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Monday 7 July 2025
Repeat Sex Trafficker Is Sentenced to 27 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Yusef Reynolds, 34, formerly of Delaware, was sentenced today to 27 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud, or coercion, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Reynolds was on supervised release for a prior federal sex trafficking conviction in Delaware when he met and lured the underage victim, forcing her to engage in commercial sex.
James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Chief Johnny Jennings, of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
“Today’s lengthy sentence is appropriate for a defendant who while on supervised release for sex trafficking a minor engaged in the same behavior—using violence and physical abuse to control a minor and force her to engage in sexual acts for his profit,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “I am proud of the hard work of my office to protect children and hold accountable those who prey on them.”
“After serving federal prison time for sex trafficking an underage girl, Yusef Reynolds went right back to his predatory ways. Once again, he lured a victim through social media and exploited her for his own profit. The FBI will continue to work with our partners and prioritize punishing those who abuse children,” said Special Agent in Charge Barnacle.
According to court documents, in 2012, Reynolds was convicted of federal charges for sex trafficking a minor and illegal possession of firearms in Delaware and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Reynolds was released in 2021 and was placed under federal supervision. Court records show that, from December 2021 through January 2022, while on federal supervised release, Reynolds sex trafficked a 16-year-old runaway from Massachusetts he met online. According to court documents, Reynolds used Facebook to contact the minor, who at the time was in North Carolina. Using promises of a better life to lure the victim, Reynolds convinced her to join him in Delaware even though he knew the victim was underage.
Filed court documents show that Reynolds sent two other individuals to pick up the minor victim and bring her to Delaware. Once there, Reynolds immediately began to sex traffic the minor. Reynolds took pictures of the minor and posted them on a website advertising for commercial sex. After that, Reynolds, either himself or through other individuals he knew or controlled, booked commercial sex appointments for the victim and took all the money the victim earned from the sexual encounters. During that time, Reynolds used a combination of physical and sexual violence, threats, and verbal abuse to force the victim to engage in commercial sex acts and plied the victim with drugs to further coerce her to continue to engage in the commercial sex trade.
On March 29, 2024, Reynolds pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud, or coercion. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force for its investigative work and thanked CMPD and the Gaston County Sheriff’s Office, both task force members, for their coordination and partnership with the FBI, which led to today’s outcome. FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces operate in nearly every FBI field office. The most effective way to investigate human trafficking is through a collaborative, multi-agency approach among federal, state, local, and tribal partners. The ultimate goal of the task forces is to recover victims and investigate traffickers at the state and federal level.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Spaugh of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Rensselaer Man Indicted for Conspiring to Possess and Possessing 3 Kilos of CocaineRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Angel Madera, age 30, of Rensselaer, New York, was ordered detained pending trial last week on an indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, and possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
The charges filed against Madera carry a mandatory prison sentence of between 5 and 40 years; a fine of up to $5,000,000; and a term of supervised release of at least 4 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “The defendant is charged with bringing significant quantities of dangerous drugs from New York City to be distributed in the Capital District. Narcotics have been ravaging our society and here in the Northern District of New York, if you are arrested for distributing narcotics or possessing them with the intent to distribute, regardless of the quantity, you will face the highest possible punishment the law provides.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: "As alleged, Mr. Madera trafficked dangerous drugs into the Capital Region with the intention of selling them in our communities. The FBI will continue to do everything we can to stop the sale of illicit narcotics in our streets and keep our communities safe.”
The indictment charges Madera with conspiring with another person, Daval Byrams, to bring cocaine from New York City to the Capital District for further distribution. On March 11, 2025, three bricks of cocaine, weighing one kilogram each were recovered from Byrams as he and Madera exited a bus together in Schenectady. Byrams pled guilty earlier this month to possessing the three kilograms of cocaine with the intent to distribute it. Byrams sentencing is scheduled for September 16, 2025.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to A Total of Twelve Years for Possession of Single Image of Child Pornography While on Supervised Release for Prior Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Damian Quillinan, age 50, of Broadalbin, New York, was sentenced last week to a total of twelve years’ incarceration for possession of a single image of child sexual exploitation material while under post-release supervision for prior child pornography offenses. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone, III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office, made the announcement.
“One image is all it takes,” said U.S. Attorney Sarcone. “We will relentlessly pursue justice against those who exploit children. We thank the U.S. Probation Office and HSI for catching this sick individual and immediately putting him back where he belongs – in custody.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Keegan said: "The defendant, a registered sex offender, exploited technology for his own perverse desires and explicit crimes. Together with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York and our law enforcement partners, HSI Albany will not stand idly by as child predators seek new ways to target our most vulnerable communities."
This past January, Quillinan pled guilty to possession of child pornography while serving a lifetime of supervised release for prior convictions for receipt and possession of child pornography and admitted to violating the terms of his supervised release by committing the new offense and by possessing unauthorized internet-capable devices. According to the plea agreement and documents previously filed in the case, Quillinan is a level 2 registered sex offender in the State of New York, stemming from his 2017 convictions in the Northern District of New York for multiple counts of receipt and possession of child pornography.
In January 2024, shortly after being released from incarceration on those offenses, Quillinan manipulated a video of a prepubescent minor he obtained over the internet to create a lascivious image of the minor’s genitalia, which he then possessed on a tablet until it was seized by law enforcement during a search of his residence in September 2024. Yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentenced Quillinan to 10 years’ incarceration for the new conviction and a consecutive sentence of 2 years’ incarceration for the violation of his supervised release. Quillinan was also ordered to forfeit the tablet used in connection with the offense, to serve 20 years of supervised release following release from prison and will be required to continue to register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by HSI with the assistance of the U.S. Probation Office. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the 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, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Placerville Felon Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Richard Clifton Turner, 62, of Placerville, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 16 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, agents executed a federal search warrant at Turner’s residence in Placerville. During the authorized search, agents located over 40 pounds of methamphetamine. Agents also located six firearms, including one previously reported as stolen. Turner is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has five prior felony convictions, including a conviction for vehicle theft and drug trafficking offenses.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.
This case was a 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Donald Brown (34, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child sex abuse material. Brown faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 7, 2025. Brown has agreed to forfeitthe electronic devices which were seized from his home pursuant to a search warrant.
According to the plea agreement, on January 27, 2023, Brown shared a child sex abuse video that was playing on one of his screens with another individual over the internet via an online website that randomly pairs strangers for one-on-one chat sessions and calls.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.
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 Attorney’s 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.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Douglas Lee Brown, also known as “Wiggles,” 56, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 18, 2024, law enforcement officers arrested Brown on domestic battery and wanton endangerment warrants in Huntington and found he possessed a loaded Taurus model G2C 9mm pistol in his waistband. Officers determined the firearm was reported stolen.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Brown knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for burglary in Franklin County, Ohio, Common Pleas Court on November 15, 2012.
Brown has a long criminal history and was on a term of supervision as a result of the burglary conviction at the time of the current offense.
Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on October 20, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
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), the Huntington Police Department, and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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. 3:24-cr-168.
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Northeast Georgia Man Sentenced to Prison for Armed Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Georgia man with a lengthy criminal history in the Athens-Clarke County community and who was found guilty at trial of armed fentanyl trafficking was sentenced to serve 35 years in federal prison for his crime.
Dwan Maurice Hewlett, aka “LA,” 41, of Hull, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 420 months in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III on July 7. Hewlett was found guilty at trial on Feb. 26 of all six counts charged in the indictment: one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed career offenders distributing fentanyl in the Middle District of Georgia will face federal prosecution, which carries stiff penalties and no possibility of parole,” said U.S. Attorney William R. "Will" Keyes. “Cases like this highlight the strong collaboration between our office and our local, state and federal law enforcement partners as we work together to eliminate dangerous illegal substances from the communities we serve and hold repeat offenders accountable.”
"Cases like these exemplify the value of partnerships between local, state and federal agencies. This armed career criminal will no longer be selling the dangerous drug fentanyl in our community,” said Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters. “I am incredibly proud of the ACCPD officers and detectives who worked with partnering agencies on this case. We will continue to prioritize keeping violent criminals out of our community. I want to thank our partners for their continuous efforts in keeping our community safe."
“The FBI works tirelessly to get dangerous criminals like Dwan Hewlett and the drugs he sold off the streets of Georgia,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “Hewlett will now have a long time in prison to consider his past actions.”
“Drug traffickers exploit vulnerable members of our community to generate profits,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Atlanta Division. “The success of this investigation is proof that those destroying our communities with drugs and violence will be held accountable.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) detectives had a confidential informant place a phone call to Hewlett to purchase fentanyl. Hewlett agreed to meet the informant at an Athens gas station on Danielsville Road. When Hewlett arrived at the gas station, ACCPD officers boxed his vehicle in and exited their undercover vehicles wearing "POLICE" marked body armor. Officers gave loud commands for Hewlett to exit his car. Hewlett looked up and saw the police. He immediately began making furtive movements, reaching under the seat. He then exited his vehicle, ignored the verbal commands and started running toward Danielsville Road at the intersection of Freeman Drive. Hewlett was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit.
Officers searched his vehicle and found a .380 pistol under the driver’s seat where Hewlett was seen reaching, and numerous tied corner baggies containing fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine for distribution. In all, officers found 133.51 grams of fentanyl, 58.31 grams of methamphetamine, 9.783 grams of cocaine and 16 grams of cocaine base. A search of Hewlett’s cell phones located in the car contained many drug-related messages and photos, which revealed that Hewlett conspired with others to distribute two kilograms of fentanyl just days prior to his arrest. Hewlett has a lengthy prior criminal history, which includes three prior convictions in the Clarke County Superior Court for serious drug offenses and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, with assistance from the FBI Athens Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the DEA and the ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison prosecuted the case for the Government.
North Versailles Felon Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of North Versailles, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 121 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Keion Washington, 25.
According to information presented to the Court, on February 7, 2024, Washington was driving a vehicle associated with an incident that occurred a few days prior. When law enforcement officers tried to stop the car, Washington initially drove off, then exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Law enforcement officers found a stolen rifle in the car, loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Wiegand stated that the sentence took into account the nature of the offense and Washington’s criminal history, including the fact that Washington had been convicted of two prior controlled substances felony offenses.
Assistant United States Attorneys DeMarr W. Moulton and Jacqueline C. Brown prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Washington.
North Carolina Man Sentenced for Making False Statements Under Oath in a Bankruptcy CaseRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Travis Lee Harry, 40, of Kernersville, North Carolina, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation, including 90 days on home detention, and fined $4,000 with interest for making false statements under oath in a bankruptcy case.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Harry had owned and lived in a house in Princeton, West Virginia, which he sold on December 23, 2019. On February 5, 2020, Harry filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. On the Statement of Financial Affairs he submitted as part of the bankruptcy filing, and which he signed under penalty of perjury, Harry falsely stated that he and his spouse co-owned the house and sold it together. At a March 6, 2020, meeting of creditors as part of the bankruptcy proceeding, Harry falsely testified under oath that he had co-owned the house with his spouse. Harry admitted as part of his guilty plea that he solely owned the house, and that his spouse was never a co-owner. Harry further admitted that he falsely indicated during the creditors’ meeting that all of the proceeds from selling the house went to pay taxes.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The United States Trustee’s Charleston field office, which serves West Virginia, made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States Trustee Program is a component of the Department of Justice whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage 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. 1:24-cr-143.
