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Thursday 3 July 2025
Fitchburg Man Sentenced to 9 ½ Years for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Malcolm Whiteside, 30, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 8 years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon. Whiteside was convicted of this charge on April 15, 2025, following a two-day jury trial. Whiteside was on federal supervised release for a prior felon-in-possession offense at the time of his new criminal conduct in this case. Judge Peterson revoked Whiteside’s supervision and imposed a sentence of 1 ½ years, resulting in a total sentence of 9 ½ years.
On August 12, 2024, Whiteside led police on a dangerous high-speed chase on a Madison highway and ultimately crashed the car he was driving into a semi-truck. From there, Whiteside fled on foot to the parking lot of a home improvement store, where a police officer found him hiding in a garden shed. Officers at the crash scene searched the vehicle Whiteside was driving and found a loaded firearm underneath the driver’s floormat. An analyst from the Wisconsin State Crime Lab recovered Whiteside’s DNA on multiple locations of the firearm. Whiteside is prohibited from legally possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions.
The firearm Whiteside possessed was equipped with a Machinegun Conversion Device. About an inch-long, a Machinegun Conversion Device is an illegal after-market device that converts a semi-automatic firearm into a fully functioning machinegun. A firearm equipped with a Machinegun Conversion Device is extremely dangerous, even for experienced firearms users, because it is difficult to control and is capable of firing 50 rounds in four seconds with a single pull of the trigger.
In addition to finding the machinegun, officers found bags of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl inside the abandoned car. An analyst from the Wisconsin State Crime Lab found Whiteside’s DNA on the plastic bag containing the fentanyl.
In sentencing Whiteside, Judge Peterson explained that Whiteside posed a danger to the community when he possessed a loaded machinegun. Judge Peterson also noted that Whiteside’s criminal history, which included prior convictions for firearms offenses, was an aggravating factor.
The charge against Whiteside was the result of an investigation conducted by the City of Monona Police Department, Madison Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Acting United States Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma and Assistant United States Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Federal inmate indicted for threatening Bureau of Prisons AdministratorRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A federal inmate has been charged with violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
John Robert Bond, 55, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with making threats against a federal official.
The indictment alleges that on May 25, 2025, Bond, a federal inmate housed with the Bureau of Prisons in Beaumont, threatened to assault and murder the Federal Bureau of Prisons Camp Administrator.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
If convicted, Bond faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal inmate indicted for assaulting corrections officersRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A federal inmate has been charged with violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Juan Arturo Mendoza, 32, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with assault, resisting or impeding a federal correctional officer.
The indictment alleges that on November 13, 2024, Mendoza, a federal inmate housed with the Bureau of Prisons in Beaumont, had a physical altercation with two corrections officers resulting in bodily injuries to the officers.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
If convicted, Mendoza faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fairburn Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Prescription Drugs Worth Nearly $400,000 and Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Malik Kiell Forte, 29, from Fairburn, Georgia has been sentenced for possessing a firearm after numerous felony convictions and stealing prescription drugs by burglarizing a warehouse and breaking into delivery vehicles parked outside of pharmacies around metro Atlanta.
“Criminals who steal prescription medications for profit will be identified, apprehended, and prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Our office remains committed to protecting vulnerable patients and punishing gun-toting thieves.”
“Forte’s actions not only harmed the businesses he targeted but impacted the safety and costs for anyone who relies on these medications,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “The FBI will hold anyone accountable who looks to line their own pockets by harming others.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between March 2021 and June 2022, Forte and others stole nine shipments of prescription drugs from delivery vehicles parked in front of various pharmacies. Forte, and a co-conspirator, Jaquay Joseph, also stole prescription shipments from a pharmaceutical distribution center in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The pharmaceutical drugs, which included hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine among other drugs, had a value of nearly $400,000. When agents searched Forte’s home, they found some of the stolen pharmaceuticals. Additionally, agents recovered a Glock pistol from Forte’s bedroom. As a multi-convicted felon, Forte was prohibited from possessing that gun.
On July 2, 2025, Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. sentenced Forte to four years, nine months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Forte was convicted of conspiracy to commit theft, theft of medical products, theft of interstate shipments, drug trafficking conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, after he pleaded guilty on February 5, 2025.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Dash A. Cooper prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former University Postdoctoral Scholar Pleads Guilty to Distribution and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Dylan Kelby Rogers, 39, formerly of Tallahassee, Florida, pled guilty in federal court for distribution and receipt of child pornography. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the vigilant efforts of our local and federal law enforcement partners, this disgusting defendant will be held accountable for peddling in child porn and victimizing the most vulnerable members of our community. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pamela Bondi have set forth a clear mission: protect America’s children. My office will aggressively prosecute offenders who victimize our children to the fullest extent of the law.”
Court documents reflect that in December 2024, Rogers reported to the Tallahassee Police Department that he was extorted online. During an interview with a federal agent, Rogers explained that he and an individual had watched child pornography on an online application and showed the agent a folder on his cell phone that contained several child pornography videos. Law enforcement seized Rogers’s cell phone and conducted a forensic examination of it. A search of the phone revealed more than 30 illegal videos. Rogers’s cell phone also contained evidence of his communications with other online users about child pornography.
Rogers faces up to twenty years’ imprisonment, and lifetime supervision thereafter upon release.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 15, 2025, at 3:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Former Eglin Air Force Base Resident Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Porn CrimesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Daniel R. McCaffrey, 41, formerly of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for the transportation of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and abusive sexual contact with a minor female who had not yet reached 12 years of age. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “There is no penalty severe enough for those who harm our children, and my office will continue to aggressively pursue maximum punishment for these types of crimes. This disgusting defendant not only victimized children online, he also sexually abused a child he had access to on Eglin Air Force Base. The substantial sentence that has been imposed reflects the severity of his crimes, but it cannot make up for the grave harm he has inflicted upon the most vulnerable members of our community. I am deeply appreciative of the incredible work of the agents and investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations to bring this heinous criminal to justice.”
A jury found McCaffrey guilty of these charges after a federal trial. Trial records reveal the defendant maintained a child pornography collection on a hidden micro SD card in his residence, where he lived with his then wife and two minor daughters. McCaffrey’s wife was active duty United States Air Force at the time. Multiple witnesses testified about the victimization McCaffrey personally inflicted upon the minor female to whom he had access. The child pornography he possessed reflected his penchant for minor females under the age of 12 years old.
“The FBI is committed to protecting the most vulnerable individuals in our communities, and especially our kids,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “Those who abuse innocent children should know that the FBI and our partners will never stop working to identify you, and we will coordinate the full force of our resources to seek justice for your victims.”
McCaffrey’s sentence of imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release and a requirement to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Office of Special Investigations of the United States Air Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Eleven Time Felon Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Dubuque man who fired a pistol during an argument was sentenced on July 2, 2025, to 15 years in federal prison.
Kenneth Moore, age 51, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 16, 2025 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
The evidence at trial showed that on August 4, 2023, around 4:00 a.m., Moore got into an argument with an individual on the porch of a residence in Dubuque. During the argument, two individuals attempted to push Moore away from the argument and de‑escalate the situation. As they were pushing Moore away, Moore fired a pistol towards the residence. The bullet nearly hit two people, went through the front wall of the residence, and lodged in the back living room wall. Moore then fled the scene. Twelve days later, on August 16, 2023, officers arrested Moore and searched the car he was driving, where they recovered the pistol Moore fired on August 4. Moore was prohibited from possessing firearms because he had previously been convicted of eleven felony convictions.
Moore was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Moore was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Moore is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until her can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jared Manternach, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24‑CR‑01009‑CJW.
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El Salvadoran National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An El Salvadoran national has been indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Miguel Angel Ortiz-Rivera, 39, was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Ortiz-Rivera was arrested by Immigration authorities on May 24, 2025.
According to the indictment, Ortiz-Rivera was most recently deported from the United States to El Salvador on March 11, 2015. It is alleged that sometime after his March 2015 removal, Ortiz-Rivera illegally reentered the United States without permission. Ortiz-Rivera had previously been deported to El Salvador in November 2011 and April 2013.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will also be 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 Alexandra W. Amrhein of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ecuadorian man pleads guilty, sentenced for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today Lorenzo Antonio Loja-Castro, 23, a citizen of Ecuador, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to illegal re-entry. He was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sasha Mascarenhas, who handled the case, stated that Loja-Castro is an alien without any legal status in the United States. On May 7, 2024, he arrested and detained by United States Border Patrol agents near Middleport, NY. On July 2, 2024, Loja-Castro was physically removed from the United States. On March 26, 2025, he was found in Erie County, New York. When approached by Department of Homeland Security Agents and asked about his immigration status, Loja-Castro admitted to being in the United States illegally and did not have any immigration documents allowing him to enter or remain in the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
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Denver Man Charged with 27 Counts in Connection with CARES Act FraudRead the Press Release
DENVER – An indictment was unsealed on Wednesday in Denver charging Steve Randall Howe with twenty counts of bank fraud and seven counts of money laundering in connection with a scheme to defraud the United States Small Business Administration (SBA).
According to the indictment, between April 2020 and January 2022, Howe obtained more than $1.2 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans on behalf of six businesses he owned. To obtain the loans, Howe submitted false information and fabricated documents to lenders to make it appear that those companies were eligible for PPP loans when they were not. Howe then used the loan money for ineligible expenses, like purchases of residential properties, retail purchases, travel expenses, and transfers of money to China. The indictment alleges that Howe then applied for, and received, forgiveness on each loan, never making a single payment on them.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act created the PPP, a program administered by the SBA that provided loans to small businesses to retain workers, maintain payroll, and pay for certain other expenses consistent with PPP rules. Small businesses could subsequently request forgiveness of the loan after certifying the loan was used to pay for eligible costs.
