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Wednesday 16 July 2025
Essex County Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man pled guilty on July 15, 2025, to multiple firearms offenses, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Kaiyir Green, 22, of Newark, New Jersey, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court to a four-count indictment charging him with two counts of possession of a firearm and/or ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of illegal possession of a machine gun, and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.
According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in Court:
On March 1, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to a report of a stolen vehicle and observed Green attempting to enter the stolen vehicle. When law enforcement approached, Green fled and led law enforcement on an extended foot chase. Law enforcement eventually apprehended Green and they recovered from him a privately manufactured firearm (commonly referred to as a “ghost gun”) loaded with five rounds of ammunition. After Green was arrested, he made several phone calls from a recorded line at the detention center in which he directed others to go to his home and remove “everything” including a “black bag.” Law enforcement later observed an individual remove a black bag from Green’s home. A search of that bag revealed a firearm that had been modified with a switch rendering the firearm fully automatic. The fully automatic firearm was also loaded with one round of 9mm ammunition in a large capacity magazine. Law enforcement also recovered a 50-round capacity drum magazine.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited law enforcement members with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr.; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, and Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief Giacomo Sacca, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The charges of being a felon in possession of firearms and/or ammunition each carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of a firearm carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of an unregistered firearm carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
Green’s sentencing is scheduled for November 25, 2025.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel for Green: Claressa Lowe, Esq.
green.indictment.pdfChoctaw County Trio Sentenced for Roles in 2020 Double HomicideRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that three Fort Towson, Oklahoma co-conspirators in a 2020 double homicide were sentenced in federal district court.
Ashlie Nicole Rose Martin, age 22, was sentenced to 456 months in prison for one count of Conspiracy to Commit Murder.
Chad Jon’Dale Voyles, age 23, was sentenced to 420 months in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country.
Bryson Noel Miller, age 19, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office.
According to investigators, on December 22, 2020, Martin, then age 17, recruited Voyles, age 18, and Miller, age 15, to murder her parents. That evening, Martin let Voyles and Miller into her house through a rear window. Miller and Voyles found Martin’s mother sleeping on a couch and beat her to death. All three assisted in burying her in a shallow grave in the backyard. After the murder of Martin’s mother, the co-conspirators cleaned up and disposed of evidence of the murder.
Over the next few hours, Martin attempted to arrange plans to flee, while Voyles and Miller awaited the arrival of Martin’s father at Martin’s residence. When Martin’s father arrived, Voyles ambushed him and fired at him with a compound bow and field-tipped arrow. Voyles missed, leading to a struggle with the father. Ultimately, Miller intervened and struck the father in the head with a dumbbell. Once incapacitated, Voyles and Miller doused the man in gasoline and set him and the house on fire.
The crimes occurred in Choctaw County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“In December 2020, two lives were tragically cut short, and the entire community of Fort Towson was gripped by fear and disbelief,” said FBI Oklahoma City Acting Special Agent in Charge Joe Ogden. “The ruthless violence displayed by all three defendants in this case undoubtedly proves they belong behind prison walls. The efforts of the FBI and our law enforcement partners have guaranteed they will each feel the full weight of the federal justice system.”
“The defendants’ actions were brutal and horrifying,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Although nothing can erase the effects of these crimes or ease these families’ agony, the sentences imposed remove three very dangerous people from our community for a very long time.”
The Honorable David C. Joseph, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sitting by appointment, presided over the hearing. The defendants will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve non-paroleable sentences of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.
Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Aiding and Abetting Money Laundering in Relation to a COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Shamiese Wright, 32, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on July 14, 2025, to aiding and abetting monetary laundering.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wright received $15,625 in proceeds from a criminally derived Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). On April 19, 2021, co-defendant Kisha Sutton submitted a PPP loan application on Wright’s behalf, listing Wright as a self-employed individual who received $75,000 in gross income in 2020. The application was filed with an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040, Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business, reflecting that Wright had earned $75,000 in 2020.
As part of her guilty plea, Wright admitted that she was not self-employed, that she never earned $75,000 in any year, and that the IRS Form 1040 submitted with her application was fraudulent and created solely to obtain the PPP loan.
A PPP lender in Florida approved Wright’s loan application, and $15,625 in fraudulent loan proceeds were electronically deposited in Wright’s personal bank account in Charleston on or about May 7, 2021. As part of her guilty plea, Wright admitted that she transferred $3,000 to Sutton from the fraudulent PPP loan proceeds using a digital wallet application between May 7, and May 21, 2021. Wright further admitted that the transfers were compensation for facilitating the submission of Wright’s fraudulent loan as they had agreed, and that she staggered her payments to Sutton and provided misleading transfer descriptions for them to conceal and disguise the nature and the source of the money. Wright spent the remainder of the fraudulent loan proceeds on personal expenses.
The CARES Act made forgivable PPP loans available to qualifying sole proprietors, independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other eligible expenses. Applicants were required to certify that they were in operation on February 15, 2020, and provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020.
Wright is scheduled to be sentenced on October 29, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. Wright also owes up to $18,736.73 in restitution.
Wright and Sutton, 44, of Jersey City, New Jersey, are among several individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging they and others conspired, as well as aided and abetted one another, to obtain fraudulent PPP loans totaling $140,625. Co-defendants William Powell and Damisha Brown each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Powell, 35, of Huntington, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14, 2025 and Brown, 32, of Charleston, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 2, 2025. Co-defendant Jasmine Spencer, 32, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on March 25, 2025, to aiding and abetting bank fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 21, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage and Jennifer D. Gordon and former Assistant United States Attorney Holly Wilson have prosecuted the case.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-192.
Caribou Man Sentenced to 8 years for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A former Caribou man was sentenced on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possessing child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Devin Madigan, 30, to eight years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $20,500 in restitution. Madigan pleaded guilty on February 4, 2025.
According to court records, in April 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip from Kik, a messaging and chat app, that a user had uploaded videos containing child sexual abuse material. The videos captured the sexual abuse of victims as young as 1 to 3 years old. The account was later traced to Madigan. A forensic investigation of Madigan’s phone revealed images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case with assistance from the Grafton County (NH) Sheriff’s Office and the Brewer Police Department.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt, or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Camden County Man Admits Preparing False Tax Returns and Causing Tax Loss of More Than $16,000,000Read the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County tax preparer admitted to preparing false tax returns for his clients and causing more than $16,000,000 in tax losses, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced today.
Michael Sigall, 55, of West Berlin, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to two counts of aiding or assisting the preparation of false tax returns.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2018 through 2024, Sigall operated an income tax return preparation business. During this period, he prepared and filed income tax returns for hundreds of clients that contained materially false statements relating to tax credits for residential energy improvements. As a result of these false and fictitious credits, Sigall’s clients received inflated refunds to which they would not have been entitled if Sigall had prepared accurate tax returns. The false tax returns prepared by Sigall caused a tax loss of more than $16,000,000.
Each count of aiding or assisting the preparation of false tax returns is punishable by a maximum of 3 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross loss or gain from the offense, whichever is greatest.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 2, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division.
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Defense counsel:
Rocco C. Cipparone, Jr., Haddon Heights, New Jersey
sigall.information.pdfCalifornia man sentenced to 15 years in prison for selling meth and fentanyl in BozemanRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A California man who distributed meth and fentanyl in Bozeman beginning in 2022 was sentenced today to 180 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Shante Maurice Anthony, 47, pleaded guilty in March 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that the DEA received information in 2024 that Shante Anthony had been selling drugs in Bozeman and the surrounding areas since 2022. Agents learned Anthony lived in California and would repeatedly travel to the Bozeman area to distribute meth and fentanyl. Informants told the agents Anthony would mail drugs to Bozeman and then fly to Montana, pick up the drugs, and distribute them. One source said Anthony had been following that pattern for five or six months and the DEA obtained flight records that confirmed Anthony was traveling to Bozeman an average of two times per month.
On November 20, 2024, Anthony was planning a trip to Bozeman the following day and sending a package that likely contained drugs. On November 22, 2024, he contacted the Postal Service to check the status of the package. The DEA contacted a Postal Inspector, who located the parcel at the Bozeman Post Office. The package was searched and the agents seized 1,000 fentanyl pills and a quarter-pound of meth. Text messages and phone conversations between Anthony and others confirmed he was distributing the drugs.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the DEA and the Missouri River Drug Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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California Man Indicted for Scheme to Defraud New Jersey Company of Millions of DollarsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A California man has been indicted for fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars from a victim company based in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Joseph Rodriguez, 70, of Irvine, California, is charged by indictment with three counts of wire fraud. Rodriguez was arrested yesterday and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Early in Santa Ana, California federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In January 2015, Rodriguez, through his company Old American Incorporated, entered into a factoring agreement with a New Jersey company (identified in the indictment as “Victim-1”) to obtain loans secured or collateralized by accounts receivable. Under the factoring agreement, in which a business sells its outstanding invoices to a third party for immediate cash, Old American retained control over customer relationships and debt collection and was required to pay back Victim-1 directly within 90 days.
