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14 August 2025
Two Fayette County Men Plead Guilty to Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Lesley Scott Watkins, 50, and Jawuan Akil Watts, 31, both of Oak Hill, each pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 5, 2024, Watkins possessed an HS Product model XD-S .45-caliber pistol and a Sig Sauer model P220 45-caliber pistol in Fayette County. On July 6, 2024, Watts possessed a Heritage Manufacturing model Rough Rider .22-caliber revolver and a Colt model Peacemaker .22-caliber revolver in Fayette County.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Watkins knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for delivery of a controlled substance in Fayette County Circuit Court on September 24, 2008. Watts knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for burglary in Raleigh County Circuit Court on July 11, 2014.
Watts and Watkins are scheduled to be sentenced on December 4, 2025. Each faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Oak Hill Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and D. Keith Randolph are prosecuting the cases.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:25-cr-92 (Watkins) and 2:25-cr-93 (Watts).
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Two Convicted Felons Charged with Federal Firearms Violations in Connection with Brooklyn GunfightRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, a criminal complaint was filed charging Edynesson Bauduy and Aaron Richard with federal firearms violations relating to an August 12, 2025 gunfight in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. Both defendants were arrested and Richard made his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Seth D. Eichenholtz. Richard was ordered detained pending trial. Bauduy will be arraigned at a later date.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the arrests and charges.
“As alleged, these defendants are convicted felons who engaged in a dangerous gunfight on a busy Brooklyn street in broad daylight, endangering the lives of numerous citizens,” said United States Attorney Nocella. “Both defendants had been released from prison earlier this year. Despite repeated encounters with our criminal justice system, each defendant chose to return to the streets to engage in brazen acts of violence. Today’s arrests demonstrate our continued commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to combat gun violence and hold accountable those who illegally possess firearms and endanger our communities.”
Mr. Nocella thanked the U.S. Marshals Service Regional Fugitive Task Force for their valuable assistance on the case.
"Edynesson Bauduy and Aaron Richard allegedly engaged in a public gunfight despite their previous criminal convictions barring them from possessing firearms. These convicted felons allegedly continued to wreak havoc in our community and posed an unnecessary threat to innocent bystanders. These successful Operation Summer Heat arrests emphasizes the FBI’s steadfast commitment to collaborating with our law enforcement partners to crush all violent crime disrupting the safety of our city," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, on August 12, 2025, at approximately 7:25 p.m., NYPD officers on patrol in the 70th Precinct heard gunshots and immediately responded near 533 Ocean Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn. When officers arrived, they observed a gunfight in progress between Bauduy and Richard.
Police recovered a firearm that had been used by Bauduy and shell casings from where Richard fired his weapon. Both defendants have prior felony convictions that prohibit them from possessing firearms or ammunition. Richard was released from prison in April of this year; Bauduy was released from prison in June.
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, each defendant faces up to 15 years in prison.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorney’s Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Brachah Goykadosh and Matthew Sullivan are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
EDYNESSON BAUDUY
Age: 22
Brooklyn, New YorkAARON RICHARD
bauduy_and_richard_complaint.pdf
Age: 35
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-248
Trenton Man Sentenced to a Total of 190 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County man was sentenced to a total of 190 months in prison for possessing quantities of fentanyl he intended to distribute and being a felon in possession of ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Jaquan Picott, 30, of Trenton, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court to an Information charging him with possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possessing ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In December 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and other law enforcement agencies began an investigation of Picott for drug trafficking and firearm activities. The investigation revealed that from December 2022 through April 2023, Picott sold approximately 450 grams of fentanyl, unserialized privately manufactured firearms (commonly called “ghost guns”), and ammunition in Ocean and Mercer Counties. On June 1, 2023, Picott was arrested for this conduct.
In December 2024, Picott absconded from pre-trial supervision and on June 27, 2025, was arrested by the United States Marshals Service (USMS) New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force (NY/NJ RFTF). The NY/NJ RFTF was formed in 2002 and has made an extraordinary impact on the investigation and apprehension of the region’s most dangerous and violent fugitives striving to make communities safer.
“We will not tolerate drug traffickers who poison our community with fentanyl. This sentence reflects our commitment to holding accountable those who seek to flood our neighborhoods with deadly drugs. And if you run to avoid justice, know that we and our law enforcement partners will find you to face your fate.”
- Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba
Picott was sentenced to 190 months for possessing quantities of fentanyl he intended to distribute and 180 months for being a felon in possession of ammunition, with both counts to run concurrently.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, and the ATF Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. with the investigation leading to the charges, and the USMS, under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., with the investigation leading to the apprehension of Picott after he absconded.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard G. Shephard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Andrea G. Aldana, Esq., Trenton
Three men arrested for their roles in international drug trafficking ring involving pharmaceuticalsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Leeladhar H. Tandel, 44, of Mobile, AL, Barry M. Wright, 55, of Marietta, GA, and Jesus Andon, 56, of St. Louis, MO, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the criminal complaint, the Buffalo Office of the DEA has been investigating online websites, including “MEDDZONLINE.COM,” which sell counterfeit pharmaceutical and controlled substances. The website has listed for sale medications such as Percocet, Adderall, Alprazolam, and Oxycodone. MEDDZONLINE.COM and related websites are believed to be part of a larger organized drug trafficking organization, operating domestically and internationally. After orders are received, the organization sends a bulk shipment of drugs via international mail, to a U.S. based bulk re-shipper, which are then sent to domestic re-shippers who are responsible for shipping out the individual orders via USPS to customers. These domestic re-shippers are paid by the drug trafficking organization for each package they mail out to customers.
In February 2024, the DEA began investigating a non-fatal overdose in the Silver Creek, NY, area, of a victim who purchased drugs five separate times from the MEDDZONLINE.COM website, including Valium, Ambien, and Tapentadol. Payment was made to an individual in Pakistan. This exchange shows the flow of money back to the head of the drug trafficking organization overseas in Pakistan, even though the website advertises the drugs as originating in the USA and shipping within the USA. Subsequently, investigators conducted several controlled purchases through the websites operated by the head of the drug trafficking organization. One of the controlled purchases identified defendant Tandel as a co-conspirator operating in the Mobile, Alabama, area. Law enforcement believes he is a distributor of illegal controlled substances and/or counterfeit substances through the United States Postal Service. He is believed to have mailed at least 40 packages from Summerdale, Alabama, to locations across the country, including Buffalo.
During the investigation, law enforcement also conducted undercover purchases from defendant Wright in Georgia. Wright is also accused of shipping packages across the country, mailing out a total of 333 parcels containing a variety of Schedule II and Schedule IV drugs. Defendant Andon is accused of shipping 41 packages of Ambien pills from St. Louis, Missouri to an individual identified as C.B.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division. Additional assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Offices in St. Louis, MO, Atlanta, GA, and Mobile, AL.
If members of the public have purchased substances from any of the following websites, they should not ingest the substances and contact law enforcement:
- MEDDZONLINE.COM
- PHARMACYSTOREONLINE.COM
- MEDSHEALTHONLINE.COM
- PHARMACYHUBONLINE.COM
- PHARMACYMEDSONLINE.COM
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Texas Mexican Mafia Leader Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Texas Mexican Mafia gang leader was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison for his role in a meth trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, David Botello, aka Torito, aka Bully, aka Bully-Man, 54, of San Antonio, was a “lieutenant of lieutenants” in the Texas Mexican Mafia throughout the course of a Drug Enforcement Administration-led investigation that began in July 2020. On or about July 28, 2020, Botello was arrested by San Antonio Police during a traffic stop after officers discovered he was driving without a license. Botello was also found to be in possession of approximately 150 grams of methamphetamine, nine new cell phones, and $585. Further investigation revealed Botello was conspiring with other members of the Texas Mexican Mafia to possess and distribute large quantities of methamphetamine.
On April 21, 2021, Botello was charged in three counts of a 14-count indictment that included 11 co-defendants. Along with two charges related to meth trafficking, Botello was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He had previously been convicted for murder and aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.
Botello pleaded guilty on Dec. 11, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.
“This investigation demonstrates our office's commitment to dismantling criminal organizations in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “As a leader of the Texas Mexican Mafia, Botello was responsible for the distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine in San Antonio, enriching himself and his fellow gang members to the detriment of so many of our fellow citizens. We are thankful for the outstanding collaboration of our federal, state and local partners in this case, which coalesced around the common cause of bringing this murderer and gang member to justice. In the Western District of Texas, this is what we do.”
The DEA, FBI, San Antonio Police Department’s Gang Unit, Bexar County Sheriff’s Department, Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Yuen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Texas Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Federal Prison for Dealing MethRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Frio County man was sentenced in federal court to 235 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Joe Corona, 34, sold a package containing 486 grams of pure methamphetamine for $2,850 on March 3, 2021. Drug Enforcement Administration agents and Frio County Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a search warrant at Corona’s residence on April 23, 2021, discovering 67.7 grams of pure methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a .38 caliber revolver, .38 special ammunition, and a box of .357 magnum ammunition. Further investigation revealed that Corona had worked for a drug trafficking organization, transporting methamphetamine from Mexico into the U.S., and was paid $1,500 per trip.
Corona was originally arrested on state charges by the Texas Department of Public Safety on Sept. 28, 2021. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 20, 2021, and transferred into federal custody on Jan. 25, 2022. Corona pleaded guilty to a superseding information on May 9, 2025, and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jason K. Pulliam on Aug. 13.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Frio County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Spears prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Syracuse Man Arrested for Filing False Bankruptcy Petitions Against Local Law Enforcement Official, Judges, and Non-Profit OrganizationRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Robert Johnson, age 41, of Syracuse, New York, was charged with making false declarations in a bankruptcy case, bankruptcy fraud, and falsification of bankruptcy records for filing false bankruptcy petitions in Michigan, Mississippi, Iowa, Florida, New York, Montana, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement.
