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Friday 27 June 2025
Clayton Man with Gun Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Darnell William King, age 42, was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release following his plea in May to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the indictment and information presented in court, King entered into separate conspiracies to commit Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud and to use stolen identities to obtain personal lines of credit from various private lenders in and around Wake County. King was also ordered to pay restitution to the Small Business Administration and the private lenders who were defrauded.
"This sentence sends a clear message: those who seek to exploit pandemic relief programs and steal individuals’ identities for personal gain will be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “Mr. King’s deliberate and repeated fraud undermined a program designed to help struggling businesses in Eastern North Carolina. Thanks to the diligence of our federal and state partners, justice has been served.”
“Criminals cause immeasurable hardship to innocent victims and businesses by lying and stealing their identities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Gaskins, Charlotte Field Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. “The defendant knowingly stole personally identifiable information and recruited others to aid in obtaining fraudulent loans using the stolen info. Our special agents will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney's Office, to find, investigate and prosecute those who choose to willfully defraud the American people.”
“Stealing critical resources aimed at protecting communities and citizens is inexcusable,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “Not only did this individual exploit assistance programs aimed at helping those in need, but he did so while illegally possessing a firearm. Prohibited individuals in possession of firearms are dangerous and should be considered serious threats to public safety.”
King and others recruited “mules” to obtain fraudulent personal loans. King created fake driver’s licenses and other identity documents using a true photo of the mule and stolen personally identifying information belonging to unknowing victims. The mules then used the fake identity documents and other forged business records to obtain personal loans based on applications for credit that King or others had previously submitted online. The mule would then deliver the loan proceeds to King or his co-conspirators and would receive kickbacks anywhere between $100 and $2,000.
“This extensive investigation, known as Operation Overload, uncovered a sophisticated criminal enterprise that fraudulently utilized thousands of North Carolina licenses, resulting in financial crimes that impacted individuals across multiple states,” said Captain Vaughn of the North Carolina DMV License & Theft Bureau. “Bureau commends its inspectors, intelligence analysts, and all partner agencies for their hard work and collaboration. Their efforts underscore the importance of interagency cooperation in combating complex fraud schemes and safeguarding the identities of North Carolina residents.”
“This investigation began following several complaints from Wake County residents regarding identity theft and fraud. Over the course of nearly a year, a thorough investigation led to multiple arrests, supported by the NCDMV License and Theft, Clayton Police Department, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the IRS Criminal Investigations. The investigators involved demonstrated exceptional diligence in pursuing the suspects and uncovering a vast network of crimes. Their efforts resulted in identifying hundreds of victims, not only in Wake County, but across North Carolina, and uncovering hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraud. I would like to commend the investigators for their tireless work and unwavering commitment to serving the residents of our county and state,” Sheriff Willie Rowe said.
In a second conspiracy, King and other conspirators applied for a PPP loan in King’s name with falsified bank and tax records claiming that King had been working as an Uber driver before the pandemic, resulting in the disbursement of over $15,000 in funds guaranteed by the Small Business Administration. Finally, during the execution of a search warrant in Clayton seeking evidence related to the identity theft conspiracy, law enforcement discovered King in possession of a firearm with a high-capacity drum magazine, even though King is a previously convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms. King’s co-defendants, Loretta Clarice James and Lakesha Bowles, were previously sentenced to 8 years imprisonment and 30 months imprisonment respectively, for their roles in the conspiracies.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II pronounced the sentence. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation led the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations; the Wake County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles License & Theft Bureau. The Clayton Police Department and other local agencies have also aided over the course of the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David G. Beraka and Ashley H. Foxx 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. 5-24-CR-00156.
Chicago-Area Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Tax OffensesRead the Press Release
An Illinois man who operated a tax return preparation business pleaded guilty yesterday to preparing and filing false individual income tax returns for clients and for himself.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Byron Taylor, of Homewood, owned and operated We Are Taxes, a tax preparation business in Dolton, Illinois. Taylor claimed his business had over 25 years of experience preparing tax returns and boasted that “Everyone Gets a Check!” For many years, Taylor prepared and filed with the IRS false individual income tax returns for clients. On those returns, Taylor included false deductions including medical and dental expenses, gifts to charity, state and local real estate taxes, and unreimbursed employee expenses. Taylor also included false business losses. The false information resulted in Taylor’s clients claiming refunds that they were otherwise not entitled to receive. For tax years 2015 through 2020, Taylor prepared and filed at least 54 false tax returns for clients.
In addition, Taylor filed or attempted to file false individual income tax returns for himself for tax years 2017 through 2021. On these returns, Taylor substantially underreported income received by We Are Taxes or failed to report the business entirely.
Finally, Taylor filed multiple false Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications for several businesses he claimed he owned and operated. The loan applications falsely claimed, for example, that these entities had earned certain amounts of gross income and that such income had been reported to the IRS. In fact, the businesses had not received that income, and Taylor had not filed tax returns reporting these businesses to the IRS. Four of the applications were approved. After he received the PPP loans, Taylor used portions of the funds on personal expenditures, including gambling expenses.
In total, Taylor caused a tax loss to the IRS of $914,745.
Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 4. He faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for the false return he prepared and filed on behalf of a client, and a maximum penalty of three years in prison for the false return he filed for himself. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Matthew J. Kluge and Trial Attorney Boris Bourget of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Chicago Man Convicted of Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
A Chicago man was convicted today of conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) by using social media to encourage attacks on ISIS’s enemies and recruit new ISIS members.
According to court documents, Ashraf Al Safoo, 41, was a leader of Khattab Media Foundation, a sophisticated online organization that swore allegiance to ISIS and created and disseminated threats and ISIS propaganda on social media and other online platforms. Al Safoo and other members of Khattab created and posted pro-ISIS videos, articles, essays, and infographics at the direction of, and in coordination with, ISIS. Much of Khattab’s propaganda promoted violent jihad on behalf of the terrorist group.
In one posting, Al Safoo encouraged Khattab members to post pro-ISIS information “to cause confusion and spread terror within the hearts of those who disbelieved.” In another posting, Al Safoo wrote, “Work hard, brothers, edit the issue into short clips, take the pictures out of it and publish the efforts of your brothers in the pages of the apostates. Participate in the war, and spread terror, the [Islamic] State does not want you to watch it only, rather, it incites you, and if you are unable to, use it to incite others.”
Many of Khattab’s postings included images of violence, celebrations of terrorist attacks and mass shootings in the United States, and encouragement for “lone wolf” attacks in western countries.
Al Safoo was arrested in Chicago in 2018. After a bench trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey found Al Safoo guilty of one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, one count of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate commerce, one count of conspiracy to intentionally access a protected computer without authorization, four counts of intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization, and four counts of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
The convictions carry a maximum penalty of 130 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 9. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois, and Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division made the announcement.
The FBI Chicago Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Wells, Barry Jonas, and Thomas P. Peabody for the Northern District of Illinois, and Trial Attorney Andrew J. Dixon of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Chicago Man Convicted of Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man was convicted in federal court today of conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) by using social media to encourage attacks on ISIS’s enemies and recruit new ISIS members.
ASHRAF AL SAFOO was a leader of Khattab Media Foundation, a sophisticated online organization that swore allegiance to ISIS and created and disseminated threats and ISIS propaganda on social media and other online platforms. Al Safoo and other members of Khattab created and posted pro-ISIS videos, articles, essays, and infographics at the direction of, and in coordination with, ISIS. Much of Khattab’s propaganda promoted violent jihad on behalf of ISIS, which has been designated by the United States government as a foreign terrorist organization. In one posting, Al Safoo encouraged Khattab members to post pro-ISIS information “to cause confusion and spread terror within the hearts of those who disbelieved.” In another posting, Al Safoo wrote, “Work hard, brothers, edit the issue into short clips, take the pictures out of it and publish the efforts of your brothers in the pages of the apostates. Participate in the war, and spread terror, the [Islamic] State does not want you to watch it only, rather, it incites you, and if you are unable to, use it to incite others.”
Many of Khattab’s postings included images of violence, celebrations of terrorist attacks and mass shootings in the United States, and encouragement for “lone wolf” attacks in western countries.
Al Safoo, 41, was arrested in Chicago in 2018. After a bench trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago in 2025, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey today announced his verdicts, finding Al Safoo guilty of one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, one count of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate commerce, one count of conspiracy to intentionally access a protected computer without authorization, four counts of intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization, and four counts of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
The convictions carry a maximum sentence of 130 years in federal prison. Judge Blakey set sentencing for Oct. 9, 2025.
The convictions were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the Department of Justice, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Wells, Barry Jonas, and Thomas P. Peabody of the Northern District of Illinois, and Trial Attorney Andrew J. Dixon of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
“Today’s conviction demonstrates that the safety and security of the American public is always a top priority for me and my entire Office,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The prosecution of Ashraf Al Safoo is a testament to the vigilance and dedication of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners who stand watch to disrupt and prevent dangerous threats before they materialize. We will vigorously pursue and bring to justice those who provide material support–in whatever form–to terrorist organizations.”
“The conviction of Al Safoo affirms the FBI’s strong commitment to protecting and defending the United States from anyone who seeks to harm our citizens,” said FBI Chicago SAC DePodesta. “Those who willingly associate with terrorist organizations or support violent extremism will be investigated, disrupted, and held accountable. It is thanks to the FBI Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force and its partner agencies that our community is safe from those who pose a fundamental threat to our nation.”
Career Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – An Albany resident with a lengthy criminal history, including robbery by force, distribution of controlled substances and making terroristic threats, was sentenced as a federal career offender to serve ten years in prison for trafficking drugs in Southwest Georgia.
Roderick Terrell Ferrell, 37, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by six years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on June 25 after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine on Oct. 30, 2024. Due to his criminal history, Ferrell was sentenced as a career offender. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Defendants with long criminal records who consistently ignore the law will find their cases in federal court,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Law enforcement in every community and at every level are collaborating with us to hold repeat offenders accountable for their crimes, with the goal of making our communities safer.”
“Our communities remain under attack by career criminals with no regard for the destruction they cause,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This investigation demonstrates the DEA’s commitment to protecting our community.”
“The FBI is proud to work with our local law enforcement partners in helping to convict these repeat offenders at the federal level, where they face stiffer penalties and no opportunity for parole,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown.
“Eliminating drug trafficking in our communities requires a united front,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The successful convictions of these repeat offenders are a demonstration of the effectiveness of our collaboration across federal, state and local agencies to hold individuals accountable and ensure safer neighborhoods.”
“Career offenders who continue to commit serious crimes in our community, especially those with a history of violence, will face federal prison sentences without parole,” said Lee County Sheriff Reggie Rachals. “I am thankful for our partnerships with federal and state agencies as we work together to hold dangerous individuals accountable.”
According to court documents and statements made public in court, federal, state and local law enforcement received information from various confidential sources that Ferrell was distributing cocaine and was supplied by a metro-Atlanta unnamed co-conspirator. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at another dealer’s residence, seized cocaine, and discovered that Ferrell had sold at least 18 ounces of powder cocaine. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office then conducted a controlled buy from Ferrell on Nov. 8, 2021, where Ferrell sold two ounces of powder cocaine for $2,150. In addition, Ferrell reported that he had been pulled over by local law enforcement on Oct. 13, 2022, and was in possession at the time of $30,000 from a recent drug transaction. On Nov. 30, 2023, a patrol officer pulled Ferrell over and found ten pounds of marijuana in ten plastic vacuum-sealed bags in the rear cargo area. Ferrell said he was transporting the drugs to Camilla, Georgia.
