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Friday 18 July 2025
Former Boston Teacher Indicted for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former science teacher at Josiah Quincy Upper School in Boston has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly coercing or enticing at least one underage female to engage in sexual conversations online and requesting she produce and send child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of herself.
John Magee Gavin, 35, of Brookline, was indicted on one count of coercion and enticement of a minor; one count of receipt of child pornography; and one count of possession of child pornography. The defendant is currently in state custody on related charges and will appear in federal court in Boston on July 21, 2025 at 10:45 a.m.
According to court filings, Gavin is a former teacher at the Josiah Quincy Upper School in Boston. Prior to that, he was a 6th grade teacher at the Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter Public School in Hyde Park and was a paraprofessional with the Brookline Public Schools.
In January 2025, Gavin was allegedly identified as the owner of a Discord account who messaged at least 20 underage females between the ages of 12 and 17 years old located throughout the country, including Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, West Virginia, North Carolina and Florida, as well as the United Kingdom and Canada. It is alleged that, in these chats, Gavin disclosed that he was a teacher, engaged in sexual conversations and often asked the minors to send him pictures of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct – knowing that the children were underaged. He was arrested by local authorities in February 2025 and charged in Brookline District Court with enticing a child under 16, possession of child pornography and other offenses.
A forensic review of evidence seized from Gavin’s Brookline residence allegedly revealed approximately 147 files (94 images and 53 videos) on his iPhone depicting CSAM. It is alleged that the CSAM depicted rape of both female and male minors, ranging in age from approximately five to 17 years old.
Further analysis of Gavin’s Discord account identified numerous chats with underage females in which he allegedly engaged in online masturbation sessions with the minors, solicitated images from and exchanged images with the minors and engaged in sexualized conversations with the minors while he was at school. The chats also allegedly included conversations in which Gavin expressed his sexual interest in certain students at Josiah Quincy. In one conversation, Gavin allegedly discussed his sexual interest in a freshman student at the school where he was employed as a teacher and fantasied about having sex with her.
The charge of coercion and enticement of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact [email protected].
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Brookline Police Department; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations; and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Former Bay Area Insurance Executive Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Former insurance executive Jasbir Thandi pleaded guilty in federal court today for his role in fraud schemes that led to the collapse of two insurance companies, Global Hawk Risk Retention Group (Global Hawk) and Houston General Insurance Exchange (HGIE).
Thandi, 69, of San Francisco, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 16, 2023. In pleading guilty, Thandi admitted to two counts of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud.
According to court documents and the plea agreement, Thandi founded Global Century Insurance Brokers, an insurance brokerage based in Livermore, Calif., which helped manage the insurance business of Global Hawk. Beginning no later than May 2018, Thandi and his co-conspirators conspired to create fraudulent financial records, including bank and brokerage records, that falsely overstated the amount of insurance capital and reserves held by Global Hawk, which were submitted to the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, Global Hawk’s insurance regulator. In May 2020, after regulators discovered the fraud, Global Hawk was declared insolvent and liquidated.
Thandi misappropriated more than $1.5 million in Global Hawk funds for personal use, including the purchase of a house and a luxury vehicle. He also bought and sold stocks using Global Hawk funds that were required by law to be maintained as insurance reserves to cover future losses or insurance claims.
Thandi also admitted that in August 2016, he obtained a $6.4 million line of credit, later increased to $14 million, on behalf of Global Hawk, which the company’s board of directors had not authorized. Around March 2017, Thandi applied for a second line of credit in the name of Global Hawk in the amount of $14.75 million, again misrepresenting that the line of credit had been authorized by the board of directors.
In addition, Thandi admitted to engaging in a similar fraud conspiracy with HGIE, a Texas-domiciled insurance company. Thandi and his co-conspirators created fraudulent financial documents that were used to create false financial statements submitted to the Texas Department of Insurance on behalf of HGIE. These false documents included bank statements and brokerage statements that falsely represented that HGIE had millions of dollars in insurance reserves and capital assets. These false financial documents were used to deceive the Texas Department of Insurance into believing that HGIE had more assets and monies than it in fact had, and to conceal the fact that HGIE did not have the capital reserves required by Texas law.
“Thandi and his co-conspirators’ scheme was far-reaching and had devastating financial consequences, including the collapse of two insurance companies and millions in losses to hundreds of victims. Together with our law enforcement partners, we work tirelessly to ensure that individuals who commit insurance and other forms of fraud are held accountable and this case is an important example of our efforts,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian.
“Today’s guilty plea reflects the FBI's commitment to holding accountable those who manipulate financial records and abuse positions of trust for personal gain. By misrepresenting assets and misappropriating funds, Thandi not only misled regulators but also defrauded his company’s customers,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “The FBI and our partners will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who exploit consumers through corporate fraud.”
“Criminals who would use the U.S. mail to commit fraud should know that postal inspectors and our federal law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting the public from financial crime,” said U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Stephen M. Sherwood.
Thandi is the fourth and final defendant to plead guilty to charges related to these insurance fraud schemes. Co-defendants Sandeep Sahota, Jaspreet Padda, and Gunjan Aggarwal all previously entered guilty pleas to the same charges.
Thandi is currently released on bail. He is next scheduled to appear in district court on Aug. 29, 2025, for a status hearing on sentencing before U.S. District Judge Jon S. Tigar. Defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. Any sentence will 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.
The Department of Justice is notifying identified victims of these crimes through the Department of Justice Victim Notification System (VNS). If you believe you are a victim and have not received communication from the VNS at [email protected], please contact the Mega Victim Case Assistance Program (MCAP) toll free number 1-844-527-5299 (Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Eastern), or send an email to [email protected].
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Ward and Evan Mateer are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kevin Costello and Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and USPIS.
Federal Jury Finds Clearwater Man Guilty of Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material Involving an InfantRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found William Jack Filing (29, Clearwater) guilty of receiving child sexual abuse material. Filing faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison and registration as a sex offender. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 9, 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, Filing was involved in an online chat with other others who discussed their desires to sexually abuse little boys. During the chats, Filing received videos of a child being sexually abused. Filing also expressed his desires to abuse children between the ages of one and four.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations–Tampa with substantial assistance from the Clearwater Police Department and the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force of Central Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Claire Favorit and Abigail King.
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.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Jury Convicts Drug Dealer of Trafficking Fentanyl from Minneapolis to BemidjiRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Following a four-day jury trial, a federal jury found Antonio Trevyll McGraw- Williams, 35, guilty of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
“This defendant knew exactly what he was doing—pushing deadly poison into our communities that he bragged was strong enough to kill. This is appalling,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “With a long and violent criminal history, this defendant made a career out of exploiting addiction and endangering lives. Today’s conviction sends a clear message: if you try to profit off of death and destruction, you will be held accountable. The people of Bemidji and greater Minnesota deserve better than to live under the threat of fentanyl-fueled addiction and loss.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in the summer of 2022, special agents with the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force learned that McGraw-Williams was bringing fentanyl from Minneapolis to Bemidji and then selling it to others. McGraw-Williams bragged that his fentanyl was so “strong” he might “catch a body”—he might kill a person. The agents learned McGraw-Williams was in Bemidji with fentanyl, selling it out of a room at a hotel. The agents applied for and received a search warrant to search McGraw-Williams’s room.
Inside the hotel room, agents found a bag of fentanyl and the markings of a drug dealer: tinfoils with user amounts of drugs, a blender to mix drugs, a scale to measure out drugs for sale, and mini Ziploc-style plastic bags for packaging drugs for users. The agents also found McGraw- Williams’s cell phone and a receipt bearing McGraw-Williams’s name. Agents searched the phone and found numerous texts conversations where McGraw-Williams was arranging drug deals. Later, DNA experts at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension identified McGraw- Williams’s DNA on the bag of fentanyl.
McGraw-Williams has a long and serious criminal history that includes convictions for First Degree Aggravated Robbery, Felony Violation of Order for Protection, and Felony Domestic Assault.
After a four-day trial before Judge Joan N. Ericksen in U.S. District Court, a federal jury found McGraw-Williams guilty of one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date. McGraw-Williams faces a sentence a minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum of life.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, Bemidji Police Department, Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew D. Forbes and Matthew D. Evans prosecuted the case.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Woman for Defrauding Pool Business CustomersRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on July 16, 2025, charging a Louisville woman with engaging in a scheme to defraud customers of her pool installation business, Davenport Extreme Pools and Spas Inc.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Cincinnati Field Office, made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Tracy Davenport, 50, was charged with 13 counts of wire fraud, 5 counts of money laundering, and 1 count of bankruptcy fraud. The indictment alleges Tracy Davenport, and others working at her direction, engaged in a scheme to induce customers into signing a contract for a pool installation and paying a large down payment up front. Tracy Davenport then used those funds for purposes other than what was agreed upon.
The defendant will make her initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky at a later date.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and IRS-CI, with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department, the Jefferson County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, and the United States Trustee’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Elver is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fargo Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for a Large Dangerous Drug Distribution Enterprise and Distribution of Drugs Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
FARGO: Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced that Karmen Charles Fox, age 34 of Fargo, ND, appeared in United States District Court today, and was sentenced by Chief Judge Peter Welte to serve 480 months in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release for the offenses of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribute 400 grams or more of Fentanyl (Count 1); Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering (Count 2); Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance (Fentanyl) (Count 3); Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting In Death (Count 4); Distribution of a Controlled Substance (fentanyl) (Count 5); Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine) (Count 7); and Possession of Firearms by a Convicted Felon (Count 9). Fox was also ordered to pay a $700 Special Assessment.
As reflected in court documents, federal law enforcement responded to an overdose death on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation, North Dakota. A subsequent investigation revealed that Karmen Fox was the primary source of the pills that were ingested by the victim. Fox sold fentanyl pills to individuals throughout North Dakota, including on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation and Fort Berthold Indian Reservation for further distribution, including codefendants Scott Roberts (Roberts), Kristin Carrington (Carrington), Chasity Lynn Feather (Feather), Aiana Richotte (Richotte), among other coconspirators. Throughout the conspiracy, Fox and his codefendants used CashApp and other money transfer services to transfer the drug proceeds.
In December 2022, Fox distributed more than 100 fentanyl pills to Feather and Richotte who in turn drove the pills from Fargo to Devils Lake for further distribution. While in Devils Lake, Richotte and the overdose victim smoked a pill. Thereafter, the victim returned to her residence on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation where she later died. After the victim was found unresponsive by her significant other, he called emergency medical personnel who unsuccessfully performed life-saving measures.
Law enforcement later obtained search warrants for Richotte and Feather’s hotel room in Devils Lake as well as Feather’s person. Law enforcement seized $1,293 from Feather’s purse and approximately 175 fentanyl pills from Feather’s person.Further investigation of the coconspirators’ social media accounts revealed that Scott Roberts and Fox discussed having previously distributed “thousands” of pills. They also discussed the arrests of Feather and Richotte in Devils Lake on December 13, 2022. On November 21, 2023, a search warrant was executed on Fox’s residence in Fargo. Law enforcement seized approximately 25 grams of methamphetamine, two grams of heroin, three firearms, and 34 boxes of various ammunition. Fox was prohibited from possessing firearms because of two prior felony convictions, including Attempted Delivery of Controlled Substance-Heroin.
Following a jury trial, Fox was found guilty of the above-mentioned offenses on March 19, 2025. Fox’s coconspirators plead guilty and were sentenced to federal prison for the following terms of incarceration:- Roberts was sentenced to 120 months
- Carrington was sentenced to 42 months
- Richotte was sentenced to 28 months
- Feather is awaiting sentencing.
