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Friday 11 July 2025
Ovidio Guzman Lopez—Son of “El Chapo” and a Head of Sinaloa Cartel—Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Charges in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – OVIDIO GUZMAN LOPEZ, who succeeded his father—Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as “El Chapo”—as one of the heads of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Chicago to federal drug charges.
Guzman Lopez, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of drug conspiracy and two counts of knowingly engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. The guilty plea was entered as part of a multi-district plea agreement with the government that resolves charges against Guzman Lopez brought by grand juries in the Northern District of Illinois and the Southern District of New York.
U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman did not set a sentencing date. Guzman Lopez has been detained without bond following his extradition from Mexico to the United States in 2023.
The guilty plea is the result of a collaboration between the Justice Department's Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and prosecutors from the Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of New York, and Southern District of California, as well as law enforcement partners from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Adam Gordon, United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, Jose A. Perez, Assistant Director of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, Steven Jensen, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Ray Rede, Acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in Arizona, and Robert Murphy, Acting Administrator of the DEA. Substantial assistance in the investigation was provided by IRS Criminal Investigation, the Justice Department’s Offices of International Affairs and Enforcement Operations, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Erskine, Erika Csicsila, and Michelle Parthum of the Northern District of Illinois; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley, Jane Y. Chong, Sarah L. Kushner, and David J. Robles of the Southern District of New York; Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sutton of the Southern District of California; and Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of NDDS.
The guilty plea was announced as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve various law enforcement goals, including the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), as well as 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).
“Today’s historic guilty plea sends yet another crystal-clear message that this Administration is going to shut down and hold accountable transnational criminal organizations and their highest-ranking members and associates,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Under my leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of drug cartels, several of which, including the Sinaloa Cartel, have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations. Our enforcement work will also extend to drug trafficking organizations, narcotics traffickers, and other dangerous criminal enterprises that seek to poison the American public with illegal and harmful drugs. Our successes stem from our close partnership with federal prosecutors across the country as well as our tight collaboration with our many law enforcement partners.”
As heirs to the Sinaloa Cartel, Guzman Lopez stated in his plea agreement that he and his three brothers, collectively known as “the Chapitos,” assumed their father’s leadership role following El Chapo’s arrest in 2016 and subsequent conviction in the Eastern District of New York. Guzman Lopez admitted in the plea agreement that he coordinated the transportation of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs and precursor chemicals from Mexico to the United States border, at times in shipments of hundreds or thousands of kilograms. Guzman Lopez used a network of couriers affiliated with the cartel to smuggle the drugs into the United States using vehicles, rail cars, tunnels, aircraft, and other means, the plea agreement states.
After the drugs were distributed throughout the United States, individuals working for Guzman Lopez used bulk cash transport, wire transfers, trade of goods, and cryptocurrency to launder the illicit proceeds and ensure that the money was transmitted to Guzman Lopez and other members of the cartel in Mexico, the plea agreement states. Guzman Lopez admitted that he and his cartel associates perpetrated violence against law enforcement officials, civilians, and rival drug traffickers in order to protect the cartel’s drug trafficking activities.
As part of his plea agreement, Guzman Lopez agreed to the entry of an $80 million forfeiture money judgment.
“Today’s guilty plea is another major step toward holding the Sinaloa Cartel and its leaders accountable for their role in fueling the fentanyl epidemic that has plagued so many Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Clayton. “We remain committed to dismantling the Cartel’s entire fentanyl infrastructure and ensuring that the Chapitos and their violent organization can no longer flood our communities with this poison.”
“With each passing day, you are seeing the sunset of the Sinaloa cartel,” said U.S. Attorney Gordon. “The Chapitos’ latest violence reflects their fading future. Their leaders who remain free are now paranoid, distrusted and desperate.”
“The guilty plea by Ovidio Guzman Lopez, son of ‘El Chapo,’ is a real victory for both the United States and Mexico but also a clear win for the rule of law,” said HSI Acting SAC Rede. “So much blood and violence lay with the Guzman family as well as spreading terror and plaguing both sides of the border with deadly drugs and weapons–no more. It’s impossible to measure the amount of work HSI and partner agencies have spent in securing this guilty verdict, but what is clear and evident is that no one is beyond the reach of law enforcement and our nation’s laws. Deliberate and coordinated teamwork resulted in today’s victory.”
Guzman Lopez’s three brothers—IVAN ARCHIVALDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, JESUS ALFREDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, and JOAQUIN GUZMAN LOPEZ—were also charged with drug trafficking in U.S. indictments. Joaquin Guzman Lopez was arrested last year and remains detained in U.S. custody without bond. He pleaded not guilty to charges filed in the Northern District of Illinois and is awaiting trial. Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar are charged in both the Northern District of Illinois and Southern District of New York. They are not in custody and warrants have been issued for their arrests. The U.S. State Department has issued rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to their arrests and convictions. [See the reward information here and here.]
The public is reminded that the charges against Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
ovidio_guzman_lopez_plea_agreement.pdfOhio Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl-laced Drugs That Resulted in Three FatalitiesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Jarad Paster, 32, of Berea, Ohio, has been sentenced to 175 months (14.5 years) in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Patricia A. Gaughan after he pleaded guilty to dealing drugs that caused the fatalities of three people in one day. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment. Judge Gaughan imposed the sentence July 8.
Paster was charged in a superseding indictment in June 2024 with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and distribution of controlled substances that resulted in death. The charges also included enhanced penalties for causing death resulting from the use of controlled substances. He pleaded guilty in December 2024.
According to court documents, from April 1-15, 2023, the defendant along with co-conspirator, Matthew Jarrell, 44, of Lakewood, Ohio, knowingly conspired to sell illegal drugs, in particular cocaine and fentanyl which are Schedule II controlled substances, and para-fluorofentanyl, a Schedule I controlled substance.
On April 15, 2023, three individuals ingested and overdosed on a controlled substance, namely cocaine and fentanyl. Investigators found that these deaths occurred as a result of drugs the victims received from Paster and Jarrell.
On Jan. 30, 2025, Jarrell was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty in July 2024 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and distribution of controlled substances that resulted in death.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Cleveland District Office, the FBI Cleveland Task Force in partnership with the Cleveland Division of Police, and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Crook.
According to the DEA, fentanyl is extremely lethal even in small amounts. To learn more about the DEA’s “One Pill Can Kill” awareness campaign, visit dea.gov/onepill.
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New Orleans Man Guilty of CarjackingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –MILTON CARTER (“CARTER”), age 34, pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1).
According to court documents, on April 21, 2023, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers responded to a 911 call that CARTER was in the parking lot of a business on Bienville Street threatening to shoot his romantic partner. When officers arrived, CARTER was wearing a backpack with a Ruger Model EC9S nine-millimeter handgun inside. The Ruger handgun was stolen during a carjacking at a retail establishment on St. Bernard Ave. approximately 36 hours earlier. The victim of the carjacking identified CARTER in a photo line-up as the perpetrator of the carjacking. As the victim was getting out of her car to walk into the store, CARTER approached with a sawed-off shotgun pointed at the head of the victim and commanded the victim to get out of the vehicle. CARTER then drove off in the victim’s car. When the car was recovered, the Ruger handgun CARTER possessed when he was arrested was missing from the glove compartment.
CARTER faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican national, illegally living in Beaumont, guilty of immigration violations in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Mexican national has pleaded guilty to an immigration violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jesus Adame-Nunez, 43, a Mexican national illegally residing in Beaumont, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported person before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on July 10, 2025.
According to information presented in court, Adame-Nunez was arrested in Beaumont on February 11, 2025, after an investigation revealed that he had been previously deported from the United States to Mexico in 2006.
Adame-Nunez faces up to 2 years in federal prison and deportation at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
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).
This case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Jackson.
Mexican national guilty of immigration violations in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Mexican national has pleaded guilty to an immigration violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Alejandro Uribe-Chavez, 43, a Mexican national illegally residing in Beaumont, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported person before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on July 10, 2025.
According to information presented in court, Uribe-Chavez was arrested in Beaumont on unrelated state charges on May 3, 2024. Further investigation revealed that he had been previously convicted of illegally entering the United States in the Southern District of Texas and deported to Mexico in 2019.
Uribe-Chavez faces up to 2 years in federal prison and deportation at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. Uribe-Chavez still faces unrelated state charges in Jefferson County.
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).
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Jackson.
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Mexican National and Violent Repeat Offender SentencedRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – The U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Jose Luis Moreno-Yanez, 39, for Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Judge Frizzell ordered Moreno-Yanez to serve 78 months' imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Frizzell ordered that 39-months of his federal sentence be served consecutively to his current State sentences for unrelated crimes. Upon his release, Moreno-Yanez is expected to face removal proceedings.
“While Moreno-Yanez is unlawfully in the United States, his criminal history shows that he commits acts of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “He has no regard for the laws in the United States and continues to show that he is a threat to lawful citizens. I commend the work of State and Federal prosecutors and law enforcement for working hard to keep our
communities safe.”In May and June 2023, illegally re-entered the United States and was charged in two separate State cases for robbery with a firearm. He pleaded guilty in both cases and was additionally convicted of possessing a controlled drug, assault and battery, among several other charges. He was sentenced to serve 18 years and 20 years, concurrently, in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Additionally, because Moreno-Yanez illegally re-entered the United States while subject to a term of federal supervision, he pleaded guilty in Federal Court for violating the terms of his supervised release. A Federal Judge ordered Moreno-Yanez to serve 24 months' imprisonment.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Smuggling over 85 Pounds of Meth into the U.S.Read the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 240 months in prison for four counts related to his role in a conspiracy to possess and import more than 85 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States through Eagle Pass in 2022.