The DEA conducted a concealment money laundering investigation and discovered he had laundered approximately $383,057 in drug proceeds between his bank account, CashApp, a local business and a co-conspirator’s accounts from 2021 to 2023, despite having no employment or declaring any income on his taxes. The investigation revealed that Ferrell and his girlfriend used drug proceeds to purchase a 2021 Mercedes Benz GLE; luxury goods from Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Saks, Gucci and Balenciaga; took luxury vacations; rented a home near Atlanta; and invested in a local business that was never operational.
At sentencing, Ferrell was held accountable for distributing approximately 6.5 kilograms of cocaine and 47 kilograms of marijuana. Ferrell also has several prior felony convictions including robbery by force, terroristic threats and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in Dougherty County, Georgia, Superior Court.
The Ferrell case was investigated by the DEA, the FBI, the GBI and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.
Brazilian National Sentenced for Unlawful Reentry and Selling Green Cards and Counterfeit Social Security CardsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Woburn, Mass. was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation as well as selling fraudulent Social Security cards and Legal Permanent Resident cards, often referred to as “Green Cards.”
Liene Tavares DeBarros, Jr., 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to five months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In May 2025, Tavares DeBarros pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful transfer of a document or authentication feature and one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Tavares DeBarros was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in March 2025.Tavares DeBarros was previously deported from the United States in July 2010. Sometime after his removal, Tavares DeBarros unlawfully reentered the United States.
In mid-2024, law enforcement was notified that Tavares DeBarros was selling counterfeit identity documents. As part of the investigation, law enforcement contacted the defendant in an undercover capacity requesting his services. Subsequently, in October 2024, Tavares DeBarros sold a counterfeit Social Security Number Card and a Green Card to an undercover officer in exchange for $250. Later, in December 2024, Tavares DeBarros sold two more counterfeit Social Security cards and two Green Cards to another undercover officer in exchange for $500. In addition, before his arrest, DeBarros agreed to sell an additional three sets of identification documents. During a search of his home, three Social Security cards, as well as a false set of documents for DeBarros himself, were located.United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Labor Racketeering and Fraud, Northeast Region; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.
Box Elder Man, Previously Sentenced in State Court, Given an Additional 7 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Box Elder, South Dakota, man convicted of Distribution of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on June 23, 2025.
Branden Tyler Bernard, 34, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $12,500 in restitution, as well as a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Bernard will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
“This is yet another case in which a bad actor utilized Snapchat to target and sexually exploit a vulnerable young victim here in South Dakota,” said Alison J. Ramsdell. “When the initial state investigation uncovered hundreds of images and videos depicting additional child sex abuse material, local, state, and federal law enforcement partners collaborated to bring additional federal charges against this defendant. Branden Bernard will now be serving a combined 17-year sentence for his despicable acts.”
Bernard was indicted for Distribution of Child Pornography, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography by a federal grand jury in November 2023. He pleaded guilty on March 21, 2025.
The federal case originated during the investigation of Bernard’s sexual victimization of a 13-year-old child in Meade County, South Dakota. Bernard had been soliciting the child for sex using Snapchat. When the child’s mother reported the child missing in 2023, law enforcement located the child on Bernard’s bed, in his home. Bernard was arrested for sexual offenses against that child. During the investigation, a forensic examiner with the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce examined multiple electronic devices belonging to Bernard. On Bernard’s devices, investigators located hundreds of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse and more than 2,000 messages Bernard sent to other persons discussing the trade and distribution of child sexual abuse depictions. The victims of Bernard’s criminal conduct ranged in age from infants to preteen minors. At least 25 victims were affirmatively identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Bernard pleaded guilty to Fourth Degree Rape of the 13-year-old child in Meade County Circuit Court. He was sentenced on November 17, 2023, to 14 years in state prison, with four years suspended. Bernard’s federal sentence was ordered to run consecutively to his sentence in state court.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Bernard was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Big Island Resident Arrested and Charged with Possessing Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Firearms, and ExplosivesRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced today that Shannan Hostetler, 54, of Pahoa, Hawaii, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute and manufacture methamphetamine, possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, unlawful possessions of firearms, and unlawful possession of explosives. An initial appearance in federal court is scheduled for June 30, 2025.
Earlier this year, the Hawaii Police Department received a community tip indicating that a known narcotics trafficker was frequently visiting Hostetler’s property under a suspected arrangement to stash firearms, money, and narcotics. On June 24, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant on Hostetler’s Pahoa properties. The search resulted in the seizure of, among other things, a Glock 43 handgun, shotguns, a bolt-action rifle, cocaine, and both oil and crystalized methamphetamine, as well as materials suggesting a methamphetamine-conversion lab was being operated on the premises. During the search, bomb-squad personnel from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Maui Police Department, and the Kauai Police Department assisted case investigators by clearing and seizing suspected explosive devices from the premises.
If convicted of the charged offenses, Hostetler faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and fines of up to $10 million. The charges in the criminal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
Less than 24 hours after the law enforcement concluded its search of Hostetler’s properties, an interested third party—having learned of the search— contacted investigators and turned over twenty more firearms, including at least five AR-15 style assault rifles, a 45 ACP carbine, a 12-gauge shotgun, and a 6.5 Grendel tactical rifle outfitted with a scope and bipod. Some of the firearms were loaded with extended magazines.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Hawaii Police Department, with assistance from the Maui and Kauai Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Slack.
Bahamian National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Kenthen Lavardo Swain (39, The Bahamas) with illegal reentry by an aggravated felon. If convicted on all counts, Swain faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on or about May 16, 2025, Swain was found to be voluntarily in the United States after having previously been removed from the United States on three occasions. Swain had not received consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. Prior to being found, Swain had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including possession of controlled substances with intent to sell or deliver.
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 the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
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).
Bagdad Man Sentenced for Aiming a Laser Pointer at Air Force Fighter JetsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Glenwood Arthur Bringle, 56, of Bagdad, Arizona, was sentenced on June 25, 2025, by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to nine days in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for aiming a laser pointer at United States Air Force planes. Bringle previously pleaded guilty to the felony crime of Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft or the Flight Path of an Aircraft.
On October 5, 2021, Bringle aimed a laser pointer at two United States Air Force F-16 fighter jets while the pilots were conducting training exercises in the desert area near Bringle’s home. The laser strikes caused the F-16 cockpits to be illuminated, interfering with the pilots’ ability to see and affecting their ability to fly the F-16s and complete their training exercise.
Bringle entered a plea of guilty on February 26, 2025. As part of the plea agreement and sentence, Bringle abandoned ownership and possession of several firearms and lasers seized during the execution of a search warrant at his home on November 8, 2021.
The FBI’s Phoenix Field Office, the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-08120-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-104_Bringle# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Award-Winning Journalist Arrested and Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Thomas Pham LeGro, 48, made his first appearance today in U.S. District Court for allegedly possessing child pornography. LeGro, a journalist at the Washington Post and resident of the District of Columbia, was arrested yesterday and taken into custody following a search of his home.
The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Pirro thanks FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department for their ongoing efforts in this investigation.
On June 26, 2025, FBI agents executed a search warrant at LeGro’s residence and seized several electronic devices. A review of LeGro’s work laptop revealed a folder that contained 11 videos depicting child sexual abuse material.
During the execution of the search warrant agents observed what appeared to be fractured pieces of a hard drive in the hallway outside the room where LeGro’s work laptop was found.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Burrell and Janani Iyengar for the District of Columbia.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Charges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Amherst man pleads guilty to selling cocaine and fentanyl that resulted in serious bodily injury to two individualsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Lloyd Smith, 25, of Amherst, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to distribution of cocaine and fentanyl, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Duncan, who is handling the case, stated on May 27 and 28, 2023, Smith communicated by Snapchat and text message with an individual identified as K.W about purchasing narcotics. On May 28, 2023, Smith met K.W., and another individual identified as J.D., to sell them narcotics. After using the narcotics, J.D. lost consciousness. Smith carried J.D. out of his vehicle to J.D.’s vehicle, where he left J.D. K.W. also lost consciousness at the time. After receiving a 911 call from a good Samaritan, Amherst Police responded to the scene of the overdose, finding K.W. and J.D. unconscious and unresponsive in a vehicle. Both individuals survived. Amherst Police found two baggies in K.W.’s pocket, which both tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl. The baggies were purchased from Smith.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Amherst Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Chamberlin and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 3, 2025, before Judge Vilardo.
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38 Gang Members and Associates Charged in Federal Complaint as a Result of “Operation Shock Collar”Read the Press Release
On June 26, 2025, upwards of 550 federal, state, and local law enforcement personnel executed 54 search warrants in the Fresno County city of Huron, and surrounding communities. Throughout the investigation, law enforcement seized firearms, ammunition, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. Eighty‑nine criminal street gang members and associates were arrested and charged with crimes in federal and state court.
The complaint, unsealed today, charges 38 members and associates of the Huron Dog Life, Coalinga Dog Life, and San Joaquin Ruthless Perro cliques of the Bulldog street gang with various drug and firearms trafficking offenses.
Announcing the results of Operation Shock Collar today are Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, FBI Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel, Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni, Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, and California Highway Patrol Captain (MAGEC Commander) Jon Staricka.
“Today’s announcement reflects our Office’s commitment to using every available resource in close coordination with our law enforcement partners to address the root causes of crime and hold gang members and their associates accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “Criminal street gangs inflict real harm on our communities by trafficking deadly drugs and firearms that destroy lives and neighborhoods. I commend the outstanding work of our agents and law enforcement partners in disrupting these criminal networks and safeguarding our communities.”
“The charges reflect the brazen violence and drug trafficking that have threatened the safety and stability of the greater Fresno area, particularly in rural communities like Huron and Coalinga,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Yesterday’s operation was the culmination of months of collaborative work to disrupt gang-driven violence and the flow of drugs and firearms into Central Valley neighborhoods. This case highlights the power of strong partnerships at every level of law enforcement, all united in the mission to dismantle violent gangs and protect the communities we serve.”
Fresno County Sheriff Zanoni said, “The collective work done by all law enforcement agencies in this operation will undoubtedly improve the safety and overall quality of life for residents in Fresno County, particularly those living in our smaller rural communities.”
“This operation is a powerful example of what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies at every level work together with a shared mission: to protect our communities from violent criminal street gangs,” said Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp. “We are determined to send a clear and unwavering message to even the most rural parts of our county—no matter where you are, gang violence and drug trafficking will not be tolerated. I commend the extraordinary efforts of all the agencies involved in this operation.”
According to the criminal complaint, in February 2024, investigators began an investigation into the Bulldog criminal street gang operating in Fresno County with a specific focus on the ongoing criminal activities of Bulldog cliques in Huron, Coalinga, and San Joaquin. The complaint alleges an extensive criminal conspiracy in which Bulldog members and associates — some of whom were inmates in California prisons and the Fresno County Jail — orchestrated various crimes, including drug and firearms trafficking. On several occasions, members of the drug trafficking conspiracy attempted to smuggle drugs hidden inside their bodies into jails or through holes they punctured in the walls. They used contraband phones to coordinate these smuggling attempts with other gang members and associates.
