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Tuesday 17 June 2025
Former Fulton County Deputy Sheriff Charged with Excessively Tasing Three Detainees and Obstructing JusticeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Khadijah Solomon, a former deputy with the Fulton County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office, was arraigned today on charges of using unreasonable force by repeatedly tasing three detainees without legal justification and obstructing of justice by lying in official reports to cover up her unlawful conduct.
“Law enforcement officers in this district perform their duties professionally and honorably, but those who abuse their power will be held accountable for their unlawful conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “On three occasions, Khadijah Solomon allegedly tased Fulton County Jail detainees without a legitimate purpose, causing each of them pain and injury. Abuses of power of this kind are unconstitutional, erode our community’s trust, and will be prosecuted.”
“The Civil Rights Division has zero tolerance for law enforcement officers who abuse public trust through excessive force and concealing their misconduct,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will vigorously safeguard the constitutional rights of all individuals, including those in custody, and ensure accountability in this case.”
“The FBI is committed to protecting the civil rights of all individuals, including those in custody,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “When a law enforcement officer betrays the badge by using unlawful force and attempting to cover it up, it not only harms the victim—it undermines the integrity of our entire justice system. We will continue to work with our partners to investigate and hold accountable those who abuse their authority.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the indictment, information provided in court, and other publicly available information: The use-of-force policy implemented by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) directs officers to use force that is objectively reasonable. To determine whether force is objectively reasonable, officers are required to consider the severity of the crime, the immediate threat posed by the subject, and whether the subject is actively resisting. Consistent with the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the FCSO’s policy forbids deploying a taser as a form of punishment.
In violation of this policy, Solomon, a former jail supervisor with the FCSO, allegedly fired her county-issued Taser to repeatedly shock and stun three male detainees without legal justification. Each incident was recorded by Solomon’s body worn camera. The evidence showed that each of the detainees, one of whom was handcuffed at the time, was compliant and non-threatening when Solomon repeatedly tased him. Following each incident, Solomon prepared reports about the incidents that allegedly contained materially false information about the detainee’s conduct and lies about her use of force.
Khadijah Solomon, 47, of Fairburn, Georgia, was arraigned today before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard. She was indicted by a federal grand jury seated in the Northern District of Georgia on June 10, 2025.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brent Alan Gray and Bret R. Hobson and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Briana M. Clark are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former Finance Director of a District Non-Profit Sentenced for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jarrett Robert Lewis, 44, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for his role in an embezzlement scheme that bilked a District non-profit advocacy organization of nearly $320,000.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office.
Lewis pleaded guilty Feb. 13, 2025, to one count of wire fraud. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge John D. Bates ordered Lewis to serve three years of supervised release, to pay restitution of $318,000, and to reimburse the victim organization’s attorney fees of $53,335.
Lewis was employed by the victim agency between June 2021 and October 2022. According to the statement of facts, while serving as Director of Finance for the non-profit, Lewis perpetrated a scheme to defraud his employer. Lewis was one of three employees at Victim 1 with access to the non-profit’s bank account. It was part of Lewis’s duties to pay bills on behalf of the organization. Lewis was also provided with a VISA card for an account belonging to Victim 1 and was authorized to use the VISA card to incur expenses on behalf of Victim 1 for goods and services related to its operations.
On 32 occasions, Lewis took advantage of his position by accessing Victim 1’s account and causing funds to be transferred to his personal account and for his own personal benefit. Lewis also used the non-profit’s VISA to book and pay for personal travel for himself, his family, and friends.
Lewis was arrested on September 5, 2024.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Truscott with the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Florida Man Facing Federal Interstate Communication Harassment ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland unsealed an indictment, charging Jackson Traylor, 26, of Dania Beach, Florida, with one count of utilizing a telecommunications device without disclosing his identity with the intent to abuse, threaten, or harass.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
According to public filings, between July 9, 2024, and April 10, 2025, Traylor — using a series of different phone numbers — sent more than 10 Antisemitic and harassing messages to a Jewish individual who is originally from Maryland.
Messages included, “Go burn in an oven like your ancestors”, “Burn in a god damn oven . . . . Stupid jew”, and “Hey Jew, been a while since we spoke. Let me burn you alive like your ancestors. Hail Hitler.”
If convicted, Traylor faces a maximum sentence of two years in federal prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its investigative efforts. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Sarma who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Final defendant pleads guilty in Southeast Alaska drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The final defendant in a Southeast Alaska drug trafficking conspiracy pleaded guilty today to conspiring to traffic drugs and launder money connected to a transnational drug trafficking enterprise.
According to court documents, on Aug. 24, 2022, U.S. Postal Inspectors seized a suspicious package addressed to Patricia Seal-Uttke, 32, of Ketchikan, and discovered nearly 500 grams of heroin and over 430 grams of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officials conducted a controlled delivery of the package and co-conspirator Larry Marsden picked up the package before being stopped by those officials.
Seal-Uttke’s actions were only a small part of the scheme. Other court documents in this case explain that Seal-Uttke’s co-conspirator Karly Fuller recruited individuals to work for the drug trafficking enterprise and managed their operations. It is alleged that the drug trafficking enterprise was ultimately directed by an inmate in a California prison.
Other co-conspirators shipped parcels containing controlled substances from California and other parts of Alaska to various places in Southeast Alaska, mainly Sitka and Ketchikan, for distribution on behalf of the drug trafficking enterprise. On various occasions, law enforcement officials seized parcels containing hundreds to thousands of illegal fentanyl pills and hundreds of grams of methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine. According to related court documents, Fuller, Seal-Uttke, Marsden and other co-conspirators in this case were responsible for trafficking over 2.1 kilograms of fentanyl, over 2.2 kilograms of methamphetamine, over 500 grams of heroin and over 55 grams of cocaine through the mail to Southeast Alaska in the course of a single month in 2022.
Court documents further explain that between June 2022 and July 2023, Fuller, Seal-Uttke, Marsden, and co-conspirators Julia Brusell and Stormy Cleveland attempted to launder over $150,000 in drug proceeds. The laundering involved money orders, wire transfers, digital money transferring applications and physically mailing parcels containing drug proceeds from Alaska to co-conspirators in California and Mexico.
Seal-Uttke is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine her sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-defendants in this case are as follows:
- Karly Fuller, 31, of Sitka, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy on April 23, 2025. Fuller is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Larry Marsden, 43, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy on Dec. 9, 2024. On March 12, 2025, Marsden was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment and will serve three years on supervised release after her release from prison.
- Stormy Cleveland, 39, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy on Nov. 15, 2024. On March 25, 2025, Cleveland was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment and will serve five years on supervised release after her release from prison.
- Mario Klanott, 38, of Sitka, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 13, 2025. Klanott is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Douglas Vanmeter, 34, of Sitka, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on May 8, 2025. Vanmeter is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 6, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Sara Orr, 34, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 6, 2025. Orr is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Julia Brusell, 43, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy on Nov. 15, 2024. On March 17, 2025, Brusell was sentenced to time served and will serve two years on supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney William Narus of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska has been recused from this case with the exception of certain personnel. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. Clymer from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York has been appointed as Special Attorney to the United States Attorney General to assist with this and other recused cases. He reports to and acts under the direction of the Deputy Attorney General, or his delegee, or Acting U.S. Attorney Narus in these cases. Special Attorney Clymer supervises personnel from the District of Alaska who have been exempted from the recusal.
The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division and Anchorage District Office, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division and Anchorage Domicile, FBI Anchorage Field Office and Alaska State Troopers, with significant law enforcement support from the U.S. Marshals Service, are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alana Weber, Stephan Collins and Chris Schroeder from the District of Alaska are prosecuting the case.
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Federal Jury Convicts Two Biddeford Men of Robbery, Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Using Firearms in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: Two Biddeford men were found guilty today of interfering with commerce by robbery; conspiring to traffic cocaine, cocaine base, and fentanyl; using a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking; and illegally possessing a firearm. The verdict came following a six-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Portland.
According to court records and testimony at trial, Nathaniel Ashwood, 37, and Lloyd Lyttle, 35, distributed narcotics in the Biddeford area and defended their narcotics distribution interests with violence and threats of violence. Witnesses at trial testified that during the evening of July 28, 2023, Ashwood and Lyttle robbed and assaulted a rival drug dealer and two other individuals in the area of Cutts Street in Biddeford using firearms and physical force to intimidate local residents and establish their control of the local drug market. At the time Lyttle and Ashwood committed these assaults they had both been convicted of felony offenses that prohibited them from possessing firearms.
Ashwood faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum sentence of life. Lyttle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 years with a maximum sentence of life. Both men will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Biddeford Police Department investigated the case, with the assistance of the Springfield, Vermont Police Department.
Eight Individuals Indicted and Arrested for Mail, Wire, and Bank Fraud Conspiracy, and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On June 12, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment charging eight individuals with conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The following agencies partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate the case and execute the arrests today: U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Social Security Administration (SSA), Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), Guaynabo Municipal Police, San Juan Municipal Police, and Bayamón Municipal Police.
According to court documents, defendants
- Enrique K. Falcón-López, a.k.a. “Gordo/Náutica”
- Luis Pagán-Torres, a.k.a. “Luiso”
- Francisco Martínez-Mendoza, a.k.a. “Pito”
- Dennis H. Ditran, a.k.a. “Dennis H. Ditran Phillips/Dennis Ditren”
- Tomás Bermúdez-Monroig
- Iván González-Costa
- Jesús M. Cruz-Martínez, a.k.a. “Chobi” and
- Karelys Olmo-Rodríguez
conspired to unjustly enrich themselves by stealing means of identification of other people and using it to defraud the home improvement retailer Home Depot and Bank A.
To execute the fraudulent scheme, the defendants stole identifying information from unsuspecting victims, created hundreds of fraudulent Puerto Rico drivers’ licenses that contained some combination of stolen means of identifications including names, dates of birth, and drivers’ license numbers, along with photographs of the faces of members of the conspiracy. The defendants used the fraudulent licenses to open accounts at Home Depot and purchased thousands of dollars in merchandise, to then sell it.