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Mexican man sentenced for possessing fraudulent immigration documentRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Mexican man who entered the country illegally was sentenced today to sentence of time served of 121 days in prison and remanded to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol upon release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Luis Alberto Vega-Lili, 57, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to one count of use or possession of fraudulent immigration document.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on March 11, 2025, Vega-Lili was found on a train in Havre. When he spoke to the Border Patrol agent, he acknowledged his Mexican citizenship and that he did not have immigration paperwork that would allow him to enter or remain in the United States. He provided a Mexican passport that was issued in North Carolina. In 2008, he submitted an incomplete application for naturalization because he was married to a United States citizen, but she passed away. During a secondary security search of Vega-Lili’s cell, agents found a fraudulent social security card and fraudulent permanent resident card in the sole of his boot. The permanent resident card contained information belonging to a person from India who was born in 1973 and living in Texas.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol.
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).
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Mexican man sentenced for possessing fraudulent immigration documentRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Mexican man who possessed fraudulent immigration documentation was sentenced today to sentence of time served of 131 days in prison and remanded to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol upon release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Francisco Alcocer-Sanchez, 62, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to one count of use or possession of fraudulent immigration document.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on February 28, 2025, Alcocer-Sanchez was arrested by local law enforcement in Fairview, Montana/McKenzie County, North Dakota during a DUI stop. He provided an expired licensed permanent resident (LPR) card bearing his picture, but another name and alien number. Law enforcement noticed the LPR card was missing security features. On March 1, 2025, law enforcement verified Alcocer-Sanchez’s true identity and his prior removal from the United States. He later acknowledged his Mexican citizenship and his illegal status in the United States.
Alcocer-Sanchez’s immigration history shows he was granted status as a Lawful Permanent Resident on February 12, 1991, but that status was revoked on June 25, 1998, following his conviction for importing cocaine, an aggravated felony. There is no record he applied for readmission into the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol, Fairview Police Department and McKenzie North Dakota Sheriff’s 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).
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Mexican man sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Mexican man who entered the country illegally was sentenced today to a sentence of time served of 73 days in prison and remanded to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol upon release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Jose Luz Rojas-Flores, 35, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to one count of illegal reentry.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Rojas-Flores was first removed from the United States in April 2012. He also was removed in November 2013 after serving a 30-day sentence for illegal entry and in April 2015 after serving a 60-day sentence for illegal entry.
On April 26, 2025, the Havre Police Department requested assistance with a traffic stop where five individuals were encountered. None of them spoke English and all presented Mexican identification documents. Rojas-Flores presented a Mexican Voter Identification card but no documents permitting him to enter or remain in the United States. Later, he admitted he last crossed into the United States in January 2020 near El Paso, Texas.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol and Havre Police Department.
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).
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Mexican National with Five Prior Deportations Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national was sentenced today by United States District Judge James C. Mahan to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally reentering the United States after being removed from the country on five prior occasions.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Santos Esparza-Torres was found by immigration officials, after he was previously deported on or about October 29, 2005, September 18, 2008, September 24, 2019, January 17, 2020, and April 16, 2020. Esparza-Torres came into ICE custody in 2024, while serving a state sentence on a conviction for conspiracy to violate uniform controlled substances act. Esparza-Torres will be eligible for parole on his state drug conviction in March of 2026, and will then serve his 24-month Federal sentence.
Esparza-Torres pleaded guilty to one count of Deported Alien Found in the United States. This was his second such conviction, as he was convicted in 2020 in the Southern District of California for the same crime.
United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Jason Knight made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
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Merced Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Possessing Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Richard Charles Thomas Jr., 42, of Merced was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 15 years and eight months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, on Aug. 25, 2020, when a law enforcement officer attempted stop Thomas for a traffic violation, he accelerated and engaged in a high-speed chase through residential streets of Merced. During the chase, he reached speeds of 100 miles per hour, drove on the wrong side of the road, sped past stop signs, and tossed a bag out his car’s window.
Law enforcement officers eventually caught Thomas after he abandoned his still-moving car and fled on foot. They also recovered the bag, which contained several thousand dollars in cash and nearly 2 pounds of methamphetamine with 99% purity.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Merced Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez and Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.
Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court Following Robbery of a Montgomery Dry Cleaner BusinessRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced today that Zedekiah Sykes, 58, of Montgomery, Alabama, has pleaded guilty to his role in the March 10, 2025, robbery of a Montgomery dry cleaning business. Sykes entered his guilty plea in federal court on July 3, 2025.
According to court records and Sykes’s plea agreement, on March 10, 2025, Sykes and three accomplices forced their way into the business, located on East South Street in Montgomery. The group shattered the front door with a rock to gain entry.
Once inside, the assailants confronted the business owner and forced him into an office that housed a locked safe. One of the individuals brandished what appeared to be a handgun—later determined to be a BB gun—and demanded the owner open the safe. When the owner hesitated, struggling to recall the combination, one of the assailants struck him in the left eye, causing visible bruising and swelling. The group eventually gained access to the safe and stole approximately $8,000 in cash.
The robbers then restrained the owner by zip-tying his hands and feet, then stole his cell phone and car keys. Sykes and the others fled the scene in the owner’s vehicle using the stolen keys.
Sykes pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, a federal offense that carries a statutory maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled in the coming months.
In a related development, on May 27, 2025, Spencer Thomas, 57, of Prattville, Alabama, was arrested and subsequently indicted for his involvement in the same robbery. An indictment is merely an allegation that a crime has been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Montgomery Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), and the Metro Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Task Force investigated this case, with assistance from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul Markovits.
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).
Longtime Employee of Harford County Maryland Manufacturer Sentenced to Federal Prison for $29 Million Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Eugene Andrew DiNoto, 54, of Bel Air, Maryland, to federal prison. DiNoto received concurrent sentences of 70 months for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and engaging in an illegal monetary transaction and 64 months for tax evasion, followed by three years of supervise release. These charges are in connection with DiNoto’s embezzlement and kickback scheme in which he defrauded his employer of more than $29 million.
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, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) – Washington Field Office.
According to his guilty plea, DiNoto was a longtime employee of Company 1, a family-owned global business headquartered in New York, but with manufacturing facilities located in Belcamp and Abingdon, Maryland, both in Harford County. Beginning in 2012, DiNoto and another employee, Elliott Kleinman, started taking advantage of their management positions at Company 1 to execute a fraudulent billing scheme. Through the scheme, they received illegal kickbacks from various drum vendors that conducted business with Company 1, which used drums to store and transport its products.
Anthony P. Urcioli, Sr., 81, of Park Ridge, New Jersey, was the owner and president of Tunnel, Barrel & Drum Co, Inc. (TBD), located in Carlstadt, New Jersey, and of another drum supply company, Hartford Fibre Drum, Inc. (Hartford). Both companies did business with Company 1. After TBD became a drum supplier to Company 1, DiNoto and Kleinman entered an arrangement with Urcioli that permitted TBD to continue selling drums to Company 1 if Urcioli agreed to fraudulently invoice Company 1 for more drums than TBD actually sold and delivered to the company. Urcioli agreed to participate in the false billing scheme and split the extra money that Company 1 paid TBD for the made-up drum deliveries with DiNoto.
From approximately January 2012 until January 31, 2020, DiNoto contacted Urcioli at least once per week to discuss the number and type of drums that he actually wanted delivered to Company 1’s Maryland facilities. During the same conversations, DiNoto told Urcioli how many additional drums to charge, but not deliver to Company 1 from TBD, and later from Hartford. After Urcioli created the invoices that fraudulently billed Company 1 for both delivered and undelivered drums, DiNoto approved the invoices and sent them to Company 1’s headquarters for payment.
Urcioli also created handwritten purchase order tickets that summarized the breakdown of actual and bogus drum orders and a breakdown of how the kickback amounts were calculated. Urcioli would put a copy of the purchase order ticket in an envelope along with DiNoto’s and Kleinman’s share of the kickback amount payable via checks from TBD and Hartford. Then he would send the envelope to their personal residences in Harford County, Maryland.
Sometimes, the invoices were not written as DiNoto instructed, so he called Urcioli to tell him to send a corrected invoice. Occasionally, DiNoto corrected an arithmetic mistake on Urcioli’s purchase order ticket, took a photograph of the changes he made to the ticket, and then emailed the corrected ticket back to Urcioli.
Urcioli wanted to pay the kickbacks to DiNoto and Kleinman by check so the payments looked like payments to drum wholesalers and would be deductible as a cost of goods sold on TBD’s tax returns. DiNoto told Urcioli to make his kickback checks payable to a company linked to DiNoto called “Sandpiper Enterprises.” Kleinman advised that he wanted his kickback checks payable to a company he formed called “EDK Management, LTD.” Urcioli agreed, and in addition to making the kickback checks drawn on TBD and Hartford accounts payable to those companies, Urcioli wrote the word “drums” on the checks to further the pretense of legitimate purchases.
DiNoto admitted that even though Sandpiper Enterprises was not engaged in any business, he maintained a commercial bank account for Sandpiper Enterprises at a local financial institution, where he deposited all the kickback checks he received. Before accessing the criminal proceeds, DiNoto routinely transferred all or part of the money into one of the personal bank accounts he maintained at the same bank. DiNoto then withdrew the funds from his personal account or wrote a personal check against the balance.
Between January 2012 and January 2020, DiNoto falsely invoiced Company 1 a total of $20,300,757. TBD and Hartford kept half of that amount while the remaining funds were sent to DiNoto and Kleinman. DiNoto’s share of the kickbacks was approximately $7,071,106. Over the same eight-year period, DiNoto used drum vendors other than TBD and Hartford to execute his scheme to defraud Company 1. On behalf of the other vendors, DiNoto submitted and approved invoices totaling approximately $9,197,181, resulting in a total loss of approximately $29,497,938 to Company 1.
From 2017 through 2019, none of the $7 million plus in kickbacks DiNoto received for his role in the fraudulent billing scheme appeared as income on his tax returns, resulting in a loss to the U.S. government of approximately $1,374,694.
Kleinman was previously sentenced to 42 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release. Urcioli was previously sentenced to time served and 12 months of supervised release. Both Kleinman and Urcioli were also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $19,300,757.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Joseph L. Wenner who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Kentucky Nurse Sentenced to Prison for Opioid Diversion SchemeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jacqueline Brewster, 55, of Belfry, Kentucky, was sentenced on Thursday, July 3, 2025, to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Brewster was employed as a travel nurse at Raleigh General Hospital in Beckley from September 2021 until February 2022. Brewster admitted that she unlawfully accessed and used individually identifiable health information of patients at Raleigh General Hospital to divert hydromorphone, an opioid, for her personal use.
To carry out her diversion scheme, Brewster fraudulently obtained the hydromorphone from automated controlled substance dispensing machines at Raleigh General Hospital. Brewster used her personal biometrics to access the machines and a patient’s individually identifiable health information to begin the process of checking out hydromorphone for that patient. Once the machine’s secure drawer opened, Brewster siphoned off a portion of hydromorphone from its vial and diluted what remained in the vial with another substance to make it appear full. Brewster then canceled or nulled the transaction to conceal her removal of the controlled substances.
Brewster admitted that she carried out her scheme to use individually identifiable patient health information and steal hydromorphone under false pretenses and for personal gain many times from on or about September 17, 2021, through on or about February 1, 2022.