From February 2023 through July 2023, Rodriguez submitted to Victim-1 fraudulent invoices for future accounts receivable that Rodriguez represented were owed to Old American. In fact, the customers listed in the invoices Rodriguez provided to Victim-1 did not owe any money to Old American for any outstanding invoices, and there were no accounts payable to turn over. Based on the fraudulent invoices, Victim-1 made millions of dollars of advance payments to Rodriguez, which he did not return.
Each of the wire fraud charges carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or loss to the victim, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Farhana C. Melo and Benjamin D. Bleiberg of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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rodriguez.indictment.pdfBoston Man Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Prison for Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Kyvon Ross, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 46 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2025, Ross pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On Oct. 3, 2024, Ross was approached by law enforcement after driving a moped at a high speed and without a rear license plate. Ross accelerated directly at one of the officers before losing control of the moped and falling to the ground. Ross was found in possession of a loaded Glock handgun with an obliterated serial number.
Ross is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2021 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The Boston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division, prosecuted the case.
Belgrade man sentenced to 6 years in prison on drug chargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Belgrade man who intended to distribute fentanyl was sentenced today to 72 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Justin Olen Brown, 40, pleaded guilty in February 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on February 23, 2024, Brown was stopped by law enforcement while driving near Ramsey, Montana. The officers saw three lock boxes and multiple items of drug paraphernalia in the car and applied for a search warrant, which led to the seizure of 173 grams fentanyl.
Brown admitted to buying the fentanyl pills in Spokane, Washington, and said he was planning to sell them pills in Montana. Brown also admitted he had taken similar trips to obtain fentanyl pills for sale in the past.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by Southwest Montana Drug Task Force, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Baltimore Man Indicted for Assaulting U.S. Postal Service Letter CarrierRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment, charging Jamie Paul Taylor, 47, of Baltimore Maryland, with assaulting a federal employee. Taylor assaulted a United States Postal Service letter carrier who was engaged in performing official duties.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to the indictment, Taylor assaulted a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier with a deadly or dangerous weapon, a knife, inflicting bodily injury to the letter carrier.
On June 11, 2025, law enforcement officers responded to a stabbing in the 3100 block of Strickland Street in Baltimore. The victim and witnesses told law enforcement that Taylor accused the victim of not being a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, announced that he was going inside his residence to get a knife, and then returned with a knife and attacked the victim. The victim sustained an injury to his finger and his elbow while he attempted to flee from the assault. Taylor subsequently threw the knife at the postal worker before the victim and witnesses subdued him.
If convicted, Taylor faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Rigney who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Baton Rouge Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis announced that Thomas Mills V, age 58, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to possession of child pornography. A jury trial had commenced before Mills entered his guilty plea.
According to admissions made during his plea, on or about October 22, 2018, officers with the Zachary Police Department were dispatched to an area on Highway 19 in reference to a suspicious vehicle. An anonymous caller advised that an unknown male was parked in an alley behind a party store. Upon arrival, officers approached the entrance of the alleyway and encountered Mills who was the driver and sole occupant of a 2008 Honda Fit. Mills exited the vehicle and initially told officers that he was cleaning his car behind the buildings. He then advised he was using the internet to send emails. Mills presented officers with his Louisiana driver's license, which indicated that he was a resident of Baton Rouge and a registered sex offender.
Because Mills initially told officers that he lived in Zachary but was registered as a sex offender in Baton Rouge, officers believed that Mills was possibly in violation of state sex offender registration laws. Mills was observed acting nervously when speaking with the officers. Despite officers requesting Mills to remain in front of one of the patrol vehicles as they attempted to verify his information, Mills was observed moving towards his vehicle and was ordered to return to the front of the patrol unit on three separate occasions. While officers were questioning Mills about the address discrepancy, they approached Mills' vehicle and observed a laptop computer in plain view on the driver's side floorboard and a USB storage device on the front passenger seat.
Officers initiated a criminal history check on Mills which revealed Mills had a previous federal felony conviction for possession of child pornography in 2012. After learning this information, Mills was asked if he was on probation. Mills responded affirmatively, identified his probation officer, and provided their contact information. Officers also verified that the 2008 Honda Fit was registered to Mills.
While on scene, officers contacted the probation officer and learned that Mills was in violation of his conditions of supervised release by possessing a computer and computer components such as USB storage devices. The probation officer requested that officers seize the electronic devices in Mills' possession.
After securing Mills inside of unit, officers recovered approximately nineteen electronic devices from Mills' vehicle. The nineteen devices seized from Mills were sent to a forensic examiner with U.S. Probation and Pretrial for forensic analysis. The analysis revealed approximately 1,325 pictures and 6 videos depicting child exploitation images.
In 2013, Mills was sentenced to 62 months imprisonment for his 2012 conviction for possession of child pornography.
This matter was investigated by the Zachary Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Eli J. Abad and Ben Wallace.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Auburn Man Charged with Federal Program FraudRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – An Auburn, Alabama man charged with federal crimes related to loans received through the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is now in federal custody, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. On July 15, 2025, law enforcement conducted an operation to execute search warrants and locate 52-year-old Cesar Campos-Reyes, who was indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts of bank fraud, four counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering. The United States District Court in Montgomery unsealed Campos-Reyes’s criminal indictment today. Campos-Reyes surrendered to federal authorities Tuesday evening.
Two sources of relief provided by the CARES Act are the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Both programs were intended to help eligible small businesses by giving them working capital to make regular payments for operating expenses such as payroll, rent or mortgage expenses, utilities, or business debt. The indictment alleges that Campos-Reyes made false representations when applying for multiple loans for various restaurants owned and operated by him and for using the proceeds for unauthorized purposes.
The charges are the result of a wide-ranging investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). This operation received significant support from the Gulf of America Homeland Security Task Force, which is a collaborative law enforcement unit including the FBI and HSI. Additional assistance was provided by 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, Auburn Police Department, Opelika Police Department, Prattville Police Department, Wetumpka Police Department, Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and United States Marshals Service.
A criminal indictment or complaint is merely an allegation that a crime has been committed. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted on all charges, Campos-Reyes faces a sentence of up to 30 years in prison along with significant fines. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle R. Turner and John J. Geer, III.
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).
Armenian National Extradited to the United States Faces Federal Charges for Ransomware Extortion ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—An Armenian national extradited from Ukraine to the United States faces federal charges for his role in Ryuk ransomware attacks and extortion conspiracy targeting companies throughout the United States, including a technology company operating in Oregon.
Karen Serobovich Vardanyan, 33, an Armenian national, has been charged with conspiracy, fraud in connection with computers, and extortion in connection with computers. Vardanyan was extradited from Ukraine to the United States on June 18, 2025.
Levon Georgiyovych Avetisyan, 45, an Armenian national, has been charged with conspiracy, fraud in connection with computers, and extortion in connection with computers. Avetisyan is the subject of a United States extradition request in France.
Oleg Nikolayevich Lyulyava, 53, and Andrii Leonydovich Prykhodchenko, 53, both Ukrainian nationals, have been charged with conspiracy, fraud in connection with computers, and extortion in connection with computers. Lyulyava and Prykhodchenko are not in custody.
According to court documents, between March 2019 and September 2020, Vardanyan and co-conspirators are alleged to have illegally accessed computer networks of victim companies to deploy Ryuk ransomware on hundreds of compromised servers and workstations. Ryuk ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to encrypt data on a victim's computer or network and prevents the victim from accessing the encrypted files until a ransom is paid.
Ryuk has been used to target thousands of victims worldwide across a variety of sectors, including private industry, state and local municipalities, local school districts, critical infrastructure, and hospitals and other healthcare services and providers. Ryuk attacks have severely disrupted these entities’ abilities to function by restricting access to data and impacting communications.
As part of the scheme, ransom payments were extorted from victim companies in exchange for decryption keys to regain access to their data. A ransom note was placed on the computer systems demanding ransom payments in Bitcoin, a form of cryptocurrency, and provided an email address that victims could use to communicate with the cybercriminals. Vardanyan and co-conspirators are alleged to have received approximately 1,610 bitcoins in ransom payments from the victim companies, which was valued at over $15 million at the time of payment.
Vardanyan made his first appearance in federal court June 20, 2025, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending a seven-day jury trial scheduled to begin on August 26, 2025.
If convicted, Vardanyan faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, three years’ supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 for each count.
The case is being investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Katherine A. Rykken, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing Vardanyan’s arrest and extradition from Ukraine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the Ukrainian authorities for their assistance in this matter.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tuesday 15 July 2025
Weymouth Man Pleads Guilty to COVID Unemployment FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Weymouth man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to submitting fraudulent information in an effort to obtain unemployment benefits through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program.
Dominik Manigo, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy and one count of wire fraud. In January 2025, Manigo was indicted along with co-conspirator Nelson Roche Diaz.
In May 2020, Manigo, and allegedly Roche, submitted fraudulent claims for PUA on the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance portal. Further, Manigo, and allegedly Roche, submitted fraudulent letters claiming the pandemic had impacted their employment at a restaurant in Boston. Neither Manigo nor Roche ever worked at the restaurant. Manigo and allegedly Roche, each received over $43,000 in PUA and related funds.