“Today’s action reflects the significant prison sentence that awaits those who choose to infect our community with fentanyl, methamphetamines and illegal firearms,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Drug dealers can’t hide from law enforcement in North Dakota, or anywhere in this country. The FBI is proud of our role in this joint effort with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners.”
“The defendant prioritized financial gain over human life and it’s my hope that his sentence will serve as a stark warning to others who are engaging in the same conduct,” said Acting US Attorney Puhl. “If you distribute dangerous narcotics that result in overdose deaths, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law”.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; BIA, Lake Region Narcotics Task Force; North Dakota Crime Lab, BCI; Cass County Task Force; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This case was prosecuted by the US Attorney’s Office, District of North Dakota.
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Former Local Firefighter Facing Federal Charges for the Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Garey A. Buscaino, 48, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on charges related to a decade-long pattern of producing and possessing child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Buscaino is scheduled for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida, on July 22, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.
The Indictment charges Buscaino with the Production of Child Pornography of four different minor females between 2015 – 2025. He is also charged with the Possession of Child Pornography Involving Minors Under the Age of 12 Years Old.
If convicted, Buscaino faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment as to each minor victim for the Production of Child Pornography and up to 20 years’ imprisonment as to the Possession of Child Pornography Involving Minors Under the Age of 12 Years Old.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Federal Charges Filed Against Pensacola Man for Attempting to Kill Escambia County Sheriff’s DeputyRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Darrion K. Finley, 21, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on charges related to a shooting incident in late-2024 during an attempted traffic stop of a reported stolen vehicle. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Finley is scheduled for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida, on July 22, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.
The Indictment charges Finley with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Attempting to Kill an Escambia County Sheriff’s Deputy to Prevent Certain Communications, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
If convicted, Finley faces up to life imprisonment.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Exceptional Student Education Assistant Indicted for Transporting and Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Marrell Dion Speights (32, St. Petersburg) with receipt, transportation, and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted on all counts, Speights faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in federal prison and will be required to register as a sex offender.
According to the indictment and criminal complaint, Speights transported, received, and possessed visual depictions of children under the age of 12 being sexually abused. On June 19, 2025, Speights attempted to enter the United States at the Tampa International Airport from a Canadian flight that was returning from a trip to Japan. He was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents who reviewed his cellphone and found images of CSAM in the hidden photos feature.
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 and U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Tampa. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Claire Favorit.
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.justice.gov/psc.
Eight Young Mob Gang Members Indicted in Memphis on Racketeering, Murder, Robbery, Firearm and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Larry Wilson, of Memphis, Tennessee, made his initial appearance in federal court today for his role in Young Mob (YM), a violent street gang that allegedly commits crimes including murder, assault, arson, drug trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, and narcotics trafficking. Wilson is the last of eight Young Mob defendants charged to make his initial appearance related to this case.
“As alleged, this gang shot and killed a member of a rival gang in a restaurant drive-through and robbed customers at gunpoint at another Memphis establishment, recklessly endangering innocent bystanders,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Gang violence that spills into our community spreads fear and insecurity in our neighborhoods. The Criminal Division, in partnership with our federal and local law enforcement colleagues, remains steadfast in our pursuit of gangs that inflict senseless violence in our country.”
“This gang engaged in numerous unlawful activities, including acts of extreme violence, which demonstrated a blatant disregard for human life,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “Through a coordinated effort, the ATF and its local, state, and federal partners worked tirelessly to dismantle the organization and ensure that its members are held accountable.”
Larry Wilson, 35, Brian Lackland, 35, Paul Nelson, 32, Mohamed Samba, 25, Braxton Beck, 33, Edgar Smith, 39, Jerrod Cox, 32, and Cedric Jackson, 33, all Tennessee residents, were charged for their membership and association with YM. YM members signify their membership by wearing red and/or black clothing and jewelry with an “Eight Ball” or the letters YM or YMM. YM members and recruits are required to commit acts of violence to gain membership and maintain their status in the gang.
On May 28, 2022, Samba and other, not-yet-identified, YM members, shot suspected rival KSBG gang members ─ murdering one and attempting to murder two others ─ in a McDonald’s restaurant drive-through in Memphis. After the shootings, YM members burned the stolen car used in the shooting.
The indictment further alleges that on May 13, 2023, at Tug’s Casual Grill, a Memphis restaurant, Nelson, Cox, and another unnamed YM member robbed customers at gunpoint. The unnamed member was shot and killed. Nelson and Cox left the mortally wounded man in a nearby fire station parking lot and then drove their stolen vehicle to another location and burned it.
The indictment also alleges that on March 17, 2024, Lackland and Beck attempted the murder of a suspected gang rival, which was thwarted in part due to police presence in the area. In addition, on June 11 and June 12, 2024, Lackland, Wilson, Beck, and Jackson attempted to rob customers at a Memphis tattoo shop before abandoning the scene because of police presence. Undeterred, the same group, along with Smith this time, returned to the tattoo shop after police left the area and robbed multiple customers.
As alleged, YM receives money and income from drug trafficking, kidnappings, and robberies. Such funds are used for gang purposes, including obtaining weapons and narcotics and providing support for YM gang members, including those in prison serving time for various crimes. YM also receives money and income from various musical interests, with defendant Lackland being a well-known rapper who goes by the stage name “Stupid Duke.”
YM members and associates are also separately charged as part of a drug conspiracy that was responsible for the distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Multiple members are also charged with various firearm offenses.
If convicted, Lackland, Samba, Nelson, Smith, and Cox face a maximum penalty of life in prison. If convicted, Wilson faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison, Beck faces a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison, and Jackson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The ATF, Memphis Multi-Agency Gang Unit, and Memphis Police Homicide Unit are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Amanda Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Neal Oldham for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Tennessee and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and their associates in Memphis.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District of Arizona Charges 124 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 12, 2025, through July 18, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 124 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 62 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 54 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 7 cases against 8 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Arnold Perez: On July 12, Border Patrol Agents watched as a group of four suspected illegal aliens enter a Toyota RAV4 in the Coronado National Park. Agents initiated a vehicle stop, but the driver failed to yield and quickly accelerated to over 80 mph. Agents deployed a Vehicle Immobilization Device and successfully spiked the vehicle, but the driver continued driving with smoke coming from the front tires, lost control, and drove into a grassy field and through a barbed wire fence before coming to a stop. The driver, later identified as Arnold Perez, and two passengers ran from the vehicle. Agents apprehended Perez and the other subjects who ran, along with two additional individuals who remained in the vehicle. The four passengers were determined to be citizens of Mexico illegally present in the United States. Perez was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-02295]
United States v. Luis Sahid Guanin-Manzaba: On July 13, Luis Sahid Guanin-Manzaba entered the primary inspection lane for the Interstate 19 Border Patrol Checkpoint in a Chevrolet Malibu. At secondary inspection, agents determined that the passenger in the Malibu was a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Agents then searched the trunk of the vehicle and discovered another individual who was also determined to be a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Guanin-Manzaba was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-02338]
United States v. Jasiel Antonio Moreno-Cuevas: On July 16, Jasiel Antonio Moreno-Cuevas was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Moreno-Cuevas had been previously removed from the United States in 2014 after being convicted of Aid and Abet Impersonation of a United States Citizen, a felony, in the United States District Court, District of Arizona. Moreno-Cuevas was sentenced to six months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. [Case Number: 25-MJ-08369]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-121_July 18 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Diamond District Fence Pleads Guilty in Connection with Large Scale Stolen Property OperationRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Dimitriy Nezhinskiy pleaded guilty to conspiring to receive stolen property that had been transported in interstate commerce. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge William F. Kuntz. When sentenced, Nezhinskiy faces a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment as well as restitution of approximately $2,500,000, and forfeiture of more than $2,500,000.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) announced the guilty plea.
“The defendant’s criminal conduct, purchasing items stolen from homes and businesses nationwide, provided a vital market for South American Theft Groups and other criminals to sell the proceeds of their crimes,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to ensuring that those who facilitate the victimization of people and businesses are brought to justice.”
“For more than five years, Dimitriy Nezhinskiy established a demand for stolen merchandise, which allowed South American Theft Groups to profit from repeated burglaries,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “His purchases perpetuated a ripple of criminality targeting residences and business across the country. The FBI will never tolerate any individual who provides economic support to other criminal actors to continue their illicit operations in our city.”
“This defendant ran a black-market pipeline, buying stolen luxury goods from organized theft crews that targeted homes and businesses,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “It was a deliberate operation that helped professional burglars prey on innocent people. Today's guilty plea sends a clear message: If you profit off stolen property, we will find you and dismantle your operation. I want to thank our detectives and federal partners for their work on this case.”
“Thanks to the hard work of our Detective Division, working closely with our local and federal partners, the residents of Nassau County can rest easy that we have shut down another criminal group that set out to victimize innocent people,” stated Nassau County Police Commissioner Ryder. “Let this be a message to the South American Theft Groups and anyone who chooses to work with them: our detectives will find you and bring you to justice if you prey on the good people of our County.”
According to court filings and statements the defendant made at today’s guilty plea, between approximately 2020 and 2025, the defendant conspired with his co-defendant, Juan Villar, and others, to receive and purchase stolen property, including jewelry, watches, handbags, and assorted luxury items that had been stolen outside of the state of New York and transported into New York. Nezhinskiy and Villar regularly served as “fences” for South American Theft Groups, burglary crews based out of South America, who traveled around the United States committing burglaries, typically targeting wealthier neighborhoods or jewelry vendors, and stealing luxury accessories like watches, jewelry, and handbags. Nezhinskiy and Villar’s operation, which consisted of purchasing stolen property from these crews for cash, provided an essential market for the stolen goods, perpetuating the dangerous criminal activities of the burglary and theft crews composed largely of foreign nationals.
As detailed in court filings and the guilty plea, evidence linked Nezhinskiy and Villar to thefts around the country, including at least two dozen residential or commercial burglaries across the United States between 2019 and 2025. Additionally, between October 2022 and January 2024, an undercover detective conducted seven controlled sales of purported stolen property, including high-end handbags and luxury accessories, to Nezhinskiy or Villar, or both, at their business location on 47th Street in Manhattan’s Diamond District. During these controlled sales, the undercover detective provided the defendants with items that the undercover told the defendants had been stolen, and received cash in exchange for the stolen goods.
Simultaneous with the defendant’s arrest in February 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the location in the Diamond District where Nezhinskiy and Villar operated a pawn shop and seized large quantities of suspected stolen property, including dozens of high-end watches and jewelry. Law enforcement also recovered large quantities of cash and marijuana. A search warrant was also executed at storage units belonging to Nezhinskiy in New Jersey where an additional cache of suspected stolen property was found. From inside Nezhinskiy’s storage units, law enforcement recovered large quantities of luxury goods and clothing, including high-end handbags, wine, sports memorabilia, jewelry, artwork, and power tools consistent with those commonly used in burglaries and opening safes.
On June 16, 2025, Villar pled guilty to conspiring to receive stolen property that had been transported in interstate commerce and is pending sentencing.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division and the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Maffei, Katherine P. Onyshko, and Sean M. Sherman are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
DIMITRIY NEZHINSKIY
Age: 43
North Bergen, New JerseyJUAN VILLAR
Age: 48
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-40 (WFK)
Dealer Sentenced to 20 Years for Role in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose of Carlsbad WomanRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Prolific drug dealer Bryan Kim Bullard, who supplied fentanyl to 25-year-old Danielle Good of Carlsbad and failed to seek help for over an hour while she lay dying of an overdose in a bathtub, was sentenced today in federal court to 20 years in prison.
