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6 August 2025
Bristol Man Indicted for Attempted Murder of Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – John Caleb Allen, 26, of Bristol, Florida, who was previously arrested on July 24, 2025, has been indicted for two counts of attempted murder of a federal employee, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a federal law enforcement officer, two counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of illegal possession of a machine gun, and one count of false statement to a federal firearm licensee in connection with a firearms purchase. The charges were announced today by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Court documents allege that, on July 24, 2025, agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, with the assistance of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, were executing a federal search warrant at the subject’s residence when Allen opened fire on law enforcement. After firing multiple rounds at the agents, Allen was arrested without the agents discharging their weapons. Agents suffered minor, non-critical injuries as a result of the assault.
Allen is scheduled for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick August 8, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. at the Federal Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida.
If convicted, Allen faces a maximum possible penalty of life imprisonment.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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.
Armed alien, illegally living in Nacogdoches, indicted on federal firearms violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Nacogdoches, has been charged with a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Antonio Hernandez-Perez, 47, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.
The indictment alleges that on January 30, 2025, Hernandez-Perez possessed a firearm while being an alien illegally in the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
If convicted, Hernandez-Perez faces up to 15 years in federal prison and deportation.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; and the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Carter.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Amite Man Guilty of Kidnapping Resulting in Death and Transporting a Minor in Interstate Commerce to Engage in Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DANIEL WAYNE CALLIHAN (“CALLIHAN”), age 37, a resident of Amite, Louisiana, pled guilty today before United States District Judge Lance M. Africk to a two-count Superseding Indictment charging him with kidnapping resulting in death, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1201(a) (Count One), and transporting a minor in interstate commerce with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(a) (Count Two). CALLIHAN was previously charged for his crimes in a federal complaint on June 14, 2024, and has remained in federal custody since that time.
“Today’s resolution ensures that Daniel Wayne Callihan, will be held accountable for his heinous and atrocious crimes,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson. “This successful prosecution is the result of the significant collaboration by local, state, and federal agencies across Louisiana and Mississippi. Their collective dedication and hard work ensured that Mr. Callihan will now face justice.”
"The FBI is committed to relentlessly pursuing violent predators and our hearts go out to the families of these victims," said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. "Every law enforcement partner who worked on this case was determined to deliver justice for the Brunett family and the people of Tangipahoa Parish. The FBI thanks the U.S. Marshals Service, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, and the Jackson Police Department for their efforts to make sure Daniel Callihan will never do anything like this again."
According to court documents, on or about June 12, 2024, CALLIHAN was present inside the Loranger, Louisiana residence of Adult Victim 1, who lived with her two daughters, Minor Victim 1 (a four-year-old female) and Minor Victim 2 (a six-year-old female). While present in the residence, CALLIHAN stabbed Adult Victim 1 more than fifty times, resulting in her death. After killing Adult Victim 1, CALLIHAN kidnapped Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 using Adult Victim 1’s 2012 Chrysler 200 automobile, bearing a Louisiana license plate, and drove to McComb, Mississippi.
CALLIHAN, with Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 still in the car, then returned to Amite Louisiana, where he picked up Co-Conspirator 1. CALLIHAN then drove Adult Victim 1’s car to a residence in Jackson, Mississippi located in the 3900 block of Boozier Drive.
On either the evening of June 12, 2024, or early on June 13, 2024, CALLIHAN and Co-Conspirator 1 engaged in sexual battery with Minor Victim 2. CALLIHAN intended that Minor Victim 2 would engage in criminal sexual activity, namely violations of criminal laws of the State of Louisiana, including La. Rev. Stat. 14.81 and La Rev. Stat. 43.1, and the State of Mississippi, including Miss. Code § 97-3-95 and Miss. Code § 97-5-23, at the time he transported Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 from Louisiana to Mississippi.
Thereafter, on June 13, 2024, while at the Boozier Drive property, CALLIHAN purposely suffocated Minor Victim 1 to death by holding Minor Victim 1 closely against his chest.
Later on June 13, 2024, after Adult Victim 1’s body was discovered, federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities began an investigation. The investigation determined the location of both CALLIHAN and Adult Victim 1’s car. A search of the Boozier Drive property led to the discovery of a pit on the property. Law enforcement officers discovered Minor Victim 1’s body and Minor Victim 2 in the pit.
After being taken into custody and waiving his Miranda rights, CALLIHAN admitted to stabbing Adult Victim 1 to death and kidnapping Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 in Adult Victim 1’s vehicle. CALLIHAN further admitted that he and Co-Conspirator 1 transported Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 to Mississippi, where he and Co-Conspirator 1 committed sexual battery on Minor Victim 2, and he smothered Minor Victim 1 to death. CALLIHAN’s admission that he and Co-Conspirator 1 committed sexual battery on Minor Victim 2 was corroborated in a voluntary, post-Miranda statement Co-Conspirator 1 made to law enforcement authorities.
As part of the resolution of this matter, the Government has agreed that should the Court accept the defendant’s plea of guilty to the Superseding Indictment, the Government will not seek the death penalty with regard to Count One. Consequently, for Count One, CALLIHAN faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. For Count Two, CALLIHAN faces a mandatory minimum of (10) ten years in prison, and up to life in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. For each count, CALLIHAN also faces at least (5) five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and the obligation to register as a sex offender.
Sentencing before Judge Africk has been scheduled for November 19, 2025. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the sentence for Count One may run either concurrent or consecutive to the sentence imposed for Count Two. Further, any sentence or portion thereof may run either concurrent or consecutive to any sentence imposed in any other jurisdiction, including, but not limited to, the 21st Judicial District Court (Louisiana), State of Louisiana v. Callihan, Case No. 2401198, and Hinds County (Mississippi) Circuit Court, State of Mississippi v. Callihan, Case No. 24-466. The terms of CALLIHAN’s plea are not contingent upon the disposition of any case or sentence imposed in any matter pending in any other jurisdiction.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter and expressed appreciation for the great support provided by the United States Marshals Service, the Tangipahoa Sheriff’s Office, the Tangipahoa Parish District Attorney’s Office, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, and the Jackson (Mississippi) Police Department. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson also commended the exceptional work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana Victim/Witness Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, and Sarah Dawkins, of the Violent Crime Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Exploiting Minors via Social MediaRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man pleaded guilty to federal charges involving the exploitation of minors using social media platforms.
According to court records, between June 2021 and March 2023, Adrian Puentes, 25, used Instagram and Snapchat to coerce and entice two minors under the age of 18 to engage in illegal sexual activity. Puentes admitted that he threatened one victim, demanding sexually explicit photographs and stating he would share them publicly if she did not comply. He used Snapchat to persuade the second victim to meet in person for sexual activity, including sending her money for transportation. Puentes knew both victims were minors at the time of the offenses.
Puentes pleaded guilty to two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor. At sentencing, Puentes faces not less than 10 years and up to life in prison. Upon his release from prison, Puentes will be subject to not less than five years and up to life of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case 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.
Aiken Woman Convicted of Collecting Dead Mother’s Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —A federal jury has convicted Cynthia Delores Holland, 61, of Aiken, formerly the county director of voter registration and elections, of fraudulently obtaining Social Security benefits. A guilty verdict was returned following a day and a half of trial.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Holland improperly obtained her mother’s retirement benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) after her mother’s death in 2013. Those benefits continued to be paid by mistake into a joint account held by Holland and her mother. Rather than notify the SSA of the error, Holland moved the money into her personal account and spent it. Her theft took place until December 2022, when the error was discovered by the SSA, and the benefits were terminated. During that near-decade long span, Holland received over $168,000.
The discrepancy was identified in 2021 by the SSA during its Death Match Project. As part of the project, the SSA requested death verifications from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control going back to 2005, then compared those records with the list of SSA retirement beneficiaries. Holland’s mother’s name was on the list, which initiated the investigation.
“Holland’s actions showed a decade of deception as she continued receiving and spending benefits intended for her deceased mother,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “We are committed to protecting our taxpayer-funded systems from fraud and abuse.”
“Cynthia Holland exploited her own mother’s death to steal from a program meant to support the most vulnerable,” said Michelle L. Anderson, Acting Inspector General for SSA. “As a former public official, her deception is especially troubling. We will continue to pursue those who abuse Social Security for personal gain.”
Holland faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. She also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. presided over the trial and will sentence Holland after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Winston Holliday and Scott Matthews are prosecuting the case.
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Active-Duty Soldier Arrested and Charged with Espionage and Export ViolationsRead the Press Release
Taylor Adam Lee, 22, of El Paso, Texas, was arrested today on charges of attempted transmission of national defense information to a foreign adversary and attempted export of controlled technical data without a license.
“According to the criminal complaint, the defendant sought to transmit sensitive national defense information to Russia regarding the operation of the M1A2 Abrams, our Nation’s main battle tank,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division will continue to work with our law enforcement and military partners to ensure that such serious transgressions are met with serious consequences.”
“National security has long been one of the highest priorities of the Justice Department, and here in the Western District of Texas, we remain alert for those who wish to help our adversaries and harm the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Our enemies, both foreign and domestic, should be aware that we diligently investigate and aggressively prosecute these cases. I appreciate the investigative work by our partners in the FBI and the Army Counterintelligence Command, and I look forward to continuing our work with them as we proceed with the prosecution of this important case.”
“The FBI’s investigation revealed Taylor Lee allegedly attempted to provide classified military information on U.S. tank vulnerabilities to a person he believed to be a Russian intelligence officer in exchange for Russian citizenship,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “Today’s arrest is a message to anyone thinking about betraying the U.S. – especially service members who have sworn to protect our homeland. The FBI and our partners will do everything in our power to protect Americans and safeguard classified information.”
“This arrest is an alarming reminder of the serious threat facing our U.S. Army,” said Brigadier General Sean F. Stinchon, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command. “Thanks to the hard work of Army Counterintelligence Command Special Agents and our FBI partners, Soldiers who violate their oath and become insider threats will absolutely be caught and brought to justice, and we will continue to protect Army personnel and safeguard equipment. If anyone on our Army Team sees suspicious activity, you must report it as soon as possible.”
“Lee allegedly violated his duty to protect the United States in favor of providing national defense information to the Russian government,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “The FBI is steadfast in our commitment to protect U.S. national security and bring to justice those who seek to undermine it.”