“Financial fraud is one of the largest challenges facing American citizens and businesses today. Prevention and prosecution of crimes of this nature will remain a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said United States Attorney, W. Stephen Muldrow. “The defendants took advantage of the victims to steal their credit, fraudulently purchase merchandise, and then sell it to enrich themselves. We understand there may be more victims, so if you suspect you could be one, please contact HSI at (787) 729-6969.”
The defendants will make their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Héctor Ramos-Vega of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Olinghouse and Manuel Muñiz-Lorenzi, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service Special Assistant United States Attorney Edwin Caban Jr. are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Drug Trafficking Organization Faces Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney, announced a federal indictment charging 21 individuals from Indianapolis to Phoenix, Arizona for their alleged roles in an Indianapolis-based drug trafficking organization led by Eric Robinson.
On Friday, June 13, 2025, a multiple-agency operation consisting of 19 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies served search and arrest warrants at 21 locations in Indianapolis and Phoenix, Arizona, ultimately leading to the arrest of 19 individuals. During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized approximately 56 firearms, $12,000 in currency, 75 pounds of methamphetamine, eight kilograms of cocaine, two pounds of fentanyl, 100 suspected fentanyl pills, one-half pound of heroin, 2 ounces of crack cocaine, and one-half pound of hallucinogenic mushrooms.
The following individuals were apprehended and charged on Friday:
DefendantCharge(s)Eric L. Robinson, 55- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
According to the indictment, Eric Robinson was the alleged leader of a drug trafficking organization that operated in Indianapolis. Robinson received methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and Xanax from primary sources of supply in Texas and Arizona and alternative sources of supply in Indianapolis. Robinson then delivered the controlled substances to numerous other individuals in the Indianapolis area for redistribution.
The following investigative agencies collaborated to make this investigation and recent warrant execution possible:
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Internal Revenue Service
- Indianapolis Metropolitan Drug Task Force
- Hamilton Boone Drug Task Force
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
- Department of Homeland Security
- U.S. Marshal Service
- Indiana State Police
- Beech Grove Police
- Lawrence Police
- Brownsburg Police
- Fishers Police
- Carmel Police
- Greenfield Police
- Plainfield Police
- Whitestown Police
- Zionsville Police
- Morgan County Sheriff’s Office
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley A. Blackington and Matt Barloh, who are prosecuting this case.
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This operation is part of the Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program.
An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Dominican National Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Lawrence, Mass. was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for selling heroin in 2014. Following his conviction, the defendant evaded facing justice for a decade by removing his location monitoring equipment and assuming a false identity.
Ranyel Reyes, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On Oct. 16, 2014, Reyes was arrested and charged by criminal complaint and was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2014. In August 2015, he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.
On three occasions in 2014, Reyes sold or directed the sale of heroin to a confidential source. On the date of the first sale, Reyes was on probation related to a 2012 state court conviction for possession of cocaine. Subsequently, it was confirmed that the defendant sold 74.6 grams of heroin to the confidential source in 2014.
Following his arrest in 2014, Reyes was released on a bond with pretrial conditions. In 2015, he was detained in immigration custody for a short period of time before being released again on bond with pre-trial conditions. On Aug. 13, 2015, following his plea hearing, Reyes was released on the same conditions, awaiting sentencing. He was scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 2, 2015.
On Nov. 29, 2015, days before his scheduled sentencing, the defendant removed his location monitoring equipment and absconded from pretrial supervision. A warrant was immediately issued for his arrest.
The defendant’s whereabouts were unknown to law enforcement until 2025, when it was discovered that the defendant had been living in Lawrence under the name “Eric Yavier Rivera Velasquez” to evade capture. On March 28, 2025, Reyes was arrested pursuant to the warrant issued in 2015.
Reyes’ prior criminal record includes an arrest for assault and battery, as well as convictions for cocaine distribution and shoplifting.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Dominican National Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Misusing Identity of United States CitizenRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Dorchester, Mass. was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally using the personal identifying information of a United States citizen for nearly a decade, using the stolen identity to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license and apply for a United States passport.
Luis Alison Roa Lara, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 27 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In March 2025, Luis Alison Roa Lara pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement in a U.S. passport application, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of misuse of a Social Security number. The defendant was arrested and charged in August 2024.
For nearly a decade, Luis Alison Roa Lara has been using the personal identifying information of a Puerto Rican citizen. Luis Alison Roa Lara used the misappropriated identifying information to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license and attempted to use it to obtain a United States passport.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, Detroit Resident Office; the United States Postal Inspection Service; and the Lorain (Ohio) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Lawrence, Mass. pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Santo Beato Aybar-Aybar, 49, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled sentencing for Sept. 11, 2025. Aybar-Aybar was indicted in April 2025.
Aybar-Aybar was previously deported from the United States three times, the last time on or about Sept. 21, 2021. Sometime after his September 2021 removal, Aybar-Aybar illegally reentered the United States without permission.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric L. Hawkins of the Major Crime Unit is prosecuting the case.
Dallas Business Owner Convicted of Failing to Pay over $3 Million in Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Dallas business owner Friday of failing to pay over employment taxes withheld from her employees, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.
Heaven Marie Diaz, 57, of Dallas, Texas, was indicted in 2023. Following a four-day trial and less than an hour of deliberation, the jury found her guilty on all five counts of failing to pay over trust fund taxes.
According to evidence presented at trial, Diaz was the owner and CEO of Pursuit of Excellence, a staffing company based in Dallas. From 2015 to 2017, she withheld payroll taxes from her employees’ paychecks but failed to remit more than $3 million to the IRS as required by law.
Former employees and Diaz’s former accountant testified that they repeatedly warned her about her obligation to pay employment taxes. Despite those warnings, Diaz continued to withhold the taxes and kept the funds in her company’s bank accounts. Evidence showed she used those funds to cover personal expenses, including international travel, luxury goods, and $10,000 monthly rent on a home in Dallas’s Preston Hollow neighborhood. Diaz took the stand and attempted to convince the jury that these items were business expenditures, including her rent payment, which she claimed qualified as a business expense because she occasionally threw “murder mystery” parties as an opportunity to network.
“This defendant defrauded taxpayers and stole from her employees, so that she could live lavishly,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “She is now rightly held accountable for her actions. In the end, her extravagance was her undoing. The diligent work of the investigative agents assigned to this case unearthed her fraudulent scheme and put a stop to it.”
“Heaven Marie Diaz abused her power and lived the highlife with trust fund/employment taxes due to the IRS,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office. “The jury’s guilty verdict is a stark reminder that anyone who betrays the trust of employees and their responsibilities to the IRS will face the full weight of accountability.”
Diaz is scheduled to be sentenced in September 2025, before United States Chief District Judge David C. Godbey, who presided over the trial. Diaz faces up to five years in federal prison on each count.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan P. Niedermair and Joshua D. Detzky are prosecuting the case. Appellate Division Assistant U.S. Attorney Elise Aldendifer and Assistant U.S. Attorneys (fmr.) Marcus Busch and Jenna Rudoff also contributed to the prosecution.
Convicted Sex Offender Illegally Present in the Country Assaults Federal Officer During Immigration ArrestRead the Press Release
St. Paul, Minn. – Roberto Carlos Munoz-Guatemala, 39, a citizen of Mexico, has been charged federally with assault on a federal officer with a dangerous or deadly weapon and resulting in bodily injury, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
According to court documents, in December 2022, Munoz was charged with repeatedly sexually abusing a minor victim. He was ultimately convicted of Fourth-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct, a felony offense.
On June 17, 2025, multiple federal agencies attempted to effectuate an administrative warrant for Munoz’s arrest due to lack of legal status in the United States. Officers and agents—clearly identified as “POLICE”—pulled Munoz over for a traffic stop. Munoz repeatedly refused to comply with commands from law enforcement officers to lower the windows and open the door. Officers told Munoz they would break a window if Munoz continued to refuse. When Munoz refused to comply, the victim in this case, an ERO Officer, used a spring-loaded window punch to break the rear window of the car and then reached into Munoz’s car to attempt to unlock the door.
While the ERO Officer’s arm was inside the car, Munoz put the vehicle in drive. Munoz drove up onto the curb and accelerated at a high rate of speed. The ERO Officer’s arm was caught in the car. As Munoz drove, the ERO Officer was dragged in the moving vehicle. The ERO Officer twice fired his taser at Munoz to get him to stop. Munoz was undeterred. He continued driving away as the ERO Officer screamed.
With the ERO Officer’s arm caught in the broken window and the ERO Officer being dragged along the road, Munoz began weaving back and forth, in an apparent attempt to shake the ERO Officer from the car. Munoz drove back and forth, driving up on the curb and weaving past a vehicle, all while dragging the ERO Officer. When Munoz got off the curb and reentered the street, the force knocked the ERO Officer free from the car. Munoz continued his flight. In total, Munoz dragged the ERO Officer approximately 100 yards down the street.
The ERO Officer was transported to the hospital, where he received treatment for injuries sustained from being dragged by Munoz. The ERO Officer suffered a significant cut to his right arm that required 20 stitches to close. He suffered a significant cut to his left hand that required 13 stitches. The ERO Officer also suffered abrasions to his left knee, elbows, and face.
“Law enforcement officers deserve our respect, our gratitude, and our protection,” said Acting
U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Defendant Munoz—a convicted sex offender illegally present in the country—violently assaulted a federal officer who was just trying to do his job. The injuries the officer sustained were severe but could have been so much worse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has no tolerance for violence against law enforcement officers.”
“Munoz had no legal right to be in this country—and certainly not free in the community after a conviction for sexually abusing a minor,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Instead of complying with a lawful immigration arrest, he chose to violently resist — dragging a deportation officer with his vehicle and putting that officer’s life at risk. The FBI takes any assault on a federal officer with the utmost seriousness, and we are committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure this individual is held fully accountable. There is no tolerance for this kind of violence—not against federal agents, not against local officers, not against anyone who wears a badge.”