Narcotics packaged for smuggling within bodily cavities
Narcotics packaged for smuggling through holes in jail walls
Photo depicting hole in jail walls
Photo depicting hole in jail wall
This case is the product of an investigation led by the FBI, the Fresno County Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the California Department of Justice Special Operations Unit, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Police Departments of Fresno, Kingsburg, Coalinga, Kerman, Firebaugh, Lemoore, Parlier, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Kings County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert L. Veneman-Hughes, Luke Baty, and Antonio Pataca are prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi‑agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to combat 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 OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This operation is part of Summer Heat, the FBI’s nationwide initiative targeting violent crime during the summer months. As part of this effort, the FBI has launched a multi-pronged offensive to crush violent crime. By surging resources alongside state and local partners, executing federal warrants on violent criminals and fugitives, and dismantling violent gangs nationwide, we are aggressively restoring safety in our communities across the country.
The defendants charged in the criminal complaint unsealed today are:
Ignacio Sanchez, aka “Giddy,” 44, of Salinas Valley State Prison, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Ray Pinon, aka “Lil Ray,” 46, of Huron, is charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Benny Gonzales, aka “Huero,” 51, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Ramona Felisciano, 45, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Jennifer Escobedo, 42, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Armando Alfaro, aka “Whisper,” 49, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Luis Amaro Aguilar, 31, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Carly Balboa, 24, of Hanford, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Timothy Chenot, aka “Lil Whisper,” 34, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Barbara Diaz, 55, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Susanna Garcia, 38, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Axel Guevara, aka “Action,” 18, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Carlos Guillen, aka “C-Dog,” 23, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to traffic in firearms.
Gilberto Hernandez, 27, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Anthony Jeff, aka “Envy,” 46, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Victoria Lima, 44, of Clovis, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Angel Solorio Lopez, aka “Ronzo,” 18, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Ricardo Lopez, aka “R-Dog,” 27, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Damien Murphy, 30, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Bridgett Murphy, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Ricardo Nunez, 22, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Laura Plascencia, aka “LP,” 46, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Gracie Pulido, 38, of Lemoore, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Daniel Loubet Romero, aka “Topo,” 44, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Debbie Sanchez, 60, of Hanford, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Naul Sandoval, 23, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Angel Soto Rios, 42, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Rodrigo Ruvalcaba, aka “Regal,” 40, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Victor Tamayo, 47, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Louis Bonilla, 41, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Crystal Martinez, 38, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Hemir Alonso Fevela Velazquez, 32, of Huron, is charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Herman Vierra Jr., 41, of Fresno, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Servando Ayala, 30, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license.
Jose Licea, aka “T-Bird,” 35, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license.
Alexander Vasquez, aka “A-Dog,” 21, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and conspiracy to traffic in firearms.
Brian Fornes, 22, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and conspiracy to traffic in firearms.
Jesus Quesada, aka “Rojo,” 50, of Hanford, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
If convicted, the defendants face a range of sentences from 10 years to life in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Thursday 26 June 2025
Woman Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material Using InfantRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio today to 30 years in prison for production of child pornography.
According to court documents, Ashley Nicole Smith, 41, sexually assaulted a minor child on multiple occasions, from the time he was just days old in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) until he was 18 months old, beginning in November 2019 and continuing through March 2021. Smith produced videos of the sexual assaults on the child victim and distributed the files via text messages to her boyfriend.
Smith was arrested on March 4, 2021, and charged in a 10-count indictment on March 17, 2021. She pleaded guilty on Aug. 28, 2024. In addition to the 30-year imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia ordered Smith to serve 30 years of supervised release and ordered that Smith never have contact with the victim. Smith was also ordered to pay $50,000 to the AVAA fund for victims of child exploitation trafficking offenses and to forfeit the devices used to produce the child exploitation material.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI and San Antonio Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Witness Charged for Lying Under Oath at TrialRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton; the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Michael Alfonso; and the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging ASHANTI WASHINGTON, a/k/a “Shani Boni,” with perjury at a federal criminal trial and obstruction of justice. These charges relate to WASHINGTON’s repeated false testimony at the March 2025 trial of United States v. Kevin Perez, in which Perez was on trial for racketeering and violent crimes. WASHINGTON was arrested on the evening of June 24, 2025, and presented yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara C. Moses. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels.
“As alleged, Ashanti Washington swore an oath to tell the truth in federal court and repeatedly lied and attempted to obstruct a New York federal criminal trial,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Truth under oath is central to our system of justice. Those who break this duty will face consequences.”
“As alleged, Washington’s false testimony under oath obstructed justice and undermined the integrity of our legal system,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso. “Her deception led to her arrest, and she now faces federal charges.”
“As alleged, Ashanti Washington knowingly lied under oath to protect a violent gang member during a federal trial,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “This wasn’t just simple dishonesty—this was a calculated attack on the integrity of our judicial system. I thank the NYPD investigators, HSI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work to hold accountable anyone who tries to obstruct justice.”
As alleged in the Indictment and public court filings:[1]
On March 10, 2025, trial in the matter of United States v. Kevin Perez, 23 Cr. 99 (LJL), commenced in which Perez was tried on charges of racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and possession, use, brandish, and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to the attempted murder in aid of racketeering. On March 20, 2025, the jury returned guilty verdicts as to racketeering conspiracy, attempted murder, and the firearm discharge count, and returned a not guilty verdict with respect to the murder. Perez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, with sentencing currently scheduled for July 16, 2025.
On March 17 and 18, 2025, Washington testified at Perez’s trial as a witness during the defense case and repeatedly lied while under oath. Washington’s false testimony concerned:
- Her denying knowing about or touching the gun Perez used in the charged murder,
- Her denying knowledge of a particular gang hand sign and a gang member’s membership in that gang,
- And her claim that the victim in the charged murder had verbally threatened her and Perez before Perez shot and killed the victim.
As alleged in the Indictment, these statements were false. Indeed, while WASHINGTON testified that she did not know about or touch the gun that Perez used in the charged murder, subsequent investigation revealed that WASHINGTON’s DNA was found on multiple parts of that gun.
* * *
WASHINGTON, 23, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with three counts of perjury at a federal criminal trial, each of which carries a maximum term of five years in prison, and one count of obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the work of the Special Agents from the HSI Violent Gangs Task Force of the NYPD. He added that the investigation is ongoing.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Herman, Patrick Moroney, and Ni Qian are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._washington_indictment.pdf[1] As the introductory phase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
West Haven Man Charged with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that CARLOS INESTI, 29, of West Haven, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with child exploitation offenses.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in April 2025, the FBI arrested an individual in Utah for possession of child pornography. Analysis of a cell phone seized during the investigation revealed videos involving an adult male, subsequently determined to be Inesti, engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a toddler-aged girl. The investigation revealed that Inesti had recorded the videos and shared them through the Telegram application.
Inesti appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven and was released on a $100,000 bond into home detention with location monitoring. He is prohibited from accessing the internet and having any contact with minors.
The complaint charges Inesti with sexual exploitation of children, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 year, and with distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s New Haven and Salt Lake City Field Offices, with the assistance of the West Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Wakpala Woman Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Killing Her Mother within the Standing Rock ReservationRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Wakpala, South Dakota, woman convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on June 23, 2025.
Malania Rose Fast Horse, age 25, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Fast Horse was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2025. She pleaded guilty on March 6, 2025.
Fast Horse quarreled with her mother in their Wakpala, South Dakota, home, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation, on Christmas Eve 2024. Fast Horse lost her temper and stabbed her mother several times in the chest, arm, and hand. Fast Horse ambled to her grandmother’s home next door and told her grandmother and brother she had stabbed her mother. She then grabbed some cigarettes and left. Fast Horse’s brother ran next door, finding his mother lying in a pool of blood on the floor, alive but incoherent. Although EMS was promptly dispatched, Fast Horse’s mother later succumbed to her injuries.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Fast Horse was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Wanted Fugitive Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Jesse Jay Perez, 29, of Naples, Florida, pled guilty in federal court to possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the dedication of Gainesville Police Officers, this wanted fugitive is back where he belongs, behind bars. My office is committed to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who unlawfully possess weapons or ammunition and pose a risk to the safety and security of our fellow citizens.”
Court documents reflect that on January 1, 2025, Officers of the Gainesville Police Department encountered Perez during a traffic stop and determined there was a felony fugitive warrant for his arrest from the State of California. At the time of the stop, Perez was carrying a backpack that contained a machete, a pellet rifle, a flare gun, 13 magazines, 380 rounds of various ammunition, and all the component parts necessary to build a “ghost gun” assault rifle. Perez is prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition as a result of a prior felony conviction.
Perez faces up to fifteen years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Gainesville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 30, 2025, at 2:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida before Chief United States District Judge Allen Winsor.
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.
Utah Man Indicted after Allegedly Shooting a Stolen Semi-Automatic Pistol at Two Victims in Salt Lake CityRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned and indictment charging a restricted person with multiple firearm crimes after he allegedly possessed a stolen semi-automatic pistol and shot at two victims in Salt Lake City.
Hiram Bokadrik, 29, of Salt Lake County, Utah, was charged by complaint on June 11, 2025.
According to court documents, on June 7, 2025 at approximately 4:18 p.m., officers with the Salt Lake City Police Department responded to a call of “shots fired” at a residence in Salt Lake City. Upon arrival, officers met with two individuals who reported a male suspect, later identified as Bokadrik, had fired a single round at them when confronted about trespassing on their property. During this time, officers recovered an expended 9mm casing from the scene. Additional officers quickly located Bokadrik, who fled from the officers on foot, but was subsequently located in a construction area hiding underneath a tarp. On construction materials, officers also recovered a loaded Glock 43X and a hat described to be worn by Bokadrik at the time of the crime.
Additionally, the investigation revealed the firearm, which was manufactured outside the state of Utah, was stolen during a vehicle burglary at a nearby residence at approximately 12:00 a.m. on the same day. Bokadrik is prohibited from possessing, purchasing, transferring, or owning firearms or ammunition under both state and federal law.
Bokadrik is charged with being a restricted person in possession of a stolen firearm and ammunition, and possession of a stolen firearm. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for June 26, 2025, at 2:15 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by an FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department, Robbery and Violent Crimes Unit. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Assistant United States Attorney Victoria K. McFarland of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Announces Criminal Charges Against the Philadelphia School District Alleging Violations of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response ActRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania filed criminal charges today against the School District of Philadelphia alleging violations of legal requirements to timely inspect, remediate, and report damaged asbestos in multiple city schools.
The United States and the School District of Philadelphia have entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) in this case, which has been filed with the court today and remains subject to judicial review and approval.
This is the first time in the nation that a school district has been criminally charged with this type of environmental violation, and the first time that criminal violations under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) have been brought against a public entity. It is also the first use of a DPA in a case against a public school district in an AHERA case.
These charges are the result of a five-year investigation conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID).
Legal Obligations Regarding Asbestos
Federal law requires school districts to safeguard their schools from airborne toxins, like asbestos, and timely inspect, remediate, and report any damaged asbestos. More specifically, the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) requires that, every three years, school districts conduct formal inspections of all buildings containing asbestos and remediate any damaged asbestos.