According to court documents, Lee is an active-duty service member in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Bliss, and holds a Top Secret (TS) / Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) security clearance. From approximately May 2025 through the present, Lee sought to establish his U.S. Army credentials and send U.S. defense information to Russia’s Ministry of Defense. In June 2025, Lee allegedly transmitted export-controlled technical information on the M1A2 Abrams Tank online and offered assistance to the Russian Federation, stating, “the USA is not happy with me for trying to expose their weaknesses,” and added, “At this point I’d even volunteer to assist the Russian federation when I’m there in any way.”
In July, at an in-person meeting between Lee and who he believed to be a representative of the Russian government, Lee allegedly passed an SD card to the individual. Lee proceeded to provide a detailed overview of the documents and information contained on the SD card, including documents and information on the M1A2 Abrams, another armored fighting vehicle used by the U.S. military, and combat operations. Several of these documents contained controlled technical data that Lee did not have the authorization to provide. Other documents on the SD card were marked as Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and featured banner warnings and dissemination controls. Throughout the meeting, Lee stated that the information on the SD card was sensitive and likely classified.
During and after the July meeting, Lee discussed obtaining and providing to the Russian government a specific piece of hardware inside the M1A2 Abrams tank. On July 31, 2025, Lee delivered what appeared to be the hardware to a storage unit in El Paso, Texas. After doing so, Lee sent a message to the individual he believed to be a representative of the Russian government stating, “Mission accomplished.”
The FBI Washington and El Paso Field Offices are investigating the case, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command.
Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan Brown and Mallory Rasmussen for the Western District of Texas and are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
APRN and Medical Practice to Pay over $600k and Cease Connecticut Medicaid Participation to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ARMAND NTCHANA and his various entities have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments and agreed to pay more than $600,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the federal and state False Claims Acts by causing false claims to be submitted to Medicare and Connecticut Medicaid. Ntchana currently resides in Alexandria, Louisiana.
Ntchana, who is licensed as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in Connecticut, is the principal member and owner of INTEGRATED PROCARE SERVICES, LLC (“IPS”), a psychiatric medication management practice located in Wethersfield. He is also the principal member and owner of BROOKSIDE RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME, LLC (“Brookside”) and 134 FRANKLIN STREET EXTENSION, LLC (“Brookside Property”), which formerly operated a state-funded residential care home in Danbury, and the principal member and owner of RIVERVIEW RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME, LLC (“Riverview”) and 92 LEXINGTON AVENUE, LLC (“Riverview Property”), which formerly operated a state-funded residential care home in New Haven. Ntchana ceased control of the operations of Brookside and Riverview in 2022 and 2023, respectively, and sold the Brookside Property and the Riverview Property in August 2023.
The federal and state governments allege that from January 2016 through October 2020, Ntchana and IPS violated the federal and state False Claims Acts by improperly billing Medicare and Connecticut Medicaid for services not rendered, the services of an unlicensed provider, and for upcoded or duplicative claims.
Ntchana and IPS caused false claims to be submitted that listed Ntchana as the rendering provider when, in fact, those services were not actually provided. This included claims billed by Ntchana for impossible numbers of hours per day; when Ntchana was not physically present, including when he was out of the country, on vacation, or not in the office; for patients who were hospitalized or deceased; and for having a staff member call in a medication refill without Ntchana’s interacting directly with the patient or the patient’s medical record. Ntchana and IPS created false medical records or had no medical records for such visits.
In addition, Ntchana and IPS caused false claims to be submitted that listed Ntchana as the rendering provider when, in fact, the patients were seen by an individual with no qualified health professional license or medical qualifications. Ntchana and IPS also caused false claims to be submitted for both evaluation and management visits and psychotherapy during the same visit when, in fact, Ntchana had only provided evaluation and management services during that visit.
To resolve their liability, Ntchana and his related entities agreed to pay $614,427.51, plus interest, which was based on their ability to pay. Ntchana and IPS have also entered into a Suspension Agreement and Consent Order with the Connecticut Department of Social Services (“DSS”) to be suspended from participating in all programs administered by DSS for two years, and to not reapply for reinstatement in Connecticut Medicaid or any state-funded program thereafter.
This matter was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, and the Connecticut Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Gruber, and by Assistant Attorney General Rick Porter of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.
The allegations resolved by today’s settlement stem from an investigation based on a critical analysis of Medicare claims data. People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
73rd Defendant Charged in Feeding Our Future CaseRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Hussein Mohamed Farah, the executive director of New Vision Foundation, a non-profit located in St. Paul, Minnesota, was charged by information with one count of wire fraud for his role in the $300 million Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
As is detailed in the information, Farah used his New Vision Foundation to participate in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme by operating two purported food distribution sites under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. He submitted phony meal count sheets and attendance rosters to support New Vision’s claims. In all, between February 2021 and January 2022, New Vision Foundation received approximately $2.7 million for meals purportedly served to children.
These cases result from an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Harry M. Jacobs, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting these cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
5 August 2025
Wife of Central Florida Methamphetamine Dealer Pleads Guilty to Laundering Hundreds of Thousands in Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Island Tri Truong (41, Orlando) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering in relation to drug distribution proceeds. Truong faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Truong’s husband, George Pherai Bogeajis, was sentenced on November 13, 2024, to more than 19 years in federal prison for drug distribution.
According to the plea agreement, on April 9, 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at Truong and Pherai Bogeajis’s home in Orlando. Agents seized more than 51 kilograms of methamphetamine, various amounts of cocaine, MDMA and fentanyl, multiple firearms, and $717,480 in cash proceeds from drug distribution. A financial investigation revealed that Truong had laundered an estimated $766,000 in drug proceeds in the four years leading up to that search. Truong and Pherai Bogeajis deposited hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash into various bank accounts and lived a lifestyle far beyond their reported incomes.
While in Paris in 2023, Truong used another individual to purchase a gold Rolex wristwatch for 40,700 Euros (estimated $44,000 USD) while she reported earning only $21,090 during that year. Truong also avoided depositing cash into her and Pherai Bogeajis’s bank accounts by delivering thousands of dollars in cash to friends and acquaintances who then transferred that money to Truong from their bank accounts. In one transaction, Truong delivered $40,000 to an acquaintance who transferred the same amount to the construction company building her and Pherai Bogeajis’s home on Bearle Road. Truong then advised her friend to deposit the $40,000 into her bank in $9,000 increments over the course of months to avoid triggering bank and law enforcement scrutiny.
As part of her plea agreement, Truong has agreed to forfeit two properties, including one property valued at approximately $838,000, and two luxury watches – all of which were purchased with proceeds of the drug distribution activities and were used to conceal the origin of those funds
This case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation Money Laundering Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Orange County Sheriff's Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dana E. Hill and Jennifer Harrington.
Waterloo Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Second Conviction Involving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who possessed child pornography was sentenced on August 4, 2025, to 12 years in federal prison.
Forrest Rindels, age 69, of Waterloo, Iowa, received the sentence after a March 6, 2025, guilty plea to two counts of possession of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Rindels admitted that, between 2021 and 2022, he knowingly possessed child pornography on a tablet and a micro-SD card. He also admitted that he was previously convicted of receipt of child pornography in the Northern District of Iowa in 2016.
Rindels was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Rindels was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $42,000 in restitution to 14 victims depicted in the child pornography he possessed. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Waterloo Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is CR 24-2055.
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United States Attorney's Office to Participate in Community Events During National Night OutRead the Press Release
NEWARK – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey will join their law enforcement partners, neighbors, and communities in National Night Out events in Jersey City, Newark, Westfield, Scotch Plains, Teaneck, Summit, Verona, Cedar Grove, Morristown, Mansfield, Mount Olive, Woodbridge, New Egypt, Paterson, Millburn, Trenton, Glen Rock, Summit, Bayonne, Basking Ridge, Bernardsville, Edison, Rockaway Borough, and Cherry Hill across the District of New Jersey.
“National Night Out is a powerful reminder that public safety is a shared responsibility. By coming together with our law enforcement partners and local communities, we strengthen the trust and collaboration that helps keep the great state of New Jersey safe. Standing behind law enforcement is the greatest honor of my career, and this event is a meaningful reminder of the families, officers, and community leaders who work every day to serve and protect this country.”
- Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
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United States Attorney's Office to Participate in Community Event During National Night OutRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Michigan
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan will join their law enforcement partners, neighbors, and communities in National Night Out events in cities and towns across the Western District of Michigan.
“I am honored to represent the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan during tonight’s National Night Out events in Kalamazoo. I will be present with the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety to greet the community and assure Kalamazoo residents that my office remains committed to working with local police to protect their community and the safety of its residents. This event is an important reminder that our communities are at their best when residents work in tandem with law enforcement for the benefit and good of everyone. I greatly appreciate the efforts of Kalamazoo residents and community leaders in working with Chief Boysen and local law enforcement to make our neighborhoods better and safer.”
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
Scheduled Event:
Kalamazoo
Date: August 5, 2025
Time: starts at 5:00p
Address: 612 N Park St, Kalamazoo, MI, United States, Michigan 49007
U.S. Attorney’s Office obtains judgment for fraudulent transfer of fundsRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming operates a Financial Litigation Program (FLP) which enforces fines and restitution resulting from criminal convictions in federal court. Recent developments in a case from 2010 led the U.S. District Court to enter a civil judgment in U.S. v. Metcalf et al. against Dustie R. Metcalf to void fraudulent transfers of money she had been receiving for several years from a federal criminal defendant, David Saunders.
According to court documents, Mr. Saunders was found guilty in 2010 of making a false statement on a bank loan application. In addition to a term of supervised probation, Mr. Saunders was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $185,992.40. Since that conviction, Mr. Saunders has actively avoided paying his financial obligations and has, instead, been transferring his assets to Ms. Metcalf in an attempt to avoid collection. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Jasmine Peters the (FLP) Coordinator for the District of Wyoming, conducted an extensive investigation into Mr. Saunders and Ms. Metcalf. That investigation revealed substantial sums of money fraudulently transferred to Ms. Metcalf, including approximately $3,000 a week under the guise of self‑described “child support,” and multiple other transfer of funds ranging from $5,000 to $75,000 since at least 2019.
“These transfers were done with the clear intent to render Mr. Saunders insolvent and avoid paying his court ordered restitution. As a result of the outstanding work of AUSA Peters securing the civil judgment against Ms. Metcalf, the FLP anticipates collecting the restitution owed by Mr. Saunders, but now from Ms. Metcalf,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie I. Sprecher.
For more information about the FLP, visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wy/civil-division.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for Western District of Kentucky to Participate in Community Events During National Night OutRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky will join their law enforcement partners, neighbors, and communities in National Night Out events in Louisville, Kentucky.