The West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses has indefinitely suspended Brewster’s privilege to practice nursing in West Virginia.
“Ensuring the integrity of the healthcare system is vital, as the diversion of medication within healthcare facilities undermines patient care and exposes patients to undue risk,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “I commend the excellent investigative work of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration–Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) Metro Washington Field Office, and the valuable assistance provided by detectives from the West Virginia State Police and the Kentucky State Police.”
“Patients suffering from pain trust their health care providers to provide relief through effective and appropriately dosed medications,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ronald Dawkins, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice healthcare professionals who violate their position of trust by diverting their patients’ pain medications for their own use.”
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk sentenced Brewster to two years in prison for obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and to three years in prison for wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information, with those terms to be served consecutively. The Court concluded that Brewster’s criminal conduct warranted an upward variance from the advisory guideline range of four to ten months in prison.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess and former Assistant United States Attorney Owen Reynolds 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-104.
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Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Aggravated Illegal Re-Entry ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Sarah Maud Jess, 62, a Jamaican national living in Capitol Heights, Maryland, pled guilty to two counts, distributing more than 40 grams of fentanyl and re-entry of an alien removed after conviction for an aggravated felony.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to her guilty plea, Jess disseminated at least 40 grams of fentanyl in Maryland and elsewhere between at least November 2023 and October 2024. Jess distributed the fentanyl in the form of pressed fentanyl pills – round, light blue pills imprinted with “M30.” As part of the investigation, a DEA undercover (UC) agent purchased fentanyl pills from Jess. Law enforcement also seized fentanyl pills from her vehicle as she was en route to distribute to the UC and recovered additional fentanyl pills and a firearm from Jess’s residence. In total, law enforcement recovered more than 3,000 fentanyl pills, totaling more than 350 grams of fentanyl, from Jess.
During the investigation, on June 21, 2024, after coordinating with Jess via text message, the UC conducted a controlled purchase of approximately 600 fentanyl pills from Jess in a Greenbelt, Maryland restaurant parking lot for $3,600. Jess provided the UC with a black sock containing a clear plastic baggie with pills totaling more than 65 grams of fentanyl.
Then on September 4, the UC conducted another purchase of approximately 1,000 pills from Jess for $6,000. Jess again met the UC in the Greenbelt restaurant parking lot and provided the UC with a black sock containing a clear plastic baggie with fentanyl pills comprised of more than 100 grams of fentanyl.
On September 30, Jess texted the UC asking how many pills he or she wanted to purchase. Jess agreed to sell the UC 700 pills. Then on October 2, Jess and the UC spoke and arranged to meet at a Silver Spring, Maryland mall parking lot. Law enforcement officers surveilled Jess while she drove to the mall. As Jess drove to meet the UC, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop.
Law enforcement found the pills Jess intended to sell to the UC and took her into custody. Jess provided the officers with a fake driver’s license with a fake name and an address that was not her actual residence. However, law enforcement saw her visit that address during the investigation. While searching the vehicle, law enforcement officers recovered a black sock with a clear plastic baggie inside containing approximately 700 blue pills — weighing more than 75 grams of fentanyl — that Jess intended to distribute to the UC.
Additionally, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jess’s residence. During the search, law enforcement discovered a plastic baggie containing 46 fentanyl pills — weighing more than five grams — and a handgun loaded with nine rounds of ammunition in Jess’s bedroom.
Throughout this timeframe, Jess was an alien illegally in the United States. Jess was previously convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Based on the conviction for an aggravated felony, Jess was previously removed from the United States after proceedings before an immigration judge. As part of her removal, Jess was advised that she was permanently excluded from re-entering the United States because of her prior conviction.
Jess voluntarily and unlawfully re-entered the United States without inspection or permission. She never sought nor obtained the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for re-admission.
Jess faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison for the fentanyl charge. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for the illegal re-entry charge.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday, October 29, at 2 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the DEA, FBI, MCPD, and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Nicholas Potter who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Illinois Man Pleads Guilty and Pennsylvania Man is Sentenced in Separate Schemes to Transport Contraband into FCI McDowell with DronesRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Today, Francisco Alejandro Gonzalez, 24, of Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit the felony crime of attempting to introduce contraband into a federal prison and Gamalier Rivera, 33, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to three years of federal probation, including two months on home detention, for aiding and abetting the introduction of contraband into a federal prison. Gonzalez and Rivera each admitted to their roles in separate schemes to deliver contraband into Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell using drones.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 1, 2024, Gonzalez traveled on foot with co-defendant Miguel Angel Aleman-Piceno to the fence surrounding FCI McDowell. Gonzalez and Aleman-Piceno possessed a backpack and a duffle bag containing a drone and two camouflaged packages containing four cell phones, chargers, phone cards, marijuana, and tobacco. As part of his guilty plea, Gonzalez admitted that they intended to fly the packages onto the grounds of FCI McDowell using the drone, and were stopped by law enforcement as they prepared to launch the drone.
Gonzalez further admitted to traveling to McDowell County, West Virginia, from Chicago with Aleman-Piceno and co-defendant Arturo Joel Gallegos. Gonzalez also admitted that he and his two co-defendants stayed an area motel where law enforcement seized marijuana, tobacco and materials used to make the camouflaged packages.
Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Aleman-Piceno, 22, of Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty on June 2, 2025, to conspiracy to commit the felony crime of attempting to introduce contraband into a federal prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8, 2025. The indictment against Gallegos, 26, of Chicago, remains pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
On February 9, 2024, correctional officers at FCI McDowell detected a drone flying over the prison facility. The flight path of the drone took it from the fence securing the prison facility to a cell in one of the housing units. Officers searched the cell and found a broken exterior window, numerous cell phones, tobacco, and marijuana within the cell.
Officers traced the flight path back to the drone’s launch site, where they found and apprehended Rivera and co-defendants Hector Luis Gomez DeJesus and Raymond Luis Saez Aviles. Officer seized the drone, the drone’s remote controller, and contraband consistent with what was found in the cell.
As part of his guilty plea, Rivera admitted that he, DeJesus, and Aviles participated in the introduction of the contraband into FCI McDowell by using the drone to transport marijuana, tobacco, and cell phones into the prison facility. Rivera further admitted that he expected to be paid for his participation in the contraband introduction.
DeJesus, 32, of Sanford, North Carolina, and Aviles, 37, of Poinciana, Florida, each pleaded guilty on April 29, 2025, to aiding and abetting the introduction of contraband into a federal prison and are scheduled to be sentenced on August 11, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), and the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the cases.
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. 1:24-cr-126 (Gonzalez) and 1:24-cr-127 (Rivera).
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Curtis Denham, also known as “Reala Deala” and “RD,” 36, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 30, 2024, Denham sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Huntington apartment. As part of his guilty plea, Denham admitted to conducting the transaction and to arranging it beforehand. Denham further admitted that additional quantities of fentanyl are attributable to him as relevant criminal conduct.
Denham is scheduled to be sentenced on October 20, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-47.
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Honduran man sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Honduran man who entered the country illegally was sentenced today to sentence of time served of 74 days in prison and remanded to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol upon release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Enys Jose Rosales-Lara, 39, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to one count of illegal reentry.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on April 23, 2025, law enforcement observed a vehicle in Havre and conducted a traffic stop. Rosales-Lara was in the back seat of the vehicle. He presented investigators with a Honduran Identification Card, possessed no other identification documents, and was taken into custody. He admitted he entered the United States most recently on September 17, 2023, near El Paso, Texas. He also admitted he had no petitions or lawful right to remain in the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol and Havre Police Department.
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).
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Harlem man pleads guilty to sex abuse charges on the Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - A Harlem man accused of sexual abuse on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Ross Vincent Dale, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse. Dale faces maximum penalties of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to a lifetime of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing has been set November 5, 2025. Dale was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in January 2022, Jane Doe was taken to Benefis in Great Falls for a sexual assault examination. Doe alleged she was sexually abused by the Ross Dale on New Year’s Eve or in the early morning hours of New Year’s day, 2021-2022.
Doe lived with her grandmother/guardian at the time. On New Year’s Eve, Doe’s grandmother and aunt traveled to Wolf Point, leaving Doe at the house alone. Dale contacted her on New Year’s Eve and brought alcohol. Doe took a video of herself and Dale drinking. At some point, Doe must have passed out because she woke up in her bed to her headboard banging against the wall. Dale was behind her, vaginally raping her. She tried to remain calm until he finally left the house. She told her grandmother immediately upon her return home from Wolf Point.
Dale was interviewed. Although he claimed he was not in Harlem but in Billings with his kids on New Year’s Eve, DNA testing resulted in his DNA being found in Doe’s underwear, extracted from semen that was present on Doe’s underwear.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Myers prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Greenup County Man Sentenced for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Flatwoods, Ky., man, Geoffrey Potts, 25, was sentenced on Monday by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 114 months in prison, for receiving child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, in March 2024, law enforcement received information that a user was downloading child pornography, and linked the user’s IP address with Potts’ residence. Law enforcement searched Potts’ cellphone and found numerous images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct that had been downloaded via the internet. In total, over 219 images and 45 videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct were located on Potts’ cellphone.
Under federal law, Potts must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 15 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and W. Todd Kelley, Chief of the Ashland Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, KSP, and Ashland Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice 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 as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Evading Security Requirements at Philadelphia International AirportRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that David Easley, 39, of Georgia, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Gail A. Weilheimer to one count of evading airport security.
The defendant was charged by information in May of this year, arising from his use of the identification badge of an airline employee to access a secured, sterile area of Philadelphia International Airport, knowingly and willfully bypassing airport security. Easley has never been employed at the Philadelphia International Airport.
As detailed in court filings and statements, on March 9, 2024, Easley was a ticketed domestic airline passenger, scheduled to fly from Philadelphia to Atlanta, Georgia, on a flight departing at 7:05 p.m. At approximately 6:35 p.m., video surveillance captured Easley using an airport Secure Identification Display Area (SIDA) badge belonging to an airport employee, typing a passcode on the keypad, and gaining access through the secure doors leading from the public side of the airport ticketing area to the secure area of the airport.
The defendant entered a restricted area for employees that is between the public, pre-security ticketing area and the public, post-security “sterile” terminal. Easley did not go through TSA screening before entering this secure area.
Easley then used another door to enter the public “sterile” terminal area of the airport, that being the area where screened passengers have access to board their flights. The TSA encountered Easley while conducting random security inspections to prevent prohibited items and unauthorized individuals from accessing the sterile area.
Easley is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28, 2025.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Priya De Souza.
Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry After Multiple Prior RemovalsRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Frizli Merari Miguel-Martinez, 35, of Guatemala, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison for Illegal Reentry by a Removed Alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The defendant not only repeatedly violated our national laws by illegally entering our country, he also committed numerous crimes while here. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have promised to Take Back America by making the enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws a top priority, and my office will continue to aggressively pursue these cases to ensure habitual illegal alien offenders are prosecuted, punished, and then swiftly removed from our country.”