“This was a brazen and cowardly act by a criminal illegal alien who has complete disregard for the laws of our country and clearly places himself above the lives of others,” said Peter Berg, ICE ERO Field Office Director for St. Paul. “The deportation officer involved in this incident— someone who has dedicated his life to upholding the law and protecting this nation—was severely wounded by a fleeing suspect who should have never been in the United States in the first place.”
These cases are a result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, ERO, and HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raphael B. Coburn is prosecuting the case.
An earlier version of this press release noted that defendant Munoz-Guatemala is a citizen of Guatemala. He is in fact a citizen of Mexico.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Convicted Felon Who Attempted to Sell Assault Rifle Sentenced to 92 Months in Federal Prison for Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Timothy Demetrius Jeffrey, aka “Boo,” 44, of Antioch, Calif., was sentenced today to 92 months in federal prison, following his conviction on March 12, 2025, by a federal jury on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Senior U.S. District Judge William H. Alsup handed down the sentence. Judge Alsup also sentenced Jeffrey to concurrent 24-month terms for violating the terms of his supervised release in two other federal cases.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on April 25, 2023, Jeffrey drove into a shopping plaza parking lot in Pittsburg, Calif., parked, and fled on foot from a pursuing police officer. Jeffrey threw a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine and 19 rounds of ammunition over a fence behind the shopping plaza before he was arrested.
Jeffrey posted bond after his arrest but absconded soon thereafter. Following an investigation by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service, law enforcement officers located Jeffrey at a relative’s home in Antioch on March 27, 2024. After U.S. Marshals arrested Jeffrey, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the residence, where deputies located and seized an Aero Precision AR-style rifle with a magazine and 25 rounds of ammunition from under a couch in the living room. They also seized a cell phone that had been used by Jeffrey. The phone contained multiple text messages in which Jeffrey attempted to sell the AR rifle and sent a photo of it.
At the time of his April 2023 and March 2024 arrests, Jeffrey was on federal supervised release following past felony convictions for being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, escape from custody, and conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Judge Alsup also found that enhancements were appropriate under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines (i) due to Jeffrey’s obstruction of justice resulting from perjury during his trial testimony; and (ii) because one of the guns Jeffrey possessed had previously been stolen.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Buenaventura made the announcement.
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 of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aseem Padukone prosecuted this case with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop, Nina Burney, and Yenni Weinberg. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF, the United States Marshals Service, the Pittsburg Police Department, and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office.
Clairton Resident Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Violating Federal Narcotics LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Clairton, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to a 48-month term of imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotic laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Mark Cook, 58.
According to information presented to the Court, from July 2022 through June 2023, Cook provided codefendants with cocaine and crack cocaine for resale in the Hill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Stickman stated that the defendant’s actions were serious and that, through those actions, he victimized the families and citizens of the Hill District.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Cook.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Chesapeake cocaine trafficker sentenced to 18 years in prisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on Feb. 10, 2024, Chesapeake Police officers were attempting to serve arrest warrants for assault and battery of a family or household member and destruction of property on Abdul-Wakeel Khabeer Qaabid, aka Kenneth Andrew Jordan, 39. Qaabid fled during a traffic stop, but crashed his vehicle and fled on foot. From Qaabid’s vehicle, investigators recovered two loaded handguns, five ounces of cocaine base, 43 grams of marijuana, $25,020, and three cellular devices. During a search of Qaabid’s residence, investigators recovered over six kilograms of cocaine, packaging materials, .45 caliber ammunition, and $26,900 in drug proceeds.
Qaabid was arrested on March 13, 2024, at a residence in Chesapeake. During a search of that residence, CPD recovered an additional $11,850 in drug proceeds.
Qaabid previously had been convicted for attempted capital murder, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and felony assault and battery. As a previously convicted felon, Qaabid cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin G. Bird prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-68.
Central Ohio woman sentenced to more than 5 years in prison for $2.8 million pandemic relief fraud schemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Westerville woman who claimed affiliation with Dayton-area pizza restaurants to obtain nearly $1.9 million in COVD-19 relief funds was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 70 months in prison.
Lorie A. Schaefer, 63, also assisted a co-defendant in fraudulently receiving more than $980,000 pandemic relief loans in exchange for payment, causing a total of $2.8 million in fraud.
According to court documents, Schaefer opened new bank accounts in December 2020 prior to registering a fictitious business name with the State of Ohio in March 2021.
Schaefer fraudulently claimed affiliation with the Flying Pizza restaurants in Dayton, Centerville and Fairborn. When notified that a Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan for nearly $1.9 million had been filed in the name of Flying Pizza, individuals at the family-owned business said their restaurants could not justify such a large loan.
Schaefer claimed to have 98 employees and submitted altered bank records as part of her application. Schaefer also claimed the business was established in March 2021, even though the original Flying Pizza was established in 1984. Additionally, she claimed not to be under indictment despite having pending theft charges in Meigs County. Schaefer attached multiple fraudulent documents to her PPP application, including a bank statement, tax records, and a letter from the IRS.
Bank records indicate Schaefer improperly used PPP funds for personal expenses, for example, nearly $26,000 on liposuction, a $10,000 check for a “newborn baby gift,” and more than $900,000 to purchase and renovate a home in Westerville. Schaefer also made purchases at Wayfair, Lamps Plus, Kroger, KFC, Burger King, Arby’s, McDonald’s and Olive Garden. Evidence also suggests Schaefer used the fraud proceeds to purchase vehicles in Ohio and property in Australia.
After being charged in this case, Schaefer committed new offenses and violated her pre-trial release multiple times, leading to the revocation of her bond.
She pleaded guilty in July 2024 and twice attempted to withdraw her guilty plea.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Anthony Licari, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Region; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case.
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Cell Phone Service Provider Agrees to Pay $500,000 for Imposing Unlawful Charges on Military ServicemembersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Teleguam Holdings, LLC (GTA) has agreed to pay $500,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by imposing fees on over 1,300 military servicemembers who terminated their cell phone service contracts because they had received military relocation orders.
“Servicemembers will not be penalized because of their patriotic service to our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will vigorously prosecute companies that refuse to abide by federal law that protects our great men and women in uniform who actively serve to protect our Nation.”
GTA will pay $450,000 in compensation to servicemembers, including double damages to servicemembers who paid GTA’s early termination charges, and a $50,000 civil penalty; and GTA will revise its policies to ensure that eligible military servicemembers can end their cell phone service contracts without illegal early termination charges.
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $482 million in monetary relief for over 148,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.
Camden County Felon Admits to Conspiring to Distribute Cocaine and Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man admitted to conspiring to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Rasheed Amin, 46, of Voorhees, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and one count of a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On multiple occasions in 2024, Amin flew from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to cities in the western United States to obtain cocaine for further distribution. Amin then mailed parcels containing the cocaine to his Voorhees residence and other addresses in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. On October 29, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Amin’s Voorhees residence and recovered several kilograms of cocaine, as well as a loaded firearm. Amin—a previously-convicted felon—admitted to possessing the cocaine and the firearm recovered from his residence.
The cocaine conspiracy count carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. The illegal possession of a firearm count carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for November 13, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited inspectors and task force officers of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. She also credited the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabriel Rodriguez, and the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of Chief John Ostermueller, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Defense counsel: Ikram Ally, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender
amin.information.pdfBrothers-in-Law Indicted for Bank Takeover Scheme and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
A 17-count indictment was unsealed today charging Ayman Alaaraj, 48, of Sacramento, and Ahmad Nassar, 38, of Elk Grove, with operating a scheme to defraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
The indictment charges the defendants with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft and also charges Nassar with access device fraud. In 2019, Nassar was convicted of unlawfully possessing 15 or more access devices, aggravated ID theft; and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He served time in prison and was released on March 4, 2021. He is currently in custody after being arrested on Feb. 7, 2024, for allegedly violating the terms of his supervised release. Alaaraj was ordered to self-surrender on Wednesday morning.
According to court documents, in May 2023, Nassar took over multiple bank accounts belonging to two elderly victims at two separate banks. Nassar employed sophisticated techniques to take over the victims’ accounts such as porting over the phone number belonging to one victim. This allowed him to gain access to the accounts and defeat the banks’ dual-factor authentication protections.
Once Nassar established control over the victims’ bank accounts, he — occasionally assisted by Alaaraj — drained the accounts and ran up unpaid credit card debits that, in total, resulted in more than $794,000 in losses to the victims. The defendants funneled the stolen money through pass-through accounts Nassar created in the victims’ names. The defendants also funneled more than $100,000 through Alaaraj’s businesses, Balance Bookkeeping, Tax and Notary and Atheer Investments. They then ultimately disbursed the money to themselves using ATM cash withdrawals, personal checks, Western Union transactions, Zelle transactions, payments to credit cards, online gambling, and towards the purchase of a Mercedes.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice – Bureau of Gambling Control. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot C. Wong is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Nassar and Alaaraj face a maximum statutory penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for each count of bank fraud, and a mandatory term of two years in prison and a statutory maximum fine of up to $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or gross loss for the aggravated identity theft count. Nassar also faces 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of access device fraud. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Brazilian National Pleads Guilty to Multi-State Conspiracy to Obtain Driver’s Licenses for Ineligible ApplicantsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national illegally residing in Waterbury, Conn. pleaded guilty on June 13, 2025 to conspiring to obtain driver’s licenses for ineligible applicants, principally illegal aliens.
Cesar Agusto Martin Reis, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully produce and possess with intent to transfer identification documents, and one count of possession with intent to use or transfer unlawfully identification documents. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Sept. 10, 2025. In December 2024, Cesar Agusto Martin Reis was charged along with four co-conspirators.