“Our prosecutors and staff come to the office everyday with one goal in mind: to serve the citizens of Louisville and the broader Western District,” said U.S. Attorney Bumgarner. “We look forward to participating in National Night Out to get to know those we serve and have some fun in the process.”
The U.S. Attorney's Office will promote community safety and awareness by engaging with residents at Louisville Metro Police Department events in neighborhoods across the city. The office will also host a resource booth with crime prevention information at LMPD's Eighth Division event at Walker Warren Park in the Douglas Hills neighborhood.
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
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Two Defendants Charged in Investment Fraud Scheme with over One Hundred VictimsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton; Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Ricky J. Patel; Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of the Inspector General (“FDIC-OIG”), Patricia Tarasca; and Acting Inspector in Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), Edward Gallashaw, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging LOURDES ROSALES BANEGAS and RAMON CONCEPCION with stealing more than one million dollars from over one hundred victims through an investment fraud scheme known as “LNJ Funds.” BANEGAS is also charged with sending proceeds from the scheme to bank accounts in Colombia. The defendants were arrested and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger.
“As alleged, Lourdes Rosales Banegas and Ramon Concepcion defrauded over one hundred victims through false promises about high and safe returns on their investments,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “But, Banegas and Concepcion selfishly spent their victims’ money on themselves. Our office is committed to bringing those who prey on Main Street investors to justice.”
“As alleged, the defendants fleeced over a hundred innocent victims out of millions of dollars through their sham claims of a ‘risk-free’ money-making opportunity,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “Their alleged Ponzi scheme crumbled today, as did any façade of legitimacy behind their purported investment firm, LNJ Funds. Every day, HSI New York stands alongside our law enforcement partners in utilizing every tool at our disposal to ensure New Yorkers as well as those around the world, and their livelihoods, are protected from criminal opportunists’ intent on filling their pockets by any means necessary."
“The defendants allegedly made false promises as part of an investment scam involving more than 100 victims and enriched themselves while doing so,” said FDIC-OIG Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca. “Despite assurances that their victims could eventually recover their invested money, this did not prove to be the case. We are pleased to join our law enforcement partners in bringing the perpetrators of such deceit to justice.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to investigate investment schemes such as this and hold those who seek to defraud the American public accountable,” said USPIS Acting Inspector in Charge Edward Gallashaw. “Before investing, individuals should research all claims and promises of high returns made by investment companies. Too often, victims are enticed by bold promises and overlook warning signs that something may be off.”
According to allegations in the Indictment:[1]
BANEGAS and CONCEPCION marketed and operated a supposed investment business they called “LNJ Funds.” BANEGAS and CONCEPCION told their victims that investments in LNJ Funds provided a guaranteed 20% rate of return every sixty days and that there was no risk of losing money in the investment. BANEGAS and CONCEPCION claimed that LNJ Funds could offer risk-free investments because it invested money in student loans backed by the federal government. BANEGAS and CONCEPCION also told their investors that they could withdraw their money from LNJ Funds after a waiting period of approximately 60 to 90 days.
Contrary to BANEGAS and CONCEPCION’s promises, LNJ Funds did not invest the money that its prospective investors provided. Instead, BANEGAS and CONCEPCION spent money from their victim-investors on airfare, hotels, retail stores, and personal expenses. BANEGAS also sent money to several bank accounts in Colombia, including an account in her name, as well as other accounts under her control. Additionally, at times money from some LNJ Funds investors was paid to other LNJ Funds investors to perpetuate the myth that LNJ Funds was a legitimate business rather than a scam.
While BANEGAS and CONCEPCION told LNJ Funds investors that they could obtain a return of their invested money after a waiting period, BANEGAS and CONCEPCION did not maintain enough money to repay their investors. Instead, BANEGAS and CONCEPCION stole and misused the investor money. Moreover, instead of repaying their investors as promised, BANEGAS, CONCEPCION, and a co-conspirator insulted, ignored, and lied to victims who attempted to withdraw their money from LNJ Funds.
* * *
BANEGAS, 43, and CONCEPCION, 43, both of Queens, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. BANEGAS is also charged with three counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, each of which carries a maximum 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 defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of HSI, FDIC-OIG, and USPIS.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Brumwell is in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Angelica Cotto.
u.s._v._banegas_and_concepcion_indictment.pdf
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the texts of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested on Federal Complaint Alleging They Illegally Shipped to China Sensitive Microchips Used in AI ApplicationsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two Chinese nationals – one of them an illegal alien – have been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging they knowingly exported to China tens of millions of dollars’ worth of sensitive microchips used in artificial intelligence (AI) applications, the Justice Department announced today.
Chuan Geng, 28, of Pasadena, and Shiwei Yang, 28, of El Monte, are charged with violating the Export Control Reform Act, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Geng surrendered to federal authorities on Saturday. Yang was arrested earlier that day.
At their initial appearance late Monday in United States District Court in Los Angeles, a federal magistrate judge ordered Geng released on $250,000 bond and scheduled an August 12 detention hearing for Yang. Arraignment is scheduled for September 11. No pleas were taken Monday.
Geng is a lawful permanent resident. Yang is an illegal alien who overstayed her visa.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, from October 2022 to July 2025, the defendants – through their El Monte-based company, ALX Solutions Inc. – knowingly and willfully exported from the United States to China sensitive technology, including graphic processing units (GPUs) – specialized computer parts used for modern computing – without first obtaining the required license or authorization from the U.S. Department of Commerce. According to the complaint, ALX Solutions Inc. was founded shortly after the Commerce Department began requiring licenses for the advanced microchips that Yang and Geng are alleged to have illegally exported.
A review of export records, business records, and company websites indicates that a December 2024 shipment and at least 20 previous shipments by ALX Solutions involved exports from the U.S. to shipping and freight-forwarding companies in Singapore and Malaysia, which commonly are used as transshipment points to conceal illegal shipments to China.
ALX Solutions has not received payments from the entities to which they purportedly exported goods. Instead, ALX Solutions received numerous payments from companies based in Hong Kong and China, including a $1 million payment from a China-based company in January 2024.
For example, in December 2024, ALX Solutions sent a shipment that falsely labeled that it was sending GPUs subject to federal laws and regulations. In fact, the shipment contained GPUs that required a license for export to China. Neither the defendants nor their company applied for, nor did they obtain a license from the Commerce Department.
According to the complaint and public information, the chip – made by a manufacturer of high-performance AI chips – is the “most powerful GPU chip on the market,” and is “designed specifically for AI applications,” such as “to develop self-driving cars, medical diagnosis systems, and other AI-powered applications.”
Last week, law enforcement searched ALX Solutions’ office and seized the phones belonging to Geng and Yang that revealed incriminating communications between the defendants, including communications about shipping export-controlled chips to China through Malaysia to evade U.S. export laws.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The United States Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security and the FBI are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Colin S. Scott, Joseph Guzman, and Jenna Long of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case with assistance from Trial Attorney Chantelle Dial from the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division.
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested on Complaint Alleging they Illegally Shipped to China Sensitive Microchips Used in AI ApplicationsRead the Press Release
Two Chinese nationals – one of them an illegal alien – have been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging they knowingly exported to China tens of millions of dollars’ worth of sensitive microchips used in artificial intelligence (AI) applications.
Chuan Geng, 28, of Pasadena, and Shiwei Yang, 28, of El Monte, are charged with violating the Export Control Reform Act, a felony that carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Geng surrendered to federal authorities on Saturday. Yang was arrested earlier that day.
At their initial appearance late Monday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, a federal magistrate judge ordered Geng released on $250,000 bond and scheduled an Aug. 12 detention hearing for Yang. Arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 11. No pleas were taken Monday.
Geng is a lawful permanent resident. Yang is an illegal alien who overstayed her visa.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, from October 2022 to July 2025, the defendants – through their El Monte-based company, ALX Solutions Inc. – knowingly and willfully exported from the United States to China sensitive technology, including graphic processing units (GPUs) – specialized computer parts used for modern computing – without first obtaining the required license or authorization from the U.S. Department of Commerce. According to the complaint, ALX Solutions Inc. was founded shortly after the Commerce Department began requiring licenses for the advanced microchips that Yang and Geng are alleged to have illegally exported.
A review of export records, business records, and company websites indicates that a December 2024 shipment and at least 20 previous shipments by ALX Solutions involved exports from the U.S. to shipping and freight-forwarding companies in Singapore and Malaysia, which commonly are used as transshipment points to conceal illegal shipments to China.
ALX Solutions has not received payments from the entities to which they purportedly exported goods. Instead, ALX Solutions received numerous payments from companies based in Hong Kong and China, including a $1 million payment from a China-based company in January 2024.
For example, in December 2024, ALX Solutions sent a shipment that falsely labeled that it was sending GPUs subject to federal laws and regulations. In fact, the shipment contained GPUs that required a license for export to China. Neither the defendants nor their company applied for, nor did they obtain a license from the Commerce Department.
According to the complaint and public information, the chip – made by a manufacturer of high-performance AI chips – is the “most powerful GPU chip on the market,” and is “designed specifically for AI applications,” such as “to develop self-driving cars, medical diagnosis systems, and other AI-powered applications.”
Last week, law enforcement searched ALX Solutions’ office and seized the phones belonging to Geng and Yang that revealed incriminating communications between the defendants, including communications about shipping export-controlled chips to China through Malaysia to evade U.S. export laws.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli for the Central District of California, and Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Counterintelligence Division made the announcement.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security and the FBI are investigating this matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin S. Scott, Joseph Guzman, and Jenna Long for the Central District of California are prosecuting this case with assistance from Trial Attorney Chantelle Dial of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Charged with Federal Counts in Georgia Ave. Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Bobby Ransom, 46, of the District of Columbia, and Shawn Seegars, 49, of Forestville, Maryland, were charged by complaint on Aug. 4, 2025, for allegedly robbing the Truist Bank on Georgia Avenue, NW, on July 31, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Ransom, aka “James Ranson,” and Seegars, were charged in U.S. District Court with bank robbery, Hobbs Act robbery (robbery affecting interstate commerce), and D.C. Code robbery.
Joining in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
On Thursday, July 31, 2025, at approximately 2:55 p.m., two men entered the bank branch on the 6400 block of Georgia Avenue, NW. One of the suspects approached the counter and passed a note to the teller stating “Give up the money right now with no problems slide money out.” The teller complied, and both suspects fled the bank with a large sum of money. A weapon was not used during the robbery.
While walking away from the bank, Suspect 1 dropped some of the cash, and Suspect 2 picked it up. The two men then continued walking westbound.