On April 14, 2025, a deputy with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office arrested Miguel-Martinez pursuant to a traffic stop. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) subsequently determined that Miguel-Martinez, a native and citizen of Guatemala, was illegally present in the United States. Miguel-Martinez had previously been removed from the United States once in 2017 and twice in 2019 for his illegal presence in this country. During his stints in the United States, Miguel-Martinez acquired a long history of traffic offenses including convictions for leaving the scene of an accident, failure to appear, and providing false information to law enforcement on multiple occasions. Miguel-Martinez was previously convicted for Illegal Reentry in the Northern District of Florida and for Illegal Entry in the District of Arizona.
An ICE detainer has been lodged against Miguel-Martinez, and he will begin deportation proceedings after he serves his federal prison term. The imprisonment sentence will be followed by a one-year term of supervised release, meaning if he returns to the United States during such timeframe, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration related to violating his supervision.
The case involved a joint investigation between ICE’s operational directorates, Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Four Michigan Businesses Pay $1.9 Million to Settle Allegations That They Unlawfully Obtained Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
DETROIT – United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced today that the United States has reached civil agreements with four Michigan companies to collectively pay $1,933,448 to settle allegations that the businesses violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by making false statements to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for which the businesses were ineligible.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to American businesses suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible small businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the SBA. Regulations imposed various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including exclusions for borrowers with certain types of criminal histories, particularly those related to financial felonies, such as tax evasion. In their loan applications, borrowers were required to certify that they were eligible for the PPP and that the information they provided was accurate.
Your Fantasy Warehouse, Inc., Ugly Christmas Sweater, Inc., and Costume Agent, Inc. collectively obtained four PPP loans and loan forgiveness totaling $504,482.00. The United States contended that these businesses falsely certified to the SBA that they were eligible for the loans because their owner, Firas Hajjar, failed to disclose that he had, within the preceding five years, pleaded guilty to felony tax evasion. https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/michigan-business-owner-pleads-guilty-tax-evasion-0
Separately, Delta Staffing LLC obtained two PPP loans and loan forgiveness totaling $462,241.92. The United States contended that these businesses falsely certified to the SBA that they were eligible for the PPP loans because their owner, Bradley McKouen, failed to disclosue that he had, within the preceding five years, been placed on supervised release as a result of his prior conviction for felony tax evasion. https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmi/pr/clarkston-man-sentenced-tax-evasion
“When you steal from the American taxpayer, we are going to make sure that you are the one who pays the price,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan.
The civil settlements resolved a sealed lawsuit originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit has been unsealed and is captioned U.S. ex rel. Forsyth v. Firas Hajjar, et al., No. 2:22-cv-11432. The whistleblower will receive 15% of the total settlement amount.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Gentner from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Former bank employee arrested, charged with illegally accessing customer accounts and stealing hundreds of thousands of dollarsRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Damani Brown, 28, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud and conspiracy to commit access device fraud, computer fraud and conspiracy to commit computer fraud, and bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in August 2024, a Rochester area bank reported to the FBI that, over a couple of weeks in July and August, someone accessed the online accounts of approximately 12 customers and transferred funds out of those accounts. Following an internal review, the bank determined that Brown, a bank employee, used his employee credentials to look up each of the victim accounts around the time that the accounts were unlawfully accessed. Brown was able to see whether the victim customers had ever registered their online accounts, their bank member number and social security number. Shortly after Brown performed a lookup, a co-conspirator registered the victim customer’s online account.
In total, Brown and/or his co-conspirator transferred approximately $477,000 from the 12 accounts without the knowledge or consent of the customers. The money was transferred to other, third-party accounts at the bank, and ultimately, approximately $327,000 was withdrawn as cash from various local branches or funds were transferred through CashApp. Within a few days of these fraudulent transfers, a number of the victims contacted the bank to report the unauthorized activity on their accounts.
In January 2025, the FBI obtained a warrant to search Google Accounts associated with the thefts. Investigators recovered verification emails sent from the bank containing one-time password codes and notification emails sent from the bank with updates regarding the online accounts, including email updates, password resets, and account freezes.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm.
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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Former Northridge Insurance Agent Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Prison for $3.7 Million Fine Art Insurance Policy ScamRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Nevada woman was sentenced today to 50 months in federal prison for defrauding a lender out of $3.7 million by submitting bogus applications for fine art insurance policies for commercial clients, but instead using the money for herself.
Tonja Van Roy, 59, of Las Vegas, but who formerly operated a Northridge-based insurance agency, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson, who also ordered her to pay $1,880,237 in restitution.
Van Roy pleaded guilty on January 6 to one count of wire fraud.
According to court documents, Van Roy owned and ran Pegasus Insurance, a Northridge company that specialized in insurance policies covering art collections. From January 2021 to December 2023, Van Roy created and submitted dozens of fraudulent finance agreements to AFCO Credit Corp., a Lake Forest, Illinois-based provider of insurance premium finance, purportedly to finance insurance policies she claimed to have sold to art galleries.
Van Roy made up the insurance policy numbers she used and forged the electronic signatures for fictitious insureds. She used the borrowed money to fund her lifestyle, which included payments on dozens of credit cards. When the loans from AFCO came due, Van Roy submitted additional fraudulent finance agreements to AFCO, and used the proceeds from the new loans to make it appear as though the old loans had been repaid.
“[Van Roy] embarked on a sophisticated, multiyear scheme to borrow fraudulently over $3.7 million dollars using her insider’s knowledge of the insurance industry,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “[She] has more than 25 years of experience working as an insurance agent, during which time she sold countless insurance policies and worked for many different insurance agencies before founding her own; she had an expert’s understanding of the industry, which allowed her to manipulate her victims and avoid detection for years.”
Homeland Security Investigations and the California Department of Insurance investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Brown of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
Former Delaware Nurse Practitioner Resolves Health Care Fraud AllegationsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Acting U.S. Attorney Dylan J. Steinberg announced a civil settlement with Sandra Jackson, a former Delaware nurse practitioner who now resides in Florida, resolving allegations that she violated the False Claims Act by ordering medically unnecessary genetic testing and durable medical equipment for Medicare beneficiaries residing in Delaware. As a result of Jackson’s orders, Medicare paid approximately $520,000 for medically unnecessary testing and medical equipment.
Between September 2018 and April 2019, Jackson digitally signed hundreds of orders for medically unnecessary genetic testing and durable medical equipment for Delaware residents who she never physically examined and with whom she had no pre-existing provider-patient relationship. The orders Jackson signed contained information that was pre-populated by others. She signed the orders within seconds of opening them. Jackson did not provide any follow-up care to the beneficiaries for whom she ordered testing and equipment.
“Health care providers who authorize medically unnecessary testing and equipment waste taxpayer dollars,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This office will continue to aggressively pursue providers whose medical decisions are guided by personal profit instead of individual patient care.”
“Providers that participate in the federal health care system are required to obey the laws and regulations meant to protect the integrity of these programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "HHS-OIG remains committed to promoting compliance in HHS programs and investigating alleged misconduct that target them."
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Claudia L. Pare and Affirmative Civil Enforcement Auditor David Cheung.
The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates its 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 Department of Health and Human Services, at 800 HHS TIPS (800-447-8477).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. A copy of the settlement agreement and agreed-upon statement of facts are attached to this press release.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Attachment:
jackson_settlement_agreement.pdfFinal Three Members Charged in Prolific Chinese Money Laundering Scheme Plead Guilty to Laundering Tens of Millions in Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
Two Chinese nationals and a New York woman, all members of a prolific Chinese money laundering organization (CMLO), pleaded guilty today to money laundering charges involving drug trafficking proceeds. They are the last of six total defendants charged in the indictment to plead guilty.
According to court documents, Enhua Fang, 38, and Jianfei Lu, 30, both of China, and Shu Jun Zhen, 36, of Staten Island, New York, were members of the CMLO that laundered over $92 million in illicit funds, including proceeds from the importation and distribution of illegal drugs into the United States, primarily through Mexico.
According to court documents, Fang was an organizer within the CMLO who directed a group of couriers to pick up bulk cash proceeds from unlawful activities, including narcotics trafficking, from individuals throughout the United States. The couriers then deposited these illicit funds, which generally exceeded $10,000, into shell company bank accounts controlled by the CMLO in order to conceal the nature of the illicit funds. Fang used multiple cellphones, changing phone numbers regularly, and several encrypted messaging applications to communicate with the CMLO’s foreign-based operatives and U.S.-based drug traffickers. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Fang admitted that she was personally responsible for laundering at least $90 million of illicit funds in less than two years. Fang further admitted that she knew funds laundered in the conspiracy included drug trafficking proceeds or funds intended to promote drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Lu collected drug trafficking proceeds from U.S.-based drug traffickers and deposited those illicit funds, using both real and fake identities, into shell company bank accounts registered by other members of the CMLO. Lu also served as a manager for the CMLO: he coordinated bulk cash pickups and deposits while Fang was in China and procured fake driver’s licenses for the CMLO’s couriers, which were used to deposit illicit funds at major U.S. banks. Pursuant to his plea agreement, Lu admitted that he had actual knowledge and involvement in the laundering of between $25 million and $65 million in illicit funds. Lu further admitted that he knew funds laundered in the conspiracy included drug trafficking proceeds.
According to court documents, Zhen, at Fang’s and Lu’s direction, picked up and deposited — using both her real and fake identities — nearly $25 million of illicit bulk cash, including drug trafficking proceeds. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Zhen admitted that she knew funds laundered in the conspiracy included drug trafficking proceeds or funds intended to promote drug trafficking.
Fang and Zhen each pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy, one count of money laundering to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the illicit proceeds, and one count of monetary transaction involving criminally derived property greater than $10,000. Lu pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy, two counts of money laundering to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the illicit proceeds, and two counts of monetary transaction involving criminally derived property greater than $10,000.
The defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the conspiracy and money laundering counts and a maximum of 10 years in prison on each of the monetary transaction counts. A federal district court judge will determine their respective sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
All members of the CMLO charged to date have pleaded guilty, including the three who pleaded guilty on April 30, 2025; as a result, this particularly prolific cell within the CMLO has been completely dismantled.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jae W. Chung of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Division, and Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement.
The DEA Charlotte District Office and the IRS-CI Charlotte Field Office are investigating the case.
Acting Assistant Deputy Chief Mingda Hang, Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth, and Trial Attorney Jayce Born of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa for the Western District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Final Three Members Charged in Prolific Chinese Money Laundering Organization Plead Guilty to Laundering Tens of Millions in Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two Chinese nationals and a New York woman, all members of a prolific Chinese money laundering organization (CMLO), pleaded guilty today to money laundering charges involving drug trafficking proceeds, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. They are the last of six total defendants charged in the indictment to plead guilty.
According to court documents, Enhua Fang, 38, and Jianfei Lu, 30, both of China, and Shu Jun Zhen, 36, of Staten Island, New York, were members of the CMLO that laundered over $92 million in illicit funds, including proceeds from the importation and distribution of illegal drugs into the United States, primarily through Mexico.