According to court documents, Miguel Antonio Esquivel Rodriguez, 33, attempted to enter the U.S. on Oct. 19, 2022, through the Eagle Pass Port of Entry. Customs and Border Protection officers referred Esquivel Rodriguez to secondary inspection, where anomalies were detected in the floorboard of his vehicle, along with a suspicious amount of air fresheners throughout the vehicle. Further investigation revealed trap doors in the floorboard and a non-factory hidden compartment that contained 83 baggies of a crystal-like substance. A lab report revealed the substance to be 39.382 kgs methamphetamine with a purity of 97%. Esquivel Rodriguez was arrested and taken to processing for further interviewing.
On Nov. 16, 2022, Esquivel Rodriguez was indicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to import methamphetamine, and one count of importation of methamphetamine. He was found guilty on all four counts in a December 2023 jury trial.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Warsame Galaydh and Tyler Fleming 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 other 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 Project Safe Neighborhoods.
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Mexican National Arrested for Selling 100% Pure MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Antonio Cruz, 36, of Mexico, was arrested on July 8, and charged by criminal complaint for Distribution of a Controlled Substance, after selling over 1000 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover agent.
According to the complaint, in April, Cruz met with an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF) agent and another individual at a business parking lot in Phoenix, Arizona, to sell them methamphetamine. Cruz provided the agent with approximately 3 pounds of 100% pure methamphetamine in exchange for $2700.
A records check showed that Cruz is a Mexican national and previously convicted felon, illegally present in the United States.
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).
ATF is conducting the investigation in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Usry, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-3289
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-113_Cruz# # #
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.
Mexican National Arrested for Harboring Illegal Aliens and Employing Them at Taco RestaurantsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Blademir Angulo Audeves, 42, of Mexico, was arrested on July 8, and charged by criminal complaint for Harboring of an Illegal Alien, Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens, Improper Entry by an Alien, and Alien in Possession of a Firearm. Angulo will have his initial appearance in federal court today.
According to the complaint filed in this case, in March 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began investigating allegations that Angulo was employing illegal aliens without work authorization at his taco restaurants in the Phoenix area. Through the investigation, HSI identified at least 12 illegal aliens working for Angulo, some of whom were living at Angulo’s home in Laveen, Arizona or at a second residence on 16th Avenue.
On July 8, HSI executed federal search warrants on Angulo’s residence and restaurant locations, as well as the 16th Avenue residence. Inside the two residences, agents encountered several Mexican citizens without legal permission to be in the United States. Agents also arrested Angulo without incident.
At Angulo’s residence, agents found three firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in the master bedroom closet. According to immigration records, Angulo, a Mexican national, was encountered by authorities in 2011 while illegally present in the United States, and eventually left the country via Nogales, Arizona pursuant to a voluntary departure in May 2021. When he was arrested on July 8, Angulo did not have legal permission to be in the United States and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
At Angulo’s taco restaurant locations, HSI agents also found Mexican citizens without legal permission to be present or employed in the United States legally.
Two of the illegal aliens that HSI encountered while executing the warrants as part of this operation, Christian Sagaste-Garcia and Jose Luis Ambriz-Cortes, were also arrested and separately charged with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Sagaste-Garcia and Ambriz-Cortez were previously removed from the United States in October 2024 and February 2013, respectively.
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).
Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-3297; 25-MJ-3296; 25-MJ-3298
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-114_Angulo# # #
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.Madison County Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Madison County man has been indicted on child sexual exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Randy Steven Smith, 48, of Huntsville, Alabama, with one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography and one count of transfer of obscene matter to a minor. These incidents occurred between 2023 and 2024 in Madison County.
The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force investigated the case with the assistance of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), U.S. Marshal Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, and Huntsville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Louisiana Man Arrested in Texas for Allegedly Fleeing Border Patrol with 10 Pounds of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A Louisiana man was arrested this week in Sierra Blanca on criminal charges allegedly fleeing from an immigration checkpoint.
According to court documents, Benjamin Thomas Mackey was referred to secondary inspection at the Sierra Blanca Border Patrol checkpoint due to a K-9 alert. The criminal complaint alleges that Mackey initially turned his vehicle off at the direction of Border Patrol agents, however quickly turned it back on and drove away at a high rate of speed. One agent allegedly had to move out of the way to avoid being hit by the vehicle.
Two agents responded in pursuit on I-10 East, exceeding speeds over 120 mph. Additional agents attempted to pull Mackey over in the town of Sierra Blanca as he allegedly drove in an erratic and dangerous manner, eventually crashing into a concrete barrier near a gas station. The criminal complaint further alleges that Mackey continued to flee on foot and agents were able to place him under arrest. During the chase, the complaint alleges, one Border Patrol agent obtained an injury to his legs and needed to be taken to the hospital. Inside Mackey’s vehicle, agents allegedly found 10 pounds of marijuana.
Mackey is charged with one count of high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The U.S. Border Patrol is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stanley Serwatka is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint 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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Las Cruces Felon Sentenced for Firearm-Related Drug Trafficking DeathRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces man was sentenced to 19 and a half years in prison for fatally shooting another man during a fentanyl drug deal, following his guilty plea to multiple federal drug trafficking and firearms charges.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on January 24, 2022, Rudy Garcia, 38, a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms, arranged a deal for the victim and an acquaintance to purchase 100 fentanyl-laced pills for $500 from Garcia’s ex-wife. Prior to getting the pills, Garcia and the victim had a conversation at a motel where Garcia let the victim know he had a shotgun and displayed the shotgun so that it was visible to him. Garcia expressed concern that the victim had developed a reputation for conducting "drug rips" and did not want any trouble during the deal.
After obtaining the pills, Garcia and the victim walked together to a vehicle. As they were getting in, Garcia claimed he saw the victim reach for a pistol. Feeling threatened, Garcia exited the vehicle, pulled out his shotgun, and shot the victim. The victim died from the gunshot wound.
Garcia was arrested and charged with conspiracy, distribution of fentanyl, using and discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime resulting in death, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Following his arrest, Garcia admitted to his involvement in the drug deal and the shooting during an interview with detectives. Surveillance footage and witness accounts corroborated the events leading to the victim’s death.
Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, discharging said firearm, and causing death through use of said firearm, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition
Upon his release from prison, Garcia will be subject to three years of supervised release.
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 Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Randy M. Castellano prosecuted the case.
Killer of 16-Year-Old Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Bernard Eddy, 24, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today by the Honorable Michael Ryan to 25 years in prison for the 2019 fatal shooting of 16-year-old Steffen Brathwaite, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
A Superior Court jury found Eddy guilty on April 22, 2025, of second-degree murder while armed and related weapons offenses. The government had requested a sentence of 31 years.
According to the government’s evidence, shortly after midnight on Sept.10, 2019, Eddy approached Steffen on the 3000 block of 24th Place, SE, as Steffen was walking alone through the neighborhood. Eddy, who was armed with a 9 mm handgun, fired multiple gunshots at Steffen. Steffen fell to the ground and Eddy fled on foot.
The evidence against Eddy included a 15-second video found on Eddy’s cell phone, which was recovered eight days after the slaying. In the recording, which was made about three hours after the shooting, Eddy is shown celebrating Steffen’s murder.
Eddy was arrested on Jan. 6, 2023, and has been held without bail since then.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Liebman and Mark Levy.
Kenel Man Convicted by Federal Jury for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Jesse Norman White Bull, age 45, of Kenel, South Dakota, was found guilty on July 10, 2025, of two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor following a three-day federal jury trial in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, a mandatory minimum of five years up to life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
White Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024.
At trial, the evidence established White Bull sexually abused a 13-year-old girl on multiple occasions between June 2023 and July 2023 at a residence in Kenel, a community within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal Court as opposed to State Court.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation report was ordered and a sentencing date of September 29, 2025, was set. White Bull was released on bond pending sentencing.
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest on Suppression of Competition in the Marketplace of Ideas Through Deplatforming of Rival ViewpointsRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department filed a statement of interest in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in the case of Children’s Health Defense et al. v. Washington Post et al. The lawsuit — led by plaintiffs allegedly deplatformed for sharing independent news and opinion related to the COVID-19 pandemic — alleges that the Washington Post, BBC, AP, and Reuters colluded with one another and with the large digital platforms to suppress competition from independent perspectives that rival mainstream media. The statement of interest explains how the antitrust laws protect viewpoint competition in news markets.
“When companies abuse their market power to block out and deplatform independent voices and protect legacy media, they harm competition and threaten the free flow of information on which consumers depend,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This Antitrust Division will always defend the principle that the antitrust laws protect free markets, including the marketplace of ideas.”
The Antitrust Division routinely files statements of interest and amicus briefs in federal court where doing so will help protect competition and consumers, including by encouraging the sound development of the antitrust laws. A collection of these statements of antitrust and amicus filings is publicly available on the Division’s website.
Illegal alien charged in relation to unlawful employment and harboring of other illegal aliens at local taco restaurantRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 39-year-old Mexican national illegally residing in Mission has been arrested on charges related to illegally hiring, employing and harboring more than a dozen people with no authority to be in the country, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Authorities took Juan Ramirez Cortez into custody during an enforcement action July 10. He has made his initial appearance and is scheduled for a preliminary and detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis at 3 p.m. July 15. He remains in custody pending that hearing.