“This tragic case highlights not only the defendant’s role in a young woman’s death, but also his chilling lack of humanity during her final moments,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Those who knowingly and repeatedly risk the lives of others by distributing fentanyl will face severe consequences.”
“The trafficking of fentanyl is not just a crime; it is an act of poisoning our communities, robbing families of their loved ones, and leaving behind a trail of grief and despair,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark. “Our hearts go out to the victim’s family – no sentence can bring back their loved one, but her memory and their resilience, fuels our fight to combat this devastating crisis.”
During today’s hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Streja argued for the maximum 20-year sentence, saying Bullard showed extreme indifference and callous disregard for Danielle, whose final hours on September 9, 2023, were marked by neglect and exploitation.
Despite early signs of a medical emergency—Bullard requested Narcan at 11:17 p.m.—he did not call 9-1-1 until 12:22 a.m. and fled the scene before help arrived. During the critical delay, Bullard engaged in multiple Facebook video chats and sent disturbing messages, including a video showing the unconscious victim in the bathtub. He later referenced the incident casually in unrelated conversations, showing no remorse.
Not only did Bullard’s 9-1-1 call come more than an hour after his initial request for Narcan, but it was also nearly 40 minutes after telling a friend he was “in the middle of saving someone’s life,” and 14 minutes after sending the video..
During Bullard’s 9-1-1 call, he stated, “overdose, overdose,” and that he was calling from “…her phone…” While the dispatcher was trying to explain life saving measures, Bullard stopped talking, and the call ended.
San Diego Police officers were dispatched immediately, at approximately 12:23 a.m., to the Mission Valley apartment complex. The defendant fled the scene before police arrived.
In arguing for the statutory maximum sentence, Assistant U.S. Attorney Streja told the court that on the very afternoon of the day that Bullard watched Danielle overdose and left her to die, he responded to a drug customer on Facebook, confirming he had fentanyl for distribution. Bullard continued to be involved in the sale of controlled substances in the following days and months. Streja also emphasized that Bullard has an extensive criminal history, including acts of violence and narcotics-related convictions.
Streja argued that the defendant’s messages sent after watching Danielle die reflected his focus was the inconvenience her death caused him. “He has never once shown any evidence that he appreciates the fatal risk of fentanyl, that he appreciates what he did to Danielle’s family and all who loved her, or that he has any desire or capacity or wherewithal to change his behavior going forward.”
When handing down the strongest possible sentence, U.S. Chief District Judge Cynthia A. Bashant told the defendant he is “a one-man crime wave” who has been in custody for most of his adult life, and who continued to sell fentanyl despite watching Danielle die in front of him. “I’m shocked and astounded you continued to deal after causing the death of Danielle,” Judge Bashant said, agreeing with Streja’s characterization of the defendant as callous. “Nothing deters you from criminal conduct…I don’t know what else to do to protect the public.”
According to the government’s sentencing memo, Danielle was a young woman who in her short life had overcome pain, adversity, and her own trauma to bring joy and love to her family and all those around her. The victim impact statements submitted in connection with this case highlight the devastating impact of Bullard’s conduct on Danielle’s family members. They describe shattered lives and the indescribable, unrelenting pain of losing their loved one.
At the hearing, Danielle’s mother, Cheryl Good, took the podium holding an urn containing her daughter’s ashes. She described her family’s devastation at the loss of a young woman who was universally loved by all who knew her. She said Danielle had a “nurturing spirit, always caring for others,” and was an especially kind and compassionate daughter, sister, aunt, friend and volunteer who enjoyed visits with special needs children and elderly in need of companionship.
She urged the judge to impose the maximum sentence for the man “who did nothing to save my daughter’s life.” She later added: “My heart shattered when I learned that she had died alone…my grief is profound,” she said.
Special Agents and Task Force Officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Response Team (formerly known as Team 10) led the investigation. This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the San Diego Police Department, the La Mesa Police Department, National Guard Counterdrug Task Force and the California Department of Health Care Services to investigate and prosecute the distribution of dangerous illegal drugs—fentanyl in particular—that result in overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration created the Overdose Response Team as a response to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill S. Streja.
The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 24-cr-01063-BAS
Bryan Kim Bullard Age: 44 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Distribution of Fentanyl
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
San Diego Police Department
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
Homeland Security Investigations
La Mesa Police Department
California Department of Health Care Services
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program
Columbia Rapper Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Bank Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Malik Jahlil Bell, 28, a/k/a “Leek Obama,” of Columbia, has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for bank fraud, money laundering, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Bell was the leader of a fraud ring that called themselves “Swiperz Only.” Bell and his co-defendants learned to exploit a customer service benefit from banks that provided “provisional credits” to accounts when a customer reported fraudulent activity. These “provisional credits” were temporarily applied to the accounts while the bank investigated the disputed payments or reports of fraud. Bell and the “Swiperz Only” ring concocted a scheme that allowed them to make multiple withdrawals of these “provisional credits” from ATM machines, leaving the accounts with large negative balances.
Bell and the “Swiperz Only” brazenly flaunted their crimes, frequently posting pictures and videos on social media sites of huge stacks of cash, opulent jewelry and firearms. Bell personally posted multiple music videos referencing the “Swiperz Only” scheme and advertising it to others. Evidence presented during Bell’s guilty plea and sentencing showed that the fraud ring shared a large home, decorated with custom “Swiperz Only” logos. The logo depicts a man standing in front of an ATM with a duffle bag filled with cash. The group also purchased custom diamond jewelry of the “Swiperz Only” logo and frequently wore “Swiperz Only” branded clothing.
United States District Mary G. Lewis sentenced Bell to 108 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. He was ordered to repay $238,652.87 in restitution to the victim bank.
This case was investigated by United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson is prosecuting the case.
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Columbia Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine through the U.S. MailRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Axel Gustavo Calderon-Rosado, 36, of Columbia, has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for trafficking cocaine.
Evidence presented in court revealed that in 2021, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and U.S. Postal Inspection Service began investigating Calderon-Rosado for his involvement in a drug trafficking operation that used the U.S. Postal Service to ship parcels of drugs and drug proceeds. Investigators identified Calderon-Rosado as a significant supplier of cocaine in both the Columbia and Lexington County areas.
According to the investigation, Calderon-Rosado regularly shipped large sums of cash to Puerto Rico, and in return, received kilogram quantities of cocaine by mail. Investigators identified two locations associated with Calderon-Rosado that he used for storing and distributing illegal drugs. On July 13 and Oct. 4, 2021, investigators intercepted two suspicious parcels addressed to locations associated with Calderon-Rosado. The first package contained approximately one kilogram of cocaine; the second, more than three kilograms.
Following the October package, authorities executed an undercover operation involving the second package, and arrested Calderon-Rosado after he took possession of the cocaine. Law enforcement searched both associated addresses and seized more than $30,000 in cash, cocaine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, including a kilogram press, multiple stolen firearms, and ammunition. A review of postal and financial records revealed that between April 2020 and November 2023, Calderon-Rosado received over 30 kilograms of cocaine through the mail as part of the trafficking operation.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Axel Gustavo Calderon-Rosado to 168 months imprisonment, to be followed by a four-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI Columbia field office, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Columbia Police Department, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ariyana Gore and Lamar Fyall prosecuted this case.
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Chinese national facing federal charges for posing as a federal agent to defraud a Belleville seniorRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging a Chinese national for allegedly participating in an imposter scam and trying to defraud a Belleville senior out of more than $70,000.
Zhigang Lian, 42, a Chinese national and lawful resident of La Puente, California, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud.
“Federal authorities will never call to demand your personal or financial information over the phone, notify you that you’re a victim of identity theft, ask you to send cryptocurrency or travel to your home to pick up money,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Scammers are preying on vulnerable victims through imposter scams, but the U.S. Attorney’s Office is using its full legal authority to hold offenders accountable.”
According to court documents, Lian is accused of defrauding a 76-year-old Belleville resident. On June 13, the victim received a scam text message purporting to be from Apple and explaining a transaction was detected for $258. The victim called to dispute the transaction and began speaking with the scammers.
“Criminal fraudsters are constantly devising new schemes aimed at intimidating innocent, often elderly, victims and scaring them into parting with their hard-earned money. If someone randomly contacts you and asks for money, do not give it to them and contact the proper authorities if they are persistent,” Acting Resident Agent in Charge David Bolin, of the U.S. Secret Service – Springfield Resident Office said. “Thank you to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Enforcement Group Special Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois for their work in pursuing this case and protecting unsuspecting victims from financial fraud.”
The scammer referred the victim to the Federal Trade Commission due to a “severe problem,” and the victim began speaking with another member of the conspiracy posing as a federal agent. The faux agent told the victim their identity had been stolen, and they needed to withdraw all the money from their bank accounts to protect their assets. The victim withdrew $25,000 and handed over to a conspirator on June 17.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims including those most vulnerable,” said Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office.
Lian is accused of posing as a federal agent and picking up $45,000 from the victim on July 1. After the cash exchange, officers with the Illinois State Police took Lian into custody.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
Convictions for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud are punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and fines up to $250,000.
The U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are contributing to the investigation with support from the Illinois State Police Metropolitan Enforcement Group Special Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Gross is prosecuting the case.
California Residents Guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property and Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property from Metairie BusinessRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that both LORENZO TAYLOR (“TAYLOR”), California resident, age 39, and NEMIRAH DAVIDSON (“DAVIDSON”), California resident, age 39, pled guilty on July 1, 2025, and that JOVAN COLLINS (“COLLINS”), age 35, also a California resident, pled guilty on July 16, 2025 to a two-count indictment for conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen goods, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, and interstate transportation of stolen goods, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2314.
According to the indictment, TAYLOR, DAVIDSON, and COLLINS conspired to transport cigarettes that were stolen during a November 21, 2024 burglary at a national chain retail distribution center. They then traveled out of state before being apprehended in Fort Stockton, Texas the following day while in possession of the cigarettes. TAYLOR, DAVIDSON, and COLLINS had been further implicated in similar burglaries in North Carolina and Texas in February of 2024.
For Count 1, TAYLOR faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. As to Count 2, TAYLOR faces up to 10 years of imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.
For Count 1, DAVIDSON faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. As to Count 2, DAVIDSON faces up to 10 years of imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.
Finally, as to Count 1, COLLINS faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. As to Count 2, COLLINS faces up to 10 years of imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine. For every charged count, TAYLOR, DAVIDSON, and COLLINS each face payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Knightdale Police Department, Atlanta Police Department, Rockmart Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Fort Stockton Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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CaaStle Founder Charged in $300 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging CHRISTINE HUNSICKER with wire fraud, securities fraud, money laundering, making false statements to a financial institution, and aggravated identity theft. The charges in the Indictment arise from an alleged scheme by the defendant to defraud investors in the fashion technology business CaaStle and a related venture out of more than $300 million through false statements, misleading claims, and fabricated documents. HUNSICKER self-surrendered this morning and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.
“As alleged, Christine Hunsicker defrauded investors of hundreds of millions of dollars through document forgery, fabricated audits, and material misrepresentations about her company’s financial condition,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The promise of pre-IPO technology companies can be fertile ground for fraudsters who play on investor euphoria. Investors should be aware of these incentives and that pre-IPO companies are not subject to the rigors of SEC registration. This Office is committed to protecting investors who place their trust and capital in emerging companies. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate, detect, and prosecute those individuals who abuse our markets and our investors”
“Christine Hunsicker allegedly submitted fraudulent financial statements to swindle investors and banks of more than $300 million,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “This alleged scheme was stitched together with repeated deception and misinformation, ultimately betraying the trust of the defendant’s clients. The FBI remains committed to apprehending any business owners who implement unlawful practices to increase their personal wealth.”