A criminal complaint alleges that between June 2025 to July 2025 Johnson filed multiple false bankruptcy petitions alleging that a law enforcement official was a commodity broker who engaged in white collar crimes and wire fraud and owed Johnson $99,999,999; an Onondaga County State Court Judge was a stockbroker who engaged in fraud and a commodity broker who engaged in white collar crimes and wire fraud, and owed Johnson $99,999,999 in debts; and a Cayuga County Supreme Court Judge was a stockbroker engaged in Ponzi schemes and owed Johnson $99,999,999 in debts. Further, the complaint alleges that Johnson filed a bankruptcy petition in West Virginia that claimed that a non-profit organization, headquartered in Syracuse, New York, had environmental and health hazards, money laundering, and Ponzi schemes associated with it. According to the complaint, each of the bankruptcy petitions were mailed in Syracuse, New York. The FBI investigated and found the claims in Johnson’s bankruptcy petitions to be false.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “Johnson, as alleged, filed bogus petitions in nine states against respected public officials, and a reputable non-profit organization. These false petitions wreak havoc on the victims; it is a form of financial terrorism. As Mr. Johnson’s arrest will attest, we will not stand for this conduct in the Northern District of New York. I want to commend the FBI agents who conducted this investigation and were able to apprehend the defendant in record time.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli said: “The impact of Mr. Johnson’s alleged fraud was incredibly damaging to the individuals and the non-profit he targeted. Once our office was notified of the alleged crimes, we investigated and swiftly arrested Johnson, who is now facing federal charges for his reckless schemes. The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate criminals looking to defraud our communities.”
The charges filed against Johnson carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Johnson appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge, Mark W. Pederson, and was detained pending further proceedings.
The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Brown is prosecuting the case.
Statement on civil rights review of death of Manuel EllisRead the Press Release
A team of experienced federal prosecutors conducted an independent and comprehensive review of the record in the criminal jury trial of State of Washington v. Tacoma Police Department Officers Burbank, Collins, and Rankine, concerning Manuel Ellis’s death on March 3, 2020. The review focused on the application of 18 U.S.C. § 242, a federal criminal civil rights statute that prohibits certain types of official misconduct. After a careful and thorough review, the Department of Justice has closed its inquiry.
Stamford Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking NarcoticsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DANNY TURKVAN, also known as “Smooth” 54, of Stamford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking narcotics in southwestern Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Rodney Canada, also known as “Supreme,” as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine in Stamford and elsewhere in southwestern Connecticut. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Canada and others coordinated the street level distribution of narcotics through Turkvan and others.
Turkvan, Canada, and several other members of the conspiracy were arrested federally on May 14, 2024. On that date, investigators conducted court-authorized searches at locations in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Darien, and seized approximately three kilograms of cocaine, nearly 400 grams of raw fentanyl, more than 500 bags of fentanyl, five firearms, a bulletproof vest, and seven vehicles.
On April 11, 2025, Turkvan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Turkvan, who is released on a $150,000 bond, is required to report to prison on October 16.
Canada has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Danbury, and Darien Police Departments. The DEA HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins and Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 110 Months Imprisonment for Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A St. Louis, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for his illegal possession of firearm by a convicted felon.
Michael Lamont Miller, Sr., 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool to 110 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Harpool also ordered that the federal sentence would be served consecutive, or after, Miller completed his state sentences on unrelated matter.
On Feb. 4, 2025, Miller pleaded guilty to a single count indictment, charging him with illegally possessing a firearm on March 30, 2022.
Miller, a nine-time convicted felon, was contacted by Christian County, Missouri, after being stopped for a traffic infraction. When asked if there was anything illegal in his vehicle, Miller admitted that law enforcement would find a firearm within his vehicle. Law enforcement discovered a Springfield-Armory XDS, 9mm semi-automatic firearm. Officers observed that firearm was loaded with a full magazine and a round was in the chamber. Officers also located illegal substances in close proximity to the firearm.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Branson, Missouri, Police Department, the Christian County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 107 Months in Prison for Five Bank Robberies and One Attempted RobberyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a man who committed five bank robberies and one attempted robbery to 107 months in prison.
Derrick Snulligan, now 62, of Velda Village Hills, handed a note demanding money to the teller of a bank in Northwoods, Missouri on April 18, 2023. He returned to the same bank and did the same thing on Aug. 28, 2023. On Oct. 13, 2023, he tried a third time, but a teller activated an alarm and told Snulligan to leave. In each robbery, Snulligan was wearing a mask.
On June 24, 2024, his notes became more threatening. He handed a note to a Hazelwood credit union employee that read, “I[f] you don’t want to get hurt, go in your drawer and give me 6-one hundred dollar bills, 4-fifty dollar bills, 10-ten dollar bills, and 20-5 dollar bills as quickly as possible,” his plea agreement says. The teller handed cash to Snulligan, who fled.
Three days later, Snulligan handed a note to the teller of a St. Louis credit union demanding money. That same day, he committed a similar robbery at a Florissant credit union. His note read, “If you don’t want to get shot I suggest you go in your drawer and give me 30 one hundred dollar bill[s], 20 fifty dollar bills, 30, 20 dollar bills and 40, 10 dollar bills as quickly as possible.”
After the final two robberies, Snulligan fled in a blue Buick Encore. Investigators traced the vehicle to Snulligan, who admitted committing the robberies, and seized some of the stolen money from him. He repaid the rest of the money before sentencing.
“Derrick Snulligan terrorized bank employees who feared for their lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Today’s sentence delivers justice for the trauma he caused.”
Snulligan, who is also known as Derrick Jackson, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in March to five counts of bank robbery.
The FBI, the Florissant Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Northwoods Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D’Agrosa 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.
St. Louis County Man Convicted of Child Sex-Related ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A jury on Wednesday afternoon found a St. Louis County man guilty of all the child sex-related charges that he faced.
David S. Becker, 69, was found guilty of one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of receiving/distributing child pornography. Evidence and testimony at the trial, which began Monday, showed that Becker began corresponding with a person on a nudist website. That person claimed to be the mother of an 11-year-old girl in France. Becker and the person discussed having sex with each other and the child. Becker bought plane tickets for France and obtained an extended-stay visa, planning to travel there in June of 2023, evidence and testimony showed.
Investigators were already working on a cyber tipline report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about someone uploading child sexual abuse material (CSAM). On May 22, 2023, investigators conducted a court-approved search of Becker’s home. Becker admitted planning the trip to France to meet the mother and her daughter. Investigators found CSAM on Becker’s electronic devices, as well as years of communications about Becker’s plans to sexually abuse the child, evidence and testimony showed.
In her opening statement to jurors, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson called Becker’s conduct “deranged and unnatural.”
Becker is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1. The coercion charge carries a penalty of 10 years to life in prison, and the child pornography charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
The St. Louis County Police Dept. Special Investigations Unit, the FBI and the Maryland Heights Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jillian Anderson and Michael Hayes are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Seattle Woman Indicted for Murder of U.S. Border Patrol Agent in VermontRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – A federal grand jury in the District of Vermont returned a four-count superseding indictment today charging Teresa Youngblut, 21, of Seattle, Washington, with the murder of a Border Patrol agent, the assault of two additional agents with a deadly weapon, and related firearms offenses.
“As alleged, this defendant shot and killed a United States Border Patrol Agent while he was performing his duties,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will not stand for such attacks on the men and women who protect our communities and our borders.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office intends to continue to honor the men and women of law enforcement, and the memory of Border Patrol Agent Maland, by performing its prosecutorial duties so that justice may be done,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher for the District of Vermont.
“The murder of a federal agent is more than a tragic loss,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “It’s an attack on the security of our nation and the safety of our communities. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not rest until those responsible are held accountable. We are all steadfast in our mission to curb violence that endangers both public servants and the citizens we are sworn to protect."
According to court documents, on the afternoon of Jan. 20, 2025, a U.S. Border Patrol agent conducted a traffic stop of a Toyota Prius on Interstate 91 in Coventry, Vermont. Youngblut and a male German citizen – whose immigration status was in question – were in the car.
Days earlier, law enforcement had taken note of Youngblut and her companion when a hotel employee reported that they were wearing tactical gear and appeared to be armed. The same day of the shooting, officers had observed the pair at a Walmart parking lot in Newport, Vermont, where the German citizen was seen wrapping unknown objects in aluminum foil.
Court documents allege that during the Jan. 20 vehicle stop, both Youngblut and her companion were armed. Youngblut exited the vehicle and, without warning, opened fire, resulting in the death of one of the agents.
For the current charges, the maximum penalty is death, and Attorney General Bondi has authorized and directed the Acting United States Attorney for the District of Vermont to pursue capital punishment in this case. Consistent with that authorization and direction, the Acting United States Attorney has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Youngblut.
The FBI Albany Field Office investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Vermont State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations, United States Border Patrol, the Newport Police Department, and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.
Trial Attorneys Lisa M. Thelwell and Dennis Robinson of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher for the District of Vermont are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Seattle Woman Indicted for Murder of U.S. Border Patrol Agent in VermontRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Vermont returned a four-count superseding indictment today charging Teresa Youngblut, 21, of Seattle, with the murder of a Border Patrol agent, the assault of two additional agents with a deadly weapon, and related firearms offenses.
“As alleged, this defendant shot and killed a United States Border Patrol Agent while he was performing his duties,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will not stand for such attacks on the men and women who protect our communities and our borders.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office intends to continue to honor the men and women of law enforcement, and the memory of Border Patrol Agent Maland, by performing its prosecutorial duties so that justice may be done,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher for the District of Vermont.
“The murder of a federal agent is more than a tragic loss,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “It’s an attack on the security of our nation and the safety of our communities. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not rest until those responsible are held accountable. We are all steadfast in our mission to curb violence that endangers both public servants and the citizens we are sworn to protect."
According to court documents, on the afternoon of Jan. 20. a U.S. Border Patrol agent conducted a traffic stop of a Toyota Prius on Interstate 91 in Coventry, Vermont. Youngblut and a male German citizen – whose immigration status was in question – were in the car.
Days earlier, law enforcement had taken note of Youngblut and her companion when a hotel employee reported that they were wearing tactical gear and appeared to be armed. The same day of the shooting, officers had observed the pair at a parking lot in Newport, Vermont, where the German citizen was seen wrapping unknown objects in aluminum foil.
Court documents allege that during the Jan. 20 vehicle stop, both Youngblut and her companion were armed. Youngblut exited the vehicle and, without warning, opened fire, resulting in the death of one of the agents.
For the current charges, the maximum penalty is death, and Attorney General Pamela Bondi has authorized and directed the Acting United States Attorney for the District of Vermont to pursue capital punishment in this case. Consistent with that authorization and direction, the Acting U.S. Attorney has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Youngblut.