The charges allege Cortez was the manager at Ole Taco in Mission. In that role, Cortez is allegedly responsible for hiring and firing of employees, filling out employment paperwork and checking the immigration documents of employees. The criminal complaint alleges he hired at least 10 illegal aliens.
As part of the enforcement action, authorities also arrested 17 other individuals, all determined to be illegal aliens with no authority to be in the United States.
If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison.
FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Texas Department of Public Safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Storey Lyles is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Honduran man charged with illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Petronilo Castillo Bonilla, 39, a citizen and national of Honduras, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith and Assistant U.S. Attorney Fauzia K. Mattingly, who are handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on June 24, 2025, Border Patrol agents encountered a vehicle in Buffalo, NY, which was registered to Castillo Bonilla, who was previously ordered removed from the United States. As agents approached two individuals, who were previously seen exiting the vehicle and were now returning to the vehicle, and asked if one was Castillo Bonilla, both individuals immediately ran in opposite directions. After a brief chase and struggle, agents were able to detain both individuals. When questioned about his citizenship and legal status in the United States, Castillo Bonilla did not provide any information for the agents. During a brief search of his clothing, a Honduran passport was discovered. Subsequent investigation determined that Castillo Bonilla is a citizen and national of Honduras, and not a citizen or national of the United States. He was physically removed from the United States in December 2018.
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.
Castillo Bonilla made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Martin B. Coombs.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Home Health Care Provider to Pay $334,807 to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
DETROIT - United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced today that M&Y Care, LLC (M&Y Care) agreed to pay a total of $334,807.20 to the United States and the State of Michigan to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act.
M&Y Care provides a variety of home health care services to Michigan patients, including personal care. Its principal place of business is in West Bloomfield, Michigan. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that M&Y Care caused the Medicare and Medicaid Programs to be billed for services provided by staff who lacked the requisite qualifications during the period of January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2023. Specifically, the United States contends that M&Y Care improperly billed the Medicare and Medicaid Programs using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code G0156 for services provided by individuals who were insufficiently trained. When properly used, this CPT code pertains to the services of a home health aide under a home health plan of care. The United States alleges that Defendant should have billed for non-skilled care, instead of billing and being paid for services under CPT code G0156. The non-skilled care rate was about 74% lower than the reimbursement rates for CPT code G0156.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, in the case captioned United States and the State of Michigan ex rel. DeCarlo v. M&Y Care, LLC, et al., Case No. 19-11032 (E.D. Mich.). Under the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General, and the Michigan Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division. The matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorney John Postulka from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Guilty Plea in Attempt to Possess Mass Quantity of ‘Boot,’ an Illegal Psychostimulant Imported from ChinaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – One day before he was scheduled to go to trial, Marvin Benjamin Martin, 32, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in federal court atttempted possession with intent to distribute dipentylone, an illegal psychostimulant known as “boot,” which was imported from China, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Martin pleaded guilty before Judge Beryl A. Howell to attempted possession with intent to distribute N,N Dimethylpentylone hydrochloride. Judge Howell scheduled sentencing for October 17, 2025. Martin is eligible for up to 20 years in prison.
According to court documents, in early 2024, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington D.C. High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area group (HIDTA) was conducting an ongoing investigation into illegal shipments of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals originating in China. In February 2024, officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized a package at the International Mail Facility at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).The package, addressed to “Martin Hall” on 58th Street SE. had been mailed from China, and contained 10 kilos of boot.
HSI agents swapped out the boot in the package for sham materials and added a GPS tracking device.
On March 7, 2024, HIDTA, comprised of HSI, the Metropolitan Police Department, and officers from various other agencies, delivered the package to the front steps of the residence on 58th Street around 11:27 a.m. The officers watched as Martin retrieved the package, took it back to his vehicle, and drove off.
About an hour later, Martin discarded the empty package while keeping what he believed to be real drugs. At 12:37 p.m., investigators found Martin driving in a nearby residential neighborhood and attempted to detain him. Martin sped off and crashed into a minivan and fence before evading officers.
Agents subsequently found Martin at a home in Lanham, Maryland, and attempted to block him in with their vehicles. Martin accelerated his car towards the agents, striking the front side of an agent’s vehicle at high speed. About two hours later, agents again found Martin at the Lanham residence, this time in his undamaged car, a Mercedes sedan. Officers positioned their vehicles to block the street and Martin again drove his car towards the agents at a high speed. He swerved onto a sidewalk and hit a tree while accelerating past agents’ vehicles, once again evading capture.
On April 10, 2024, Martin was arrested in Annapolis, Maryland. From his multiple phones, agents recovered evidence showing that he had been selling boot and other narcotics, for years leading up to his arrest. The investigation also showed that Martin paid about $40,000 to $50,000 for the box of 10 kilograms of boot and would sell it for anywhere between $125 to $200 an ounce. From his phones, agents also found a DOJ press release links of other boot trafficking convictions that Martin shared with other individuals, showing knowledge of his criminal conduct
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Washington D.C. High Intensity Drug Traffic Area group (HIDTA), the Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Annapolis Police Department.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Iris McCranie and Anthony Scarpelli of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking section (VCNT) of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia.
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Four Defendants Sentenced in Federal Court for Roles in Automobile Dealership Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – Four defendants were sentenced in federal court last week for their roles in connection with a scheme to use the stolen identities of others to purchase expensive vehicles in the Jackson metropolitan area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2023, Paul Anthony Robinson, Sarah Elizabeth Calderon, Joshanique Elouise Bailey, David L. Jones, Jr., and Anna Waldei conspired with each other to obtain the identity information of credit-worthy individuals, create false identity documents in the names of those individuals, and then pose as those individuals at automotive dealerships in order to apply for vehicle financing. The defendants submitted credit applications and purchased or attempted to purchase vehicles from dealerships in the Jackson metro area. The defendants traveled from Louisiana to Mississippi in a vehicle rented by Waldei.
Robinson pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on October 18, 2024. He received a sentence of 46 months in federal prison.
Calderon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on November 26, 2024. She received a sentence of 39 months in federal prison.
Bailey pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on April 9, 2025. She received a sentence of two years’ probation.
Jones pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on February 13, 2025. He received a sentence of 32 months in federal prison.
The remaining co-defendant, Anna Waldei, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on March 27, 2025. Waldei is scheduled to be sentenced on August 21, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
“Cases involving identity theft have long lasting implications for victims including difficulties reestablishing their identity and credit,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick Lemon. “I am grateful for the hard work of the Secret Service and Attorney General’s Office in helping to bring these defendants to justice.”
“More than vehicles were stolen here. A person’s identity is their most valuable possession and identity theft is a serious crime,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “It is one of the reasons our Cyber Fraud Task Force is such a vital law enforcement unit. I am proud to see the results of our work in this case with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Secret Service to put the brakes on this auto theft scheme, put these criminals behind bars, and obtain justice for all of the victims.”
“The use of stolen identities by suspects to target unknowing victims represents a serious and evolving threat to public safety, financial security, and personal privacy,” said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis. “These crimes are not just fraud—they are violations that often leave victims emotionally distressed, financially devastated, and struggling to reclaim their sense of security. This type of deception underscores the urgent need for increased public awareness, robust cybersecurity measures, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and disrupt these schemes. Protecting the identity and integrity of our citizens must remain a top priority, as every stolen identity is a potential gateway to further victimization and criminal enterprise.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office investigated the case through their partnership in the Cyber Fraud Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case.
Former Rohnert Park Police Officer Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Extortion, Impersonating ATF Agent, and Other Charges Related to Marijuana Seizure SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – This afternoon, a federal jury convicted former Rohnert Park police officer Joseph Huffaker on six counts of conspiracy to commit extortion, extortion, conspiracy to falsify records in a federal investigation, falsifying records in a federal investigation, conspiracy to impersonate a federal officer, and impersonating a federal officer. The jury’s verdict follows a week-long trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Maxine M. Chesney.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Huffaker, 40, of Rohnert Park, was employed between 2012 and 2019 with the City of Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety (RPDPS) as a police officer. The jury found that Huffaker conspired with his co-defendant, fellow police officer Brendan Jacy Tatum, to pull over drivers they suspected of possessing significant amounts of marijuana and extorting the drivers’ marijuana by falsely claiming to be ATF agents and threatening arrest if the drivers contested the property seizures. The jury also found that Huffaker conspired with Tatum to obstruct justice by creating a false police report two months after their extortions and sending that report to the FBI.
“No traffic stop should turn into a shakedown. Misconduct by police officers undermines public safety and jeopardizes public cooperation with law enforcement. Huffaker’s actions threw a shadow of suspicion over multiple law enforcement agencies which, thankfully, were quick to investigate and discover his scheme,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “The jury’s verdict today holds Huffaker accountable and sends a strong message that we will not tolerate misconduct by those who hold the public trust.”
“Today’s verdict affirms that no one is above the law. Joseph Huffaker betrayed the sworn oath he took as a police officer and used his position to extort money and marijuana from drivers under the guise of legitimate law enforcement,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Crimes like these damage the public’s confidence in law enforcement. Huffaker dishonored the oath every officer takes when he committed these crimes. The FBI remains committed to rooting out corruption at all levels, and we will continue to work closely with our partners to hold those who abuse their authority accountable.”
