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29 July 2025
Founder and CEO of AML Bitcoin Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Multi-Million-Dollar Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Cryptocurrency founder and CEO Rowland Marcus Andrade was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering. Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg handed down the sentence.
At the conclusion of a five-week trial in March 2025, a jury found Andrade, 47, guilty of wire fraud and money laundering in connection with the fraudulent marketing and sale of a cryptocurrency called AML Bitcoin, a scheme that raised millions of dollars through false and misleading statements to investors about the cryptocurrency and the purported technology behind it.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Andrade made false statements to the public and potential purchasers of AML Bitcoin misrepresenting the development of the technology, its viability, potential business deals, and release date. Among other misrepresentations, Andrade falsely claimed that the Panama Canal Authority was close to permitting AML Bitcoin to be used for ships passing through the Panama Canal when no such agreement existed.
Court documents and evidence presented at trial established that Andrade defrauded cryptocurrency investors out of approximately $10 million. Andrade diverted more than $2 million in proceeds from the sale of AML Bitcoin and spent it on personal expenses, including the purchase of two properties in Texas and two luxury automobiles. The jury also found that Andrade laundered investor funds through a series of bank accounts and then used the funds for his personal expenses and the purchase of the properties and automobiles.
“The defendant made one false claim after another about a sophisticated cryptocurrency offering to create the illusion of a legitimate business. He exploited numerous investors who put their trust in him, not knowing that their hard-earned money was in fact funding his lavish lifestyle. Today, Andrade learned the price of his greed,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “This case emphasizes my Office’s ongoing commitment to prosecuting anyone who undermines the integrity of traditional financial or digital asset markets.”
“Rowland Marcus Andrade promised innovation but delivered deception. He misled innocent people who believed they were investing in the future of digital currency. Instead, their money was used to fund his personal luxury,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “The FBI remains committed to protecting the public from financial fraud and ensuring justice for those who were harmed.”
“Today’s sentencing of Rowland Marcus Andrade is another definitive statement about how white-collar crime does not pay. Mr. Andrade enriched himself by misrepresenting cryptocurrency technological advances he never delivered upon,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen. “IRS-CI agents understand the technology, see through the nefarious lies, and follow the money. Our commitment to protecting individuals from financial fraud is unwavering.”
In addition to the prison term, Chief Judge Seeborg also sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release and ordered that the defendant pay forfeiture representing the amount of fraudulent proceeds obtained from his crimes. The court ordered a hearing on Sept. 16, 2025, to determine the amount of forfeiture and the amount of restitution owed to victims of Andrade’s crimes. Andrade will begin serving his sentence on Oct. 31, 2025.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christiaan Highsmith, David Ward, and Karen Beausey and Trial Attorney Matthew Chou are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Tina Rosenbaum. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI.
Former SEPTA Officer Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Brian Zenszer, 44, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Harvey Bartle III to 144 months’ imprisonment, seven years of supervised release, and $32,000 restitution for child pornography offenses.
The defendant was charged by indictment in December 2024, and, in April, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. At the time of his arrest, Zenszer was employed as a SEPTA police officer.
As presented in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, on or about July 21, 2024, Zenszer knowingly distributed a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and, on or about November 6, 2024, possessed a Samsung cellular phone containing visual depictions of minors, including one or more prepubescent minors who had not attained 12 years of age, engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The charges arose from two CyberTips reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding two accounts on the Kik messaging app that had uploaded suspected files of child pornography. Investigators determined both accounts belonged to Zenszer.
“Brian Zenszer broke the law while sworn to uphold it, and the nature of his crimes is truly abhorrent,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Those who trade images of children being sexually abused perpetuate the victimization of the vulnerable, and, like Zenszer, they must be held accountable.”
“Crimes like these are among the most egregious offenses the FBI investigates, and protecting the vulnerable remains one of our top priorities,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “This sentencing is a testament to the diligent and unceasing work of the FBI and our law enforcement partners in pursuing justice. We will continue to hold offenders accountable for their crimes and safeguard the innocent from predators.”
“The sentencing of Brian Zenszer sends a clear message that those who engage in the abhorrent act of child pornography will be held accountable,” said Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn. “We are committed to working with our federal partners, like the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, to relentlessly pursue and prosecute individuals who exploit children, ensuring justice for victims and protecting the most vulnerable members of our community.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maureen McCartney.
Former New Orleans Attorney Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Commodity Exchange Act ViolationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that MICHAEL BRIAN DEPETRILLO, (“DEPETRILLO”), age 43, from New Orleans, was sentenced on July 23, 2025 for violating the Commodity Exchange Act, in violation of Title 7, United States Code, Section 13(a).
According to court documents, DEPETRILLO was not properly registered as a Commodity Pool Operator (“CPO”) or an Associated Person (“AP”) of a CPO with the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”). DEPETRILLO, through various companies including, Meteor, LLC; NOLA FX Capital Management, LLC; ELC Enterprise Solutions, LLC; and Argosapolis, LLC, acted as a CPO and AP of a CPO and embezzled client funds in violation of federal law. DEPETRILLO, while acting as an AP of unregistered CPOs, represented to victim investors that their funds would be pooled and invested in the NOLA FX FUND, that, in turn, would be used to trade foreign currency pairs on a leveraged, margined, or financed basis (“retail forex”).
DEPETRILLO lured investors by claiming he was investing their funds by trading in the foreign currency exchange, gold futures options, stocks, and cryptocurrency. Instead of trading as promised, DEPETRILLO misappropriated pool funds. DEPETRILLO then used these misappropriated pool funds to pay approximately $3,700,000 in “returns” to prior investors; approximately $575,000 on his own personal investments; approximately $425,000 on rent; approximately $200,000 on private air travel; and approximately $300,000 on online gambling, among other personal expenses. To conceal DEPETRILLO’s misappropriation, he created and issued fictitious account statements in the names NOLA FX FUND and NOLA FX CAPITAL. The fictitious account statements purported to show that: (1) DEPETRILLO had traded forex using pool participant funds, and (2) the NOLA FX FUND and NOLA FX CAPITAL had achieved significant trading returns for pool participants because of his profitable forex trading. In fact, DEPETRILLO never deposited pool participant funds into trading accounts belonging to NOLA FX FUND or NOLA FX CAPITAL, and he never achieved the trading returns represented on the false account statements. DEPETRILLO also did not set up the forex pool in the manner required by the regulations, did not receive pool participant funds in the name of the forex pool, and commingled pool participant funds with his own funds. DEPETRILLO took in approximately $9.2 million in investor funds from approximately 55 victim investors during a seven-year period.
United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey sentenced DEPETRILLO to 108 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $6,748,412.79, and a $100 court special assessment fee.
The United States Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Kathryn McHugh of the Financial Crimes Unit and Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Following Fatal Hit-and-Run, Mexico Resident Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Reentry into U.S.Read the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – On July 28, 2025, a resident of Mexico pleaded guilty to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to 14 months of imprisonment on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Saul Ramirez-Rivera, 26.
According to information presented to the Court, on September 21, 2024, Ramirez-Rivera was involved in a deadly hit-and-run in Dormont, Pennsylvania, for which he was charged, later pleaded guilty, and was sentenced for homicide by vehicle, accident involving death or injury while not licensed, reckless driving, driving without a license, and failure to stop at a red signal.
Through this encounter with law enforcement, immigration authorities determined that Ramirez-Rivera was illegally present in the United States and had not received permission to enter the country after having been previously removed on February 13, 2019, following a conviction in federal court in Arizona for illegal entry. After serving his sentence, Ramirez-Rivera will be returned to immigration custody pending his removal from the United States.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations as well as the Allegheny County Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ramirez-Rivera.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Felon Indicted for Illegal Possession of a Firearm Following Arrest in NorthwestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Sherwood Russell, 35, of the District of Columbia, has been charged in an indictment, unsealed today in U.S. District Court, on a federal firearms charge as part of the “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful” initiative.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Russell is charged federally with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
According to court documents, on May 4, 2025, members of the MPD’s Third Police District responded to a call for a domestic disturbance on the 2000 block of 11th Street Northwest. Officers observed Russell grabbing a woman by the arms and yelling at her. Russell attempted to flee in his vehicle as officers attempted to stop him. After a struggle, officers were able to detain Russell and observed an open container of alcohol in the front passenger seat. Upon further search of the vehicle, officers discovered a Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol, containing one round of .40 caliber ammunition in the chamber and 25 additional rounds in the 29 round capacity magazine. The pistol was modified with a “giggle” switch that converted the firearm into a fully automatic weapon.
Russell is prohibited from possession of a firearm and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2011 conviction for first degree burglary while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon.
This case is being prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful. Make D.C. Safe Again aims to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Joining in the announcement was Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Liss is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Farrell Resident Pleads Guilty to Possession of Drugs and FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Farrell, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to drug trafficking and firearm crimes, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Daniel George, 36, pleaded guilty before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak to committing two crimes on July 7, 2022: (1) possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, along with quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, and (2) possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $5,250,000, 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Mercer County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of George.
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.
Dominican National Admits to Illegally Re-Entry; Faces Third DeportationRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national faces deportation for a 3rd time after pleading guilty today in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Celso Herrera-De Los Santos, 49, who was deported in 2011 and in 2017, is currently detained at ACI on Rhode Island state charges of possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession with intent to deliver 1oz to 1 kilo of cocaine.