The FBI Albany Field Office investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Vermont State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol, the Newport Police Department, and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.
Trial Attorneys Lisa M. Thelwell and Dennis Robinson of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher for the District of Vermont are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Saginaw Drug Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BAY CITY — Keino Hughes, 42, of Saginaw was sentenced on August 14, 2025, to 151 months in federal prison for his possession with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF).
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Ludington imposed sentence on Hughes following his guilty plea for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, in July of 2024, the Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (BAYANET), including ATF Special Agents, executed a search warrant at Hughes’s residence in Saginaw. Inside the home, they recovered amounts of cocaine and cocaine base, two firearms, two digital scales, and over $17,000 in cash.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, in conjunction with the Michigan State Police Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Orr.
Rhode Island Businessman Convicted a Second Time on Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island businessman was convicted on tax charges today for a second time, admitting that in this most recent matter he failed to pay more than $1.3 million in taxes, penalties, fees, and interest owed to the IRS dating back to tax years 2007 – 2013, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Under the terms of a plea agreement filed with the court, William N. L’Europa, 60, of Cranston, entered a guilty plea today to a charge of tax evasion and he is required to pay restitution to the IRS totaling $1,367,336.08 no later than the date of sentencing in this matter. L’Europa is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12, 2025.
In 2012, L’Europa and a business partner were convicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and filing a false tax return. They admitted to the court that they underreported business receipts for tax years 2007-2010, resulting in the underpayment of federal taxes to the Internal Revenue Service of more than $500,000. In January 2013, L’Europa was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison and ordered to file accurate, amended federal tax returns for tax years 2007 – 2011, and to pay all taxes due the IRS.
Court documents reflect that in March 2019, L’Europa submitted documentation to the IRS falsely indicating that he had little or no income. As a result, the IRS did not pursue collections of taxes due at that time. Further, in 2022 L’Europa signed an Offer in Compromise to lower his liability for taxes owed for calendar years 2007-2013, knowing that he was understating his actual personal income. The IRS determined that, in fact, L’Europa manipulated the finances and business records for a business for which he worked to have it under report his income and conceal his personal expenditures, including over $10,000 on a motorcycle, $100,000 to discharge a debt owed the State of Rhode Island, $12,000 downpayment on a new truck for his wife, and other personal expenditures paid for through the use of a business credit card paid off with funds from business accounts.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.
The matter was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI.
The sentences imposed in this matter will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Almost 17 Years in Prison for Armed Carjacking of 73-Year-Old Victim in Spruce Hill, West PhiladelphiaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Zyair Dangerfield-Hill, 24, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond to 199 months in prison and five years of supervised release for the gunpoint carjacking of a 73-year-old man in April 2021.
The defendant was charged by indictment in July of that year with one count of carjacking and aiding and abetting, and one count of carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and aiding and abetting. In April of this year, he was convicted on both charges at trial.
As proven at trial, just after 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, the victim was walking his dog on Pine Street, in the Spruce Hill neighborhood of West Philadelphia, and had stopped to put something in his parked vehicle, when the defendant and his associate walked up and pointed loaded handguns at the victim. They demanded the victim’s car keys, cell phone, and wallet, and threatened to shoot him if he didn’t comply.
The victim told them that he didn’t have his wallet or phone on him, but handed over a $20 bill and his car keys. At that time, two other males approached, also pointing their guns at the victim. All four of the carjackers then jumped into the victim’s vehicle, with the defendant in the front passenger seat, and drove away.
The Philadelphia Police Department was alerted about the carjacking, with officers arriving on scene a few minutes later. They broadcast over police radio a description of the victim’s vehicle, the four carjackers, and their direction of travel, and two officers on patrol spotted a car matching that description about a mile from the carjacking scene.
The officers turned on their lights and sirens and pursued the stolen car, which was driving erratically and at a high rate of speed, soon crashing into yellow metal pillars at 52nd Street and Paschall Avenue. Four males jumped out of the car and took off running, with the officers giving chase on foot. A short time later, the defendant was found hiding behind a motorcycle about three and a half blocks from the crash scene. DNA, latent prints, location data, and other evidence subsequently linked the defendant to the crime.
“Dangerfield-Hill participated in the ambush of an innocent stranger in a brazen daylight carjacking, the victim surrounded by assailants pointing guns and shouting threats,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “We will not permit armed criminals to prey on people in this city. We’ll continue to work with our partners to put violent offenders behind bars, where they belong.”
“Let this sentencing serve as a clear warning to anyone considering violent crime in our city: we will find you, and we will bring you to justice,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “Carjackings are a vicious crime that endanger lives, spread fear, and erode the very fabric of community safety. The FBI will continue working side by side with our partners at the Philadelphia Police Department to protect our citizens and ensure those who commit these crimes are held fully accountable.”
The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Jeanette Kang and Special Assistant United States Attorney David Weisberg.
Orlando Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Joseph Anthony Santopietro (48, Orlando) to five years in federal prison for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Santopietro pleaded guilty on May 5, 2025.
According to court documents, Santopietro received CSAM depicting young children from an individual via an instant message app. A conversation between Santopietro and another adult male discussing Santopietro’s sexual interest in minors was also found on Santopietro’s phone.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kaley Austin Aronson and Noah P. Dorman.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
OnlyFans Content Creator Charged with Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Kylie Leia Perez, a/k/a “Natalie Monroe,” with one count of filing a false tax return and four counts of failing to pay income tax. If convicted on all counts, Perez faces a maximum penalty of seven years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Perez was a content creator who operated under the stage name “Natalie Monroe” on OnlyFans, a subscription-based social media platform. OnlyFans allows creators to share various types of content with subscribers, such as photos, videos, and live streams. Creators, like Perez, can monetize their content through subscription fees, pay-per-view content, and tips from subscribers. From 2019 through 2023, Perez earned more than $5.4 million from OnlyFans. Despite this fact, she engaged in a scheme to evade the assessment of taxes by filing a false tax return for calendar year 2019 and failing to pay at least $1.6 million in taxes owed for calendar years 2020 through 2023.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
North Carolina Man Who Embezzled $306,000 from St. Louis County Company Admits Defrauding Second EmployerRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Thursday sentenced a man who embezzled a total of $501,000 from two companies to 30 months in prison and ordered him to repay the money.
Judge Pitlyk ordered Scott H. Foster, 49, of Charlotte, North Carolina to repay $306,199 to the St. Louis County company where he worked as a mid-level executive in human resources. Foster pleaded guilty in February to one count of wire fraud and admitted manipulating the human resources systems to create an employee account for his paramour. Foster triggered wages and benefits totaling more than $273,000 to be paid to his paramour over nearly five years, until Foster was terminated in December 2022. He also used a corporate American Express card to pay for more than $33,000 in personal travel for himself, his paramour and other friends and acquaintances.
“Rather than learn from his crimes,” a sentencing memo filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow says, Foster’s conduct became “more manipulative and egregious.”
After Foster’s guilty plea, the U.S. Attorney’s Office was contacted by a non-profit children’s hospital where Foster had been working since June 2023. After learning about the guilty plea, they investigated and discovered Foster had fraudulently used hospital credit cards for unauthorized personal expenses and travel, the memo says. Foster, who had received a $20,000 relocation bonus to move to the hospital's area after being hired, instead stayed in Charlotte and used hospital credit cards to pay for airfare and lodging to commute to his job. He also used these credit cards for personal travel, and to pay for first-class air travel to St. Louis and a hotel stay when he pleaded guilty in February. Foster’s embezzlement from the hospital did not stop even after he learned he was being investigated for the embezzlement from his first employer. Judge Pitlyk on Thursday ordered Foster to pay $194,855 to the hospital.
“Scott Foster absolutely belongs in prison—not just to answer for stealing from two different employers, but to stop him from preying on another one,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “After being fired from his first company and before he could be charged, Foster took a job at a children’s hospital—where he stole again. Employee theft is one of the most common white-collar crimes the FBI investigates, and it destroys trust from the inside. Businesses must protect themselves with strict internal controls, routine audits, and a clear line of sight on every dollar. "
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case.
New Hampshire Police Officer Arrested and Charged with Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Police Officer for the Town of Seabrook, N.H., was arrested today for allegedly receiving child sexual abuse material.
John Giarrusso, 49, of Haverhill, Mass., was charged with one count of receipt of child pornography. Giarrusso was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 2 p.m. today.
According to the charging documents, on or about Oct. 16, 2024 through Oct. 17, 2024 Giarrusso knowingly received video files depicting child sexual abuse on Kik. It is alleged that the victims in these videos appeared to be between approximately five to 11 years old.
Last month, Giarrusso was charged by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts with possession of child pornography and distribution of graphic sexual images to a minor. He is currently on bail for the state charges.
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Haverhill Police Department and Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Soto of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Moss Point Man Sentenced in Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mississippi man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for Bank Robbery.
According to court documents, Joseph Deric Nelson, 67, of Moss Point disguised himself and entered a Family Security Credit Union branch located in Mobile, Alabama, on March 19, 2025. Nelson passed the teller a note demanding money. The note stated that he was armed with a gun and explosives. The teller placed cash into an envelope and gave it to Nelson. As Nelson was leaving the location, a witness from the bank followed him on foot and then followed his vehicle. The witness was able to flag down Mobile Police Department Officers who quickly took Nelson into custody.
After serving 37 months in the Bureau of Prisons, Nelson will be on a supervised release term of three years.
U.S. Attorney Sean Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation along with Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Montgomery County Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Francis T. DiCaprio, age 30, of Amsterdam, New York, pled guilty yesterday to distributing and possessing child pornography. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement.
DiCaprio admitted that from June 2023 through February 2024, he used messaging applications to receive and distribute child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and stored the CSAM on his cell phone. In the course of exchanging CSAM with others, he repeatedly – but falsely – told others that he was sexually abusing an 8-year-old child he knew.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “DiCaprio committed these abhorrent crimes while vividly describing sexual abuse he fantasized about inflicting on a child he knew. I am grateful to the FBI for finding this disgusting and dangerous individual, getting him off the street and away from children, and bringing him to justice.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “Mr. DiCaprio’s guilty plea ensures he will now spend years in federal prison for his despicable actions. The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to swiftly investigate any individual who knowingly possesses and distributes detrimental images that re-victimize our most vulnerable every time they are circulated.”