About 5:25 p.m. on July 31, an MPD officer at the Metro Center transit stop at 12th and G Street NW recognized Suspect 1 from a bulletin issued earlier in the day. The officer arrested Ransom and in a search recovered $5,640 in cash. Shawn Seegars was arrested on August 1 by the FBI. Approximately $1,100 was recovered from Seegars at the time of his arrest.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office's Violent Crimes Task. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared English and John Parron.
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Twice-Deported Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States.
Jaime Flores-Ortega, 31, pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry after deportation for an aggravated felony and was sentenced to 26 months’ imprisonment by Senior U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs on Aug. 5, 2025.
According to court documents, on Oct. 26, 2024, Flores-Ortega was arrested by the Kansas City police for leaving the scene of an accident in Kansas City, Mo. Flores-Ortega was subsequently identified as an alien unlawfully present in the U.S. who had been previously removed twice to Mexico. In Oct. 2016, Flores-Ortega was convicted in the Western District of Missouri for being an alien in possession of a firearm. He was subsequently deported from the United States in 2017.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. It was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Chicago Field Office, Kansas City Sub-Office.
Operation Take Back America
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).
Tokio, ND, Man Sentenced to 33 Years in Federal Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and Child Neglect in the Death of a Three-Year Old ChildRead the Press Release
Fargo – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced that on August 5, 2025, Austin Ray Lester, age 29 of Tokio, ND, appeared in United States District Court for the District of North Dakota and was sentenced before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte to serve 33 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release including conditions. Lester had previously pled guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter and two counts of Child Neglect in Indian country, as well as Assault of a Child with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian country.
A co-defendant, Krissy Louise Hinsley was also charged in the case and pled guilty to two counts of Child Neglect in Indian country and was previously sentenced by Chief Judge Welte to a total term of 10 years in prison followed by a term of three years of supervised release including conditions.
The charges are related to their abuse and neglect of a three-year-old child the, in 2022, within the boundaries of the Spirit Lake Reservation. The neglect resulted in the child’s death.
Both defendants were also ordered to pay restitution, jointly and severally, $62,553.39 to the North Dakota Department of Human Services for amounts paid to cover the costs of medical care of the child prior to the child’s death.
"Today, Austin Ray Lester was sentenced for his role in the horrifying abuse and neglect that resulted in the death of a three-year-old child," said FBI Minneapolis SAC Alivn M. Winston Sr. " This sentence represents a step towards justice for the life lost, and a warning to those who endanger our most vulnerable community members. The FBI will work tirelessly with its partners to ensure that the precious children of the Spirit Lake Reservation have the opportunity to grow in a safe and secure environment."
“This is a tragic child abuse case. This three-year-old child was the victim of fatal abuse and neglect at the hands of her caregivers, Lester and Hinsley. They left her alone at home, where she was exposed to dangerous conditions while Lester and Hinsley used narcotics. This is shameful, deliberate, and horrific conduct,” said Acting United States Attorney Puhl. “This case should serve as a reminder that we at the United States Attorney’s Office will seek lengthy sentences for those whose willful and neglectful conduct leads to the death of children.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of North Dakota, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori H. Conroy.
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Three Mexican men charged in separate complaints with illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that three Mexican nationals were charged in separate criminal complaints with re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Charged in the complaints are Ariel Benjamin Gregorio Santiago, 35, Jorge Alfredo Martinez Sanchez, 50, and Zeferino Marceliano Leon, 35.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaints:
- On July 24, 2025, Border Patrol agents were conducting surveillance at an Amherst, NY, residence suspected of employing several illegal alien contractors. Agents stopped a work vehicle as it pulled away from the residence. Ariel Benjamin Gregorio Santiago and Zeferino Marceliano Leon were passengers in the vehicle. When questioned by agents, the two men confirmed that that they are citizens of Mexico, and not a national of the United States. Further investigation determined that Gregorio Santiago was previously removed from the United States in 2011 and twice in 2019, and Marceliano Leon was previously removed in 2011.
- On July 27, 2025, Border Patrol agents were conducting surveillance at a local retail store in Cheektowaga, NY. Agents encountered a parked work van in the parking lot and observed seven individuals dressed in construction clothing exiting the store and approaching the work van. Agents approached and questioned the seven individuals, including Jorge Alfredo Martinez Sanchez, who is a citizen of Mexico, and not a national of the United States. He did not have any documents that would allow him to be or remain in the United States lawfully. Martinez Sanchez was previously removed from the United States in 2017.
All three defendants made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and were detained.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The complaints are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge Martin B. Coombs.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Three Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After DeportationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that three men convicted separately of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations have been sentenced.
Wilfido Hernandez-Ordonez, aka Leo Acevedo and Leo Hernandez, 40, a Guatemalan national, pleaded guilty today to illegal reentry and was sentenced by United States District Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr. to time served, almost three months. Having completed his prison sentence, he again will be removed from the country.
Hernandez-Ordonez previously had been deported from the United States in May 2009, pursuant to the order of an immigration judge. Following his removal, the defendant illegally re-entered the United States on an unknown date.
Earlier this year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) became aware that Hernandez-Ordonez was in the Lehigh County jail, taking him into custody in May. He was charged by information with illegal reentry in June.
Leondro Medina-Murillo, 45, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty today to illegal reentry and was sentenced by United States District Judge John M. Younge to time served, almost four months, for illegally reentering the United States. Having completed his prison sentence, he again will be removed from the country.
Medina-Murillo had previously been removed from the U.S. in September 2013, after his conviction in Chester County, Pennsylvania, on a state drug charge. He was subsequently removed twice more, in April 2014 and May 2014, following encounters with the U.S. Border Patrol in California.
In January of this year, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information that Medina-Murillo had returned to the U.S. and was living in Chester County. After conducting records checks and surveillance to verify his identity and location, HSI took Medina-Murillo into custody in April. He was charged by indictment with illegal reentry in May.
Jillian Santiago-Cruz, aka Julian Santiago, Julian Santigo Rodas, and Julian Santiago De La Cruz, 38, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Karen S. Marston last week to time served, about three and a half months, for illegally reentering the United States. Having completed his prison sentence, he again will be removed from the country.
In March 2011, an immigration judge ordered Santiago-Cruz’s removal from the U.S. in absentia, due to his illegal entry. He was eventually deported in November of 2019, following his conviction in Ohio for driving under the influence of alcohol.
The defendant later re-entered the United States illegally and was arrested in March of this year by the Plymouth Township (Pa.) Police Department on several charges.
ICE became aware of Santiago-Cruz’s arrest and took him into custody in April. He was charged by indictment with illegal reentry the same month and pleaded guilty in June.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
The cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and HSI and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Schopf, J. Andrew Jenemann, and Mary E. Crawley.
Texas Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Creating AI Child Sexual Abuse ImagesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Daniel Weatherly (42, Brownwood, TX) to two years in federal prison for possession of an obscene visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The court also ordered Weatherly to serve three years of supervised release and to have no contact with minors following his prison sentence. Weatherly pleaded guilty on January 8, 2025.
According to court documents, Weatherly used an application on his cellphone to create “AI” images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The application specifically allowed users to create high-quality visuals based upon word prompts, which Weatherly used to specify exactly what child sexual abuse images he desired. Weatherly’s prompts included age ranges between five and eight years old engaging in various sexual activity.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with substantial assistance from the North Port Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Claire Favorit and Abigail K. King.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tennessee Company Pleads Guilty to Illegally Bypassing Waste Treatment and Discharging Industrial Wastes into Nashville Sewer SystemRead the Press Release
Allwaste Onsite, doing business as Onsite Environmental (Onsite Environmental), entered two guilty pleas today in relation to federal Clean Water Act violations. As part of the plea, Onsite Environmental has agreed to pay a fine of $512,000 and serve a three-year term of probation that requires Onsite Environmental to properly treat industrial wastes according to a detailed facility operating plan.
According to court documents, Onsite Environmental operated a facility in Nashville, Tennessee, that treated liquid non-hazardous industrial wastes before discharging them into the sewer. Onsite Environmental had obtained a pretreatment permit from the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County (Metro) under an approved Clean Water Act pretreatment program. The permit required Onsite Environmental to remove pollutants in the industrial wastes prior to discharging them into the sewer.
However, from Dec. 5-22, 2022, and again from Jan. 4-17, 2023, Onsite Environmental employees knowingly bypassed treatment processes and discharged untreated or partially untreated industrial wastes into the Metro sewer system in direct violation of the pretreatment permit.
U.S. District Court Judge Aleta A. Trauger for the Middle District of Tennessee accepted the guilty pleas. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 15.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Criminal Investigation Division and EPA Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Matthew T. Morris of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie N. Toussaint for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
Tallahassee Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Austin Marko Coates, 27, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “One of our greatest responsibilities is the protection of our children, and I am proud of the excellent work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to help bring this disgusting individual to justice. This substantial sentence demonstrates our unwavering commitment to keeping the most vulnerable members of our community safe, and should serve as a warning to others who would attempt to harm them. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these horrific crimes and will seek maximum punishments for those who engage in such heinous conduct.”
According to court records, in January 2025 the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office received a Cybertip report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alleging that Coates had been communicating with a minor through a social media platform regarding sexually explicit topics. Agents with HSI obtained federal search warrants for Coates’ social media account and Tallahassee residence. The searches resulted in investigators finding evidence of Coates sending child pornography to minors, some who were as young as 13 years of age, and requesting they produce their own sexually explicit content to send to him. Investigators also seized multiple electronic devices which contained hundreds of child pornography videos and images, some depicting young children and toddlers.
“This predator weaponized social media to target, entice, and manipulate vulnerable children to produce sexually explicit material to add to his collection of vile content,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “The hundreds of images and videos in his possession represent countless children, some as young as toddlers, whose pain was preserved and traded like currency. Crimes like these are a brutal reminder of why HSI and our partners fight every day to protect children and bring their offenders to justice.”
Coates’s sentence of imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release and a requirement to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Coates was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by HSI and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Syracuse Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Federal Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Uqoeon Lawrence, age 29, of Syracuse, was sentenced last week to 180 months in prison for drug trafficking, possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and firearms trafficking.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement.