The defendant made his initial appearance on July 2, 2025, in Denver in front of United States Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Taylor Glogiewicz and Craig Fansler.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Case Number: 25-cr-00197-NYW
Defense Attorney Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Felony Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Harnett County defense attorney was sentenced in federal court after his guilty plea to a felony drug offense. Jeffrey Stall,45, was sentenced to two years of house arrest and five years of supervised release.
Stall was initially intercepted during a federal wiretap investigation into a group of drug traffickers that were distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana throughout Sampson, Johnston, and Harnett counties. Through intercepted and coded conversations, Stall spoke with another individual and the two agreed to meet later so that Stall could receive drugs.
Two days later, law enforcement watched as Stall arrived at an established drug trafficking location, stayed for a short period of time, and then departed. As Stall was driving away, a North Carolina State Trooper executed a traffic stop. Stall was the driver and lone occupant. The trooper immediately observed Stall exhibiting characteristics consistent with intoxication and observed an empty gun holster on the seat. During the traffic stop, a canine alerted on the vehicle. The trooper asked Stall two times whether there was anything in Stall’s vehicle that was illegal. Stall responded with “There shouldn’t be” and “Not that I am aware of.”
The subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a backpack on the passenger seat. Inside the backpack the trooper discovered 33.65 grams of pure methamphetamine and a loaded .40 caliber handgun.
As the underlying investigation continued, several individuals were taken into custody and interviewed about their drug trafficking. In these interviews, they revealed that they had provided Stall with user amounts of methamphetamine for extended lengths of time. These individuals stated that their relationship with Stall often started with or involved Stall representing them in a legal capacity. The drug relationship with Stall would then extend beyond the course of the legal representation.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, NC National Guard, NC State Bureau of Investigation, Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, and the Dunn Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:24-CR-110-M.
D Street Gang Associate Arrested for Selling Firearm and Fentanyl to Undercover Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An associate of the D Street Projects gang in the South Boston area has been arrested and charged for allegedly selling a firearm and fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement agent.
Junior Martinez-Perello, 25, was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl. Martinez-Perello was arrested this morning and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester, was ordered detained pending trial.
According to the charging documents, Martinez-Perello communicated with undercover law enforcement about selling 100 grams of fentanyl and a firearm. It is alleged that Martinez-Perello agreed to meet on May 30, 2025 in Boston for the drug and gun deal. On that date, Martinez-Perello allegedly informed the undercover agent that he would always have firearms available and not to be concerned about purchasing firearms from him, and that he would be able to obtain and distribute half-kilogram quantities of fentanyl in the near future.
It is further alleged that, during the controlled purchase, Martinez-Perello explained how the safety feature worked on the firearm. At one point, Martinez-Perello allegedly pointed the loaded firearm towards the ground, manipulated the firearm in a fashion that was consistent with rendering the firearm safe and attempting to remove the live ammunition from the firearm. During this process, Martinez-Perello disengaged the safety mechanism on the firearm and fired one round into the floor.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. 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 Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley 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.
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.
Convicted Killer Sentenced to 35 ½ Years for RICO Conspiracy and VICAR KidnappingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced that Christopher Green, 39, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to a total of 35 ½ years in prison for conspiracy in violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), violent crime in aid of racketeering (VICAR) kidnapping, first degree murder while armed (with aggravating circumstances), attempted robbery while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and firearms offenses, in connection with a series of violent crimes he committed in early 2017. The prosecution had asked the judge to impose a sentence of 60 years.
In addition to the 426-month prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss ordered that the defendant also serve five years of supervised release.
The sentencing today follows a 12-day re-trial, earlier this year, in which a federal jury found Green, aka “Twin,” guilty of RICO conspiracy and VICAR kidnapping.
At his initial trial in 2021, Green was found guilty of the murder, assault and attempted robbery offenses. However, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the RICO conspiracy and VICAR charges, which led to the recent trial and convictions.
Green was sentenced today with respect to the charges he was convicted of in both trials.
According to the government’s evidence, Green was a core member of a criminal organization that operated in the District of Columbia, Prince George’s County, Maryland, and elsewhere, primarily making money through a series of armed robberies. Green’s actions in Southeast Washington, D.C., on April 9, 2017, led to the death of 25-year-old Zaan Scott. Mr. Scott, a swim coach at the Eastern Market pool, was on his way home when Green attempted to rob him at gunpoint. Mr. Scott died on May 17, 2017, of a blood clot that the medical examiner determined was a result of the shooting. Green was also found guilty at the initial trial of firing gunshots at another victim on February 23, 2017.
In the recent re-trial, the evidence established that Green and a co-conspirator committed a series of violent acts and were working as an “enterprise” to enrich themselves. The VICAR kidnapping conviction in the re-trial involved an incident on April 8, 2017, in which Green and a co-conspirator confronted a young man at gunpoint as the man was getting out of his car in a convenience store parking lot. Green ordered the victim back into the car and robbed him of his ATM card. He then forced the victim to drive to a nearby apartment complex, where he forced him to take off his clothes, and then robbed him of his sneakers and other belongings.
Joining in the announcement were Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar R. Mohanty of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Liebman of the Superior Court Division Homicide Section.
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California Man Charged with Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct with A MinorRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Marvin Isaac Dagoc, age 27, of Lakeside, California, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, the indictment alleges that from January to March 2025, Dagoc enticed a minor to engage in illicit sexual conduct, traveled to Lycoming County to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in March of 2025, and produced child pornography on March 17, 2025.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the offense is up to life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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California Businessman Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Orchestrating $14 Million Covid-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A California businessman has pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge for fraudulently obtaining more than $14 million in small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.
DARREN CARLYLE SADLER participated in a scheme to fraudulently apply for loans pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), which was created by the CARES Act to provide financial relief for small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. A PPP loan allowed for the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spent a certain amount of the proceeds on essential expenses, such as payroll. Sadler admitted in a plea agreement that in 2020 he submitted and caused the submission of at least 63 PPP loan applications for himself and his clients. The applications falsely represented the number of employees, if any, and the average monthly payroll of the purported businesses. The false applications resulted in the issuance of more than $14 million in loan funds to Sadler and his clients. Sadler also received more than $1.9 million in fees from clients for fraudulently obtaining the loans on their behalf.
Sadler used the fraud proceeds to rent a villa for several months during the pandemic and to travel across the country on private jets to meet clients at bank branches to secure fund transfers. He also purchased luxury vehicles, including a Rolls Royce, multiple Mercedes-Benzes, and a Land Rover, and purchased designer clothing, a luxury watch, and numerous meals at expensive restaurants.
Sadler, 38, of Costa Mesa, Calif., pleaded guilty on Monday to a federal wire fraud charge, which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin has not yet set a sentencing date.
The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The investigation was worked jointly with the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman.
sadler_plea_agreement.pdfCalifornia Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute and Receive Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Nelson Omar Aguilar-Villalobos, 21, of Oakland, California, was sentenced to five years in prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute, receive, and possess child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
According to court records, Aguilar-Villalobos was communicating with other individuals using social media regarding the exchange of child pornography. Aguilar-Villalobos specifically requested access to a link of child pornography that contained videos of adults engaging in sexual acts with prepubescent children. Aguilar-Villalobos’ prison sentence will be followed by five years’ supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “There is no greater responsibility than the protection of our most vulnerable, our children. Thanks to the outstanding work of our federal and state law enforcement partners in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, this sick individual was stopped before he could victimize more children. My office will continue to work tirelessly to investigate and aggressively prosecute those who commit these heinous crimes.”
“This sentence underscores the critical importance of finding and holding these online predators to account for the evil they perpetuate online against children,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify the dark corners of the web these predators lurk in and prosecute them for inflicting unimaginable harm on our children.”
“This case represents what’s possible when agencies unite with a common mission,” said Sheriff Walt McNeil. “This also shows the commitment from our Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) Unit, holding accountable those who exploit children.”
“The United States Marshals Service stands committed to working with our law enforcement partners to apprehend the heinous offenders who attempt to prey on our Nation’s most vulnerable population,” said Greg Leljedal, Acting United States Marshal for the Northern District of Florida.
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Department of Homeland Security and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the United States Marshal Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
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).
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Broken Bow Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kenneth Marvin Bray, a/k/a Marvin Bray, age 54, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment charged Bray with knowingly possessing a 9mm semi-automatic pistol on November 30, 2023, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison.
The charge arose from an investigation by the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Bray will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.
Bleistahl North America LP to Pay over $2.3 Million to Resolve Allegations It Received Paycheck Protection Program Loan in Violation of Employee Size RulesRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS – Battle Creek manufacturer, Bleistahl North America LP (Bleistahl), has agreed to pay a principal amount of $2,355,832.05 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by falsely obtaining a second-draw Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was ineligible. The settlement amount and payment structure were negotiated based on Bleistahl’s ability to pay.
The PPP was an emergency loan program established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March of 2020 and expanded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in 2021. Under the PPP, eligible businesses could obtain loans to cover payroll costs or other specified business expenses. PPP loans were guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and subject to forgiveness if spent on eligible expenses. However, PPP loans were only available to a subset of businesses that met the eligibility criteria. As one condition to second-draw loan eligibility, the applicant company and its affiliates must have had no more than 300 employees collectively. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications, including regarding their size, number of employees, and affiliate entities.