According to court documents, Fang was an organizer within the CMLO who directed a group of couriers to pick up bulk cash proceeds from unlawful activities, including narcotics trafficking, from individuals throughout the United States. The couriers then deposited these illicit funds, which generally exceeded $10,000, into shell company bank accounts controlled by the CMLO in order to conceal the nature of the illicit funds. Fang used multiple cellphones, changing phone numbers regularly, and several encrypted messaging applications to communicate with the CMLO’s foreign-based operatives and U.S.-based drug traffickers. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Fang admitted that she was personally responsible for laundering at least $90 million of illicit funds in less than two years. Fang further admitted that she knew funds laundered in the conspiracy included drug trafficking proceeds or funds intended to promote drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Lu collected drug trafficking proceeds from U.S.-based drug traffickers and deposited those illicit funds, using both real and fake identities, into shell company bank accounts registered by other members of the CMLO. Lu also served as a manager for the CMLO: he coordinated bulk cash pickups and deposits while Fang was in China and procured fake driver’s licenses for the CMLO’s couriers, which were used to deposit illicit funds at major U.S. banks. Pursuant to his plea agreement, Lu admitted that he had actual knowledge and involvement in the laundering of between $25 million and $65 million in illicit funds. Lu further admitted that he knew funds laundered in the conspiracy included drug trafficking proceeds.
According to court documents, Zhen, at Fang’s and Lu’s direction, picked up and deposited — using both her real and fake identities — nearly $25 million of illicit bulk cash, including drug trafficking proceeds. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Zhen admitted that she knew funds laundered in the conspiracy included drug trafficking proceeds or funds intended to promote drug trafficking.
Fang and Zhen each pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy, one count of money laundering to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the illicit proceeds, and one count of monetary transaction involving criminally derived property greater than $10,000. Lu pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy, two counts of money laundering to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the illicit proceeds, and two counts of monetary transaction involving criminally derived property greater than $10,000.
The defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the conspiracy and money laundering counts and a maximum of 10 years in prison on each of the monetary transaction counts. A federal district court judge will determine their respective sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
All members of the CMLO charged to date have pleaded guilty, including the three who pleaded guilty on April 30, 2025; as a result, this particularly prolific cell within the CMLO has been completely dismantled.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson is joined in making the announcement by Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jae W. Chung of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Division, and Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, IRS Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office.
The DEA Charlotte District Office and the IRS-CI Charlotte Field Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa for the Western District of North Carolina, Acting Assistant Deputy Chief Mingda Hang, Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth, and Trial Attorney Jayce Born of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Eight facing federal meth charges after two-week drug arrest and search operationRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – Following a two-week coordinated operation led by the FBI, eight individuals are facing federal charges for distributing meth or possession with intent to distribute in southern Illinois.
A federal grand jury charged:
- Sarah L. Elverd, 35, of Centralia, with one count of possession with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of meth,
- Alan D. Fleming, 41, of Mount Vernon, with four counts of distribution of meth,
- John A. Fowler, 49, of Mount Vernon, with eight counts of distribution of meth,
- James B. Lockwood, 43, of Mount Vernon, with four counts of distribution of meth,
- Cedric R. Long, 32, of Bluford, with two counts of distribution of meth,
- Christopher L. Webb, 38, of Mount Vernon, with one count of possession with intent to distribute meth,
- Scott T. Miller, 40, of Centralia, with two counts of distribution of meth and one count of possession with intent to distribute meth,
- and Damion D. Thrailkill, 39, of Mount Vernon, with one count of distribution of meth.
“Dealers know how addictive and destructive meth is for users but choose to infect communities and place profits above people,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
The arrests are the result of a multi-agency investigation targeting crime throughout southern Illinois in late May and early June. The investigations were spearheaded by the FBI Southern Illinois TOC-West Task Force, a task force composed of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers dedicated to dismantling violent criminal networks and safeguarding the communities they serve.
“These arrests send a clear message,” said Karen Marinos, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Springfield Division. “We’re taking a more aggressive posture toward violent crime. No matter how remote the area or how insulated the group thinks it is—if you threaten the safety of our communities, we will act swiftly and decisively. This operation was only possible because of the strong coordination among our law enforcement partners—a partnership that grows stronger every day. When we work together with a unified mission, there’s nowhere left for violent criminals to hide.”
In addition, the task force arrested three individuals on state charges in Jefferson County.
- Janay Branch, of Mount Vernon, was charged and pled guilty to charges. Branch was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment on one count of conspiracy to distribute.
- Anthony Smith, of Mount Vernon, faces one count of conspiracy to distribute meth.
- Adrian E. Carruth Jr., of Mount Vernon, was charged with one count of meth
delivery 100-400 grams, possession of cocaine 15-100 grams and conspiracy to distribute meth.
Beyond making arrests, law enforcement executed a series of search warrants during this operational period and seized firearms, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, cannabis and U.S. currency.
Indictments are merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
Agencies assisting in the investigation and arrests include the U.S. Marshals Service’s Benton and East St. Louis Office, Carlyle Police Department, Fayette County Sheriff Office, Mount Vernon Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff Office, Bond County Sheriff Office, Centralia Police Department, and the Jefferson County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Charges for the federally arrested individuals were filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges or arrests may follow.
District of Arizona Charges 114 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 28, 2025, through July 4, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 114 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 60 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 45 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 7 cases against 8 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged one individual for assaulting a Customs and Border Protection Officer.
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. Marselino Garcia-Gonzalez: On June 27, 2025, Border Patrol Agents attempted to conduct a stop on Marselino Garcia-Gonzalez while he was driving a vehicle on Arizona Highway 93. Garcia-Gonzalez failed to yield, attempting to flee law enforcement by driving over 106 miles per hour. He eventually slammed on the brakes and stopped in the median of the highway. Three subjects, including Garcia-Gonzalez, then exited the vehicle and ran across the northbound lanes of Highway 93. All three subjects were ultimately apprehended. The two passengers were citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. One of the passengers was an unaccompanied 14-year-old male. Garcia-Gonzalez was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: 25-MJ-01710]
United States v. Victor Adolfo Zepeda-Arreola: On July 1, 2025, Victor Adolfo Zepeda-Arreola, was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Zepeda-Arreola had been previously removed from the United States in 2023 after being convicted of Attempted Burglary in the Third Degree for Purposes of Sexual Gratification, a felony, in the Superior Court of Arizona, Pima County. [Case Number: 25-MJ-06270]
A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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).
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-111_July 4 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.Delaware Man Sentenced to 240 Months for Coercing 11-Year-Old New Jersey Resident to Travel to Delaware for Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Dylan J. Steinberg, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that on July 2, 2025, the Honorable Jennifer L. Hall sentenced Darius Matylewich, 27, to a period of 240 months of incarceration for coercion and enticement of a minor.
According to court documents, the FBI arrested Matylewich after he removed an 11-year-old from her New Jersey home and travelled with her to his Bear, Delaware home to engage in sexual activity. On September 10, 2023, the Wayne Township, New Jersey Police Department (“WTPD”) received a report of a missing 11-year-old girl (“the Victim”). Through investigative measures, WTPD determined that Matylewich took the Victim from her New Jersey home to his home in Bear, Delaware. The FBI, with assistance from WTPD and the New Castle County Police Department, safely recovered the Victim and arrested Matylewich.
A subsequent investigation revealed that Matylewich met the 11-year-old Victim on the internet and communicated with the Victim via online video games and social media platforms. A forensic analysis of Matylewich’s cellphone and social media uncovered message threads in which Matylewich coerced the 11-year-old Victim to perform sexual acts, and, in turn, produce child pornography for him. Investigators also recovered messages in which Matylewich described covertly watching and following the Victim near her New Jersey home.
Matylewich also used an application on his phone to covertly record conversations, videos, and images of the Victim performing sexual acts that Matylewich solicited from her. Unbeknownst to the Victim, Matylewich then stored videos and images of her within the “hidden” folder of his phone, which could only be accessed via facial recognition.
Acting U.S. Attorney Steinberg stated, “This sentence sends a clear message: those who harm the community’s most vulnerable will be held fully accountable for their actions. This sentence also reflects the dedication and cooperation of local, state, and federal law enforcement. We commend the FBI and the Wayne Township and New Castle County Police Departments, who acted swiftly to return the Victim to her family and ensure justice was served. We hope this outcome brings a measure of closure to the Victim and her family.”
“Nothing can erase the harm Matylewich inflicted on an innocent child. With this lengthy sentence, he is being held accountable for his appalling abuse. Stopping predators like Matylewich from harming children remains a top priority of the FBI and our partners. Let this sentence be a warning to others seeking to take advantage of kids through online video games or social media, you will pay for your crimes,” said FBI Baltimore Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin P. Pierce and Michelle Thurstlic-O’Neill. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Taskforce with assistance from the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, Wayne Township New Jersey Police Department, New Castle County Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-CR-102.
Consulting Company Pays More Than $450K to Settle Overbilling AllegationsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that MERCER (US), LLC, a consulting company with an office in Hartford, has entered into a civil settlement agreement and paid more than $450,000 to resolve allegations that it overbilled the Defense Health Agency for work performed by certain employees and subcontractors billed at rates higher than their educational backgrounds or experience levels permitted.
The Defense Health Agency (“DHA”) manages TRICARE’s health benefits program for servicemembers and their families. Prior to developing and implementing DHA’s supporting managed care support and pharmacy services contracts, DHA sought subject matter expertise from outside of the Department of Defense to ensure beneficiaries receive high quality care. Specifically, DHA competitively sought offers for Health Plan Innovative Support (“HPIS”) services from vendors under the General Services Administration’s (“GSA”) Professional Services Schedule (“PSS”).
In approximately April 2020, DHA and Mercer entered into a Blanket Purchase Agreement (“BPA”) for HPIS services. DHA also awarded HPIS Task 1 to Mercer. Under this task order, Mercer would provide qualified personnel with subject matter expertise relevant to the design of TRICARE programs. The BPA included labor categories that identified the education and experience qualifications, and associated hourly billing rate, for the personnel working under the BPA. Each month, Mercer invoiced DHA for labor expended under the BPA at hourly billing rates commensurate to the employees’ (or subcontractor employees’) designated labor categories and the education and experience associated with those labor categories.
The government contends that, from May 7, 2020, through August 2, 2023, Mercer billed DHA for the efforts of 11 employees working under the BPA at labor rates for which those employees did not have the requisite educational background or experience levels. Mercer investigated and disclosed to the government these incorrect contract billings. To resolve claims arising under the Contract Disputes Act and the common law theories of breach of contract, payment by mistake, and unjust enrichment, Mercer paid the government $456,796.50.
This investigation was conducted by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service with assistance from the Defense Contract Audit Agency Operations Investigative Support Division. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Gruber.
Charleston Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Edgar Warren Willis Jr., 39, of Charleston, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 27, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Red Oak Street residence in Charleston where Willis was staying. Officers found a backpack in a bedroom containing a Lorcin Engineering Model L380 .380-caliber pistol during the search. Willis admitted to possessing the seized firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Willis knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, to-wit heroin, on January 21, 2022, and for wanton endangerment and conspiracy to possess with intent to deliver a controlled substance, to-wit heroin, on August 10, 2015, all in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
Willis has a long criminal history that also includes convictions for domestic battery, violation of a protective order, brandishing and petit larceny. Willis was on parole at the time of the current offense.
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 Charleston Police Department-Street Crimes Unit.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph and former Assistant United States Attorney Samuel D. Marsh prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-89.