Herrera came to the attention of Immigration and Customs Enforcement a week after his May 22, 2025, arrest during a routine screening at the ACI.
Herrera is scheduled to be sentenced on October 23, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A deportation detainer has been lodged in this matter.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter I. Roklan, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan.
The matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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).
Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Rakai Travall Hawkins, also known as “G,” 30, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 24, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a 7thStreet residence in Huntington and seized approximately 211 grams of fentanyl, 484 grams of methamphetamine, 12 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and a loaded stolen SCCY 9mm pistol. As part of his guilty plea, Hawkins admitted that he stored controlled substances at the residence, possessed the seized controlled substances, and intended to distribute the seized controlled substances for money. Hawkins further admitted that he possessed the seized stolen firearm to protect the controlled substances and the proceeds from distributing them.
Hawkins also admitted to additional criminal conduct as part of his guilty plea. On July 22, 2024, Hawkins was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by a law enforcement officers in Huntington. Hawkins possessed approximately 7 grams of fentanyl and 7.5 grams of crack found in the vehicle during the traffic stop and intended to distribute the controlled substances. On two occasions between August 24 and September 4, 2024, Hawkins sold a total of approximately 58 grams of methamphetamine in Huntington. On four occasions between August 13 and September 19, 2024, Hawkins sold a total of approximately 7.15 grams of fentanyl in Huntington. During one of the fentanyl transactions, Hawkins received the SCCY 9mm pistol in exchange for the controlled substance.
Hawkins is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-51.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing A PistolRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Terrence Jennings (47, Jacksonville) to 18 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Jennings pleaded guilty on April 23, 2025.
According to court records, on May 28, 2024, Jennings was arrested by officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) for failure to pay child support. The officers first encountered Jennings sleeping on a couch. When the officers woke Jennings, they observed a firearm in his waistband. Jennings was handcuffed and a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol was removed from his waistband. When the officers checked Jennings’s criminal history, they discovered he had previous felony convictions, including fleeing to elude a police officer, possession of cocaine, and possession of a firearm on school grounds. As a convicted felon, Jennings is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.
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.
Columbia Man on State Probation Sentenced to 5 Additional Years in Federal Prison for Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jackie Jermaine Watson, 30, of Columbia, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, a sentence that will run consecutively to the sentence he is currently serving in state prison for violating his probation.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on April 22, 2024, Columbia Police Department officers responded to a motel on North Main Street to investigate a stolen moped. Officers found the moped, and when Watson saw officers inspecting it, he confronted them. Watson eventually admitted to buying the moped on the street from a drug user. Officers obtained a search warrant for the motel room where Watson had been staying and they found a .40 caliber pistol, 62 grams of crack cocaine, 473 grams of marijuana, along with Watson’s driver’s license and court paperwork. Officers also found the key to the moped, which Watson previously denied having in his possession.
Watson has prior convictions for assault and battery first degree, possession of a stolen pistol, and burglary. Watson was on state probation for his prior stolen pistol conviction at the time of this incident. Watson was also a prior participant in the City of Columbia’s Project Ceasefire program that calls in certain probationers and provides access to a variety of social service organizations designed to assist the person in staying on the right track and preventing recidivism. Participants are also warned that any future crimes will result in an expedited prosecution.
United States District Court Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Frazier to 60 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. That 60-month sentence will begin after Watson completes the state sentence he is currently serving. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sanford is prosecuting the case.
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Columbia Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Willie Roger Davis, 35, of Columbia, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Columbia Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop on a rental moving truck that was being sought by the owner. Davis immediately exited the driver’s seat and began walking toward police officers. Officers searched Davis and found a .357 revolver in his pants pocket, which he admitted getting from a family member. Davis has prior convictions for armed robbery, strong arm robbery, and burglary.
United States District Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Frazier to 60 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sanford is prosecuting the case.
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Chicago Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Carjacking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man who carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint on the city’s West Side and fired a handgun while attempting to carjack another vehicle has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.
The carjacking and attempted carjacking by KIAR EVANS occurred within minutes of each other on the afternoon of May 20, 2021. Evans first approached a Chevrolet Impala near the intersection of Independence Boulevard and Congress Parkway in Chicago and fired shots through a window while attempting to get inside. The driver of the Impala was able to drive away from the scene.
Evans then approached the driver-side window of a Nissan Altima, pointed a firearm at the driver, and demanded that the driver exit the vehicle. The victim complied and Evans drove off in the Nissan. Evans was driving the stolen vehicle a short time later when he was involved in a multi-vehicle crash at the intersection of Harrison Street and Ogden Avenue in Chicago. Chicago Police officers arrested Evans and discovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun in his possession. As a previously convicted felon, Evans was not lawfully allowed to possess the firearm.
Evans, 26, has remained detained in federal custody since his arrest. Last year, a jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago convicted Evans on all four counts against him, including one count of carjacking, one count of attempted carjacking, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold imposed the 18-year prison sentence during a hearing in federal court on July 18, 2025.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.
“Defendant wielded a gun that had been rendered fully automatic throughout his spree of violence and did not hesitate to use that gun to intimidate his victims and force his will upon them,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige A. Nutini and Jimmy L. Arce argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “His selfish actions exhibited a total disregard for the safety and well-being of others; and by sheer luck, none of defendant’s victims was seriously injured. Defendant’s conduct is a very serious crime, and the public needs to understand that these crimes justify a substantial sentence.”
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Prison for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
A man who robbed an individual who was selling drugs was sentenced today to more than 11 years in federal prison.
Dequan Autrell Jenkins, age 27, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 26, 2025 guilty plea to one count of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence.
On June 24, 2024, Jenkins and another person met with an individual in Cedar Rapids to purchase fentanyl. During the transaction, Jenkins pulled out a firearm and robbed the individual of the fentanyl and the individual’s backpack. Jenkins was prohibited from possessing firearms based on prior felony convictions.
Jenkins was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Jenkins was sentenced to 141 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Jenkins is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and 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.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Marion Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-93.
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Bronx Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison in Connection with Shooting of Five-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that AUSTIN MORRISHOW was sentenced today to 15 years in prison—the maximum sentence prescribed by statute—for illegally possessing ammunition in connection with a June 30, 2023, shooting in which MORRISHOW fired multiple shots at fleeing vehicles on a residential street in the Bronx, striking and seriously injuring a five-year-old girl. MORRISHOW previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska, who imposed today’s sentence, as well as the sentence of MORRISHOW’s co-defendant, CURTIS WHITE, on July 9, 2025.
“On June 30, 2023, Austin Morrishow and his co-defendant, Curtis White, fired several shots while attending a sidewalk vigil for someone who, in a sad twist of irony, was killed in a shooting,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Morrishow’s brazen acts left a bullet in a five-year-old child’s chest. Instead of accepting responsibility, Morrishow remained a fugitive for eight months. Today’s sentence sends an important message: if you threaten the lives of innocent New Yorkers through senseless gun violence, we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint and Indictment, court filings, and statements made in court proceedings:
On June 30, 2023, MORRISHOW, WHITE, and several others were gathered on a residential sidewalk in the Bronx, attending a vigil for an individual who had been killed by gunfire just the day before. As three cars idled nearby, one of the cars backfired, causing the group attending the vigil to drop to the ground and scatter. MORRISHOW took cover behind a parked vehicle for a few seconds before aiming a .40 caliber pistol at the three nearby cars while draped over the roof of the parked vehicle, assuming a shooting stance, and emptying his .40 caliber pistol at the three nearby cars. Shortly after MORRISHOW began shooting, WHITE sprinted after the three fleeing cars, firing his .380 caliber pistol wildly. The shots fired by MORRISHOW and WHITE left at least seven .40 caliber shell casings and two .380 caliber shell casings in the street, and bullet fragments, bullet holes, and shattered windows in nearby parked cars. One of the shots fired by MORRISHOW hit a five-year-old girl sitting in the backseat of one of the cars in the chest, narrowly missing her vital organs. Photographs of MORRISHOW firing his handgun at the fleeing vehicles and the back of the vehicle in which the five-year-old girl was sitting, with bullet holes circled in red, are below.
MORRISHOW and WHITE fled immediately after the shooting. Although WHITE was apprehended shortly after the shooting in July 2023, MORRISHOW evaded law enforcement until February 2024. MORRISHOW was not permitted to possess ammunition because of, among other felony convictions, a prior federal conviction for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a narcotics conspiracy, for which he was sentenced to 60 months in prison. At the time of the shooting, MORRISHOW was also serving a term of supervised release in connection with his previous federal conviction. WHITE was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition because of his prior state conviction for attempted first-degree assault with intent to cause serious injury with a weapon.
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In addition to the prison term, MORRISHOW, 27, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution to the victim of the shooting. WHITE, 28, of the Bronx, New York, was previously sentenced to 51 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim of the shooting.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, and thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance with the investigation and apprehension of the defendants.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry J. Fang is in charge of the prosecution.
Belle Vernon Woman Ordered to Pay $116,000 in Restitution for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to one year of probation and ordered to pay restitution of $116,758 on her convictions of social security fraud and theft of government property, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Teresa Sabolek, 68.