In March of 2021, Bleistahl applied for and received a second-draw PPP loan of $1,300,305, which SBA subsequently forgave. The United States alleges that Bleistahl was ineligible for this loan because the company and its affiliates had over 300 employees. The United States also alleges that Bleistahl falsely certified in its PPP loan application that it had fewer than 300 employees, including affiliates.
“Businesses who did not meet the size standard were not entitled to Paycheck Protection Program funding,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alexis Sanford. “My office will continue to pursue those who falsely obtained PPP loans, fight fraud, and recover funds.”
“The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, other federal law enforcement agencies, as well as financial institutions or private individuals who uncover misconduct to recover the lending program’s damages,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act against Bleistahl. Under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the settlement or judgment. Here, the United States elected to take over the case, investigated it, and negotiated the settlement. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. GNGH2 Inc. v. Bleistahl North America LP, No. 1:24-cv-476 (W.D. Mich.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan and the SBA. Assistant United States Attorney Whitney M. Schnurr investigated this case alongside Attorney Advisor David Derrico from the SBA.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Bergen County Woman Indicted for Destruction of Evidence in Connection with Federal Investigation of Her Husband’s Real Estate Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An indictment was issued for Bergen County woman for destruction of records after destroying a cell phone as federal law enforcement officers attempted to execute a warrant to seize and search that phone, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Jennifer Iturralde Pina, 43, of Franklin Lakes was charged by indictment with one count of destruction of records in a federal investigation. Iturralde had previously been charged by complaint and had made her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court on November 12, 2024.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Iturralde’s husband, Cesar Humberto Pina, a/k/a “Flipping NJ” (“Pina”), had been charged in October 2023 with wire fraud in connection with an alleged real estate investment fraud scheme. Iturralde was aware of that investigation and knew that it was ongoing. In late February 2024, Iturralde asked a friend to confront a witness to ask that witness to stop cooperating with federal investigators. Days later, Iturralde attempted to give her cell phone to that same friend for safekeeping, but that friend was unable to take the cell phone from her. Then, on March 5, 2024, as federal investigators knocked on Iturralde’s door with a warrant to seize and search her cell phone, Iturralde destroyed and hid the cell phone.
The charge of destruction of records carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Carolyn Silane and Aaron Webman of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark and Marko Pesce, Deputy Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit.
Charges against Pina remain pending. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment against Iturralde and the complaint against Pina are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Brian Neary, Esq., Hackensack, NJ
pina.indictment.pdfAdair County Resident Sentenced for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jade Larae Duncan, age 28, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, to be followed by two years of supervised release.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office.
On February 11, 2025, Duncan pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on the evening of December 2, 2022, the vehicle Duncan was driving left the roadway and crashed into a creek bed alongside Salem Road (E 893 Road) in Adair County. Duncan freed herself and one passenger before the vehicle caught fire. A second passenger was trapped in the back seat and died from injuries sustained in the crash and the fire. During the investigation, Duncan admitted to drinking alcohol before driving and a witness described Duncan as “tired and sleepy.” Toxicology on Duncan’s blood drawn in the hours after the crash determined her blood alcohol was approximately 0.085 g/ml, slightly over the 0.080 g/ml legal limit.
The crime occurred within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Duncan will self-report on August 4, 2025, to a United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan, Patrick M. Flanigan, and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Drug Trafficking
Gloria Merina Wass, 64, of Hudson, Wyoming, was sentenced to time served and will be on supervised release for three years for distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents, on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, the defendant sold an undercover law enforcement agent methamphetamine and agreed to sell him more in the future. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Wass was indicted on Jan. 15, 2025, and pleaded guilty on March 3, 2025. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on July 1, 2025, in Casper. Case No. 25-00021.
Illegal Reentry
Isauro Enriquez-Rios, 39, of Chihuahua, Mexico, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on May 6, 2025, Enriquez-Rios was arrested by the Wyoming Highway Patrol for a traffic-related offense in Casper. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was contacted, and they determined that Enriquez-Rios had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in January 2011. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence in Cheyenne on July 2, 2025. Case No. 25-CR-00093
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
Wednesday 2 July 2025
West Virginia Resident Charged with Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material and Interstate Transmission of Extortionate CommunicationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Fairmont, West Virginia, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of distribution of child sexual abuse material and interstate transmission of extortionate communication, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Ronald John Kirkham Jr., 56, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, Kirkham met his victim online when the victim was 17. In or around 2017, Kirkham persuaded the victim to send naked pictures and videos of herself engaging in sexually explicit acts. Years later, Kirkham sent the victim’s photographs back to her, threatening to publish the material online if the victim did not either send him additional photos or videos, or pay him money.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and North Fayette Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
West Nanticoke Man Charged with Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Daniyel Jamal Heyward, age 45, of West Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment charges Heyward with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine on February 13, 2025, and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine between January 1, 2025 and February 13, 2025.
The case was investigated by the Luzerne County Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiate 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 maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses are 40 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Wasilla man sentenced to 50 years for kidnapping, sexually assaulting child in 2022Read the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Wasilla man was sentenced today to 50 years in prison and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Wasilla.
According to court documents, on Nov. 2, 2022, a 14-year-old girl exited a school bus in Wasilla and started walking home. A dark colored vehicle driven by David Anderson, 52, drove past the victim and turned around to head back toward her. Anderson pulled up alongside the victim and coerced her into the vehicle before pointing a revolver at her. Anderson covered the victim’s head with a blanket, punched her at least once in the face and bound her hands with duct tape.
Anderson drove the victim to a remote area where he stopped the car and led the victim into the woods with the blanket still over her head. Anderson proceeded to forcibly sexually assault the victim. After assaulting her, Anderson stood over her, shielded his eyes, and randomly shot at her with the revolver. Without checking to see if she was dead, he then left her in the woods and drove away. After leaving the woods, he disassembled the revolver and threw the pieces into a nearby river.
Once Anderson left, the victim freed herself from the restraints before walking out of the woods to flag down a passing vehicle. The Alaska State Troopers arrested Anderson later that day based on descriptions and statements from the victim.
An investigation revealed that on the day of the incident, Anderson decided to grab his revolver and go out looking for a victim. At the time of the offense, Anderson was a convicted sex offender following another conviction in 2000 for sexually assaulting a minor.
On Jan. 13, 2025, Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping a minor and one count of committing an offense as a registered sex offender. In handing down the sentence, the Court recognized both the depravity of Anderson’s conduct and the bravery of the survivor.
Anderson was also charged by the State of Alaska Department of Law for his offense. He was sentenced on Oct. 7, 2024, and is currently serving an 85-year state sentence.
“Mr. Anderson perpetrated an unimaginable random act of horror and will spend the rest of his life in the only appropriate place, prison,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “The survivor showed extraordinary bravery in escaping this horror and the Alaska State Troopers and FBI mounted an incredible investigation to hold this predator accountable.”
“Today’s federal sentence, combined with the State of Alaska’s sentence of 85 years means that this violent man will never be released back into our community to victimize another Alaskan child,” said Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes. “Your Alaska State Troopers most important duty is to protect our most vulnerable, and this case stands as a powerful example of how federal and state law enforcement can work together to bring the full weight of justice to bear.”
“While walking home from school, an innocent child was violently kidnapped and assaulted – not only was this a horrific attack on a child, but also on the very fabric of our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “I commend this young survivor’s extraordinary courage, along with the special agents, prosecutors, and law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to ensure this dangerous predator will never walk free or harm another child again.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and the Alaska State Troopers investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI's Joint Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (J-CARD) Team. The FBI’s J-CARD Team consists of specially trained investigators and intelligence personnel from the FBI, Alaska State Troopers, and Anchorage Police Department who are experienced in child abduction cases and can rapidly deploy anywhere in the state. The team is designed to provide investigative, technical, and resource assistance to state and local law enforcement during the most critical time following a child abduction.
Assistant U.S. Attorney's Chris Schroeder and Adam Alexander prosecuted the case.
UPDATE: This release has been updated to correct the defendant's age. The correct age is 52.
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United States Seeks Recovery of $40,300 in Cryptoscheme that Impersonated Trump-Vance Inaugural CommitteeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced today that her office filed a complaint against 40,353 USDT.ETH cryptocurrency stolen in the commission of a Business Email Compromise Scheme.
According to the complaint, one or more perpetrators impersonated the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, fraudulently stole $250,300 worth of crypocurrency from an intended donor, and then laundered the funds through other wallets. The FBI was able to trace and recover $40,300 from this transaction. The complaint seeks recovery of these funds to compensate the victim.
“All donors should double and triple check that they are sending cryptocurrency to their intended recipient. It can be extremely difficult for law enforcmeent to recoup lost funds due to the extremely complex nature of the blockchain,” said U.S. Attoney Pirro. “Nevertheless, my office and our law enforcement partners stand ready to go toe-to-toe with criminals and make victims whole.”
“Impersonation scams take many forms and cost Americans billions in losses each year,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen, of the FBI Washington Field Office, which is investigating the case. “To avoid becoming a victim, carefully review email addresses, website URLs, and spelling in any messages you receive. Scammers often use subtle differences to deceive you and gain your trust. Never send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or other assets to people you do not know personally or have only interacted with online or over the phone. Report suspected scams to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.”
According to the complaint, on Dec. 24, 2024, the victims received an email from someone purporting to be Steve Witkoff, Co-Chair of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee. Legitimate emails from the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee are @t47inaugural.com; the email received by victim was from @t47lnaugural.com with the lowercase “I” was replaced by a lowercase “L.” Depending on the font, the lowercase “L” can look like the uppercase “I.”