At his sentencing on December 15, 2025, DiCaprio faces a term of imprisonment of at least 5 years and up to 20 years for the distribution count and up to 20 years for the possession count. DiCaprio also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. He will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case is being investigated by FBI Albany’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes FBI Special Agents and investigators from state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Rotterdam Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikayla Espinosa is prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Monongalia County Man Admits to Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – LaShawn Monroe, 30, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has admitted to the possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Monroe possessed and intended to unlawfully distribute more than 1,700 grams of methamphetamine in Marion County, WV.
Monroe faces at least 10 years and up to life in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Three Rivers Drug Task Force investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Mexican national, illegally living in Collin County, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United StatesRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Collin County, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Vicente Marquez-Gonzales, 49, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.
The indictment alleges that on June 3, 2025, Marquez-Gonzales was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported.
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, Marquez-Gonzales faces up to 2 years in federal prison and deportation.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chalana Oliver.
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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Mexican National Sentenced to a Total 44 Years for Murder and Possessing a Firearm as an Illegal AlienRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Mexican national was sentenced today to 34 years in prison for murder, which occurred on the Natchez Trace Parkway, after being sentenced previously to 10 years in prison for possessing a firearm as an illegal alien.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 23, 2018, Cristian Mitchel Mondragon Gonzales, 30, while unlawfully in the United States, had an altercation with the victim following a party at a residence where they both lived. The victim left the residence and Mondragon Gonzales sought after him and found him. He convinced the victim to go for a ride with him. He then drove the victim to a location on the Natchez Trace Parkway where they both got out of the car. Mondragon Gonzales shot the unarmed victim multiple times. After shooting the victim, Mondragon Gonzales took the victim’s identification. The victim was discovered the following morning by an individual walking along a trail on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Despite the victim having no identification, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Ridgeland Police Department were able to identify the victim and, within 24 hours, locate and identify Mondragon Gonzales as the shooter.
On October 1, 2019, Mondragon Gonzales pled guilty in federal court to possessing a firearm as an illegal alien, and on August 25, 2020, he was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison.
On November 14, 2024, Mondragon Gonzales pled guilty in federal court to second-degree murder and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime—murder, and on August 14, 2025, he was sentenced to an additional 34 years in prison which will be served consecutively to the sentence imposed in 2020.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Robert Eikhoff, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Office, made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Natchez Trace Parkway Police, and the Ridgeland Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Mexican Citizen Living Illegally in Charleston Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Julio Cesar Ruiz-Perez, 21, a citizen of Mexico living illegally in Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession of a counterfeit Social Security card with the intent to defraud the United States and was sentenced to time served. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Ruiz-Perez so he can be transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 11, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Charleston residence and encountered Ruiz-Perez. ICE agents confirmed that Ruiz-Perez is a citizen of Mexico and in the United States illegally. Officers found a counterfeit Social Security card in his name during the search. Ruiz-Perez has no legal identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States. Ruiz-Perez possessed the fake Social Security card to verify fraudulently that he is eligible to work in the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-86.
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Massachusetts Man Who Threatened to Kill Members of Jewish Community and Bomb Synagogues Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Millis, Mass. man was sentenced today for threatening to kill members of the Jewish community and bomb Jewish synagogues.
John Reardon, 60, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to 26 months prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Reardon was also ordered to pay $1,260 in restitution to the victims. In November 2024, pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force in relation to an Attleboro synagogue; one count of transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure a person in relation to a Sharon synagogue; and one count of stalking using a facility of interstate commerce in relation to the Israeli Consulate in Boston.
“Our office will aggressively prosecute anyone who seeks to terrorize our religious communities. All Americans have the right to worship freely and without fear – it is a founding principle of our nation. Jewish people, in particular, have been targeted and persecuted for centuries, and in recent years we have seen a deeply troubling rise in antisemitic threats and violence. Let me be clear: we will not tolerate such conduct – not against the Jewish community, nor against any faith community. Such vile, hate-driven acts will be met with serious and swift consequences, and we will use every tool we have to hold offenders accountable,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley.
“What John Reardon did is despicable. Spurred by deep-rooted hate, he relentlessly threatened violent, physical harm to members of the Jewish community in greater Boston, spanning two congregations in two different cities, as well as the Israeli consulate,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This sentence holds him accountable for his insidious crimes and should be a warning to others: the FBI takes all threats to life seriously and so should anyone thinking about making one. Don’t.”
Reardon was initially arrested and charged in January 2024 for calling and threatening two synagogues in Massachusetts and their congregates – the Agudas Achim Synagogue in Attleboro, Mass. and the Congregation Etz Chaim in Sharon, Mass. Reardon’s threats to the synagogues included threats to bomb Jewish houses of worship, as well as threats to kill all Jewish people and stomp Jewish babies dead into the ground, among other violent and antisemitic statements. Reardon also stated, “Time to prepare the furnaces again. I hope that you people are wiped off the face of the earth.”
Following his arrest, law enforcement learned that, between Oct. 7, 2023 and Jan. 29, 2024, Reardon called the Israeli Consulate in Boston 98 times and made harassing and intimidating statements. Specifically, in his phone calls to the Israeli Consulate, Reardon made a number of antisemitic comments laced with expletives that included: “You are maggots, you are scum, you are below animals, you Israelis”; “You f*****g k***s. You stupid mother f*****g killing kids….F**k you Jewland”; and “Death to Israel, wipe the Jews.”
After Reardon pled guilty to federal charges in November 2024, he was released on conditions despite the government’s objections and motion to detain him pending sentencing. Then, according to court filings, Reardon violated the conditions of his pre-sentence release. Specifically, on or about Feb. 5, 2025 and Feb. 12, 2025, Reardon allegedly called and threatened to harm an employee of RightSpace Self Storage in Upton, Mass. Reardon allegedly told the employee he was going to “f**k him up” and threatened to blow up the facility. State charges for these alleged crimes remain pending. Reardon also allegedly contacted the storage facility again after being instructed by the probation office not to do so.
U.S. Attorney Foley and FBI SAC Docks made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Attleboro, Upton and Wrentham Police Departments; Massachusetts State Police; Bristol County District Attorney’s Office; and Bristol County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit prosecuted the case.
Marshalltown Woman Sentenced to Six Months in Federal Prison for Drug Diversion and False Statements in Medical RecordsRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Marshalltown woman was sentenced to six months in prison on August 14, 2025, for diverting controlled substances for her own use and falsely noting the administration of controlled substances in patient records.
According to public court documents, Amanda Nicole Manatt, 37, was employed as a registered nurse in the emergency room at Unity Point Marshalltown Hospital, Marshalltown, Iowa, where in 2023 she diverted controlled substances (fentanyl, hydromorphone, and morphine). She obtained controlled substances in patients’ names, documented them as administered to the patients, and then took them for her own use. In December 2023, Manatt’s employment ended at Unity Point Marshalltown Hospital. In January 2024, Manatt obtained employment as a nurse at the emergency room at Mary Greely Medical Center, where she again obtained controlled substances (hydromorphone) in patients’ names, recorded them as administered to the patients, and then took them for her own use until her employment ended in April 2024.
Court records reflect that in some cases patients experienced pain due to Manatt’s taking the controlled substances prescribed for them. In other cases, Manatt took controlled substances from patients in excess of what they needed. Manatt’s false statements in the medical records resulted in billing health care benefit programs for controlled substances not actually administered.
After completing her term of imprisonment, Manatt will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Manatt was also ordered to pay $5,258.20 in restitution, a $5,500 fine, and a $300 special assessment.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Insurance Fraud Bureau investigated this case.
Manteca Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison His Role in Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jagninder Singh Boparai, 49, of Manteca, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to nine years in prison for conspiring to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
“This defendant met on five separate occasions with a person he thought to be a hitman and provided payments for the services he desired in order to ‘teach a lesson’ to two of his enemies,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “Fortunately, there was no hitman, and today’s sentence teaches a lesson that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will use all its tools to bring to justice those who endanger the safety of the public.”
“The FBI has a zero tolerance for violent crimes and will take action to prevent assaults and homicides from happening,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the Sacramento Field Office. “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their support and collaboration that ensured both the safety of the victims and a successful outcome to a critical investigation.”
According to court documents, Boparai conspired with Ramesh Kumar Birla Jr., 47, of Dublin, and Shaminderjit Singh Sandhu, 51, of Tracy, to murder a man with whom they had a dispute. In February 2023, Boparai met with a person he believed to be a hitman at a Starbucks in Manteca. Unbeknownst to Boparai and his co-defendants, throughout their interactions, the hitman was a confidential informant working for the FBI. Boparai told the supposed hitman that the first job involved the assault of another man with whom the defendants were feuding. Once the hitman proved his trustworthiness, he would be given another job.
According to court documents, the following day, Boparai met the confidential informant again and offered to pay $6,000 for the assault. In March 2023, in the presence of Birla and another individual, Boparai met with the confidential informant, and Boparai gave the confidential informant $1,000 as a down payment for the assault. After more time had passed, the confidential informant showed Boparai a staged photo of the supposed assault victim lying on the ground covered in bruises, dirt, and blood to indicate the assault had occurred. Boparai said he liked the photo and told the confidential informant that he had two other “jobs,” one of which involved robbing a business, and the other involved making a person “disappear.”
According to court documents, in March 2023, Boparai met with the confidential informant to pay the confidential informant $10,000 as a down payment for the murder for hire job. Sandhu provided the second victim’s address, and Boparai instructed the confidential informant that the victim must disappear without any evidence remaining. On March 24, 2023, Sandhu and Birla met with the confidential informant in a parking lot in Manteca. Sandhu and Birla claimed that Boparai was out of town, but Boparai was observed by surveillance remaining in a car in the same parking lot. Sandhu and Birla instructed the confidential informant to kill the victim and take his remains to Mexico in a suitcase.
All three defendants were arrested on March 31, 2023, and are currently in federal custody.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Highway Patrol, the Ceres Police Department, the Dublin Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Lathrop Police Department, the Modesto Police Department, the San Joaquin County Probation Office, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, the Stockton Police Department, the Tracy Police Department, the Turlock Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian T. Kinsella and Kevin Khasigian are prosecuting the case.