As alleged in the Indictment:[1]
HUNSICKER, a well-known entrepreneur and successful businessperson in the fashion-tech industry, founded and was the chief executive officer of CaaStle, a clothing technology business. While promoting CaaStle as a rapidly growing business valued at more than $1.4 billion, HUNSICKER knew that CaaStle was in financial distress with limited cash and significant expenses. To raise the capital for CaaStle’s operations, HUNSICKER provided investors with falsified income statements, fake audited financial statements, fictitious bank records, and sham corporate documents that grossly overstated CaaStle’s operating profit, revenue, and available cash. She also misrepresented to investors that their funds would be used to purchase discounted shares from existing shareholders who needed liquidity, when in fact she fabricated the existence of those shareholders and used the money as new capital for CaaStle while concealing the company’s cash needs. In total, HUNSICKER fraudulently induced more than $275 million in investments.
When confronted by an audit firm in October 2023 about transmitting a fake audit to an investor, HUNSICKER lied, falsely claiming that she had created the fake audit in connection with a lecture she gave at Princeton University, and that sending the audit to the investor had been a one-time error. In reality, HUNSICKER had provided two fake audits to the investor while soliciting an investment. She later repaid that investor to prevent the public disclosure of her fraud. Undeterred, she continued the scheme, providing an investor with fake bank account screenshots showing nearly $200 million in available cash when CaaStle had less than $200,000. One month later, in October 2024, HUNSICKER provided a different investor with a fake draft audit. In 2024, HUNSICKER also falsified the signature of a Board director to make it appear that the Board had authorized the grant of stock options to another investor, raising more than $20 million for CaaStle. Around the same time, HUNSICKER extended her fraudulent activities to a new business venture, P180, using false information about CaaStle’s success to raise approximately $30 million for P180. HUNSICKER also submitted false information about CaaStle to a bank in order to obtain and keep a $20 million personal loan.
Even after the CaaStle Board removed HUNSICKER as Chair and prohibited her from soliciting investments, she continued her fraudulent activities and attempted to raise new capital. In early 2025, she sold $8 million of her CaaStle shares and more than $5 million in P180 convertible notes without disclosing material information to investors. In February 2025, HUNSICKER attempted to sell an additional $19 million of her CaaStle shares to another investor. HUNSICKER persisted in her deceptive practices even after law enforcement agents seized her electronic devices in March 2025, continuing to meet with the investor about a fake audit without revealing its fraudulent nature, her removal from the Board, or the prohibition against her selling shares. CaaStle filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on June 20, 2025.
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HUNSICKER, 48, of Lafayette, New Jersey, is charged with one count of wire fraud, two counts of securities fraud, and one count of money laundering, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. HUNSICKER is also charged with one count of making false statements to a financial institution, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Clayton also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which separately initiated civil proceedings against the defendant today.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marguerite Colson and Alexandra Rothman are in charge of the prosecution.
us_v._hunsicker_indictment.pdf
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Byrd Gang Member Sentenced for Racketeering, Firearm, and Drug ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SAMUEL MORTON (“MORTON”),a/k/a “Sosa,” age 27, from New Orleans, was sentenced on July 2, 2025, for violations of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d), conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 1962(d); conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. § 846,; and conspiracy to possess firearms, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 924(o),.
According to court documents, MORTON was a member of the Byrd Gang, which operated primarily out of the former Magnolia Housing Development in Central City New Orleans. MORTON and other members of this organization and their associates ran a violent drug trafficking ring in and around New Orleans dating back to 2014. Its members daily distributed drugs, including heroin, fentanyl, crack cocaine and marijuana, and always possessed firearms. The gang, and MORTON specifically, committed many acts of violence, often in furtherance of an ongoing feud with its rivals, the Ghost Gang. Numerous individuals have been shot and killed on both sides, and innocent bystanders have also been caught in these retaliatory shootings.
United States District Judge Milazzo sentenced MORTON to 216 months imprisonment for each count, to be served concurrently, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. MORTON was also ordered to pay a $300 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Privitera and Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit.
Buffalo man arrested on gun chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Aden Ibrahim, 29, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of ammunition, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who is handling the case, stated that on the morning of July 9, 2025, Buffalo Police responded to a Woodette Place residence for a report of an “Unwelcomed Guest.” Upon arrival, the complainant told officers that an individual known as “Beano” refused to leave the residence. The complainant also stated that “Beano” was in possession of crack cocaine and a firearm. Officers later observed “Beano,” exit the residence and attempt to flee on foot. He was in possession of a U.S. Permanent Resident Card identifying him as Aden Ibrahim. Detectives were then called to the residence, where they observed in plain view a revolver with tape on the handle lying on the floor in a bedroom. The complainant stated that “Beano” was staying in the room and that all the contents in the bedroom belonged to him.
Detectives subsequently executed a search warrant at the residence, seizing a revolver, ammunition, approximately 26 grams of suspected crack cocaine base, and drug paraphernalia. Ibrahim was convicted of felonies in March 2022 and January 2024 and is legally prohibited from possessing ammunition.
Ibrahim made an initial appearance before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Romer and was detained.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alphonso Wright, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Bronx Woman and Queens Man Plead Guilty to Participating in Murder Plot That Killed Innocent BystanderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today that KARL SMITH, a/k/a “Pacavell,” and CHELSEY HARRIS, a/k/a “Ms. Chinn,” have pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Paul E. Engelmayer for their role in orchestrating a shooting that killed Clarisa Burgos, an innocent bystander. HARRIS pled guilty on June 26, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, 2025, and SMITH pled guilty yesterday and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2025. Two other defendants, DAJAHN MCBEAN, a/k/a “Jeezy Mula,” a/k/a “Freeze,” and JULISSA BARTHOLOMEW, a/k/a “Trophy,” a/k/a “Tactical Mommy,” have been charged and are awaiting trial.
“Karl Smith and Chelsey Harris participated in an elaborate plot to murder their victim, setting him up to be shot multiple times at several locations across New York City in December 2023,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “During one of those shootings, an innocent bystander, Clarisa Burgos, was tragically killed. Thanks to the hard work of the prosecutors in this Office and our law enforcement partners, Smith and Harris will now be held to account for this heinous crime. We and the NYPD are committed to making our streets safer and will tirelessly fight against gun crime.”
“This wasn’t random gunfire – it was a calculated plot to carry out a murder on New York City streets, and an innocent woman paid the price,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “It’s a stark reminder of how reckless, calculated violence puts innocent New Yorkers in the line of fire. I commend our detectives and federal partners for their unrelenting work to take violent criminals off the streets and hold them accountable.”
As alleged in public court filings, statements at public court proceedings, and the charging documents in the case:
In December 2023, MCBEAN was detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York (“MDC Brooklyn”), awaiting sentencing for directing a separate gang-related shooting in January 2017. While in federal custody, MCBEAN feuded over social media with another person (“Victim-1”). MCBEAN then used a contraband cellphone from inside MDC Brooklyn to conspire with SMITH and HARRIS, who were at liberty in the community, to lure Victim-1 to various nightclubs in New York City where MCBEAN had arranged for gunmen to kill Victim-1. MCBEAN paid SMITH and HARRIS through intermediaries, including BARTHOLOMEW, for their roles in this scheme.
The plot to kill Victim-1 resulted in two shootings. First, on December 24, 2023, MCBEAN and his co-conspirators lured Victim-1 to a nightclub (“Club-1”) in Queens, New York. Outside Club-1, gunmen shot and struck Victim-1’s car multiple times but missed Victim-1. Second, on December 26, 2023, MCBEAN and his co-conspirators tried again to kill Victim-1, this time luring him to a different nightclub (“Club-2”) in Queens. At MCBEAN’s direction from within MDC Brooklyn, gunmen again fired on Victim1’s car when it was parked outside Club-2. The bullets struck Victim-1 multiple times, but Victim-1 survived. The bullets also struck and killed Clarisa Burgos, who was seated in Victim-1’s car. Clarisa Burgos was twenty-eight years old.
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SMITH, 27, of Queens, New York, and HARRIS, 24, of the Bronx, New York, each pled guilty to stalking resulting in life threatening bodily injury and death, which carries a maximum term of life in prison. SMITH also pled guilty to aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm in furtherance of the plot to kill Victim-1, which carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison. HARRIS additionally pled guilty to aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm in furtherance of the plot to kill Victim-1, which carries mandatory minimum term of five years in prison.
The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the work of the U.S. Secret Service Financial Crimes Task Force and the NYPD. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations’ El Dorado Task Force for their assistance in the investigation. He added that the investigation is ongoing.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison, Andrew Chan, Dominic Gentile, and Timothy Ly are in charge of the prosecution.
Brazilian National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Framingham has been indicted with illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Joelson Gomes Fonseca, 39, is charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
According to the charging documents, Fonseca was deported in March 2008 after having been convicted of an aggravated felony.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Ferguson is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Brazilian National Charged with Assaulting Federal Officers During His ArrestRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that LUIS PETERSON ROHR FERREIRA BORGES, 24, a citizen of Brazil, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with offenses related to his assaulting federal officers during his arrest.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, Ferreira Borges has a case pending in Connecticut Superior Court stemming from an arrest on September 16, 2023. In that case, he is charged with assault of public safety, emergency medical, public transit or health care personnel; assault in the third degree; breach of peace in the second degree; interfering with an officer; and intimidation based on bigotry or bias in the first degree. On October 10, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) issued an arrest warrant for Ferreira Borges charging him with being present in the United States in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
It is further alleged that on January 28, 2025, officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), located and attempted to apprehend Ferreira Borges in Hartford, but he fled in his vehicle. Two ERO officers pushed themselves off the vehicle to avoid being run over. Ferreira Borges then drove on a sidewalk and nearly hit a bystander before fleeing the scene.
It is further alleged that on June 7, 2025, federal law enforcement officers made another attempt to arrest Ferreira Borges pursuant to the DHS warrant in East Hartford. Ferreira Borges led the officers on a lengthy foot chase before entering his vehicle, which had a license plate registered to another vehicle. Ferreira Borges fled the scene, hitting a law enforcement vehicle with his car as he drove away.
It is further alleged that federal law enforcement officers apprehended Ferreira Borges in the area of Zion Street in Hartford on June 25, 2025. Ferreira Borges was non-compliant and resisted arrest. After being placed in a government vehicle, he kicked, flailed, and screamed obscenities at ERO officers. As the vehicle traveled to the federal building on Main Street in Hartford, Ferreira Borges started to bite one ERO officer who tried to control him, and spit on a second ERO officer who was driving the vehicle.
Ferreira Borges is charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of eight years, and with influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of six years.
Ferreira Borges, who has been detained since his arrest, appeared yesterday in Hartford federal court.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Black Hawk Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Black Hawk, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on July 11, 2025.
Matthew Charles Ratliff, 51, was sentenced to five years and three months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution to online victims. He was further ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Ratliff will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Ratliff was indicted for Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography by a federal grand jury in May 2023. He pleaded guilty on April 7, 2025.