The imposter Steve Witkoff, a scammer located in Nigeria, instructed the victims to deposit funds into a cryptocurrency wallet ending in 58c52. On Dec. 26, 2024, the victim sent 250,300 USDT.ETH to the crypto wallet believing the funds were going to the Inaugural Committee. Within two hours after receiving the funds from the victim, the funds moved from the 58c52 cryptowallet to other cryptocurrency addresses. Through blockchain analysis, the FBI identified and recovered 40,300 USDT.ETH, which is the property subject to forfeiture in this civil action.
Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including business email compromise, cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams, and “pig butchering” fraud scams – should contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://www.ic3.gov. For more information on business email compromise schemes, please visit: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/business-email-compromise.
The Department of Justice would like to acknowledge Tether for its assistance in effectuating the transfer of these assets.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office joined in the announcement. This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office- Criminal and Cyber Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Blaylock, Jr.
25cv2116
Two Men Indicted on 22 Counts for Wire Fraud Conspiracy, Sale of Stolen Vehicles, and Trafficking Stolen Vehicles with Altered VINsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland unsealed a 22-count indictment, charging Jamaican national — Charles Edwards Madden, 39, of New Carrolton, Maryland — and Michael R. Bourne, 33, of New York, New York, with conspiracy, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, operating a chop shop, sale or receipt of stolen vehicles, and trafficking in motor vehicles with altered vehicle identification numbers (VINs).
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Washington Field Office, and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to the indictment, between at least January 2020, and continuing into June 2024, Madden and Bourne engaged in a conspiracy to buy and sell vehicles that they knew were stolen from various locations across the United States. As part of the conspiracy, Madden and Bourne altered the VINs to conceal the stolen vehicle scheme and evade law enforcement.
Madden and Bourne combined parts from salvaged vehicles and resold them to victim purchasers in Maryland and elsewhere, concealing the prior salvage or damage status and misrepresenting their conditions to buyers. During the conspiracy, Madden and Bourne obtained dozens of stolen vehicles collectively worth more than $1 million, many of which were transported to and altered in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
If convicted, Madden and Bourne face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud conspiracy, a maximum of 10 years for sale or receipt of stolen vehicles, and a maximum of 10 years for trafficking in motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts. Additionally, Madden is charged with operating a chop shop located in Prince George’s County which carries a maximum of 15 years.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy and Trial Attorneys Amy Schwartz and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein, Justice Department Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, who are prosecuting this 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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Twenty-Four Defendants Charged with Narcotics and Firearms Offenses for their Roles in a Drug Trafficking Organization Controlled by the Bloods Street GangRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Twenty-four people have been charged for their respective roles in a drug trafficking organization that distributed large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine in the Bradley Court Housing Complex in Newark, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Today’s charges and arrests are the result of a 14-month investigation led by the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in collaboration with the Newark Police Department.
Shamon Freshley, a/k/a “Hitta,” 26, Orlando Pizarro, a/k/a “Lando,” 26, Zakir Jefferson, a/k/a “Gu,” a/k/a “Tank,” 26, Quayyon Johnson, a/k/a “Weeze,” 22, Melvin Faines, a/k/a “Spaz,” 34, Afrika Islam, a/k/a “Sexx,” 29, Shaheem Webb, a/k/a “YC,” 23, Eustace Weeks, a/k/a “Juxx,” 26, Ali Baker, a/k/a “Surf,” 34, Jose Ward, a/k/a “Hec,” 22, Brandon Sneed, a/k/a “Pops,” 31, Eric Banks, a/k/a “Lil Maneskii,” 19, Tauheed Carney, a/k/a “Bmunn,” 21, Tykee Stokes, a/k/a “Big,” 32, Shafeek Barker, a/k/a “Sha,” 28, Ibn Perry, a/k/a “Loop,” 38, Alvin Jones, a/k/a “Lucky,” 41, Kirk Mansook, a/k/a “Crow,” 39, Tyjanique Green, a/k/a “Ski,” 24, Jubar Hughes, a/k/a “Dudu,” 27, Daisean Williams, a/k/a “Khaos,” 22, Jason Wardlaw, a/k/a “Jayr,” 30, and Rana James a/k/a “Pooh,” 28, all of Essex County, New Jersey, were charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.
Sebastian Pierrecent, a/k/a “Sosa,” 21, Quayyan Johnson, and Tauheed Carney are also each charged with possession of a machinegun. In addition, Pierrecent is charged with possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon.
The defendants arrested today are scheduled to make initial court appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacey D. Adams in Newark federal court this afternoon. Four defendants were already in custody on state charges, one defendant was already in federal custody, and 5 defendants remain at large.
“For far too long, the Bloods have overtaken the Bradley Court Housing Complex — turning its courtyards and residential buildings into a hub for pumping deadly fentanyl into the city of Newark, while endangering the lives of the citizens who call this community home. This poison has ripped families apart and stolen countless lives. That stops today. These arrests affirm my office’s commitment to taking guns and drugs off the streets, and serves as a clear warning to anyone who considers engaging in violent activity. The defendants in this case, as in all criminal cases, are presumed innocent unless, and until proven guilty. However, everyone should understand that if you spread this poison or engage in this violent activity, we will use every resource necessary to find you, dismantle your operation, and prosecute you. ”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
The defendants are members or associates of Sex, Money, Murder (“SMM”), a Blood-affiliated criminal street gang that controls the drug trade in and around the Bradley Court Housing Complex (“Bradley Court”), among other areas. The subset of Sex, Money, Murder that operates in and around Bradley Court—which is located in the area of North Munn Avenue and Tremont Avenue in Newark—is also known as Munn Block, M-Blok, and Tombstone Gang (the “Enterprise”). Munn Block is closely aligned with another Blood-affiliated gang known as Voorhees, which operates in the area of Voorhees Street in Newark. Members and associates of this alliance refer to the alliance as “MunnHees.”
Members and associates of the Enterprise are known to use social media on a variety of platforms and mobile applications, including Instagram, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Signal, Telegram, and WhatsApp to conduct the business of the Enterprise, communicate with one another, promote the Enterprise through sharing photographs and videos, and further the Enterprise’s goals. Specifically, the Enterprise uses the release and promotion of drill rap songs and music videos on social media to intimidate rival gang members, witnesses, and other members of the community, and to promote the Enterprise.
For over a year, law enforcement conducted extensive surveillance of the area, conducted numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, seized narcotics through enforcement action, and analyzed telephone records, all of which demonstrated extensive interactions between and among the charged defendants.
Pierrecent, Johnson, and Carney, are also charged with possession of a machine gun that was used in the June 17, 2025 shooting in rival gang territory near Mapes Avenue in Newark.
The defendants charged in the drug conspiracy face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Pierrecent, Johnson, and Carney each face up to 10 years in prison for possession of the machinegun. Pierrecent faces up to 15 years in prison for possession of firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of HSI New York Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; HSI Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy and police officers and detectives of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, under the direction of Acting Port Director Leon Hayward, Port of New York/Newark; members of the United Marshals Service, under the direction of U.S. Marshal for the District of New Jersey Juan Mattos; special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; detectives of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II; police officers and detectives of the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis L. Bindi; detectives of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone; and detectives of the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, for their assistance with the investigation.
The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (“VCI”). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute 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, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
This investigation 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 case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Goldberg and Javon Henry of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense Counsel:
Zakir Jefferson: John McMahon, Esq.
Melvin Faines: Stephen Natoli, Esq.
Ali Baker: Michael Gilberti, Esq.
Jose Ward: Eric Jaso, Esq.
Brandon Sneed: Brandon Minde, Esq.
Tykee Stokes: Shawn Barnes, Esq.
Shafeek Barker: Charles McKenna, Esq.
Ibn Perry: Scott Krasny, Esq.
Tyjanique Green: Bruce Levy, Esq.
Daisean Williams: Raquel Rivera, Esq.
Tucson Man Arrested for Selling Devices to Convert Glocks into Automatic FirearmsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Damien Jax Schaffer, 45, of Tucson, was arrested on June 24, 2025, by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) special agents, and charged by criminal complaint for Engaging in the Business of Dealing in Firearms without a License and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. Schaffer appeared in court today for his initial appearance.
According to the complaint, from May 8, 2025, through June 24, 2025, ATF monitored Schaffer and learned that he had manufactured and sold 15 illegal machinegun conversion devices. These devices are used to allow semi-automatic firearms, like Glocks, to expel more than one projectile with a single press of the trigger, effectively converting a semi-automatic firearm into a machinegun.
Machinegun conversion devices are required to be registered with ATF in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. After learning of Schaffer’s activities, ATF agents queried that record and determined that his devices were not registered to anyone. Agents also learned that Schaffer does not possess a federal license to sell firearms.
This case was part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is 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.
ATF is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-09160
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-109_Schaffer# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Tonawanda doctor pleads guilty for his role in prescription scamRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that William Stephan, 65, of Tonawanda, NY, who was convicted of misprision of felony, was sentenced to one year probation and 100 hours community service by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who handled the case, stated that Stephan is a medical doctor with a family practice located in Tonawanda, NY. In April 2015, Stephan was asked by Erik Berg to sign prescriptions for compounded medications. Over a several-month period, he signed compounded prescriptions for 19 patients. When Berg presented these prescriptions to Stephan, they had already been filled out, as well as the number of refills. Stephan then typically signed these prescriptions based on Berg's representation that the patient had a medical need for the prescription(s). When signing the prescriptions, Stephan did not take note of any refills he was authorizing. Prescriptions signed by Stephan for these patients were refilled more than 500 times. None of the 19 patients were Stephan’s patients.