Lawrence previously admitted that he repeatedly sold controlled substances, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, in the Syracuse area, and that he possessed a shotgun to protect his drug trafficking. Lawrence was prohibited from possessing firearms because he had a prior felony conviction. Lawrence also admitted that he had illegally received from another person two semi-automatic pistols that had been purchased in Maine and brought to Syracuse, and that Lawrence then re-sold the firearms to other individuals in Syracuse.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said, “Uqoeon Lawrence peddled toxic drugs in Syracuse, protected his drug business with illegal firearms, and profited by pumping still more illegal guns into our community. Syracuse is safer with Lawrence behind bars, where he will remain for 15 years. My office is committed to bringing dangerous drug dealers like Lawrence to justice.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller stated: “This case reflects our unwavering commitment to working alongside our law enforcement partners to protect the people of Syracuse. When individuals flood our streets with guns and deadly drugs, we respond as one team — focused on safeguarding our communities and holding offenders accountable. I’m grateful for the strong collaboration between ATF New York Syracuse Field Office, DEA, the Syracuse Police Department Intelligence Unit, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.”
Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release to follow Lawrence’s term of imprisonment.
This case was investigated by ATF, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Syracuse Police Department-Intelligence Unit (SPD-INTEL). The case was prosecuted by Assistance U.S. Attorney Nicolas Commandeur and retired Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Second Colorado Springs Funeral Home Operator Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud Grieving Families and COVID-19 Relief ProgramRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Carie Hallford, 48, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Hallford, who owned and operated Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado Springs and Penrose with her husband and codefendant, Jon Hallford, mishandled at least 190 bodies over four years and defrauded the Small Business Administration (SBA) through fraudulent COVID-19 loan applications. Jon Hallford was sentenced in June to 240 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1,070,413.74 in restitution for his role in the conspiracy.
According to the plea agreement, from as early as September 2019 through October 2023, Hallford and her husband failed to cremate or bury at least 190 bodies, despite having collected more than $130,000 from grieving families for funeral services that were never provided. The defendants failed to provide the basic core service it promised to some of its customers, either a cremation or a burial, and continued to collect payment from victims for funeral services and goods.
The plea agreement further states that Carie Hallford handled much of the banking, invoicing, contracting with customers, filing of required paperwork, bookkeeping and communications with customers. Both defendants routinely prepared death certificates for the deceased and then filed those certificates with the State of Colorado’s Electronic Death Registry. On many of the death certificates for the bodies found at the Penrose location, the defendants falsely stated that the “method of disposition” was by either cremation or burial when in truth there was no disposition as the bodies were left decomposing at the Penrose location. To carry out and execute the above fraud scheme, the defendant and her husband worked together to cause multiple interstate wire communications to occur.
The plea agreement goes on to state that from March 2020 to March 2022, Hallford and her husband conspired to defraud the SBA by submitting loan applications containing false information to obtain COVID-19 relief funds. As a result of this fraud, they received three separate disbursements from the SBA, totaling $882,300. The funds were obtained through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which was established to provide emergency support to businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On October 5, 2023, federal and state officials searched the Penrose location, where they discovered multiple decomposing human remains in hazardous conditions. The toxic environment posed serious health risks to first responders and the public, requiring hazmat suits and strict decontamination protocols. The EPA later condemned and demolished the building, classifying it as a toxic waste site.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act created the PPP, a program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided loans to small businesses to retain workers, maintain payroll, and certain other expenses consistent with PPP rules. Additionally, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several federal programs expanded eligibility for unemployment benefits.
United States District Judge Nina Y. Wang presided over the hearing. Carie Hallford’s sentencing is currently scheduled before Judge Wang for December 3, 2025.
The FBI Denver Field Office and the United States Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Several other state and local law enforcement agencies including the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Colorado Springs Police Department, the El Paso County Coroner’s Office, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fremont County Coroner’s Office have made significant contributions to this case. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Tim Neff and Craig Fansler.
Case Number: 1:24-cr-00113-NYW
Seattle felon who threatened probation officer and then tried to purchase a firearm sentenced to 18 months in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 40 -year-old Seattle resident with a history of making death threats and violently attacking a neighbor, was sentenced late yesterday in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 18 months in prison for lying in his attempt to purchase a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Filmore Doyoon Kim attempted to purchase a firearm on February 13, 2025, just days after emailing a series of threats to his Washington State Department of Corrections Probation Officer. In sentencing Kim to the top of the guidelines range, U.S. District Judge Lauren King said, “The crime is extremely serious… repeatedly threating the life of a corrections officer and continuing to threaten others with violence. You are a danger to the public.”
According to records filed in the case, Kim was sentenced to 15 months in prison in 2022, for burglary. In that case he broke into a neighbor’s apartment and beat the neighbor unconscious in front of the man’s 4-year-old child. Kim left a note for the neighbor written in blood threatening to kill him. Kim also has harassment convictions for threatening to kill apartment managers and others in various residences. While Kim was on probation for the burglary case, he sent threatening emails to the supervising probation officer threatening to kill him. Kim then went to a federal firearms licensed store and attempted to purchase a handgun. Kim lied on the form and claimed he had not been convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in jail. When the background check revealed his conviction, the store refused to sell the gun and alerted law enforcement.
In asking for the top end 18-month sentence Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg wrote to the court that it was important to consider the attempt to buy the gun in the context of the threats. “Kim’s offense conduct was extremely serious. He intentionally subverted the background check laws designed to keep guns away from dangerous people – like himself. The larger context of Kim’s attempted firearm purchase – immediately after threatening to kill his supervising CCO and declaring, ‘Don’t forget I can buy gun’ – makes his offense conduct even more concerning.”
Judge King ordered Kim to be on supervised release for three years following his prison term.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
Santa Cruz Man Who Owned Purported Music Streaming Service Indicted on Wire Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – A federal grand jury has indicted Hank Risan on four counts of wire fraud stemming from alleged misrepresentations to investors about his software company and his purported music streaming service. Risan was arrested this morning and made his initial appearance today in federal court in San Jose.
According to the indictment filed on July 31, 2025, and unsealed today, Risan, 70, of Santa Cruz, allegedly offered and sold stock and stock conversion in his software company, Media Rights Technologies, Inc. (MRT), and his music streaming service, BlueBeat, Inc., to investors based on false representations, including: (1) false claims of BlueBeat’s copyright ownership of approximately 2.5 million songs by various well-known artists; (2) false and misleading comparisons and valuations of BlueBeat; (3) false claims of imminent acquisition of BlueBeat by a multi-national media and entertainment conglomerate; and (4) false claims of association and involvement with the companies by a former undersecretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce. As an example, on Nov. 3, 2020, Risan informed investors that he “received a very favorable comparable regarding the BlueBeat Catalog” and noted, “To put that news in perspective, BlueBeat contains approximately 2.5 million songs and $10K per song brings music to my ears. You can do the math!”
In reality, the indictment alleges, BlueBeat did not own the copyrights to the 2.5 million songs, the valuations of MRT and BlueBeat were fictional, the advertised multi-media conglomerate was not in the process of acquiring BlueBeat or its catalog, and the former Commerce official was not involved with BlueBeat.
Risan allegedly induced investors to purchase approximately $1,959,187 in stock and stock conversions, and to make payments characterized as “loans.” In total, he obtained approximately $3,165,859 from the charged scheme. Risan allegedly used the fraudulently obtained funds to pay personal credit cards, purchase collectables, and make mortgage payments on his personal residence.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.
Risan was released on a $100,000 unsecured bond. He is next scheduled to appear in district court on Oct. 8, 2025, for a status conference before U.S. District Judge P. Casey Pitts.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each count of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Chang and Jeff Nedrow are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Natachiana Burney and Susan Kreider. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
San Angelo Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 80 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of 2 MinorsRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Angelo man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 80 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of two children while being required to register as a sex offender. U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam handed down the sentence.
According to court documents, Carlos Julian Ruiz, 29, was required to register as a sex offender for sexually assaulting a child in 2013. He was identified in January 2023 as one of three individuals involved in a mobile messaging app group dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children, and who was sexually assaulting and exploiting numerous female children, including a seven-year-old girl. Ruiz shared several images of the girl in the group chat, and an investigation determined that Ruiz had sexually assaulted her on numerous occasions between Sept. 1, 2022, and Jan. 13, 2023.
FBI agents learned through their investigation that Ruiz also befriended the parents of two girls, ages three and two, when the three-year-old was an infant. Ruiz routinely spent extended periods of time alone with both children and sexually assaulted them. According to Ruiz’s plea agreement, he agreed to provide his co-defendant, Trevor Metterhauser, with access to one of the girls for the purpose of sexual assault and production of child sexual abuse material. Metterhauser was allegedly a member of the mobile messaging group and currently awaits trial in a separate case in New York and has not yet appeared in federal court within the Western District of Texas.
In December 2022, Ruiz transported both girls from their home in the Northern District of Texas to a hotel in San Antonio, where he allegedly met Metterhauser, who had flown in from New Jersey with supplies he intended to use to facilitate the sexual assaults of the children, including Oxycodone. Ruiz filmed Metterhauser’s acts of sexual abuse with a video camera.
Ruiz was arrested in February 2023 and charged in both the Western District of Texas and the Northern District of Texas with a total of five counts: one count in each district for sexual exploitation of children and one count in the Western District of Texas for aiding and abetting the sexual assault of a child. He pleaded guilty to the first four counts in November 2024.
“Those who use children for their own twisted sexual gratification will not walk free in the Western District of Texas,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. “Here in the Western District, we will aggressively and consistently push back against this darkness that has, sadly, become so prevalent in our society. I want to thank our law enforcement partners who helped bring Ruiz to justice, and I want to thank our colleagues in the Northern District of Texas for their work on this case.”
“A violent offender who committed unspeakable and abhorrent crimes against children has been brought to justice, thanks to the exceptional work of FBI Albany, FBI Dallas, and the FBI San Antonio Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force,” said the FBI Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp. “Multiple victims have been rescued, and the FBI remains unwavering in its commitment to work in close partnership with law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect children and pursue those who prey on our most vulnerable.”
The FBI’s Field Offices in San Antonio, Dallas and Albany, New York, investigated the case with assistance from the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office.
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 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
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Rutland, Vermont Man Sentenced to 24 Months for Maintaining Drug PremisesRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on August 4, 2025, Daniel McSwiggan, 52, of Rutland, Vermont, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 24 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 2-year term of supervised release. McSwiggan previously pleaded guilty to managing and controlling a residence and making the residence available for the purpose of unlawfully manufacturing, storing, distributing, and using cocaine base, a Schedule II controlled substance.