The case was reported through a Cybertip, which informed law enforcement the defendant was downloading and viewing images of young children being sexually abused. Searches of Ratliff’s various devices revealed around 280 images of child sexual abuse material. At sentencing, Judge Schreier discussed how each time an image of a child being sexually abused is viewed, that child is re-victimized. Some of the children in the images have been identified, and Ratliff was ordered to pay restitution to each of them.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Ratliff was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Billings man sentenced to 6 years in prison for possessing a firearm following a felony convictionRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced today to 72 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
In March 2025, a federal jury found Joshua David Heafner, 40, guilty of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on March 14, 2023, around 8:00 p.m., the Billings Police Department received a report of a hit and run at the intersection of North 31st Street and 6th Avenue North. Officers observed an unoccupied Volkswagen Passat in the middle of the intersection and witnesses described a man who resembled Heafner fleeing the scene on foot after the accident. Inside the car, officers saw a black pistol, some rounds of ammunition, and a methadone bottle with Heafner’s name on it. Heafner, who had outstanding arrest warrants at the time, was located near his residence, where he ran from the police before eventually being detained. Further investigation of the Passat revealed Heafner’s fingerprints in multiple locations on the driver’s side and on a cell phone found on the front driver’s side floorboard. Heafner was convicted of assault on a peace officer, robbery, and assault with a weapon, all felonies, in Billings in September 2013.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Yerger and Julie Patten prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Billings Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
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Billings man sentenced to 12 years in prison for distributing meth and fentanylRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A man who distributed drugs in the Billings area was sentenced today to 144 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Shannon Ray Emeline, 45, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on February 22, 2024, DEA agents arranged for a confidential source to purchase methamphetamine from Emeline. The deal took place in Emeline’s vehicle and the source paid him $2,000 for a quantity of meth.
In April 2024, agents with the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation searched a residence in Billings, where they located a significant quantity of methamphetamine. They subsequently learned Emeline had purchased the meth and was actively distributing the drugs in Billings.
On May 1, another confidential source told investigators Emeline was staying at a Billings hotel to meet with a source of supply. Agents surveilled the hotel and located Emeline’s vehicle in the parking lot. They performed a traffic stop, searched the vehicle, and seized a plastic bag containing meth and another bag containing fentanyl.
Investigators interviewed Emeline, who admitted renting the hotel room to facilitate the purchase of two pounds of meth. Agents subsequently searched the room and found a bag of meth, a bag of fentanyl, and $6,855.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Yerger prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the DEA, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, and Montana Highway Patrol.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
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Auburn Man Charged with Federal Program Fraud Makes His Initial Appearance in CourtRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – On Friday, July 18, 2025, Cesar Campos-Reyes, 52, a naturalized U.S. citizen and resident of Auburn, Alabama, made his initial appearance in federal court following his arrest earlier this week, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson.
On July 15, 2025, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies executed search warrants at multiple properties associated with Campos-Reyes after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with four counts of bank fraud, four counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering. These charges stem from an alleged scheme involving federal program fraud. In total, law enforcement searched 14 locations across six Alabama counties—Autauga, Baldwin, Crenshaw, Elmore, Lee, and Macon. Eight of the 14 locations were restaurants.
During today’s hearing, Campos-Reyes pleaded not guilty to all charges. A federal magistrate judge set the trial date for November 3, 2025, and scheduled a detention hearing for July 23, 2025, to determine whether Campos-Reyes will remain in custody pending trial. He is currently being held by the United States Marshals Service. If convicted on all counts, Campos-Reyes faces up to 30 years in federal prison and significant financial penalties. There is no parole in the federal system.
As part of Tuesday’s enforcement actions, three Mexican nationals—Luis Miguel Campos-Reyes, Isaac Fernandez-Lopez, and Marco Antonio Guzman—were also arrested and face federal charges. Luis Campos-Reyes and Fernandez-Lopez were each charged with harboring and unlawfully employing aliens, an offense punishable by up to one year in prison. Guzman was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. All three are scheduled for their initial appearances in court later this afternoon.
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The July 15 operation and resulting charges are the culmination of a coordinated investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). Additional support was provided by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Alabama Department of Corrections, United States Marshals Service, and the police departments of Auburn, Opelika, Prattville, and Wetumpka, as well as the Elmore, Lee, and Macon County Sheriff’s Offices.
Significant operational support was also provided by the Gulf of America Homeland Security Task Force, a joint enforcement initiative led by the FBI and HSI.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle R. Turner and John J. Geer III.
Ashley Man Sentenced to 300 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Yesterday, Kyle T. Brady, 39 years old, of Ashley, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Brady was sentenced to 300 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.According to documents in the case, on two occasions in July of 2022, Brady distributed methamphetamine. On July 19, 2022, a search warrant was served at Brady’s residence where approximately 250 grams of methamphetamine, a mixture of fentanyl and cocaine, and marijuana were found. Officers also located two handguns, a shotgun, an AR-15 rifle, two ballistic vests, and over a thousand rounds of ammunition. Brady has prior felony convictions for drug distribution and firearms offenses. This is Brady’s seventh conviction related to drug distribution, and as such, he was determined to be a career offender.
“Drugs, firearms, and large quantities of ammunition are never a good combination, especially when they are illegally possessed by a convicted felon,” said Proctor. “The public is safer thanks to the combined efforts of the excellent team that investigated and prosecuted this case.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with the assistance of the Auburn Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s North Central Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
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.
Armed Serial Robber Sentenced to 60 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
An armed serial robber and convicted felon who robbed five cash loan businesses across the Fort Worth metroplex was sentenced today to 60 years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.
Charles Brownlee, 37, was convicted by a jury in March 2025 for one count of Hobbs Act Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery, five counts of Hobbs Act Interference with Commerce by Robbery, five counts of Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm during a Crime of Violence, and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He was sentenced today to 720 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor, who also ordered him to pay $21,123.47 in restitution.
According to evidence presented at trial, between May 9 and May 21, 2024, Brownlee robbed at gunpoint five Cash Store businesses in Grand Prairie, Fort Worth, Euless, Hurst, and Grapevine. Trying to conceal his identity, Brownlee covered his face with a medical mask and wore different baseball caps and outfits for the robberies.
“After terrorizing employees at multiple businesses throughout the DFW area, this defendant’s violent crime spree ended because of the stellar work of our law enforcement partners,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “The lengthy sentence imposed justly puts this serial felon behind bars for a very long time and serves as a message to others that we will vigorously prosecute those who jeopardize our communities’ safety.”
“The significant sentence received by the defendant is a result of the collaborative efforts of the Longhorn Violent Crimes Task Force to hold a violent, serial robber accountable. This individual committed a series of robberies throughout Tarrant County and strong partnerships with local law enforcement allowed us to stop these acts of violent crime,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI will continue to work alongside our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to surge resources and fight violent crime in our communities across North Texas.”
Numerous law enforcement agencies were involved in the investigation, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, Fort Worth Resident Agency, Grand Prairie Police Department, Fort Worth Police Department, Euless Police Department, Hurst Police Department, and Grapevine Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric B. Chen and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas prosecuted and tried the case.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Reshay Rashard Nelson (45, Tampa) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Nelson pleaded guilty in April 2025.
According to court documents, officers from the Tampa Police Department stopped a vehicle driven by Nelson on April 10, 2023. A search of Nelson and his vehicle resulted in the discovery of an ounce of cocaine, a scale, and a loaded firearm. Nelson received an enhanced sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act based on his prior felony convictions for possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, obstructing an officer with violence, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, and trafficking in cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.
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.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years After Selling Drugs and Firearm to Undercover OfficerRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Rodrick Quinelle Dallas (38, St. Petersburg) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and distributing cocaine. Dallas pleaded guilty in April 2025.
According to court documents, on December 20, 2022, Dallas sold an undercover officer from the St. Petersburg Police Department a firearm and cocaine. Dallas received an enhanced sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act based on his prior felony convictions for resisting an officer with violence and sale of cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.
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.
Arizona drug trafficker sentenced to over seven years in prisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – An Arizona man was sentenced on July 15 to seven years and six months in prison after pleading guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of pills containing parafluorofentanyl and fentanyl.
According to court documents, three controlled buys were conducted in February and March 2022, Matthew Stuart Powlowsky, 35, sold meth and counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and parafluorofentanyl, which he shipped by mail from Arizona to Virginia. In all, the Powlowsky sold 86.48 grams of meth, which forensic analysis showed was 95% pure.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stephen Farina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-151.
Arapahoe County Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison in Connection with Robbery of Mail CarrierRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney for the District of Colorado announces that Marquis Taylor, age 29, was sentenced to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to assault with intent to rob a U.S. mail carrier.
According to the plea agreement, in September of 2023, Taylor and two other individuals committed a strong-arm robbery of a postal carrier while she was on duty in her mail truck taking her lunch break. Taylor and the other individuals attempted to obtain a universal mailbox key to access community mailboxes. The men were unable to steal the universal key, but did steal various pieces of mail, packages, and a postal scanner. The postal carrier suffered minor injuries as a result of the robbery. One of the other suspects, Dravell Ross, was sentenced last year to four years in prison for the crime.
“Attacking a postal carrier to steal mail is a federal crime that threatens both public safety and the integrity of our mail system,” said United States Attorney Peter McNeilly. “This office will continue to aggressively prosecute those people who target federal employees simply for doing their jobs.”
"Today's sentencing is a message to those who contemplate perpetrating senseless and traumatizing acts of violence against U.S. Postal Service employees," said Inspector in Charge Bryan Musgrove of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. "Robberies of our employees are a top investigative priority for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Rest assured that the dedicated men and women of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service will ensure perpetrators of these acts are brought to justice no matter how much time has passed and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
The defendant was sentenced on July 17, 2025, by United States District Judge Regina M. Rodriguez.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Neff.
Case Number: 24-cr-00250-RMR
Amherst businessman sentenced for COVID fraudRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today Hormoz Mansouri, 71, of Amherst, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, and bank fraud, was sentenced to time served and five years’ supervised release, to include one year of home detention. He was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $3,197,562 and to forfeit $1,888,603.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno, who handled the case, stated that Mansouri filed fraudulent loan applications under both the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. The loans available for these programs were designed to provide emergency financial assistance pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES Act). Mansouri controlled the following business entities which applied for loans:
- HLM Holding LLC,
- El Team Inc.,
- NPTS Inc.,
- 2060 Sheridan Drive LLC,
- 212 Holden Avenue LLC,
- 350 Old Niagara Falls Boulevard LLC,
- 47 East Amherst LLC, and
- 3600 Harlem Road LLC.
The PPP loans that the Mansouri-controlled entities obtained, either inflated or completely fabricated the average monthly payroll and six of the eight entities had no actual employees or payroll expenses at all. The total amount of money received from the fraudulent PPP loans totaled approximately $3,000,000. The Mansouri controlled entities also received approximately $450,600 in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). These loan applications falsely represented revenues and cost of goods sold. On May 28, 2021, the United States Attorney’s Office seized approximately $1,923,603 of the fraudulently obtained money.
Mansouri also moved the fraudulent PPP and EIDL funds between various bank accounts; commingling the proceeds with legitimate business revenues; and funding certain accounts, including a campaign account (in the name of “Mansouri for County Comptroller”).
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry Chavis.
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213 charged in new cases related to SDTX’s continuing efforts to secure southern borderRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – In support of Operation Take Back America, the Southern District of Texas has filed another 210 cases in immigration and border security-related matters from July 11-17, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The cases include 14 involving human smuggling. A total of 101 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while another 89 face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, sexual assaults, immigration crimes and more. Other relevant cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes and illegal fishing.
The criminal complaints include four men found in the Rio Grande Valley area after being removed already this year. The charges allege Humberto Alvarez-Chio, Irvin Gonzalez-Silva and Miguel Angel Reyes-Garcia have prior convictions for illegal reentry, human smuggling and sexual assault of a child, respectively. Juan Cruz-Montiel served a sentence for burglary before his removal July 11, but authorities found him again near Hidalgo just four days later, according to the allegations. All three men could face up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.