According to information presented to the Court, in May 2009, Sabolek applied for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits through the Social Security Administration (SSA). SSI is a monthly, needs-based payment benefit that is afforded to people with disabilities and elderly who have little or no income. Applicants are required to report their wages, assets, and living arrangements, which are considered by the agency in determining eligibility for SSI.
In her application, Sabolek alleged that her husband did not live with her at their Belle Vernon home and, in June 2022, submitted a signed statement in which she declared under penalty of perjury that her husband had not lived with her since she first applied for SSI in May 2009. Also in 2022, Sabolek applied for spousal benefits on her husband’s Social Security benefits. When the SSA clerk pulled the husband’s file, the clerk recognized that the file contained a sworn statement from the husband indicating that he shared a residence with his wife in Belle Vernon.
A subsequent investigation by SSA’s Office of the Inspector General determined that the husband’s driver’s license, mailing address, and registered vehicles all related to the same address where Sabolek represented to the SSA that she lived alone for over 13 years. In December 2024, agents visited the Sabolek home, where the husband answered the door and it was determined that the husband indeed had a room in the house and paid the home’s mortgage and utilities. Had Sabolek informed the SSA that her husband also lived at the residence, she would not have received any SSI benefits. Sabolek received $116,758 in SSI benefits for which she was not eligible between May 2009 and August 2022.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Sabolek.
Beaumont parolee sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography at halfway houseRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont parolee has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
James Richard Rollins, 39, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 29, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on October 27, 2023, law enforcement authorities were dispatched in reference to a parole supervisor who was in possession of a parolee’s cellular phone, which contained videos and images of child pornography. Officers spoke with the unit supervisor for the Beaumont halfway house who reported that Rollins, a parolee and resident of the halfway house, was observed by another resident watching child pornography on his cell phone.
Further investigation revealed Rollins’ phone contained numerous photos and videos depicting minors in sexually explicit situations, including having sex acts performed on them by adults. Many of those images depicted prepubescent children. Rollins admitted to downloading and viewing images of child pornography on his phone. Based on the investigation, Rollins is responsible for possessing 3,680 images containing child pornography.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Rachel Grove.
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Auburn, Washington man who converted garage to a fentanyl pill manufacturing lab sentenced to 11 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 59-year-old Auburn, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 11 years in prison for his fentanyl trafficking activities, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Johnny Elias was arrested in November 2024. Earlier in the year, law enforcement learned that Elias was purchasing drugs including fentanyl from another target of investigation and later determined he had purchased an industrial pill press, intending to manufacture fentanyl pills for greater profit.
At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, “You were a counselor to at-risk youth and at the same time were engaged in a practice that was killing one to two young people each day…. These are not recreational drugs. They are basically – in the case of fentanyl – a murder weapon.”
“This defendant claimed to be operating a vitamin manufacturing business, when in fact he was manufacturing potentially deadly fentanyl pills,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “To protect his drug business, he possessed two loaded handguns and a loaded rifle. Those firearms and his $16,000 pill manufacturing machine are being forfeited to the government.”
“The deadly nature of the four kilograms of fentanyl powder that Mr. Elias was manufacturing into pills is easy to count: It could have yielded over 300,000 lethal doses,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Mr. Elias clearly knew the dangers of his scheme and took steps to protect himself from overdose and violence, callously disregarding these dangers he foisted on others. I am proud that DEA and our partners could protect our community from him and this sentence ensures that he will not threaten our health and safety for a long time.”
According to records filed in the case, from at least October 2023 to September 2024, Elias was on the radar of law enforcement as a drug trafficker. The investigation revealed that he had set up a company called ‘Bodacious Vitamins LLC’ out of his Auburn address. Using some of his drug dealing proceeds, Elias purchased an industrial grade pill press for over $16,000. On
November 18,2024, Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided Elias’s residence and found the garage had been converted to a pill manufacturing lab. In addition to the pill press, agents found four kilograms of blue fentanyl powder as well as manufactured pills containing fentanyl and heroin. The lab contained items such as scales and baggies for packaging drugs for sale. Elias also had Narcan – an overdose reversal medication – indicating he knew the danger of the fentanyl he was processing into pills.
In March 2025, Elias pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture and distribute, unlawful
possession of firearms, and money laundering.
In asking for a 15-year prison sentence, Prosecutor Max Shiner wrote to the court, “Johnny Elias distributed kilogram quantities of fentanyl pills and worked his way up to having a functioning pill press operation in which he could use fentanyl powder and cutting agents to produce thousands of counterfeit M30 Oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl for distribution throughout Western Washington…. The possession of firearms in connection with his drug trafficking greatly increases the severity of the offense. Like his possession of Narcan at his basement drug lab, Elias’ possession of firearms shows his awareness of the dangerousness of his drug dealing.”
Judge Robart ordered Elias to be on four years of supervised release following sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Shiner.
Appeals Court Upholds Denaturalization of Human Rights Violator and Former Bosnian Soldier Convicted of War CrimesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the decision of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon that revoked the naturalized U.S. citizenship of a convicted Bosnian war criminal. Sammy Yetisen hid from immigration officials that she had engaged in human rights violations and war crimes in Bosnia, including the deaths of several civilians and prisoners of war.
Yetisen was born in a town in the former Yugoslavia. When the Yugoslav republics began seceding in the 1990s, Yetisen joined the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was formed by the newly independent Bosnian state, as part of a special forces detachment known as the Zulfikar Unit. The unit was renowned as elite and was particularly cruel, often beating, sexually assaulting, burning, and cutting prisoners. As a member of the Zulfikar Unit, Yetisen participated in the Trusina Massacre, a horrific attack on April 13, 1993, in which Yetisen and others lined up six unarmed Croat prisoners of war and civilians and executed them by firing squad.
“The United States is not a safe haven for individuals who commit war crimes and human rights abuses around the globe,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “If you come to this country and hide those acts in your past to become a U.S. citizen, the Justice Department will discover the truth and come after you.”
In 1996, Yetisen came to the United States as a refugee, after alleging she had been persecuted as a Muslim, and in 2001, Yetisen applied for naturalization. Throughout her immigration proceedings Yetisen omitted her service in the Zulfikar Unit and participation in extrajudicial killings. She became a U.S. citizen in 2002.
In 2009, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Prosecutor’s Office issued a warrant for Yetisen’s arrest, alleging that she had committed war crimes against civilians and prisoners of war. The United States extradited Yetisen to Bosnia in 2011 where Yetisen pleaded guilty to committing war crimes and was sentenced in 2012 to five-and-a-half-years in prison. After completing her sentence, Yetisen returned to the United States.
In 2018, the Justice Department filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon seeking Yetisen’s denaturalization based on her crimes and failure to disclose them. In 2023, the court entered an order revoking Yetisen’s citizenship. On July 21, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the District of Oregon’s revocation of Yetisen’s U.S. citizenship.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations Human Rights Violator and War Crimes Center and the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation with consultation and support from ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Seattle Office of the Chief Counsel, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Office of Chief Counsel, Western Law Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance to secure the 2011 extradition of Yetisen to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The case was jointly prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsels Devin Barrett and Steven Platt, and Trial Attorney Nancy Pham with review from Senior Litigation Counsel Max Weintraub of OIL ‒ General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit and support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianne Schweiner for the District of Oregon.
Allegheny County Agrees to Pay $629,043 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations That It Failed to Properly Support AmeriCorps Program ExpendituresRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $629,043 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to contribute the required percentage of resources in exchange for AmeriCorps funds the county received.
Allegheny County agreed to meet a certain cost-sharing threshold to receive federal funding for its AmeriCorps program. For the 2018 to 2020 grant years, Allegheny County claimed it contributed “in-kind” resources to meet this threshold, including classroom and office space, and salaries of teachers and administrative staff who worked on the AmeriCorps program. However, Allegheny County could not provide supporting documentation for $314,521 of the in-kind contributions it claimed.
This settlement resolves claims that Allegheny misrepresented its in-kind contribution. Allegheny County agreed to pay $629,043, of which $314,521 was restitution.
“When receiving federal funds, grantees must meet the terms of the agreements tied to those funds,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “This settlement is a reminder that organizations receiving federal grant funds must adhere to grant compliance requirements.”
“AmeriCorps programs often require grantees to contribute some of their own resources to ensure the programs are successful,“ said Acting AmeriCorps Inspector General Stephen Ravas. “The AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General will continue our work with our law enforcement partners to pursue organizations that do not hold up their end of the bargain.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania handled this investigation with the AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Anthony St. Joseph of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania handled the investigation and settlement.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Aliquippa Felon Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 45 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of federal supervised release, on his conviction of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Tyland Witherspoon, 28, on July 28, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, on or about June 19, 2024, Witherspoon was found to be in possession of a Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol along with Smith & Wesson .40 caliber ammunition. Witherspoon previously was convicted of a felony. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Upon imposing the sentence, Judge Stickman noted the danger that illegal firearms present to our community and the seriousness of Witherspoon’s offense.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Witherspoon.