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, RPDPS previously operated an interdiction team between 2014 and early 2017 that conducted traffic stops on vehicles along Highway 101 between Cloverdale and Rohnert Park in an effort to seize illegal drugs. In December 2017, 11 months after the interdiction team had been disbanded, Huffaker and Tatum extorted significant quantities of marijuana from individuals, declaring to the individuals that their property would be seized, and at times threatening to arrest and charge the individuals. These seizures occurred while the officers were not on duty and not wearing their uniforms or body-worn cameras.
The jury found that the extortion conspiracy included a traffic stop on December 18 during which Huffaker and Tatum falsely claimed to be ATF agents and seized 23 pounds of marijuana.
In February 2018, the FBI received a complaint from a citizen who claimed to have been shaken down by police officers on the highway. An FBI agent asked Tatum for the police report related to the incident. The jury found that Tatum and Huffaker thereafter falsified a police Incident/Investigation Report regarding the unlawful December 18 traffic stop and seizure. Tatum then forwarded the falsified police report to an FBI agent who was investigating the stop.
Huffaker is currently released on bond. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 15, 2025, before Judge Chesney. Huffaker faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, extortion under color of official right, and falsifying records in a federal investigation; five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to falsify records in a federal investigation and conspiracy to impersonate a federal officer; and three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for the count of impersonating a federal officer. Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Co-defendant Tatum pleaded guilty in December 2021 to conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, falsifying records in a federal investigation, and tax evasion. Tatum is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3, 2025, before Judge Chesney.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham Fine and Benjamin Kleinman are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Veronica Hernandez, Amala James, and Janice Pagsanjan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation.
Federal Jury Convicts Washington Man of Three Counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon on the Coeur d’Alene Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – After a four-day trial, a federal jury sitting in Coeur d’Alene found Jason Bergeron, 50, of Washington, guilty of three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford presided over the trial, which began on July 7, and concluded with guilty verdicts as to three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon on July 10.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Bergeron drove to his ex-girlfriend’s house on the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation. Once there, he shot a rifle into the house while his ex-girlfriend, her daughter and son-in-law, and her three-year-old grandson were at the house. Bergeron shot multiple additional rounds of ammunition towards the daughter and son-in-law as they fled with their child, then pointed the rifle at his ex-girlfriend multiple times and threatened to kill her. All the victims in this case are members of the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation.
Each of the three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. Sentencing is set for September 24, 2025, before Judge Brailsford at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a meticulous and professional investigation, which led to the charges. He also thanked the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Prosecutor and the Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney for their assistance with this case. Assistants United States Attorney Bryce Ellsworth and Adam Johnson prosecuted the case.
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Federal Jury Convicts Hammond Man of Failing to Pay over Federal Trust Fund TaxesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis announced that a federal jury unanimously convicted Benjamin Thomas, III, age 52, of Hammond, Louisiana, of five counts of failing to truthfully account for and pay over federal trust fund taxes. The verdict followed a three-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson. Thomas had been living in the Dominican Republic since early 2023.
As the evidence at trial demonstrated, beginning in or around 2013, Thomas owned, operated, and controlled a company called Lighthouse Community Care, Inc. (“Lighthouse”), a mental health services clinic based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As the business expanded, Thomas opened several locations all across Louisiana and hired more than 100 employees.
Throughout the company’s existence, Thomas would withhold “trust fund taxes” from his employees’ paychecks - the federal income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes that employers withhold from their employees’ paychecks and are required to pay to the IRS on a quarterly basis. But he often failed to timely file Lighthouse’s quarterly employment tax returns and consistently failed to pay over to the IRS the withheld funds. For the five specific time periods charged in the Indictment, the first three quarters of 2017 and the first two quarters of 2018, Thomas failed to truthfully account for and pay over more than $970,000 in trust funds.
As the evidence at trial demonstrated, the IRS frequently communicated with Thomas through written notices, phone calls, and an in-person interview to remind him of his tax obligations and encourage him to pay what he owed. Meanwhile, he diverted more than $350,000 in company funds to a vacation home in the Dominican Republic, more than $400,000 to a separate management company that he controlled, and more than $500,000 to a family trust that he created. Thomas also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxury automobiles (including a Lamborghini and a McLaren), private school tuition, and high-end clothing, jewelry, and accessories.
“The defendant willfully failed to satisfy one of the most fundamental obligations business owners face - to truthfully account for and pay over the federal income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes that they withhold from their employees’ paychecks,” said Acting United States Attorney Travis. “Instead, he treated his company’s bank accounts like his own personal ATM. I sincerely appreciate the jury’s verdict and the work of our federal agents and our office’s prosecutors, who worked diligently to hold the defendant accountable for his criminal activity.”
“Employees expect their employers to turn over the employment taxes that are taken out of their paychecks to fund future Social Security and Medicare benefits,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Employers who fail their responsibilities are possibly harming their employees’ future benefits, while also stealing from taxpayers. IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are working on behalf of taxpayers to investigate and hold accountable those who commit these financial crimes.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, with valuable assistance from the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and the USMS’s law enforcement partners in the Dominican Republic. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alan A. Stevens, who also serves as Senior Litigation Counsel for the Criminal Division, and Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin M. Anderson.
District of Arizona Charges 147 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 5, 2025, through July 11, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 147 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 71 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 57 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 16 cases against 19 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Ismael Viera-Villa: On July 7, 2025, Border Patrol Agents working along State Route 83 attempted to stop and conduct an immigration inspection on the driver of a Dodge Ram truck after noticing suspicious behavior. The driver of the truck, Ismael Viera-Villa failed to yield, so agents deployed a vehicle immobilization device to stop the vehicle. Inside the truck, agents found seven individuals in the back seat who were trying to hide under the floor mats and backpacks. Agents learned that the back seat passengers and the front seat passenger, Fausto Gil-Cruz, were citizens of Mexico and Guatemala, all illegally present in the United States. Gil-Cruz was identified as the group’s foot guide that led the illegal aliens to the Dodge Ram truck. Viera-Villa and Gil-Cruz were both charged by criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Transport an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-06416]
United States v. Carlos Meza-Alcantar: On July 7, 2025, Border Patrol Agents were conducting surveillance of a residence that was suspected of being used in human smuggling operations. Agents observed two vehicles driving in tandem towards the residence. One of the vehicles pulled into the garage while the other waited in the driveway. Several minutes later, the vehicle that had been in the garage left, and both vehicles drove in tandem until they pulled into a warehouse where semi-trucks were parked. A few minutes later, both vehicles left the warehouse, and then a semi-truck departed shortly thereafter. Agents investigated the area where the semi-truck had been parked and noticed several sets of footprints leading to the trailer. Agents at a nearby Border Patrol checkpoint encountered the same semi-truck and a Border Patrol canine alerted to the trailer. Agents inspected the trailer and discovered 14 individuals hiding inside. All 14 individuals were determined to be illegally present in the United States. The driver of the semi-truck was identified as Carlos Meza-Alcantar. Meza-Alcantar was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-06415]
United States v. Blademir Angulo Audeves: On July 8, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Blademir Angulo Audeves, who was charged by criminal complaint for violations of Harboring of an Illegal Alien, Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens, Improper Entry by an Alien, and Alien in Possession of a Firearm. HSI executed four federal search warrants after a five-month investigation into Angulo’s business practices which revealed that he was employing at least twelve unlawfully present aliens. Angulo also harbored several of the illegal aliens at his residence. During the execution of the search warrant, agents found three firearms in Angulo’s bedroom closet. Angulo, a Mexican national, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition as an illegal alien. [Case Number: 25-MJ-3297]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-115_July 11 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jesse Robert Phillips, 40, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to nine years and seven months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 30, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to a disturbance call at a Mount Hope, West Virginia, residence where Phillips was living at the time. Officers seized four firearms and two bags containing a total of 19.896 grams of fentanyl analogue from Phillips’ bedroom at the residence.
As part of his guilty plea, Phillips admitted that he possessed the seized fentanyl, and that he intended to distribute it. Phillips further admitted that he had been selling fentanyl and used two other occupants of the residence, Robert Lee Moran and Kayla Nicole Dent, to sell fentanyl while he was living in West Virginia.
Moran, 47, of Mount Hope, was sentenced on June 3, 2025, to nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl. Dent, 34, of Mount Hope, was sentenced to five years of federal probation after pleading guilty on January 29, 2025, to distribution of fentanyl.
Phillips has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for armed robbery and multiple drug offenses.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Alexander A. Redmon prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-142.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to One Year and One Day in Prison for Assaulting Deputy U.S. Marshal, Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Jeffrey Adam Crum was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in federal prison for assaulting a Deputy U.S. Marshal who was attempting to take him into custody following a hearing in federal court and 12 months and one day for violating the terms of his supervised release, with both terms to run concurrently. Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Illston handed down the sentence.
Crum, 34, who previously resided in Burlingame and San Francisco, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Dec. 3, 2024. He pleaded guilty on May 16, 2025, to one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a)(1). According to court documents and the plea agreement, Crum appeared in federal court on Nov. 22, 2024, for a hearing regarding allegations that he violated the terms of his supervised release following his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in federal court in Utah.