In addition, every six months, all such buildings must undergo surveillance inspections, to ensure that areas containing asbestos remain safe. School districts are also responsible for promptly responding to and addressing internal reports and complaints of damaged asbestos and filing timely reports of these activities.
Asbestos
Asbestos was used in many building materials until the 1970s. Because it is an effective fire retardant and resisted overheating, it was a popular building material for many years.
When left intact and undisturbed, asbestos is safe. However, any damage or disturbance of asbestos can break and emit particles into the air that pose tremendous health hazards. Small shards of asbestos can become lodged in lung tissue, and can cause asbestosis, a chronic lung disease, and mesothelioma, an aggressive form of cancer.
The School District of Philadelphia has approximately 339 buildings, most of them quite old, almost 300 of which are known to contain asbestos.
The Charges and Facts
The information filed today sets forth eight criminal charges, arising from offenses allegedly committed between June 2018 and April 2023.
Counts One through Seven charge the school district with failing to conduct timely three-year inspections in seven specific schools: William Meredith Elementary; Building 21 Alternative High School; Southwark Elementary; S. Weir Mitchell Elementary; Charles W. Henry Elementary; Universal Vare Charter School; and Frankford High School.
Count Eight charges the school district’s failure to conduct timely six-month inspections at Building 21 Alternative High School.
By entering into the DPA, the school district has agreed to waive indictment by a grand jury.
The Deferred Prosecution Agreement
The pending DPA contains an agreed statement of facts, which sets forth in greater detail the findings of the investigation, including 61 specific facts detailing the asbestos problems in the schools, and the school district’s failures to address those problems.
The statement of facts demonstrates a longstanding and widespread problem of asbestos contamination in Philadelphia schools that endangered students and teachers, and, in some cases, foreclosed any education at all by requiring the closure of the school. The DPA lists 31 school buildings that had asbestos problems from April 2015 to November 2023. Some schools had multiple areas of damaged asbestos, which posed continuing and repeated problems and sometimes went unattended or were improperly addressed. In the worst instances, schools had to be shuttered. The investigation also uncovered some instances in which damaged asbestos was improperly addressed, including the use of duct tape to cover it up.
As filed, the terms of the DPA provide that the school district’s actions will be monitored by the federal court to ensure compliance with the law.
If the school district maintains compliance, the United States Attorney’s Office and DOJ can drop the criminal charges after a period of time. If the school district fails to do so, it faces criminal sanctions. The term of the DPA and its mandated monitoring is approximately five years.
“This deferred prosecution agreement, if approved, affords the government the highest available level of prosecutorial and judicial oversight over the School District of Philadelphia and its efforts to comply with its legal obligations to provide safe schools,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Most importantly, the DPA provides the best possible platform for students, teachers, staff, and others who may spend time in our schools to breathe clean air free of asbestos.”
“EPA is committed to pursuing the prosecution of knowing violations of our nation’s environmental laws, especially where such lawbreaking could result in harm to students and teachers on school grounds,” said Special Agent in Charge Allison Landsman of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division. “This resolution requires additional accountability on the School District of Philadelphia to ensure protections are in place to prevent future asbestos exposure.”
This case was investigated by the EPA-CID, Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Troyer, and Department of Justice trial attorney Ronald Sarachan. AUSA Troyer is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts 2nd Annual Summer Law CampRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS – Earlier this week, 36 high school students from across the state participated in an immersive Summer Law Camp hosted by the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of South Dakota. Over the course of three days, students learned about the federal justice system from the perspective of criminal and civil attorneys who practice in federal court, paralegals, victim witness advocates, forensic examiners, members of the federal judiciary, and federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
“The USAO’s Summer Law Camp introduces high school students to various career paths associated with the criminal justice system and the practice of law,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “It is our hope that by offering a window into the work we do each and every day to uphold the rule of law and keep our communities safe, we can inspire the next generation of leaders to consider careers as attorneys, law enforcement officers, and vital legal support professionals.”
Students traveled from across South Dakota to participate in the USAO’s Summer Law Camp. Cities and towns represented at the Camp included Sturgis, Pine Ridge, Wounded Knee, White River, Kennebec, Chamberlain, Pierre, Ft. Pierre, Timber Lake, Ipswich, Wetonka, Aberdeen, Sisseton, Castlewood, Watertown, Clear Lake, Brandt, Madison, Dell Rapids, Montrose, Armour, Tyndall, Vermillion, Dakota Dunes, Beresford, Tea, Brandon, and Sioux Falls.
In addition to meeting with members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, students heard from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, the Sioux Falls Police Department, and the Federal Public Defender’s Office. On the final day of Camp, students conducted a mock trial before U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
This was the second Summer Law Camp organized by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota. Information about future programming will be distributed to South Dakota school districts in Spring 2026. For more information, please reach out to [email protected].
Two Convicted for their Roles in Multi-Million Dollar Transnational Telephone ScamRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Pradip Parikh, 67, of Valley Stream, New York, and Alpesh Patel, 40, of Louisa, Virginia, have been convicted for their roles in a scam that defrauded unsuspecting Americans out of millions of dollars after a five-day jury trial.
“This case involved a scheme to defraud multiple victims – many of whom were elderly – and to callously rob them of their hard-earned savings,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “The defendants and their conspirators within and outside the United States enriched themselves through government-imposter scams designed to exploit the public’s inherent trust in federal institutions. The jury has spoken, and Parikh and Patel will now be held accountable for their crimes.”
“These defendants deliberately preyed on some of our most vulnerable citizens—particularly the elderly—by impersonating Social Security officials and exploiting their trust,” said Michelle L. Anderson, Assistant Inspector General for Audit performing the duties of the Social Security Administration (SSA), Inspector General. “This telephone imposter scheme defrauded millions of Americans and caused real harm to individuals who believed they were protecting their benefits. Today’s convictions send a clear message: we will relentlessly pursue those who weaponize fear and deceit to commit fraud, and we thank our law enforcement partners for helping bring these perpetrators to justice.”
“These defendants targeted mostly older adults to cheat them out of their savings,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “This sentencing should make it known to individuals that protecting our most vulnerable community members is critically important, and we will hold accountable those who engage in these sorts of egregious fraud schemes.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2022, Pradip Parikh, Alpesh Patel, and eight others were indicted for running, promoting, and profiting from an India-based call center scam targeting Americans. The fraudsters typically identified themselves as Social Security Administration employees, telling the victims that their Social Security Numbers had been compromised in connection with criminal activity and promising to help “protect” their assets. Upon luring the victims to agree to this offer, the fraudsters directed the victims to send money to bank accounts controlled by Parikh, Patel, and other conspirators.
During the defendants’ trial, a 70-year-old victim from New Jersey testified that one of the conspirators told her that she would be arrested and lose all her assets if she did not transfer funds to accounts that the caller designated. In response, the victim transferred more than $600,000 of her lifesavings to multiple banks accounts, including $150,000 to an account called “JDM Management” that Parikh controlled.
A recently widowed mother of eight testified that she transferred over $300,000 to JDM Management’s account as part of the scheme. Parikh then laundered the funds, retaining thousands for himself and transferring the balance to a conspirator.
Other victims testified that they wired money to an account called “Seven Points Agency” that Patel controlled. Evidence admitted during trial revealed that the Seven Points Agency account was opened just before scam victims began wiring money into it. More than $100,000 was deposited into the account in the span of two days, and Patel immediately diverted those funds to a conspirator after keeping approximately $10,000 for himself.
Pradip Parikh and Alpesh Patel were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and two substantive counts of money laundering. The jury convicted Patel of all the counts. Parikh was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering and two substantive counts of money laundering.
The conspiracy to commit wire fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment, and the money laundering counts each carry a maximum penalty of ten years of incarceration. In determining the actual sentence, the court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.
Sentencing hearings for the defendants will be scheduled at a future date before United States District Judge William M. Ray II.
This case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Angela Adams and Special Assistant United States Attorney Diane C. Schulman are prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is part of the Department of Justice Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Force focuses on investigating and prosecuting defendants associated with foreign-based fraud schemes that disproportionately affect American seniors. These include romance scams, phone scams, mass-mailing fraud schemes, and tech-support fraud schemes. For further information on these scams, see https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/senior-scam-alert.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Twelve Defendants Sentenced for Drug and Firearm Offenses Related to Springfield, Vermont Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that twelves defendants have been sentenced in connection with drug and firearm charges related to a conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and fentanyl between March and November 2022 in Springfield, Vermont. The last sentencing occurred June 16, 2025. All twelve defendants previously pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and fentanyl, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, the drug conspiracy involved distribution of controlled substances on Valley Street in Springfield, Vermont and elsewhere. The conspirators armed themselves with firearms in furtherance of the conspiracy. At certain times, firearms were discharged in Springfield in connection with the drug trafficking activity. Several of the conspirators were arrested on November 30, 2022 following the execution of federal search warrants on several addresses on Valley Street.
Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss imposed the following sentences, each followed by a three-year term of federal supervised release:
Anibal Castro, Sr. – 108 months
Jonathan Castro – 98 months
Alex Barnes – 47 months
James Hines – 38 months
Jessica Auclair – 8 months
Jennifer Armstrong – Time ServedUnited States District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford imposed the following sentences, each followed by a three-year term of federal supervised release:
Anibal Castro, Jr. – 72 months
Martine Protas – Time ServedUnited States District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. imposed the following sentence, followed by a three-year term of federal supervised release:
Kerri Yaqoob – 75 months
United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier imposed the following sentence, followed by a three-year term of federal supervised release:
Todd Amell – Time Served
United States District Judge William K. Sessions, III imposed the following sentences:
Michael Cotter – Time Served to be followed by 2 years of supervised release
Derek Arie – Time Served to be followed by 1 year of supervised releaseActing U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory and collaborative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vermont State Police, the Vermont Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Massachusetts State Police, the Springfield Police Department, and the Windsor County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Stendig. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew Gilman and Joe Perella offered valuable assistance.
Anibal Castro, Sr. is represented by Natasha Sen, Esq.; Jonathan Castro is represented by Robert Behrens, Esq.; Anibal Castro, Jr. is represented by Karen Shingler, Esq.; Derek Arie is represented by Kevin Henry, Esq.; Martine Protas is represented by Michael Shklar, Esq.; Michael Cotter is represented by Mark Oettinger, Esq.; Jessica Auclair is represented by Peter Langrock, Esq.; Kerri Yaqoob is represented by Richard Bothfeld, Esq.; Alex Barnes is represented by John-Claude Charbonneau, Esq.; James Hines is represented by Stephanie Greenlees, Esq.; Todd Amell is represented by Chandler Matson, Esq.; Jennifer Armstrong is represented by Jason Sawyer, Esq.
Topeka man indicted for alleged assault on Tribal landRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with committing an assault on Tribal land.
According to court documents, Wesley Reel Bennett, 23, of Topeka was indicted on one count of assaults within maritime and territorial jurisdiction.
In June 2025, Bennett is accused of assaulting and seriously injuring a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation within the confines of its Tribal territory.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribal Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hunting is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Hector Alvarado, 55, of Topeka was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hunting is prosecuting the case.
Kenneth Norman Baker, 41, of Baxter Springs was indicted on one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Three Defendants Charged with Assaulting Federal Law Enforcement Officers, Other Offenses During Protests Near Local ICE OfficeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Three defendants made their first appearances in federal court today after committing various offenses—including assaulting federal officers and creating a hazard on federal property—during ongoing protest gatherings near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland.