The charges of wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Labor Racketeering and Fraud, Northeast Region; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Weymouth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wentzville, Missouri, Man Sentenced to 210 Months for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Wentzville, Missouri, man, Mark Randle, 44, was sentenced on July 15, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless to 210 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine.
Randle was indicted in October 2020 and pleaded guilty in March 2025.
The statutory penalties for distributing methamphetamine in this case were no less than 15 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $20,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Illinois State Police; the Quincy Police Department; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Randle 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.
Wentzville, Missouri, Man Sentenced to 210 Months for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Wentzville, Missouri, man, Mark Randle, 44, was sentenced on July 15, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless to 210 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine.
Randle was indicted in October 2020 and pleaded guilty in March 2025.
The statutory penalties for distributing methamphetamine in this case were no less than 15 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $20,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Illinois State Police; the Quincy Police Department; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Randle 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.
Waterbury Man Sentenced to 58 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE ANTONIO MOLINA-MONTALVO, 36, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 58 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a firearm offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 15, 2024, Molina-Montalvo sold a Harrington & Richardson 1871 INC. Handi Rifle, and 39 rounds of ammunition, to an individual for $300.
Molina-Montalvo’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for assault, possession with intent to sell narcotics, strangulation, harassment, burglary, and larceny. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Molina-Montalvo has been detained since his arrest on unrelated state charges on October 21, 2024. On March 28, 2025, he pleaded guilty in federal court to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Guevremont through Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Vance Boelter Indicted for the Murders of Melissa and Mark Hortman, the Shootings of John and Yvette Hoffman, and the Attempted Shooting of Hope HoffmanRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Vance Boelter, 57, has been indicted on six federal charges in connection with the stalking and murders of Minnesota House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman, the stalking and shooting of Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette Hoffman, and the attempted shooting of their daughter Hope Hoffman, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
“Vance Boelter planned and carried out a night of terror that shook Minnesota to its core,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “He carried out targeted political assassinations the likes of which have never been seen in Minnesota. We grieve with the Hortman family and continue to pray for the recovery of the Hoffmans. Today, a grand jury indicted Boelter with the most serious of federal charges for these heinous political assassinations. Let me be clear: Boelter will see justice.”
According to court documents, after extensive research and planning, Boelter embarked on a murderous rampage targeting Minnesota’s elected officials and their families. On June 14, 2025, the defendant disguised himself as a member of law enforcement and traveled to the homes of Democratic elected officials with the intent to intimidate and murder. Early that morning, the defendant traveled to the Hoffmans home in Champlin, Minnesota. By posing as a police officer, Boelter compelled the Hoffmans to answer their door. He then repeatedly shot Senator Hoffman and Yvette Hoffman and he attempted to shoot their daughter, Hope Hoffman.
Boelter then traveled to the homes of two other Minnesota elected officials, only to find that no one at those locations was home. He next drove to the home of Speaker Emerita and Representative Melissa Hortman. There, Boelter repeatedly shot, and killed, Representative Hortman and her husband, Mark. Following a two-day manhunt, law enforcement arrested the defendant near his family residence in Green Isle, Minnesota.
The defendant is charged with numerous counts, including the stalking and murders of Melissa and Mark Hortman, the stalking and shooting of John and Yvette Hoffman, and the attempted shooting of Hope Hoffman. The defendant faces charges which include maximum penalties of up to life in prison or death.
“Last month, the State of Minnesota experienced fear and panic. Today, Vance Boelter was indicted by a federal grand jury, marking another step forward in our pursuit of justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “As alleged in the indictment, Boelter’s actions took the lives of Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman, both beloved members of our community. The indictment also alleges that Boelter seriously wounded Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. This targeted violence was an attack on the rule of law, resulting in a manhunt involving hundreds of law enforcement officers who worked tirelessly until Boelter was apprehended. The FBI remains grateful to our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their dedication throughout this investigation. Together, we will ensure that justice is served and that a price is paid for the reign of terror and violence our community endured.”
“Vance Boelter’s evil acts did unspeakable harm and terrorized our entire state that night,” Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said. “A lot of work has been happening and we are glad to see these next steps taken toward holding Mr. Boelter accountable for his actions.”
“Political violence has no place in our society and Boelter will be held accountable for his crimes. Today’s indictment reflects the tireless efforts of the dedicated professionals who work every day to protect our communities,” said Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our pursuit of justice. This case transcends headlines; it highlights the collaboration between local, state, and federal agencies who refused to rest until Vance Boelter was taken into custody, and it also captures the importance of due process in bringing justice,” said Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt. “I’m grateful for everyone involved, including the HCSO staff who spent countless hours during the manhunt—responding to tips, conducting searches, offering intelligence and data support, and more to help bring accountability. As we move forward, our thoughts will remain with the victims and their families affected by this tragedy.”
“The path to justice for the lives torn apart by Vance Boelter’s actions is far from over, but this indictment is a powerful step forward,” said Travis Riddle, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. “What began as fear and chaos is now moving toward accountability thanks to the tireless work of so many law enforcement partners. ATF is honored to stand with them in pursuit of a prosecution that brings answers and a measure of peace to the communities impacted by this violence.”
“The harm caused by Boelter’s actions was not confined to any one place—it was felt widely, including here in Minneapolis. His conduct endangered the safety of our communities and undermined trust in police. We are thankful to our U.S. Attorney’s Office and all federal, state, and local law enforcement that have worked tirelessly to hold this killer accountable,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, ATF, Brooklyn Park Police Department, Minneapolis Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Champlin Police Department, and New Hope Police Department, together with several other state and local partners. The National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section also assisted in the investigation. This investigation has proceeded with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in strong partnership with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs, Bradley M. Endicott, Matthew D. Forbes, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law
Urgent Care Operator Pays $3 Million Dollars to Resolve Alleged Violations of the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
BOISE – Bloom Care LLC and its owners have paid $3,000,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Federal healthcare programs for medically unnecessary testing and for inflating the extent of services performed. Bloom operated Urgent Care centers in Idaho and New Mexico throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The United States alleged that Bloom knowingly used the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse for billing for medically unnecessary streptococcus and influenza tests for asymptomatic patients. Additionally, the United States contends that Bloom submitted claims for high-level evaluation and management services for COVID-19 patients when Bloom knew that the services should have been billed at a lower level of service that would have been reimbursed at a lower rate. To justify these high reimbursement claims, the United States contends that Bloom exaggerated the time spent with COVID-19 patients and/or the complexity of the evaluation required to care for these patients.
“The Department of Justice is committed to identifying waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott. “I commend the federal and state agencies that investigated this case, as their important efforts protect taxpayer dollars.”
“Healthcare providers participating in federal health care programs must follow all relevant laws and rules when submitting claims – and certainly not order medically unnecessary services to boost their profits,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey McIntosh of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This settlement shows HHS-OIG’s enduring commitment to protecting the integrity of federal health care programs and the people who rely on them. We will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations brought under the False Claims Act.”
“Companies that provide services to veterans will be held to the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northwest Field Office. “Submitting claims for medically unnecessary services will not be tolerated, and the VA OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold wrongdoers accountable and ensure veterans receive the quality healthcare they deserve.”
This matter was investigated jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General. Additional assistance was provided by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Assistant United States Attorney Elliot Wertheim handled this case.
The claims resolved by the settlement against Bloom Care LLC are allegations only and there has been no admission or determination of liability.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Undocumented Mexican National Sentenced to Prison for Drug Trafficking and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Armando Reyes-Ascension, 43, a Mexican national, living in the United States illegally, was sentenced to 58 months’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to immigration and drug trafficking crimes. In less than three months, Reyes-Ascension, who was previously removed from the United States on three different occasions and criminally convicted of felony illegal reentry, was again found back in the United States and in possession of more than 9,000 fentanyl pills, a loaded firearm, several dangerous weapons, and more than $80,000 in cash.
In addition to his term of imprisonment, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups sentenced Reyes-Ascension to three years’ supervised release and ordered him to forfeit over $88,000.00 USD, a Smith and Wesson .380 caliber pistol, associated ammunition, including eight .380 rounds, nine knives and daggers, and nine collectors’ coins.
According to court documents and statements made at Reyes-Ascension’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on May 17, 2024, during an investigation, officers with the Salt Lake City Police Department seized 7,000 fentanyl pills, and $32,000 in cash from Reyes-Ascension’s apartment. On June 11, 2024, he was removed from the United States to Mexico by immigration officials. On August 7, 2024, Reyes-Ascension re-entered the United States illegally, and was found in Salt Lake County Metro jail after law enforcement had arrested him for drug crimes. During the arrest, officers seized 2,000 fentanyl pills and more than $55,000 cash, coins, and several dangerous weapons - including a firearm. See prior press release: Previously Removed Foreign National and Felon Indicted on Drug and Gun Crimes.