At the hearing on Crum’s supervised release violation, the district court ordered that Crum be detained pending further proceedings. Crum was upset by the Court’s decision and opposed, resisted, and impeded the efforts of multiple Deputy U.S. Marshals to take him into custody. Specifically, Crum resisted instructions by Deputy U.S. Marshals to enter and exit an elevator that would take him to a holding cell, forcing them to carry him. At one point, Crum kicked his legs out, striking a Deputy U.S. Marshal in the head.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Supervisory Deputy United States Marshal David Siegel made the announcement.
The defendant was immediately remanded into custody.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eli J. Cohen and Christine Chen prosecuted the case with the assistance of Marina Ponomarchuk and Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Cincinnati man pleads guilty to possessing 26 pounds of methamphetamineRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Myron Billups, 46, of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He faces at least 10 years in prison.
According to court documents, on July 27, 2024, law enforcement officers observed Billups near a residence on Drew Avenue in Cincinnati receiving a plastic storage bin. Billups placed the bin in the trunk of a red Lexus that belonged to another individual and then went back inside the residence.
Later that morning, Billups, driving the red Lexus, was stopped by law enforcement for a traffic violation. A K9 alerted at the vehicle, and officers discovered approximately 26 pounds of methamphetamine in the storage bin.
During a subsequent search of the Drew Avenue residence, law enforcement discovered $3,000 in cash, drug paraphernalia and two baggies of fentanyl.
Billups was charged federally in August 2024.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit; and Springfield Township Police Chief Chris Niehaus announced the guilty plea entered on July 10 before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is representing the United States in this case.
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Chinese Nationals Charged with Conspiracy to Defraud Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that eight Chinese nationals who obtained student visas to attend college in the United States were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Those indicated include: Yankun Jiang, 24, of State College, PA, Hanlin Yang, 24, of State College; Chenhao Chen, 25, of California; Xiaoqing Tu, 24, of California; Dongjie Lu, 35, of California; Lei Bao, 22, of New York; Kuo Zhang, 31, of New Jersey; and Jiacheng Zhang, 25, of Florida.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, the indictment alleges that beginning in or about August of 2023 and continuing until on or about February 22, 2024, the defendants orchestrated a wide-scale computer “pop-up” scam targeting elderly victims falsely claiming that their computer or bank accounts had been compromised. The indictment further alleges that members of the conspiracy traveled to victims’ homes and posed as federal law enforcement officers to collect large sums of cash from the victims claiming that the assets would be protected, among other falsehoods. It is alleged that more than 50 victims across 19 states were defrauded of more than $10,000,000.
"These indictments highlight the relentless efforts of Homeland Security Investigations to safeguard our elderly population from complex fraud operations," stated Special Agent in Charge Edward V. Owens of HSI Philadelphia. "Schemes like these cause significant emotional and financial harm to elderly victims across the country. HSI, in partnership with the FBI, remains steadfast in our commitment to securing justice for the victims and ensuring that those responsible are held fully accountable."
“As outlined in the indictment, this criminal enterprise not only exploited elderly victims but did so by impersonating federal law enforcement—an egregious abuse of trust,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “We urge older Americans and their families to remain alert to these kinds of scams. The FBI will never ask for money or payment of any kind. We are grateful to our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations for their dedicated work in bringing this case forward.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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CEO of an Iranian Engineering Company Arrested for Allegedly Shipping Sophisticated Electronics from the U.S. to Iran in Violation of U.S. SanctionsRead the Press Release
An Iranian national and U.S. lawful permanent resident has been arrested on a four-count federal indictment charging him with unlawfully exporting electronics used in railway signaling and telecommunications systems from the United States to Iran, in violation the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR).
Bahram Mohammad Ostovari, 66, a resident of Santa Monica and Tehran, Iran, was arrested Thursday afternoon upon his arrival at Los Angeles International Airport.
Ostovari is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and three counts of violating the IEEPA.
According to the indictment unsealed today, Ostovari is the founder and CEO of a Tehran-based engineering company – identified in the indictment as “Company A” – that supplied signaling and communications systems to Iran and its government, including on projects for the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways. From at least May 2018 to July 2025, Ostovari and his co-conspirators obtained and shipped sophisticated computer processors, railway signaling equipment, and other electronics and electronic components to Company A in Iran. Many of these items were controlled under federal regulations, and their export to Iran without a license was prohibited.
To perpetrate his illegal export scheme, Ostovari used two front companies he controlled in the UAE – MH-SYS FZCO and Match Systech FZE – as conduits. Ostovari directed co-conspirators at these front companies to acquire the electronics and electronic components for Company A. Ostovari and his co-conspirators intentionally concealed from electronics suppliers in the United States and elsewhere that the goods were destined for Iran, falsely stating that MH-SYS and Match Systech in the UAE were the end users when in fact the true end user was Company A in Iran. Ostovari then directed his co-conspirators to arrange to ship the goods from the UAE to Company A in Iran.
After he became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in May 2020, Ostovari continued to export, sell, and supply electronics and electrical components to Company A in Iran.
As alleged, Ostovari knew of the U.S. sanctions against Iran, mentioning them in emails to co-conspirators and directing one co-conspirator to provide false information to a federal export control officer regarding the end use of U.S.-origin goods they had shipped to Company A in Iran.
The IEEPA and the ITSR impose controls and restrictions on transactions involving Iran based on the threats posed by Iran to the national security of the United States including, among others, its pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorism. The IEEPA and ITSR, among other things, prohibit the export, re-export, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by a United States person, wherever located, of any goods, technology, or services to Iran or the Government of Iran without first obtaining authorization from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
At no time did Ostovari, his companies, or his co-conspirators apply for or obtain authorization from OFAC to export, sell or supply goods and technologies from the United States to Iran.
If convicted, Ostovari faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security are investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David C. Lachman and Colin S. Scott for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from Trial Attorney Kathryn DeMarco of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CEO of Iranian Engineering Company Arrested for Allegedly Shipping Sophisticated Electronics to Iran in Violation of U.S. SanctionsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Iranian national and United States lawful permanent resident has been arrested on a four-count federal indictment charging him with unlawfully exporting electronics used in railway signaling and telecommunications systems from the United States to Iran, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR).
Bahram Mohammad Ostovari, 66, a resident of Tehran, Iran, and Santa Monica, was arrested Thursday afternoon upon his arrival at Los Angeles International Airport.
Ostovari is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and three counts of violating the IEEPA.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment today in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. A federal magistrate judge ordered him released on $1.3 million bond and scheduled a September 2 trial date.
According to the indictment unsealed today, Ostovari is the founder and CEO of a Tehran-based engineering company – identified in the indictment as “Company A” – that supplied signaling and communications systems to Iran and its government, including on projects for the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways. From at least May 2018 to July 2025, Ostovari and his co-conspirators obtained and shipped sophisticated computer processors, railway signaling equipment, and other electronics and electronic components to Company A in Iran. Many of these items were controlled under federal regulations, and their export to Iran without a license was prohibited.
To perpetrate his illegal export scheme, Ostovari used two front companies he controlled in the UAE – MH-SYS FZCO and Match Systech FZE – as conduits. Ostovari directed co-conspirators at these front companies to acquire the electronics and electronic components for Company A. Ostovari and his co-conspirators intentionally concealed from electronics suppliers in the United States and elsewhere that the goods were destined for Iran, falsely stating that MH-SYS and Match Systech in the UAE were the end users when in fact the true end user was Company A in Iran. Ostovari then directed his co-conspirators to arrange to ship the goods from the UAE to Company A in Iran.
After he became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in May 2020, Ostovari continued to export, sell, and supply electronics and electrical components to Company A in Iran.
Ostovari knew of the U.S. sanctions against Iran, mentioning them in emails to co-conspirators and directing one co-conspirator to provide false information to a federal export control officer regarding the end use of U.S.-origin goods they had shipped to Company A in Iran.
The IEEPA and the ITSR impose controls and restrictions on transactions involving Iran based on the threats posed by Iran to the national security of the United States including, among others, its pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorism. The IEEPA and ITSR, among other things, prohibit the export, re-export, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by a United States person, wherever located, of any goods, technology, or services to Iran or the Government of Iran without first obtaining authorization from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
At no time did Ostovari, his companies, or his co-conspirators apply for or obtain authorization from OFAC to export, sell or supply goods and technologies from the United States to Iran.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Ostovari would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count.
Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security Office of Export Enforcement, and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys David C. Lachman and Colin S. Scott of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case. Trial Attorney Kathryn DeMarco of the Justice Department National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section provided valuable assistance.
Brooklyn Man Sentenced for Role in International Wire Fraud Scheme Using Stolen Identities to Submit Fraudulent Tax Returns Seeking More Than $35 Million in RefundsRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court to three years of probation and ordered to pay $290,000 in restitution on his conviction of wire fraud conspiracy, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Xerxes Shevar, 57, on July 10, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, Shevar participated in a conspiracy involving multiple co-defendants in the United States, Ghana, Nigeria, and Ireland to commit wire fraud by submitting fraudulent federal tax returns in the names of individuals whose identities were stolen by the conspirators. The conspirators then opened bank accounts using stolen identities and used those accounts as repositories for their fraudulently obtained federal tax refunds. The conspirators obtained stolen identity information on the Internet and then traded that information among themselves using email accounts and other means of communication. The Indictment against Shevar—who was arrested in February 2024 when he returned to the United States from Ghana— and his co-conspirators alleges that, for the tax years 2010 to 2013, approximately $38 million in fraudulent tax refunds was sought from the IRS by the conspirators, causing the IRS to pay at least $10 million in fraudulent refunds. The Indictment also alleges that approximately 3,493 bank accounts were opened using stolen identities, affecting approximately 443 financial institutions, and that approximately 4,563 credit cards were obtained using the stolen identities, with approximately 11,468 individuals alleged to have been victimized.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Shevar.