According to court records, in late June and early July of 2024, McSwiggan rented and occupied a residence in Rutland, Vermont, where he used and allowed others to use cocaine base, and from which he and others distributed cocaine base. McSwiggan – a former practicing nurse at a local medical center, who had been terminated from that position in April 2024 – also possessed firearms at the residence. And in the early morning hours of June 24, 2024, McSwiggan shot a rifle in the direction of another suspected drug distributor as the man ran away from the residence. In executing a search warrant at the residence, law enforcement recovered a Savage Model 10 .308 caliber rifle, a Ruger 10/22 .22 caliber rifle, 282 rounds of ammunition, cocaine base, and drug paraphernalia.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Rutland Police Department, the Vermont State Police, and the Vermont Drug Task Force.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne Smith. McSwiggan was represented by Jordan Handy, Esq.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Rockwell Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Producing and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who produced and distributed child pornography was sentenced yesterday to 21 years in federal prison. David Bradley Garrison, age 44, from Rockwell, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 6, 2025 guilty plea to sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child pornography.
Evidence at sentencing showed that in July 2021, Garrison recorded a video of a child engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He distributed child pornography to multiple people in May and August 2021. He possessed thousands of photographs and videos of child pornography, which contained depictions of infants and depictions of child sexual torture or bondage. After law enforcement searched Garrison’s residence in January 2022, Garrison continued to possess child pornography.
Garrison was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Garrison was sentenced to 252 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to make $16,000 in restitution to victims. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Garrison is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Devra T. Hake and Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Investigation, and Rockwell Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-3054.
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Putnam County Veterinarian Ordered to Pay $956,709 in Civil PenaltiesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia secured a $956,709 default judgment against Clara Ann Mason, a Putnam County veterinarian, after she was unable to account for 9,796 dosage units of oxycodone HCL, hydrocodone/acetaminophen and other controlled substances, Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced today.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers ordered Mason, 64, of Winfield, to pay the maximum civil penalties. The Court found that Mason ordered thousands of doses of opioids and other drugs, failed to keep these drugs secured, failed to keep track of these drugs, and apparently fabricated records to cover her failures.
According to court documents, between March 8, 2018, and July 10, 2023, Mason ordered 14,200 dosage units of hydrocodone/acetaminophen at 10/325 milligrams each, 800 dosage units of oxycodone HCL at 10 milligrams each, and 600 dosage units of oxycodone HCL at 5 milligrams each from a veterinary pharmaceutical wholesale supplier. At the time, Mason was licensed under the laws of West Virginia to practice veterinary medicine and was registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a practitioner authorized to dispense controlled substances to the extent permitted by federal law.
For the years 2021, 2022, and 2023, Mason ordered substantially more hydrocodone/acetaminophen from the supplier than any other individual customer. Between January 2021 and January 2023, Mason’s oxycodone HCL orders accounted for 74 percent of all oxycodone HCL dosage units sold by the supplier.
On October 11, 2023, investigators executed an administrative inspection warrant at the address Mason registered with DEA in Winfield and found controlled substances unsecured in numerous locations throughout the property. During the execution of the warrant, Mason was unable to produce any records of dispensing scheduled medications, the required DEA forms recording her purchases of controlled substances, or inventory records also required by federal law. Mason voluntarily surrendered her DEA registration number during the execution of the warrant.
Investigators took possession of all controlled substances found during the execution of the warrant and determined that at least 6,593 dosage units of hydrocodone and oxycodone were unaccounted for along with other controlled substances. In the days and weeks following the execution of the warrant, Mason provided purported records alleging she dispensed large quantities of opioids to dogs and cats prior to euthanasia. Investigators believe these documents were largely fabricated. Investigators also interviewed several pet owners, and none said they witnessed Mason administering oral medications to their pets.
“The Court concluded that Dr. Mason jeopardized the safety of the community, which has been severely harmed by the opioid epidemic, by failing to properly secure and track these drugs,” Johnston said. “The Court assessed the maximum penalties in this case. This outcome is the result of the excellent work by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), our office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement and Health Care Fraud Investigative Specialist Tyler E. Japhet, and Assistant United States Attorney Gregory P. Neil.”
“DEA registrants are responsible for handling controlled substances responsibly and ensuring complete and accurate records are being maintained in compliance with the Controlled Substance Act,” said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Division. “Failure to comply with controlled substance regulations puts our communities in grave danger, and any registrant who fails to meet these standards will be held accountable.”
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:35-cv-175.
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Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lawrence Jordan, 44, a previously convicted felon from the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 27 months in prison in connection with being in illegal possession of a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic firearm that he had secreted in a bulky knee brace, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Jordan pleaded guilty on June 17, 2025, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
In addition to the 27-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss ordered Jordan to serve three years of supervised release.
Joining the announcement of the sentencing were Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to court documents, on Nov. 23, 2023 at 6:16 a.m., MPD officers responded to the 1300 block of H Street NE for a report of aggressive panhandling. One of the officers recognized Jordan as wanted in connection with an indecent exposure offense a week earlier. Jordan was placed under arrest for lewd, indecent, and obscene acts.
At the First District, Jordan was searched more thoroughly. Underneath Jordan’s knee brace, officers recovered a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic firearm, loaded with one round in the chamber and eight rounds in the magazine.
Jordan previously was convicted in 2009 in Maryland for second degree assault, fleeing, and driving while revoked and sentenced to 18 months in prison. He also has a 2010 conviction in Virginia being a felon in possession of a firearm and 35 prior arrests.
This case was investigated by the ATF and MPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold.
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Pair Sentenced for Multiple St. Louis CarjackingsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS –U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a man who participated in three carjackings in St. Louis in 2022 to 319 months in prison.
Evidence and testimony at a trial in March showed that Jaylen Mays, 28, committed the first carjacking less than six months after being released from parole for committing a previous carjacking, and three carjackings in just eight days. On Nov. 5, 2022, Mays and others stole a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu from the downtown business district, according to trial evidence and testimony. On Nov. 11, 2022, Mays and Quinn Turner stole a 2007 Chevrolet Impala at gunpoint.
Two days later, Turner drove the Malibu containing Mays and a juvenile to a gas station at the northwest corner of Russell Boulevard and South 7th Street in the Soulard neighborhood, where a juvenile riding with Mays and another person carjacked a 2017 GMC Terrain and stole the driver’s wallet, the trial showed. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Anti-Crime Task Force utilized spike strips to stop the Malibu as it was leaving the gas station, and found Turner, Mays and the juvenile inside.
In a sentencing memorandum, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Martin pointed out that carjackings create a real fear in the surrounding community and dissuade local residents from visiting the areas where the crimes occur.
Turner and Mays, both of East St. Louis, Illinois, were each convicted of two counts of carjacking with the intent to cause death or serious bodily harm and two charges of possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Mays was convicted of an additional carjacking charge.
Judge Schelp sentenced Turner, now 23, on July 22 to 230 months in prison.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Martin and Jennifer Szczucinski prosecuted the case.
Pensacola Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Firearm by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Ralphael Roy Caldwell, 35, of Pensacola, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison after previously being found guilty by a jury of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon back in April. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from violent criminals requires close collaboration between our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, like we saw in this case. I am very appreciative of the outstanding work of the Pensacola Police Department and the ATF to get this criminal off our streets, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to keep our communities safe from violent criminals.”
Evidence admitted at trial established that during a traffic stop on September 10, 2024, the defendant had a loaded pistol in his waistband that he admitted to officers was his. He had previously been convicted of the felony offenses of principal to attempted home invasion robbery with a firearm and shooting into a building.
The sentence was the result of a joint investigation by the Pensacola Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia Forbes.
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.
Northern District of Indiana US Attorney’s Office to Participate in Community Events During National Night OutRead the Press Release
HAMMOND - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana will join community organizers, neighbors, and law enforcement partners to participate in National Night Out events on August 5, 2024. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
“Our Nation’s law enforcement agents and officers stand between law-abiding citizens and the criminals, gangs, and transnational cartels hoping to prey on them,” said Acting U.S. Attorney M. Scott Proctor. “National Night Out is an excellent opportunity for our communities to meet, thank, and build trust with those local heroes. We at the U.S. Attorney’s Office are proud to be a part of it.”
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the United States Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
Nigerian Man Extradited to Face Hacking, Fraud, and Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced that CHUKWUEMEKA VICTOR AMACHUKWU, a/k/a “Chukwuemeka Victor Eletuo,” a/k/a “So Kwan Leung,” was extradited yesterday to the U.S. from France in connection with hacking, fraud, and identity theft offenses. AMACHUKWU was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe
“As alleged, Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu took part in a scheme to hack into U.S. tax businesses, trade in the stolen identifying information of victims, and defraud the IRS and other governmental bodies,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Amachukwu also allegedly took part in a separate fraud scheme that promised his victims valuable investments that did not in fact exist. This Office and our law enforcement partners stand committed to protecting Americans from criminals operating here and offshore.”
“Amachukwu allegedly operated multiple illicit fraud schemes – identity theft, computer intrusions via spearphishing, and false investments – profiting at the costs of others,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “If you are attempting to enrich yourself by scamming Americans from behind a keyboard, the FBI with our extensive law enforcement partnerships is willing and able to bring you to the United States to face justice.”
According to the Superseding Indictment, public court filings, and statements made in court:[1]
Beginning in at least in or about 2019, AMACHUKWU, his co-conspirator Kinglsey Uchelue Utulu, and other Nigeria-based conspirators took part in a scheme to hack into U.S-based tax preparation businesses—including several U.S. based businesses located in New York, Texas, and other states—by utilizing spearphishing emails to obtain access to these business’s electronic systems. Once they had obtained access, the conspirators stole the tax and other identifying information of the business’ customers.
The conspirators obtained the stolen identity information of thousands of individuals and used this information to file fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service and state tax authorities. The conspirators sought fraudulent refunds of at least approximately $8.4 million, of which they successfully obtained at least approximately $2.5 million.
In addition to filing fraudulent tax returns, the conspirators used the stolen identities to file fraudulent claims with the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. The conspirators were able to obtain at least an additional approximately $819,000 in fraudulent payouts.
AMACHUKWU is also charged with participating in a separate fraud scheme. In this scheme, the defendant offered victims investments in purportedly valuable standby letters of credit. However, these letters of credit did not exist, and AMACHUKWU pocketed millions of dollars of his victims’ money.
AMACHUKWU was arrested in France at the request of the United States for his involvement in this scheme, and he was thereafter extradited to the U.S.
* * *
AMACHUKWU, 39, of Nigeria, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; two counts of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison.