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Calaveras Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Interstate Communication of Violent ThreatsRead the Press Release
Cedar Sky Montgomery, 45, of Calaveras County, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 30 months in prison for interstate communication of threats of violence, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Montgomery used a cellphone and the internet to make threats to multiple victims. In one instance, he threatened to kill a victim and have the victim “watch members of your family hanging from trees while your famil[y’]s Houses Burn to ground … .” On another occasion, Montgomery sent text and multimedia messages that threatened to kill a second victim and that victim’s brother, specifically threatening to “kill as many members of your family as I can find!” Montgomery also told the second victim that he would cut the victim’s fingers and hands “off your physical body.” With a third victim, Montgomery sent threatening voicemail messages saying, “the bomb maker is going to kill everybody in your [expletive] family, I’m going to burn your property down, I’m going to slit your [expletive] throat and I’m going to kill everybody in your family.”
Additionally, from late November 2023 through early January 2024, Montgomery used his cellphone to repeatedly call and send hundreds of unwanted text and multimedia messages to a fourth victim’s cellphone. Montgomery sent obscene cartoons and photos and told the victim he was trying to find the victim and threatening to kill the victim’s romantic partner. Montgomery similarly sent hundreds of unwanted messages to a victim, along with angry voicemails and images of a man’s throat being sliced by a sharp blade, combined with claims that Montgomery would find the victim and cut the victim into pieces.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Stockton, Los Angeles and the Washington Field Office, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.
Crestview Man Sentenced for Trafficking in Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Dion’te Wingate, 24, or Crestview, Florida, was sentenced to 162 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to two counts of possessing with intent to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
According to court records, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) searched the defendant on December 14, 2023, after he was found in a vehicle with a wanted felon and illegal drugs, and found large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl powder, and fentanyl pills on his person. OCSO encountered the defendant again on June 19, 2024, outside a bar in Destin, when he was found sleeping in a vehicle that smelled strongly of marijuana. Investigators arrested the defendant on a state warrant, but later discovered that he discarded a bag of fentanyl powder near his vehicle right before he was searched.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This defendant has flooded our communities with deadly poison that inflicted untold harm and destruction, but thanks to the incredible work of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office he will spend his days in a federal prison cell. My office will stand shoulder to shoulder with the brave men and women of our state law enforcement partners to make our communities safe by aggressively prosecuting those who traffic dangerous drugs.”
“Fentanyl and methamphetamine are poisoning our communities at an alarming rate. This case however is a great example of how teamwork between local and federal agencies can help get dangerous individuals and the poison they peddle off our streets,” said Sheriff Eric Aden, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
“People who peddle these deadly substances have zero regard for other lives,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “They profit on suffering, and our agents will not stop until these traffickers are brought to justice.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Walter Narramore.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Brazilian National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Brighton, Mass. has been arrested and charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Fagner Storck, a/k/a “Tiago Santos,” 41, was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Storck made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on July 1, 2025. The Court took the matter of detention under advisement following a hearing earlier today.
According to the charging documents and statements made in open court, Storck was first removed from the United States in 2015. It is alleged that sometime after his removal, Storck illegally reentered the United States without permission and was deported to Brazil six years later in April 2021. Sometime thereafter, it is alleged that Storck illegally entered the United States for the third time.
Storck has multiple prior convictions for domestic violence, including a 2017 conviction for assault and battery on a family/household member, strangulation/suffocation and intimidation; and a 2020 conviction of assault and battery on a family/household member. Storck was arrested in 2023 on state charges of kidnapping and assault and battery against a pregnant woman. These incidents have resulted in restraining orders filed against Storck by three separate women.
Additionally, according to court records, Stock has at least four motor vehicle violations for driving with a suspended license.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Soto of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case with assistance from Student Attorney Brendan J. Brosnihan.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Azumi Limited Restaurants Agree to Pay $3.6M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
Azumi LLC; Zuma NYC LLC; Zuma Las Vegas LLC; Zuma Japanese Restaurant Miami LLC; Inko Nito Garey St. LLC; and Beach Chu Hallandale LLC (collectively, the “Azumi Entities”) have agreed to pay $3,602,423 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for which they were not eligible.
“PPP loans were intended to assist eligible small businesses during the pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When ineligible businesses improperly obtained loans, they harmed both the taxpayers who funded the program and the eligible businesses who were denied relief.”
“The Paycheck Protection Program limits were put in place to prevent large corporate groups from obtaining a disproportionate share of the limited funds that were available to assist small businesses struggling during COVID,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “Our office is committed to holding accountable those who misappropriated taxpayer-funded relief program limits.”
The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 and administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Borrowers were eligible to seek forgiveness of the loans if they spent the loan proceeds on employee payroll and other eligible expenses. In January 2021, SBA announced that certain parties that had previously received PPP loans were eligible to apply for a second loan, typically referred to as a second-draw PPP loan.
When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications and agree that they would comply with all PPP rules. Among other things, PPP rules limited the total amount of funding a single “corporate group” could receive in connection with both first-draw and second-draw loans.
The Azumi Entities are limited liability companies, each of which operates a restaurant in the United States and each of which is either fully or partially owned by Azumi Limited. As part of the settlement, the Azumi Entities admitted that they collectively received and were granted loan forgiveness for second-draw loans in a total amount that exceeded the applicable corporate group limit for second-draw loans.
The claims resolved by the resolution announced today include claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2 Inc. v. Azumi LLC et al., No. 22-cv-11822 (D. Mass.). As part of today’s resolution, GNGH2 Inc. will receive approximately $360,000.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General.
This matter was handled by Fraud Section Trial Attorney Kimya Saied and Senior Trial Counsel Benjamin Wei, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julien M. Mundele for the District of Massachusetts.
Except for the facts admitted by the Azumi Entities, the claims in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Azumi Limited Restaurants Agree to Pay $3.6 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Regarding Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Azumi, LLC; Zuma NYC, LLC; Zuma Las Vegas, LLC; Zuma Japanese Restaurant Miami, LLC; Inko Nito Garey St., LLC; and Beach Chu Hallandale, LLC (collectively, the “Azumi Entities”) have agreed to pay $3,602,423 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for which they were not eligible.
The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 and administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Borrowers were eligible to seek forgiveness of the loans if they spent the loan proceeds on employee payroll and other eligible expenses. In January 2021, SBA announced that certain parties that had previously received PPP loans were eligible to apply for a second loan, typically referred to as a second-draw PPP loan.
When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications and agree that they would comply with all PPP rules. Among other things, PPP rules limited the total amount of funding a single “corporate group” could receive in connection with both first draw and second draw loans.
The Azumi Entities are limited liability companies, each of which operates a restaurant in the United States and each of which is either fully or partially owned by Azumi Limited. As part of the settlement, the Azumi Entities admitted that they collectively received and were granted loan forgiveness for second draw loans in a total amount that exceeded the applicable corporate group limit for second draw loans.
“The Paycheck Protection Program limits were put in place to prevent large corporate groups from obtaining a disproportionate share of the limited funds that were available to assist small businesses struggling during COVID,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Our office is committed to holding accountable those who misappropriated taxpayer-funded relief program limits.”
“PPP loans were intended to assist eligible small businesses during the pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When ineligible businesses improperly obtained loans, they harmed both the taxpayers who funded the program and the eligible businesses who were denied relief.”
The claims resolved in today’s settlement include claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2, Inc. v. Azumi, LLC, et al., No. 22-cv-11822 (D. Mass. 2022). As part of today’s resolution, GNGH2, Inc. will receive approximately $360,000.
U.S. Attorney Foley and AAG Shumate made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julien M. Mundele of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter along with Trial Attorney Kimya Saied and Senior Trial Counsel Benjamin Wei of the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section.
Another Member of the Marion Gardens Street Gang Sentenced to Multiple Life Sentences without the Possibility of ParoleRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Five more members of the Marion Gardens street gang were sentenced by the Honorable Michael E. Farbiarz for their roles in the racketeering enterprise, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
On July 2, 2025, Roger Pickett, a/k/a “Zy G,” 24, was sentenced to four consecutive terms of life imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy and three counts of murder in aid of racketeering, each stemming from a separate gang-related murder. He was also sentenced to an additional consecutive sentence of 50 years’ imprisonment, consisting of 20 years’ imprisonment for Hobbs Act robbery, and three ten-year terms of imprisonment for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Also on July 2, 2025, Javon Williams, a/k/a “J45,” 28, was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy and Keith Anderson, a/k/a “Beef3,” 23, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy.
On July 1, 2025, Quaseame Wilson, a/k/a “Qua Gz,” 28, was sentenced to 195 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy, Hobbs Act robbery, and aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. On June 26, 2025, Anthony Rogers, a/k/a “MG,” 25, was sentenced to 54 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy.
Earlier in June, three other members of the Marion Gardens street gang were sentenced for their roles in the racketeering conspiracy. On June 17, 2025, Myron Williams, a/k/a “Money,” a/k/a “Tunchi,” 31, of Newark was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering, plus 240 months’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and 120 months’ imprisonment for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, with all sentences to run consecutively. Also on June 17, 2025, Jawaad Davis, 23, of Jersey City, was sentenced to 170 months’ imprisonment for his role in the Marion Gardens street gang, which included orchestrating a robbery that resulted in murder. Additionally, on June 5, 2025, Khalil Kelley, a/k/a “Billski,” 26, of Jersey City, was sentenced, to life imprisonment, plus a consecutive ten-year term of imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy, for his role in the Marion Gardens street gang and a gang-related murder.
Three other individuals who previously pled guilty before trial are pending sentencing. Each defendant will be sentenced before Judge Farbiarz in Newark as follows:
Naim Richardson, a/k/a “Ninicks”July 16, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.Andre Alomar, a/k/a “Dre8”July 24, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.Herbert ThomasOctober 1, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Myron Williams, Khalil Kelley, Roger Pickett, Jawaad Davis, Anthony Rogers, Quaseame Wilson, Andre Alomar, Keith Anderson, Javon Williams, and Naim Richardson are all members and associates of the neighborhood street gang associated with the Marion Gardens Housing Complex. Since 2013, they and their fellow gang members have committed numerous acts of violence, including three separate murders, on March 29, 2021, Nov. 20, 2021, and Nov. 1, 2022.
On March 29, 2021, Kelley and other gang members lured a rival gang member outside by sending him Instagram messages pretending to be the victim’s fellow gang member. When the victim opened the door to his residence, Kelley and another gang member brandished firearms, and the victim was shot multiple times in the chest, killing him. Pickett and Myron Williams then picked up Kelley and other gang members after they abandoned the murder vehicle in Newark.
On Nov. 20, 2021, Myron Williams, Pickett, and Richardson lured a rival gang member outside by sending him Instagram messages pretending to be the second victim’s fellow gang member. Williams and another gang member shot the victim when he opened the door to his residence.
On Nov. 1, 2022, Davis facilitated the murder of the third victim by coordinating a narcotics transaction with the victim and the victim’s associate. When the victim and his associate arrived at the Marion Gardens Housing Complex to complete the narcotics transaction, they were robbed of their narcotics supply. During the robbery, Pickett and Wilson held the victim and his associate at gunpoint. After a struggle ensued, Pickett shot and killed the victim while his associate fled. Pickett then fled the Marion Gardens Housing Complex with Wilson.
For months, investigators observed and documented hundreds of narcotics transactions in and around the Marion Gardens Housing Complex. The investigation likewise revealed that Herbert Thomas was a primary supplier of narcotics to the Marion Gardens street gang.