The compounded medications prescribed by Stephan carried substantial reimbursement rates, which averaged more than $16,000 per prescription. Health care benefit programs paid $8,750,315 in reimbursement for the prescriptions, including refills. Pharmacy benefit managers providing the prescriptions signed by Stephan, would not have approved the prescriptions for reimbursement if they had known that Berg had presented the prescriptions to Stephan already filled out, the compound formula did not address the particular medical needs of a particular patient, but rather to obtain the highest reimbursement from the insurance companies, and that Berg knew that Stephan did not have a doctor-patient relationship with the individual for whom the prescription was written.
In addition, Stephan signed compounded prescriptions for other individuals, including Scott Trapp and Michael Luehrsen.
In June 2016, Express Scripts, Inc. performed an audit of certain prescriptions written by Stephan. During the audit, he and Berg completed audit forms on which Stephan stated that he had written and signed certain prescriptions for compounded medications, concealing the fact that he had not, in fact, written out the prescriptions, and that he did not have a doctor-patient relationship with the patients.
Berg and Luehrsen were previously convicted and awaiting sentencing. Trapp was previously convicted and sentenced.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm.
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Tolland Man Charged with Tax and Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Labor Racketeering and Fraud, Northeast Region, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an eight-count indictment charging GEORGE DAVIS TELFORD, JR., 36, of Tolland, with tax and fraud offenses.
As alleged in the indictment, Telford created bogus trust entities in an effort to obtain fraudulent refunds from the IRS for purported tax overpayments to the trusts. In 2019 and 2020, Telford filed five false federal tax returns claiming approximately $6.2 million in refunds purportedly owed by the IRS. The IRS paid Telford one refund of $564,758 for a tax return he filed for the 2018 tax year on behalf of the “Telford Asset Family Trust.”
The indictment further alleges that in 2022 and 2023, Telford also engaged in a scheme to defraud the Connecticut Department of Labor (“CT DOL”) of unemployment insurance benefits purportedly to compensate displaced workers of an entity called “High Class Grads LLC,” which he purported to own. Telford submitted and caused to be submitted fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance benefits, one in his name and two for other third parties, claiming that the individuals had earned wages from High Class Grads and had been laid off from the company. In fact, High Class Grads did not employ these individuals and had not paid them any wages. As a result of these claims, CT DOL paid out $48,792 in fraudulent benefits.
The indictment charges Telford with five counts of making and subscribing a false tax return, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of three years on each count, and with three counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Telford is currently incarcerated in state custody for unrelated alleged criminal conduct.
This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division and the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Levick and Susan Wines.
Texas Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kameron Vaughn Barrett, age 27, of Desoto, Texas, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, punishable by not less than 60 months in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on November 11, 2023, Barrett knowingly possessed a firearm in furtherance of Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, a drug trafficking crime.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Durant Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Barrett will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Texarkana inmate receives additional sentence for injuring corrections officerRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, Texas – A federal inmate has received an additional prison sentence for assaulting a correctional officer in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Andrew Hunter, 23, of Mount Pleasant, pleaded guilty to assaulting a federal officer and was sentenced to an additional 18 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III, on July 2, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on November 29, 2022, Hunter, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Texarkana, had an altercation with a correctional officer in a hallway at the Federal Prison Camp. During the altercation, Hunter shoved the officer causing him to strike the back of his head against a wall. The officer sustained serious injuries that required medical attention.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Noble.
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Tennessee Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Conspiring to Murder Law Enforcement and Attack FBI OfficeRead the Press Release
Edward Kelley, 36, of Maryville, Tennessee, was sentenced to life in prison today in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.
On Nov. 20, 2024, following a three-day jury trial, Kelley was convicted of conspiracy to murder federal employees; solicitation to commit a crime of violence; and influencing a federal official by threat.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Kelley developed a plan to murder law enforcement, including agents, officers, and employees of the FBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Maryville Police Department, Blount County Sheriff’s Office, and Clinton Police Department. The evidence showed that Kelley developed a “kill list” of law enforcement and distributed the list – along with videos containing images of his targets – to a co-conspirator as part of his “mission.”
A cooperating defendant, who previously pleaded guilty for his role in the conspiracy, testified that he and Kelley planned attacks on the Knoxville FBI office using car bombs and incendiary devices appended to drones. He also testified that the conspirators strategized about assassinating FBI employees in their homes and in public places such as movie theaters.
At trial, the United States introduced recordings of the defendant calling for the development of a “course of action” related to his plan. In one such recording, the defendant gave the instructions to, among other things, “start it,” “attack,” and “take out their office” in the event of his arrest. Kelley was recorded stating, “You don’t have time to train or coordinate, but every hit has to hurt,” and “Every hit has to hurt.”
Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI’s Knoxville Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey T. Arrowood and Kyle J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Tanya Senanayake and Jacob Warren of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.
Tennessee Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Conspiring to Murder Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Officers and EmployeesRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On July 2, 2025, Edward Kelley, 36, of Maryville, Tennessee, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. The Court’s sentence was recommended by the applicable United States Sentencing Guidelines based on the circumstances surrounding Kelley’s crimes.
On November 20, 2024, following a three-day trial in United States District Court, a jury convicted Edward Kelley of Conspiracy to Murder Federal Employees, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1117; Solicitation to Commit a Crime of Violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 373; and Influencing a Federal Official by Threat, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 115(a)(1)(B).
The evidence presented at trial established that Kelley developed a plan to murder law enforcement, including agents, officers, and employees of the FBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Maryville Police Department, Blount County Sheriff’s Office, and Clinton Police Department. The proof showed that Kelley developed a “kill list” of law enforcement and distributed the list – along with videos containing images of his targets – to a co-conspirator as part of his “mission.”
A cooperating defendant, who previously pleaded guilty for his role in the conspiracy, testified that he and Kelley planned attacks on the Knoxville FBI office using car bombs and incendiary devices appended to drones. He also testified that the conspirators strategized about assassinating FBI employees in their homes and in public places such as movie theaters.
At trial, the United States introduced recordings of the defendant calling for the development of a “course of action” related to his plan. In one such recording, the defendant gave the instructions to, among other things, “start it,” “attack,” and “take out their office” in the event of his arrest. Kelley was recorded stating, “You don’t have time to train or coordinate, but every hit has to hurt.” “Every hit has to hurt.”
Assistant Attorney General John. A. Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey T. Arrowood and Kyle J. Wilson of the Eastern District of Tennessee prosecuted the case with the assistance of Trial Attorneys Tanya Senanayake and Jacob Warren of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The case was investigated by the Knoxville Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. It was led by the FBI and involved the assistance of FBI offices from across the country.
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Taylorsville Man Sentenced to 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Distributing Methamphetamine in the District of Utah, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Caile Noble, 67, of Taylorsville, Utah, was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment after he admitted to obtaining large amounts of methamphetamine from outside of Utah, bringing it to Utah, and providing it to several others in a conspiracy to distribute the drugs for profit.
The sentence comes after Noble pleaded guilty on April 3, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Ted Stewart sentenced Noble to 60 months’ supervised release and ordered him to forfeit over $25,000 and his residence, from which Noble distributed methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made at Noble’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, beginning in July 2022, Noble and others in his drug trafficking organization were transporting approximately sixty pounds of methamphetamine to Utah to redistribute in the Salt Lake Valley. Noble was the head of the organization who acquired the large loads of methamphetamine and drove it to Utah. Once Noble arrived in Utah, he contacted his redistributors who sold the methamphetamine to others in amounts ranging from quarter pounds to full pounds.
Additionally, the defendant has distribution convictions dating back to 1986. Noble is also charged by the state of Utah with first degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated arson.
“The defendant’s conduct in this case and his nearly 40-year history of peddling poison for profit are egregious,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “Noble trafficked large amounts of methamphetamine into Utah and then distributed this poison into our communities for profit. Such criminal conduct will not be tolerated.”
“There is no room for drug traffickers in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick of the IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office. “Motivated by greed and with no regard for the safety of his community, Noble distributed massive amounts of this notoriously deadly substance. As the experts in following the money, IRS Criminal Investigation will always be there to offer our financial expertise to bring these criminals to justice.”
“The investigation of Noble confirmed the Sinaloa Cartel operates sophisticated drug distribution networks in Utah, and that drug trafficking and violent crime are often intertwined,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie with the Rocky Mountain Field Division. “Methamphetamine is a persistent scourge on our society, and today our communities in Utah are safer with Noble’s imprisonment.”
The case was investigated by members of the DEA Salt Lake City Metro Narcotics Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorney Seth Nielsen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Suburban Chicago Businessman Convicted for Role in Bank Fraud and PPP Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted an Illinois businessman yesterday for his role in schemes to fraudulently obtain over $55 million in commercial loans and lines of credit and for submitting fraudulent applications to obtain COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Rahul Shah, 56, of Evanston, the owner and operator of several information technology companies in the Chicago area, fraudulently obtained funds from loans and lines of credit for which he was not eligible from federally insured financial institutions and later defaulted on at least one such line of credit and one such loan. Shah submitted to federally insured financial institutions falsified bank statements that fraudulently inflated deposits, falsified balance sheets that overstated revenues, and fabricated audited financial statements with forged signatures. Shah also engaged in monetary transactions with proceeds from the bank fraud.
Shah also submitted to a federally insured bank an application for a $441,138 loan guaranteed by the SBA that significantly overstated the payroll expenses of a company he controlled. In support of the loan application, he submitted to the lender several fraudulent IRS documents, which falsely represented that the company made payments to multiple individuals who had not received such payments. He also used stolen identities to carry out the fraud, using the names and taxpayer identification numbers of individuals that he knew had not received payments from the company in the PPP loan applications.