Prior to Reyes-Ascension’s May 2024 arrest and third removal on June 11, 2024, he was previously removed from the United States to Mexico on two separate occasions; one of which he was convicted of illegal reentry of a previously removed alien on March 4, 2020.
“Reyes-Ascension’s repeated criminal conduct is a complete and total disregard for the laws of this country, and it will not be tolerated,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti, of the District of Utah. “The defendant is a clear danger to Utah and the United States as a whole. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to prosecute anyone who breaks our laws and pumps poison into our communities.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message that we will relentlessly pursue individuals who combine violent narcotics distribution with firearms offenses,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers. “Possessing poisonous dangerous drugs alongside a loaded firearm posed an imminent and grave threat to public safety. ATF remains committed to disrupting the nexus between illicit drugs and guns because every one of the weapons we take off the street is one less chance for tragedy in our communities.”
"Defendants like Reyes-Ascension knowingly put people’s lives at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI and our partners will not stand by as traffickers, especially those in the United States illegally, push dangerous drugs into our neighborhoods. We will aggressively pursue those who seek to profit by fueling the opioid epidemic.”
The case was investigated jointly by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Salt Lake City Police Department, and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Bryan N. Reeves of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
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.
Two South Dakota Women Sentenced to Substantial Terms in Federal Prison for Their Roles in a Large-Scale Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Box Elder, South Dakota, woman, and a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman, both convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencings took place on July 11, 2025.
Veronica Ortega, 48, was sentenced to 24 years and four months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Paige Sierra, 33, was sentenced to 11 years and 9 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Ortega and Sierra were indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Ortega pleaded guilty on April 28, 2025, and Sierra pleaded guilty on April 2, 2025.
Between January 2022 and February 2024, Ortega and Sierra were part of a conspiracy with several others to distribute methamphetamine in South Dakota, including in the Rapid City area and in the Pine Ridge Reservation. Large quantities of methamphetamine were being transported from Denver, Colorado, to South Dakota, and Sierra assisted on occasion with the transportation of those drugs. Once in Rapid City, both Ortega and Sierra obtained distributable quantities of methamphetamine and then re-distributed that methamphetamine to others.
This case was investigated by the Division of Criminal Investigation, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Wyoming State Highway Patrol, and the North Metro Denver Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Ortega and Sierra were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Two MS-13 Members Sentenced for RacketeeringRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two members of La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, were sentenced today in federal court in Boston for their roles in a previously-unsolved murder.
Jose Vasquez, a/k/a “Cholo,” a/k/a “Little Crazy,” 31, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 25 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In May 2025, Vasquez pleaded guilty to violent crime in aid of racketeering. Vasquez was already serving a 212-month prison sentence for a May 2018 federal conviction for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. In total, Vasquez will serve a total of 37 years for his MS-13-related crimes.
William Pineda Portillo, a/k/a “Humilde,” 31, a Salvadoran national who was unlawfully residing in Everett, was sentenced by Judge Young to 16 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. He is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In May 2023, Pineda Portillo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise (RICO) conspiracy.
Pineda Portillo and Vazquez were indicted by a federal grand jury along with other MS-13 members in September 2024. Specifically, Pineda Portillo and Vasquez conspired with others to murder a 28-year-old man on Dec. 18, 2010, in Chelsea, Mass. That evening, law enforcement responded to a 911 call in the vicinity of the Fifth Street on-ramp to Route 1 in Chelsea. There, the victim was found with approximately 10 stab wounds to his chest and back, along with injuries to his head. The victim was transported to the hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. A recent reexamination of evidence collected during the initial investigation identified members of MS-13, including Vasquez, as having committed the murder.
In the week leading up to the incident, Vasquez and other MS-13 members conspired to murder the victim because they believed the victim belonged to a rival gang. Evidence revealed that on the day of the murder, Pineda Portillo picked up Vasquez, other MS-13 members and the victim in Allston. Driving a vehicle registered to his father, Pineda Portillo took the MS-13 members and the victim to Chelsea where Vasquez and the other gang members led the victim to an area under an on-ramp to Route 1. Once in the secluded area under the highway, an MS-13 member hit the victim in the head with a rock and another MS-13 member stabbed the victim with a machete. During the attack, Vasquez stabbed the victim with a knife. Vasquez’s palm print was identified on the handle of a silver kitchen knife recovered from the murder scene. The victim’s blood also was found on the knife.
An undercover recording obtained approximately six weeks after the murder, captured one MS-13 member acknowledging his participation in the murder and other gang members disciplining him for leaving Massachusetts after the murder without the gang’s permission.
Pineda Portillo fled to El Salvador before investigators could interview him about his role in the murder. On or about April 29, 2015, after Pineda Portillo returned to the United States, he arranged to sell a firearm loaded with eight rounds of ammunition to a cooperating witness, in exchange for money. On or about June 1, 2015, Pineda Portillo conspired to murder an MS-13 member he incorrectly believed had been arrested and was cooperating with law enforcement. Specifically, in a conversation recorded by law enforcement, Pineda Portillo said, among other things: “I want that son of a bitch killed, man. . . . You will see, homeboy! We are going to do a complete thing to that son of a bitch, dude.”
Pineda Portillo originally was indicted in 2017. Shortly before the indictment was returned, he was deported to El Salvador. Approximately five years later, on May 10, 2022, Pineda Portillo was arrested as he tried to return to the United States, illegally crossing the border into Texas from Mexico. According to court documents, after being arrested at the border, Pineda Portillo admitted that he was a member of MS-13. A fingerprint analysis indicated that there was a warrant for his arrest. Pineda Portillo was then returned to the District of Massachusetts where he remained in custody.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Geoffrey D. Noble, Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Chief Shumeane Benford of the Somerville Police Department; and Chief Keith Houghton of the Chelsea Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; United States Customs and Border Protection; United States Citizenship and Immigration Services; and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl, Meghan C. Cleary and Brian A. Fogerty of the Office’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Tucson Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Alien Smuggling and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jon Christian Schacht, 37, of Tucson, was sentenced on July 14, by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 72 months in prison. Schacht previously pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and one count of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit. He was sentenced to concurrent sentences of 72 months and 24 months, respectively, on the two counts.
Schacht managed an alien smuggling organization in southern Arizona, personally transporting illegal aliens, and conspiring and coordinating with others for their transportation further into the United States.
During the course of the alien smuggling conspiracy, Schacht was also involved in a drug conspiracy and transported 42 kilograms of fentanyl to Phoenix from Tucson.
United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-0899-JCH
CR-23-0900-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-117_Schacht# # #
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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Three Men Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three men were indicted in separate, unrelated cases by a federal grand jury today for illegally re-entering the United States after being previously removed.
Elmer Abel Flores-Alvarez, 27, was charged in a one-count indictment with illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. The indictment charges that Flores-Alvarez had previously been removed from the United States twice – on April 6, 2018, and on October 9, 2019.
Juan Jose Esparza-Gallardo, 33, was charged in a one-count indictment with illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. The indictment charges that Esparza-Gallardo had previously been removed from the United States twice – on April 19, 2017, and on July 14, 2017.
Gilberto Javana-Zuniga, 41, was charged in a one-count indictment with illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. The indictment charges that Javana-Zuniga had previously been removed from the United States three times – on November 3, 2011, February 25, 2013, and March 8, 2013.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
All three cases were investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Operation Take Back America
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Three MS-13 Members Charged with Rico Conspiracy Involving MurderRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Three men, who are alleged members and associates of the notorious gang La Mara Salvatrucha — commonly known as MS-13 — have made their initial appearance in the District of Maryland. The men are charged for their roles in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) conspiracy, including murder and drug trafficking.
According to court documents, on July 4, 2024, Maxwell Ariel Quijano-Casco, 24, of El Salvador; Daniel Isaias Villanueva-Bautista, 19, of El Salvador; and Josue Mauricio Lainez, 21, of Hyattsville, Maryland, allegedly killed a homeless man in connection with their involvement with MS-13. Then on July 5, a passerby called 911 after discovering the deceased victim sitting in a blue 2008 Dodge Caravan parked in a used-car lot in Hyattsville, Maryland.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Director Jose A. Perez, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Criminal Investigative Division; and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
As outlined in court documents, upon arrival, law enforcement located the deceased victim, who appeared to have been stabbed in the neck. Investigators arrived on scene and obtained video surveillance from a neighboring business that captured the incident. The surveillance video shows that on July 4, at approximately 11:35 p.m., Quijano-Casco and another person approached the victim on foot. The homeless victim then wielded what appears to be a metal pole at Quijano-Casco. Then Quijano-Casco and the other person fled on foot and the homeless victim returned to the blue Dodge Caravan.
Approximately 15 minutes later, Quijano-Casco returned with co-defendants Villanueva-Bautista and Lainez, along with another person. At approximately 11:48 p.m., video surveillance shows that all four perpetrators approached the blue Dodge Caravan. Then Quijano-Casco, Villanueva-Bautista, Lainez, and an unnamed person opened the van’s rear sliding driver’s side door, reached inside, and exhibited movements as if they were striking someone. The victim did not exit the blue Dodge Caravan after the attack.