Sandhu pleaded guilty to the same charge on July 31, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13, 2025, by Judge Calabretta. Sandhu faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Charges are pending against Birla, and he is scheduled for a status conference on Oct. 23, 2025. If convicted, he faces the same penalties as Sandhu. The charges against Birla are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Manteca Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Mario Gonzalez, 43, of Manteca, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 12 years in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Dec. 17, 2019, law enforcement officers responded to a misconduct call from Gonzalez, reporting the improper towing of his truck. Before arriving on scene, officers learned that Gonzalez had an active felony warrant for his arrest. Once at the scene, officers took Gonzalez into custody. During an inventory search of Gonzalez’ truck prior to towing it, officers found a loaded revolver with additional rounds of ammunition in a toolbox in the truck. Gonzalez is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because of multiple prior felony convictions for domestic violence and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manteca Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly 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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Man Sentenced to 360 Months in Prison for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Today, United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordan sentenced Lionel Albino Galindo to 360 months (30 years) in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, for child exploitation. Albino Galindo, 53, of Vega Alta, PR, was indicted on April 19, 2024, and convicted on six counts of child exploitation on March 11, 2025, after a five‑day jury trial. The jury found Lionel Albino Galindo guilty of one count of coercion and enticement of a minor; one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity; one count of sexual exploitation of children; one count for receipt of child pornography; one count for possession of child pornography; and one count of transfer of obscene material to a minor.
The charging documents alleged that Lionel Albino Galindo sexually exploited a 13-year-old female minor from February 2024 throughout March 19, 2024. During trial, the government presented evidence that proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Albino Galindo knowingly transported the female minor to engage in sexual activity on several occasions and produced visual depictions of such conduct. The evidence also proved the defendant received child pornography from the female minor and sent obscene material to the minor. In perpetrating his crimes, the defendant used a cellular phone as well as internet instant messaging services, to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce the 13-year-old female minor, to engage in sexual activity, which includes the production of child pornography.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau.
Assistant US Attorney (AUSA) Jenifer Y. Hernández Vega, Chief of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit and AUSA Emelina Agrait Barreto prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Madison Man Sentenced to 33 Months for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kory Washington, 21, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 33 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Washington pleaded guilty to this charge on June 5, 2025.
On November 19, 2024, law enforcement in Madison attempted to arrest Washington because he had an outstanding warrant. Washington fled and during the chase, officers saw him throw a handgun. Officers ultimately apprehended Washington and recovered the handgun, which was a loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson M&P Shield. The handgun had previously been reported stolen in Illinois. Washington is prohibited from legally possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that despite his young age, Washington had already committed an unrelenting stream of crimes, and his criminal conduct was escalating as evidenced by his decision to arm himself in this case. Judge Peterson also cited Washington’s gang ties as a reason for concern, commenting that Washington was the seventh member of the same gang sentenced to federal prison.
The charge against Washington was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
Federal criminal cases involving firearms are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Marianna Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Erik Gammons, 42, of Marianna, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday, August 8, 2025, to Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine and 500 Grams or More of Cocaine. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Methamphetamine addiction destroys lives and ravages communities throughout North Florida, but this trafficker’s days of distributing this poison are over. My office is committed to fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by aggressively pursuing and prosecuting drug traffickers, and I deeply appreciate the outstanding work of our federal and state law enforcement partners to keep deadly drugs off our streets.”
Court documents reflect that on May 5, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in Marianna, Florida. Gammons was an occupant of the vehicle. Law enforcement located approximately 1,798 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 568 grams of cocaine in the vehicle, as well as other items indicative of Gammons’ intent to distribute the narcotics.
Gammons faces up to life imprisonment, and a lifetime term of supervision upon release.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica S. Etherton and Eric W. Welch.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 23, 2025, at 3:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark Walker.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Lynn Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery of Two Drug DealersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to two armed robberies which took place in March 2020 and January 2023, targeting drug dealers and their drug proceeds.
Claudio Melo, a/k/a “Blue Drilla,” 33, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery). U.S. District Court Senior Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Nov. 13, 2025. In February 2025, Melo was arrested and charged.
Melo is a Crip street gang member who is a convicted felon with an extensive record of criminal offenses for which he served various state prison sentences, including assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, armed robbery, larceny and malicious destruction of property.
The first armed robbery took place in March 2020 and targeted a drug customer of Vincent Caruso, a/k/a “Fatz.” Vincent Caruso was then on pretrial release for state fentanyl and firearm charges. Caruso orchestrated an armed robbery and home invasion in which Melo and another coconspirator broke into an apartment and robbed the occupants of approximately $18,000 in drug proceeds and jewelry. During the incident, Melo engaged in a struggle with the victim and struck him with a weapon. Caruso previously pleaded guilty to charges involving the armed robbery and was sentenced to nearly 21 years in federal prison in June 2022.
The second armed robbery took place on Jan. 30, 2023. A drug transaction was scheduled to take place at an apartment in Woburn, during which an associate of Melo was to deliver a kilogram of cocaine in exchange for approximately $24,000. During the transaction, Melo and another individual entered the apartment and pointed semiautomatic pistols at the drug customer before taking the $24,000 in cash. The $24,000 cash was proceeds of drug trafficking activities the drug customer was engaged in. Melo and the other individual forced the drug customer to open a safe in his bedroom, which was empty. Shortly thereafter, both robbers departed with the $24,000 cash.
The charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery provides for a maximum penalty of up to 20 years, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office and the Lynn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Claudio Melo, a/k/a “Blue Drilla,” 33, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery). U.S. District Court Senior Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Nov. 13, 2025. In February 2025, Melo was arrested and charged.
Melo is a Crip street gang member who is a convicted felon with an extensive record of criminal offenses for which he served various state prison sentences, including assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, armed robbery, larceny and malicious destruction of property.
The first armed robbery took place in March 2020 and targeted a drug customer of Vincent Caruso, a/k/a “Fatz.” Vincent Caruso was then on pretrial release for state fentanyl and firearm charges. Caruso orchestrated an armed robbery and home invasion in which Melo and another coconspirator broke into an apartment and robbed the occupants of approximately $18,000 in drug proceeds and jewelry. During the incident, Melo engaged in a struggle with the victim and struck him with a weapon. Caruso previously pleaded guilty to charges involving the armed robbery and was sentenced to nearly 21 years in federal prison in June 2022.
The second armed robbery took place on Jan. 30, 2023. A drug transaction was scheduled to take place at an apartment in Woburn, during which an associate of Melo was to deliver a kilogram of cocaine in exchange for approximately $24,000. During the transaction, Melo and another individual entered the apartment and pointed semiautomatic pistols at the drug customer before taking the $24,000 in cash. The $24,000 cash was proceeds of drug trafficking activities the drug customer was engaged in. Melo and the other individual forced the drug customer to open a safe in his bedroom, which was empty. Shortly thereafter, both robbers departed with the $24,000 cash.
The charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery provides for a maximum penalty of up to 20 years, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office and the Lynn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Latin Kings Gang Member Sentenced to 50 Months for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Today, Jorge Olivares, a/k/a “Stomper,” age 23, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 50 months of imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
“The defendant is a violent member of the Latin Kings who has repeatedly shot people and brought violence to our streets,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Even after spilling blood, he armed himself again, showing utter disregard for the law. The people of Minnesota deserve safety—not shootouts. Whether it’s the Highs, the Lows, the Bloods, or the Latin Kings, at the federal level we will continue to use every tool we have to put violent gang members behind bars.”
Jorge Olivares is a convicted violent felon and member of the Latin Kings street gang. In December 2023, amid high levels of violence in Minneapolis, Minneapolis Police officers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle. They found Oliveres asleep in the vehicle’s driver’s seat and saw a firearm—a Springfield Armory Hellcat 9mm semiautomatic pistol—on the car’s floorboard. The pistol was ready to fire, with a round loaded in the chamber and twelve rounds in the magazine, and was within easy reach of the defendant. Officers also found more than 6 grams of cocaine in the car. When he was arrested, Olivares was wearing a sweatshirt reflecting his ongoing affiliation with the Latin Kings.
At sentencing, the government argued that Olivares’s unlawful possession of a firearm posed a considerable risk to the community in light of his extremely serious and violent criminal history. In 2018, Olivares was convicted of first-degree aggravated assault and first-degree aggravated robbery, after Olivares shot two victims and stole their car. In another incident recorded on video, Olivares carried out a drive-by shooting of a residence while yelling the gang slogan “King Love” and flashing a gang sign.
At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery told Olivares that it was “scary to look at the record and see the violence in your past,” noting that when she sees “a pattern of individuals that keep coming back” to court and the violence escalates, that “it doesn’t usually end well.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) with assistance from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD), and the Richfield Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Green prosecuted the case.
LaPorte Man Sentenced to 228 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Ron Deming, 38 years old, of LaPorte, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after a jury convicted him of one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Deming was sentenced to 228 months in prison, 10 years of supervised release, ordered to pay $148,500 in restitution to the victims of the offense and a $25 assessment to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.According to documents in the case, Deming possessed over 30,000 still images and over 400 videos depicting child sexual abuse material. “Each of those many images and videos shows a child suffering horrific abuse,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “And each time one of those images or videos is received or possessed, the child in it is victimized yet again. As this case shows, this Office and its law-enforcement partners will never cease in our efforts to bring to justice those who victimize children in this manner.”
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Indiana State Police and the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hannah T Jones and Katelan McKenzie Doyle.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Justice Department Charges Five Senior Leaders of the United Cartels, a Designated Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Today the Justice Department announced criminal charges against five high-ranking members of the United Cartels. Those charged are Juan Jose Farias Alvarez (“El Abuelo); Alfonso Fernandez Magallon (“Poncho”); Luis Enrique Barragan Chavez (“Wicho / R5”); Edgar Orozco Cabadas (“El Kamoni”); and Nicolas Sierra Santana (“El Gordo”).
“Today’s charges are designed to dismantle the United Cartels and bring their leaders to justice for unleashing death and destruction on American citizens,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Working closely with our partners throughout President Trump’s Administration, we will continue our historic effort to destroy foreign terror organizations and prosecute terrorists wherever they may hide.”