Julie Winters, 46, of Portland, has been charged by criminal complaint with the felony of attempted assault of a federal officer.
Aziel Chambers, 20, of Merlin, Oregon, has been charged by information with the misdemeanor offenses of assault on a federal officer, creating a hazard on federal property, and failing to obey a lawful order.
Rachel Jean Pope, 28, of Portland, has been charged by information with the misdemeanor offense of assault on a federal officer.
According to court documents and information shared in court, on June 24, 2025, several individuals gathered near an ICE office in South Portland where, for weeks, individuals have repeatedly targeted the building and federal law enforcement officers with threatening statements, discharging pepper spray, and throwing rocks, trash, and bricks. At approximately 11:00pm, two individuals attempted to set a U.S. flag on fire in the driveway of the building.
To clear the driveway, federal officers dispensed less than lethal means, including gas canisters, to disperse the crowd. Pope picked up one of the metal canisters and threw it towards the officers, hitting one of the officers.
At approximately 11:15pm, federal officers observed an individual, later identified as Winters, attempting to light an incendiary device next to the guard shack of the building. As FPS officers engaged with Winters, she pulled a large knife from her backpack and began waiving the blade toward the officers. Winters threw the knife at an officer, but it did not strike the officer. Winters began to flee but an officer deployed a taser, bringing Winters to the ground. As officers attempted to secure Winters, she pulled a second large knife from her waistband. An officer disarmed Winters and arrested her.
The same evening, Chambers pointed a laser pointer at a federal officer, striking the officer in the eye. Chambers was also charged with failing to comply with an officer’s orders to leave the premises on June 17, 2025, and for throwing an object at federal property on June 20, 2025.
All three defendants made their first appearances in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. Winters was detained pending future court proceedings. Pope and Chambers were released on conditions pending future court proceedings.
Attempting to assault a federal officer and inflict bodily injury is punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment. Misdemeanor assault of a federal officer is punishable by up to one year in federal prison. Failure to obey a lawful order and creating a hazard on federal property are Class C misdemeanors and carry a maximum penalty of 30 days in prison.
These cases were investigated by the FBI, FPS and ICE. They are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
A criminal complaint and an information are only accusations of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Three Canadian Citizens Charged with Smuggling 36 Firearms into CanadaRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Akeem Richards-Crawford, 31, Dwayne Harrison, 34, and Jannai Stewart, 35, citizens of Canada, were charged today in an indictment with conspiracy to smuggle and the smuggling of firearms and firearm magazines from the United States to Canada, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations Detroit, Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Chief Patrol Agent John R. Morris, U.S. Border Patrol, Special Agent in Charge James Deir, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Aaron Tambrini, Special Agent in Charge of Office of Export Enforcement’s Chicago Field Office, U.S. Department of Commerce.
According to the indictment, Richards-Crawford and Harrison traveled from Canada to the United States in October 2023. Richards-Crawford and/or Harrison then rented a vehicle and a hotel room in the Detroit-Metropolitan area, traveled to Houston, Texas and Cincinnati, Ohio to obtain firearms, and then returned to the Eastern District of Michigan to execute their smuggling scheme. Then, early in the morning on October 26, 2023, Richards-Crawford and Harrison drove to the Algonac, Michigan area with a backpack containing 36 firearms. Harrison then boarded a jet ski on the St. Clair river and traveled to Canada with the firearms. When Harrison arrived in Canada, he approached an unmarked police vehicle believing it was there to pick him up. After realizing his mistake, Harrison dropped the backpack and fled on foot. Canadian law enforcement officers located the backpack and recovered 36 firearms, each individually wrapped in tube socks. Officers also encountered Stewart—Harrison’s actual pickup driver—nearby after Harrison texted him: “Come get me” and “Cops came.”
Based on the charges in the indictment, each defendant faces up to 10 years in prison for each smuggling count, and up to 5 years in prison on the conspiracy count, if convicted.
The public is reminded that an Indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Canada’s Ontario Provincial Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas Salzenstein and Erin Ramamurthy, along with Chantelle Dial, Trial Attorney, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, United States Department of Justice.
Texas Woman Arrested After 20 Pounds of Cocaine Seized at New Mexico CheckpointRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Texas woman is facing federal charges after U.S. Border Patrol agents seized more than 20 pounds of cocaine from her vehicle during a checkpoint inspection south of Alamogordo, New Mexico.
According to court documents, on the afternoon of June 16, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered Aurelia Madrid-Marquez, 51, at the Highway 54 checkpoint located South of Alamogordo, New Mexico, driving a minivan with Illinois license plates. During routine questioning, agents conducted a canine inspection of the vehicle, which resulted in a positive alert for narcotics. A subsequent search revealed seven vacuum-sealed bundles containing a white powdery substance concealed in the driver-side floorboard area. Field tests confirmed the substance to be cocaine.
Madrid-Marquez is charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and will remain in third party custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Madrid-Marquez faces up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Omar Arellano, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, and Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector made the announcement today.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Aragon Martinez is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Marquez).pdfA criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Texas Business Owner Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
A Texas woman was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison for her participation in a scheme to file fraudulent applications for loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that the Small Business Administration (SBA) guaranteed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
According to court documents, between around May 2020, and March 2021, Shantelle Hawkins, 43, of DeSoto, conspired to submit 17 fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of companies she or her relatives owned or controlled. The applications contained false statements about payroll and tax information, which the SBA used to calculate the amount of PPP funds to which the applicant-companies would be entitled. Hawkins used some of the money she obtained from the loans for personal expenses, including to pay off her 2015 Maserati Ghibli luxury car and to purchase property in the greater Dallas area.
Hawkins pleaded guilty on Oct. 8, 2024, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. At sentencing, Hawkins was ordered to pay more than $1.8 million in restitution and to forfeit the residence purchased with proceeds from the fraud.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson for the Northern District of Texas; and Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI’s Dallas Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Dermot Lynch and Kashan Pathan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elyse Lyons for the Northern District of Texas is handling asset forfeiture.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Tenderloin Drug Dealer Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking, Supervised Release ViolationRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Henry Alvarado was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco while on federal supervised release. Alvarado was also sentenced to 12 months and one day for violating the terms of his supervised release, to run concurrently with his 60-month sentence. Senior U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick handed down the sentence.
Alvarado, 34, a national of Honduras, was charged by criminal complaint on April 17, 2023, and indicted by a federal grand jury on May 2, 2023. On March 10, 2025, Alvarado pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. According to the plea agreement, on multiple occasions in March 2023, Alvarado sold fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco, selling in total 173 grams of methamphetamine and 110 grams of fentanyl. At the time of his offense, Alvarado was on federal supervised release from a prior federal drug trafficking conviction.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and DEA Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris made the announcement.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Orrick also sentenced the defendant to a four-year period of supervised release and a $200 fine. The defendant has been in federal custody since April 19, 2023.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily R. Dahlke and Michael G. Lagrama prosecuted the case with the assistance of Marina Ponomarchuk and Helen Yee. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA and the San Francisco Police Department.
Ten Members and Associates of Violent Car-Theft Ring Indicted on Racketeering, Carjacking, Robbery, and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
A superseding indictment was unsealed today charging Montez Moore, 20, Duane Benson, 20, Aniya Sheperd, 20, Brandon Irons, 19, Allen Brown, 23, Markaveon Jackson, 19, Raynell Moore, 22, Lavatrice McCully-Collins, 24, Peontay Roddy, 21, and Noah Hornburg, 23 — all of St. Louis, Missouri — with crimes including racketeering conspiracy, carjacking, robbery, and firearm charges related to their participation in “the Strikers,” a violent, interstate stolen car ring.
According to court documents, between September 2023 and March 2024, the Strikers engaged in car dealership burglaries, illegal interstate vehicle sales and thefts, shootings, carjacking, robbery, and other criminal acts throughout Missouri and Illinois.
“As alleged, the Strikers enterprise stole approximately 50 vehicles and inflicted nearly $3 million in losses while carrying out a violent crime spree across Missouri and Illinois,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their reckless actions endangered communities and dealt a serious blow to local businesses. This kind of brazen, lawless conduct will not be tolerated, and the Justice Department is committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to protect the public and hold those responsible fully accountable.”
“Thanks to the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Initiative, we were able to expand an existing indictment to hold more members of the Strikers responsible for a litany of violent crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Drake for the Eastern District of Missouri. “As we said when we announced St. Louis’ inclusion in the VCI last year, we are targeting and dismantling the criminal organizations that are disproportionately driving violent crime in St. Louis.”
“This was a violent, organized crime operation that spanned across state lines, left a trail of stolen vehicles and cost millions of dollars in losses,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “This case demonstrates the power of the RICO statute to dismantle interstate criminal enterprises and reflects the FBI’s unwavering commitment to pursuing those who use violence and intimidation to profit from crime.”
In a single burglary, defendants and others burglarized a dealership in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and stole seven high-end vehicles worth approximately $855,000.
To hide their identities during the burglaries, the defendants would wear gloves, dark clothing, and masks. In one incident, defendants Hornburg, Moore, and Irons led police on a high-speed chase, driving on a public street reaching speeds over 110 mph. In another incident, after police seized one of the stolen cars, defendants Shepard, Benson, and others broke into the police impound lot and stole the car back.
After stealing the vehicles, the defendants allegedly concealed their stolen nature or location by attaching stolen out-of-state dealer plates and covering or removing vehicle identification numbers. The stolen vehicles would then be used in other crimes or sold through social media advertising. The Strikers would often advertise a sales price at such a discount that prospective buyers should have suspected the vehicles were stolen. In one Instagram posting, defendants offered for sale a 2019 Infiniti q70 for $3000, a 2016 Mercedes Benz GLE 400 for $1500, and a 2014 BMW 528i for $2500.
In one alleged carjacking and robbery, defendants Benson and Moore pulled up to a BP gas station in a stolen blue 2017 BMW 330i that had been taken from a dealership in Springfield, Illinois. They briefly waited for a lottery machine technician to walk out of the store and as captured on store surveillance, ambushed him at gunpoint, robbed him, and highjacked his white Silverado pickup.
Image Credit: Case 4:24-cr-00233, U.S. v. Benson A screenshot showing a January 2024 robbery and carjacking in Cool Valley, MissouriIf convicted, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison for the racketeering conspiracy. Defendants Moore and Benson face up to an additional 30 years in prison if convicted of carjacking, robbery and use of a firearm in connection thereof. Defendant Aniya Shephard faces up to an additional 10 years in prison if convicted of possessing a machinegun.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Louis County Police Department are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Jared A. Hernandez of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj for the Eastern District of Missouri are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in St. Louis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Missouri and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and their associates in St. Louis.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ten Accused of RICO Conspiracy Involving Car Thefts, Shootings and Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The Eastern District of Missouri, in partnership with the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, has indicted ten people for their role in a racketeering conspiracy to steal dozens of cars from dealers throughout eastern Missouri and southern Illinois.
The group dubbed themselves “the Strikers” and targeted high-end cars, such as Dodge SRT Scat models, Dodge Hellcats and Trackhawks, BMWs, Audis and Mercedes-Benzes, a superseding indictment says. Between roughly the summer of 2023 and the spring of 2024, the Strikers targeted dealerships as far afield as Cape Girardeau, Missouri and Springfield, Illinois.