From in or about November 2020 through in or about September 2024, Cesar Agusto Martin Reis and his alleged co-conspirators fraudulently procured driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who resided in states that prohibited illegal aliens from obtaining driver’s licenses. Prior to July 2023, illegal aliens residing in Massachusetts were not permitted to obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses. Beginning in 2019, illegal aliens residing in New York became eligible to obtain New York driver’s licenses. Cesar Agusto Martin Reis and his alleged co-conspirators conspired to fraudulently obtain New York driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who did not reside in New York, including Massachusetts residents, and after July 2023 to fraudulently obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who did not reside in Massachusetts. In exchange for fraudulently obtaining the driver’s licenses, Cesar Agusto Martin Reis and his alleged co-conspirators typically charged approximately $1,400 per customer.
In New York, before obtaining a driver’s license, applicants were required to pass a written permit test and complete driver’s education coursework from a New York driving school. Online permit test-takers were required by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (NY DMV) to take a picture of themselves with a web camera during the test. This was to ensure that the test-taker was indeed the applicant and that there was not a person sitting with and helping the applicant with the test.To avoid the customers having to take the permit tests, Cesar Agusto Martin Reis and his alleged co-conspirators obtained several pictures of the customers sitting down, making it look as if the customers were taking the tests. Cesar Agusto Martin Reis conspired with his alleged co-conspirators to complete the permit tests for the customers online and, when prompted by the NY DMV to take pictures during the tests, and to upload the pictures that the customers previously provided – purporting to show that it was the customers who were taking the tests, not the defendants. The defendants also allegedly created fraudulent driver’s education certificates of completion, purportedly from New York driving schools, forged the signatures of driving school staff on the fake certificates and gave these documents to the customers to provide to the NY DMV.
The NY DMV also required that applicants appear at a NY DMV location and provide documents to prove their identity and residence in New York. Cesar Agusto Martin Reis conspired with his alleged co-conspirators to meet Massachusetts-based customers at locations in Massachusetts – typically several customers at a time – and drive them to NY DMV branch locations. When they arrived at the NY DMV locations, the defendants allegedly gave the customers fraudulent documents falsely purporting to demonstrate that the customers resided in New York. The customers provided these fake records to the NY DMV staff, and the NY DMV relied on the misrepresentations to issue New York driving permits to the customers. Cesar Agusto Martin Reis conspired with his alleged co-conspirators to arrange for the NY DMV to mail the permits to locations in New York that were controlled by the defendants and provided the permits to the customers in-person. Additionally, the defendants allegedly conspired to schedule road driving license tests for the customers with the NY DMV and, again, drive the customers to New York for them to take the road tests. If the customers passed the tests, the NY DMV sent the driver’s licenses to mailing addresses in New York that the defendants allegedly controlled, and the defendants then provided the licenses to the customers.
The defendants allegedly conspired to obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses for out-of-state residents, in generally the same manner as they allegedly obtained the New York licenses for Massachusetts residents. In Massachusetts, the defendants allegedly conspired to fraudulently obtain purported foreign passports to provide to the customers to use as proof of identity with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles in support of customer driver’s license applications.
Collectively, Cesar Agusto Martin Reis and his alleged co-conspirators fraudulently applied for licenses for more than 1,000 customers, obtained licenses for more than 600 of the customers, and collected at least hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The charge of conspiracy to unlawfully produce and possess with intent to transfer identification documents carries up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000; and the charge of possession with intent to use or transfer unlawfully identification documents, carries up to 15 years in prison, supervised release of up to 3 years, 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; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Kelly Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the NY DMV Division of Field Investigation; the Boston, Danbury (Conn.) and Waterbury (Conn.) Police Departments; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut; and the New York State Inspector General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bethel Park Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation and Prison Contraband ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation of minors and possession of contraband in prison, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Seth Hollerich, 30, pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Hollerich distributed material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors on two occasions—in March 2021 and September 2021. Further, in November 2024, while in prison for these crimes, Hollerich was found to be in possession of a prohibited object intended to be used as a weapon. Specifically, Hollerich possessed an 8.5-inch shank with a 3-inch sharpened plastic tip, and two additional 4-inch shanks with sharpened foil tips.
Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for October 14, 2025. As to the child sexual exploitation crimes, the law provides for a total sentence of not less than five (5) years and not more than twenty (20) years in prison, a fine of $250,000.00, or both. As to the contraband matter, the law provides for a total sentence of not more than five (5) years, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, Hollerich remains detained.
Assistant United States Attorneys Heidi M. Grogan and Kelly M. Locher are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security, United States Marshals Service, and Butler County Prison conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Hollerich.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Bergen County Man Admits to Committing over $600,000 COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey man admitted to fraudulently obtaining approximately $617,991 in federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”) and Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Malak Faltawws, aka “Mark Andrews,” 47, of Rutherford, New Jersey, plead guilty on June 10, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to two-counts of an Indictment charging wire fraud and money laundering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From March 2020 through November 2021, Faltawws fraudulently obtained approximately $617,991 of COVID-19 emergency relief funds, which included loans and cash advances meant for distressed small businesses under the EIDL and PPP programs, by submitting false and fraudulent applications, inflating his businesses’ revenue, payroll expenses, and number of employees. After receiving the fraudulent funds, he diverted the proceeds for his personal gain.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and the money laundering charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Each charge also carries a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for October 22, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan and investigators of the New Jersey Motor Vehicles Commission under the direction of Chief Administrator Latrecia Littles-Floyd with the investigation.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of the five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aja Espinosa of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Defense counsel: Areeb Salim, Esq. and Shaiba Rather, Esq.
faltawws.indictment.pdfArrest Warrants Issued for Father of Missing Union City ChildRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Arrest warrants have been issued for Jose Inocencio Fraire Chavez, 39. The warrants are related to incidents which occurred in Obion County, Tennessee. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the issuance of the arrest warrants today.
Chavez has been charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm; willful failure to comply with removal procedures in violation of Title 8 U.S.C. § 1253(b); and flight to avoid prosecution.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement are working together in coordination with the Union City Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to safely locate Chavez and his child, who have not been seen in the Union City area since May 2, 2025.
“Since issuing a statewide Endangered Child Alert on May 5th, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has remained committed to working alongside our local, state, and federal partners to bring Tah Yah Yona Chavez home safely,” said TBI Director David Rausch. “At the heart of this investigation is an innocent child who deserves to be safely reunited with her family in West Tennessee. We are truly grateful for the invaluable teamwork of our law enforcement partners in these efforts.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hillary Lawler Parham.
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of the factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Arkansas man sentenced for transporting illegal aliens in wheel well and fuel tankRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 48-year-old man from Jonesboro, Arkansas, has been ordered to federal prison for unlawfully transporting four illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes following a less than two-day trial before finding Noel Mercado guilty on two counts of alien smuggling March 11.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Mercado to serve 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered evidence showing that two individuals had been bolted inside a pickup truck’s wheel well. In handing down the sentence, the court called the offense circumstance egregious and said the smuggled individuals had been “treated like trash.”
On the evening of Jan. 5, Mercado approached the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint in a Ford F-350 and nearly drove past it. Authorities noticed his jaw shaking and a stuttered response to questions. A K-9 alerted to the vehicle which prompted a referral to secondary inspection, where an x-ray scan revealed two individuals hidden in bolted wheel well compartments and two more inside the auxiliary fuel tank.
All four were illegal aliens from the countries of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala with no authority to be in the United States.
At trial, Mercado claimed he had travelled to the Rio Grande Valley to trade baseball cards and other collectibles. He testified he had no idea any of the four individuals were concealed inside the truck he was driving. The jury did not believe his claims and found him guilty as charged.
“As we continue our successful campaign to secure the border, human smugglers are going to get increasingly desperate,” said Ganjei. “No matter how creative they think they are in their methods, our law enforcement partners are always one step ahead.”
Mercado will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Lamont and Ashley Pruitt prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
2025 World Elder Abuse Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Month, the Department of Justice announced that it has reinvigorated efforts to protect American seniors from transnational schemes that cost seniors billions of dollars, often stealing their life savings. In the past few weeks alone, Department prosecutors have arrested and filed cases against foreign fraudsters and domestic actors who have knowingly facilitated foreign-based crimes.
“Cases involving elder fraud are among the most heartbreaking cases our law enforcement partners investigate and that we prosecute. This office and federal, state, and local law enforcement are committed to working together to hold accountable those who prey on some of our most vulnerable citizens and strip them of their hard-earned savings,” commented Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. “We urge our seniors and their families to remain vigilant and to utilize the many resources available to them, such as those described below, to detect, report and avoid falling victims to these frauds.”
The Department is highlighting a number of actions, including in the District of Rhode Island, taken to protect American seniors. These include cases against those who engage in, and knowingly facilitate, romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud, and grandparent scams. Romance fraud is a confidence scheme where a perpetrator feigns romantic interest with a victim only to later extract money or property under false pretenses. Lottery fraud schemes trick victims into believing they have won a non-existent lottery or sweepstakes prize in order to extract fake fees, taxes, or other fabricated charges from the victim. Tech support fraud scams involve perpetrators tricking victims into believing that their computer or phone has a problem, often through fake pop-up messages, and to later seek funds from the victims in order to “fix” the “problem.” Grandparent scams, another type of confidence scheme, involve scammers impersonating a grandchild or close family member who experiences a fictitious emergency and needs money from the victim as soon as possible.
On June 12, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island announced the conviction of a British national from Northern Ireland who participated in a multi-state construction and money laundering fraud scheme targeting seniors. Members of the conspiracy falsely represented their experiences, skills, and business experiences while misrepresenting to property owners’ construction needs or repairs required on their properties. The conspiracy defrauded victims in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New York, and netted more than a million dollars. See here for the full USAO press release.
On May 21, 2025, this office announced the indictment of eight individuals for their roles in orchestrating and executing elaborate transnational fraud and money laundering schemes targeting elderly citizens in the United States and Canada. According to court documents, pop-up messages on seniors’ computers making various false claims lured victims to call live agents, who informed the victims that their financial assets were at risk or could be garnished, among other false claims. Law enforcement identified approximately 300 individuals in at least 37 states who suffered known losses exceeding $5 million. See here for the full USAO press release.
