported in 2020. He was encountered by federal agents during the execution of federal criminal search warrants at a Navarre business, Emerald Coast Lawns, and an adjacent residence yesterday. During the search, agents seized a fraudulent permanent resident card (sometimes referred to as a “green card”) and social security card bearing Diaz-Diaz’s name and/or photograph but another person’s identifying information, which Diaz-Diaz allegedly admitted he presented to Emerald Coast Lawns in order to gain employment.
Separate court documents allege that Marcelo Perez-Santiz reentered the United States illegally after being previously deported on three separate occasions in 2012 and had been found at the business address for Emerald Coast Lawns back in February. Perez-Santiz was arrested yesterday on a criminal complaint and had an initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho.
The penalty for illegally reentering the United States after deportation is a maximum of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The cases are being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Florida Highway Patrol, United States Marshals Service and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.
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).
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation by a sworn affiant 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 due process, to include a fair trial, during which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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.
Louisiana Nurse Practitioner Convicted of $12M Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Louisiana nurse practitioner today for her role in an over $12.1 million health care fraud scheme to defraud Medicare by ordering medically unnecessary cancer genetic tests for hundreds of patients she never met or examined.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Scharmaine Lawson Baker, 58, of Richmond, Texas, served as a nurse practitioner and was an enrolled Medicare provider. She held herself out as an expert in Medicare regulations – authoring publications on medical necessity and patient-provider relationships – while actively violating those very standards.
“Scharmaine Lawson Baker shamelessly exploited her medical license and the trust of vulnerable patients to enrich herself through a multimillion-dollar genetic testing fraud,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant peddled false promises of free cancer screenings while pocketing kickbacks for medically unnecessary tests. The Criminal Division remains relentless in uncovering and prosecuting fraud against government programs and those who prey on victims for personal gain.”
“This conviction signals the end of a challenging and labor-intensive prosecution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Medicare fraud schemes such as these, profoundly impact our society, not only because of the monetary loss sustained by our Medicare program, and the damages suffered by those who were victimized by the fraud, but also by the erosion of public trust in our institutions. The successful prosecution of this case exemplifies our commitment to seek justice for all victims of fraud as well as to preserve taxpayer confidence in our nation’s medical institutions as a whole.”
“Lawson Baker abused the privilege of her license to orchestrate a $12 million Medicare fraud scheme,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “In doing so she not only broke the law, she betrayed the trust of a system built to care for the sick, elderly and most vulnerable. This was a calculated abuse of power fueled by greed. The FBI will continue to investigate those accused of exploiting our health care system at the expense of those suffering.”
“This defendant brazenly exploited the federal health care system for personal profit. Her scheme to peddle millions of dollars of medically unnecessary genetic tests was not a mistake — it was a calculated crime. She preyed on vulnerable patients, siphoned taxpayer dollars, and turned health care into a tool for fraud. Her actions represent a deliberate betrayal of public trust and a flagrant abuse of those she was entrusted to serve,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, in coordination with our federal and state partners, will continue to apply every available resource to detect and disrupt fraud schemes that seek to abuse the Medicare program and enrollees.”
From 2018 to 2019, Lawson Baker worked as an independent contractor for a company that claimed to provide telehealth services. In her role, the defendant signed hundreds of orders for medically unnecessary cancer genetic testing after brief phone calls – typically lasting less than 60 seconds – and without conducting any physical exams of patients. Lawson Baker falsely diagnosed patients to justify the unnecessary tests, such as diagnosing male patients with cervical cancer that they did not have. Lawson Baker never reviewed any of the test results, including when the results showed that patients actually had variants predisposing them to certain cancers.
In furtherance of the scheme, Lawson Baker participated in phone calls misleading patients into believing they were being screened for cancer at no cost, despite the tests ordered not actually diagnosing patients with existing cancer. In doing so, she exploited the trust placed in licensed health care professionals and manipulated vulnerable patients.
In total, Lawson Baker caused over $12.1 million in fraudulent Medicare claims and the labs involved in the scheme received over $1.5 million in reimbursements for unnecessary testing. In exchange for signing these orders, Lawson Baker accepted kickbacks and bribes from the telehealth company – payments she later failed to disclose in her bankruptcy petition.