In all, the Strikers burglarized about 20 dealerships and stole approximately 50 cars worth about $3 million, detention motions say. The Strikers also stole license plates and key fobs and caused other losses, including extensive property damage. Using social media, the Strikers often sold the cars for $500 to $10,000, a fraction of their actual value.
The Strikers also used the stolen cars to commit other crimes, the superseding indictment says. The indictment alleges that at least two Strikers shot at a hotel employee who pursued the group after a series of early morning car break-ins at a downtown St. Louis hotel in November of 2023. The indictment further alleges that two Strikers, Montez Moore and Duane Benson, robbed and carjacked a lottery game technician at gunpoint outside a Cool Valley, Missouri gas station in January of 2024. As alleged, the Strikers used one of the stolen cars to break into vehicles in St. Louis, Florissant, Webster Groves and Des Peres in early January of 2024.
“Thanks to the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Initiative, we were able to expand an existing indictment to hold more members of the Strikers responsible for a litany of violent crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Drake. “As we said when we announced St. Louis’ inclusion in the VCI last year, we are targeting and dismantling the criminal organizations that are disproportionately driving violent crime in St. Louis.”
“As alleged, the Strikers stole approximately 50 vehicles and caused nearly $3 million in loss while engaging in violent and dangerous mayhem across Missouri and Illinois,” said Matthew Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This lawless behavior will not be tolerated. The Department of Justice is committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to ensure the public’s safety.”
“This case demonstrates the power of the RICO statute to dismantle interstate criminal enterprises and reflects the FBI’s unwavering commitment to pursuing those who use violence and intimidation to profit from crime,” said FBI Criminal Investigative Division Assistant Director Jose A. Perez.
"The repercussions of vehicle theft extend well beyond property loss. In the St. Louis area, stolen vehicles are routinely employed by criminals to commit violent offenses and avoid identification," explained Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. "Investigating these theft rings allows the FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force to effectively prevent further violent crimes."
Montez Moore, now 20, of Florissant, Duane Benson, 20, of St. Louis, and Aniya Sheperd, 20, of St. Louis County, were originally indicted in 2024. Seven others were added last week in a superseding indictment: Brandon Irons, 19, Allen Brown, 23, Markaveon Jackson, 19, Raynell Moore, 22, Lavatrice McCully-Collins, 24, Peontay Roddy, 21, and Noah Hornburg, 23. They now face crimes including racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, carjacking, robbery and various firearm charges.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The FBI and police departments throughout the area investigated the case, including the St. Louis County Police Department and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj and Trial Attorney Jared A. Hernandez of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in St. Louis, conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Missouri and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and their associates in St. Louis.
Sun Prairie Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Javaris Nunn, 33, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was sentenced June 24, 2025, by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 30 months in prison for possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. Nunn pleaded guilty to this charge on March 26, 2025.
On December 28, 2023, Nunn was a rear passenger in a vehicle that was stopped because it did not have a license plate. Next to Nunn, officers found a backpack containing an unloaded Glock 42 .380 caliber handgun and a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P .45 caliber handgun with the serial number scratched off. While Nunn denied knowledge of the handguns, the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory found evidence of Nunn’s DNA on both guns.
Nunn has prior felony convictions for theft from a person, felon in possession of a firearm, and robbery. As a convicted felon, Nunn cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson said that he was considering not only Nunn’s traumatic past and positive characteristics, but also his significant criminal history and the severity of the offense. Judge Peterson noted that Nunn carrying firearms was a recipe for disaster. Judge Peterson imposed the sentence to run concurrently with a state revocation sentence and ordered that Nunn serve three years of supervised release.
The charge against Nunn was the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consisting of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies representing the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
St. Louis County Woman Admits Aiding $1 Million Romance FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman on Thursday admitted aiding an online Nigerian fraud conspiracy that cost victims an estimated $1 million.
Shirley Waller, 43, of St. Louis County, Missouri, also admitted committing two other frauds. Waller pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and use of an assumed name to commit mail fraud.
Waller admitted aiding scammers who tricked their victims out of what the government estimates is $1,068,834. Investigators were initially alerted by a 71-year-old St. Louis County woman who mailed $35,000 to Waller’s home as part of a romance scam. The shipment of cash was tracked on its journey 164 times in less than 24 hours by several IP addresses in Nigeria. Investigators then determined that more than 70 Express Mail packages had been delivered to Waller’s home during a 60-day period ending Nov. 1, 2023. In a court-approved search of Waller’s home on Jan. 12, 2024, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service found two guns and a series of Express Mail packages sent to variations of Waller’s name. The packages of cash had been sent by older adults targeted in online fraud schemes. Waller would then forward a portion of the money to Nigeria via cryptocurrency transactions and other electronic means. Postal authorities seized parcels containing $41,650 that were being delivered to Waller’s home and packages containing $17,500 in her safe.
Waller admitted fraudulently applying for a Paycheck Protection Program loan of $19,235 on April 10, 2021, by falsely claiming she ran a business in Michigan. She received the loan but used the money to travel to Ghana, Germany and Jamaica. Waller also submitted another fraudulent loan application for a St. Louis resale shop, concealing the existence of the first loan and falsifying her business income. She did not receive that loan.
Waller also admitted fraudulently obtaining a $196,000 mortgage loan by lying about her marital status, income and job and by submitting counterfeit tax documents and bank statements.
Waller is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29. Each count carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. In March, she was sentenced to 15 months in prison after she pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Town and Country Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.
South Korean woman pleads guilty, sentenced for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Youngshin Nam a/k/a Yejin Nam, 41, a citizen of South Korea, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to illegal re-entry. She was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who handled the case, stated that on April 3, 2024, Nam attempted entry by plane at an airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was refused admission to the United States. She was sent back to South Korea and advised that she was no longer eligible to travel under the Visa Waiver Program for five years. In July 2024, Nam was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Texas and removed from the United States in September. On May 4, 2025, Nam attempted entry into the United States at the Rainbow Bridge Port of Entry in Niagara Falls, NY. Nam presented, as proof of identity, a South Korean passport containing the name Yejin Nam. The vehicle was then referred for secondary inspection. Initially, Nam did not comply with routine electronic fingerprinting, before agreeing to submit her fingerprints. This resulted in a positive response revealing that Nam was issued an immigration fingerprint identification number in the name “Youngshin Nam.” The number was issued after Nam’s arrest by Border Patrol agents in Texas in July 2024. Subsequent investigation determined that Nam submitted a falsified application for the Visa Waiver Program, on which Nam falsely and fraudulently answered “NO” to questions concerning her use of any other names or aliases and denied previously being refused admission to the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
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Serial Armed Robber Sentenced to over 26 Years Imprisonment for String of Commercial Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: A Waynesboro resident was sentenced to federal prison for 10 commercial armed robberies that he committed in Bulloch, Burke, Chatham, Emanuel, Glascock, Jenkins, and Ware Counties.
Cordell Cobb, 24, of Waynesboro, was sentenced to 318 months in prison after pleading guilty to ten counts of Interference With Commerce by Robbery and two counts of Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Cobb to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term and to pay $12,081 in restitution to the various victimized businesses.
There is no parole in the federal system.
As described in court documents and testimony, on ten different occasions from January 2023 through June 2023, Cobb entered commercial establishments throughout the Southern District of Georgia and brandished weapons before demanding money. Employees in all ten locations provided United States currency to Cobb to avoid physical harm and Cobb left the locations with his ill-gotten proceeds. Following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Chatham County Police Department (CCPD), Glascock County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO), Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), Jenkins County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), Waycross Police Department (WPD), Burke County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), and Emanuel County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO), Cobb was apprehended and ultimately admitted to committing all ten robberies.
“This sentencing reflects the serious consequences of violent crime and the strength of coordinated law enforcement” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Communities across Georgia are safer today because of the tireless work of our local, state, and federal partner agencies in bringing this armed robber to justice.”
"We applaud the collaborative efforts of all law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation. Together, we have sent a strong message that armed robbery will not be tolerated, and we will work tirelessly to ensure that those responsible are held accountable," said Thomas Crawford, ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge.
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 Neighborhoods (PSN).
This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer.
The case was being investigated by the ATF, GBI, CCPD, GCSO, JCSO, WPD, BCSO, ECSO and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and Henry W. Syms, Jr.
Second Owner of Fuel Truck Supply Company Incarcerated for Bid Rigging, Market Allocation, and Wire Fraud ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
The owner of a fuel truck supply company, Kris Bird, 62, was sentenced today in Boise, Idaho, to three months in prison and a $24,000 fine for his role in schemes to rig bids, allocate territories, and commit wire fraud over an eight-year period. Further, Bird was ordered to forfeit to the federal government $1,542,387 as proceeds of his wire fraud offenses. The conspiracies Bird participated in related to contracts to provide fuel trucks that assist the U.S. Forest Service’s efforts to battle wildfires in Idaho and the mountain west.
Bird pleaded guilty in March 2025 — two weeks before his trial was set to begin — to the seven-count indictment. The plea followed an investigation that involved evidence from a judicially authorized wiretap and led to charges against two executives in December 2023. Earlier this month on June 5, Bird’s co-defendant, Ike Tomlinson, 61, was sentenced to 12 months in prison and a $20,000 fine for his leadership role in the criminal conduct.
“Mr. Bird stole taxpayer funds allocated for critical wildfire-fighting efforts protecting the American people to line his own pockets,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Trump Antitrust Division’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force and its law enforcement partners will continue the fight to ensure that the fraudulent use of taxpayer money results in incarceration.”
“Today’s sentencing underscores the FBI’s commitment to protecting the integrity of our markets,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Antitrust violations are not just corporate misconduct, they’re federal crimes that distort competition, drive up costs for consumers and erode public trust. We will continue to work with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to hold accountable those who rig the system for personal gain.”
“Bid rigging is not a victimless crime. It cheats taxpayers and the honest contractors who play by the rules,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Jason Suffredini of the General Services Administration (GSA) Office of Inspector General (OIG). “GSA OIG and our partners remain committed to pursuing those who engage in procurement fraud.”
According to court documents, the co-conspirators coordinated their bids to inflate prices and to determine who would have priority to receive business from the U.S. Forest Service and other federal agencies in the event of a wildfire in a specific geographic area. The co-conspirators further coordinated to exclude and punish potential competitors to further maintain the success of their conspiracy. During the conspiracies, from March 2015 to March 2023, Bird annually submitted false SAM certifications to the federal government covering up his bid-rigging conspiracy and committing wire fraud.
The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency, and General Services Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant Chief Christopher J. Carlberg and Trial Attorneys Elena A. Goldstein, Daniel B. Twomey, and Matthew Chou of the Antitrust Division's San Francisco Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Mazorol for the District of Idaho have been prosecuting the case.
In addition to today’s criminal sentence, in May 2025, the United States, on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Small Business Administration, entered into a civil settlement with Kris Bird and other related entities and individuals who agreed to pay $781,186 to resolve civil claims after admitting to allegations that they obtained government contracts through bid-rigging and the submission of false SAM Certifications, as well as wrongly obtained a Paycheck Protection Program loan.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General investigated the civil case. Assistant United States Attorney Robert B. Firpo and Civil Chief James Schaefer are handling the case.