“The brutal retaliatory murder of this victim is a chilling reminder of the MS-13 gang’s callous disregard for human life,” Hayes said. “Those who assault and kill others must be brought to justice and ultimately held accountable for their actions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland will continue to work relentlessly with our law enforcement partners to dismantle violent criminal organizations that terrorize our communities.”
“MS-13 is an especially brutal gang,” Galeotti said. “Instead of simply walking away from an altercation with a homeless man, defendants returned to the scene and allegedly murdered the victim while he was sitting calmly inside a vehicle. Bringing those who commit violent crime to justice is one of the highest priories for the Criminal Division, and we will continue to work to make our communities secure.”
“The FBI and our partners are committed to using every tool available to prevent violent criminals from terrorizing the communities they live in,” Perez said. “We will not let up. We will relentlessly pursue those who engage in violent activity like murder and drug trafficking until they are held accountable.”On August 23, PGPD arrested Quijano-Casco and Villanueva-Bautista. At the time of his arrest, Quijano-Casco possessed a black Ruger P95DC semi-automatic handgun and approximately eight grams of cocaine. Quijano-Caso and Villanueva admitted that they were present for the altercation that resulted in the homeless man’s death. Additionally, Quijano-Casco admitted to stabbing the individual but claimed he did so in self-defense.
Quijano-Casco, Villanueva-Bautista, and Lainez are all charged with RICO conspiracy, including the July 4, murder. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel Crespo and William Moomau, along with the Department of Justice Trial Attorney Christina Taylor, who are prosecuting the federal case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and HSI both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Thomas E. Wheeler II Sworn-In as Interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of IndianaRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- This week, Thomas (Tom) E. Wheeler II was sworn-in as Interim United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana by United States District Court Judge James R. Sweeney. U.S. Attorney Wheeler was appointed by United States Attorney General Pam Bondi as Interim U.S. Attorney, effective July 14th.
President Donald J. Trump has nominated the former Department of Education Acting General Counsel to serve as the Interim U.S. Attorney pending confirmation by the United States Senate.
A Pike High School graduate, U.S. Attorney (USA) Wheeler earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University Bloomington and his Juris Doctor from IU’s Maurer School of Law. Throughout his 36-year career as a practicing attorney, Mr. Wheeler has been a partner at several Indianapolis-based law firms including Bose McKinney & Evans LLP and Frost Brown Todd (formerly Locke Reynolds).
Most recently, USA Wheeler served as the Acting General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Education. This appointment marks a return to the Department of Justice, where he previously held the role of Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, overseeing a broad portfolio of divisions, including Appellate, Criminal, Disability Rights, Education, Immigrant and Employee Rights, Housing, Voting, and others.
His federal service also includes Senior Adviser to the White House Federal Commission on School Safety, formed in response to high-profile school shootings, and serving as Senior Counsel to the Secretary of Education during the COVID-19 pandemic. In that role, he worked with the Center for Disease Control and the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
In 2019, USA Wheeler served as General Counsel for the National Sheriffs’ Association, providing legal counsel to over 3,300 elected sheriffs nationwide. He has served on numerous boards and commissions, including as Chair of the Hate Crimes Subcommittee for the Federal Violent Crime Reduction Task Force, a member of the DOJ’s Regulatory Reform Task Force, and as a consultant to the CDC on the Federal COVID-19 response for jails and prisons.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler is a former Chair of both the Indiana Recount and Election Commissions and played a key role in the creation of Indiana’s voter ID law, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board (2008).
He is a two-time recipient of the Indiana State Bar Association’s Benjamin Harrison Writing Award and a Burton Award for Legal Achievement winner for his work on cyberbullying and hate crimes. He has been recognized for many years in The Best Lawyers in America® and Indiana Super Lawyers® and was named Municipal Lawyer of the Year in 2016.
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Texas Man Who Sexually Assaulted a Child for a Decade Will Spend 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a child.
According to court documents, Samson Luna, 36, began sexually assaulting a minor female in 2013 and continued until January 2024. To record and produce photos of the sexual assaults, Luna used multiple phones. He also persuaded the child victim to send him videos and images of her nude, and performing sexual acts, which the child victim would send him via her cellphone. In exchange, Luna sent her money from his Cash App account. A search warrant of Luna’s Google account resulted in the discovery of 87 videos and 45 images depicting Child Sexual Abuse Material of the victim at various ages over the 10 years.
Luna was arrested on March 24, 2024, and indicted by a federal grand jury on April 17, 2024, for one count of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of possession of child pornography. On March 25, 2025, Luna pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation charge. In addition to the 25-year imprisonment and 15 years of supervised release, Senior U.S. District Judge David Ezra ordered Luna to pay $100,000 in restitution to the victim.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Abilene Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Two Convenience Stores with FirearmsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Ronald Brown (24, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to two robberies, conspiracy to commit those robberies, and brandishing a firearm during both those robberies. Brown faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the robbery counts. For each of the firearms counts, he faces a minimum sentence of seven years, up to life, in federal prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents and proceedings, in July 2024, Brown conspired with others to rob two convenience stores in Tampa. Two firearms were used in, and brandished, during the robberies. Law enforcement located the suspects a few days after the robberies at a hotel in Tampa. A review of surveillance footage from the hotel showed Brown holding a rifle near the vehicle identified as being used in the robberies. Additional surveillance footage from the hotel showed Brown carrying a long box to the trunk prior to the robbery. Search warrants for multiple hotel rooms were executed and the rifle was located. The rifle belongs to Brown.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
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.
Tahlequah Resident Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jonathon Roy Philpott, age 44, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count on a Superseding Indictment of Unlawful User of Controlled Substance in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition, punishable by up to fifteen years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Superseding Indictment alleged that on February 4, 2025, Philpott knew that he was an unlawful user of a controlled substance, and knowingly possessed a semi-automatic rifle, a semi-automatic pistol, and 39 rounds of ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Philpott will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Sun Prairie Man Sentenced to 2 ½ Years for Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Cashius Carter, 21, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 2 ½ years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On September 25, 2024, a Fitchburg police officer stopped a vehicle that Carter was driving. The vehicle smelled of marijuana and the officer asked Carter to exit the vehicle so it could be searched. Carter fled from the scene but was ultimately caught. In the vehicle, the officer found a loaded Glock 19 9mm with an extended magazine between the driver’s seat and center console. In the back seat, officers recovered almost 700 grams of marijuana. The Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory later recovered Carter’s DNA on the firearm. Carter is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm or ammunitions because of a prior felony conviction for eluding an officer.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson found that Carter’s possession of a loaded firearm with a large quantity of marijuana was dangerous. Judge Peterson also noted that Carter had an aggravated criminal history, which included a violent battery and a high-speed police chase. Judge Peterson explained that he was imposing the sentence to protect the public and deter Carter from further criminal conduct.
The charge against Carter was the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 95 months for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Michael G. Caldwell, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Stephen R. Bough to 95 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Caldwell pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon on Aug. 29, 2024.
On April 2, 2024, officers with the Springfield Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a Dodge Charger driven by Caldwell. As the Charger slowed to pull over, officers observed Caldwell making furtive movements and reaching near the center console.
The officers removed Caldwell from the vehicle and Caldwell physically resisted arrested. After a brief struggle, the officers were ultimately able to detain him. When detectives searched the Charger, they found a Ruger pistol between the center console and front passenger seat. Officers also seized $1,610 in cash from Caldwell.
The Ruger pistol linked Caldwell to a shooting that occurred in the Springfield, Missouri area, on March 21, 2024, in that the shell casings from that shooting were a presumptive match to the shell casings from the Ruger seized from Caldwell. In addition, cell site data from a cell phone seized from Caldwell on April 2, 2024, confirmed that Caldwell’s cell phone was at the shooting.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Caldwell has prior felony convictions for robbery, possession of a controlled substance, and delivery of a controlled substance.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Wan. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Southwest Missouri Man Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Bolivar, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Timothy E. Parker, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Stephen R. Bough to 48 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
On Sept. 25, 2024, Parker pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On Sept. 23, 2023, deputies with the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a U-Haul that Parker was driving. Instead of stopping, Parker initially fled the area. Eventually, Parker pulled the vehicle over and when contacted and searched, the deputies located a loaded Taurus G3C pistol concealed in a chest sling holster. Deputies also seized a backpack belonging to Parker that contained a 50-round box of ammunition, a Kydex style gun holster, a lock picking set, and 2.42 grams of methamphetamine during the stop. Police records indicated that the pistol and holster had been reported as stolen earlier that month.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Parker has prior felony convictions for property damage, forgery, burglary, driving stolen motor vehicles, and resisting arrest.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
South Carolina Woman Sentenced for Sending Threats to Kill a Catskill ManRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kristin Keeble, age 54, of Pageland, South Carolina, was sentenced yesterday to 5 months in jail, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release with 6 months of home detention, for transmitting a threat to injure another in interstate commerce.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of her guilty plea, Keeble admitted that on October 26, 2023, she sent four threatening, profanity-laced and racially derogatory audio messages through Facebook Messenger to a man in Catskill, New York. Keeble threatened to kill the victim by hanging him, along with a woman the victim knew, and the woman’s children, from a tree. Keeble purported to be acting with members of the Ku Klux Klan. Keeble knew, from the victim’s Facebook profile photo, that the victim was Black.