On November 4, 2024, it was announced that the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island charged a Florida resident and a New York resident with allegedly perpetrating grandparent scams against seniors in multiple states, including Rhode Island and Massachusetts. It is alleged that collectively the defendants defrauded seniors in more than a dozen communities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts of at least $230,000. See here for the full USO press release.
Recovering Victim Loss
Victims face many challenges in financially recovering from fraud schemes—and that is even more true for elderly victims. Many retired seniors are no longer earning income and cannot count on market appreciation to grow their retirement savings. Perpetrators may have already spent or forwarded victim funds beyond the reach of United States law enforcement. Victims may not have the resources to pursue legal action or hire legal representation. These, and other reasons, make it critically important that the Department do whatever it takes to achieve substantial victim restitution in cases we investigate and prosecute.
National Elder Fraud Hotline 2025 WEAAD Campaign
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is a free, national resource for older adults and their loved ones experiencing financial fraud. Supported by the Office for Victims of Crime, the National Elder Fraud Hotline is staffed by professionals who have experience working with older adults. Staff are continuously updated on the latest scams, are trained to make referrals and warm hand-offs for resources and services in the older adult’s local area and can assist older adults in placing a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a report which has the potential to freeze funds (although freezing funds cannot be guaranteed).
The department urges individuals to be on the lookout for fraudulent lottery, prize notification, sweepstakes, and psychic scams. If you receive a phone call, letter or email promising a large prize in exchange for a fee, do not respond. Fraudsters often will use official-sounding names or the names of real lotteries or sweepstakes or pretend to be a government agent purportedly helping to secure a prize.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
The Department notes that for all cases discussed above, facts included in a Complaint, Information, or Indictment are only allegations, and all defendants are innocent until proven guilty by evidence beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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2025 World Elder Abuse Awareness Day AnnouncementRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced yesterday that it has reinvigorated efforts to protect American seniors from transnational schemes that cost seniors billions of dollars, often stealing their life savings. In the past few weeks alone, DOJ prosecutors have arrested and filed cases against foreign fraudsters and domestic actors who have knowingly facilitated foreign-based crimes.
“Our office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who would exploit our elderly friends, neighbors, and family members. We appreciate the efforts of our federal, state, local, and tribal partners to identify elder abuse in all its forms, physical, psychological, and financial. But we also need everyone’s help by checking on older adults, especially those with few family members close by, and watching for signs and abuse or unusual financial transactions. U.S. Attorney Alme said.
See the U.S. Attorney’s Office Public Service Announcement on Elder Fraud: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/video/district-montana-elder-fraud-psa-60-seconds.
The DOJ is highlighting a number of recent prosecutions, including one here in Montana, to protect American seniors. These include cases against those who engage in, and knowingly facilitate, romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud, and grandparent scams. Romance fraud is a confidence scheme where a perpetrator feigns romantic interest with a victim only to later extract money or property under false pretenses. Lottery fraud schemes trick victims into believing they have won a non-existent lottery or sweepstakes prize in order to extract fake fees, taxes, or other fabricated charges from the victim. Tech support fraud scams involve perpetrators tricking victims into believing that their computer or phone has a problem, often through fake pop-up messages, and to later seek funds from the victims in order to “fix” the “problem.” Grandparent scams, another type of confidence scheme, involve scammers impersonating a grandchild or close family member who experiences a fictitious emergency and needs money from the victim as soon as possible.
Recently in Montana, an FBI and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office investigation resulted in the arrested a man allegedly involved in an India-based scheme that claimed to be U.S. Marshals targeting the elderly and resulted in the theft of over $1 million from an elderly victim. https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/pr/india-based-amazon-scam-leads-almost-1-million-dollar-loss-elderly-victim-missoula
Recovering Victim Loss
Victims face many challenges in financially recovering from fraud schemes—and that is even more true for elderly victims. Many retired seniors are no longer earning income and cannot count on market appreciation to grow their retirement savings. Perpetrators may have already spent or forwarded victim funds beyond the reach of United States law enforcement. Victims may not have the resources to pursue legal action or hire legal representation. These, and other reasons, make it critically important that the DOJ work hard to achieve substantial victim restitution in cases we investigate and prosecute.
National Elder Fraud Hotline 2025 WEAAD Campaign
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is a free, national resource for older adults and their loved ones experiencing financial fraud. Supported by the DOJ Office for Victims of Crime, the National Elder Fraud Hotline is staffed by professionals who have experience working with older adults. Staff are continuously updated on the latest scams, are trained to make referrals and warm hand-offs for resources and services in the older adult’s local area and can assist older adults in placing a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a report which has the potential to freeze funds (although freezing funds cannot be guaranteed).
The DOJ urges individuals to be on the lookout for fraudulent lottery, prize notification, sweepstakes, and psychic scams. If you receive a phone call, letter or email promising a large prize in exchange for a fee, do not respond. Fraudsters often will use official-sounding names or the names of real lotteries or sweepstakes or pretend to be a government agent purportedly helping to secure a prize.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This DOJ hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the DOJ’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The DOJ provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
The DOJ notes that for all cases discussed above, facts included in a Complaint, Information, or Indictment are only allegations, and all defendants are innocent until proven guilty by evidence beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Monday 16 June 2025
Venezuelan national and a U.S. citizen arrested for sanctions evasion and smuggling in scheme to supply Venezuela’s state-owned steel industryRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Two men have been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging them with violating U.S. sanctions related to Venezuela, illegally smuggling goods from the United States and money laundering.
Juan Carlos Cairo-Padron, 56, a Venezuelan national and lawful permanent resident of Huntsville, and Thomas Michael Fortinberry, 51, Decatur, Alabama, have made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan.
According to the criminal complaint, unsealed upon their appearances in court, Cairo and Fortinberry conspired for years to sell chemical catalysts, industrial equipment and associated services to Venezuelan state-owned steel mills and petrochemical companies that are subject to U.S. sanctions. Cairo and Fortinberry’s scheme allegedly involved the use of U.S. and overseas front companies that served as intermediaries on shipping documents, foreign bank accounts that moved money into and out of the United States and other activities designed to conceal the fact that the goods and services were destined for sanctioned entities.
The charges allege that from at least 2022 through the present, Cairo and Fortinberry — at times acting through companies they owned or controlled — sold millions of dollars’ worth of catalysts, industrial equipment and related services to the Venezuelan steel company Complejo Siderurgico de Guayana S.A. (COMSIGUA), which the Venezuelan government owns and is subject to U.S. sanctions. Cairo and Fortinberry allegedly used Chinese suppliers to ship the catalysts or industrial equipment directly from China to Venezuela, and in at least one instance, shipped the goods from the United States to Venezuela.
As part of their scheme, Cairo and Fortinberry also transferred millions of dollars between bank accounts in the United States, Spain and China — in transactions involving companies based in China, Germany and Spain — all for the purpose of continuing their sanctions evasion scheme and to conceal the true parties involved, according to the charges.
If convicted, both Cairo and Fortinberry face a maximum of 20 years in prison for the sanctions and money laundering violations and 10 years for smuggling.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Defense Criminal Investigative Service are conducting the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Mark McIntyre and John Marck are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Adam P. Barry, Yifei Zheng and Christopher Magnani of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Venezuelan National and U.S. Citizen Arrested for Sanctions Evasion and Smuggling in Scheme to Supply Venezuela’s State-Owned Steel IndustryRead the Press Release
Note: View the criminal complaint.
Juan Carlos Cairo-Padron, 56, of Huntsville, Texas, and Thomas Michael Fortinberry, 51, of Decatur, Alabama, were arrested on June 13, 2025 on a federal criminal complaint charging them with violating U.S. sanctions related to Venezuela, illegally smuggling goods from the United States, and money laundering. The defendants will make their initial court appearances in the Southern District of Texas today.
According to the complaint, Cairo, a Venezuelan national and U.S. lawful permanent resident, and Fortinberry, a U.S. citizen, conspired for years to sell chemical catalysts, industrial equipment, and associated services to Venezuelan state-owned steel mills and petrochemical companies that are subject to U.S. sanctions. Cairo and Fortinberry’s scheme involved the use of U.S. and overseas front companies that served as intermediaries on shipping documents, foreign bank accounts that moved money into and out of the United States, and other activities designed to conceal the fact that the goods and services were destined for sanctioned entities.
As alleged, from at least 2022 through the present, Cairo and Fortinberry — at times acting through companies that they owned or controlled such as DRI Reformers and Reformer Technologies — sold millions of dollars’ worth of catalysts, industrial equipment, and related services to the Venezuelan steel company Complejo Siderurgico de Guayana S.A. (COMSIGUA), which is owned by the Venezuelan government and is subject to U.S. sanctions. Cairo and Fortinberry used Chinese suppliers to ship the catalysts or industrial equipment directly from China to Venezuela, and in at least one instance, they shipped the goods from the United States to Venezuela. As part of their scheme, Cario and Fortinberry also transferred millions of dollars between bank accounts in the United States, Spain, and China — in transactions involving companies based in China, Germany, and Spain — all for the purpose of continuing their sanctions evasion scheme, and to conceal the true parties involved.
If convicted, both Cairo and Fortinberry face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the sanctions and money laundering violations, and 10 years in prison for the smuggling violation. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Adam P. Barry and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Mark McIntyre and John Marck for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Christopher Magnani provided substantial assistance.
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 Corporate Executives Sentenced in First-Ever Criminal Prosecution for Failure to Report Under Consumer Product Safety ActRead the Press Release
Two California businessmen were sentenced in Los Angeles, California, today for conspiracy and failing to report information related to defective dehumidifiers linked to multiple residential fires.