Lawson Baker was convicted of six counts of health care fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 19 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Samantha Usher and Gary A. Crosby II of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas D. Moses for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section assisted in the prosecution.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Little Water Man Charged with Assault for 2024 IncidentRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Little Water man has been charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury following an incident in 2024.
According to court documents, on July 29, 2024, Anthony Sandoval, 40, an enrolled member of the Navajo nation, assaulted the victim with a rifle and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury.
Sandoval is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Sandoval will remain in third party custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Sandoval faces up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment (Sandoval).pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Laredo narcotics smuggler tied to cartel sentenced to 20 yearsRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 38-year-old Laredo resident has been sentenced for smuggling methamphetamine into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jose Pascual Soliz pleaded guilty May 16.
U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Soliz to serve 240 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered how Soliz worked for Cartel De Noreste to smuggle methamphetamine into the country and recruited others such as Carla Miranda Aleman to carry out the crime. He admitted doing so on at least six to eight occasions. This was his third felony conviction and second for narcotics trafficking.
The court also heard Soliz was known to recruit young woman such as Aleman to transport drugs and had used his minor daughter to recruit Aleman in this case.
Aleman, 20, was previously sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for role to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
On April 19, 2023, authorities seized more than 11.85 kilograms of methamphetamine from Soliz and Aleman. The drugs represented what remained of a larger amount Soliz had removed from a vehicle’s gas tank after the drugs had already been smuggled into the United States. The rest had already been distributed.
Authorities located the methamphetamine after the vehicle was undergoing repairs due to damage concealing the drugs had caused. The investigation revealed Aleman and Soliz used this vehicle to smuggle the methamphetamine into the United States.
Soliz will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Kissimmee Man Indicted for Transportation of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Angel Manuel Gallardo Candelaria (32, Kissimmee) with transportation of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, Gallardo faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Gallardo Candelaria that the United States intends to forfeit a cellphone, which was used during the commission of the crime.
According to the indictment, on or about July 8, 2025, within the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere, Gallardo Candelaria knowingly transported CSAM, in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lyons.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Justice Department Sues New York City over Sanctuary PoliciesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against New York City, Mayor Eric Adams, and several other city officials to challenge New York’s sanctuary city laws.
As detailed in the complaint, New York’s sanctuary policies have allowed dangerous criminals to roam the streets and commit heinous crimes within the community. These policies reflect an intentional effort to obstruct federal law enforcement and thus are preempted under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
“New York City has released thousands of criminals on the streets to commit violent crimes against law-abiding citizens due to sanctuary city policies,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “If New York City won’t stand up for the safety of its citizens, we will.”
“For too long, New York City has been at the vanguard of interfering with enforcing our immigration laws,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate. “Its efforts to thwart federal immigration enforcement end now.”
The case, filed in the Eastern District of New York, is the latest action from the Justice Department fighting back against unlawful obstruction of enforcement of federal immigration laws. In the past three months, the Department has filed lawsuits against Los Angeles, New York State, Colorado, Illinois, the city of Rochester, New York, and several New Jersey cities to invalidate unconstitutional sanctuary policies. Recently, the Mayor of Louisville revoked the city’s sanctuary policy after the Justice Department threatened legal action.
Read the full complaint here.
July Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the July Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Jonathan Tyler Gross. Possession of Child Pornography; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor (superseding). Gross, 36, of Mounds, is charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including children under 12 years old. He is further charged with coercing and enticing a minor victim under 18 years old to engage in a sexual act. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-137
Zackery True Huddleston. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Huddleston, 37, of Afton, is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Bixby Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam McConney is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-254
David Lera-Hernandez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Lera-Hernandez, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Oct. 2024. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Wright is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-260
Damon Terrell Lewis. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Lewis, 47, of Sapulpa, is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He is additionally charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after being convicted of a felony. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Flynn is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-267
Oscar Omar Munoz-Vasquez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Munoz-Vasquez, 40, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Apr. 2015. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case.
25-CR-261Edgar Noel Partida-Valdez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Partida-Valdez, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2008. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case.