In addition, Shah signed and caused to be submitted to the lender what purported to be IRS Forms 941 representing his company’s quarterly payroll expenses for 2019. A comparison between the documents submitted to the lender and the company’s IRS and state tax filings revealed that Shah’s company reported significantly lower payroll expenses to the tax authorities.
Shah was convicted of seven counts of bank fraud, five counts of making false statements to a financial institution, two counts of money laundering, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13. Shah faces up to 30 years in prison on each count of bank fraud and false statements to a financial institution, up to 10 years in prison on each count of money laundering, and up to two years in prison for each aggravated identity theft count. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois, Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Brady Ipock of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG) Chicago Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Chicago Field Office and SBA OIG Chicago Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Patrick Mott and Trial Attorney Lindsey Carson of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmina Vajzovic for the Northern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/cares-act-fraud
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Strafford Woman Sentenced for Embezzling $295,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Strafford, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for using a company credit card for over $295,000 of fraudulent charges.
Kayellen Faye Inskip, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 36 months in federal prison without parole and 3 additional years of supervised release. At sentencing the court found that Inskip’s crimes resulted in a loss of $295,771.91 and issued an order of restitution in the same amount.
On Oct. 10, 2024, Inskip pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud. According to court documents, Inskip admitted to using the credit card issued by her employer, Mears Floral, to make unauthorized personal purchases. The criminal offense pled guilty to by the defendant involved the unlawful use of a credit card between August 31, 2021, through August 25, 2022. However, Inskip was sentenced under facts that were presented to the Court in which her true scope of her embezzlement occurred beginning in 2014 and continuing into 2022, only stopping after her fraud was discovered by company officials.
Inskip used the company card to pay for travel including airplane tickets, vacations that included cruises with Carnival Cruise Line, and vacations to Disney World, as well as entertainment, restaurants, clothing, utilities, medical bills, and she even paid college tuition and fees for her own daughter. Inskip used her position as a bookkeeper and Operations Manager with the business to authorize payments for her fraudulent purchases. Inskip would then provide false financial reports to officers in the company that allowed her to both hide her embezzlement from more than 7 years and ultimately steal nearly $300,000.
Mears Floral was a Springfield, Missouri, business that started in 1949, serving retail florists in Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. This hometown business was in operation for over 70 years and based on statements made to the Court, Inskip’s massive embezzlement resulted in Mears Floral going out of business, closing its doors, and the firing of its employees. When Mears Floral closed its doors, it had to layoff nearly 33 employees, who had an average of nearly 11 years of employment with Mears Floral, as well as other employees who had worked for over 50 years with this well-known local business. The loss of Mears Floral, at the hands of Inskip, caused an unknown amount of true losses to the company, its employees, and ultimately the local community who benefitted from the operations of this successful business.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the United States Secret Service.
Steilacoom, Washington, couple sentenced to prison terms for leadership of drug trafficking ring tied to Aryan prison gangsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – Key members of a drug trafficking organization connected to the Aryan Family prison gang were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to prison terms, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Jesse James Bailey, 40, was sentenced to 210 months (17.5 years) in prison. His wife, Candace Bailey, 43, was sentenced to 5 years in prison. At Jesse Bailey’s sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “It is unimaginable how many drugs were being distributed.” Noting that Bailey grew up with drug addicted parents, the Chief Judge said, “You know the damage it creates, and you are now the one creating that for so many people.”
“Jesse Bailey and his wife Candace worked hand in hand to distribute devastating and dangerous drugs in our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “The Baileys were at the top of the drug conspiracy pyramid, selling multi-pound quantities of meth and fentanyl to heavily armed members of their drug ring. And they too increased the danger by stockpiling firearms, including a fully automatic M4 machine gun.”
“The Baileys oversaw a multi-state conspiracy to traffic vast amounts of dangerous drugs into Washington state, as seen by the two dozen arrests we made in 2023, and seizure of hundreds of firearms,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. "While even small quantities of drugs such as fentanyl can be lethal, this group was poisoning our communities by trafficking in kilogram quantities that could fill up suitcases. To all those who might consider following in the Baileys' footsteps, the consequences imposed today send a clear message: the only thing to be gained from these crimes is time behind bars. I am grateful to our investigators and local law enforcement partners for their steadfast efforts to make our home a safer place.”
In November 2024, Jesse Bailey pleaded guilty to possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Candace Bailey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, illegally transferring a firearm to a prohibited person, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
On Wednesday March 22, 2023, the FBI led a coordinated takedown of this criminal drug trafficking organization. They arrested two dozen
people, including the Baileys, and seized 177 firearms, over ten kilograms of methamphetamine, 11 kilos of fentanyl pills, more than a kilo of fentanyl powder, three kilos of heroin, and more than $330,000 in cash from eighteen locations in Washington and Arizona.
The Baileys are forfeiting $699,268 and dozens of expensive pieces of jewelry that agents seized as proceeds of their criminal activity as well as 42 firearms, multiple silencers, body armor, ammunition, scopes, and tripods seized from their residence and a storage unit they used to store and distribute controlled substances.
Court records describe how the couple discussed various suppliers of illegal narcotics, the drug redistributors they sold to, and the pricing of their controlled substances. As part of the conspiracy, Candace Bailey bought firearms and firearm parts, which she provided to Jesse Bailey knowing that he was he was a previously convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms. Together, the Baileys attempted to launder their drug proceeds through various casinos and bank accounts.
Describing Candace Bailey’s central role in the drug ring, prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo, “Candace Bailey stayed fully informed on her and Jesse Bailey’s joint drug trafficking business, was knowledgeable of Jesse Bailey’s violent tendencies, and was engaged in their negotiations with their partner in drug trafficking…. Candace Bailey made it clear to co-conspirators that she was an equal partner in the venture as well… She initially met Jesse Bailey while serving as a guard at the prison where he was incarcerated on charges of Assault in the First Degree for shooting at police officers during a high-speed chase.”
“The Baileys ran a drug enterprise that poisoned the community with both dangerous drugs and hate,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The amount of money and the sheer volume of weapons seized in this case shows how dangerous this group was to the whole Puget Sound region, and I am proud of the work of our team to stop this hate-fueled, violent drug ring.”
“HSI stands with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who bring violence to our communities are brought to justice,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Seattle Acting Special Agent in Charge Colin Jackson. “The lengthy sentence handed down today reflects this criminal organization's propensity for violence and disregard for human life.”
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This investigation was led by the FBI with critical investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Department of Corrections and significant local assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout this investigation the following agencies assisted the primary investigators: Washington State Patrol, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon, Max Shiner and Jehiel Baer.
Social Security Administration Employee Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining COVID-19 Related BenefitsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri woman was arrested today following an indictment by a federal grand jury charging her with defrauding the United States government by fraudulently obtaining pandemic benefits.
Tiffanie Foster, 48, was charged with two counts of wire fraud for fraudulently receiving pandemic funds in the form of a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan and unemployment benefits. The indictment alleges that Foster submitted altered tax and bank documents and made fraudulent statements to obtain both the PPP loan and the unemployment benefits. At the time of the fraud, Foster was employed full-time as a customer service representative with the Social Security Administration (SSA).
The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee identified a list of SSA employees whose personal identifying information had been used to apply for loans or benefits. Foster was identified on that list as obtaining several pandemic assistance loans and unemployment benefits. In July of 2020, Foster applied for unemployment benefits through the state of Michigan even though she was a resident of Missouri and fully employed by SSA. In total, she received over $30,000 in unemployment benefits during 2020 and 2021. In early 2021, Foster applied for a PPP loan for her business. As part of her application, she also provided an altered tax form 1040 Schedule C and an altered bank statement for her business showing an inflated balance amount. This $20,833 loan was ultimately forgiven by the Small Business Administration.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Under federal statutes, if convicted, Foster is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole and three years of supervised release on each count. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda K. Hanson. It was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General.
Six Individuals Arrested in Two Separate Firearms Trafficking CasesRead the Press Release
Two indictments have been unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging a total of six defendants variously with firearms trafficking, unlicensed firearms dealing, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Yesterday and this morning, Karsem Allen, also known as “Short,” Carolyn Hicks-Torres, Henry McCummings, Rohnique Posey, also known as “Pioneer,” and Dominic Smith were arrested on an 11-count indictment. They will be arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon. Yesterday, James Strong was arrested on a separate indictment and was ordered detained this morning by Magistrate Judge Scanlon.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, New York Division (ATF New York), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrests and charges.
“As alleged, the defendants brought deadly weapons to communities in Queens, flagrantly selling them in broad daylight near an elementary school and inside apartment complexes,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The public should know that my Office and brave members of federal and local enforcement are working tirelessly to reduce gun violence by disrupting the flow of illegal guns to and within New York City and keeping them out of the hands of criminals.”
“These indictments are the result proactive investigative efforts using crime gun intelligence and strong partnerships. The brazenness of these firearms trafficking operations — selling nearly 50 illegal firearms and machine gun conversion devices in broad daylight near apartment buildings and a school — shows a complete disregard for the safety and well-being of the community. Thanks to the outstanding work of the ATF New York Crime Gun Enforcement Team, ATF NYPD Joint Firearms Task Force, the NYPD's Intelligence Bureau, Detective Bureau, and Major Case Ghost Gun Team, ATF Newark, New Jersey, ATF Raleigh, North Carolina, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, these individuals have been held accountable. We will continue to bring all resources to bear to stem the flow of illegal firearms into our neighborhoods. Every illegal gun taken off the street is a potential life saved,” stated ATF New York Special Agent in Charge Miller.