The mandatory minimum and 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 the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, as well as the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Marshals Service in securing the arrest and extradition from France. Mr. Clayton further thanked the French National Gendarmerie for their assistance in this case.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Nessim is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._amachukwu_superseding_indictment.pdf
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment, and the description of the Superseding Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Being Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that, WARDELL FLETCHER (“FLETCHER”), age 49, was sentenced on July 29, 2025, by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long, after previously pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
FLETCHER was sentenced to fifteen (15) years imprisonment, to be served consecutively with any pending state sentence. Judge Long also ordered that FLETCHER be placed on supervised release for (3) three years upon release from imprisonment and pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on December 27, 2023, FLETCHER possessed a Taurus Model 608, .357 Magnum caliber revolver and ammunition. FLETCHER, who knew he was a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing firearms. Following an altercation, FLETCHER used the firearm to shoot a victim at a Circle K gas station in New Orleans.
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.
Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson praisedthe work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crime Unit.
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New Jersey Company Pleads Guilty and Agrees to Restitution and Civil Penalty for Failing to Report Dangerous Air ConditionersRead the Press Release
Royal Sovereign International Inc. (Royal Sovereign), a New Jersey corporation that sold office and home appliances, pleaded guilty today to a criminal information charging it under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) with failing to report immediately to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) information concerning portable air conditioners allegedly linked to more than 40 fires and one death. Additionally, Royal Sovereign agreed to a civil settlement with the United States that included a $16,025,000 civil penalty, the maximum civil penalty authorized by the CPSA.
According to court documents, Royal Sovereign, which also did business as Royal Centurian Inc., imported and sold more than 33,000 defective air conditioners between 2008 and 2014. The air conditioners were defective due to a faulty drain motor that could electrically short and cause them to catch fire and burn uncontrollably. The company’s CEO, Takwan Lim, previously signed a settlement agreement with CPSC stemming from allegations that a related entity, Royal Sovereign Corporation, sold certain portable ceramic heaters that posed a fire risk. Royal Sovereign recalled the defective air conditioner models in 2021.
“It is critical for companies, corporate executives, and their employees to exercise strict compliance with their obligations under the Consumer Product Safety Act to safeguard the American public and recall hazardous products as soon as possible,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Companies cannot attempt to evade liability by delaying or avoiding reporting. When they do, they must be held accountable.”
“The criminal and civil resolutions in this matter show this Office’s commitment to protecting the public and holding companies accountable for violating their obligations under the Consumer Product Safety Act,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District of New Jersey.
“Royal Sovereign’s failure to report a deadly defect led to tragedy, including the death of a mother and serious injuries to her children,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman. “CPSC will not hesitate to use the full weight of its executive power to pursue violations of the law — including criminal penalties — and we thank our partners at DOJ for helping to bring this company to justice.”
In pleading guilty, Royal Sovereign admitted that, despite knowing of the defects from numerous consumer complaints and lawsuits, it willfully failed to report information about the air conditioners immediately to CPSC, as was its obligation under the CPSA. According to the information filed in the case, the company misled the CPSC in November 2010 by telling the agency that it was aware of only two fire incidents related to the air conditioners and that the products had been discontinued. In reality, the government alleged, the company was aware of at least 16 fires and continued to distribute the products anyway. According to the recall notice, a woman died in August 2016 from smoke inhalation and her two children were injured after their Royal Sovereign air conditioner caught fire. In connection with the guilty plea, Royal Sovereign is required to pay $395,786.48 in restitution to victims.
The civil settlement resolves allegations that Royal Sovereign failed to notify the CPSC “immediately,” as required by law, that its portable air conditioners contained a defect presenting a substantial product hazard and that the products created an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death.
Takwan Lim, the former CEO of the company, died in 2023. Royal Sovereign has permanently ceased all company operations related to the marketing, sale, or distribution of consumer products. In recognition of the company’s limited ability to pay, all but $100,000 of the civil penalty was suspended. The consent decree requires Royal Sovereign and certain individuals associated with it to notify the government and to develop internal controls and procedures designed to ensure timely, truthful, complete, and accurate reporting to CPSC as required by law before resuming the marketing, sale, or distribution of any consumer products.
Trial Attorney Ethan Carroll of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch (CPB) prosecuted the criminal case with the assistance of Renee McCune of CPSC’s Office of the General Counsel. CPB Trial Attorney David Crockett handled the civil settlement with the assistance of Patricia Vieira of CPSC’s Office of the General Counsel. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey provided valuable assistance.
For more information about the products that were recalled, visit www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2022/Royal-Sovereign-Recalls-Portable-Air-Conditioners-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-One-Death-Reported.
Victims who experienced bodily injury or damage, destruction, or loss of property caused by a fire involving a portable air conditioner made or distributed by Royal Sovereign International Inc., or Royal Centurian Inc., with a model number beginning with PAC-3012, ARP-3012, or ARP-3014, should contact the Department of Justice at [email protected] by Sept. 5, if they have not previously received compensation and believe they are entitled to restitution.
For more information about the enforcement efforts of the Consumer Protection Branch, visit the Branch’s website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
New Jersey Company Pleads Guilty and Agrees to Restitution and Civil Penalty for Failing to Report Dangerous Air ConditionersRead the Press Release
NEWARK — Royal Sovereign International Inc. (Royal Sovereign), a New Jersey corporation that sold office and home appliances, pleaded guilty today to a criminal information charging it under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) with failing to report immediately to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) information concerning portable air conditioners allegedly linked to more than 40 fires and one death. Additionally, Royal Sovereign agreed to a civil settlement with the United States that included a $16,025,000 civil penalty, the maximum civil penalty authorized by the CPSA.
According to court documents, Royal Sovereign, which also did business as Royal Centurian Inc., imported and sold more than 33,000 defective air conditioners between 2008 and 2014. The air conditioners were defective due to a faulty drain motor that could electrically short and cause them to catch fire and burn uncontrollably. The company’s CEO, Takwan Lim, previously signed a settlement agreement with CPSC stemming from allegations that a related entity, Royal Sovereign Corporation, sold certain portable ceramic heaters that posed a fire risk. Royal Sovereign recalled the defective air conditioner models in 2021.
“The criminal and civil resolutions in this matter show this Office’s commitment to protecting the public and holding companies accountable for violating their obligations under the Consumer Product Safety Act."
- Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“It is critical for companies, corporate executives, and their employees to exercise strict compliance with their obligations under the Consumer Product Safety Act to safeguard the American public and recall hazardous products as soon as possible,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Companies cannot attempt to evade liability by delaying or avoiding reporting. When they do, they must be held accountable.”
“Royal Sovereign’s failure to report a deadly defect led to tragedy, including the death of a mother and serious injuries to her children,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman. “CPSC will not hesitate to use the full weight of its executive power to pursue violations of the law — including criminal penalties — and we thank our partners at DOJ for helping to bring this company to justice.”
In pleading guilty, Royal Sovereign admitted that, despite knowing of the defects from numerous consumer complaints and lawsuits, it willfully failed to report information about the air conditioners immediately to CPSC, as was its obligation under the CPSA. According to the information filed in the case, the company misled the CPSC in November 2010 by telling the agency that it was aware of only two fire incidents related to the air conditioners and that the products had been discontinued. In reality, the government alleged, the company was aware of at least 16 fires and continued to distribute the products anyway. According to the recall notice, a woman died in August 2016 from smoke inhalation and her two children were injured after their Royal Sovereign air conditioner caught fire. In connection with the guilty plea, Royal Sovereign is required to pay $395,786.48 in restitution to victims.
The civil settlement resolves allegations that Royal Sovereign failed to notify the CPSC “immediately,” as required by law, that its portable air conditioners contained a defect presenting a substantial product hazard and that the products created an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death.
Takwan Lim, the former CEO of the company, died in 2023. Royal Sovereign has permanently ceased all company operations related to the marketing, sale, or distribution of consumer products. In recognition of the company’s limited ability to pay, all but $100,000 of the civil penalty was suspended. The consent decree requires Royal Sovereign and certain individuals associated with it to notify the government and to develop internal controls and procedures designed to ensure timely, truthful, complete, and accurate reporting to CPSC as required by law before resuming the marketing, sale, or distribution of any consumer products.
Trial Attorney Ethan Carroll of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch (CPB) prosecuted the criminal case with the assistance of Renee McCune of CPSC’s Office of the General Counsel. CPB Trial Attorney David Crockett handled the civil settlement with the assistance of Patricia Vieira of CPSC’s Office of the General Counsel. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey is represented by Fatime Cano and Olta Bejleri.
For more information about the products that were recalled, visit www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2022/Royal-Sovereign-Recalls-Portable-Air-Conditioners-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-One-Death-Reported.
Victims who experienced bodily injury or damage, destruction, or loss of property caused by a fire involving a portable air conditioner made or distributed by Royal Sovereign International Inc., or Royal Centurian Inc., with a model number beginning with PAC-3012, ARP-3012, or ARP-3014, should contact the Department of Justice at [email protected] by Sept. 5, if they have not previously received compensation and believe they are entitled to restitution.
For more information about the enforcement efforts of the Consumer Protection Branch, visit the Branch’s website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
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royalsovereign.information.pdfMonticello Man Sentenced to 300 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Timothy B. Pressey, 40 years old, of Monticello, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to production of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Pressey was sentenced to 300 months in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release. Pressey also agreed to pay restitution to the victims of his offense, the amount of which will be determined in a separate hearing.According to documents in the case, in October 2024, Pressey took a series of sexually explicit images of a six-year-old child he was babysitting at the time. Using an anonymous identity, Pressey then shared the images in an encrypted group message where hundreds of other users were exchanging and viewing material depicting the violent sexual abuse of children. The FBI quickly identified Pressey as the anonymous user, enabling federal, state, and local law enforcement to obtain and execute a search warrant at Pressey’s residence within a matter of hours. During the search, agents recovered electronic devices that contained thousands of additional images of child sex abuse material.
“Timothy Pressey committed a heinous crime against a child entrusted to his care and supervision and then shared the product of that crime on the internet,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “Thanks to the outstanding work of the FBI, our state and local partners, and this Office’s dedicated team of prosecutors and staff, Pressey was swiftly brought to justice. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to do everything within our power to prosecute those who victimize children.”
“The family of this young victim placed their trust in the defendant to care for their child and he exploited that trust,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy O’Malley. “This sentence reflects the serious nature of the defendant’s conduct and the FBI’s commitment to protect our children and hold predators accountable.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Monticello Police Department, White County Sheriff’s Office, White County Prosecutor’s Office, the Indiana State Police, and the Indiana Department of Child Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary D. Heater.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Missouri Man Sentenced to 65 Months in Prison for Stealing from Financial Firm’s CustomersRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Tuesday sentenced the former employee of a financial firm who used client information to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from clients to 65 months in prison.