53 Defendants Convicted in Federal Prosecution of Brooklyn-Based “Bully Gang”Read the Press Release
Today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Romeo Gonzalez was the 53rd and final defendant to be convicted in the prosecution of members and associates of the Bully Gang, a violent street gang based in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. With Gonzalez’s conviction, all of the defendants charged in the case—across a series of Indictments and Criminal Informations—have been found guilty of their criminal conduct. Forty-eight defendants, including Gonzalez, pleaded guilty, and five defendants were convicted in two separate trials before United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan. The defendants were convicted of crimes including racketeering, murder, murder conspiracy, assault, gun trafficking, robbery, arson, extortion, using a gun during a crime of violence, drug trafficking, money laundering, and bribery. Gonzalez pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess cocaine and heroin with intent to distribute for his participation in the gang’s Maine drug trafficking conspiracy. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak.
Jospeh Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Division (ATF New York), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the convictions.
“These prosecutions have decimated a violent gang that engaged in drug trafficking on a massive scale, shootings, murder, bribery of corrections officers, and other crimes from New York to Maine,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The convictions of 53 Bully Gang members and associates were the result of a years’ long investigation and prosecution, and demonstrate our Office’s steadfast commitment to dismantling violent street gangs through our partnership with federal and local law enforcement.”
“This conviction demonstrates the strength of our collaborative efforts to dismantle violent criminal organizations that threaten our communities. Through the use of Crime Gun Intelligence, the ATF/NYPD Joint Firearms Task Force and the Eastern District of N.Y. have remained committed to holding armed gang members accountable and to restoring peace in the communities they seek to harm,” stated ATF New York Special Agent in Charge Miller.
As proven during the two trials in this case and set forth in court documents, the Bully Gang was a violent criminal organization that ran several complex and long-running illegal drug trafficking schemes. These schemes included a multistate drug and money laundering conspiracy involving dozens of stash houses located in Maine, and a conspiracy to smuggle drugs into Rikers Island jail facilities (Rikers), including by bribing prison guards. The illicit money generated from these schemes was used to benefit the gang by enriching its members and funding its operations to commit more crimes. To advance the gang’s operations and reputation, and to retaliate against rivals, members and associates of the gang also committed numerous acts of violence, including shootings, arson, and murder, and purchased illegal firearms to protect the organization and its members.
Since 2020, 53 defendants have been charged with a variety of crimes in connection with this investigation and, with today’s guilty plea by Gonzalez, all have been convicted. Gonzalez, who was charged in 2020, was a fugitive for nearly five years before he was apprehended in June 2025. With the government’s consent, two defendants are participating in the Special Options Services program for juvenile and young adult offenders.
Over a dozen defendants who were members and associates of the gang were convicted of racketeering. These defendants included Derrick Ayers, Bermon Clarke, Franklin Gillespie, Moeleek Harrell, Demetrius Johnson, Latrell Johnson, and Anthony Kennedy. Members and associates of the Bully Gang were convicted in connection with violent crimes, including:
- Ayers was convicted of murdering Jonathan Jackson, an associate of the rival “Stukes Crew.” Ayers shot Jackson multiple times at a gender reveal party for Harrell’s child on March 3, 2018, in Brooklyn.
- Gillespie was convicted of conspiring to murder Mike Hawley in Queens on April 15, 2020 to prevent him from informing authorities about the murder of Paul Hoilett in Brooklyn four days earlier.
- Ayers and Harrell were convicted of conspiring to murder the leaders of the Stukes Crew, whom they stalked by aggregating information from public databases, including the locations where their cars were ticketed. That stalking led to the Bully Gang carrying out at least three shootings in Crown Heights in October 2017 and June 2018.
- Ayers and Harrell were convicted of conspiring to murder Christopher King and assaulting King. They stalked King and ultimately shot him and an innocent bystander outside of a restaurant in Queens in October 2017.
- Gillespie was convicted of two gun-point robberies in Manhattan in August 2020. Latrell Johnson was also convicted of committing one of those two robberies with Gillespie.
- Latrell Johnson was convicted of an armed extortion of a store owner in Bedford-Stuyvesant, which lasted for several months in 2020. He was sentenced to more than 11 years’ imprisonment.
- Bermon Clarke was convicted of racketeering and arson. He set fire to one of the gang’s drug stash houses in Maine in 2017 while two people were inside. He was sentenced to 35 years’ imprisonment.
- Demetrius Johnson was convicted of attempting to murder Michael Reid, whom he shot over a drug debt related to the gang’s drug dealing in Maine.
Over 40 defendants, including Gonzalez, were convicted in connection with the Bully Gang’s Maine drug trafficking scheme. Ayers, Clarke, Holt, Gillespie, Harrell, and Kennedy had leadership roles in the years-long scheme to transport large quantities of drugs, including cocaine base, heroin and fentanyl, from New York and New Jersey to Maine, where members and associates of the Bully Gang sold the drugs out of stash houses. The narcotics were transported in vehicles equipped with concealed compartments, or “traps,” that were professionally installed. In addition to selling drugs in Maine, the defendants bought numerous firearms in Maine and brought those weapons to New York to further the gang’s violence. Participants in this gun trafficking scheme included Clarke, Janet Blood, Keon Grant, Nadine Heath, Amanda Huard, and Joanne Lydem.
Eleven defendants were convicted in connection with the gang’s scheme to smuggle drugs into Rikers Island. The organizers of this scheme included Harrell, Nehemie Eril, Paul Harris, and Kennedy. From 2019 to 2021, members and associates of the Bully Gang arranged for papers and comic books soaked in synthetic cannabinoids, also known as “K2,” to be delivered to Rikers. Once inmates received the K2-soaked papers, they sold smaller quantities to other inmates at a substantial profit. Some of the drug-soaked papers were mailed to inmates and some were smuggled inside the jail through visitors. Harrell and Kennedy were also convicted of bribing prison guards to smuggle drugs into Rikers.
When sentenced, the defendants convicted of violent crimes face mandatory minimum prison terms ranging from 5 years to 55 years with a maximum of life imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Moscow, Lindsey R. Oken, Joy Lurinsky, Victor Zapana, and Michael J. Castiglione are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Lead Legal Administrative Specialist Samantha Ward and Paralegal Specialist Paul Padilla.
The Defendants: JESSICA ALMEIDA
Age: 37
Detroit, MaineKASSIN APPLING (also known as “Killa” and “Kassim”)
Age: 37
Brooklyn, New YorkDERRICK AYERS (also known as “Dee” and “Mel”)
Age: 38
Rahway, New JerseyTYRONE BANKS (also known as “Ty Hitta”)
Age: 28
Brooklyn, New YorkJANET BLOOD
Age: 52
Troy, MaineDAYVON BOSTICK-SAMUELS (also known as “Daytoe”)
Age: 27
Brooklyn, New YorkTIRI BROWN
Age: 40
Brooklyn, New YorkJOHNNY CHILES
Age: 40
Brooklyn, New YorkBERMON CLARKE (also known as “G” and “Blue”)
Age: 33
Rahway, New JerseyMIKE GUSTAVO CONNOR (also known as “Gus”)
Age: 26
Brooklyn, New YorkRASHAAD CRAIG (also known as “Skeeno”)
Age: 29
Brooklyn, New YorkRONALD DAVIS (also known as “Ronno”)
Age: 33
Brooklyn, New YorkQUINTEN DELVALLE (also known as “Q”)
Age: 28
Brooklyn, New YorkELIZABETH DUECASTER
Age: 41
Searsport, MaineBRITTANY DUNCAN
Age: 30
Bayonne, New JerseyNEHEMIE ERIL (also known as “Poca”)
Age: 28
Orange, New JerseyCHRISTINA ESTEVEZ
Age: 36
Queens, New YorkLARON ESTRADA (also known as “Yetta”)
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New YorkERICA FAGGIOLE
Age: 48
MaineCOURTNEY FOSTER
Age: 30
Brooklyn, New YorkANTONIO FULTON (also known as “Tone”)
Age: 28
Brooklyn, New YorkFRANKLIN GILLESPIE (also known as “Spazz” and “Frankie Gino”)
Age: 34
Newark, New JerseyROMEO GONZALES
Age: 27
Brooklyn, New YorkAVERY GOODLUCK
Age: 35
Brooklyn, New YorkNIA GOVAN (also known as “Cam” and “V”)
Age: 34
Boston, MassachusettsKEON GRANT (also known as “Keys”)
Age: 39
Brooklyn, New YorkMOELEEK HARRELL (also known as “Moe Money”)
Age: 35
Brooklyn, New YorkPAUL HARRIS (also known as “Baldhead”)
Age: 36
Brooklyn, New YorkNADINE HEATH
Age: 58
Troy, MaineROBERT HOLT (also known as “Ricky” and “Ghost”)
Age: 38
Brooklyn, New YorkAMANDA HUARD
Age: 43
Raymond, MaineDEMETRIUS JOHNSON
Age: 29
Brooklyn, New YorkLATRELL JOHNSON (also known as “Barlie Buckz”)
Age: 30
Brooklyn, New YorkANTHONY KENNEDY (also known as “Biggie”)
Age: 39
Queens, New YorkTYQUAWN LANE (also known as “Bicks” and “Tah Tah”)
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkJOANNE LYDEM
Age: 53
Garland, MaineTANEJIA MOORE
Age: 30
Brooklyn, New YorkDARIUS MURPHY
Age: 28
Brooklyn, New YorkJESSICA PELKEY
Age: 31
Presque Isle, MaineCHRISHAWN PENN (also known as “Prince”)
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New YorkMICHAEL PEREZ (also known as “White Mike”)
Age: 34
Brooklyn, New YorkJOELLE POCHE (also known as “Rico”)
Age: 25
Brooklyn, New YorkTERRELL RATLIFF (also known as “Rello”)
Age: 34
Brooklyn, New YorkMICHAEL REID (also known as “Half”)
Age: 44
Brooklyn, New YorkISAIAH TERRY SANDIFORD
Age: 25
Brooklyn, New YorkJAMEL SMITH
Age: 28
Bronx, New YorkAMY SONNENBLICK
Age: 53
Brooklyn, New YorkCHINASA STRACHAN
Age: 37
Brooklyn, New YorkNICOLETTE TOMPKINS
Age: 26
Westfield, MaineAMANDA WALTON (also known as “A”)
Age: 36
Portland, MaineDANIELLE WHITE
Age: 52
Swanville, MaineDEVIN-JOHN JASON WILLIAMS (also known as “Pun” and “Fat Boy”)
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkDEMETTRIUS WRIGHT (also known as “Clean” and “Meexhi Brim”)
Age: 27
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-239 (S-8) (BMC)
28 July 2025
Wetzel County Man Admits to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jon Talkington, 36, of New Martinsville, West Virginia, has admitted to the solicitation of child pornography.