In November 2019, the Justice Department created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government—federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation can contact the PCSF at the link listed above.
Scarborough Man Admits Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Scarborough man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to possessing a firearm despite a prior felony conviction.
According to court records, in November 2024, South Portland police officers approached James Selberg-Stross, 33, while he was inside a vehicle parked at a gas station. An officer observed that Selberg-Stross had a handgun on his lap. A loaded magazine for the handgun was found elsewhere in the vehicle. Selberg-Stross was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his criminal history, which includes a federal conviction for possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute.
Selberg-Stross faces up to 15 years in federal prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the South Portland Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.
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Saginaw Man Sentenced for Unlawful Imprisonment, Strangulation, Suffocation, Interstate Domestic Violence, and Witness Tampering Committed on the Isabella ReservationRead the Press Release
BAY CITY – A Saginaw, Michigan man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for unlawful imprisonment, strangulation of an intimate or dating partner, suffocation of an intimate or dating partner, interstate domestic violence, and six counts of witness tampering, announced U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
Michael Lee Johnson, 45, was sentenced by United States District Judge Linda Parker in Detroit. Johnson was convicted by a jury on November 1, 2024.
The evidence presented at trial established that the victim, Johnson’s girlfriend, broke up with him prior to returning home from work. Rather than leave the home as he was ordered to do by his parole agent, Johnson stayed at the residence and moments before the victim arrived home Johnson sent a Facebook message which said “I wanna do something evil.” When the victim arrived home, Johnson approached her from behind, grabbed her and repeatedly threw her into a wall. Johnson then strangled and suffocated the victim to the point she had trouble breathing. Later, Johnson assaulted the victim again, this time in front of her children. Johnson also held the victim against her will in a bedroom the evening before the assaults. In an effort to conceal his crimes, Johnson witness tampered in various ways. These incidents occurred on the Isabella Reservation in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. The victim is an Indian.
The case was investigated by the Saginaw Chippewa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roy Kranz and former Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Turkelson.
Serial Felon on Supervised Release Convicted of Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Lee Manuel Colson, 45, of Tallahassee, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our community is safer now that we are returning this repeat felon back behind bars where he belongs. My office is fully committed to fulfill the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by targeting and aggressively prosecuting the criminals victimizing our communities. Thanks to the tenacious prosecutors in my office and the hard work of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, this dangerous felon will be removed from our streets.”
Evidence at trial showed that on July 11, 2024, the United States Probation Office conducted a search of Colson’s residence and found that he was in possession of two pistols in a drawer in his bedroom. Colson admitted to officers that the firearms were present. Colson has 22 prior felony convictions, including prior federal convictions for drug-trafficking and firearm offenses for which he served 90 months in prison.
Colson faces up to 17 years in prison at sentencing and an additional term of supervised release.
The case involved an investigation by the United States Probation Office, the United States Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph A. Ravelo and James A. McCain.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 10, 2025, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark E. 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.
Repeat Child Sex Offender in Southern Utah Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – A convicted sex offender, Jaycee Stewart, 33, of St. George, was sentenced to 300 months’ imprisonment today after he pleaded guilty to charges involving receipt of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, comes after Stewart pleaded guilty to the charges on November 4, 2024. In addition to his term of imprisonment, the court sentenced Stewart to a lifetime of supervised release, and ordered him to pay restitution to the victims.
According to court documents and statements made at Stewart’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on April 12, 2023, a child disclosed to their elementary school teacher that they were being sexually abused by Stewart. The victim said that Stewart occasionally used an item to sexually abuse them. The victim also stated that Stewart had numerous photographs of “naked girls” and images of children that were “inappropriate” in his room. Following an executed search warrant on Stewart’s residence, officers found multiple images of child sexual abuse hanging on his walls and a stack of images of child sexual abuse on his printer, in binders, and in Stewart’s closet. Stewart also had a digital frame that cycled through approximately 22,000 images of child sexual abuse. In sum, Stewart was in possession of tens of thousands of files depicting child sex abuse materials. Stewart was previously convicted in Utah state court of possession of child pornography in 2015. Additionally, Stewart has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing two victims and is pending sentencing in state court.
The St. George Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Remote Patient Monitoring Company Settles False Claims Act Lawsuit for $1.29 MillionRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Health Wealth Safe, Inc. and Dr. Subodh Agrawal have paid $1.29 million to settle allegations that they knowingly caused false claims to be presented to Medicare.
“Knowingly billing Medicare for services that do not meet Medicare’s requirements is a fraud against taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Our office will continue to enforce the False Claims Act to recover government payments that result from such misconduct.”
“Healthcare professionals have a sworn duty to prioritize patient health and to ensure all services billed to the federal government are fully compliant with program requirements,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to safeguard the integrity of the Medicare program.”
The investigation began when former employees of Health Wealth Safe, Inc. (“Health Wealth”) filed a whistleblower lawsuit under the False Claims Act referred to as a qui tam suit. The False Claims Act is a federal law that imposes civil liability on any person who submits false claims to the federal government or its contractors. The law imposes treble damages and civil penalties on those who submit false claims. Under the law, whistleblowers (also called “relators”) who bring fraud to the government’s attention share in any recovery obtained by the government.
The United States alleged that, at the direction of owner Dr. Subodh Agrawal, Health Wealth caused claims to be presented to Medicare for remote physiologic monitoring (RPM) services that were not reimbursable. RPM involves the use of non-face-to-face technology to monitor and analyze a patient’s physiological metrics, such as oxygen saturation, blood pressure, weight, and blood-sugar or blood-oxygen levels. For monitoring services to be covered by Medicare, the monitoring devices must automatically report readings to the monitoring company without further human intervention. The United States alleged that Health Wealth knowingly billed for RPM services even though it failed to provide patients with devices that met these requirements between September 2019 and January 2021.
The settlement resolved the underlying lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, United States ex rel. Chavous v. Health Wealth Safe, Inc., No. 1:22-cv-02553. The relator will receive $238,650 from the settlement in this matter, plus attorney’s fees.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
The civil settlement was reached by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony DeCinque.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Physician Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Operating a Pill Mill from His Northwest D.C. Medical PracticeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, M.D., 65, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 18 years in prison for illegally distributing prescriptions for narcotics in exchange for cash from his Northwest Washington D.C. medical clinic. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
A jury found Okafor guilty on Mar. 21, 2025, of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (outside the course of professional practice), maintaining a drug-involved premises, and 22 counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances (oxycodone and promethazine with codeine).
In addition to the 18-year prison term, U.S. District Judge John D. Bates ordered Okafor to serve three years of supervised release to pay a special assessment, and to forfeit $213,173.97.
According to court documents and evidence at trial, between May 2021 and April of 2023, Okafor was the sole practitioner and owner of Okafor Medical Associates, an internal medicine clinic in Northwest, Washington, D.C. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the HHS-OIG, and FBI began investigating Okafor for illegal distribution of controlled substances after it received information from law enforcement agencies nationwide regarding prescriptions from Okafor being connected to local drug trafficking networks.
Between Feb. 18, 2022, and Nov. 30, 2022, the FBI sent confidential sources and undercover agents into Okafor’s medical practice for walk-in appointments. Each individual was prescribed opioids by Okafor after minimal examination. Further investigation revealed that Okafor was operating a nationwide drug distribution scheme, whereby he would prescribe opioids to numerous individuals using false identities, whom Okafor knew to be diverting the medication.
Okafor’s conduct spanned at least 45 states and resulted in hundreds of thousands of units of oxycodone and promethazine with codeine liquid prescribed nationwide. Okafor was convicted of distribution of opioids to undercover sources, numerous uncharged co-conspirators, and to a civilian patient J.V. Okafor was also convicted of conspiracy and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Evidence at trial further established that, after Okafor was notified by the D.C. Board of Health that J.V.’s family member filed a complaint against him, he created backdated medical records for J.V. to justify his prescribing.
The investigation also resulted in the suspension of Okafor’s DEA registration number in September 2023 as he was deemed to be a threat to public health and safety.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, with valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Justice Department gratefully acknowledge the Apex, North Carolina Police Department, the Warsaw, New York, Police Department, the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Pennsylvania State Police, State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy, and the Noble County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office for their efforts, support, and cooperation during the investigation and trial.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey, Trial Attorney Kathryn Furtado and paralegals Rebecca Walton, Dillon Clark, and Matthew McClarnon of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section. The team also extends its deep appreciation to Michael Goodrich, Lead Travel Analyst of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section.
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Philadelphia Vertical Farmer Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that John “Jack” Griffin, 62, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Judge Chad F. Kenney on Wednesday to wire fraud and tax evasion charges.
As detailed in court documents and statements made in court, Griffin was the principal and founder of Second Story Farming Inc., which did business as Metropolis Farms. Second Story Farming had several lines of business, including growing crops in vertical farms to sell to customers, developing sustainable vertical farming technologies, and selling vertical farming systems to customers.
In 2017, Griffin, through Second Story Farming, sold vertical farming systems, along with the equipment, supplies, materials, and operational instructions necessary to operate them, to two companies. Before entering into the contracts, Griffin provided financial projections to them that grossly overstated the anticipated revenues that could be generated by the vertical farms and grossly understated the anticipated expenses necessary to operate the vertical farms.
In reliance on the financial projections, the companies each paid Second Story Farming to set up vertical farms for them. Rather than use those funds to provide them with vertical farms, Griffin used most of the money to pay his own personal expenses and operate Second Story Farming’s research and development line of business.
In 2017, Griffin earned income from his work at Second Story Farming. Despite being legally required to file a tax return for that year, Griffin did not do so. Griffin tried to conceal that he received any income in 2017 by, among other things, withdrawing cash and paying personal expense from his business’s bank accounts and transferring funds from his business to his wife, and withdrawing cash from Second Story Farming’s business bank account.
Griffin is scheduled to be sentenced on October 22 and faces a maximum possible penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud charges and five years in prison on the tax evasion charge.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis Weber and Trial Attorney Catriona Coppler of the Department of Justice’s Tax Division.
Philadelphia Vertical Farmer Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty yesterday to wire fraud and tax evasion.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: John (Jack) Griffin of Philadelphia was the principal and founder of Second Story Farming Inc., which did business as Metropolis Farms. Second Story Farming had several lines of business, including growing crops in vertical farms to sell to customers, developing sustainable vertical farming technologies, and selling vertical farming systems to customers. Vertical farming refers to a practice of growing crops vertically and in horizontally stacked layers.
In 2017, Griffin, through Second Story Farming, sold vertical farming systems along with the equipment, supplies, materials, and operational instructions necessary to operate them to two companies. Before entering into the contracts, Griffin provided financial projections to them that grossly overstated the anticipated revenues that could be generated by the vertical farms and grossly understated the anticipated expenses necessary to operate the vertical farms. In reliance on the financial projections, the companies each paid Second Story Farming to set up vertical farms for them. Rather than use those funds to provide them with vertical farms, Griffin used most of the money to pay his own personal expenses and operate Second Story Farming’s research and development line of business.
In 2017, Griffin earned income from his work at Second Story Farming. Despite being legally required to file a tax return for that year, Griffin did not do so. Griffin tried to conceal that he received any income in 2017 by, among other things, withdrawing cash and paying personal expense from his business’s bank accounts and transferring funds from his business to his wife, and withdrawing cash from Second Story Farming’s business bank account.