25-CR-263Daniel Eduardo Plateado-Martinez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Plateado-Martinez, 31, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Feb. 2017. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-262
Adam Wayne Ruth. Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Carrying Firearms During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime. Ruth, 42, transient, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. Additionally, Ruth is charged with knowingly possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and carrying a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Attila Bogdan is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-255
Francisco Sanchez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Sanchez, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Sep. 2012. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-264
Jose Amadeos Sanchez Sanchez. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Sanchez, 42, a Mexican national, is charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl. He is further charged with knowingly possessing more than 500 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute and maintaining a residence for the purpose of drug distribution. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office, the Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-256
Miguel Gabino Trujillo. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Trujillo, 41, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Dec. 2023. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-265
Ryan David Whittington. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Whittington, 26, of Sand Springs and a member of the Chickasaw Nation, is charged with assaulting a victim, which resulted in serious bodily injury. The FBI, the Bartlesville Police Department, and the Sand Springs Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Heign is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-257
Jefferson County man sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanylRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Carl Wayne Hite, Jr., 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 228 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 24, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in July 2023, federal narcotics agents in Beaumont initiated an investigation into the suspected drug trafficking activities of Hite. The investigation revealed that Hite was supplying fentanyl-laced pills on a recurring basis to individuals in Jefferson County. Federal agents were able to obtain fentanyl-laced pills directly from Hite, at which time Hite was arrested, and a search warrant was executed at his residence. During the search of Hite’s residence, law enforcement seized various controlled substances, including fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; Beaumont Police Department; Port Neches Police Department; Port Arthur Police Department; FBI CAST; Jefferson County Crime Laboratory; and DEA South Central Laboratory. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan C. Lee and Matthew Quinn.
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Iowa Man Who Received Child Sexual Abuse Material Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who was previously convicted of interstate transportation of child pornography in 2008 was sentenced today to over 17 years in federal prison for receiving child sexual abuse material in 2023 and 2024. He also received an additional eighteen months in federal prison for violating his supervised release.
Jeremy Moore, age 39, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 31, 2025, guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography.
At the guilty plea, Moore admitted he received child sexual abuse material between January 2023 and April 2024. Information from the sentencing hearing showed that while Moore was living at a halfway house in Waterloo following his incarceration on the prior offense, he possessed a phone he was not allowed to have. After the phone was discovered and seized, an investigator from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation found child sexual abuse material on the phone.
Later in 2024, while Moore was on supervised release for his 2008 conviction for interstate transportation of child pornography, officers from the United States Probation Office searched his home. During the search, officers again found a phone. Moore had failed to tell his probation officer about the phone, and it was not being monitored as required by his terms of supervision. Officers seized the phone and had it forensically reviewed. During that review, a probation officer found over 600 images of child sexual abuse material, including images of victims who were less than 12 years old and images of sadistic or masochistic conduct.
Moore was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Moore was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $27,000 in restitution. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
In addition to being sentenced for the new charge, Chief Judge Willaims also sentenced Moore to an additional eighteen months in prison for violating his terms of supervised release. Moore violated those terms by possessing child sexual abuse material, failing to comply with the sex offender registry, failing to participate in mental health treatment, failing to participate in substance abuse testing, and failing to allow the probation office to monitor his phone.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Moore is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the United States Probation Offices for the Northern District of Iowa and the Eastern District of Missouri, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 25-cr-2003 and 08-cr-2008.
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Indianapolis felon sentenced to 175 months’ imprisonment for machine gun possession and mail theft schemeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – A district judge sentenced an Indianapolis felon to spend nearly 15 years in federal prison after he was found in possession of a machine gun and altered checks stolen from the mail valued at more than $1.2 million.
In April 2024, a jury convicted Derrick Barbour, 28, of Indianapolis, also known as Derrick Barbour, Jr., on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession of a machinegun, one count of keys or locks stolen or reproduced, one count of unlawful possession of stolen mail and one count of bank fraud. He was ordered to pay $3,203 in restitution to two victims.
“In a unique combination of violent weaponry and financial crimes, this defendant posed a serious threat to public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Not only did he illegally possess a machine gun and other firearms as a felon, but he orchestrated a scheme using stolen arrow keys to steal more than $1 million in checks from unsuspecting victims.”
According to court documents, police officers located a stolen vehicle at a gas station in the early morning hours on Feb. 10, 2023, in Marion County, Indiana.
Barbour was the only occupant and was in possession of a Glock 9mm handgun fully loaded with 50 rounds of ammunition and equipped with a machinegun conversion device, or “switch”, making it a fully automatic weapon. Law enforcement also recovered a Glock 17 with drum magazine, a stolen Glock 20 10mm handgun and several magazines.