“James Strong and his co-defendants allegedly funneled untraceable ghost guns and other deadly firearms into a vibrant Queens community, putting countless lives—including children—at risk,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Strong is a convicted killer who was out on parole when he carried out these sales, often in broad daylight and just steps from a school. This case is a powerful reminder of the importance of the work we do with our federal partners to get guns off our streets. None of this would be possible without the dedicated work of the members of the NYPD, ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
United States v. James Strong
As set forth in court filings, Strong sold 21 firearms to two separate undercover law enforcement officers (the UCs) in heavily populated areas of Queens Village in broad daylight. In some cases, the firearms were sold just blocks away from an elementary school. The UCs told Strong that they were smuggling the guns to Trinidad in barrels. In connection with these firearms sales, Strong is also charged with being a felon in possession of firearms due to his previous felony conviction for manslaughter stemming from a 2007 incident in which he shot an individual eight times, killing him, at a birthday party in Valley Stream on Long Island. Strong was sentenced to 18 years in prison and was released on parole in October 2023. Strong was on parole at the time he made the illegal sales.
U.S. v. Karsem Allen, et al.As set forth in the indictment and other court filings, between December 2024 and June 2025, Allen, Hicks-Torres, McCummings, Posey, and Smith made multiple sales of at least 29 firearms, including semi-automatic and defaced weapons, inside apartment complexes in the Rockaways. Allen and Hicks-Torres illegally obtained firearms in North Carolina from straw purchasers and then transported the weapons to New York City to be sold through Posey. On one occasion, Allen and Hicks-Torres sold four machine gun conversion devices, which are designed for converting semi-automatic pistols into machine guns. McCummings and Smith primarily sold “ghost guns” which typically do not have serial numbers and therefore are untraceable. Posey is also charged with selling crack cocaine on four occasions.
The charges in the indictments are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s cases are being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Petraeus is in charge of prosecuting Strong. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Marcus is in charge of prosecuting Allen, Hicks-Torres, McCummings, Posey, and Smith.
The Defendants:
JAMES STRONG
Age: 35
Long Beach, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-214 (NGG)
KARSEM ALLEN (also known as “Short”)
Age: 49
Henderson, North CarolinaCAROLYN HICKS-TORRES
Age: 53
Henderson, North CarolinaHENRY MCCUMMINGS
Age: 43
Arverne, New YorkROHNIQUE POSEY (also known as “Pioneer”)
Age: 47
Arverne, New YorkDOMINIC SMITH
Age: 31
Teaneck, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-216 (BMC)
Six Defendants Indicted in Federal Investigation Targeting Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine Sales in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal investigation into fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine sales in Chicago has resulted in a grand jury returning multiple drug and/or firearm charges against six individuals.
A superseding indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago accuses the six defendants of conspiring to distribute the drugs in Chicago in 2024. Two of the defendants are charged with firearm offenses for illegally possessing semiautomatic handguns as previously convicted felons.
Charged with drug conspiracy are ANDRE DEBRUCE, 40, of Schiller Park, Ill., TERRANCE PATTON, 40, of Chicago, CRAIG CALDWELL, 43, of Chicago, TIMOTHY BELIN, 48, of Chicago, JENNIFER WORD, 39, of Chicago, and DENOMOIUS WELLS, 41, of Chicago. Patton and Caldwell are the previously convicted felons charged with illegal firearm possession. Caldwell also faces an additional gun charge for allegedly possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The charges against Caldwell carry a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years. Patton and Debruce face maximum sentences of 40 years, with a mandatory minimum of five years. Belin, Word, and Wells each face up to 20 years, with no mandatory minimum.
Wells pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment on Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman. The five other defendants have also been arraigned and also pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The superseding indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance was provided by IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago, the Chicago Police Department, and the Evanston, Ill. Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hayley Altabef and Adam Rosenbloom.
The superseding indictment in this case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, among other areas of focus. 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 public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
debruce_et_al_superseding_indictment.pdfSioux City Man Found Guilty by Jury of Possessing Firearms as a Drug User and Making False Statements During the Purchase of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Victor Howard, age 28, from Sioux City, was convicted by a jury today after a 3-day trial in federal court in Sioux City. Howard was found guilty of two-counts of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance, and two-counts of making false statements during the purchase of firearms. The verdict was returned this afternoon following about 4 hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that Howard, while being investigated as a victim of a shooting, admitted to shooting at an individual who came to his residence over a dispute. Howard claimed to be waiting for the shooter and as the shooter approached, Howard shot at him multiple times. Howard admitted to law enforcement that he was smoking a “blunt” while he was waiting for the shooter to arrive, and further admitted to smoking marijuana, as well as illegally using Xanax. During the investigation, Sioux City Police noted multiple gun purchases, 25 total, between November 2021 and September 2022—many after the initial shooting incident. When purchasing these firearms, Howard made false statements in order to purchase the firearms. Namely, certifying that he was not an unlawful user of controlled substances.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Howard was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the verdict was returned and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Howard faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by Sioux City Police Department, Sgt. Bluff Police Department, the United States Department of Justice – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF) and the United States Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4005.
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Sicklerville Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Commit Tax FraudRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Sicklerville, New Jersey, man was sentenced yesterday to 40 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the IRS by working with others to conceal cash wages paid to employees, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Chung “Alex” Lam, 46, of Sicklerville, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to defraud the United States. Judge Kiel imposed the sentence in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In 2018, Lam pleaded guilty in federal court to failing to pay over to the IRS payroll taxes. He received an 18-month prison sentence, which he served during parts of 2019 and 2020. Prior to serving that sentence and upon his release from custody, Lam conspired with the owners of various temporary staffing companies to defraud the IRS. The temporary staffing companies provided temporary workers to businesses. As part of their agreements with their customer businesses, the temporary staffing companies were responsible for collecting and paying over to the IRS the payroll taxes due and owing on the wages paid to the temporary workers.
Lam received checks that were payments to the staffing companies for labor provided by their employees. Between the first quarter of 2018 and the second quarter of 2023, Lam used a commercial check casher to negotiate more than $4,000,000 of such checks. Lam kept a portion of the cash for personal use and caused the rest of the cash to be provided to co-conspirators to pay the temporary workers in cash. As a result, payroll taxes were not collected or paid to the IRS. Lam also filed false individual income tax returns that omitted the income he earned from his role in the conspiracy. Lam admitted that the conspiracy caused a tax loss of approximately $628,351.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kiel sentenced Lam to 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Defense counsel: John B. Brennan, Esq.of Marlton, NJ
Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that Jonathan Ray Stocker, age 44, of Sprague, Washington, was sentenced after pleading guilty to possessing image and video files depicting the sexual abuse of a young children. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 10 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Additionally, Judge Rice ordered Stocker to pay $45,000 in restitution to his victims.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on July 1, 2023, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department learned from a third party that they had seen images and videos of children being sexually abused stored on Stocker’s computer.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Stocker’s home on September 1, 2023, and seized several electronic devices, including two computers belonging to Stocker. Agents located more than 9,000 images and 184 videos of children under the age of 12 being sexually abused.
Stocker has a prior federal conviction for Possession of Child Pornography. In 2012, he was sentenced to 48 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release.
“The United States Attorney’s Office remains committed to holding accountable those who sexually abuse and exploit children. Mr. Stocker’s prior conviction did not deter his conduct, and today’s sentence—along with lifetime supervision—is necessary to protect vulnerable members of our Eastern Washington communities,” said Acting United States Attorney Barker.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick.
2:24-cr-00054-TOR
Princeton Couple Sentenced to Combined 14 Years in Federal Prison for $2 Million Mail Theft Scheme and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Michael Jerome Wright, 45, and Cortney Lashea Young, 36, of Princeton, Indiana, have been sentenced to 12 and 2 years in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in a mail theft scheme.
Wright pleaded guilty to mail theft, unlawful possession of a mail key, access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, possession of ammunition by a felon, and possession of a machinegun. Young pleaded guilty to mail theft and possession of a firearm by a felon. Both will serve three years of supervised release following their prison sentence.
According to court documents, in 2023, law enforcement officials began receiving numerous complaints about mail theft and check forgery.
In March and April of 2024, Evansville Police Department officers surveilled local United States Postal Service (USPS) collection boxes. On six different occasions, investigators saw Wright open collection boxes with an arrow key around 4:30 in the morning, sort through the mail, then drive off with stolen mail. On at least two of those occasions, investigators saw Young behind the wheel of the getaway car.
The USPS uses a unique type of lock known as an “arrow lock” to secure collection boxes, lockers, and apartment mailbox panels. These locks can only be opened with an arrow key. It is a crime for anyone not authorized by the Postal Service to knowingly have or use arrow keys.
On April 3, 2023, law enforcement officers stopped the pair just as they drove away from another mail theft. Officers searched the vehicle and uncovered an arrow key and stolen mail on the passenger floorboard.
Investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Wright and Young’s apartment in Princeton and located hundreds of checks and their corresponding envelopes, many of which had been previously reported as stolen. The stolen checks had a total face value of $1,857,460.91.
Investigators also found two handguns under the mattress in Wright and Young’s bedroom. On Wright’s side of the bed was a partially 3D printed, privately made firearm with no serial number. This type of weapon is commonly referred to as a “ghost gun” because it has no records related to its manufacture or sale. Investigators also recovered two, 30-round extended magazines. The ghost gun had a machinegun conversion device, also called a “Glock switch,” installed, allowing it to fire as a fully automatic weapon. Glock switches are themselves considered machine guns under federal law, whether they are installed in a firearm or not. On Young’s side of the bed was a Ruger pistol.