“Today’s sanctions action draws further attention to the diverse, insidious ways the cartels engage in violent activities and exploit otherwise legitimate commerce,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “Treasury, alongside our partners in U.S. law enforcement, will continue to target every effort by the cartels to generate revenue for their violent, criminal schemes.”
“Today’s announcement marks a significant step in the Justice Department’s efforts to totally eliminate the United Cartels and bring its leaders to justice,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This investigation began in a small town in Middle America and led to clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in Michoacán, Mexico. It involved extraordinary policework by our partners, some of whom came under fire in a brazen shootout – underscoring the dangers law enforcement faces every day. This case demonstrates our relentless pursuit of cartel leaders who flood our communities with illegal drugs and terrorize citizens on both sides of the border with violence.”
“Today, the Department of State is continuing to fulfill one of President Trump’s first promises when he took office — to stop the brutal criminals who are trafficking deadly drugs into our country,” said Senior Bureau Official Chris Landberg of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. “We are announcing reward offers totaling up to $26 million for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions of Mexican narcotics traffickers associated with Cárteles Unidos, a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist.”
“Today’s charges reflect the far-reaching impact of transnational criminal networks and the decisive action U.S. law enforcement is taking to dismantle them,” said Acting Executive Associate Director Derek W. Gordon for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations. “The United Cartels are responsible for flooding our communities with dangerous narcotics and profiting through violence, extortion, and corruption. ICE HSI, in close coordination with domestic and international partners, led a years-long investigation that traced the cartel’s footprint from clandestine labs in Michoacán to major U.S. distribution hubs. This case underscores our commitment to holding cartel leaders accountable, wherever they operate and safeguarding public safety on both sides of the border.”
“The United Cartels has flooded every corner of our country with deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “The indictments announced today exemplify the great work that can be achieved when federal, state, and local forces partner together to confront our greatest law enforcement challenges. What started out as an ordinary drug case in the Eastern District of Tennessee grew into a sprawling multinational investigation that will take down a transnational criminal organization precisely because law enforcement at all levels partnered together enthusiastically with mission-first single-mindedness. We are particularly grateful for our close partnerships with HSI Knoxville, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the 9th Judicial Task Force, and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, without which these results would have been impossible.”
According to court documents, the United Cartels is a transnational criminal and drug trafficking organization that controls large areas of Michoacán, Mexico. Acting as an umbrella organization, it unites several Michoacán-based cartels to acquire, manufacture, and distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine for smuggling into the United States. Profits from U.S. drug sales are allegedly used to acquire heavy weaponry, hire mercenaries, bribe local officials, and fund lavish lifestyles for cartel leaders.
The United Cartels is among the most prolific methamphetamine producers capable of manufacturing multiple tons every month. Its distribution network spans the United States, with hubs in Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Kansas City (Mo.), Sacramento, California, Los Angeles, Denver, and Chicago, and extends to Europe, Australia, and other regions. On Feb. 20, the U.S. Department of State designated the United Cartels (Cárteles Unidos), as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, as amended.
Court filings allege that Farias Alvarez serves as the top leader of the United Cartels, directing the importation of cocaine from Colombia via air and maritime routes, personally overseeing large shipments to the United States, and imposing a tax on methamphetamine and fentanyl producers operating in his territory.
Los Reyes Cartel, allegedly led by Fernandez Magallon, is a Michoacán-based cartel that currently operates under the United Cartels umbrella. As alleged, Los Viagras Cartel, led by Sierra Santana, is another Michoacán-based cartel that until recently operated under the United Cartels umbrella. Orozco Cabadas and Barragan Chavez allegedly each lead armed factions of the United Cartels that enforce cartel control using assault weapons, improvised explosive devices, armed drones, armored vehicles, and foreign mercenaries.
The five defendants allegedly participated in decades-long conspiracies to manufacture and distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, to be unlawfully imported into the United States. In addition, Farias Alvarez, Fernandez Magallon and Barragan Chavez are alleged to have carried, brandished, or discharged firearms, including semi-automatic weapons, machine guns, and destructive devices during and in relation to the alleged drug trafficking crimes charged in their indictments. If convicted, all five defendants face maximum penalties of life in prison.
The five defendants are still fugitives. The U. S. Department of State announced today that it is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to Farias Alvarez’s arrest and/or conviction; a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to Fernandez Magallon’s arrest and/or conviction; a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to Sierra Santana’s arrest and/or conviction; a reward of up to $3 million for information leading to Barragan Chavez’s arrest and/or conviction; and a reward of up to $3 million for information leading to Orozco Cabadas’s arrest and/or conviction. Also today, the U. S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced economic sanctions against these five defendants, and the United Cartels (Cárteles Unidos) and Los Viagras as entities.
HSI Knoxville investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by HSI Mexico City, HSI Denver, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Fresno Field Division, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Tennessee 9th Judicial Drug Task Force. Additional assistance was provided by HSI Atlanta, HSI Laredo, HSI Outer Banks, HSI Houston, HSI San Diego, HSI Kansas City, DEA Bogota, HSI Bogota, HSI Las Vegas, HSI The Hague, FBI Kansas City, FBI St. Louis, FBI Sacramento, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and DEA Los Angeles. U. S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Western District of Missouri, the District of Colorado, the Eastern District of California, and the Northern District of Georgia also provided significant assistance in the investigation.
Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Roger Polack of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Quencer for the Eastern District of Tennessee are prosecuting the cases.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Members of the public are reminded that these are only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Justice Department Charges Five Senior Leaders of the United Cartels, a Designated Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
Today the Justice Department announced criminal charges against five high-ranking members of the United Cartels. Those charged are Juan Jose Farias Alvarez (“El Abuelo); Alfonso Fernandez Magallon (“Poncho”); Luis Enrique Barragan Chavez (“Wicho / R5”); Edgar Orozco Cabadas (“El Kamoni”); and Nicolas Sierra Santana (“El Gordo”).
“Today’s charges are designed to dismantle the United Cartels and bring their leaders to justice for unleashing death and destruction on American citizens,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Working closely with our partners throughout President Trump’s Administration, we will continue our historic effort to destroy foreign terror organizations and prosecute terrorists wherever they may hide.”
“Today’s sanctions action draws further attention to the diverse, insidious ways the cartels engage in violent activities and exploit otherwise legitimate commerce,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “Treasury, alongside our partners in U.S. law enforcement, will continue to target every effort by the cartels to generate revenue for their violent, criminal schemes.”
“Today’s announcement marks a significant step in the Justice Department’s efforts to totally eliminate the United Cartels and bring its leaders to justice,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This investigation began in a small town in Middle America and led to clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in Michoacán, Mexico. It involved extraordinary policework by our partners, some of whom came under fire in a brazen shootout – underscoring the dangers law enforcement faces every day. This case demonstrates our relentless pursuit of cartel leaders who flood our communities with illegal drugs and terrorize citizens on both sides of the border with violence.”
“Today, the Department of State is continuing to fulfill one of President Trump’s first promises when he took office — to stop the brutal criminals who are trafficking deadly drugs into our country,” said Senior Bureau Official Chris Landberg of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. “We are announcing reward offers totaling up to $26 million for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions of Mexican narcotics traffickers associated with Cárteles Unidos, a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist.”
“Today’s charges reflect the far-reaching impact of transnational criminal networks and the decisive action U.S. law enforcement is taking to dismantle them,” said Acting Executive Associate Director Derek W. Gordon for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations. “The United Cartels are responsible for flooding our communities with dangerous narcotics and profiting through violence, extortion, and corruption. ICE HSI, in close coordination with domestic and international partners, led a years-long investigation that traced the cartel’s footprint from clandestine labs in Michoacán to major U.S. distribution hubs. This case underscores our commitment to holding cartel leaders accountable, wherever they operate and safeguarding public safety on both sides of the border.”
“The United Cartels has flooded every corner of our country with deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “The indictments announced today exemplify the great work that can be achieved when federal, state, and local forces partner together to confront our greatest law enforcement challenges. What started out as an ordinary drug case in the Eastern District of Tennessee grew into a sprawling multinational investigation that will take down a transnational criminal organization precisely because law enforcement at all levels partnered together enthusiastically with mission-first single-mindedness. We are particularly grateful for our close partnerships with HSI Knoxville, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the 9th Judicial Task Force, and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, without which these results would have been impossible.”
According to court documents, the United Cartels is a transnational criminal and drug trafficking organization that controls large areas of Michoacán, Mexico. Acting as an umbrella organization, it unites several Michoacán-based cartels to acquire, manufacture, and distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine for smuggling into the United States. Profits from U.S. drug sales are allegedly used to acquire heavy weaponry, hire mercenaries, bribe local officials, and fund lavish lifestyles for cartel leaders.
The United Cartels is among the most prolific methamphetamine producers capable of manufacturing multiple tons every month. Its distribution network spans the United States, with hubs in Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Kansas City (Mo.), Sacramento, California, Los Angeles, Denver, and Chicago, and extends to Europe, Australia, and other regions. On Feb. 20, the U.S. Department of State designated the United Cartels (Cárteles Unidos), as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, as amended.
Court filings allege that Farias Alvarez serves as the top leader of the United Cartels, directing the importation of cocaine from Colombia via air and maritime routes, personally overseeing large shipments to the United States, and imposing a tax on methamphetamine and fentanyl producers operating in his territory.
Los Reyes Cartel, allegedly led by Fernandez Magallon, is a Michoacán-based cartel that currently operates under the United Cartels umbrella. As alleged, Los Viagras Cartel, led by Sierra Santana, is another Michoacán-based cartel that until recently operated under the United Cartels umbrella. Orozco Cabadas and Barragan Chavez allegedly each lead armed factions of the United Cartels that enforce cartel control using assault weapons, improvised explosive devices, armed drones, armored vehicles, and foreign mercenaries.
The five defendants allegedly participated in decades-long conspiracies to manufacture and distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, to be unlawfully imported into the United States. In addition, Farias Alvarez, Fernandez Magallon and Barragan Chavez are alleged to have carried, brandished, or discharged firearms, including semi-automatic weapons, machine guns, and destructive devices during and in relation to the alleged drug trafficking crimes charged in their indictments. If convicted, all five defendants face maximum penalties of life in prison.