U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “No one should ever receive despicable, hateful threats like this. Those who threaten people over the Internet are going to be prosecuted and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “No individual should live in fear because of someone’s intolerance and hatred. Threats of violence, especially borne from hate, will never be tolerated and the FBI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners hold the perpetrators accountable for their disturbing actions and bring justice to the victims.”
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping prosecuted the case.
Sixth Member of Salinas-Based “Murder Squad” Sentenced to 38 Years in Federal Prison for 2017 Killing SpreeRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Andrew Alvarado was sentenced today to 38 years in federal prison for racketeering conspiracy and 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to murder in aid of racketeering, to run concurrently, for his role in multiple murders and attempted murders as part of the self-proclaimed “Murder Squad,” a crew of Salinas-based Norteño criminal street gang members falling under the Monterey County Regiment Enterprise affiliated with the Nuestra Familia prison gang. U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman handed down the sentence.
Alvarado, 34, of Salinas, pleaded guilty on April 15, 2025, to one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to murder in aid of racketeering. According to court documents, the “Murder Squad” conducted more than a dozen “hunts,” tracking and shooting dozens of Salinas residents whom they perceived to be members of a rival gang for reasons as vague as they were Hispanic, bald, or wearing blue. The squad would often use military-style tactics, traveling in a convoy of vehicles with a designated shooter vehicle and a designated security/spotter vehicle, all of which were in constant communication via conference call. The security/spotter vehicles would patrol the streets, find a target, and transmit their location to the shooter vehicle. The shooters in the shooter vehicle would drive up, exit, fire at the victims until their magazines were empty, and speed away. The security/spotter vehicles would follow behind, ready to distract or intercept law enforcement and allow the shooter vehicle to escape.
Between 2015 and 2018, 11 people were killed during these hunts. Another 17 people were shot at but survived. Most of the victims were not actually members of a rival gang. Some of the victims were not the intended target at all but were nevertheless hit in the crossfire.
In connection with pleading guilty, Alvarado admitted that he personally participated in six “hunts” between January 2017 and May 2017. He was the shooter in three of those hunts, resulting in the deaths of three victims and the wounding of a fourth. In one instance, the hunt began when members of the “Murder Squad” gathered at a house to remember a family member killed in a car accident; they decided to commemorate the person’s death and lift their spirits by going out to kill another. Separately, Alvarado was in the security/spotter vehicle in three other hunts, resulting in the deaths of three victims, the wounding of four victims, and the near-miss of one victim.
“Gangs and the drugs and violence they bring with them wreak havoc on our communities and the hardworking families that live within them. The ruthless actions of the ‘Murder Squad’ shattered the public’s sense of safety and destroyed the lives of so many in Salinas,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “The so-called ‘hunts’ that Alvarado and his crew ran were simply inhumane. This lengthy sentence means that Alvarado, like many of his fellow gang members, will now answer for his brazen crimes.”
“HSI San Francisco has a long and impactful history of investigating transnational gangs that threaten the safety of our communities in Northern California. We are committed to the pursuit of justice for the victims of these criminal enterprises and the violence they perpetuate. Today’s sentencing is the product of countless investigative hours and the significant investigative resources which HSI brings to bear in combatting violent transnational criminal organizations and apprehending dangerous gang members like Alvarado,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Brannigan.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Freeman also sentenced the defendant to a five-year period of supervised release on count one and a three-year period of supervised release on count two, to run concurrently. Alvarado was immediately remanded into custody to begin serving his sentence.
Alvarado is the sixth member of the “Murder Squad” to be sentenced. Five other defendants each pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1962(d) and one count of conspiracy to murder in aid of racketeering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5) and were previously sentenced on Sept. 10, 2024.
This prosecution was brought by the Violent Crime Strike Force and 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 U.S. Attorney George Hageman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Nina Burney, Lakisha Holliman, and Yenni Weinberg. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI, the FBI, the Salinas Police Department, and the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.
Shiprock Man Charged with Assault and Kidnapping on Navajo NationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has been charged in federal court for allegedly carrying out a series of violent assaults and a kidnapping that resulted in serious injuries to the victim.
According to court documents, on or about June 30, 2025, Darrin Begay, 33, allegedly assaulted the victim at a residence in within the exterior boundaries of Navajo Nation in New Mexico. The assault included punching, kicking, and strangulation, resulting in visible injuries to the victim’s face, neck, and arms.
On or about July 2, 2025, Begay allegedly returned to the victim’s home, threatened to harm the victim’s family members, and forced the victim into a vehicle. Begay then drove the victim away from her residence. He reportedly assaulted the victim again before pushing her out of the vehicle and leaving her on the roadside.
Begay is charged with assault on an intimate partner by strangling, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, assault with a dangerous weapon, and kidnapping. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Begay faces up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Seventeen Individuals Charged for Smuggling Kilogram Quantities of Cocaine Through the Luis Muñoz Marín International AirportRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned three separate indictments charging 17 individuals with drug trafficking through the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. Two defendants are also charged with money laundering.
First Indictment
On June 26, 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging three individuals with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
As alleged in the indictment, beginning on a date unknown, but not later than in or about 2023, to the date of the indictment,
[1] Kristian Yadiel Falcón-López
[2] Chazz David Carter-Justiniano
[3] Natalia Díaz-García
knowingly and intentionally conspired and agreed with each other and with other individuals to possess with intent to distribute and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine through the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.
Falcón-López and Charter-Justiniano are also charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments which involved the proceeds of their drug trafficking activities.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan R. McCabe and María Cristina Semanaz-Ojeda from the Transnational Organized Crime Section are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
Second Indictment
The second indictment charges the following individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine through the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport:
[1] Jonathan Ramírez-Colón, a.k.a. “Momia”
[2] Ivelisse García-Osorio
[3] Stephanie L. Suárez-Vélez
[4] Francheska Muriel-Quintana
[5] Estephanie Torres-Bosa, a.k.a. “Fany”
[6] Charitty M. Hernández-Reyes
The alleged period of the conspiracy is from a date unknown, but no later than in or about 2018, to the date of the indictment. Documents filed in the case also allege that Defendant Ramírez-Colón recruited couriers (commonly known as “mules”) and sent them with cocaine-filled suitcases to be checked in at the airport and transported to the continental United States where the cocaine would be delivered to other persons.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. López-Rivera from the Transnational Organized Crime Section is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
Third Indictment
The third indictment unsealed today charges eight individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine through the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. Those defendants are:
[1] Sandy L. Guardiola-Bermúdez, a.k.a. “Guny/Mario”
[2] Carlos Alberto Cruz-Bonilla, a.k.a. “Huesito”
[3] Onix Negrón-Guerrido
[4] Jomar Maldonado-Ríos
[5] Tanyshkaliz Archilla-Rivera, a.k.a. “Tany”
[6] Yarauni Nieves-Rivera
[7] Yairaliz Arzuaga-Díaz
[8] Patricia Ayala-Otero
According to the indictment, the conspiracy began on a date unknown, but not later than in or about 2023 and lasted through the date of the indictment. Documents filed in the case allege that the defendants were part of a drug trafficking organization comprised of a network of recruiters, coordinators, and transporters who traveled from Puerto Rico to the continental United States via commercial flights with cocaine for wholesale distribution, all for significant financial gain.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. López-Rivera from the Transnational Organized Crime Section is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
“These drug trafficking organizations were using the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport to smuggle large quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico to several destinations throughout the continental United States. Today, federal agencies dismantled these organizations by arresting leaders, organizers and travelers who made their distribution network possible,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in Puerto Rico and the Continental United States to gather the evidence necessary to bring the leaders and other members of these criminal organizations to justice.”
“These investigations demonstrate the DEA’s unwavering commitment to protecting our airports and the communities from the impact of drug trafficking. These criminal organizations believed they could operate with impunity out of Puerto Rico, but today, they are facing the swift hand of justice. I am deeply grateful for the tireless work of our agents, analysts, local and federal partners,” said Michael Miranda, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency Caribbean Division.
If convicted on the drug conspiracy charges, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, and a maximum sentence of life in prison. Those defendants charged with money laundering face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is in charge of the investigations with the assistance of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau and their respective Airport Investigations and Tactical Teams (AirTAT). The San Juan Municipal Police, the Carolina Municipal Police and the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury also collaborated during the investigations and arrests.
AirTAT identifies, locates, disrupts, dismantles, and prosecutes transnational crime organizations using the airports in Puerto Rico to smuggle narcotics, weapons, human cargo, counterfeit documents, illegal proceeds, and other contraband.
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).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Robbing a Manchester Credit Union while on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Manchester man was sentenced yesterday in federal court for bank robbery, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Jesse Hippolite, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro to 60 months in federal prison. On April 22, 2025, Hippolite pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery.