According to court documents and police records, a social media site forwarded a cyber tip to law enforcement regarding computer activity involving suspected child pornography images. Investigators determined Talkington had uploaded images and videos of child pornography to the social media platform site in an attempt to obtain additional child pornography material from other users on the platform.
Talkington faces at least 5 and up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Perri is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Violent 24-Hour Crime Spree Nets District Man 90-Month Term in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Christopher Light, 22, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 90 months in federal prison for his role in a 24-hour violent crime spree that included a gunpoint carjacking and armed robberies, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Light pleaded guilty March 24, 2025, to one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. In addition to the 90-month prison term, U.S. District Court Chief Judge James E. Boasberg ordered Light to serve three years of supervised release.
Joining in the announcement was Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to court documents, on February 4, 2024, about 6:45 p.m., Light and a co-conspirator ambushed a man in a Wharf District parking lot. Light was armed with a handgun; his co-conspirator wielded an AR-style firearm. Light and the co-conspirator threatened the man and took his iPhone 15 Pro and two gold chains with pendants. Light and his accomplice fled in a white Audi SUV.
Early the next morning, Light and three other individuals pulled into the 900 block of Thayer Avenue in Silver Spring, Maryland, in the same Audi SUV, and stopped behind a 2017 Mercedes E300 occupied by two individuals. Brandishing firearms, Light and the others ordered the occupants of the Mercedes to get out and turn over their possessions. Light and the others stole a Gucci handbag, a Louis Vuitton wallet, Bulgari watch, a gold necklace, a black Mark Jacobs bag, three cellphones, and various identification cards and credit cards. Two of the individuals with Light stole the Mercedes, while the others fled in the white Audi SUV.
Later on February 5, 2024, at about 3 p.m., Light and another individual attempted to rob a man who was attempting to withdraw money from an ATM in the 2000 Block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE. Light and the other individual parked and exited a white Audi SUV and approached the man from behind. At gunpoint, Light and his accomplice ordered the man: “Don’t move, give me that sh--.” The man ran away and nothing was stolen from him.
Law enforcement arrested Light on March 25, 2024. From a freezer in Light’s residence, officers recovered an AM-15, multi-caliber pistol along with a black magazine containing 50 rounds of ammunition.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the MPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer.
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Venezuelan National Indicted for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest of Alexander Jose Barreto-Rodriguez (31, Venezuela) on an indictment charging him with distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted, Barreto-Rodriguez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. He was indicted on July 23, 2025. His case is set for trial in September 2025, before United States District Judge Wendy W. Berger.
According to court documents, Barreto-Rodriguez distributed CSAM using various messaging applications in December 2024. These videos depicted children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. In addition to distributing the CSAM, Barreto-Rodriguez advised a confidential source working for law enforcement that he could arrange for various female children from ages 8 to 13 to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
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 is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Flager County Sheriff’s Office, and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Venezuelan Man Arrested for Alleged Human Smuggling SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Venezuelan national was arrested Sunday near Dilley on criminal charges related to his alleged involvement in a human smuggling conspiracy.
According to court documents, Alexander Jose Barrios aka Alexander Jose Barrios-Pena was pulled over on HWY 85 by a U.S. Border Patrol agent after the agent allegedly observed Barrios’s “heavily weighted down” vehicle swerve in and out of adjacent lanes and abruptly slow to approximately 45 MPH in a 70 MPH zone. A criminal complaint alleges that, upon the USBP agent activating his emergency lights, Barrios pulled off the highway and quickly stopped in the grass before several occupants ran out of the vehicle into the nearby brush. The agent immediately detained Barrios and the front passenger while the backup agent arrived and apprehended a female subject hiding in the backseat.
Barrios is charged with one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The U.S. Border Patrol is investigating the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint 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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United States files a civil complaint in the Northern District of Texas seeking the forfeiture of over $1.7 million worth of cryptocurrency seized by Dallas FBIRead the Press Release
On Thursday, July 24, 2025, the United States filed a civil complaint in the Northern District of Texas seeking the forfeiture of over $1.7 million worth of cryptocurrency seized by Dallas FBI in mid-April 2025, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.
As alleged in the complaint, 20.2891382 BTC was seized from cryptocurrency address bc1q5d8af0crjhlnepjq08muhh55899rf2ktye3sxd on April 15, 2025. The seized cryptocurrency, now valued at over $2.4 million, allegedly constitutes property involved in unlawful activity, or proceeds of or property derived from unlawful activity, including money laundering and extortion related to damage to a protected computer, commonly referred to as a ransomware attack. The seized cryptocurrency was traced to a cryptocurrency address allegedly associated with a member of the Chaos ransomware group, known as “Hors,” which has been tied to ransomware attacks against victims located in the Northern District of Texas and elsewhere. The complaint is filed under Case No. 3:25-CV-01920-K. Dallas FBI executed the cryptocurrency seizure.
United States Attorney's Office for the District of Utah to Participate in Community Events During National Night OutRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah will join their law enforcement partners, neighbors, and communities in National Night Out events in cities across the state.
“Obtaining justice is a team effort and the U.S. Attorney’s Office could not do it without our law enforcement partnerships,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah. “Our office remains committed to building and strengthening our existing partnerships with law enforcement and National Night Out is a great way to do that and to engage with the communities that we serve.”
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
Scheduled Events:1. North Salt Lake Night Out Against Crime 2025
Thursday, July 31, 2025 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Foxboro North Regional Park
1120 West 1100 North
North Salt Lake, UT 840542. Millcreek Night Out Against Crime
Tuesday, August 5, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Big Cottonwood Regional Park
4300 South 1300 East
Millcreek, UT 841173. Woods Cross Police Department’s National Night Out Against Crime
Thursday, August 7, 2025 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Woods Cross City Building
1555 South 800 West
Woods Cross, UT 840874. Murray City Police & Fire Safety Fair
Monday, August 25, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Murray Park
296 East Murray Park Avenue, Main Parking Lot
Murray, UT 841075. Ogden’s Night Out Against Crime
Thursday, August 14, 2025 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Marshall White Community Center
222 28th Street
Ogden, UT 844016. Clearfield Police Department’s Night Out Against Crime
Thursday, August 28, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Steed Park
300 North 1000 West
Clearfield, UT 840157. Syracuse Public Safety Jamboree
Thursday, October 2, 2025 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Syracuse City Fire Station #32
3418 S. Bluff Drive
Syracuse, UT 84075
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Increases Immigration Prosecutions: Three Violent Felons Sentenced in Two WeeksRead the Press Release
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA- Three convicted felons have been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to illegal reentry and other criminal offenses in the Southern District of Indiana:
DefendantChargeSentenceGerson Enrique Cisneros, 20, of El SalvadorPossession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person2 years imprisonment and 2 years supervised releaseJosue Miguel Perez-Perez, 41, of MexicoIllegal Reentry of a Removed Alien6 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised releaseRosario Valencia-Ambrosio, 36, of MexicoIllegal Reentry of a Removed Alien23 months imprisonment and 3 years supervised release*The following investigations were unrelated, and each defendant represents a different, individual case.
On February 3, 2025, at approximately 12:50 in the morning, Evansville Police Officers responded to reports of shots fired near Sunset Skate Park. Officers observed five males dressed in all black and wearing ski masks exiting and entering a minivan in the parking lot past closing time. As officers initiated a vehicle stop, one male fled on foot while Gerson Cisneros, the driver, remained in the vehicle with a loaded semi-automatic 9mm pistol hidden beneath his seat. The pistol contained 18 rounds in an extended magazine.
At the time of arrest, Cisneros had an active warrant out of Posey County, Indiana for reckless driving and had never possessed a valid driver’s license. Further, Cisneros is an illegal alien and was unlawfully present in the United States. Persons unlawfully in the United States may not possess firearms under federal law.
Josue Miguel Perez-Perez was removed to Mexico from Wisconsin in 2007 and prohibited from reentering the United States after sustaining a felony conviction for second-degree assault of a child. He was located on February 10, 2025, in Clark County, Indiana, after being arrested and charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and intimidation.