The five defendants are still fugitives. The U. S. Department of State announced today that it is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to Farias Alvarez’s arrest and/or conviction; a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to Fernandez Magallon’s arrest and/or conviction; a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to Sierra Santana’s arrest and/or conviction; a reward of up to $3 million for information leading to Barragan Chavez’s arrest and/or conviction; and a reward of up to $3 million for information leading to Orozco Cabadas’s arrest and/or conviction. Also today, the U. S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced economic sanctions against these five defendants, and the United Cartels (Cárteles Unidos) and Los Viagras as entities.
Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Roger Polack of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Quencer for the Eastern District of Tennessee are prosecuting the cases.
This case was the result of an investigation led by HSI-Knoxville within the Region 18 Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF). HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. The objective of the HSTFs is to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) throughout the United States, dismantle cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks, end the scourge of human smuggling and trafficking, with a particular focus on such offenses involving children, and ensure the use of all available law enforcement tools to faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States. Valuable assistance in this matter was provided by HSI Mexico City, HSI Denver, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Fresno Field Division, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Tennessee 9th Judicial Drug Task Force. Additional assistance was provided by HSI Atlanta, HSI Laredo, HSI Outer Banks, HSI Houston, HSI San Diego, HSI Kansas City, DEA Bogota, HSI Bogota, HSI Las Vegas, HSI The Hague, FBI Kansas City, FBI St. Louis, FBI Sacramento, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and DEA Los Angeles. U. S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Western District of Missouri, the District of Colorado, the Eastern District of California, and the Northern District of Georgia also provided significant assistance in the investigation as part of the HSTFs and DOJ’s Operation Take Back America.
*This press release was updated to include additional information about regarding HSTF and partners
Justice Department Announces Seizure of over $2.8 Million in Cryptocurrency, Cash, and other AssetsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice unsealed six warrants yesterday in the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Central District of California, and the Northern District of Texas authorizing the seizure of over $2.8 million in cryptocurrency, $70,000 in cash, and a luxury vehicle. All of the cryptocurrency was seized from a cryptocurrency wallet controlled by Ianis Aleksandrovich Antropenko, who is charged by indictment in the Northern District of Texas for conspiring to commit computer fraud and abuse, computer fraud and abuse, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
As alleged in the indictment, Antropenko used Zeppelin ransomware to target and attack a wide range of individuals, businesses, and organizations worldwide, including in the United States. Specifically, Antropenko and his coconspirators would encrypt and exfiltrate the victim’s data, and typically demand a ransom payment to decrypt the victim’s data, refrain from publishing it, or to arrange the data’s deletion.
As alleged in the unsealed warrants, the cryptocurrency and other assets are proceeds of (or were involved in laundering the proceeds of) ransomware activity. Those assets were laundered in various ways, including by using the cryptocurrency mixing service ChipMixer, which was taken down in a coordinated international operation in 2023. Antropenko also laundered cryptocurrency by exchanging cryptocurrency for cash and depositing the cash in structured cash deposits.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson for the Northern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans of the FBI Norfolk Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI Dallas Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Dallas and Norfolk Field Offices and the Virtual Assets Unit are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Benjamin Bleiberg of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jongwoo “Daniel” Chung for the Northern District of Texas are handling the case, with assistance for the forfeiture provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elyse Lyons for the Northern District of Texas. Significant assistance has also been provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Kosky and Kevin Hudson for the Eastern District of Virginia.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and obtained court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. CCIPS and its partners have also disrupted multiple ransomware groups, preventing victims from having to pay over $200 million in ransom payments.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Announces Seizure of over $2.8 Million in Cryptocurrency, Cash, and Other AssetsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice unsealed six warrants yesterday in the U.S. District Courts for the Northern District of Texas, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the Central District of California, authorizing the seizure of over $2.8 million in cryptocurrency, $70,000 in cash, and a luxury vehicle. All of the cryptocurrency was seized from a cryptocurrency wallet controlled by Ianis Aleksandrovich Antropenko, who is charged by indictment in the Northern District of Texas for conspiring to commit computer fraud and abuse, computer fraud and abuse, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
As alleged in the indictment, Antropenko used Zeppelin ransomware to target and attack a wide range of individuals, businesses, and organizations worldwide, including in the United States. Specifically, Antropenko and his coconspirators would encrypt and exfiltrate the victim’s data and typically demand a ransom payment to decrypt the victim’s data, refrain from publishing it, or to arrange the data’s deletion.
As alleged in the unsealed warrants, the cryptocurrency and other assets are proceeds of (or were involved in laundering the proceeds of) ransomware activity. Those assets allegedly were laundered in various ways, including by using the cryptocurrency mixing service ChipMixer, which was taken down in a coordinated international operation in 2023. Antropenko is also alleged to have laundered cryptocurrency by exchanging cryptocurrency for cash and depositing the cash in structured cash deposits.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson for the Northern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans of the FBI Norfolk Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI Dallas Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Dallas and Norfolk Field Offices and the Virtual Assets Unit are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Benjamin Bleiberg of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jongwoo “Daniel” Chung for the Northern District of Texas are handling the case, with assistance for the forfeiture provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elyse Lyons for the Northern District of Texas. Significant assistance has also been provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Kosky and Kevin Hudson for the Eastern District of Virginia.CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and obtained court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. CCIPS and its partners have also disrupted multiple ransomware groups, preventing victims from having to pay over $200 million in ransom payments.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jury Convicts Man Who Threatened Violence on Yale CampusRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a federal jury in Bridgeport today found MANDEL BIDONE, 34, formerly of Bridgeport, guilty of mailing a threatening communication.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, in April 2022, while he was incarcerated in state custody, Bidone filed a civil complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut against “Yale New Haven Inc.” and other defendants alleging that he had undergone an illegal clinical trial administered by Yale University and, as a result, was seeking compensatory and punitive damages. In October 2022, Bidone’s complaint was dismissed as frivolous.
In March 2023, Bidone mailed another civil complaint for money damages and other relief to the U.S. District Court’s Clerk’s Office in New Haven. The complaint, handwritten and separated between eight envelopes, contained many of the same allegations as in the first complaint, but included additional language at the top of the first page within each envelope some variation of the following: “If the District Court dismisses this case or looses (sic) any one of the pages of this complaint, Mandel Bidone will purchase an illegal firearm and discharge it on Yale’s campus aiming for the students and staff until his is gunned down.”
During the investigation of this matter, the U.S. Marshals Service learned that Bidone sent letters to the City of New Haven, the New Haven Police Department, and a local news affiliate discussing his complaint and repeating his threat against Yale, its students, and faculty.
The charge of mailing a threatening communication carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Bidone is detained pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
This investigation has been conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Yale Police Department, and the New Haven Police Department.
Jamaican National Charged with Firearms Crimes in VermontRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on June 26, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Alex Dwayne Bignall, 30, of Jamaica, with lying about his immigration status while attempting to purchase a firearm, and attempting to receive a firearm knowing that such receipt would be a felony.
Bignall entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on August 8, 2025 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle ordered that Bignall be released on conditions.
According to court records, in the summer of 2023, Bignall, who did not have legal status in the United States, attempted to buy a Taurus 9mm firearm from a federal firearms licensee in Vermont. In connection with that attempted purchase, Bignall filled out a form, swearing under oath that he was not an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. At the time of the attempted firearm purchase, Bignall lacked legal status in the United States. Weeks before he attempted to purchase the firearm, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services denied an application Bignall had submitted for immigration benefits, and informed him he was no longer authorized to remain in the United States.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Bignall is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Bignall faces up to 15 years if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The prosecutor is Special Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Flynn. Bignall is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
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).
Iuka Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OXFORD, MS – An Iuka, Mississippi man was sentenced today to over 8 years in prison for possessing child sexual abuse materials.
According to court documents, Sydney Briggs, 29, was uploading child pornography on a popular mobile application since October of 2023. Briggs was utilizing sophisticated computer software to avoid detection by officials. The investigation revealed over 19,000 images and videos, many of them involving infants and toddlers, were saved on his electronic devices. In addition to 97 months in prison, Briggs was also sentenced to 5 years of supervised release and will have to register as a sex offender after release from prison. Judge Michael P. Mills awarded $28,000 to eight (8) victims who sought restitution for Briggs’ actions.
“There is no excuse, justification or mitigation for Briggs’s crimes, which are not victimless - he downloaded and kept thousands of absolutely horrific images of helpless children being violently sexually abused, and he should be in prison for as long as it is possible to put him there,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “I cannot say enough about the continuing collaboration by the FBI, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, and AUSA Parker King that is daily taking the fight to those who want to harm our children.”
“I am grateful to our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for their work with our Cyber Crime investigators to secure this sentence,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “Together, we were able to successfully stop a predator from doing more harm. But our most important partner is the concerned citizen who reports suspected abuse. If you suspect it, report it. Your tip can be the key to a successful prosecution like this one.”
“Behind the 19,000 images and videos are real children who were robbed of their innocence. Protecting children and holding vile predators, like Sydney Briggs, accountable are at the top of the FBI’s priorities for crushing violent crime,” stated Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff. “The FBI's Jackson Field Office and the MS Attorney General's Office will continue to work shoulder to shoulder in our tireless pursuit to unmask and prosecute predators who believe ultramodern technology can shield their evil deeds from justice.”
The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Identity thieves sentenced to prison for bank fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced today to two years and two months in prison for a years-long scheme to defraud financial institutions of at least $930,000 using stolen identities. A co-defendant was sentenced last week to three years in prison.
According to court documents, Akinsegun Oyekunle, 44, and previously convicted identity thief Rasheed Olalekan Williams, 51, impersonated identity theft victims, pretended to be the corporate representatives for legitimate manufacturing and trucking businesses, and then stole funds from those businesses.
Oyekunle created fictitious business registrations with the Virginia State Corporation Commission and obtained fictitious Internal Revenue Service identification numbers in the names of the companies. Williams then opened multiple fraudulent bank accounts in the names of the companies, and Williams and Oyekunle falsely purported to represent the companies they were impersonating.