In McAllen this week, Lyford resident Jose Rodriguez Jr. was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for possessing images depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent children. Law enforcement originally arrested Rodriguez in connection with an alien transporting event. At that time, they seized his phone and discovered over 250 images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). At the hearing, the court heard additional information detailing Rodriguez’s prior conviction of aggravated sexual assault of a child, which involved tying up his 9-year-old victim before attempting to sexually assault her and tying up an eight-year-old witness. The court also heard he downloaded CSAM files on 20 separate occasions, beginning only six months after he was released from his 13-year sentence for the aggravated sexual assault of a child conviction. The court noted the need to protect the public from Rodriguez’s crimes and highlighted that Rodriguez had a complete lack of remorse for his actions. He had previously received 16 months for human smuggling conviction.
“Those who sexually assault children, possess child sexual abuse material, or smuggle human beings like some sort of commodity are all imbued with a common trait: total disdain for the inherent value and dignity of a human being. The defendant here had a history of doing all three,” said Ganjei. “Fortunately, SDTX prosecutors were successful in advocating for the maximum possible sentence in this case, that of 20 years, so Mr. Rodriguez will now have two decades to reflect on his conduct. I thank the jury for their time and attention in this important case.”
Euclides Vasquez-Hernandez faced a Corpus Christi federal jury for illegally reentering the United States. They heard that he had been removed in 2018, but authorities discovered him again March 7 in Robstown. Vasquez-Hernandez took the stand and ultimately admitted he reentered the country by crossing a river a few days after his removal. He now faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
A Laredo jury convicted a South Carolina woman of transporting illegal aliens. Sharon Thompkins was the passenger in a blue tractor trailer as it approached Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint 29 near Laredo. An x-ray scan revealed anomalies in the vehicle, and authorities found four illegal aliens sitting side-by-side on the bed in the sleeper compartment. She had instructed them to sit there and closed the curtains in order to conceal them. The defense attempted to convince the jury Thompkins was merely present and did not agree to illegally transport aliens. The jury did not believe those claims and found her guilty. She faces up to five years in federal prison.
Also of note was the sentencing of Sullivan City resident Carlos Alberto Salinas. He attempted to pick up 10 illegal aliens and approximately 100 kilograms of marijuana from the Rio Grande River. The court enhanced the sentence to 10 years after finding Salinas was responsible for smuggling over 75 aliens and fled to Mexico in an attempt to evade law enforcement.
As part of the announcements this week was the sentencing of two Brownsville residents for smuggling three illegal aliens in the trunk of a vehicle. Ofelia Christine Monares and Michael Rosa received 40 and 25 months, respectively. Law enforcement discovered three Vietnamese nationals in the trunk of a Nissan Sentra, dehydrated and sweating profusely. Monares and Rosa received increases in their calculated sentencing guideline range for placing the life of the aliens in jeopardy.
Finally, a 47-year-old Mexican national was also sentenced for illegally reentering the United States for a fourth time. Arnulfo Olivares-Cervantes was first removed in 1999 and returned three other times. He has multiple felony convictions including attempted murder, narcotics trafficking and illegal reentry. Authorities discovered him again in Edinburg. He received a 46-month sentence.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Thursday 17 July 2025
Woman who traveled the country impersonating victims to commit bank fraud sentenced to six years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A leader in a nationwide $1.4 million bank fraud scheme was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to six years in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Amber Towndrow, 36, was indicted along with coconspirator Darby Canfield, 35, in April 2024. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead said, “This was not a simple crime of desperation, this was a sophisticated nationwide fraud…. It was not a momentary loss in judgement. Despite one arrest, you continued in the scheme…. You did not just steal money, you stole peace of mind.”
“This was a sophisticated scheme using stolen information, fake IDs and business registration requirements across different states. This defendant was a primary actor for the operation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “She successfully impersonated her victims – indeed she memorized all the details of their lives. This significant federal sentence is aimed at setting her on a new, law-abiding path.”
According to records filed in the case, Towndrow and her coconspirators acquired personal identifying information for at least 19 victims nationwide. In Western Washington, the co-schemers used that personal information to register businesses with the Washington Secretary of State. Armed with the business documents and false identification documents such as drivers’ licenses and passports, Towndrow would open business bank accounts at financial institutions where the victim already had a personal savings account. The bank system would link the new business bank account to the real customer’s bank account. The conspirators would then transfer money from the personal bank account to the business account. Towndrow would then use a business account debit card to purchase money orders and high value goods such as designer merchandise or electronics. Towndrow and other conspirators would use various fake IDs to cash the money orders at locations such as Money Tree outlets.
With this scheme Towndrow committed bank fraud and identity theft in Washington, Colorado, Pennsylvania, California, New Jersey, Indiana, and Washington D.C.
Court records detail how Towndrow defrauded a victim living in Illinois by creating a company registered in Colorado. Towndrow listed the Illinois victim as the registered owner of the company. Towndrow traveled to a Chase branch in Seattle where she opened a business banking account for the fake company. Towndrow and her coconspirators used online banking to transfer $131,709 from the Illinois victim account to the business account. Towndrow used the business debit card to purchase 128 U.S. Postal Service money orders totaling $126,653. The money orders were made payable to various people the co-schemers could impersonate with their fake IDs. The conspirators then cashed several of the money orders at various locations in the Seattle area.
The plea agreement admits similar conduct regarding a victim residing in Texas, who was defrauded of $75,000, of which $50,000 was used to purchase MoneyGram money orders across the Seattle area.
Towndrow admits she opened at least 50 business bank accounts and attempted to obtain $1.4 million. She admits she successfully obtained $664,000.
The crime has a significant impact on the individual victims – even when the bank ultimately replaces the money stolen from the account. One victim had $40,000 stolen from her accounts just weeks before her wedding – adding significant stress to what should have been a joyful time. And the impact doesn’t end when the money is replaced.
Assistant United States Attorney Sean Waite wrote to the court, “for some victims, the impact may last a lifetime. Identity theft burdens victims with defending against debt collections, decreases in credit scores, and any host of expenses or liabilities that are unfairly associated with them. Victims often also encumber severe non-financial impacts, such as to their mental health and well-being.”
The case was investigated by The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Diplomatic Security Service, and the Seattle Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Waite.
Vacaville Man Indicted for Firearm and Drug PossessionRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging James Cargill, 44, of Vacaville, with two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, Cargill was arrested in January 2025 for possessing more than 500 grams of a substance or mixture containing methamphetamine and a loaded semi-automatic pistol. Cargill is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his prior felony convictions for burglary, evading police officers, and possession of a firearm. After being released from custody, Cargill was arrested again in May 2025 for possessing methamphetamine and another loaded semi-automatic pistol.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department, the Fairfield Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Cargill faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
United States and the States of Georgia, Colorado, and South Carolina Obtain $114.5M in Judgments in a Sprawling Cancer Genetic Testing Lab SchemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Kevin S. Murdock, former CEO and owner of the now-defunct laboratory Premier Medical, Inc., has agreed to a consent judgment of $27,544,460, acknowledging there is a likelihood he would be found liable in the civil action brought against him by the United States and the States of Colorado, Georgia, and South Carolina (the Governments) for violating the False Claims Act, the Georgia False Medicaid Claims Act, the Colorado Medicaid False Claims Act, and the South Carolina Medical Assistance Provider Fraud Statute. The settlement came one day before his two-week trial was set to begin.
This adds to the $87 million in judgments and settlements the Governments previously obtained against the other defendants named in their suit.
On July 30, 2021, the Governments filed a Joint Complaint in Intervention against Defendants Premier Medical, Inc., Kevin S. Murdock, Michael Conroy, Freedom Medical Labs, LLC, Robert Alan Richardson, and Edward Burch for fraud, waste and abuse against the Medicaid programs of Georgia, Colorado and South Carolina. On April 25, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina entered a default judgment totaling $71,015,255.70 against Premier Medical, Inc., the clinical lab previously owned by Kevin S. Murdock in Greenville, South Carolina. Premier Medical has been terminated by each of the Medicaid agencies of Georgia, Colorado and South Carolina.
By virtue of the default judgment against Premier Medical, the facts alleged by the Governments as to Premier Medical are taken to be true. Moreover, Murdock has acknowledged that there is a likelihood he would be found liable for violating the federal and state False Claims Acts. The Joint Complaint in Intervention included the following facts:
Premier Medical, its owner Kevin Murdock, and Michael Conroy (together, Premier Defendants), paid illegal kickbacks to Defendants Freedom Medical Labs, LLC, Robert Alan Richardson, and Edward Burch (together, Freedom Defendants), for referrals for expensive cancer genetic (CGX) testing. The Premier Defendants conspired with the Freedom Defendants to target Medicaid beneficiaries in the states of Georgia, Colorado and South Carolina because those states reimbursed favorably for CGX testing. As an example, Premier Medical could gain close to $12,000 in reimbursement for CGX testing of a Georgia Medicaid patient and close to $9,500 in reimbursement for CGX testing of a Colorado Medicaid patient. Accordingly, in 2018 and 2019, the Freedom Defendants traveled to Colorado, Georgia and South Carolina and set up tables in public spaces in low-income areas, such as bus stops, dollar stores and street corners, to target Medicaid beneficiaries. The Freedom marketers falsely advertised they were screening for cancer and enticed Medicaid beneficiaries to provide DNA samples with up to $20.. The Freedom Defendants only obtained samples from those who had a Medicaid card. They would then pay a telemedicine company for a provider’s order for the CGX testing for that individual. The provider ordering the test did not have a treating relationship with the beneficiary. Premier Defendants conspired with the Freedom Defendants and were aware these providers’ orders and patient samples were obtained using kickbacks, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. These claims were medically unnecessary because they were not the result of a valid test ordered by a patient’s treating provider. Further, patients never spoke to a provider and most never received the results of their tests.
For their roles in the scheme, Robert Alan Richardson, individually and on behalf of Freedom Medical, signed a consent judgment for $8 million, as did Edward Burch. They resolved the Governments’ claims for lesser amounts based on their ability to pay. As part of the resolution, Richardson and Burch admitted to certain conduct. Freedom Medical agreed to a period of exclusion from federal healthcare programs for a period of seven years. Richardson and Burch previously pleaded guilty for similar conduct related to their referrals of cancer genetic tests to a lab in Tennessee.
Additionally, the Governments resolved their case against former Vice President of Compliance for Premier Medical, Michael Conroy. Michael Conroy admitted that he assisted in Premier Medical’s and Freedom Medical’s efforts to target certain Medicaid beneficiaries by shipping collection kits to marketers in the target states, by running eligibility checks on beneficiaries, and by coordinating directly with a telemedicine group to obtain the physician orders. Conroy represents he was directed to do these things by Premier Medical’s owner, Kevin Murdock. To resolve the allegations against him, Michael Conroy paid $15,000 and he agreed to a three-year period of exclusion from federal health care programs.
Under the False Claims Act and state analogues, the Governments are entitled to treble damages plus penalties. All said, the Governments resolved this cancer genetic testing scheme against all defendants for more than $114 million in judgments and settlements. This scheme cost the Georgia Medicaid program $7,071,860.04, the Colorado Medicaid program $6,581,567.19, and the South Carolina Medicaid program $118,803.44.