Brazilian Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry into U.S.Read the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A citizen of Brazil pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court on July 10, 2025, to time served and one year of supervised release on his conviction of illegal reentry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Paulo Henrique Fernandes Evaristo, 26.
According to information presented to the Court, Fernandes Evaristo reentered the United States without the permission of the Secretary of Homeland Security after having been previously removed on October 7, 2021. Fernandes Evaristo was found in Glassport, Pennsylvania, on March 5, 2025.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Fernandes Evaristo.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Berks County Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robberies of Reading Gas Stations, Credit UnionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Mikal Portalatin, 34, of Reading, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Judge John M. Gallagher yesterday to one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery, one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of armed bank robbery.
The defendant was indicted on those charges in January 2024, in connection with three armed robberies in Berks County in the second half of 2022:
- July 27, 2022; Citgo gas station convenience store, 200 block of Buttonwood Street
- August 3, 2022; Sunoco gas station convenience store, 1500 block of Lancaster Avenue
- November 21, 2022; Members First Credit Union, 500 block of E. Lancaster Avenue
During the July robbery, Portalatin discharged his firearm at an employee who chased him as he fled; no one was hit.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30 and faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency, the Cumru Township Police Department, and the Reading Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rosalynda M. Michetti and Kelly Lewis Fallenstein.
Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Reynard Penn, 44, of Beckley, was sentenced today to two years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 17, 2023, Penn sold approximately 27 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $1,600 at his Beckley residence. Penn admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling fentanyl to the confidential informant on three other occasions at or outside his residence between August 23 and September 13, 2023.
On September 18, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Penn’s residence and found 6.482 grams of cocaine, 162 grams of marijuana, a Ruger .380-caliber pistol and $4,889. The cash included $470 in pre-recorded money Penn received from the confidential informant during the controlled drug buys.
At the time of this offense, Penn was employed as a peer support counselor at a substance abuse treatment center. Penn has a criminal history that includes a previous conviction for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-94.
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Attorney General Bondi Takes Action to End the Subsidization of Open BordersRead the Press Release
Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced today a decisive move to help end the subsidization of open borders by taxpayers.
As noted in the announcement by the White House yesterday, the Attorney General has rescinded a nearly 30-year-old order allowing for the provision of federal benefits to illegal aliens. In 1996, Congress passed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 (PRWORA), which limits public benefits to citizens and “qualified aliens” who have a legal right to be in the United States.
To conform with President Trump’s Executive Order, the Attorney General has now issued an order expressly declining to exempt any programs from PRWORA, revoking overly broad exceptions put in place by Attorney General Reno nearly three decades ago.
“Previous administrations have acted for decades to undermine the principles and limitations directed by Congress through PRWORA—no longer,” said Attorney General Bondi. “The Trump Administration’s action will preserve public benefits for American citizens, support the rule of law, and avoid the waste of taxpayer dollars.”
Arapahoe man sentenced for abusive sexual contact with a minorRead the Press Release
Kendall Joseph Moss III, 35, of Arapahoe, Wyoming, was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment followed by 15 years of supervised release for abusive sexual contact with a minor. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence in Casper on July 10.
Moss was convicted by a federal jury on March 20, after a four-day trial. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, an investigation began in connection with a minor witness’s disclosure to a student advocate and school resource officer at her elementary school of sexual abuse by the defendant in 2021. Dr. Gail S. Goodman, PH.D., a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Davis, testified at trial on the dynamics of child sexual abuse, including that victims often delay disclosing the sexual abuse or make piecemeal disclosures of the abuse over time. The victim was interviewed twice over two years and provided more details of the sexual abuse in her second interview. The defendant made statements to law enforcement indicating the victim was not lying in her allegations against him. The jury’s verdict found the defendant guilty of touching the minor victim in her genital area over her clothing with the intent of sexual gratification.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs Wind River Police Department and the FBI investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Case No. 24-CR-00165
A Message from the United States Attorney to the Residents of Ruidoso, New Mexico: Combating Disaster-Related FraudRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – The recent flooding in Ruidoso, New Mexico, has brought devastating loss and hardship to our community. Lives have been lost, homes and businesses have been destroyed, and many families are facing an uncertain future. In the midst of this tragedy, we have witnessed countless acts of generosity and resilience as neighbors, volunteers, and organizations step forward to help those in need.
Unfortunately, history teaches us that disasters like this also attract individuals seeking to exploit the situation for personal gain. Fraudulent activity undermines recovery efforts and diverts critical resources away from genuine victims.
Past disasters have shown that fraud can take many forms, including:
- Individuals not affected by the flooding who attempt to claim disaster benefits.
- The creation of fraudulent charities or the diversion of donations intended for legitimate relief organizations.
- Fraudulent applications for rebuilding grants and loans, such as those offered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Our office has zero tolerance for those who seek to steal from disaster victims or misuse funds meant for recovery. We have established a Disaster Fraud Working Group, which includes the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service, HUD, SBA, Postal Inspectors, Internal Revenue Service, and U.S. Marshals Service. This group is actively reviewing potential cases and will work closely with the New Mexico Department of Justice, local and tribal law enforcement, and community partners to ensure that fraudsters are brought to justice.
Anyone considering disaster-related fraud should be aware that federal law—specifically, 18 United States Code, Section 1040—provides for penalties of up to 30 years in federal prison.
We urge the public to remain vigilant. If you observe suspicious activity or suspect fraud, please report it immediately. The National Disaster Fraud Hotline is available toll-free at (866) 720-5721, or you may email [email protected]. The hotline operates 24/7.
Together, we can protect our community and ensure that help reaches those who truly need it.
Thursday 10 July 2025
Ypsilanti Man Pleads Guilty in Online Refund SchemeRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Mubasher Riaz, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Riaz was engaged in an online refund scheme from July 2017 through his arrest in November 2023, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
According to court records, defendants Mubasher Riaz and his brother, Muzzammil Riaz, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud earlier this year. Muzzammil Riaz pled guilty to his lesser role in the scheme on June 4, 2025. As part of their pleas, both defendants admitted to purchasing online goods using fraudulent identities, virtual private networks, different electronic devices, and other means intended to avoid fraud detection by online vendors. The defendants purchased goods from hundreds of vendors, including cell phones, tablets, electronic doorbells, and clothing. After receiving the purchased goods, defendants submitted refund claims, falsely claiming the purchased goods were defective. Despite submitting a refund, the defendants did not return the purchased goods. Instead, the defendants shipped back an empty box, a counterfeit item, or alternative item such as a book that matched the expected shipment weight of the return. Mubasher Riaz would then resell the unlawfully obtained goods for profit.
FBI agents uncovered the scheme while executing a search warrant at the home of Mubasher Riaz in November 2023. At the time, Mubasher was under investigation for sexual exploitation of children. Agents found evidence of fraud in plain view in the home, including over 40 cell phones and 30 tablets that were individually labeled with the personal identifying information of different identities used for the fraud scheme. The total loss incurred by online vendors was over $400,000.
While the defendants used numerous accounts, some of the more common accounts used to make the online purchases and fraudulent refunds include the following:
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
Law enforcement believes many possible victims of the scheme exist. Potential victims are encouraged to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at www.fbi.gov/mubasherriazvictims
(Please note that the link to the website is case sensitive).
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Zurek.
Westminster Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Federal Prison in Connection with Drug Trafficking and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson sentenced Rodney Gaines, 35, of Westminster, Maryland, today, to 23 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. A federal jury found Gaines guilty back on April 4, of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and two counts of distribution of cocaine.
Judge Abelson also found that Gaines ordered and arranged the murder of a man in Westminster, Maryland, on January 31, 2022. The court applied sentencing guideline enhancements on the grounds that Gaines’s drug offenses involved firearms and violence or threats of violence, and that he served in a leadership role in the drug conspiracy.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr. Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Sheriff James T. DeWees, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office; and Chief Thomas Ledwell, Westminster Police Department.
Evidence presented at trial included wiretaps that revealed Gaines arranged sales of cocaine to various customers. During the recorded conversations, the cocaine was referred to in coded phrases such as “powder,” “8-balls,” “balls,” and the “sister,” among other terms. Law enforcement also seized quantities of cocaine from Gaines’s customers after he sold to them.
The wiretaps also showed that Gaines sold cocaine in conspiracy with numerous accomplices, including people who he directed to deliver cocaine to customers; prepared the crack cocaine by “cooking” powder cocaine into crack; and hid drugs at various locations, including burying the drugs in wooded areas around Westminster. Near the end of the investigation, law enforcement recovered more than $250,000 in cash in apparent drug proceeds from a storage unit that another member of the conspiracy acquired. The jury found that the conspiracy involved 280 grams or more of cocaine base, which carries a 10-year mandatory minimum to a life sentence in prison.