Valencia-Ambrosio was removed to Mexico from Texas and prohibited from reentering the United States after sustaining a conviction for conspiracy with intent to distribute cocaine. Valencia-Ambrosio has been convicted of additional crimes while in the United States, including two counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and conversion. He was located on January 4, 2025, in Madison County, Indiana after being arrested and charged with domestic battery and intimidation.
At the time the defendants entered their guilty pleas, they acknowledged that upon completion of their sentence, they will be subject to removal from the United States.
“Criminal aliens that habitually cross into our country illegally and endanger our communities must face consequences,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “We will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to enforce our Nation’s immigration laws and hold these repeat offenders fully accountable for their actions.”
“These three violent criminal aliens – each with prior offenses – posed a serious threat to public safety and our neighborhoods,” said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “HSI, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to protect the interests of our great nation.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Immigration Customs and Enforcement and Evansville Police Department investigated these cases. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judges Tanya Walton Pratt and Matthew P. Brookman.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd S. Shellenbarger, Adam Eakman, and Carolyn Haney, who prosecuted these cases.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Immigration Enforcement ActionsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) has announced immigration enforcement actions in the Northern District of Ohio. These are separate cases and not related.
Francisco Gonzalez-Lopez, 35, a citizen of Guatemala, has been charged with one count of illegal reentry. He has one previous removal from the United States on Nov. 15, 2017. On June 12, 2025, he was found in Poland Township, Ohio, without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security for readmission. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Rolph.
Jaime Ortega-Urquidi, 63, a citizen of Mexico, has been charged with one count of illegal reentry. He has previously been removed from the United States with the most recent being Oct. 10, 2017. He was again found in the country on May 28, 2025, in Lorain, Ohio without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security to be readmitted. He was also charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, investigators discovered that Urquidi had nearly five pounds of cocaine in his possession. Additionally, the defendant is charged with an enhanced penalty for a prior serious drug felony conviction in 2014. This case was investigated by U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station, FBI Cleveland Division, and the Lorain Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Lewis is prosecuting the case.
Additionally, Edil A. Martinez-Padilla, 38, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced to time served by U.S. District Judge David A. Ruiz after pleading guilty to illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States twice with the last being April 24, 2013. Martinez-Padilla remains detained pending deportation from the United States. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by ICE-HSI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter E. Daly.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Two Sacramento Residents Sentenced to Prison for False Income Tax Return SchemeRead the Press Release
Dominic Davis, 40, and Sharitia Wright, 61, both of Sacramento, were sentenced today to federal prison for conspiring to file false claims, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced. Davis received a sentence of three years and four months in prison, and Wright received a sentence of one year and three months in prison.
According to court documents, between March 2019 and April 2022, Davis and Wright caused at least nine fraudulent income-tax returns to be filed with the IRS claiming more than $2 million of income tax refunds.
The returns were filed in the names of Davis, Wright, and family members and listed wages that the taxpayers had not received. They often listed the taxpayers’ employer as one of the various LLCs created by Davis, Wright, and their family members. Many of the returns also falsely claimed charitable contributions that were not actually made. Davis prepared and filed the false tax returns. Wright provided him information and contacted the IRS to check on the status of the refunds claimed in the false tax returns.
Davis and Wright were ordered to pay restitution for the fraudulent income tax refunds that they received.
This case was the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg prosecuted the case.
Two Colorado Springs Residents Charged for Dealing Fentanyl Which Resulted in the Death of a 15-year-old GirlRead the Press Release
DENVER - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Eugene Edwards, 57, and Destiny Benjamin, 30, of Colorado Springs have been charged by criminal complaint with a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl which resulted in the death of a 15-year-old girl.
According to court documents, Edwards allegedly distributed fentanyl pills to a juvenile female who later died as a result of fentanyl intoxication. On June 7, 2025, the Colorado Springs Police Department and emergency medical services responded to a report of an unresponsive female who was declared deceased upon their arrival. Investigators found nine blue pills with the markings “M” and “30” on them, wrapped in a receipt that was later linked directly to Edwards.
According to the criminal complaint, a search of the victim’s phone revealed she arranged to meet Edwards the night before her death to buy pills at an elementary school in Colorado Springs. Surveillance video and license plate reader footage confirmed Edwards’ car at and near the school. About an hour later, video captured the victim outside her home smoking what appeared to be fentanyl. She died shortly after.
Edwards, who has multiple prior felony convictions for drug offenses, robbery, and burglary, was arrested on June 13, 2025, after investigators found suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine in his vehicle, including ten fentanyl pills wrapped in a receipt. During an interview with law enforcement, Edwards said he obtained the fentanyl pills that he had that evening from a female who was later identified as codefendant Destiny Benjamin.
The criminal complaint further alleges that historical cell phone records and text messages between Edwards and Benjamin outline an unlawful relationship based on the exchange of money for drugs—including fentanyl and methamphetamine. Edwards told investigators his only current source of supply for fentanyl pills was Benjamin.
Benjamin was also arrested on June 13, 2025. Law enforcement seized fentanyl, methamphetamine, and a loaded handgun from her at the time of her arrest. Benjamin told investigators she provided illegal narcotics to Edwards.
Edwards and Benjamin made their initial appearance in Federal Court in Denver on Monday July 28, 2025, where they were advised by a United States Magistrate Judge of the charge pending against them.
Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, resulting in death, carries a potential penalty of no less than 20 years and up to life in prison, a fine of no more than $1,000,000, and no less than three years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Colorado Springs Police Department Metro, Vice, Narcotics, and Intelligence (MVNI) Unit, and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alyssa Christine Mance and Alexander Duncan are handling the prosecution.
The charge in the criminal complaint is an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Case Number: 25-MJ-00145-CYC
Two CBP Officers Plead Guilty to Allowing Drugs to Enter the U.S. Through Their Inspection LanesRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Jesse Clark Garcia and Diego Bonillo have pleaded guilty to conspiring with members of a Mexican-based poly drug trafficking organization (DTO) to allow drug laden vehicles to enter the United States free from inspection. As part of the scheme, Garcia, working at the Tecate, California Port of Entry, and Bonillo, working at the Otay Mesa, California Port of Entry, would let members of the DTO know what time and lane they were assigned by utilizing a secret emoji-based code. The DTO would then send the drug-laden cars through Garcia and Bonillo’s lanes knowing that Garcia, nor Bonillo, would inspect these vehicles.
Garcia pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025, to nine counts of the indictment, including Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances and Importation of Cocaine, Methamphetamine, and Fentanyl. Bonillo pleaded guilty on July 28, 2025, just before his jury trial was set to begin. He pleaded guilty to three counts of the indictment, including Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances, and Importation of Fentanyl and Heroin.
Bonillo admitted that as part of the conspiracy he allowed at least 75 kilograms of fentanyl, 4.5 kilogram of methamphetamine, and over 1 kilogram of heroin, into the United States. The United States has alleged that both defendants profited handsomely, funding both domestic and international trips as well as purchases of luxury items and attempts to purchase real estate in Mexico.
Garcia and Bonillo’s sentencings are scheduled for September 26, 2025, and November 7, 2025, respectively. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Van Demark, Bianca Calderon-Peñaloza, and Shauna Prewitt.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 24cr0908-RBM
Jesse Clark Garcia Age: 37 San Diego, California
Diego Bonillo Age: 30 Chula Vista, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 952, 960, and 963
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum
Importation of Controlled Substances - Title 21, United States Code, Sections 952 and 960
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility
U.S. Border Patrol
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
Texas Man Arrested on Human Smuggling ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Texas man was arrested Friday near Dilley on criminal charges related to his alleged human smuggling.
According to court documents, Derek Riojas was pulled over by a U.S. Border Patrol agent on IH-35. The agent had allegedly observed Riojas driving in a suspicious manner. When Riojas’s vehicle slowed down to come to a stop, the agent allegedly observed several subjects in the rear of the vehicle, and saw several subjects flee from the vehicle into nearby brush. The fleeing subjects were apprehended by backup USBP agents and were determined to be illegally present in the United States.
Riojas made his initial appearance today is charged with one count of transporting illegal aliens. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The U.S. Border Patrol is investigating the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint 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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Ten Indicted on Racketeering Charges Related to Cambria County PrisonRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Ten residents of Pennsylvania and Arizona have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Johnstown on charges of violating racketeering laws, including acts of bribery conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute various controlled substances, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The two-count Indictment, returned on July 22 and unsealed today, named the following 10 individuals as defendants:
Lakesha Stith, 45, of Johnstown, Pa.; Ashley Aguilar, 26, of Phoenix, Ariz.; Mikal Davis, 48, incarcerated at Indiana County Jail; James Johnson-Ross, 26, of Altoona, Pa.; Marcos Monarrez Jr., 26, incarcerated at FDC Philadelphia; Jessica Niebauer, 34, of Altoona, Pa; Monique Valencia, 29, of Phoenix, Ariz.; Blake Young, 36, incarcerated at SCI Laurel Highlands; Asiah Young-Atwell, 30, of Johnstown, Pa.; and
Carlos Zamora, 29, incarcerated at Northeast Ohio Correctional Center.According to the Indictment, from in and around July 2023, and continuing until on or about December 19, 2023, Stith, Davis, Johnson-Ross, Monarrez, Young, Young-Atwell, and Zamora conducted and participated in the affairs of an enterprise through racketeering activities inside the Cambria County Prison (CCP) in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. The Indictment alleges that Stith and Young-Atwell, who were employed as a correctional officer and medical staff nurse, respectively, at the facility, received bribes from inmate defendants Davis, Johnson-Ross, Monarrez, Young, and Zamora in exchange for bringing contraband—including controlled substances such as K2 (a Schedule 1 synthetic cannabinoid), Tetrahydrocannabinol (a Schedule 1 component in cannabis), and Suboxone, cellular phones, security tools, and cigarettes—into the prison.