U.S. District Court Judge Dale S. Fischer sentenced Simon Chu, 70, of Pomona, California, and Charley Loh, 67, of Arcadia, California, to serve 38 and 40 months in prison respectively, plus three years of supervised release, for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and in failing to furnish information as required by the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA). The Court also ordered Chu and Loh to pay fines of $5,000 and $12,000, respectively, as part of their sentences. Chu and Loh were convicted on November 16, 2023, following trial in Los Angeles.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, Loh was part owner and chief executive officer of Gree USA Inc. (Gree USA), and another corporation in City of Industry, California, both of which imported and sold residential dehumidifiers that were made in China by Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai (Gree Zhuhai). Chu was part owner and chief administrative officer of the same two corporations.
The CPSA requires manufacturers, importers and distributors of consumer products to report “immediately” to the CPSC information that reasonably supports the conclusion that a product contains a defect that could create a substantial product hazard or creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death. This duty also applies to the individual directors, officers and agents of those companies. According to evidence presented in court, by September 2012, Chu, Loh and their companies had received multiple reports that their Chinese dehumidifiers were defective, dangerous and could catch fire. They also knew that they were required to report this product safety information to the CPSC immediately. Despite knowing about dehumidifier fires and tests showing defects in the dehumidifiers, Chu and Loh failed to disclose those defects and hazards for at least six months while they continued to sell their products.
“Federal law requires companies to report potentially dangerous products to the Consumer Product Safety Commission to help protect consumers from harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to investigate and bring to justice companies and individuals who willfully evade these requirements and put the public in danger.”
The defective dehumidifiers sold by Chu and Loh’s two corporations were included in multiple recalls of a larger number of defective dehumidifiers manufactured by Gree Zhuhai. According to the recall notices, more than 450 reported fires and millions of dollars in property damage were linked to the recalled Gree dehumidifiers.
The most recent recall announcements for the Gree dehumidifiers can be found here: www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2017/Gree-Reannounces-Dehumidifier-Recall-Following-450-Fires-and-19-Million-in-Property-Damage-0 and here:
www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2023/Gree-Recalls-1-56-Million-Dehumidifiers-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-Reports-of-At-Least-23-Fires.
The CPSC’s most recent warning about the recalled Gree dehumidifiers is here: www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/2023/CPSC-Warning-Stop-Using-Recalled-Gree-Dehumidifiers-Due-to-Fire-Hazard-4-Deaths-May-be-Tied-to-Recalled-Units.
“Corporate executives who choose to ignore the law will be held accountable – especially when death and serious injuries result,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “By putting profits over the safety of others, these defendants created serious risks to consumers, and we will continue to prosecute those who endanger the public.”
“These Chinese-made products were hazardous, and the defendants knew it,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Peter Feldman. “Today’s sentences are a clear message that the CPSC will take a hard line against executives who break American laws and endanger families. I commend the CPSC and Justice Department teams for their work to secure this outcome.”
Gree USA was sentenced in April 2023 to pay a $500,000 criminal fine after pleading guilty to failing to notify the CPSC about the problems with the dehumidifiers. The fine, along with provisions to pay restitution to victims, was part of a $91 million criminal resolution with Gree USA, Gree Zhuhai and another related Gree company, Hong Kong Gree Electric Appliances Sales Co. Ltd. This resolution is the first corporate criminal enforcement action ever brought under the CPSA.
Homeland Security Investigations of the Department of Homeland Security investigated the case.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Natalie Sanders, Speare Hodges, and Stephen Gripkey of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Mitchell of the Central District of California, with the assistance of Patricia Vieira of the CPSC’s Office of General Counsel.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, visit its website at www.justice.gov/usao-cdca.
Two Charged in Albuquerque Alien Harboring, Kidnapping CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two men face federal charges for harboring illegal aliens after a kidnapping and human smuggling investigation in Albuquerque.
According to court documents, on March 1, 2025, a complainant told the FBI their spouse had been kidnapped and held for ransom. The kidnappers demanded 90,000 quetzales (about $11,600) and threatened to turn the victim over to the Zeta Cartel if payment was not made. “Proof of life” videos were sent to the family.
Using phone data from the ransom calls, agents traced the location to a residence in southwest Albuquerque. On March 2, agents executed a search warrant and found 11 undocumented immigrants, including an unaccompanied minor and defendants Isaias David Jose and Tomas Mateo Gaspar. The house was sparsely furnished and contained over 20 cell phones and a ledger of smuggling activity.
Victims said they were locked in rooms, threatened with violence or being turned over to criminal organizations, and told not to talk to law enforcement. Both Jose and Gaspar were identified as running the stash house and making ransom videos.
Jose and Gaspar were indicted for harboring an illegal alien and aiding and abetting and will remain in custody pending trial, which is scheduled for August 11, 2025. If convicted of the current charges, Jose and Gaspar each face up to five years in prison.
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 Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec is prosecuting the case as 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.
View the Indictment (Jose and Gaspar).pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tampa Man Indicted for Attempted Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Johan Smith Pavon Mejia (Tampa, 41) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Mejia faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
According to the indictment and court records, in April 2025, Mejia communicated online with an undercover detective with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and arranged to meet a fictitious minor to engage in sexual activity. Mejia traveled to an agreed upon location to meet the fictitious minor and arrived with items requested by the undercover detective, including candy, iced tea, and money to pay for the arranged sexual acts.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by FBI Tampa and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Slidell Man and Woman Indicted for Conspiracy, Wire Fraud, False Statements in Loan Applications, Money Laundering, and Federal Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JAMAR HOWARD (“HOWARD”), age 38, and CHARENYIA CARMOUCHE (“CARMOUCHE”), age 31 of Slidell, were charged in a recently unsealed twelve-count indictment on May 30, 2025 with conspiracy to commit offenses, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, False Statement in Loan Application, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1014, Money Laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957, and Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Carfentanil, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846.
According to the indictment, HOWARD and CARMOUCHE submitted loan applications to various lenders and other entities between 2023 and 2024. In support of the loan applications, HOWARD and CARMOUCHE submitted false tax documents. HOWARD submitted altered bank statements in support of loan applications in his name and in the name of his business, Marathon Expedited Trucking. Once HOWARD and CARMOUCHE obtained approval of the loan applications, the funds from various financial institutions were deposited into bank accounts held by HOWARD and CARMOUCHE. HOWARD and CARMOUCHE used the loan proceeds for their personal use and enrichment.
In addition, CARMOUCHE did knowingly engage and attempt to engage in monetary transactions in criminally derived property of a value greater than $10,000, such property having been derived from a specified unlawful activity.
Finally, according to court records, beginning on a date unknown, but at least by March 26, 2024, and continuing until the date of the indictment, in the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere, HOWARD knowingly and intentionally conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of carfentanil, a Schedule II controlled substance and fentanyl analogue.
If convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Offenses, HOWARD and CARMOUCHE face a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of Wire Fraud, HOWARD faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of False Statement in Loan Application, HOWARD and CARMOUCHE face a maximum term of imprisonment of thirty years, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of Money Laundering, CARMOUCHE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute carfentanil, HOWARD faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of ten years and up to a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The defendants also face payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Briana Williams of the Narcotics Unit.
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).
Sanford Man Sentenced for Possessing A MachinegunRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Timothy Aden-Alan Calhoun (27, Orlando) to 2 years and 10 months in federal prison for possession of a machinegun. The court also ordered Calhoun to forfeit the firearm he possessed. Calhoun pleaded guilty on February 25, 2025.
According to court documents, officers from the Maitland Police Department stopped Calhoun for a traffic violation while he was operating a stolen motorcycle. During a search incident to his arrest, an officer located a Glock 19 with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device installed. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was contacted and confirmed that the firearm was converted into a fully automatic weapon.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maitland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael P. Felicetta and Kaley Austin-Aronson.
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.
Rochester business owner sentenced for food stamp fraudRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Zina Amba Mbile Mbile, 46, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of food stamp fraud, was sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay $246,890.00 in restitution to the United States Department of Agriculture by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) uses federal tax dollars to help low-income individuals purchase food. Eligible individuals are provided with a debit card from which they can make food purchases at authorized food stores. Businesses authorized to accepts SNAP benefits, can only do so for the sale of eligible food products. It is unlawful to accept SNAP benefits for non-food items such as cigarettes, beer, or for cash. Between March 1, 2020, and July 23, 2024, Mbile, who operated the Beni Food convenience store on Dewey Avenue in Rochester, accepted SNAP benefits from customers in exchange for non-food items, such as cosmetic products. Mbile also exchanged cash for food stamp benefits, resulting in a profit for Mbile. In total, Mbile fraudulently caused $246,890.00 to be deposited into Beni Food’s bank accounts for food that was never purchased.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Charmeka Parker, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the Monroe County Department of Human Services, under the direction of Commissioner Thalia Wright.
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Rio Rancho Woman Faces Federal Charges for Trafficking over 120 Pounds of FentanylRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Rio Rancho woman faces federal drug trafficking charges after a significant seizure during a routine traffic stop on Interstate 40 within the Laguna Pueblo Reservation.
According to court documents, on June 11, 2025, a Bureau of Indian Affairs officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for excessive window tint within the Laguna Reservation. The officer detected the odor of marijuana and observed drug paraphernalia in plain view upon approaching the vehicle. The driver, Jordan Baldwin, 22, admitted to possessing marijuana and was asked to exit the vehicle. Baldwin also admitted to using a straw found in her possession to snort cocaine.
The officer conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle, locating additional drug paraphernalia and Xanax pills in the front passenger area. In the trunk, the officer discovered a large black duffle bag containing a substantial quantity of blue pills, which, based on his training and experience, he believed to be fentanyl. Field tests later confirmed the pills as fentanyl, with a gross weight of 122.22 pounds, equating to approximately 504,140 pills.
Black duffle bag containing fentanyl pills Fentanyl pills on a scaleBaldwin is charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 400 grams and more of fentanyl and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Baldwin faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is 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.