Additionally, the defense presented evidence at trial that proved Gaines’s activities — and the activities of his conspiracy — involved firearms, including Gaines’s efforts to acquire firearms from co-conspirators in January 2022.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, MSP, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and Westminster Police Department for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaRai N. Everett and Michael C. Hanlon who prosecuted 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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Washington State Resident Sentenced for Burglary and Felony AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cody Lynn Lusk, age 35, of Seattle, Washington, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for one count of Burglary in the First Degree in Indian Country, and 30 months in prison for one count of Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner by Strangling, Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Muskogee Police Department.
On February 3, 2025, Lusk pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on March 22, 2024, Lusk broke into a Muskogee apartment in order to attack the resident. Once inside the apartment, Lusk proceeded to strangle and suffocate the victim, who was able to escape and call for help during a pause in the attack. The crimes occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Lusk will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.
Vietnamese National Sentenced to Prison for Using Stolen Identity of Deceased Child for Six YearsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Vietnamese man residing in Braintree, Mass., was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for passport fraud and aggravated identity theft. The defendant stole the identity of a deceased minor victim and ultimately used the stolen identity to work as a paramedic and firefighter, attending the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy and securing employment at the Melrose Fire Department in the name of the victim. Defendant also previously worked for the Norwell Firefighters Union as officer of the union.
Truong Nguyen, 50, “a/k/a John Doe,” was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 25 months in prison. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In March 2025, Nguyen, whose identity was not known at the time he was charged, pleaded guilty to passport fraud and aggravated identity theft. Nguyen was arrested and charged in May 2024 and released on conditions including an unsecured bond of $50,000. He was later indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024.
“This defendant has illegally resided in the Unites States for over 30 years, assuming false identities to dodge deportation resulting from a 1991 felony conviction. For the last six years, Mr. Nguyen exploited the identity of a deceased child to avoid accountability for a litany of criminal offenses, including attempting to obtain a U.S. passport and falsifying information to become a firefighter,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Such identity fraud undermines the integrity of our identification systems. Our office is committed to holding accountable those who steal American identities and manipulate our public institutions for personal gain.”
“Deterring, detecting, and investigating U.S. passport and visa fraud are essential to protecting the integrity of consular processes and safeguarding our national security,” said Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Boston Field Office. “DSS, working with our law enforcement partners, successfully led this investigation which brought charges and a conviction against this individual who committed identity theft, passport fraud, and then evaded U.S. law enforcement by assuming the identity of a deceased child for many years.”
In March 2023, the defendant submitted a passport application in-person at the U.S. post office in Weymouth, presenting himself to be an individual identified as HH (the victim). In support of the application, Nguyen provided the victim’s name, date of birth and Social Security number, a copy of the victim’s U.S. birth certificate, as well a Massachusetts driver’s license with the victim’s information purporting to be his own.
In June 2023, the Boston Passport Agency forwarded the defendant’s passport application and supporting documents to federal law enforcement, after verifying a death record for the victim when reviewing the application. The Social Security number, date of birth and parental information provided by Nguyen in his passport application matched the records for the deceased victim. It was ultimately confirmed that the victim died in Boston in 2002 at the age of 13. The passport was not issued to the Nguyen.
A subsequent investigation determined that Nguyen used the victim’s identity to obtain and use multiple government-issued identification documents in the victim’s name, including Massachusetts driver’s licenses in June 2018, January 2019 and April 2023, as well as a Social Security card in the victim’s name in 2018.
Nguyen also used the deceased victim’s identity to obtain an EMT-Basic Certification in 2021 and an EMT-Paramedic Certification in 2023, before applying for employment as a paramedic, again using the stolen identity.
From November 2023 to January 2024, Nguyen used the deceased victim’s identity to attend the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. After graduating, Nguyen began employment with the Melrose Fire Department in the name of the victim, where he worked until his arrest in May 2024.
The investigation further revealed that Nguyen (while using the identity of the victim) was the subject of an RMV fraud hearing in August 2018, after facial recognition determined the Nguyen had been issued Massachusetts driver’s licenses under two separate identities – that of an individual identified as Truong Nguyen issued in February 2018 and that of the deceased victim issued in June 2018. At the fraud hearing, Nguyen claimed the victim’s identity was his true identity and presented a birth certificate and Social Security card issued under the deceased victim’s identity. As a result of the hearing, RMV closed the case – believing the victim was Nguyen’s true identity – and suspended the license he had in the name of the deceased victim for six months, while suspending the license in his real name without reinstatement.
According to court records, “John Doe” matched the identity of Nguyen and the individual’s corresponding records which span from 1997 to 2018. Specifically, Nguyen entered the United States from Vietnam in 1979 as a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR). In 1995, Nguyen’s LPR status was revoked and he was ordered deported after being convicted of second-degree burglary in 1991. Although ordered deported, the investigation revealed that Nguyen was not deported to Vietnam. Nguyen was later arrested in 2010 under the name Truong X. Nguyen for embezzlement and larceny after allegedly stealing over $46,000 from the Norwell Firefighters Union while working as an officer of the union.
At his March 2023 plea hearing, “John Doe” stated under oath that his true identity is Truong Nguyen.
U.S. Attorney Foley and DSS SAC O’Brien made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Melrose Fire Department; Braintree and Melrose Police Departments; and the Middlesex County and Norfolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Two Venezuelan Nationals Indicted for Conspiracy to Steal Cash in ATM “Jackpotting” Scheme in Merced and Tulare Counties and ElsewhereRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Joel Alejandro Morantes Leal, 25, of San Cristobal, Venezuela, and Endis Daniel Gonzalez Ortega, 22, of Venezuela, charging them in a conspiracy to steal cash from ATMs in the Counties of Merced and Tulare and in six other western states, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
Morantes was additionally charged with one count of bank robbery, one count of accessing a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, and three counts of attempting to access a protected computer in furtherance of fraud.
According to court documents, between April 1, 2025, and May 29, 2025, Morantes and Gonzalez engaged in an ATM “jackpotting” conspiracy, where they stole money from ATMs at targeted banks and credit unions around the Western United States by infecting the ATMs with malware and causing them to dispense money without a valid transaction. They worked with others and targeted ATMs in California, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Nebraska, Utah, and Washington. The defendants and their co-conspirators jackpotted or attempted to jackpot more than 30 ATMs and received hundreds of thousands of dollars in U.S. Currency. In one incident alone, in April 2025 at a credit union in Merced County, they stole approximately $94,800 in cash. The investigation is ongoing.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Larimer County (Colorado) Sheriff’s Office and the Eugene (Oregon) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Arelis M. Clemente are prosecuting the case.
If convicted of conspiracy, Morantes and Gonzalez face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of bank robbery, Morantes faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of accessing or attempting to access a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, Morantes faces and a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Johnstown Residents Each Sentenced to Eight Years or More of Prison for Trafficking Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Two residents of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, were sentenced in federal court on their convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute crack cocaine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The sentences imposed by United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan were:
DefendantAgeSentenceKevin Johnson39100 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised releaseDaniel Culmer5896 months in prison, to be followed by six years of supervised releaseAccording to information presented to the Court, from in and around March 2021 to July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Johnson conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a mixture of crack cocaine. From in and around April 2021 to July 2021, Culmer conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture of crack. Johnson and Culmer were intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that they distributed to others. At the time of his offense, Culmer was on supervised release for a prior federal conviction in 2018 in the Western District of Pennsylvania for distributing heroin.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of the defendants. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Two Honduran nationals plead guilty to firearms chargesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Honduran nationals pled guilty to charges relating to their purchasing and international shipping of ammunition to Honduras and an attempt to send firearms to Honduras.
According to court documents, in July 2013, Miguel Humberto Pinto Serrano, 29, unlawfully entered the United States and was encountered by immigration officials. Pinto Serrano was found removable in absentia after he failed to appear at his removal hearing. In August 2021, Walter Antonio Coto Alvarenga, unlawfully entered the United States and was encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in New Mexico. CBP determined that Coto Alvarenga was unlawfully present in the United States and removed him from the country. Coto Alvarenga later illegally reentered the United States.
The two were illegally residing in the United States in a residence they shared in Sterling. On at least 23 occasions from 2020 to 2025, Pinto Serrano purchased ammunition and firearm parts from three companies. Pinto Serrano also purchased pistol magazines, grips, barrels, and night sights on eBay. On Nov. 29, 2022, Pinto Serrano shipped 3,000 rounds of ammunition to Honduras, and, in coordinating the shipment, stated that the shipment contained clothes and food for Coto Alvarenga’s family in Copán, Honduras. The ammunition was later seized by Honduran officials in a box bearing Coto Alvarenga’s name and phone number.
On April 10, Pinto Serrano ordered 1,200 rounds of ammunition that were delivered to the residence in Sterling on April 19. On April 21, 2025, law enforcement searched the residence shared by Pinto Serrano and Coto Alvarenga. From the residence, investigators recovered over a thousand rounds of ammunition, firearm parts, 10 new rifle magazines, and three handgun magazines, including an extended capacity magazine. During the search, Pinto Serrano and Coto Alvarenga arrived in a rental vehicle from which investigators recovered two rifles, four unloaded magazines, and one loaded magazine. The serial number on one of the rifles had been obliterated. On Pinto Serrano’s cellphone were messages indicating that he intended to sell and ship the rifles to Honduras.
Pinto Serrano pled guilty today to smuggling goods from the United States and possession and interstate transport of a firearm by an illegal alien. He remains subject to the 2013 order of removal. Coto Alvarenga pled guilty yesterday to possession and interstate transport of a firearm by an illegal alien. Pinto Serrano and Coto Alvarenga are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24 and face up to 15 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 Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Call and is prosecuting the case. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Binder assisted in the prosecution.