“This is a significant victory in the fight against fraud, waste, and abuse in our state and nation,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Health care fraud is pervasive, and taxpayers should not be funding it. Without strong enforcement, it has the potential to cripple an overburdened system and to drain resources from the legitimate health care needs of elderly and disadvantaged Americans. The scheme perpetuated by the defendants in this case was fueled by greed and kickbacks, which have no place in health care. We will continue to invest all available resources, including by collaborating with other states, to protect our health care system and to hold accountable those who engage in this type of egregious fraud.”
"Health care executives who submit fraudulent claims to Medicaid undermine a valuable health care program intended to care for some of the most vulnerable populations in our country,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly J. Blackmon with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “This settlement demonstrates our steadfast commitment to safeguarding the integrity of taxpayer-funded health care programs like Medicaid as well as the well-being of enrollees who depend on those programs. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to use all the tools in our arsenal to hold those who steal from the American public accountable.”
“We’re committed to stopping scams that target our most vulnerable Georgians and play into fears about serious diseases such as cancer,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “This type of fraud and abuse will not be tolerated in our state, and we will continue to uphold the integrity of Georgia’s Medicaid program while protecting taxpayer dollars.”
"Medicaid fraud undermines the integrity of our healthcare system, harming both patients and taxpayers. Its existence cannot be tolerated. These recent civil judgments highlight the importance of stringent oversight and enforcement. Collaborating with state and federal partners on these endeavors is essential for safeguarding public health and ensuring that resources are directed where they are truly needed,” said South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. “We must remain vigilant in our efforts to root out fraud, waste, and abuse, holding accountable those who seek to exploit our healthcare system for personal gain."
The judgment includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Karen Mathewson, a former employee of Premier Medical. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Mathewson v. Premier Medical, Inc., 6:18-cv-00165-TMC (D.S.C.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina and the Attorneys General Offices of Georgia, Colorado, and South Carolina, with assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Beth Warren and Nancy Cote of the District of South Carolina, Senior Assistant AG Sara Vann and Assistant AG James Champlin of the Georgia Attorney General’s Office, Assistant AGs Lauren Jones and Hannah Perng, with support from Attorney Fellow Alison Noon, from the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant Deputy AGs Stephanie Opet and Brandon Steen of the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office.
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Undocumented Mexican National Indicted for Sex Trafficking a Minor, Drug Crimes, and other ChargesRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging an undocumented Mexican national, living in the United States illegally, with federal crimes, including sex trafficking a minor, production of child pornography, and multiple drug and firearm crimes.
Victor Manuel Sanchez-Chacon, aka “Speedy,” 31, of Mexico, living in Taylorsville, Utah, was previously ordered detained by a U.S. Magistrate Judge.
According to the court documents, on November 9, 2024 and between August 27, 2023 and September 1, 2023, Sanchez-Chacon allegedly enticed a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child sexual abuse material. Beginning on October 25, 2023, Sanchez-Chacon allegedly recruited and enticed a minor to engage in a commercial sex act.
As alleged, between August 2024 and December 2024, detectives with the South Valley Special Enforcement Team (SET) opened an investigation into the trafficking of narcotics to juveniles at high schools in the Salt Lake Valley area. During the investigation, Sanchez-Chacon was identified as a trafficker. On May 15, 2025, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and task force officers from SET conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle Sanchez-Chacon was driving. During a search of the vehicle, officers seized drugs and other items. Subsequently, a residential search warrant was executed and law enforcement also seized three firearms, associated ammunition, and body armor. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations records check revealed Sanchez-Chacon does not possess valid immigration documents and entered the United States at an unknown date and time.
Chacon is charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, unlawful alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, production of child pornography, and sex trafficking of a minor. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for July 21, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by task force officers from the South Valley Special Enforcement Team (SET), Taylorsville City Police Department, Draper City Police Department and special assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Assistant United States Attorney Carol A. Dain of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
This case was also brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Undocumented Alien Sentenced in Federal Court for Using a False Social Security Number to Obtain Employment at Boise HotelRead the Press Release
BOISE – Lina Marcela Ospina Isaza, 24, of Bucaramanga, Colombia, was sentenced to time served of approximately 2 months imprisonment for the false use of a social security number, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin D. Whatcott announced today. U.S. District Court Judge Amanda K. Brailsford waived the fine and special assessment due to Isaza’s likely deportation. Isaza pleaded guilty on June 10, 2025.
According to court records, Isaza, a Colombian citizen, unlawfully entered the United States near Otay Mesa, California on December 1, 2023. She was arrested and admitted to illegally crossing the international boundary without being inspected by an immigration officer at a designated Port of Entry. However, she was released from the custody of the Department of Homeland Security by “Order of Recognizance,” pending an immigration hearing. Isaza provided her address to a location in Massachusetts and was instructed that if she moved, she had five days to update her address with the Department of Homeland Security. Isaza instead moved to Boise and purchased a fraudulent social security card and a fraudulent legal permanent resident card. She presented both to a Boise hotel in April 2024 to obtain employment and signed an I-9 form that contained the fraudulent social security card number. She subsequently changed jobs and admitted to using the same fraudulent social security card to obtain new employment at a downtown Boise hotel in May 2024.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of Homeland Security Investigations, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Nafzger 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.
Isaza is one of eight recent indictments returned in the District of Idaho of undocumented aliens using false social security numbers and fraudulent legal permanent resident cards to unlawfully obtain employment at various businesses in Boise. The Department of Homeland Security continues to inspect I-9 employment forms to identify employees who fraudulently use social security numbers and/or fraudulent lawful permanent resident cards. False use of a Social Security Number is a felony offense which carries up to five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. For employers, the Department of Homeland Security increased civil penalties for Immigration Reform and Control Act violations on January 2, 2025. The new civil penalty for knowingly hiring, recruiting, referral or retention of unauthorized aliens was increased to a maximum fine of $5,724 (per unauthorized alien) for a first offense and up to $28,619 (per unauthorized alien) for a third or subsequent offense.
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U.S. Department of Justice Requests Data on Criminal Illegal Aliens in California JailsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Justice issued requests to sheriffs in multiple major California counties—including Los Angeles and San Francisco Counties—for lists of all inmates in their jails who are not citizens of the United States, their crimes of arrest or conviction, and their scheduled release dates.
In recent years, the United States suffered an invasion of illegal aliens at an unprecedented scale. Far too many of those illegal aliens have gone on to commit crimes on American soil, including rapes, murders, and other violent crimes. Today’s data requests are designed to assist federal immigration authorities in prioritizing the removal of illegal aliens who committed crimes after illegally entering the United States. Although every illegal alien by definition violates federal law, those who go on to commit crimes after doing so show that they pose a heightened risk to our Nation’s safety and security.
“Removing criminal illegal aliens is this Administration’s highest priority,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I look forward to cooperating with California’s county sheriffs to accomplish our shared duty of keeping Californians and all Americans safe and secure.”
The Department of Justice hopes that California sheriffs will voluntarily produce the requested information. But if necessary, the Department will pursue all available means of obtaining the data, including through subpoenas or other compulsory process.
Two defendants sentenced for their roles in retail theft ring involving over a million dollars worth of stolen merchandiseRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that James Civiletti, 34, of Greece, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce, was sentenced to serve 14 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. In addition, co-defendant Chad Lewis Jr., 20, also of Greece, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was also sentenced to serve 14 months in prsion.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that between December 2021, and October 17, 2024, Lewis, Jr. conspired with a group of serial larcenists, including Amanda Reeves and Shabon Banks, to engage in an ongoing retail theft conspiracy involving the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop. The pawn shop is owned and operated by another co-defendant Dominic Sprague and managed by Civiletti.
Lewis, Jr. and the other larcenists stole new-in-box items from store shelves on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis. They then sold the stolen goods to the pawn shop for a fraction of the actual retail value. The pawn shop, including Civiletti, then resold the stolen merchandise on eBay at much higher prices, resulting in significant profits. The pawn shop purchased 37,936 stolen new-in-box items from Lewis, Jr., Banks, and Reeves on more than 670 occasions, for which the larcenists were paid $290,000.00. The actual losses to the victim-retailers were approximately $1,160,000.00.
Reeves, Banks, and Sprague have also been convicted and are awaiting sentencing.
The sentencings are the culmination of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Internal Revenue Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry Chavis, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter.
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Two Men Plead Guilty to Money Laundering in Connection with Phishing Scams That Targeted SF-Based Company, Other VictimsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – George Aboagye and Dennis Jordan pleaded guilty to money laundering in connection with their roles in online phishing scams. Aboagye entered his guilty plea today and Jordan pleaded guilty on July 10, 2025.
Aboagye, 44, who previously resided in Stone Mountain, Ga., and Jordan, 39, who previously resided in Dallas, Texas, were originally indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 and charged by superseding informations in July 2025.
According to court documents and the plea agreements, in December 2019, Aboagye laundered $922,445.34 fraudulently obtained from a San Francisco-based business through a business email compromise scam. Employees at the victim business received a fraudulent email that purported to be from one of the business’s actual service providers. The email induced employees at the victim business to send a wire transfer in the amount of $922,445.34 to a bank account for a fake company. Aboagye and others used the fake company’s bank account to receive and launder the proceeds from this scam.
To conceal the source of the fraudulently obtained funds, portions of the $922,445.34 were distributed to Aboagye and other individuals, including Jordan, who deposited a $20,000 cashier’s check derived from the fraud proceeds into a bank account he set up under another fake business name.
Aboagye also wired other ill-gotten proceeds into accounts held in his name, including portions of $173,315.70 fraudulently obtained from a North Dakota state agency in May 2020 as part of a business email compromise and fraudulent payments totaling $80,300 from the Small Business Administration in August 2020. In sum, Aboagye admitted to laundering between $1.5 million to $3.5 million in fraudulent proceeds.
Jordan also admitted to using multiple fake companies and identities to open bank accounts, which he then used to receive funds from various victims, including $15,000 in January 2020 from a victim in California who believed the money was going to be used to obtain a shipment of gold from Australia, and $40,000 in April 2020 from a victim in California who believed the money was being used to help Covid-19 research. Jordan also used one such account to obtain a $220,000 loan through the Small Business Administration’s Covid-19 Paycheck Protection Program. Jordan used some of these funds to purchase a residence for himself in Dallas. In sum, Jordan admitted to laundering $336,600 in fraudulent proceeds.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.
Both defendants have remained in custody since their arrests and both were remanded into custody following their guilty pleas. Jordan and Aboagye are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Rita F. Lin. Each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. Any sentence will 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.
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.
Assistant United States Attorneys S. Waqar Hasib and Kevin Yeh are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Two Men Indicted with Conspiracy to Distribute 900 Pounds of Methamphetamine, One Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Joel Casas-Santiago, 46, and Guillermo Mercado-Chaparro, 44, are both charged with one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. Mercado-Chaparro is additionally charged with Illegal Reentry by a Removed Alien, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
According to court documents, an undercover police officer bought a pound of methamphetamine from Mercado-Chaparro, who was driving a Toyota Tacoma truck during the buy. Through post-buy surveillance, police learned that Mercado-Chaparro was traveling driving throughout south Minneapolis to conduct suspected drug deals.
Several days later, police saw Mercado-Chaparro walk to the Tacoma, retrieve two large garbage bags from the truck bed, and place them in a nearby Jeep Wrangler. The Jeep was eventually stopped, and Casas-Santiago and Mercado-Chaparro were ordered out of the car. A drug-sniffing dog alerted the odor of drugs in the Jeep. When police searched the Jeep, they found over 250 pounds of methamphetamine in the garbage bags and a cooler.
Police arrested Casas-Santiago and Mercado-Chaparro and then obtained a search warrant for the Tacoma. They searched the truck and seized over 630 pounds of methamphetamine from the truck bed.