In addition to firearms, police located two envelopes containing hundreds of checks stolen from the U.S. Postal Service. Agents with the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General identified two arrow keys, which are used by authorized mail carriers to open blue collection boxes, in Barbour’s vehicle.
“This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, ATF, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
USPS-OIG agents also found additional stolen checks and money orders valued at more than $1.2 million. Several of the checks had been altered to change the payee’s name to be payable to the defendant. He had deposited one of the checks into his bank account.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Fischer with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois handled the prosecution.
Illegal Possession of Stolen Firearms, Including Sawed-Off Shotgun, Lands Mustang Felon in Federal Prison for More Than Seven YearsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – MICHAEL LOWELL BONJOUR, 39, of Mustang, has been sentenced to serve 87 months in federal prison for illegal possession of firearms after previous felony conviction, possession of stolen firearms, and possession of an unregistered firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, Bonjour was arrested on state charges by officers with the El Reno Police Department in March 2024 when he was discovered to be in possession of a stolen firearm. Six months later, in September 2024, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department arrested him after he was stopped driving a stolen vehicle and found to be in possession of three stolen firearms – including a sawed-off shotgun.
Prior to these arrests, Bonjour had been convicted of multiple felonies, including convictions in Canadian County District Court for bringing contraband into a jail/penal institution in case number CF-2023-232; possession of a stolen vehicle in case number CF-2023-298; and stalking in case number CF-2023-325, as well as a total of four misdemeanor convictions for violations of a protective order.
On November 6, 2024, a federal grand jury charged Bonjour with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of stolen firearms, and possession of an unregistered firearm. On February 28, 2025, Bonjour pleaded guilty and admitted he knowingly possessed stolen firearms despite his previous felony convictions, and further admitted that one of the firearms was not properly registered to him despite its modified barrel.
At a sentencing hearing on July 18, 2025, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Bonjour to serve 87 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the need to deter additional criminal conduct and to protect the public.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Edmond Police Department, the Oklahoma City Police Department, and the El Reno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Connolly prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program to reduce violent crime. This case is also part of “Operation 922,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of PSN, which prioritizes prosecution of federal crimes connected to domestic violence. For more information about PSN, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
High Point Woman Sentenced for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A High Point, North Carolina woman was sentenced on July 22, 2025, in Winston-Salem to 7 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Clifton T. Barrett of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
Wendy Gibson-Fitzgerald, age 53, was sentenced to 87 months imprisonment plus 3 years supervised release by the Honorable Thomas D. Schroeder, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC.
According to court records, from 2017 through May of 2020, Gibson-Fitzgerald defrauded the victim company and lenders of $466,776.79. Gibson-Fitzgerald fraudulently utilized the victim’s personal identifying information to take out loans in the victim’s name. Some of the loans required daily payments. Additionally, Gibson-Fitzgerald secured high-interest loans with victim company equipment and accounts receivable. Gibson-Fitzgerald fraudulently obtained credit cards in the victim’s name as well as fraudulently made hundreds of money transfers from the victim’s personal and business accounts into Gibson-Fitzgerald’s personal accounts. Gibson-Fitzgerald used the money to pay for personal expenses including trips and retail shopping.
Gibson-Fitzgerald had previously been convicted of Felony Conspiracy to Defraud the United States – Illegal Kickback Scheme, Felony Conspiracy to Distribute Schedule II and II Controlled Substances and Felony Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud in 2012 in the Western District of North Carolina.
Gibson-Fitzgerald pleaded guilty on February 6, 2025, to eight counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the High Point Police Department. The case was prosecuted by MDNC Special Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney and Assistant United States Attorney Frank Chut.
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Guatemalan National Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in New Bedford was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Mario Lopez, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to time served (approximately four months) and two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the imposed sentence. In May 2025, Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.Lopez was deported from the United States on Dec. 8, 2010 after an assault conviction in Maryland. In 2022, after his removal, Lopez attempted to return to the United States twice but was denied entry. Thereafter, Lopez unlawfully reentered the United States on an unknown date.
In November 2023, Lopez was arrested by local law enforcement in Westport on an open warrant. Lopez was later arrested in March 2024 in New Bedford for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, open and gross lewdness and an open container violation. He was arrested again in New Bedford, in December 2024 for operating under the influence of liquor, leaving the scene of property damage, negligent operation and other charges.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.