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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:25-cr-175 (Pinto Serrano) and 1:25-cr-176 (Coto Alvarenga).
Two Former West Virginia Correctional Officers Sentenced on Federal Civil Rights Charges in Connection with Death of InmateRead the Press Release
Two former correctional officers from the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, were sentenced today for their roles in an assault that resulted in the death of a pretrial detainee, identified by the initials Q.B., on March 1, 2022. Corey Snyder, 30, was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in prison for conspiring with other officers to violate inmate Q.B.’s civil rights by using unreasonable force against him, resulting in Q.B.’s death. Jacob Boothe, 27, was sentenced to three years in prison for failing to intervene to stop fellow officers from assaulting Q.B.
According to court documents filed in connection with the guilty pleas, Snyder and Boothe responded to a call for officer assistance after Q.B. tried to push past another correctional officer and leave his assigned pod. When they arrived, officers were engaged in using force to restrain and handcuff Q.B. Snyder also began using force, including putting his arm around Q.B.’s neck and taking him to the floor. Snyder and other officers then conspired to violate Q.B.’s civil rights by unlawfully punishing Q.B. to retaliate against him for his attempt to leave the pod. As a part of that conspiracy, officers brought Q.B. to an interview room, where Snyder and other officers used unreasonable force against Q.B., including striking Q.B. in the head multiple times, kicking, knee-striking him, pulling and twisting his fingers, and using spray, all while Q.B. was restrained, handcuffed and posed no threat to anyone. Boothe was present during the assault and had an opportunity to intervene to stop other officers from assaulting Q.B., but he chose not to make any reasonable effort to do so.
Snyder and Boothe each further admitted knowing that officers could not use unreasonable force to punish inmates, including pretrial detainees such as Q.B. In addition, Snyder admitted that he knew the interview room to which officers brought Q.B. was a “blind spot” – meaning, there were no surveillance cameras to record what happened there. Prior to the assault of Q.B. on March 1, 2022, Snyder and other officers would bring inmates, including pretrial detainees, who had engaged in misconduct to “blind spots,” so that officers could use unreasonable force without being captured on video, thereby avoiding accountability for their actions.
Snyder and Boothe are two of six correctional officers who were indicted in this case. In November 2024, defendants Mark Holdren and Johnathan Walters each pleaded guilty in connection with the use of unreasonable force against Q.B., resulting in his death. On July 9, U.S. District Court Judge Joseph R. Goodwin sentenced Holdren to 20 years in prison and Walters was sentenced to 21 years in prison.
In August 2024, Ashley Toney pleaded guilty to failing to intervene to protect Q.B. from the officers’ assault. On June 9, U.S. District Court Judge Joseph R. Goodwin sentenced Toney to six and a half years in prison.
On January 27, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict at trial for the sixth indicted defendant, Chad Lester, a former Lieutenant at the Southern Regional Jail, finding him guilty on three obstruction of justice charges for his role in conspiring to cover up the death of Q.B. On May 15, Judge Goodwin sentenced Lester to 17 and a half years in prison.
Prior to the indictment of the above six defendants, former correctional officers Steven Nicholas Wimmer and Andrew Fleshman each pleaded guilty to conspiring to use unreasonable force against Q.B. On May 8, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Frank W. Volk sentenced Wimmer to nine years in prison. Fleshman is scheduled for sentencing before Judge Volk on July 14.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston for the Southern District of West Virginia made the announcement.
The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, Charleston Resident Agency, investigated the case.
Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Two Co-Conspirators Plead Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that two defendants entered guilty pleas for their roles in a federal drug conspiracy.
Dylan Thomas Emmick, age 32, of Purcell, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Drug Conspiracy, punishable by five to 40 years in prison, and a $5,000,000.00 fine.
Kody James Lile, age 45, of Lindsay, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by five to 40 years in prison, and a $5,000,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on November 8, 2024, Emmick conspired to distribute methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, and that on November 9, 2024, Lile knowingly and intentionally possessed five grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Latimer County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the pleas and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation reports.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Emmick and Lile will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen and Special Assistant United States Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.
Three Raleigh County Residents Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Beckley-Area Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Three Raleigh County residents were sentenced to prison today for their roles in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia.
Tilford Joe Bradley Jr., 47, of Beckley, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Heather Danielle Dunbar, 38, of Terry, was sentenced to five years in prison for distribution of methamphetamine. Kevin Wray Terrell, 39, of Beckley, was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and also for violating supervised release. Each prison term is to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Bradley, Dunbar and Terrell are among 12 individuals indicted on charges alleging they participated in the DTO, which operated from in or about June 2023 to in or about May 2024. All 12 defendants pleaded guilty, including two defendants who pleaded guilty to separate offenses in lieu of the offenses charged in the indictment.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Bradley arranged multiple drug transactions with other individuals as part of the DTO conspiracy, and received controlled substances from multiple suppliers for distribution. On June 28, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Bradley’s residence, where Dunbar was staying, and seized 38 grams of fentanyl, 6 grams of cocaine, multiple digital scales, a money counter, a large quantity of small plastic bags, and a blender containing white residue. Dunbar admitted that she intended to help Bradley distribute the seized controlled substances in and around the Southern District of West Virginia.
On October 17, 2023, Dunbar sold 1 ounce of methamphetamine in exchange for $320 to a confidential informant at Bradley’s residence. Dunbar admitted to the transaction as part of her guilty plea and further admitted to selling 25.94 grams of methamphetamine for $320 on October 23, 2023, and approximately 2.3 grams of fentanyl for $325 on December 26, 2023, each time to a confidential informant. Dunbar also admitted to working with Bradley to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and crack in and around the Southern District of West Virginia during the months of April and May 2024.
On May 6, 2024, law enforcement officers in Beckley conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Bradley was a passenger. Officers searched the vehicle and seized 2 ounces of methamphetamine found in a magnetic box hidden in the vehicle’s engine bay, a Colt model MK IV .45-caliber pistol, and a Hi-Point model C9 9mm pistol. As part of his guilty plea, Bradley admitted that he intended to distribute the seized methamphetamine.
Terrell admitted that he conspired with others to obtain and distribute controlled substances in April and May 2024 as part of the DTO. On May 30, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Terrell’s residence in Beckley and seized 136 grams of fentanyl.
At the time of this offense, Terrell was serving a term of supervised release as a result of his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on July 20, 2015. Today’s sentence includes one year and 11 months in prison for committing a crime while on supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and Brian D. Parsons and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-90.
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Three Defendants Convicted of Violent Kidnapping and Extortion Attempt in Astoria, QueensRead the Press Release
A federal jury today in Brooklyn convicted Lesly Valentin, Aasim Boone, and Jarrett Bruce (also known as “Inf,” “Infinite,” and “Infamous”), of kidnapping conspiracy, transmission of interstate threats with intent to extort, and attempted obstruction of justice. The verdict followed a three-week trial before United States District Judge Rachel P. Kovner. When sentenced, the defendants face up to life in prison.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the verdict.
“This was a heinous crime in which the defendants targeted a victim, abducted him from outside of his home, and subjected him to barbaric acts of torture and cruelty, all for financial gain,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Once their crimes were uncovered, the defendants tried to destroy evidence. With today’s verdict, the defendants’ efforts to escape accountability have failed and they now face significant punishment.”
Mr. Nocella thanked the Joint Violent Crimes Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department, for their assistance with the investigation.
As proven at trial, Boone, Bruce, and Valentin conspired to kidnap the victim on December 9, 2022. The victim was seized outside of his apartment complex in Astoria, Queens. After forcing the victim at gunpoint into a vehicle, Boone, Bruce, and Valentin drove the victim to New Jersey, subjected him to escalating forms of torture, and held him for nearly five hours. During the attack, Boone, Bruce, and Valentin beat the victim with a gun, poured bleach on him, burned his back and legs with a blowtorch, and sliced the victim’s ear with a knife. The victim was finally released on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Several days after the kidnapping, Valentin sent text messages to the victim, threatening further harm to him and his family if he failed to provide his abductors $150,000 in cash and 50 pounds of marijuana. After their scheme was uncovered, defendant Boone attempted to destroy electronic evidence tying him to the commission of the crime.
The government’s case is being supervised by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua B. Dugan, Lorena Michelen, and Andrew Wang are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Wesley Roberts.
The Defendants:
AASIM BOONE
Age: 42
Englewood, New JerseyJARRETT BRUCE (also known as “Inf,” “Infinite,” and “Infamous”)
Age: 41
Englewood, New JerseyLESLY VALENTIN
Age: 39
Asbury Park, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-292 (S-4) (RPK)
Texas Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darlene Ruelas Flores, a/k/a Darlene Sheppard, age 44, of San Antonio, Texas, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department.
On February 13, 2025, Flores pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on May 30, 2024, law enforcement conducting a routine traffic stop for equipment violations discovered Flores in possession of 968.9 grams of a white substance that later tested positive for fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Flores will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Tahlequah Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cody Lee Pritchett, age 34, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment charged Pritchett with knowingly possessing a .22 caliber Derringer, a semi-automatic rifle, a short-barreled rifle, two hundred rounds of assorted ammunition, 40 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, one round of Winchester 12-gauge ammunition, and 24 rounds of 9mm ammunition on February 4, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, 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.
Pritchett was released on bond with conditions pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.