Wright has sustained multiple felony convictions including murder, dealing in a synthetic drug, operating a vehicle as a habitual traffic violator, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Young has sustained a felony conviction for fraud. These prior felony convictions prohibit Wright and Young from ever legally possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Also in the bedroom of the apartment, law enforcement found two backpacks. In Wright’s backpack, investigators found 30 debit and credit cards bearing the names of other individuals, as well as a piece of notebook paper that had the names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers for three other individuals written on it.
“Americans rely on the U.S. Postal Service to securely deliver everything from birthday cards to critical financial documents,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This couple exploited that trust through a widespread mail theft and identity fraud scheme that caused two million dollars in losses, while arming themselves with very dangerous illegal weapons. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who target the public and abuse systems we all depend on.”
“This case highlights the distinguished partnership between the Indianapolis Field Office, the Evansville Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United States Secret Service has a duty to safeguard the nation’s financial infrastructure, but we protect far more than just the economic interest of the communities we serve,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Indianapolis Field Office, Ike Barnes. “This case is a prime example of how those who look to victimize our communities will do so in numerous ways. Michael Wright and Cortney Young not only exploited our community of roughly $1.8 million in illicit funds but also brought dangerous weapons into our neighborhoods to carry out their depraved scheme.”
“Protecting the U.S. mail and its customers is at the core of our mission as postal inspectors,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Sean McStravick of USPIS - Detroit Division. “Thanks to incredible collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we were able to do just that by putting these individuals behind bars. This sentencing should be considered a warning to anyone else looking to prey on the Postal Service or its customers – we will bring you to justice.”
The U.S. Secret Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew B. Miller and Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
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Pharmacy Owner Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison and Administrator Sentenced to 72 Months for their Respective Roles in a Health Care Fraud and Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – The co-owner and the administrator of a Union City, New Jersey pharmacy were sentenced for their respective roles in conspiracies to defraud pharmacy benefit managers (“PBMs”) and health care benefit providers, including Medicare and Medicaid, out of more than $65 million and to pay kickbacks and bribes to health care professionals and their staffs in exchange for referrals of prescriptions, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Husband and wife Samuel “Sam” Khaimov, 52, and Yana Shtindler, 48, both of Glen Head, New York, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp after previously pleading guilty.
Khaimov, the co-owner of the pharmacy, was sentenced to a total of 87 months in prison – 60 months for conspiring to commit health care fraud and 27 months for conspiring to violate the federal anti-kickback statute, with the sentences to run consecutively. Khaimov was also sentenced to separate three-year terms of supervised release to run concurrently.
Shtindler, the administrator of the pharmacy, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for conspiring to commit health care fraud, followed by three years of supervised release. Khaimov and Shtindler’s co-defendants, Ruben Sevumyants of Marlboro, New Jersey, and Alex Fleyshmakher of Morganville, New Jersey, have already pled guilty to counts in the Superseding Indictment and are pending sentencing.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The Prime Aid Pharmacies – now closed – operated as “specialty pharmacies” out of locations in Union City, New Jersey and the Bronx, New York. As specialty pharmacies, they processed expensive medications used to treat various conditions, including Hepatitis C, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Khaimov was a co-owner of Prime Aid Union City and the lead pharmacist of Prime Aid Bronx. Shtindler was Prime Aid Union City’s Administrator. Sevumyants was Prime Aid Union City’s operations manager. Alex Fleyshmakher worked at Prime Aid Union City and was an on-paper owner of Prime Aid Bronx. His father, Igor Fleyshmakher, a co-owner of Prime Aid Union City, pled guilty to separate federal charges.
Initially, the Prime Aid Pharmacies obtained retail network agreements with several PBMs, which allowed them to receive reimbursement payments for prescription medications, including specialty medications. PBMs acted as intermediaries on behalf of Medicare, Medicaid, and other health benefit providers, so when one of the Prime Aid Pharmacies received a prescription, the pharmacy would typically submit a claim for reimbursement to the PBM that represented the beneficiary’s drug plan.
Starting in 2009, in order to obtain a higher volume of prescriptions, Khaimov, Sevumyants, Alex Fleyshmakher, and other Prime Aid employees paid bribes to doctors and doctors’ employees to induce the doctors and their staffs to steer prescriptions to the Prime Aid Pharmacies. The bribes included payments by cash, check, and wire transfers, as well as expensive meals and other things of value. Another method of bribery involved paying an employee to work inside a doctor’s office.
Prime Aid Union City – at the direction of Sevumyants, Shtindler, and Khaimov – also engaged in the pervasive and fraudulent practice of billing health benefit providers and PBMs for medications that were never provided to patients. While Prime Aid generally provided medications for initial prescriptions it received, it systematically billed for refills for those same medications without ever dispensing them to patients. Indeed, according to the Superseding Indictment, from 2013 through 2017, Prime Aid Union City received at least $65,000,000 in reimbursement payments from Medicare, Medicaid, and private health benefit providers for medications that Prime Aid Union City not only failed to give patients, but that Prime Aid Union City also never even ordered or had in stock at the pharmacy.
Over time, PBMs conducted routine audits of Prime Aid Union City and discovered its practice of billing but not dispensing medications. In response to these audits, Shtindler instructed Prime Aid employees to falsify records submitted to the PMBs. In addition, Sevumyants, with Shtindler’s knowledge and approval, forged shipping records of a private commercial shipping company to make it appear as if medications were shipped to the patients when, in fact, they were not.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark; special agents of the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; the N.J. Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor, Medicaid Fraud Unit, under the direction of Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Tracy M. Thompson, and the N.J. Office of the State Comptroller, under the direction of Acting Comptroller Kevin Walsh, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron L. Webman of the Economic Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark and Martha K. Nye of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Trenton.
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Khaimov’s defense counsel: Jenny Kramer, Esq., New York, NY
Shtindler’s defense counsel: Lawrence Lustberg, Esq., Newark, NJ
New York Man Indicted for Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Darnell Ney, age 41, of Attica, New York, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for failing to register as a sex offender upon relocating to Pennsylvania.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that from July 22, 2024 and continuing to on or about February 2, 2025, despite being required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), upon relocating to the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Ney failed to register his address in Pennsylvania as required by SORNA.
This matter was investigated by the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Wyoming County Sherriff’s Department in Warsaw, New York; and the Wyoming County District Attorney’s Office in Warsaw, New York. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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New York Construction Company Supervisor Sentenced for Attempting to Cover up Role in Fatal Long Island Construction IncidentRead the Press Release
Richard Zagger, 58, of Blue Point, New York, was sentenced yesterday to one year in prison and two years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to a four-count indictment charging him with conspiracy and obstruction of official proceedings relating to an investigation into a fatal construction accident.
Zagger was a supervisor for Northridge Construction Corporation, located in East Patchogue, Long Island, New York. As part of his duties, Zagger was responsible for overseeing Northridge employees who were assembling a metal shed on the construction company’s office property. During the assembly, one of the employees fell from the improperly secured shed roof and died.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigated the employee’s death and identified several violations of worker safety standards, including the failure to maintain the stability of a metal structure at all times during construction. Additionally, Zagger made false statements and conspired with others to make false statements to obstruct OSHA’s investigation of the accident.
Northridge Construction Corporation was previously sentenced to pay a $100,000 fine and complete a five-year term of probation for violating a worker safety standard causing the death of an employee and making false statements during the subsequent investigation.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) made the announcement.
Senior Trial Attorneys Daniel Dooher and Richard J. Powers and Trial Attorney Rachel Roberts of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case.
New Orleans Man Guilty of Fentanyl Distribution and ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that BRIAN PICQUET, age 38, of Orleans Parish, pled guilty on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, before United States District Judge Brandon S. Long to Conspiracy to Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute, Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, and two counts of Distribution of Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2.
As to each count, PICQUET faces a maximum penalty of twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. PICQUET also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee as to each count.
Sentencing in this matter is set for September 30, 2025.
According to court documents, on March 14, 2024 and March 22, 2024, during the course of a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigation, PICQUET sold fentanyl to an individual whom he believed to be a legitimate buyer.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Briana Williams of the Narcotics Unit.
Naval Reservist Pleads Guilty to Paying Bribe to Obtain Department of Defense Identification Cards for Unauthorized IndividualsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Raymond Andres Zumba (27, Staten Island, NY) today pleaded guilty to bribery of a public official. Zumba faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. Zumba previously was ordered detained and will remain in custody while awaiting a sentencing hearing, which has not yet been set.
According to court documents, in January 2025, a confidential source reported to law enforcement that Zumba serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve and was aware that the source’s spouse worked at Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville in the personnel office that issues Department of Defense identification cards. The source reported that Zumba asked whether the spouse would be willing to issue real, but unauthorized identification cards for an under-the-table payment. Acting at the direction of federal agents, the source proceeded to engaged in a series of communications with Zumba during which they discussed Zumba’s plan to obtain unauthorized ID cards in exchange for cash.
After driving from New York, Zumba arrived in Jacksonville on February 13, 2025, with three individuals, including a Chinese national. Zumba brought these individuals to NAS Jacksonville where the source’s spouse let them into the personnel office after business hours and initiated the process for two of them to receive ID cards. The following day, Zumba met with the source, who gave him two cards in exchange for $3,500. Zumba was promptly arrested, and the cards were recovered.
This case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Mesrobian and Michael J. Coolican.