When each defendant was arrested on March 17, 2023, law enforcement seized contraband at several different locations, including heroin, fentanyl, crack cocaine, narcotics packaging materials, ammunition, bulletproof vests, and a loaded handgun.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited investigators of the Gang Intelligence Unit and the Homicide Unit of the Major Case Division of Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., and investigators of the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea, with the investigation leading to the convictions. She also thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, and the U.S. Marshals, under the direction of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos, for their assistance.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Maloy and Javon Henry, of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark.
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Defense counsel:
Roger Pickett – Brandon Minde, Esq.
Keith Anderson – Eric Jaso, Esq. and Francesca Simone, Esq.Javon Williams – Joseph Rubino, Esq.
Thursday 3 July 2025
Western District of Texas U.S Attorney’s Office Adds 208 Immigration Cases in 6 Days Going into JulyRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 208 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from June 27 through July 2.
Among the new cases, Mexican national Erik Garcia-Rodriguez aka Eduardo Soto-Garcia aka Gerardo Reyes, was encountered by Texas Department of Public Safety in San Antonio on June 26. According to a criminal complaint, TX DPS requested immigration determination assistance from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) officer, who determined Garcia-Rodriguez to be an alien illegally present within the United States who had previously been removed from the United States, and who was residing at an address in San Antonio. On May 26, 2011, Garcia-Rodriguez was convicted for trafficking cocaine and heroin in Dallas County. He was removed from the U.S. on Dec. 7, 2011.
Mexican national Ismael Nieto Balverde was charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin in Austin. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges that a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation led to two controlled purchases of heroin from Balverde, totaling approximately 2,034 grams of the narcotic.
In Ector County, Roberto Adan Gandara-Ramirez, a Mexican national, was arrested on a warrant for alleged sexual assault of a child, according to a criminal complaint, and was released to ICE/ERO custody by Ector County Sherriff’s Department deputies. Gandara-Ramirez was previously removed from the U.S. through Del Rio in 2015.
Daniel Hernandez, of Asherton, was arrested near Carrizo Springs on June 29 for conspiring to transport an illegal alien further into the United States. Hernandez was stopped by the Dimmit County Sheriff’s Office, who requested U.S. Border Patrol assistance. USBP agents conducted an immigration inspection and allegedly discovered that the vehicle contained two U.S. citizens and one Mexican national without proper documentation to enter or remain in the U.S. Hernandez allegedly stated that he was in contact with a facilitator who had instructed him to pick up the illegal alien and take the alien to Asherton. In 2014, Hernandez was convicted for bringing in and harboring aliens in Del Rio, for which he was sentenced to 27 months confinement.
A convicted felon on U.S. probation was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry after he was found approximately a mile east of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry. Mexican national Eduardo Lopez-Castillo has been removed from the U.S. to Mexico three times, the last one being May 28, 2024. In April 2024, he was convicted of illegal re-entry and in 2021, Lopez-Castillo was convicted of assault causing bodily injury to a family member.
Alfonso Lopez-Castro, a Mexican national, attempted to gain entry into the U.S. at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry by presenting a New Mexico driver’s license that allegedly contained the name, date of birth, and photograph of another individual. Lopez-Castro allegedly told the Customs and Border Protection officer that he was a U.S. citizen and that he was going home to New Mexico. He allegedly admitted later that the driver’s license was not his and was given to him by a coworker. Lopez-Castro has been previously removed from the U.S. six times, five of which were between August and November 2014. He is charged with one count of knowingly personating another and attempting to evade immigration laws by appearing under an assumed or fictitious name when applying for admission to the United States.
An alleged foot guide was arrested in El Paso and charged with bringing illegal aliens into the United States. Mexican national Isaac Nolasco-Ramirez allegedly crossed into the U.S. and attempted to conceal himself with three other illegal aliens inside a canal and under some brush approximately six miles east of the Tornillo Port of Entry. A criminal complaint alleges that Nolasco-Ramirez stated his friend used a rope ladder to get the group over the fence and that he was told to take the aliens to be picked up along the railroad tracks.
Two U.S. citizens were also arrested for bringing in illegal aliens after two aliens were observed scaling over the International Border Fence. The aliens were apprehended north of the Rio Grande River and consented that U.S. Border Patrol agents could view and search the contents of their phone. An agent, posing as one of the aliens, allegedly replied to a WhatsApp message with his location and was advised that two Jeeps would soon arrive to pick him up. When the Jeeps arrived, one driver, identified as Diego Mota, was arrested. The other vehicle departed at a high rate of speed before the driver stopped and led an Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo Tribal Police Officer on a foot chase. That driver, Isaac Steven Hernandez, was soon apprehended and allegedly admitted that he had been involved in alien smuggling schemes approximately eight times.
A Salvadoran national, Hector Antonio Ostorga Hernandez, was arrested in Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Ostorga Hernandez has been previously deported twice, the last time being to El Salvador on Dec. 20, 2024, through Alexandria, Louisiana. That removal occurred two months after he was convicted in Houston for assault causing bodily harm injuring a family member and was sentenced to 179 days confinement.
Jose Ignacio Lopez-Ortiz, a Mexican national, was also arrested in Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Lopez-Ortiz was last removed to Mexico in January 2013 through Laredo and has since been twice-convicted for driving while intoxicated in April 2023 and April 2025.
Mexican national Juan Enrique Landeros-Gonzalez was arrested in Del Rio on June 30 for being illegally present in the U.S. after being removed for the sixth time on June 13. Landeros-Gonzalez is a felon with multiple convictions including criminal mischief and probation revocation, illegal re-entry, and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
U.S. Border Patrol in Eagle Pass also arrested Mexican national Joel Escobar-Chavez, who has six prior removals, the last being on March 7, and Donaldo Robles-Zarate, who also has been removed six times, the last one being July 12, 2019. Guatemalan national Byron Antonio Almazan has been removed from the U.S. five times, the last being on Jan. 27 through Alexandria, Louisiana. He was convicted for an illegal re-entry felony in December 2024 and sentenced to 189 days confinement.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Waterloo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who was responsible for distributing over thirteen pounds of ice methamphetamine was sentenced on July 2, 2025, to more than nineteen years in federal prison.
Matthew James Wessels, age 44, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 23, 2024, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance after a prior conviction for a serious drug felony.
In a plea agreement, Wessels admitted that during the summer of 2024, after being released from federal prison for a previous controlled substance conviction, he conspired with several others to import ice methamphetamine and then distribute the methamphetamine in Waterloo and the surrounding area. On three separate occasions, Wessels distributed ice methamphetamine to an undercover police officer. On another occasion, officers found him in possession of over three pounds of ice methamphetamine. In total, Wessels was personally responsible for distributing over thirteen pounds of ice methamphetamine.
Wessels was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Wessels was sentenced to 234 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jared Manternach and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Jones County Sheriff’s Department; and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2035.
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Unsealed Indictment Charges Three Men with Stealing Dozens of High-End and Luxury Vehicles Worth over $5 MillionRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Three Charlotte men are facing federal charges for conspiring to steal and transport across state lines dozens of luxury and high-end vehicles worth well over $5 million, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A criminal indictment was filed in June and unsealed today in federal court.
Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
Aquanzae Jamal Switzer, 24, Da’Quante Antwone Banks, 24, and Trajan Dakiel Mack, 26, all of Charlotte, are charged with conspiracy to transport, possess, and sell stolen vehicles in interstate commerce, possession of a stolen vehicle, and interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle.
“This multi-state automobile theft ring was organized and sophisticated,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Organized crime has no place in the Western District of North Carolina, and I am grateful to our law enforcement partners for disrupting this operation.”
The indictment alleges that, between 2022 and April 2024, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to steal dozens of high-end motor vehicles worth millions of dollars from individuals, car dealerships, and other businesses located in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and Tennessee. To maximize their profits, Switzer, Banks, and Mack allegedly targeted luxury models by BMW, Land Rover, and Mercedez-Benz, as well trucks, sports utility vehicles, and high-end horsepower models manufactured by Chevrolet, Ford and Jeep.
The defendants allegedly stole multiple vehicles at once, generally at night, using key fob programmers, and conspired with other individuals who served as drivers of the stolen vehicles. For example, the indictment alleges that the defendants, aided and abetted by others, stole 12 vehicles from a car dealership located in Lillington, North Carolina. To avoid detection, the co-conspirators used temporary and fictitious vehicles tags on the stolen vehicles, removed the GPS navigation and tracking systems from the vehicles, and changed the appearance of the stolen vehicles soon after the thefts.
According to allegations in the indictment, the co-defendants and their co-conspirators often sold the stolen vehicles at prices significantly below their retail value and kept some of the vehicles for personal use and to further facilitate the scheme.
The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The charges of possession of a stolen vehicle and interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This is the sixth indictment filed in the U.S. District Court in Charlotte for federal offenses involving the interstate theft of vehicles since 2023. Previously, federal charges were filed against three Charlotte men for conspiring to steal luxury vehicles and transporting them across state lines. A Charlotte man was indicted for stealing high-end vehicles, including several vehicles from the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Two individuals were charged for a scheme that involved buying and selling stolen vehicles from across the country. Five individuals were indicted for stealing luxury vehicles from dealerships throughout the United States, and two additional individuals were indicted for orchestrating high-end auto thefts from businesses in South Carolina.
The charges against the defendants are allegations and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the Secret Service and CMPD for their investigation of this case and thanked the FBI and the National Insurance Crime Bureau and Homeland Security Investigations for their assistance with the prior prosecutions.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Bozin and Daniel Ryan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the cases.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 81 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 81 border-related cases this week so far, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On June 28, Wilmar Morales Ramirez, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested at the San Onofre gate of Camp Pendleton and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. He was previously deported to Mexico in December 2024.
- On June 29, Almida Ayala Torres, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, a dog alerted to her vehicle as she tried to cross the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Customs and Border Protection officers found 85 packages containing 113 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the trunk hatch, driver’s side back door, passenger’s side back door, passenger’s side front door, center console, firewall, driver’s side quarter panel and passenger’s side quarter panel.
- On June 30, Daniel Yanez Arriaga, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry found that Yanez was hiding five pounds of fentanyl on his body when he attempted to cross the border in his car.
- On July 2, Fernando Ojeda Martinez, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry found 52 packages containing 221 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the rear passenger’s quarter panel, driver’s side passenger’s quarter panel, spare tire and gas tank of the defendant’s car.
Also this week, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are some of those cases:
- On July 1, Anderson Fabricio Leon-Chirinos, a citizen of Honduras who was previously convicted of two federal immigration felony convictions as well as state robbery and batter convictions, was found guilty by a jury of Attempted Re-entry of Remove Alien for again reentering the U.S. illegally. Sentencing is scheduled for September 29, 2025; Leon-Chirinos faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
- On July 1, Anderson Fabricio Leon-Chirinos, a Honduran national who was previously convicted of felony Robbery in May 2014, and illegally re-entering the United States in 2018 and 2021, was found guilty by a jury of Attempted Reentry of Removed Alien for again entering the U.S. illegally. Sentencing is scheduled for September 29, 2025, and Leon-Chirinos faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
- On July 2, Juan Carlos Ojeda-Saldana, a Mexican national, was sentenced in federal court to 70 months in custody for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
- On July 2, Ana Maria Rosas-Ortega, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of two illegal re-entry offenses (Texas 2014 and Arizona 2015), and misuse of a U.S. passport (California 2016), was sentenced in federal court to 46 months in custody for attempting to illegally reenter the United States.
Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending July 3, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 32 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 3 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 25 individuals were charged this week withIllegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 29 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for aggravated assault, burglary, possession of a stolen weapon, and drug trafficking.
In one significant case,Jose Antonio Adrian Roman, a Mexican national, was sentenced to the statutory maximum sentence of fifteen years for being an alien in possession of a firearm case. On November 13, 2023, Roman, who had a history of domestic violence, killed his girlfriend and her 15-year-old son with a stolen shotgun. When law enforcement responded to a 911 call, Roman rammed a deputy’s vehicle with his truck before fleeing on foot. He was apprehended two days later.
In another case, Yavneel Ivan Pinon-Mendoza, a Mexican national, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for illegal reentry, his second conviction for this conduct. On July 22, 2024, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents encountered Pinon-Mendoza at the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Valencia County after conducting jail roster checks. A records check revealed Pinon-Mendoza had a lengthy criminal history, including shooting from a motor vehicle, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and domestic violence.
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.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
U.S. Attorney announces immigration case updates for the Eastern District of VirginiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today case updates on 11 immigration cases in the district.
On Jan. 20 the President signed executive orders addressing the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. Protecting the American People Against Invasion recognized that enforcing our Nation’s immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States, and that it is the policy of the United States to faithfully execute the immigration laws against all inadmissible and removable aliens, particularly those aliens who threaten the safety or security of the American people. The order tasked the Department of Justice with prioritizing the prosecution of criminal offenses related to the unauthorized entry or continued unauthorized presence of aliens in the United States. Securing Our Borders prioritizes the pursuit of criminal charges against illegal aliens who violate immigration laws and against those who facilitate their unlawful presence in the United States.
“These defendants are just more examples of individuals who not only illegally entered the United States but committed serious crimes that harmed our citizens and jeopardized public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Siebert. “From drug offenses, to sexual battery, to assault and battery, to child neglect, to drinking and driving, these defendants were all removed previously for crimes they committed after coming to our country, and they each committed yet another serious violation of federal law by illegally returning following removal. Moreover, most of the defendants were found by immigration authorities after being arrested for committing still additional crimes after their unlawful return, to include four who escaped an ICE detention facility. As these cases demonstrate, enforcement of our immigration laws is essential to protecting the American people and we will not waiver in our responsibility to keep the citizens of the Eastern District of Virginia safe.”
On March 16, 2017, Guatemalan national Angel Estuardo Marchorro-Giron, 34, was removed from the United States pursuant to a final order of removal. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents learned that Marchorro-Giron had unlawfully reentered the United States and had been detained at the Fairfax County Detention Center on Sept. 25, 2020, following his arrest for driving while intoxicated (DWI). On Oct. 1, 2024, in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Marchorro-Giron was arrested for and later convicted of two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance and possession of a loaded handgun in a vehicle. On June 24, Marchorro-Giron pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-CR-119
On April 3, 2014, Salvadoran national David Jonathan Rodriguez Zelaya, 36, was removed from the United States pursuant to a final order of removal. On Nov. 26, 2024, ICE agents learned that Rodriguez Zelaya had unlawfully reentered the United States after his arrest in Stafford County on charges of sexual battery, taking indecent liberties with a child, and peeping. On March 19, 2025, Rodriguez Zelaya was convicted on the sexual battery and peeping charges. On June 6, Rodriguez Zelaya was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. A federal grand jury indicted Rodriguez Zelaya today. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-MJ-237
On April 17, 2009, Mexican national Alejandro Perez Garfias was apprehended by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Border Patrol agents and was granted voluntary return to Mexico. Perez Garfias illegally reentered the United States and on March 28, 2013, was convicted of driving under influence (DUI) in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. On Jan.17, 2014, Perez Garfias was convicted of attempted possession of cocaine. On May 25, 2016, Perez Garfias was convicted of larceny in Lake County, Illinois. On Oct. 10, 2016, Perez Garfias was removed from the United States pursuant to an order of removal. On June 6, 2017, Perez Garfias was encountered by ICE-Fugitive Operations and, on June 16, 2017, was removed again. After illegally reentering the United States again, ICE encountered Perez Garfias following his arrest for driving while intoxicated (DWI) in Henrico County. On May 20, Perez Garfias pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. Case No. 3:25-CR-71
On Feb. 5, 2011, Mexican national Abel Cordova-Garrido, 49, was removed from the United States pursuant to a final order of removal. On June 17, 2022, Cordova-Garrido was convicted of DUI and felony child neglect in Spotsylvania County, and was again removed from the United States. On April 13, 2025, ICE agents learned that Cordova-Garrido had unlawfully reentered the United States and had been detained by law enforcement at the Rappahannock Regional Detention Center in Stafford. On July 1, Cordova-Garrido pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-166
On Sept. 19, 2012, Mexican national Joaquin Garcia-Munoz, 38, was convicted in Lunenburg of DUI. On Sept. 19, 2013, he was convicted in Nottoway County of assault and battery of a family member and failure to appear. On Jan. 16, 2014, Garcia-Munoz was convicted in Lunenburg County of sexual battery. On April 17, 2014, Garcia-Munoz was removed from the United States pursuant to a final order of removal. On April 27, 2014, Garcia-Munoz illegally reentered the United States and was arrested. On April 29, 2014, Garcia-Munoz was convicted in the Southern District of Texas of illegal entry, and on Aug. 26, 2014, was removed from the United States. Garcia-Munoz again unlawfully reentered the United States and was arrested in Virginia on May 15, 2025. On July 1, Garcia-Munoz pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 3:25-cr-80
On Feb. 24, 2020, Salvadoran national Roberto Antonio Flores-Marquez, 41, was removed from the United States pursuant to a final order of removal. On Jan. 22, 2024, ICE agents learned that Flores-Marquez had illegally reentered the United States after he had been detained by law enforcement and then fingerprinted at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. On June 12, Flores-Marquez pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-CR-139
On July 3, 2018, Salvadoran national Cesar Marquina-Martinez, 27, was removed from the United States pursuant to a final order of removal. ICE agents learned that Marquina-Martinez had unlawfully reentered the United States after he was detained in Fairfax County on Nov. 25, 2022. On June 18, Marquina-Martinez pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-CR-118
On March 2, Salvadoran national Jose Lovo-Bautista, 27, Honduran national Wilmer Alberto Isaola-Medina, 22, Mexican national Jose Manuel Rodriguez-Rosales, 25, and Salvadoran national Byron Isaac Toledo-Henriquez, 22, escaped from the Farmville Detention Facility by scaling a fence around an outdoor recreation area. Lovo-Bautista was arrested the following day while hiding in the woods in Farmville. Toledo-Henriquez and Isaola-Medina, stole a car and fled to Richmond. Rodriguez-Rosales also fled to Richmond. Dozens of members of law enforcement participated in the fugitive search. Toledo-Henriquez was arrested on March 3 and Rodriguez-Rosales was arrested on March 4. Isaola-Medina remained a fugitive for 15 days. Case No. 3: 25-CR-58
Lovo-Bautista was arrested in Spotsylvania for DUI on Nov. 11, 2019. On Aug. 28, 2020, he was arrested and charged with a second DUI and felony possession of a Schedule I or II drug in Stafford County and was convicted on May 6, 2021. Pursuant to a final order of removal, on June 18, 2021, immigration officials removed Lovo-Bautista from the United States to El Salvador. Lovo-Bautista illegally reentered the United States and on Dec. 19, 2024, was arrested in Stafford County. On Jan. 16, pursuant to the prior removal order, immigration officials directed that Lovo-Bautista be removed from the United States. Following his escape from immigration custody and his subsequent arrest, Lovo-Bautista pled guilty on May 1 to illegal reentry after a felony conviction and failure to comply with a removal order. He remains subject to the removal order.
Rodriguez-Rosales illegally entered the United States in 2017 and was quickly returned to Mexico by U.S. immigration authorities. Rodriguez-Rosales illegally reentered the United States less than a month later. On Feb. 5, 2019, an Immigration Judge determined that Rodriguez-Rosales was removable from the United States but allowed him to return to Mexico voluntarily. Rodriguez-Rosales failed to exit the United States and immigration officials were directed to arrest him and effectuate his removal. From 2019 to 2025, Rodriguez-Rosales remained in the United States as a fugitive subject to his order of removal. ICE officials took Rodriguez-Rosales into custody following a traffic stop in Richmond in February 2025 and ICE officials issued a Warrant of Removal/Deportation. On May 22, Rodriguez-Rosales pled guilty to failure to comply with a removal order, and he remains subject to that order.
Toledo-Henriquez illegally entered the United States before March 14, 2022, when he was charged with traffic offenses in Richmond and later charged with petit larceny committed on several occasions between August 2024 and September 2024. Toledo-Henriquez entered ICE custody in January 2025, and ICE issued Toledo-Henriquez a Notice to Appear in Immigration Court, which alleged that Toledo-Henriquez was unlawfully present in the United States. Following his March 2 escape and March 3 arrest, Toledo-Henriquez pled guilty on April 23 to escape.
After failing to appear in immigration court on July 27, 2023, an Immigration Judge determined that Isaola-Medina was removable from the United States and ordered that he be deported to Honduras. On Feb. 26, 2025, ICE officers placed Isaola-Medina in custody and ICE officials issued a Warrant of Removal/Deportation. On May 7, Isaola-Medina pled guilty to failure to comply with a removal order, and he remains subject to that order.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, 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 the case number provided above.
Two Lynn Men Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Lynn men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
Lexus Perez, 30, and Denys Gonzalez Hernandez, 32, were indicted on charges of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 28 grams or more of cocaine base, and methamphetamine. The defendants are also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Perez is separately charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The defendants were previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint in March 2025.
According to the charging documents, during a February 2025 search of Perez and Gonzalez Hernandez’s shared apartment in Lynn, it is alleged that two loaded firearms, 465 grams of fentanyl, 34 grams of cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine) and 21 grams of methamphetamine were seized. Following the search, Gonzalez Hernandez was located outside the apartment and taken into custody. During a search of his person, 16 baggies of cocaine and two baggies of fentanyl were allegedly located in Gonzalez Hernandez’s sock.
Several days later, Perez was located in a hotel room in Saugus. It is alleged that when law enforcement knocked on the hotel room to execute a search warrant, the sound of a toilet flushing could be heard. He was immediately taken into custody.
Before these charges, Perez had been convicted in state court for drug distribution and armed assault with intent to murder resulting in state prison sentences.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 28 grams or more of cocaine base, and methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime supervised release and a fine of $5 million. Perez is subject to enhanced sentencing due to his prior criminal history. Perez faces at least 25 years and up to life in prison, at least 10 years and up to a lifetime supervised release and a fine of $20 million. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking carries a sentence of at least five years consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; and Christopher P. Reddy, Chief of the Lynn Police Department made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tulsa Resident Sentenced for Robbery in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Wilmer Medardo Guerrero, age 24, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for one count of Robbery in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ada Police Department.
On March 12, 2025, Guerrero pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on December 18, 2020, Guerrero assaulted an Ada restaurant manager, robbing the manager of the restaurant’s earnings deposit. The victim fought back and unmasked Guerrero, a former employee, before Guerrero fled with the money. The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Guerrero 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. Attorneys Michael E. Robinson and Dak Cohen represented the United States.