Port Charlotte Man Indicted for Production and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Tyler Russell Kuhn (29, Port Charlotte) with one count of production and one count of distribution of child sexual abuse material. If convicted on all counts, Kuhn faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment and court records, in October 2019, Kuhn engaged in an online conversation with another individual. During the conversation, Kuhn produced a video and image of child sexual abuse material involving himself and a toddler. Kuhn distributed this video and image over the internet, to the individual to whom he was speaking.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Tampa and Houston Field Offices. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Philippine national indicted for aggravated identity theft and false impersonation of a U.S. citizen while on a cruise shipRead the Press Release
JUNEAU, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment last week charging a Philippine national legally residing in the U.S. with stealing the identity of a U.S. citizen and falsely impersonating the victim while on a cruise ship in Alaska.
According to court documents, between May 11-14, 2025, Enrico Ronquillo, 37, falsely represented himself as a U.S. citizen on a cruise ship for entry into the vessel’s manifest. Ronquillo allegedly used a counterfeit California driver’s license and California birth certificate that contained the victim’s personal information while aboard the ship. The indictment further alleges that Ronquillo made and used a fraudulent IRS Form W-9 that contained the victim’s name, signature, address and social security number while aboard the ship.
Ronquillo is charged with one count of false impersonation of a citizen of the U.S., one count of making and using a false document, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. The defendant will make his initial court appearance on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison for each aggravated identity theft count, and up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the other two counts. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Kymberly Fernandez, Area Port Director, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Port of Anchorage made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office, Juneau Resident Agency, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are investigating the case, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers, Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Transportation Security Administration Office of Law Enforcement, Federal Air Marshals Service and the FBI Los Angeles Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Reed is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime and drug trafficking. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
UPDATE: This release has been updated to include the Transportation Security Administration Office of Law Enforcement, Federal Air Marshals Service as an investigating agency.
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Peter McNeilly Appointed as United States Attorney for the District of ColoradoRead the Press Release
DENVER – Peter McNeilly has been appointed as the United States Attorney for the District of Colorado by U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi. Mr. McNeilly was sworn in by United States District Judge Daniel D. Domenico on June 16, 2025.
Mr. McNeilly has been an Assistant United States Attorney in Colorado since 2014. During his time as a federal prosecutor, Mr. McNeilly has focused on pursuing members of Mexican drug cartels, combatting the deadly fentanyl epidemic, and reducing violent crime. Mr. McNeilly’s work prosecuting fentanyl cases—and particularly cases involving fatal overdoses—has made him one of the leading experts on fentanyl prosecutions in Colorado and a resource for other federal prosecutors throughout the country. As a supervisor within the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he has overseen the creation and expansion of federal task forces which focus on transnational organized crime and violent crime. Mr. McNeilly has previously served as the Deputy United States Attorney, the Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime and Money Laundering Section, the District of Colorado’s Opioid Coordinator, and the Lead Strike Force Attorney for the Denver Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force.
Mr. McNeilly is a lieutenant colonel in the United States Marine Corps. Mr. McNeilly supported commanders and advanced the rule of law as a Marine judge advocate on active duty before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and he has continued that work in the reserves for his entire time with the office. On active duty, he prosecuted complex cases throughout the Marine Corps’ western region, including sexual assaults, child exploitation, financial crimes, and crimes committed in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the reserves, Mr. McNeilly has served as a prosecutor, as a legal advisor on the staff for a three-star commanding general, and he is currently in his second tour as a military judge.
As United States Attorney, Mr. McNeilly will oversee all federal criminal prosecutions as well as all civil litigation undertaken on behalf of the United States Government in Colorado. Mr. McNeilly leads a dedicated team of more than 160 attorneys, professional staff, and government contractors.
Mr. McNeilly’s senior leadership team includes J. Bishop Grewell, who will serve as First Assistant United States Attorney and Chief of the Appellate Division, and Marcy Cook, who will serve as Deputy United States Attorney.
Pennsylvania Man Charged with Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Adepoju Babatunde Salako, 32, of Pennsylvania, has been charged with six counts of wire fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; and four counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment, between July 2020 and July 2021, Salako allegedly participated in a money laundering conspiracy involving fraudulent applications for COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and for unemployment insurance benefits to more than 30 states that obtained more than $5.6 million in government benefits using over 1,000 stolen or fake identities. Salako and his co-conspirators allegedly moved fraud proceeds through several intermediate accounts using various methods, eventually spending the money or transferring it overseas as currency or in the form of goods such as cars or solar panels.
The indictment further alleges that between January 4, 2021, and March 20, 2021, Salako submitted approximately 15 fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), using stolen or false identities. Salako allegedly used names and addresses of residents of Colorado, which he looked up on personal information search websites such as TruthFinder, to submit applications using the Colorado residents’ actual identifiers. The CDLE paid one unemployment insurance claim submitted by Salako, in the amount of $649, and paid an additional $15,431 to bank accounts controlled by Salako based on claims submitted by a co-conspirator.
The indictment further alleges that in addition to submitting fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to Colorado, Salako submitted and aided and abetted in the submission of fraudulent claims in other states using stolen or false identities, including Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and New York, at least 10 fraudulent applications for COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans to the SBA, using stolen or false identities, and a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan application in the name of Turn-Turn-Turn Woodturning, using the stolen identity of a Nevada resident.
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.
The defendant made his initial appearance in Colorado on June 13, 2025, before Magistrate Judge Scott T. Varholak.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and CDLE. The case is being prosecuted by the Economic Crime Section of the United States Attorney’s Office.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
Case Number: 25-cr-00162-CNS
Passaic County Convicted Felon Admits to Trafficking Fentanyl and Heroin and Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey man admitted to possessing quantities of fentanyl and heroin he intended to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Luis Polanco, 35, of Wayne, New Jersey pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an Indictment charging him with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Law enforcement investigated Polanco for his drug distribution in Passaic, New Jersey, including from his residence. Polanco was arrested after law enforcement searched his residence and vehicle, which revealed Polanco to be in possession of controlled substances that tested positive for more than 40 grams of fentanyl and more than 100 grams of heroin, as well as other paraphernalia used for packaging drugs. Law enforcement also recovered a 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun, 158 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition and four rounds of .40 caliber ammunition.
The drug charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5 million. The felon in possession of a firearm charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, which must be imposed consecutively to any other sentence imposed, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for October 21, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., Newark Field Division, as well as the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, the Wayne Township Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Joseph Rooney, and the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of under the direction of Officer In Charge Patrick Murray, with the investigation leading to this guilty plea.
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 government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Goldman of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Jason F. Orlando, Esq.
polanco.indictment.pdfPakistan native arrested, charged with illegal reentryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Saima Qamar, 55, a citizen of Canada and native of Pakistan, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Qamar was detained by the Lewiston Police Department, which reached out to U.S. Border Patrol for assistance in identifying the defendant. A records check determined that Qamar was a citizen of Canada and national of Pakistan who was illegally present in the United States after previously having been removed in April 2019.
Qamar made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained.
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol Niagara Falls Station, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Brady Waikal.
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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Oregon City Man Charged with Assaulting a Federal Law Enforcement Officer During Weekend Riot Near Local ICE OfficeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—An Oregon City, Oregon man made his first appearance in federal court today after he was charged with assaulting a federal law enforcement officer during a declared riot Saturday near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland.
Joshua Ames Cartrette, 46, has been charged by criminal complaint with misdemeanor assault of a federal officer.
According to court documents, on June 14, 2025, thousands of people engaged in peaceful protests in Portland. In the afternoon, several hundred people gathered in protest at an ICE office in South Portland where some individuals targeted the building with mortar fireworks, rocks, bricks, and glass bottles. The gathering was later declared a riot by local law enforcement. At approximately 5:50pm, individuals breached the exterior door of the ICE office before being pushed back by federal officers. Additional federal officers, including Customs and Border Protection Tactical Unit (BORTAC) agents, were dispatched to the location.
Later the same evening, a BORTAC agent observed Cartrette push another agent and kick multiple deployed tear gas canisters toward other agents.
Cartrette made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and was released on conditions pending future court proceedings.
Misdemeanor assault of a federal officer is punishable by up to one year in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Protective Service (FPS) and FBI. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Omaha Woman Sentenced for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Carinda M. Blair, 39, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on June 11, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Blair to 78 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Blair’s release from prison, she will begin a two-year term of supervised release.
Blair was charged as a result of her involvement with a Mexico Source of Supply (SOS) of methamphetamine and was a local courier who was distributing the SOS’s methamphetamine in Nebraska and Iowa.
On August 17, 2023, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration surveillance observed a suspected drug courier go to Blair’s Omaha apartment and conduct a drug deal. In a subsequent search warrant on the Mexico SOS’s phone number, messages confirmed that Blair had arranged the drug deal with the SOS. Messages indicated that Blair was a regular customer of the SOS beginning in March of 2023 and was consistently buying ounces of methamphetamine from the SOS on a weekly basis.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Nine Members of Lopez Human Smuggling Organization Plead Guilty to Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Nine of the 10 members of the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization indicted in June 2023 have pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from a multi-year investigation into their roles in an extensive alien smuggling conspiracy. All nine defendants admitted to conspiring to bring, harbor, and transport groups of undocumented individuals into and within the United States for financial gain.
The defendants are identified as Rosa Adriana Lopez-Escobar, 43, illegal residing in Phoenix, Arizona; Deysi Marisela Lopez-Ambrosio, 27, illegal residing in Long Beach, California; Franklin Leonardo Chilel-Ramirez, 39, illegal residing in Phoenix, Arizona; Junior Vanegas Portillo, 22, illegal residing in Phoenix, Arizona; Jose Denilson Lopez Chilel, 26, illegal residing in Phoenix, Arizona; and Mildred Yanira Lopez-Ambrosio, 23, illegal residing in Long Beach, California, all citizens of Guatemala, as well as Jose Gianluca Lopez-Perez, 21, of Phoenix, Arizona, Sebastian Rolando Cortez, 22, of Tempe, Arizona, and Carlos Chavez-Hernandez, 22, of Avondale, Arizona.