Stith and Young-Atwell hid the contraband in lunch bags and containers in order to smuggle it through the prison’s screening system and then delivered the contraband items to various locations throughout the prison. These locations included the prison’s medical department, which contained private examination rooms without security cameras; numerous pre-arranged stash locations such as storage closets where inmates could later retrieve the hidden items; and the cells and housing units of inmate defendants, with some of whom Stith and Young-Atwell had engaged in personal/intimate relations and warned of planned cell searches as well as other inmates providing information to the prison administration regarding the contraband activity.
The inmate defendants used the contraband phones to coordinate smuggling and contraband trafficking with Stith, Young-Atwell, and individuals outside of the CCP (including Aguilar, Niebauer, and Valencia, each of whom are charged in a separate count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in relation to the racketeering activity) who facilitated their contraband trafficking activities. The inmates and co-conspirators also sold these phones and other contraband items to other CCP inmates at substantial profit, with an average price of $10,000 for cellular phones and from $75 up to $250 for Suboxone strips. View the full Indictment here.
“It is extremely dangerous when individuals employed within our prison systems choose to abuse their authority at the expense of the safety and well-being of inmates they are charged with overseeing,” said Acting United States Attorney Rivetti. “Not only did the correctional officer and medical staff member in this case engage in inappropriate personal relations with inmates and accept bribes for sneaking contraband into the prison, which the defendant inmates then sold to others at a substantial profit, but they also provided confidential information about planned inmate cell searches and other internal security matters. Working with our law enforcement partners, we will ensure that this criminal abuse of trust is prosecuted regardless of whether those committing the acts are inside or outside of the confines of the prison.”
“Today’s RICO Indictment underscores the critical importance of our concerted efforts to protect both public and inmate safety,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Edward V. Owens. “This investigation has revealed the significant threat posed by transnational criminal organizations within our correctional facilities. The successful outcome of this operation is directly attributable to the effective interagency cooperation between Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The inherent challenges of bringing RICO cases to trial highlight the exceptional skill and dedication of our investigators and prosecutors. Together, we remain steadfast in our commitment to dismantling criminal enterprises and ensuring the security of our communities.”
“Prisons have unique security challenges that are complex and require all involved to act in accordance with the law and procedures,” said Cambria County District Attorney Greg Neugebauer. “Inspections and reviews of compliance are an integral part of ensuring the maintenance of security at any prison to ensure the health and safety of inmates and correction officers alike. When it became apparent that certain individuals within the Cambria County Prison were engaging in corrupt activities, prison leadership, the Prison Board, and law enforcement took appropriate steps to contain the problem and worked alongside our federal partners to ensure that these perpetrators of criminal activity were brought to justice. We appreciate the special relationship that we enjoy with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and we thank them for their hard work on this matter. This is yet another example of the successes our community experiences when local, state, and federal entities all work together toward a common goal.”
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorneys Maureen Sheehan-Balchon and Shaun Sweeney are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, and the Cambria County Prison conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in Connection with $1.4 Million Embezzlement and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Robin Joseph, 64, of Murells Inlet, South Carolina, today, to 39 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, six months of which will be home detention. On April 25, 2025, Joseph pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft in connection with a decades-long embezzlement scheme that caused losses of more than $1.4 million. Judge Gallagher also ordered restitution in the amount of $1,406,211.19.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
Judge Gallagher previously sentenced Joseph’s wife and co-conspirator, Valerie Joseph, 61, of Murells Inlet, South, to 53 months in prison and one year of home detention in connection with her role in the scheme.
According to court documents, from 2003 until August 2021, Valerie Joseph served as a bookkeeper for Victim Business 1, a wholesale greenhouse and garden center owned by Victim K.F., located in Caroline County, Maryland. Beginning in January 2011, at the latest, and continuing into August 2021, the couple conspired to defraud Victim Business l and Victim K.F.
Robin and Valerie Joseph schemed to make unauthorized charges to three credit-card accounts —associated with Victim Business 1 and Victim K.F. — for personal gain. This included American Express and Capital One accounts, along with a Lowes/Synchrony financial account.
Routinely, for more than a decade, Robin and Valerie Joseph used credit cards associated with the victims’ accounts to make numerous unauthorized purchases. The theft included unauthorized credit-card charges for $200,000-plus at Walmart; $53,000-plus to AT&T for personal phone bills; $30,000-plus at a Japanese steak and seafood restaurant; and $116,000-plus to PayPal. Robin and Valerie Joseph charged more than $90,000 to Easton Utilities for utility bills; $16,000 to Chesapeake College for tuition payments; $2,500 to the University of Hawaii for college expenses; and $3,800 for cosmetics.
The couple also charged more than $195,000 to the Lowes Account. Several of the unauthorized Lowes account charges were to purchase materials and supplies to renovate their previous residence in Easton, Maryland.
Additionally, Robin and Valerie Joseph paid for airline tickets, cruises, Airbnb expenses, and hundreds of retailor gift cards using the victims’ account. The couple also used the victims’ account to pay more than $33,000 in veterinary expenses and charged various items related to their pets, including high-end bird cages for their tropical birds.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Riley who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Somali National with Familial Ties to ISIS-Somalia Sentenced for Committing Asylum FraudRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Sowda Ahmed Mohamud, a citizen and national of Somalia, was sentenced in federal court today after pleading guilty to a three-count indictment charging her with false statements in immigration documents (asylum fraud) and false statements in her testimony before an immigration judge.
According to court documents, the charges arose from a year-long counter-terrorism investigation by the FBI San Diego Joint Terrorism Task Force (FBI-JTTF). On March 20, 2024, U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Mohamud after she illegally entered the U.S. and claimed asylum. During routine processing and checks of government data bases, agents determined that Mohamud was a positive match for an individual suspected of being involved in terrorism or terrorism-related activities. The FBI-JTTF then conducted an extensive investigation of Mohamud and her relatives living in the U.S. and abroad. Evidence developed in this investigation was used in Mohamud’s immigration proceedings, which resulted in the immigration judge dismissing her claim for asylum and withholding from removal with prejudice and ordering her removed from the U.S.
According to the plea agreement, in her asylum application and sworn testimony at her removal proceedings, Mohamud falsely claimed that: (1) she had never previously applied for lawful status in the U.S. or any other country, when in fact she had previously attempted to apply for lawful status in the United Kingdom, the U.S. and Brazil; and (2) she fraudulently and intentionally withheld that she had a biological sister, who was residing in the U.S. pending a determination of her own immigration petition.
According to court documents, as a result of the identification of Mohamud’s sister, agents were also able to determine that Mohamud also intentionally failed to state that she had a brother, Mohamed Ahmed Qahiye, a high-ranking member of the foreign terrorist organization ISIS-Somalia, who was engaged in obtaining money and weapons for that terrorist organization. In November 2022, the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) placed Qahiye on OFAC’s Specially designated National and Blocked Persons (SDN) list for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, ISIS-Somalia. In the SDN designation, OFAC stated that in early 2020, Qahiye and Sheikh Mumin, the leader of ISIS-Somalia, met with Iranian nationals who paid more than $10,000 to ISIS-Somalia leadership. Separately, ISIS-Somalia senior leaders Qahiye and Mumin requested an arms shipment from Yemen that included more than 20 boxes of AK-47 ammunition, a dozen boxes of pistol ammunition, several boxes of rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and a Russian-designed machine guns.
Mohamud, who was detained in immigration custody for approximately 15 months prior to being charged in this case, was sentenced to a time-served sentence of 48 days and will be removed from the United States.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the integrity of our immigration courts by prosecuting those individuals who seek to game our asylum laws through false and fraudulent claims,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, adding that, “the prosecution of Mohamud for asylum fraud also represents our commitment to ensuring that individuals who might pose a threat to our national security due to their family ties to foreign terrorist organizations are swiftly removed from the United States.”
“Thanks to the efforts of the FBI San Diego Joint Terrorism Task Force, Mohamud will be held accountable for her deliberate and fraudulent attempt to undermine our immigration system,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “This case demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to rooting out anyone with potential ties to known foreign terrorist organizations intent on harming the United States. I commend the JTTF for their thorough investigative work to keep our communities safe."
"The defendant in this case is alleged to have falsified immigration documents, an act that constitutes a felony and undermines the integrity of our nation's lawful immigration system," stated Shawn Gibson, Special Agent in Charge for HSI San Diego. "This investigation serves as a clear reminder that HSI and our law enforcement partners are firmly committed to apprehending individuals who seek to reside in our nation under false pretenses, regardless of where they attempt to hide.”