“The defendant is a prolific bank robber with a long history of victimizing bank employees to line his own pockets,” said Acting U.S. Attorney McCormack. “His choices have made him a danger to the public, and thanks to the efforts of law enforcement, he will spend the next five years in federal prison.”
“Jesse Hippolite was a crime spree unto himself, robbing a dozen banks before this one” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “This sentence nips his burgeoning bank robbery career in the bud and holds him accountable for menacing innocent people who are just trying to make an honest living. This case is just one example of how the FBI continues to support our partners in pulverizing violent crime to improve public safety.”
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Hippolite has multiple state and federal convictions for robbery in New York. In 2011, he went on a bank robbery spree in New York City and was involved in multiple separate robberies. Each time, he was unarmed but passed a note threatening to kill people if his demands for money were not met. He was released from federal prison, in connection with those convictions, in February 2023. He then moved to New Hampshire, where he remained on federal supervised release.
In February 2025, Hippolite robbed a credit union in Manchester. He wore a disguise and was unarmed. Hippolite passed a note to three tellers reading:
$100,000
ALL $100 Bills
*No Dye Packs
Give Back Note
Hippolite stole $3,139 before fleeing. He was subsequently identified on nearby surveillance cameras.
The FBI and Manchester Police Department led the investigation. The U.S. Probation Office provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case.
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San Antonio Man to Spend 65 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting 3 ChildrenRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced to 65 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting three young children.
According to court documents, Charles Alexander Lopez, 30, stated in a group chat on the instant messaging app Wickr that he was engaged in the sexual abuse and exploitation of minor children in October 2023. He posted two images and a video to the group on Oct. 24, 2023, along with a message stating, “My conquest for the day.” The two images depicted a male toddler whom Lopez had just sexually assaulted, while the video depicted a portion of the sexual assault itself.
An FBI Online Covert Employee (OCE) interacted with Lopez through a private chat, through which Lopez disclosed details of another sexual assault victimizing a female toddler a few days prior and that he has sexually exploited a non-verbal autistic male child as well. On Oct. 26, 2023, FBI San Antonio executed a federal search warrant for the home and person of Lopez, seizing electronic devices used to produce, distribute and possess child pornography.
Lopez admitted to sexually exploiting a male toddler, using his smartphone to produce and share Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). He also provided the names of other children he sexually assaulted and exploited, stating that he had sexually assaulted 15 minors since he was 10 years old and produced CSAM of approximately five different children.
Lopez was arrested on Oct. 27, 2023, and on Nov. 15, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted him for three counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of possession of child pornography. He pleaded guilty on Feb. 10, 2025, to the three sexual exploitation charges. On July 14, Senior U.S. District Judge David Ezra sentenced Lopez to 65 years in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release. Ezra also ordered Lopez to pay $150,000 in restitution to three minor victims.
“Individuals like this, who take every opportunity to prey on helpless children simply cannot remain free in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “This defendant has spent two-thirds of his life as a child predator, sexually assaulting, exploiting and forever altering the lives of vulnerable and defenseless children to fulfill his selfish and vile choices.”
“There is no place in our society for those who prey on the most vulnerable among us,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp for FBI San Antonio.” The FBI San Antonio Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, together with the United States Attorney’s Office, will relentlessly pursue every lead to investigate violent crimes against children and bring their perpetrators to justice.”
FBI San Antonio investigated the case, assisted by a referral from FBI Albany.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Rochester man going to prison for five years for arsonRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jermaine Fields, 38, of Rochester, NY, who pleaded guilty to arson, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles E. Moynihan, who handled the case, stated that on April 17, 2024, the Rochester Fire Department received an alarm call from the Abundance Co-Op Market on South Avenue in Rochester, for a fire in the men’s bathroom. When firefighters arrived, they entered the bathroom and smelled an odor of burning rubber, but there were no flames visible. Firefighters did observe burned debris with burn patterns on the floor and on the wall behind the toilet. Law enforcement reviewed security camera footage from the store, which depicted a person later identified as Fields, walking throughout the store and entering the men’s bathroom and then exiting. The store fire alarm activated seconds later. Fields was arrested several days later and charged with arson. Fields has also admitted to starting papers on fire in one of the stairwells at the Hall of Justice on Exchange Boulevard in Rochester on April 5, 2024.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Fire Department, under the direction of Chief Stefano Napolitano, the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division.
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Richmond recidivist sentenced to seven years in prison for latest drug offenseRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl.
According to court documents, On Aug. 18, 2024, Richmond police observed Ernest Winfred Mealey, 30, with what appeared to be a firearm. Mealey and another individual began walking away from the officers. The officers approached Mealy and asked if he had a firearm, which he denied. When asked if he had a concealed weapons permit, Mealey did not respond, then attempted to flee.
The officers pursued and tackled Mealey, at which point a firearm fell from Mealey’s shirt. Mealey also had a bag, from which officers recovered $1,696, a digital scale, 48.14 grams of fentanyl, and 28.17 grams of cocaine.
Mealey has seven prior felony convictions, including for drug and firearms offenses.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police; and Colette Wallace McEachin, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-7.
Postal employee pleads guilty to causing over $42,000 in damage to U.S. propertyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Falls Church woman pled guilty today to causing damage to property of the United States.
According to court documents, on Jan. 16, mail carrier Lolita Brickhouse, 31, had concluded her work shift and began looking for her cellphone. Brickhouse began accusing other USPS employees and supervisors of stealing her cell phone. Brickhouse proceeded to violently knock over and throw objects around the postal facility. She personally insulted her supervisors and coworkers and taunted them to call the police.
Without authorization, Brickhouse took a set of vehicle keys, walked to the parking lot, and entered a USPS vehicle. Shen then deliberately rammed the vehicle into another USPS vehicle with such force that the second vehicle collided with and damaged a third USPS vehicle. Brickhouse exited the USPS vehicle and used her metal water bottle to break and shatter a driver-side window. As a result of the violent crash, Brickhouse totaled the second USPS vehicle.
Brickhouse is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 16 and faces up to 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Drucker is prosecuting 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. 1:25-cr-152.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Two Armed CarjackingsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Isiah Surzano-Glover, 22, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 168 months in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Karen S. Marston for two gunpoint carjackings.
In March 2024, the defendant was charged by indictment, and he pleaded guilty in November to two counts of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, on January 2, 2024, at 7:30 p.m., he and accomplices lured victim P.M. to the 5400 block of Walker Street in Philadelphia by posing as a female named “Mercedes” on a dating app. When P.M. arrived, Surzano-Glover and the others, all masked, approached the victim, brandished guns, and threatened to shoot P.M. if he moved. The carjackers took P.M.’s keys, wallet, and phone, and drove away in his 2011 Ford Crown Victoria.
On January 3, 2024, at approximately 8:30 p.m., the defendant and several others, again using an app and the “Mercedes” ruse, lured R.E. to the 1700 block of Brill Street in Philadelphia. Upon R.E.’s arrival, the masked carjackers pointed handguns at him, pistol-whipped R.E. in the head with a gun, and took his keys and phone. They ordered him to run, then drove away in his 2006 Toyota Tacoma.
Approximately 30 minutes after R.E. was carjacked, Philadelphia police officers located R.E.’s Tacoma parked unattended at 5000 Valley Street, approximately half a mile from the scene of the crime. Other officers then observed what proved to be P.M.’s Crown Victoria, parked in an alley near the intersection of Pratt and Hawthorne streets, about a quarter of a mile from 5000 Valley Street, and placed the car under surveillance.
Around 10:15 p.m., P.M.’s Crown Victoria drove off and officers followed. The vehicle made its way to 5000 Valley Street, where a police car was alongside R.E.’s Tacoma, and then sped off, initiating a police pursuit. Multiple individuals eventually bailed from P.M.’s vehicle at the intersection of Worth Street and Margaret Street, and the defendant was arrested, following a foot pursuit.
In addition to the above crimes with which he was charged, Surzano-Glover admitted to participating in four other Philadelphia carjackings.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Miller and Kwambina Coker.
Perry County Man Found Guilty on Twelve Counts of Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A Houston, Arkansas, man was convicted by a federal jury on 12 counts of production of child sexual abuse material. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the guilty verdict which was handed down today.
James Johnson, 75, was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 7, 2023, and charged with 12 counts of production of child sexual abuse material. The jury trial began on July 14, 2025, before United States District Judge Brian S. Miller. After two days of testimony, the jury deliberated approximately 90 minutes before returning a guilty verdict on all 12 counts for which Johnson had been indicted.
The evidence at trial revealed that on September 28, 2022, special agents from the Arkansas State Police met with an employee of the Perryville Elementary School regarding a letter that a minor child victim, who was approximately 8-9 years old, wrote to her mother while she was at school containing concerning allegations about Johnson.
The minor child victim and her younger sibling lived next to Johnson’s home and were in his care during the abuse. The older minor child victim was interviewed and stated that Johnson watched pornography with the two victims present. The older minor victim stated both her and the younger minor victim sat on Johnson’s lap and he would put his hand down the back of their pants and touch their private areas.