Griffin is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 22. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud charges and a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the tax evasion charge. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Catriona Coppler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis Weber for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Gunpoint CarjackingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Kelly Stanton, 55, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 144 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and restitution in the amount of $12,500 by United States District Judge R. Barclay Surrick for carjacking a woman at gunpoint in January of 2023.
Stanton was charged by indictment in March 2023 and pleaded guilty to the carjacking in October of last year.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, around 11 p.m. on January 26, 2023, a woman had parked her car on the 1600 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue in Philadelphia to pick up a pizza. After she exited the pizza shop and was getting back in her car, Stanton approached. He put a firearm to her head and said, “give me the f[***]ing keys or I’m going to shoot you.”
After struggling with Stanton, the victim was eventually able to get her keys out of her pocket, give them to him, and run away from the car. The defendant drove off in the vehicle, heading west on Cecil B. Moore. The victim’s car has still not been recovered.
“The victim in this case was just going about her night when Stanton ambushed and terrorized her, putting his gun to her head and threatening to shoot,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Anyone who would violently accost a stranger like this for their car, or any other possession, is a clear threat to our community. My office will continue to work with our partners on the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force to bring these dangerous offenders to justice.”
“Kelly Stanton’s victim was picking up a pizza when he stuck a gun to her head and demanded her car keys — he’s now facing a dozen years in federal prison,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Philadelphia Field Division. “Carjacking is a violent and dangerous crime. Together with our Carjacking Task Force partners we are using ATF’s unique forensic and investigative tools to stop criminals like this from terrorizing our neighborhoods. We hope this case deters those willing to use violence in our community.”
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Meagan Gordon and Assistant United States Attorney Priya De Souza.
Pennsylvania man going to prison for 20 years for receipt of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Dylan C. Irvin, 26, of Bradford, PA, who was convicted of receipt of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison and 10 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who handled the case, stated that sometime in June or July 2023, Irvin engaged in sexual activity with a 13-year-old female (victim). Irvin used his cellular telephone to record the sexual activity and then received the video on a Snapchat account he controlled. On March 5, 2024, Irvin was arrested on state charges related to the sexual contact, at which time his cell phone was seized. A search of the phone recovered the video of Irvin and the victim.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Butler.
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- Parker Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Machine GunsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Omar Joel Rivera Olivo (26, Orlando) today pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing and transferring machine guns. Rivera Olivofaces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Rivera Olivo engaged in eight sales of drugs and guns, including automatic weapons, to an undercover law enforcement officer – initially selling cocaine and marijuana before selling firearms. On March 13 and March 28, 2025, Rivera Olivo sold four firearms, some of which had been modified to be fully automatic weapons, along with multiple devices to convert firearms into fully automatic weapons.
Rivera Olivo subsequently posted images of himself online with guns, drugs, and the proceeds of his illegal activities.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
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).
Operation Catch Me if You Can: Elusive Nigerian Ringleader of Nationwide Bank Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracies Convicted After Two and a Half Week TrialRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Oluwaseun Adekoya, a/k/a “Ace G.,” a/k/a “BRODA,” a/k/a “Legendary, a/k/a “SANTA,” a/k/a “SANTANA,” a/k/a “Sammy LaBanco,” a/k/a/ “Sean Maison,” a/k/a ”Kiing_maison,”,” age 39, of Cliffside Park, New Jersey, was convicted by a jury of bank fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and nine counts of aggravated identity theft for his role as the mastermind of a nationwide conspiracy to steal identities and impersonate customers at banks and credit unions throughout the United States. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
“With the last set of pleas in this case, I said, ‘and then there was one;’ now, there are none,” United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said. “I commend the work of the FBI Albany, local law enforcement agencies and credit unions across the country, and Broadview Federal Credit Union here in Albany for bringing this relentless scammer to justice.”
Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli said, “Mr. Adekoya was the mastermind of a complex web of deception, but he couldn’t escape the reach of the FBI and our partners. We are incredibly grateful to the numerous state and local law enforcement and banking institution partners who helped bring this investigation to a successful conviction. Our communities should rest assured the FBI will continue to use every investigative tool we have to bring to justice anyone looking to line their pockets at the expense of hard-working Americans.”
The government called over 60 witnesses at trial, which lasted two and a half weeks. Proof at trial established that from the comfort of his luxury apartment in New Jersey, Adekoya, a career fraudster, obtained publicly available information regarding people’s home equity lines of credit (“HELOCs”) at localized credit unions throughout the United States, shifting his focus over time to different parts of the country to avoid law enforcement scrutiny. He then utilized encrypted messaging platforms, like Telegram, to obtain Social Security numbers, account numbers, mother’s maiden names, and other personal identifying information (“PII”) for individuals he had identified as having substantial amounts of equity available in their HELOCs. Adekoya then recruited a vast web of managers located all over the country, who he supplied this information to, along with fake driver’s licenses for lower-level workers to use to impersonate the HELOC customers and conduct withdrawal transactions on their accounts. To insulate himself from detection, Adekoya utilized a web of “burner” phones and encrypted messaging applications and laundered his substantial share of the proceeds through bank accounts in other people’s names. Adekoya also reinvested some of the proceeds into continuing the fraud scheme by purchasing air and bus travel for coconspirators, fake driver’s licenses, and rental cars used to drive workers to credit unions.
As set forth in pretrial pleadings, Adekoya – who was admitted to the United States as a Lawful Permanent Resident in 2000 – has been convicted of numerous increasingly sophisticated identity-fraud related felonies since he was 23 years old in 2008. He has never been removed from the country.
The investigation into Adekoya began in May 2022, when Broadview Federal Credit Union (formerly CAP COM Federal Credit Union and State Employees Federal Credit Union (SEFCU)), headquartered in Albany, identified a series of impersonation transactions at its branches in the Capital Region and referred the case to the FBI-Albany. The ensuing investigation led to the discovery of Adekoya as the mastermind of the nationwide operation and the prosecution of 13 additional coconspirators, all of whom have pled guilty for their roles in the offenses.
The defendant’s conspiracies were brought to a screeching halt by his federal arrest on an initial indictment on December 12, 2023. He has since been detained and the government twice superseded the indictment to add additional coconspirators and charges. Evidence at trial showed that when the FBI attempted to enter the defendant’s luxury apartment on December 12, 2023, to execute a federal search warrant, Adekoya wiped the primary phone he had used to orchestrate the conspiracy. Nonetheless, the FBI seized numerous “burner” phones used by Adekoya to perpetrate the charged crimes. The FBI also seized of hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of luxury merchandise, including Rolex watches, a $51,000 Tiffany engagement ring, and designer handbags and shoes, and approximately $26,000 in a bank account used by the defendant to launder his proceeds. Those items have since been forfeited by the government.
Adekoya’s sentencing is scheduled for October 30, 2025, before the Honorable Mae A. D’Agostino, U.S. District Judge. He faces a mandatory minimum of 2 years’ incarceration, a maximum of 32 years’ incarceration, restitution, forfeiture of the fruits of his offenses, up to five years of supervised release, and is subject to removal and deportation following his sentence.
The following defendants previously pled guilty in connection with the conspiracies and all face sentencing later this year:
- David Daniyan, a/k/a “Bamikole Laniyan,” a/k/a “David Enfield,” a/k/a “Africa,” age 61, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and one count of aggravated identity theft;
- Kani Bassie, a/k/a “$,” age 36, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and one count of aggravated identity theft;
- Davon Hunter, a/k/a “Scams,” age 27, of Richmond, Virginia, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft;
- Christian Quivers, a/k/a “Denzel Carter,” a/k/a “E,” of Richmond, Virginia, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft;
- Jermon Brooks, a/k/a “JayB,” a/k/a “beezy,” age 20, of Richmond, Virginia, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft;
- Akeem Balogun, 56, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud;
- Victor Barriera, 64, of Bronx, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud;
- Danielle Cappetti, 46, of Bronx, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud;
- Jerjuan Joyner, 50, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud;
- Gaysha Kennedy, 46, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud;
- Crystal Kurschner, 44, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud;
- Leslie Lucchese, 53, of Manhattan, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; and
- Sherry Ozmore, 56, of Richmond, Virginia, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
FBI-Albany investigated the case and obtained invaluable assistance from numerous law enforcement agencies all over the country. Those include the FBI Field Offices in New York, Newark, Richmond, Chicago and Resident Agencies in Westchester, New York; Brooklyn/Queens, New York; Garrett Mountain, New Jersey; La Crosse, Wisconsin; Fort Walton Beach, Florida; and York, Pennsylvania. Additional assistance was provided by other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement & Removal Operations (New York Field Office & Albany sub-office); U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (Buffalo Field Office & St. Albans Resident Office); U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; New York law enforcement agencies including the New York State Police; Cohoes PD; Colonie PD; Elmira PD; Corning PD; Plattsburgh PD; Albany County Sheriff’s Office; and Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office; Florida law enforcement agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies including the Pennsylvania State Police and Franklin County District Attorney’s Office; Alabama law enforcement agencies including the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Gasden PD, and Rainbow City PD; Georgia law enforcement agencies including the Georgia State Patrol, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow PD; Kansas law enforcement agencies including Lawrence PD and Overland Park PD; New Hampshire law enforcement agencies including Rochester PD, Manchester PD, and Amherst PD; the Delaware State Police; Maryland law enforcement agencies including the Maryland State Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office; the Virginia State Police; Wisconsin law enforcement agencies including Onalaska PD and Eau Claire PD; and Indiana law enforcement agencies including the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark, Mathew M. Paulbeck, and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting this case.
Olive Branch Man Sentenced to Five Years and Ordered to Pay Millions after PPP Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – Montreal Hudson, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills to over five years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering following his trial conviction in January.
Judge Mills sentenced Montreal Hudson to a 70-month jail sentence followed by five years of supervised release for his role in a PPP fraud scheme that was presented to a federal jury and resulted in a guilty verdict on January 17, 2025. Hudson was also ordered to pay $3,526,517 in restitution.
The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to provide funding for small businesses affected by the economic downturn associated with the Coronavirus Pandemic. According to court documents, Zipora Hudson, her son, Montreal Hudson, and Deandre Jones utilized Zippy Bee, LLC as a tax preparation business in Charleston, MS, to create and file hundreds of PPP loan applications on behalf of borrowers that were not eligible to receive the loans. The defendants created fraudulent Schedule C tax documents to claim gross income amounts that far exceeded the real income for a particular business or claimed gross income amounts for businesses that never existed. The documents were created in order to receive PPP loans in amounts ranging from $19,000 to $20,833 per loan. For their efforts, the defendants required the borrowers to pay them a kickback out of the proceeds of each loan. The defendants used the illegally obtained money to purchase luxury vehicles and real estate, among other things.
U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lisa Fontanette of the IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.
Montreal Hudson was convicted alongside Zipora Hudson in the January jury trial. Zipora Hudson was sentenced in April of this year to 5 years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. Deandre Jones, also of Olive Branch, MS, previously pled guilty in the case.
The scheme was initially uncovered during the course of a civil investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Leary and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Wright prosecuted the case on behalf of U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi. The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division along with investigators from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department's response to the pandemic, please visit Justice.gov/Coronavirus and Justice.gov/Coronavirus/CombatingFraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.