On at least six separate occasions, Williams deposited stolen and forged checks that he and his co-conspirators illicitly obtained into the corporate bank accounts he opened. These checks were often intended for the real businesses the criminals were impersonating. Oyekunle and his co-conspirators then quickly drew down funds by making ATM withdrawals and transferring funds to other bank accounts controlled by the conspirators before the banks could catch on. Oyekunle, Williams, and their co-conspirators impersonated at least five identity theft victims, one of whom was deceased, including by obtaining victims’ personal identifying information, opening fictitious bank accounts in the victims’ names, and creating fraudulent identification documents in the victims’ names.
Investigators recovered an electronic fraud ledger containing victims’ information in Oyekunle’s possession, along with several debit cards in victims’ names. Williams was arrested separately in possession of a fake driver’s license and debit card in the name of a victim associated with the scheme.
Williams and Oyekunle pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, on April 9 and April 22, respectively. On August 7, Williams was sentenced to three years in prison. Oyekunle was sentenced today to two years and two months in prison.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth prosecuted the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth R. Simon Jr. provided substantial assistance to the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:25-cr-97 (Williams) and 1:25-cr-104 (Oyekunle).
Huntington Man Sentenced for Role in COVID-19 Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – William Powell, 35, of Huntington, was sentenced today to six months on home detention, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $15,625 in restitution for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Powell admitted that he received $15,625 in proceeds from a criminally derived Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, co-defendant Kisha Sutton conspired with Powell and others to obtain fraudulent PPP loans. Sutton submitted a PPP loan application on Powell’s behalf on April 19, 2021, listing Powell as a sole proprietor hair stylist who received $75,000 in gross income in 2020. The application was filed with an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040, Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business, stating that Powell had earned $75,000 in 2020. As part of his guilty plea, Powell admitted that he never earned $75,000 as a hair stylist in one year. Powell further admitted that the IRS Form 1040 submitted with his application was fraudulent and created solely to obtain the PPP loan.
A PPP lender in Florida approved Powell’s loan application. The $15,625 in proceeds from the fraudulent loan was deposited in Powell’s personal bank account on June 29 2021. Between July 6 and July 20, 2021, Powell transferred $2,000 to Sutton from the fraudulent PPP loan proceeds using a digital wallet application. Powell admitted that he spent the remainder of the fraudulent loan proceeds on personal expenses.
The CARES Act made forgivable PPP loans available to qualifying sole proprietors, independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other expenses. Applicants were required to certify that they were in operation on February 15, 2020, and provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020.
Powell and Sutton among several individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging they and others conspired, as well as aided and abetted one another, to obtain fraudulent PPP loans totaling $140,625. Sutton, 44, of Jersey City, New Jersey, was found guilty on July 15, 2025, of aiding and abetting bank fraud and aiding and abetting laundering of monetary instruments by a federal jury following a two-day trial. Sutton is scheduled to be sentenced on November 13, 2025. The three remaining co-defendants pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage and Jennifer D. Gordon and former Assistant United States Attorney Holly Wilson prosecuted the case.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-192.
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Honduran National Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Role in International Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Honduran national was sentenced today to over 18 years in prison for participating in an international drug trafficking conspiracy.
“Working with Belizean authorities, the Justice Department dismantled a major international drug trafficking operation before more than a ton of cocaine could be transported internationally,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Transnational criminal networks that move vast quantities of narcotics pose a direct threat to the safety and health of the American people. Through strong coordination with our foreign partners, we continue to attack the problem before narcotics cross our borders.”
“This case is proof that there is no safe haven for those who poison our communities from abroad,” said Administrator Terrance Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “A ton of cocaine was stopped before it could ever reach our streets, and a key player in that operation will now spend years behind bars. DEA will continue to hunt down cartel operatives wherever they are — from remote airstrips to the highest levels of their networks — and we will bring them to justice.”
According to court documents, Carlos Humberto Henriquez Gomez, 57, of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, was a member of a transnational drug trafficking organization that used a U.S.-registered aircraft to transport more than a ton of cocaine from Venezuela to Belize.
Henriquez Gomez played a key role in planning and carrying out the operation. In 2018, he traveled to Belize to inspect a clandestine airstrip for suitability to land a narcotics-laden aircraft. In 2019, he returned to prepare the airstrip for arrival, then assisted in offloading the cocaine for transport within Belize. Authorities intercepted the aircraft and a vehicle carrying the narcotics, seizing more than 1,300 kilograms of cocaine.
The DEA Orlando District Office investigated the case. The Belize Police Department’s Anti-Narcotics Unit and DEA Belize provided critical assistance. Henriquez Gomez’s capture and transfer to Washington, D.C., were made possible thanks to key coordination between U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.
Trial Attorneys Douglas Meisel and Colleen King of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Harrison County Woman Indicted on Theft and Fraud Charges Relating to Veterans Benefits and Federal Student LoansRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Bridgeport, West Virginia woman is accused of falsifying medical records to unlawfully receive Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits and the fraudulent discharge of her federal student loans.
Christina Nolte, 42, was indicted on one count of theft of public money, property, or records; three counts of making false statements; and one count of student loan fraud. According to the indictment, Nolte falsified medical records to receive disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to which she was not entitled. Nolte is also accused of using her fraudulent VA disability rating to unlawfully obtain a discharge of her federal student loan debt in the amount of $242,528.
The indictment seeks forfeiture and a money judgement in amount of $360,466.38.
Nolte faces up to 10 years in federal prison for the theft count, up to 5 years for each of the false statement counts, and up to 5 years in federal prison for the student loan fraud count.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer T. Conklin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government, and the matter was investigated by the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, the Department of Education Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Halifax Man Sentenced as Armed Career CriminalRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Trevonta Lynch, 34, a convicted felon and armed career criminal, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison following a traffic stop in which he reached for a firearm in front of law enforcement.
“Trevonta Lynch is a violent repeat offender who pulled a loaded gun on law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “That dangerous act could have cost lives – now it’s costing him 15 years of freedom. Let this be a warning: if you threaten our officers or our communities, we will find you, we will prosecute you, and you will spend years in federal prison where you can’t hurt anyone again.”
“This case is not about marijuana. It’s about a violent career criminal with a history of violent felonies and disregard for the law,” said Halifax County Sheriff Tyree Davis. “Thanks to our partnership with federal law enforcement, we removed this dangerous individual from the streets of Halifax County and into federal prison where he belongs. I have said repeatedly – we are not playing. We will use every legal resource to protect our citizens and will not allow criminals to disrupt our neighborhoods.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on October 2, 2023, Halifax County Sheriff’s Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that was driving without its headlights after dark. When approached, Lynch produced a small baggie of marijuana and told deputies that was the only thing he had on him. During the encounter, Lynch continued to reach around the rear floorboard of the car. Deputies told him to stop, and after several requests for Lynch to tell Deputies what he was reaching for, Lynch admitted that he was reaching for a firearm. Deputies searched the vehicle and recovered a loaded 9mm pistol with a large capacity magazine, 83 grams of marijuana, and various paraphernalia consistent with trafficking marijuana.
Lynch, who was on supervised probation at the time of the stop, has been convicted of 12 instances of breaking and entering in North Carolina, which are violent felonies. As Lynch has committed three or more violent felonies before his possession of the firearm on October 2, 2023, he is subject to enhanced federal penalties, including a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Halifax County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Aubart 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. 4:23-CR-66-FL.
Gunman for Seven Inside-Job Robberies at Chinatown Walgreens Sentenced to 16.5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kamanye Williams, 26, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 198 months in federal prison for his role as the gunman in seven inside-job robberies of a Walgreens drug store in the District’s Chinatown neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Williams pleaded guilty on March 11 to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery) and pleaded guilty to two counts of using, carrying, possessing, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and aiding and abetting.
In addition to the 198-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Williams to serve five years of supervised release and to pay $7,245.75 in restitution.
Joining in the announcement were FBI Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the Washington Field Office Criminal Division and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Williams, Gianni Robinson, and Walgreen’s store managers Michael Robinson and London Teeter committed the inside-job robberies during a nearly eight-month period.on July 18, 2023, Aug. 2, 2023, Sept. 2, 2023, Nov. 10, 2023, Dec. 4, 2023, Jan. 9, 2024, and Feb. 11, 2024.
In total, the co-conspirators stole at least $28,983.00 from the Chinatown Walgreens at 7th and H Streets, NW. The robberies stopped Feb. 11, 2024, when Williams was shot in the chest by a Special Police Officer.
Each robbery followed the same modus operandi. A masked gunman entered the store in the evening as cash was transported, or had already been transported, to the Manager’s Office. The gunman either forced an employee to enter the code to the Manager’s Office or accessed the office themselves by entering the code. The gunman robbed whichever employees were present in the Manager’s Office and fled the store through the rear exit.
Michael Robinson and Teeter took turns pretending to be the “victim” manager on duty, knowing that the robberies would be captured on internal surveillance footage and later scrutinized by law enforcement.
Text messages show the co-conspirators worked to make the robberies look authentic. Gianni Robinson and Williams discussed that Teeter no longer play the role of “victim” unless Williams pretended to assault her. Williams brazenly claimed that he wanted to “go in violently now, I’m tired of this not hitting what we supposed to hit.” Gianni Robinson indicated that his “unc” (Michael Robinson) was prepared to be the victim and be “smack[ed] out” during the robbery.
Prior to some of the robberies, Michael Robinson provided Williams with insider knowledge, telling him the number of armed security guards that would be present at a given time, which employees had the code to the Manager’s Office, when cash would enter the Manager’s Office, and the best times to perform a robbery.
On Feb. 11, 2024, at approximately 6:28 p.m., an armed Special Police Officer (SPO) was escorting Michael Robinson to the Manager’s Office while carrying cash from the day. As Michael Robinson was unlocking the Manager’s Office, Williams came up and held a gun against the SPO and threatened to kill him. Michael Robinson, Williams, and the SPO entered the Manager’s Office and Williams took the SPO’s handgun. After putting the cash in his bag, Williams attempted to leave the Manager’s Office but a second armed SPO arrived and fired once at Williams, striking him in the chest. Williams was then taken to the hospital.
Williams previously was convicted in 2021 in D.C. Superior Court of carrying a pistol without a license following a car-to-car shootout in Northeast that left two men injured and one of them paralyzed. In that case, Williams was sentenced under the Youth Rehabilitation Act to one year of supervised probation.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Martin with assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Song and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Svetoslavov.
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