On September 28, 2022, a search warrant was executed on Johnson’s residence. Law enforcement officers located and seized multiple digital items of evidence, specifically Johnson’s Samsung Galaxy cell phone. A review of Johnson’s phone revealed 12 images of the younger minor victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Johnson faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and not more than 30 years for each count. There is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation was conducted by the Arkansas State Police, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Bryant and Lauren Eldridge.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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@USAO_EDAR
Pennsylvania Man Arrested for Making Death Threats Against Chief Executive Officer of Tampa General HospitalRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest and unsealing of a complaint charging Lawrence Brunn (63, Oakmont, PA) with cyber harassment. If convicted, Brunn faces up to five years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, Brunn began harassing J.C., the CEO of Tampa General Hospital, at least as far back as 2023. Brunn’s online harassment increased in frequency and intensity over the last two years. Brunn’s threats included calling for the execution of J.C. and frequently referring to J.C.’s beheading utilizing a guillotine. In one post from April 9, 2025, Brunn states that J.C. “should have his head chopped off” and further states that J.C. “should be scared…of we the people.” In addition to online postings, Brunn also sent mail to J.C.’s private residence, as well as J.C.’s neighbors’ residences, and members of the Board of Trustees for Tampa General Hospital.
A complaint is merely an arrest warrant alleging 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.
Pakistani Leader of International Alien Smuggling Organization Extradited from MexicoRead the Press Release
Note: See indictment here.
A Pakistani man made his initial appearance in court in Tucson, Arizona, today after being extradited from Mexico to face charges relating to his role in leading an international alien smuggling organization.
In May 2024, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned an indictment against Abbas Ali Haider, 48, of Sialkot, Pakistan, for conspiring to smuggle Pakistani nationals into the United States.
Haider allegedly operated two sham film production companies, Diamond TV World Productions and Multimedia Advertising Ltd., which were fronts for his alien smuggling organization. According to court documents, Haider used those Pakistan-based companies to contract with film companies in Ecuador, Cuba, and Colombia. He then had those companies sponsor visas for Pakistani nationals purporting to work for Haider’s companies under the guise that they were working on a joint filming project in Latin America. Haider provided the Pakistani nationals with phony paperwork indicating that they worked for his companies, which they used at ports of entry in Panama, Brazil, and Colombia. Haider coached the aliens to say they worked in the film industry to deceive and thwart customs and border officials. Haider’s network of smugglers then assisted the Pakistani nationals in traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border, where they illegally crossed into California, Texas, and Arizona. Haider charged the aliens up to $40,000 for the trip.
Haider travelled from Pakistan to Mexico in late 2024 and was arrested in Mexico in January 2025 at the request of the U.S. government. Extensive coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities resulted in Haider’s timely extradition.
Haider is charged with one count of conspiracy to bring illegal aliens to the United States and four counts of bringing in illegal aliens for profit. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona, and Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego, made the announcement.
HSI Calexico led U.S. investigative efforts, working in concert with HSI’s Brasilia, Quito, Tijuana, and Caribbean attaché offices and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, U.S. Border Patrol; the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Miami, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations office in Detroit provided substantial assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Haider.
Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Kreamer Hope and Evan Wesley for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.
The indictment and extradition are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) Program. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 390 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 350 U.S. convictions; more than 300 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
The ECT program is a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI and focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT also coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribe to Smuggle Contraband to Prison InmateRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – James P. Jackson, age 39, of Niles, Ohio, has pleaded guilty to using his role as an employee at a state prison to smuggle illicit substances and other prohibited items to an inmate at the facility.
According to court documents, Jackson was employed by the Trumbull Correctional Institution (TCI) in Leavittsburg, from 2022 through 2024. He served as a corrections officer and later, as a general maintenance worker, where he regularly came into contact with inmates. His work duties and responsibilities allowed him full access to non-public areas including prison cells.
Allegations in court documents show that Jackson was in communication with the wife of a TCI inmate. After some time spent exchanging text messages and keeping in touch by phone, the two agreed to meet. On Feb. 1, 2024, they met and she handed him two large, wrapped packages for him to deliver to her husband who was serving a sentence inside the facility. In return, Jackson accepted an initial bribe of $1,000 from her and was promised an additional $1,000 after the contraband was successfully delivered to the intended recipient. The next day, Jackson attempted to take the packages into TCI but was intercepted by law enforcement before entering.
The investigation revealed that the packages Jackson received−and attempted to smuggle into the prison−contained 97.67 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, 207.63 grams of synthetic cannabinoid, 32.85 grams of phencyclidine (aka PCP or angel dust), various other drugs, a cellphone, and SIM cards.
On July 15, 2025, Jackson pleaded guilty after being charged by information for Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right for accepting money to smuggle two packages into TCI using his capacity as an employee of the facility. He faces a maximum of up to 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is yet to be scheduled.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Trumbull Correctional Institutions-Office of Investigations, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol-Office of Criminal Investigations Prison Drug Unit and Investigative Services for the Warren District.
Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea S. Rice and Rebecca C. Lutzko prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.
New York Man Admits Health Care Fraud Scheme for Submitting Falsified Prescriptions to Medicare and MedicaidRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New York man admitted his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid by submitting falsified prescriptions, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced today.
Thomas Conzo, 49, of Staten Island, New York, pleaded guilty today, before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of health care fraud.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Defendant Thomas Conzo owned and operated Elite Pharmacy, a specialty pharmacy located in Linden, New Jersey. From August 2022 through March 2023, Conzo submitted hundreds of thousands of dollars of fraudulent claims for prescriptions to health care benefit programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, on behalf of Elite Pharmacy. Conzo used the credentials of pharmacists who did not work at Elite Pharmacy or otherwise review, sign, or authorize those prescriptions.
The charge of health care fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross profit or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for December 4, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark; and special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney George Brandley of the Health Care Fraud and Opioids Enforcement Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Maria Noto, Esq.
conzo.information.pdfNew Jersey Man Who Stole Mail from USPS Collection Boxes is SentencedRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that IXAVIER HOLMAN, JR., 34, of Secaucus, New Jersey, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to three years of probation, the first six months of which Holman must serve in home detention, for stealing mail from U.S. Postal Service collection boxes in New Haven and West Haven. Judge Nagala also ordered Holman to perform 150 hours of community service.
According to court documents and statements made in court, at least eight times between December 2022 and June 2023, Holman used stolen mail collection box keys to steal mail from blue collection boxes at post offices located at 95 Fountain Street in New Haven, 589 Campbell Avenue in West Haven, and 844 Jones Hill Road in West Haven.
Holman was arrested on June 12, 2023, after he returned to the Fountain Street post office in West Haven and accessed the collection box in an attempt to steal mail. At the time of his arrest, Holman possessed two mail collection box keys. A search of his residence on that date revealed more than 3,000 pieces of stolen mail, USPS mail collection bins, and a credit card reader and embosser. The stolen mail included thousands of checks and money orders, separated and organized by bank, with a face value of more than $1.5 million.
On November 20, 2024, Holman pleaded guilty to theft of mail.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the West Haven and New Haven Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.
Individuals who believe they are a victim of mail theft may file a complaint by calling 877-876-2455 or by visiting https://www.uspis.gov/report.
Missouri Man Sentenced for Child Pornography and Sexual Contact with TeenRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a man who possessed child sexual abuse material and engaged in sexual contact with a teen he’d met online to 168 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
Judge Schelp also ordered James Donald Goings, 36, of Overland, to pay $12,000 to the victims who have been identified in the child sexual abuse material that he possessed.
Goings pleaded guilty in March to one felony count of receipt of child pornography. He admitted possessing 2,500 images containing child sexual abuse material on a computer and 190 images in his Google account. He also admitted travelling to Illinois to engage in sexual contact with a 15-year-old that he met via Grindr, his plea agreement says. Goings was also in contact with another teen that he’d also met on Grindr. The second victim told investigators that during multiple video calls, Goings directed him to perform specific sexual acts, the plea says.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the Edwardsville (Illinois) Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan Chapman and Erin Granger prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Middletown man who pretended to be teenage boy online pleads guilty to coercing, exploiting minor girlsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Middletown man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to 11 counts of federal child exploitation crimes. The plea agreement includes a recommended sentence of 26 years in prison.
William Scott Elam, 53, connected with girls between the ages of 10 and 16 on various online chatting apps. He pretended to be a 14-year-old male and coerced or attempted to coerce the minor victims into creating nude images and videos that involved sexual conduct.
For approximately four years, Elam began online relationships with numerous minor females in at least seven states. Law enforcement officers have identified at least 10 victims to date. He admitted to coercing victims into masturbating on live video calls with him.
He manipulated at least one victim into complying by threatening to harm himself if she did not do as he asked. He instructed another victim to self-harm via cutting on live video after learning the victim had a history of self-harm.
Elam coerced victims into sending him live sexual material by threatening to leak naked images he obtained of them.
The defendant was arrested in October 2023. He pleaded guilty today to 10 counts of coercion and enticement and one count of sexual exploitation of children.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered on July 14 before U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
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