According to court records, between October 2021 and April 2023, these individuals operated in Luna County, New Mexico, and elsewhere, coordinating and executing the transportation and harboring of undocumented aliens. The organization used peer-to-peer money transfer apps to facilitate payments among co-conspirators and instructed others to pick up and move groups of undocumented individuals in exchange for money.
The organization coordinated pick-ups near the U.S.-Mexico border, including attempts to move individuals from Animas, New Mexico, to Phoenix, Arizona. In one instance, a defendant was apprehended by Border Patrol while en route to pick up a group of undocumented aliens.
To date, four defendants have been sentenced. Junior Vanegas Portillo was sentenced to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Sebastian Rolando Cortez was sentenced to one year of probation. Carlos Chavez-Hernandez was sentenced to time served and two years of supervised release. Jose Denilson Lopez Chilel was sentenced to 45 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Sentencing for the remaining defendants is pending.
As part of his plea agreement, Jose Denilson Lopez Chilel agreed to forfeit several items used in furtherance of the conspiracy. These include two firearms, ammunition, a 2017 Chevrolet Camaro, a 2017 Ford Mustang, a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado and a 2020 Polaris Can-Am Side by Side UTV.
Ronaldo Galindo Lopez-Escobar, 47, of Guatemala City, Guatemala, the alleged leader of the Lopez Crime Family, remains a fugitive.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens of U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.
HSI New Mexico led U.S. investigative efforts, with enforcement assistance from HSI in Arizona and the Central District of California. HSI received investigative assistance from U.S. Border Patrol Deming, Lordsburg, Blythe, El Centro, Yuma, and Tucson, as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center/Operation Sentinel, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. The Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division also provided support in this matter.
The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Castellano and Alyson Hehr as part of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico, and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by MLARS; Office of Enforcement Operations; and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 380 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 340 U.S. convictions; more than 290 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty to Stealing Social Security FundsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Laura Virginia Howard, age 76, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a one-count Felony Information of Theft of Public Monies, punishable by up to ten years in prison, and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Information alleged that between February 28, 2007, and June 26, 2024, Howard willfully and knowingly embezzled, stole, and converted for her own use and the use of others, money and things of value exceeding $1,000.00 of the United States and the Social Security Administration paid to a retirement claimant, to which Howard knew she was not entitled.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Social Security Administration—Office of the Inspector General.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Satter, Kara Traster, and Jonathan Soverly represented the United States.
Mexican national guilty of immigration violations in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Mexican national has pleaded guilty to an immigration violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Rigoberto Rodriguez-Moreno, 44, a Mexican national illegally residing in Lufkin, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported person before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine L. Stetson on June 16, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on March 4, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security and Investigations (HSI) received information that Rodriguez-Moreno was being held in the Angelina County Jail on a state arrest warrant. An HSI investigation determined that Rodriguez-Moreno was previously deported from the United States to Mexico on October 4, 2017, and did not have permission to return to the United States.
Immigration records reveal this was the second time Rodriguez-Moreno was deported. The first deportation occurred in 1999. He has previous federal convictions for bringing in and harboring illegal aliens in 1999 and illegal reentry by a deported person in 2015.
Rodriguez-Moreno faces up to 20 years in federal prison and deportation at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. Rodriguez-Moreno still faces unrelated state charges in Angelina County.
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).
This case was investigated by the Lufkin Homeland Security Investigations and the Angelina County Sheriff's Office. This case was prosecuted by the Lufkin Division of the U.S Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Texas.
Mexican national admits to transporting child sexual abuse material across state lines to MexicoRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 39-year-old Mexican national has pleaded guilty to transportation of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
On March 12, Raul Velasco-Leon was traveling from Tennessee and approached the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge attempting to enter Mexico. While on the primary lane, authorities selected Velasco-Leon for further inspection and referred him to secondary.
They conducted a search of his belongings and found what appeared to be a piece of youth-sized clothing with the words “Girl Power” tucked inside a jean pocket. Law enforcement also discovered multiple electronic devices, including 10 USB flash drives, two cell phones and a laptop. On one of the devices, they discovered six files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of minor victims approximately 10 years of age.
The files contained approximately five photographs and one video that contained CSAM. The five images, displayed via video chat, depicted female minor victims showing their genital areas. The video had a split screen with the adult male, later determined to be Velasco-Leon, masturbating while the top of the screen displayed a montage of CSAM including a female minor victim being forced to perform oral sex on an adult male.
Velasco-Leon admitted he had been engaged in a video chat and when he saw the CSAM, he would watch and screen record it.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Velasco-Leon faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
“This case is about protecting kids both north and south of the border from the defendant’s predatory behavior,” said Ganjei. “Although Velasco-Leon was about to depart the United States for Mexico, given his conduct, his stay in the U.S. is about to become much, much longer.”
“This guilty plea is a critical step in holding Velasco-Leon accountable for the disturbing crimes he committed,” said Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Mauro Lopez of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Laredo. “HSI remains committed to identifying, investigating and bringing to justice those who exploit children. We will continue working tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to ensure predators face the full consequences of their actions and that victims are not forgotten.”
ICE-HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine A. Cortez 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.
Mexican Drug Trafficker Caught with Tens of Thousands of Fentanyl Pills, Cocaine, Heroin, and Stolen Guns Sentenced to Federal Prison in Washington StateRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that Jose Efrain Gonzalez-Rodriguez, age 24, of Mexico, who was unlawfully present in the United States, was sentenced after pleading guilty to drug trafficking and firearm charges. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 120 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in May and June of 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration developed information that Gonzalez-Rodriguez was working for a drug trafficking organization out of Mexico that was responsible for transporting drugs from California to Spokane and distributing them across Eastern Washington.
On June 24, 2024, after execution of a search warrant on Gonzalez-Rodriguez’s vehicle, agents located almost 2 pounds of methamphetamine and 6,855 fentanyl pills. Investigators also executed a search warrant at Gonzalez-Rodriguez’s apartment in Spokane where they located an additional 59,529 fentanyl pills, almost 3 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 1 pound of cocaine, and a quantity of heroin. Additionally, 4 four pistols were found in the kitchen wrapped in tape and plastic for transport. Two of the firearms had been reported stolen.
“Fentanyl is killing people across Eastern Washington. Those who traffic in this poison—along with other deadly drugs and illegal firearms—will be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard R. Barker. “Mr. Gonzalez-Rodriguez brought significant quantities of poison and stolen weapons into our community, putting lives at risk. This sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes and the commitment of our office and law enforcement partners to disrupt violent drug trafficking networks.”
“This case highlights the intersection of drug trafficking, firearms, and illegal immigration,“ said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Mr. Gonzalez Rodriguez endangered our community on all three of these fronts and this sentence ensures his accountability, thanks to DEA and our partners.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Spokane Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement and Narcotics (RAVEN) task force and the United States Border Patrol.
Case 2:24-cr-00091-TOR
Member of Makah Tribe indicted federally for knife assault of intimate partnerRead the Press Release
Seattle – A grand jury returned a two-count indictment last week charging 19-year-old Peyton Blaise Watson with stabbing his intimate partner in the neck, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Watson, a member of the Makah Tribe, allegedly assaulted the victim on property within the Lower Elwha Klallam Reservation. Watson is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Watson remains detained at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac. Trial is scheduled for August 18, 2025.
According to records filed in the case, in the early morning hours of May 9, 2025, Lower Elwha Police and Clallam County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a home on the Lower Elwha Klallam Reservation where a witness called 911 to report that Watson had stabbed an adult female victim in the neck. Officers found the victim standing a few feet from Watson. Once Watson was taken from the room, the victim began crying and identified Watson as her assailant and that he had stabbed her in the neck. The victim was taken by ambulance to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles where she required surgery. Watson was booked into the Clallam County Jail on tribal charges.
The FBI joined the investigation and secured items of evidence from the scene including a black folding knife about three inches long. The knife contained blood residue.
The victim was hospitalized for five days as she recovered from her injuries, including damage to her esophagus and nerve damage. She was able to describe for investigators how Watson attacked her and allegedly threatened to kill her.
Assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in severe bodily injury are punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a 250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Lower Elwha Klallam Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Celia Lee and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ajay Ravindran. Ms. Lee serves as a Tribal Liaison for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.
Massachusetts CPA Pleads Guilty to $19 Million Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Feeding Hills, Mass. woman pleaded guilty on June 13, 2025 in federal court in Springfield, Mass. to defrauding commercial lenders by providing false and fraudulent rent rolls and forged lease agreements for properties located in Springfield, Mass.; East Longmeadow, Mass.; and Enfield, Conn.
Christine Gendron, 61, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Sept. 30, 2025. In a related case, on April 22, 2025, Louis R. Masaschi pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud. United States Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled Masaschi’s sentencing for July 23, 2025.
Gendron was a certified public accountant who worked as the Financial Manager for JLL Realty Developers, LLC (JLLRD), a limited liability company for which her sister, Jeanette Norman, and brother-in-law, Masaschi, served as partners. Masaschi and, allegedly Norman, were partners in dozens of limited liability companies, including JLLRD, through which they owned primarily commercial and some residential property in Western Massachusetts, Connecticut and elsewhere. Gendron conspired with Masaschi, and allegedly Norman, to defraud various financial institutions and a commercial lender.
Specifically, Masaschi, Gendron, and allegedly Norman, provided materially false, fictitious and fraudulent financial information, including false rent rolls and forged lease agreements, to obtain loans for their companies. After receiving the loans, Masaschi, and allegedly Norman and their companies made some or no payments and ultimately defaulted on the loans, causing substantial losses to the financial institutions and commercial lenders totaling more than $19 million.
Jeanette Norman has pleaded not guilty and is pending trial, scheduled for October 2025.
The charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million or twice the gross gain or loss. 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 Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.