From August 2022 through April of 2024, Calvin Lee Gray, 24, used his access to customers’ private information in a long-running scheme to attempt to steal more than $550,000 from dozens of victims. He was successful in stealing $357,582, which he will now have to repay.
Gray used his position at the firm to view private customer information for hundreds of accounts without a legitimate purpose, and stole customer information including birthdates, Social Security numbers and financial account information. He used that information to impersonate customers in phone calls and electronic communication with other financial institutions, to change their addresses to his own and have their credit cards reissued to him. He also applied for new lines of credit. He used that information to travel, buy luxury goods, gamble and transfer money to other accounts under his control. Gray opened a checking account in one customer’s name, transferred other customers’ money into that account and then withdrew $1,780 in a series of ATM transactions. Gray fabricated identification documents with his picture but the personal information of others so that he could use those documents to access financial accounts.
Gray also fabricated identification documents in the name of his mother, Joann Helms. Helms withdrew money from the account of one victim twice, via an ATM. She allowed Gray to use her account to launder the proceeds of his crime. She also went on shopping sprees her son, during which he made lavish purchases, her plea says. Helms used some of the money Gray gave her to make other purchases, including methamphetamine.
Gray, of Columbia, Missouri, who is also known as Dustin Whitehead, pleaded guilty in April to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of fraud in connection with identification documents. Helms now 52, of De Soto, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of fraud in connection with identification documents. She is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has also barred Gray from working for or associating with any firm that is a FINRA member.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims including those most vulnerable,” said Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Unlawfully Residing in Oregon Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Fatal Fentanyl Poisoning of Portland TeenRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Manuel Antonio Souza Espinoza, 27, a Mexican national unlawfully residing in Portland, was sentenced today to 157 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a Portland teen and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, the investigation that ultimately led to Espinoza’s arrest began after the tragic overdose death of a Portland teenager who, on March 7, 2022, ingested a counterfeit “M30” Oxycodone pill manufactured with fentanyl. The investigation revealed that Espinoza—a known, high-volume Portland area drug dealer—was the third-level supplier of the counterfeit pills. On March 31, 2022, using a confidential informant, investigators arranged a controlled purchase of 1,000 pills from Espinoza. When Espinoza arrived at the agreed upon location, he was immediately arrested on federal charges. Investigators located and seized 1,000 pills in Espinoza’s vehicle along with a loaded .40 caliber handgun with extended magazine.
On April 21, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Souza Espinoza with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On March 5, 2025, Souza Espinoza pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In the plea agreement, Souza Espinoza admitted that the counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl he sold to the victim resulted in the fatal fentanyl poisoning of the victim.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Portland Police Bureau’s Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Team (HIT), and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office with assistance from the Clackamas County Inter-Agency Task Force. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.
Massachusetts Woman Who Leaked Grand Jury Information Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dracut, Mass. woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to disclosing information presented to a federal grand jury to unauthorized individuals.
Jessica M. Leslie, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of criminal contempt before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani, who scheduled sentencing for Sept. 26, 2025. Leslie was charged on July 11, 2025.
On various dates between Aug. 11, 2022 and March 4, 2024, the defendant disclosed sealed information to unauthorized individuals, including the names of various witnesses appearing before a federal grand jury, the substance of witness testimony and other evidence presented to the grand jury, in violation of the Federal Rules and court order.
The charge of criminal contempt provides for a sentence of any term of years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Chief of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Leander Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Leander man was sentenced in an Austin federal court on Friday to 37 months in prison for wire fraud resulting in the loss of approximately $1 million.
According to court documents, Nicholas Keith Bonneville, 25, convinced his victims that he was a successful foreign exchange trader who would use his own funds to match clients’ investments, dollar-for-dollar, up to $100,000 to help their portfolios grow faster. The FBI’s investigation resulted in the identification of more than 100 victims. In one instance, Bonneville falsely claimed to have turned an investment of $50,000 into $1 million—an approximate 2,000% return on investment—in less than a year through foreign exchange trading.
A review of Bonneville’s bank records confirmed that Bonneville used the money from his victims to pay personal expenses and repay other victims. Bonneville did not engage in foreign exchange trading as he had promised.
Bonneville was arrested in February and charged with one count of wire fraud. He pleaded guilty to the charge on May 15. In addition to the over three years imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman ordered Bonneville to pay $575,450.30 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Harding prosecuted the case.
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Laredo man indicted for possession of child sexual abuse material and enticement of three separate minor femalesRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 30-year-old Laredo resident has been charged with enticing a 14-year-old minor to engage in sexual activity and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Originally charged by criminal complaint July 16, Emanuel Valdez remains in custody pending further criminal proceedings.
A federal grand jury has now returned the four-count indictment.
The charges allege that Valdez had been communicating with a 14-year-old minor female for approximately two years after “meeting” her while playing video games online. In January, the conversations became sexual in nature, according to the allegations. Valdez allegedly started sending sexually explicit texts to the minor and asking her to send pictures of herself. The charges allege the conduct escalated with Valdez attempting several times to make plans to meet with the minor at a hotel and pay her to have sex with him. Valdez also allegedly provided her with digital gift cards in exchange for pictures of herself posing in a sexual manner.
The investigation linked him to a second victim he tried to arrange meetings with for sex, according to the indictment. He had allegedly talked with another 14-year-old girl about taking her virginity. The charges allege Valdez acknowledged that meeting her for sex would be illegal and suggested she lie to her parents and come up with an excuse to leave the house.
He also talked with another person he believed was also only 14, according to the indictment. In those conversations, he allegedly expressed a sexual interest in the girl and attempted to make plans to meet up and have sex with her, suggesting they do so when her parents were not home. Valdez also sent a chart of the various sexual positions he wanted to engage in with her, according to the allegations.
Authorities executed a search warrant July 17 which resulted in the discovery of thousands of photos and videos of child sexual abuse material.
“Protecting minors from the depraved schemes of online sexual predators is a top priority for the Southern District of Texas,” said Ganjei. “If somebody takes to the internet to prey on children, they are going to find their world turned upside down by this office. SDTX will pursue these online predators to the ends of the internet and to all four corners of the globe.”
“This indictment represents a critical step toward holding accountable those who target our most vulnerable population-our children,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI's San Antonio Field Office. “We will continue to pursue these child predators tirelessly through the work of our FBI San Antonio Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.”
If convicted, Valdez faces up to life in prison. All charges also carry a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina, Police Department. If you have any information about other possible victims or believe you have been victimized, please contact the FBI at 210-225-6741.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Makens is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Justice Department Publishes List of Sanctuary JurisdictionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Justice Department published a list of states, cities, and counties identified as having policies, laws, or regulations that impede enforcement of federal immigration laws.
“Sanctuary policies impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice will continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to eradicate these harmful policies around the country.”
On April 28, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14287: Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens. The Executive Order recognized that “some State and local officials . . . continue to use their authority to violate, obstruct, and defy the enforcement of Federal immigration laws” and “[i]t is imperative that the Federal Government restore the enforcement of United States law.” The Executive Order directed the Justice Department, in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security, to publish a list of such jurisdictions. Accordingly, the following states, cities, and counties have been identified as sanctuary jurisdictions:
STATES:
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- New York
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington
COUNTIES:
- Baltimore County, MD
- Cook County, IL
- San Diego County, CA
- San Francisco County, CA
CITIES:
- Albuquerque, NM
- Berkeley, CA
- Boston, MA
- Chicago, IL
- Denver, CO
- East Lansing, MI
- Hoboken, NJ
- Jersey City, NJ
- Los Angeles, CA
- New Orleans, LA
- New York City, NY
- Newark, NJ
- Paterson, NJ
- Philadelphia, PA
- Portland, OR
- Rochester, NY
- Seattle, WA
- San Francisco City, CA
In recent months, the Justice Department has filed several lawsuits against sanctuary jurisdictions seeking to compel compliance with federal law, including one against New York City on July 24th. Recently, the Mayor of Louisville agreed to revoke their sanctuary policies following a letter from the Justice Department threatening legal action.
Read more about the sanctuary jurisdiction list and the criteria for inclusion here. This list is not exhaustive and will be updated as federal authorities gather further information. The federal government will assist any jurisdiction that desires to be taken off this list to identify and eliminate their sanctuary policies, so they no longer stand in opposition to federal immigration enforcement.
Honduran National Unlawfully Residing in Oregon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl in Portland and San FranciscoRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Ermin Izaguirre-Estrada, 22, a Honduran national unlawfully residing in Oregon, was sentenced Monday to 70 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for trafficking fentanyl in downtown Portland and San Francisco, California.
According to court documents, on August 9, 2023, as part of a fentanyl enforcement mission targeting fentanyl dealers in downtown Portland, officers observed Izaguirre-Estrada holding what appeared to be blue fentanyl pills in his hand. The officers arrested Izaguirre-Estrada and seized a loaded firearm, more than 6,000 fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and cash.
On August 16, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Izaguirre-Estrada with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and alien in possession of a firearm.
On September 26, 2023, a federal grand jury in the Northern District of California returned a two-count indictment charging Izaguirre-Estrada with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, based on a prior arrest in April 2023.
On April 30, 2025, Izaguirre-Estrada pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, resolving both of his criminal cases.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HITDA) Interdiction Team (HIT), the PPB Central Precinct Neighborhood Response Team and PPB Bike Squad. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.
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.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.
Hartford, Vermont Man Charged with Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on July 31, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging two-time U.S. Open snowboarding champion Rahm Klampert, 45, of Hartford, Vermont, with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl.
Klampert entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on July 31, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle ordered that Klampert be detained during the pendency of this matter.
According to court records, on June 20, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Klampert’s residence and personal training studio, Rahm’s Results, both located in Hartford, Vermont. In total, law enforcement recovered from those locations approximately 1.1 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, and 75 grams of fentanyl; 12 firearms including multiple suspected short-barreled shotguns, assault rifles, and handguns, three of which have been identified as stolen; a money-counter machine; and over $100,000 in U.S. currency. Multiple sources of information reported to law enforcement that Klampert was trafficking drugs in the Hartford area.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Klampert is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, Klampert faces a 10-year mandatory minimum prison sentence and up to a lifetime term of imprisonment. The sentence would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Hartford Police Department, the Vermont State Police, the Vermont Drug Task Force, the Brattleboro Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorney Corinne Smith and Special Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham. Klampert is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Charles Curlett.