Altogether, Casas-Santiago and Mercado-Chaparro were in possession of almost 900 pounds of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
“This isn’t just another drug bust—it’s one of the largest methamphetamine seizures in Minnesota history,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “A 900-pound haul like this doesn’t just show intent to distribute. It shows intent to poison entire communities. We will not let Minnesota become a distribution hub for cartel-scale operations. This prosecution is just the beginning.”
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Minnesota Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Ramsey County Crime Enforcement Team, the St. Paul Police Department, the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen Slaughter and Campbell Warner are prosecuting the case.
Two Men Are Sentenced to 10+ Years in Prison for Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Christopher Murrita Diaz, 20, and Gustavo Vergara Avalos, 21, both of Monroe, N.C., were each sentenced to 130 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release yesterday for drug and gun charges, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Both Diaz and Avalos pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession of a machinegun. Diaz also pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine, transfer of a machinegun, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Sheriff Eddie Cathey of the Union County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, law enforcement initiated and investigation into Diaz after they learned he was selling cocaine and machinegun conversion devices, commonly referred to as a “Glock switches.” During the investigation, Diaz sold cocaine to a confidential informant working with the ATF, 28 Glock switches, a firearm, two AR style firearms, and a machinegun. At least one of the sales of contraband occurred at Vergara-Avalos’ residence. In October 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence where they seized a total of 10 firearms, 26 Glock switches, and more cocaine.
Both men are in custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The ATF and Union, Union County Sheriff’s Office, the Monroe Police Department and the Waxhaw Police Department investigated the case. The U.S.
Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.
Two Indicted for Fraudulent FEMA Claims for Lahaina Fire and California Fire Federal DisastersRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Daylyn Harris, 34, and Chelsea Johnson, 32, of Honolulu, Hawaii, were arrested on July 15, 2025 and charged in a seven-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on July 17, 2025.
The indictment alleges that Harris and Johnson conspired with each other and carried out a wire fraud scheme, wherein Harris and Johnson submitted false claims to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”), claiming to have suffered income, housing, and property losses as a result of two federal disasters, when, as Harris and Johnson both knew, they did not live in the disaster area or suffer any such losses. Specifically, Harris falsely claimed that he resided in Lahaina, Hawaii during the Lahaina fires federal disaster in August and September 2023, and that he lost housing and income, suffered medical bills, and lost property when, in fact, did not suffer such losses. Johnson assisted the fraudulent claim by posing as Harris’s Maui landlord. The indictment also alleges that in January 2025, Johnson falsely claimed to live in Pacific Palisades, California during the California fires federal disaster and claimed lost housing and other expenses. The indictment alleges that, together, Harris and Johnson received over $60,000 in disaster relief from FEMA.
If convicted of the charged offenses, the defendants face up to thirty years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for each count.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the Honolulu Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese is prosecuting the case.
Twice deported Mexican national indicted for unlawfully returning to the United StatesRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Tyler, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jose Luis Rosales-Betancourt, 39, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with unlawful reentry following removal.
The indictment alleges that on July 8, 2025, Betancourt was twice previously deported in 2008 and 2013. Public records also indicate that Betancourt was previously convicted in 2006 of aggravated robbery in Smith County, after which he received a five-year prison sentence. Betancourt was again convicted in 2012 for illegal reentry following removal in the Eastern District of Texas, for which he was sentenced to 30 months.
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).
If convicted, Betancourt faces up to 20 years in federal prison and deportation.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations-Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Trinitarios Gang Member Arrested for Selling Fentanyl, Firearms, and Machine Gun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Ricky J. Patel, announced today the arrest of WILVYN ANTONIO ROSARIO MARTINEZ, a/k/a “Anthony,” a self-proclaimed member of the Trinitarios street gang. ROSARIO MARTINEZ is charged with, among other things, conspiring to distribute fentanyl and possessing, in connection with that conspiracy, numerous firearms, including an untraceable firearm and several devices that operated to convert the untraceable firearm into a machine gun capable of automatically shooting more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. ROSARIO MARTINEZ was presented yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the District of Massachusetts.
“As alleged, Rosario Martinez traveled from Massachusetts to New York to deal highly dangerous drugs and guns,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Besides selling fentanyl in the form of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills, multiple loaded firearms, firearms with serial numbers partially defaced, and an untraceable ghost gun, he also allegedly sold switches to convert the ghost gun into a fully automatic machine gun. The trafficking of these deadly poisons and lethal weapons fuels violence and overdose deaths in our communities. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue those who sell illegal drugs and firearms and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Wilvyn Antonio Rosario Martinez and his associates are accused of crimes that jeopardize the public’s safety in several ways,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “As alleged, he was among individuals found to be in possession of several firearms, including a ghost gun, several firearm ‘switches,’ which convert a pistol into a machine gun, and thousands of potentially ultra-deadly fentanyl pills – all of which could have caused irreparable harm or death to countless members of our New York neighborhoods. I thank the brave Special Agents and NYPD Detectives with HSI New York’s Violent Gang Task Force for confronting our community’s most serious offenses directly and without hesitation.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]
On five occasions between approximately December 2024 and May 2025, ROSARIO MARTINEZ and his associates – who claimed to be Trinitarios members – traveled from Massachusetts to New York to sell approximately 580 grams of powder fentanyl and counterfeit 30-milligram oxycodone pills that actually were pressed fentanyl, seven firearms, more than 100 rounds of ammunition (including armor piercing bullets), five firearm switches, and other firearm accessories. The firearms included three loaded firearms, two firearms with partially defaced serial numbers, a rifle, and a privately manufactured, untraceable ghost gun. NYPD analysis of the firearm switches confirmed that each one was operable and converted the ghost gun that was sold with the switches into a fully automatic machine gun, capable of continuous fire so long as bullets remained in the firearm’s clip. A photograph of the switches, some of the firearms, some of the ammunition, and some of the fentanyl pills sold by ROSARIO MARTINEZ and his associates appears below:
March 4, 2025 sale of a semiautomatic rifle, a pistol with a partially obliterated serial number, a magazine that had been loaded with 8 armor piercing bullets, 65 other rounds of ammunition, and approximately 595 fentanyl pills
May 7, 2025 sale of a ghost gun, a magazine that had been loaded with 9 rounds of ammunition, 5 ghost gun switches, and approximately 2,000 fentanyl pills
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ROSARIO MARTINEZ, 35, of Lynn, Massachusetts, is charged with one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of possessing firearms, including machine guns, in furtherance of the fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, which carries a mandatory sentence of 30 years in prison, to be served consecutive to any other prison term imposed, and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of possessing and transferring a machine gun, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI’s Violent Gang Task Force and the Yonkers Police Department.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Cheng is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._rosario_martinez_complaint.pdf[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Tigard Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Murder and Aggravated Assault for Shooting a U.S. Postal Service EmployeeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Tigard, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for shooting a United States Postal Service letter carrier.
Kevin Eugene Irvine, 34, was sentenced to 205 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on December 24, 2022, while driving a white van through a Milwaukie, Oregon neighborhood, Irvine made eye contact with a letter carrier delivering mail on foot. Irvine threw his arms in the air, which the letter carrier mistook as waving, and the letter carrier waved back.
A short time later, on an adjacent street, the letter carrier noticed the same van and again made eye contact with Irvine as he drove past. Irvine stopped the van several houses away, got out of the van with a rifle, knelt on the street and fired three rounds, striking the letter carrier once as the letter carrier ran for cover. After the shooting, Irvine picked up his shell casings and drove off.
On December 28, 2022, officers spotted the van in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where they stopped the vehicle and arrested Irvine. Later, investigators sought and obtained a search warrant for Irvine’s van and found three rifles, ammunition, spent shell casings, a knife, shooting targets and ballistic gear.
On February 8, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Irvine with aggravated assault on a federal employee with a firearm, attempted murder of a federal employee, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
On March 26, 2025, Irvine was convicted of all three counts following a bench trial.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Milwaukie Police Department and the Lake Oswego Police Department. It was prosecuted by Gary Y. Sussman and Eliza Carmen Rodriguez, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Three Memphis Bank Robbers Convicted at TrialRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Memphis, Tennessee, convicted three men today for their roles in a violent bank robbery conspiracy, involving five bank robberies and an attempted sixth, in which the robbers shot two people. The defendants were found guilty of four bank robberies and using firearms during some of those robberies. Four of their co-defendants have pleaded guilty.
“The bank robberies committed by these seven defendants included gun-point threats, instilling fear and chaos in innocent victims going about their days,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their actions terrorized bank employees and customers alike. We are grateful to our prosecutors, the FBI, and our local law enforcement partners for bringing these dangerous individuals to justice and helping make the Memphis community safer."
“The hard work and determination of the FBI and its partners cannot be overstated,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, “We are proud that our actions held these criminals accountable for their harm to the Memphis community.”
Evidence at trial proved that between April 2023 and December 2023, the defendants, Courtney Trenell, 34; Devin Hinds, 36; and Joshua Cribbs, 33, all of Memphis, conspired to rob banks in and around Memphis. Four of the co-conspirators, Robert Haley, Travis Drain, Marquarius Trenell, and Monterrio Trenell, already pleaded guilty to bank robbery and using a firearm during the robberies.
During the Aug. 11, 2023, robbery of a branch of Truist Bank, Hinds raised a gun and shook it back and forth at a bank customer to instill fear and deter her from notifying law enforcement. He then served as a getaway driver. Hinds also drove a getaway car during the Dec. 22, 2023, robbery of a branch of the Independent Bank where a co-defendant pointed a semi-automatic military-style rifle at bank employees.
Courtney Trenell and Cribbs helped rob branches of the Bank of Bartlett and First Horizon Bank on Oct. 20, 2023. The defendants planned to rob the banks, which are directly across the street from each other, at the same time to confuse law enforcement and evade capture. Cribbs entered the Bank of Bartlett with a trash bag and threatened bank employees into handing over money. Cribbs unknowingly took at least one dye pack, which exploded after the robbers fled, releasing red dye that stained the stolen cash. During the Bank of Bartlett robbery, Courtney Trenell operated a second getaway vehicle stationed about a mile from the robbery, aiding one of the robbers in fleeing the area.
At trial, an FBI special agent testified that the defendants spoke over conference calls before and after the robberies, which the government argued was to coordinate the crimes. An FBI analyst testified that DNA evidence from Courtney Trenell and Hinds was found inside their respective getaway vehicles.
In total, the group stole over $170,000 cash from five bank robberies. The sixth robbery attempt was unsuccessful and ended in a shoot-out between the co-defendants and an armed security guard where the robbers shot two victims. Co-defendants Haley and Drain coordinated the five robberies and one attempted robbery throughout the conspiracy, while Marquarius Trenell robbed the Truist Bank on Aug. 11, 2023, as well as the Bank of Bartlett with Monterrio Trenell, and others, on Oct. 20, 2023.
Cribbs is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 22, and Courtney Trenell and Hinds are scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23. Their co-defendants who earlier pleaded guilty will face sentencing later this year. A federal district judge will determine sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hinds faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for his use of a firearm during a bank robbery; Courtney Trenell and Cribbs each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for their roles in the robberies.
A grand jury indicted an eighth co-defendant, Mario Patterson, 45, of Memphis, for his role in the conspiracy, as well as the individual bank robberies and firearm crimes he committed. He faces trial later this year and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The FBI and the Memphis Police Department Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Ashleigh Atasoy of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory A. Wagner, Stephen Hall, and Tony Arvin for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Safe Streets Task Force’s efforts to prosecute violent crimes in Memphis, Tennessee and surrounding areas.