DEFENDANT Case Number 25cr2049
Sowda Ahmed Mohamud Age: 27
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
False Statements in Immigration Documents - Title 18 U.S.C., § 1546 (a) [Count1]
False Statements to a Department of the United States - Title 18 U.S.C., § 1001(a)(2) [Counts 2 and 3]
Maximum penalties: Count 1 – 10 years
Counts 2 & 3 – 5 years, each
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Homeland Security Investigation
Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Border Patrol
Drug Enforcement Administration
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations
Shelton Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that BURNEST GEYER, JR., 32, of Shelton, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to a child exploitation offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that Geyer had told an individual that he possessed child pornography videos, and that he had communicated with a second individual through Telegram, an encrypted phone messaging application, about his child pornography collection. During a Telegram communication in July 2024, Geyer shared his laptop screen and showed pictures and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Geyer was arrested on October 8, 2024. On that date, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of his residence and seized his iPhone and other items. Analysis of the Telegram app on the iPhone revealed more than 3,000 images and videos depicting child pornography, including the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
The investigation further revealed that Geyer engaged in dozens of conversations with others on Telegram and WhatsApp regarding his interest in the sexual abuse of minors, and offered to pay adult content creators to sexually exploit their children over video calls with him.
Geyer pleaded guilty to receipt and distribution of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Geyer, who is currently released on a $100,000 bond, has a detention hearing scheduled for tomorrow in Bridgeport.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Bridgeport Police Department and the Shelton Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Gordon.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Santa Fe Woman Charged with Drug Distribution Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Santa Fe woman has been charged by federal authorities in connection with a drug distribution case that resulted in a fatality.
According to court documents, on October 6, 2023, Aimee Lamar, 34, distributed a mixture containing fentanyl and methamphetamine to an individual who died as a result of using the substance.
Lamar is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and one count of distribution of methamphetamine resulting in death and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Lamar faces no less than 20 years and up to life 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 Santa Fe Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Santa Fe Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany DuChaussee and Louis Mattei are prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment (Lamar).pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sacramento Man Charged with Damaging Customs and Border Protection VehicleRead the Press Release
castillo_criminal_complaint.pdfSACRAMENTO, Calif. — A criminal complaint was filed today charging Jose Manuel Castillo Jr., 31, of Sacramento, with depredation of government property, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, on July 17, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) conducted an operation at a Sacramento-area Home Depot store. During the operation, Castillo refused numerous commands to move away from law enforcement’s position and shouted obscenities at CBP agents as the agents were transferring arrested aliens to a van for transportation to immigration custody.
Castillo was seen walking towards the SUV from the rear passenger side, and agents near the vehicle’s driver’s side heard a pop and a loud hissing noise. Castillo was seen walking away from the vehicle, and agents noticed the rear passenger side tire was punctured and completely flat.
After being ordered to stop by law enforcement Castillo turned and ran away. After a short chase, agents caught Castillo and later searched him. In Castillo’s pants pocket, law enforcement found a folding pocketknife with a blade consistent with the width of the hole in the SUV’s tire.
Castillo is not in custody and will appear for an initial hearing at a date and time chosen by the Court.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
If convicted, Castillo faces a maximum statutory penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. 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 defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced for Sexually Exploiting Two ChildrenRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Court Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Harrison James Miller, 32, of Hagerstown, Maryland, to 37 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Miller previously pled guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child as well as commission of a felony crime involving a minor by a registered sex offender.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Gina M. Cirincion, State’s Attorney for Washington County; and Chief Paul Kifer, Hagerstown Police Department (HPD).
According to the guilty plea, Miller was ordered to register as a sex offender after a conviction in Pennsylvania involving an 8-year-old child. In August 2022, upon release from prison, Miller moved to Hagerstown, Maryland, but did not register as a sex offender as required by law.
Miller then gained access to two children, ages 4 and 5, and sexually abused them over a period of several months. Additionally, Miller took images of the minors which he stored in a password protected folder on his cell phone. Authorities arrested and charged Miller after one of the minors disclosed the abuse to his mother. Through a search of Miller’s phone, law enforcement uncovered the hidden images and other evidence.
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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office, and HPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn 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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Q Link Wireless LLC and Issa Asad to Pay More than $110M in Global Resolution to Resolve Criminal Charges and False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Q Link Wireless LLC (Q Link) and its owner, Issa Asad (Asad), located in Dania Beach, Florida, have agreed to pay $110,637,057 to resolve criminal charges and civil allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Lifeline Program. The Lifeline Program, created by Congress in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, provides nearly $2 billion each year to assist low-income consumers with their telecommunications needs.
Eligible Telecommunications Carriers (ETCs), such as Q Link, receive monthly federal payments for providing discounted phone services to qualified consumers who must use their Lifeline phones at least once every 30 days. In order to qualify for Lifeline payments, ETCs certify their compliance with Lifeline rules, including the requirement to de-enroll and to stop submitting claims for customers that are not using their Lifeline phones.
The settlement resolves allegations that Q Link and Asad received monthly federal payments from the Lifeline Program that they were not entitled to through a scheme directed by Asad. The United States alleged that Q Link, Asad, and others conspired to knowingly submit and caused to be submitted false and fraudulent claims to Lifeline for customers who were not using their cellphones consistent with FCC usage regulations, including customers who did not possess activated phones. The United States also alleged that Q Link and Asad understood that Q Link was required to de-enroll and stop seeking payment for customers who were not using their phones consistent with the FCC’s usage rules. The United States further alleged that Q Link, Asad, and others, in order to deceive the FCC and in order to continue billing for Q Link’s customers, manufactured cellphone activity on behalf of Q Link customers who were not using their cellphones. The United States also alleged that, in order to obscure Q Link’s and Asad’s actions, Q Link provided false and fabricated records to the FCC purporting to show cellphone usage for customers who were not using their cellphones including for some cellphones that were actually in the FCC’s possession at the time. As a result of this alleged conduct, Q Link received approximately $38,438,541 in improper Lifeline payments between February 2018 and October 2019. Under the civil settlement, Q Link’s and Asad’s payment of the criminal restitution they owe related to the Lifeline Program will be credited toward the amount due under the civil settlement.
“When individuals and corporations target programs that serve vulnerable populations to line their own pockets with millions, our office stands ready to investigate and pursue those allegations using all appropriate civil enforcement tools,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “This settlement addresses the integrity of the Lifeline Program, an important program that helps low-income Americans connect to people and information, a modern-day necessity.”
“The Justice Department will take action where companies and individuals knowingly violate the rules of federal programs and claim federal funds to which they are not entitled,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to preventing fraud against important FCC subsidy programs like Lifeline.”
“The FCC takes very seriously any instance of misuse of public funds and misrepresentation. Protecting taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse is central to our work,” said FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. “I thank our partners at the Justice Department and the tireless teams at the FCC – including the Office of General Counsel and Office of Inspector General – for their relentless pursuit of this matter.”
“FCC OIG is committed to vigorously protecting FCC’s low-income subsidy programs and legitimate customers from telecommunications providers who use deceptive practices to perpetrate fraud,” said FCC Inspector General Fara Damelin. “We appreciate the dedication and outstanding work of our investigative team, our law enforcement partners at DOJ, and our FCC colleagues, in particular OGC, who together strengthen the integrity of FCC programs and ensure that bad actors are held accountable.”
As part of a global resolution, Q Link and Asad entered into criminal plea agreements with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. On Oct. 15, 2024, Q Link and Asad pled guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and theft of government funds and defrauding the United States, related to the conduct at issue in today’s civil settlement. Asad also pled guilty to money laundering arising from conduct not related to the civil investigation. Q Link and Asad were sentenced by United States District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on July 24. In connection with the criminal resolution, Q Link and Asad further agreed to not participate in any program administered by the FCC and agree to cooperate in transitioning its Lifeline customers to other ETCs.
The civil False Claims Act resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, and the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, with assistance from the FCC’s Office of Inspector General and the FCC’s Office of General Counsel.
The civil False Claims Act investigation was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Rosaline Chan and former Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Cheek for the Southern District of Florida, as well as Trial Attorney David M. Sobotkin, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Miriam L. Alinikoff.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of civil liability.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20363.
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Q Link Wireless LLC and Issa Asad to Pay More than $110M in Global Resolution to Resolve Criminal Charges and False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Q Link Wireless LLC (Q Link) and its owner, Issa Asad (Asad), located in Dania Beach, Florida, have agreed to pay $110,637,057 to resolve criminal charges and civil allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Lifeline Program. The Lifeline Program, created by Congress in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, provides nearly $2 billion each year to assist low-income consumers with their telecommunications needs.
Eligible Telecommunications Carriers (ETCs), such as Q Link, receive monthly federal payments for providing discounted phone services to qualified consumers who must use their Lifeline phones at least once every 30 days. In order to qualify for Lifeline payments, ETCs certify their compliance with Lifeline rules, including the requirement to de-enroll and to stop submitting claims for customers that are not using their Lifeline phones.
The settlement resolves allegations that Q Link and Asad received monthly federal payments from the Lifeline Program that they were not entitled to through a scheme directed by Asad. The United States alleged that Q Link, Asad, and others conspired to knowingly submit and caused to be submitted false and fraudulent claims to Lifeline for customers who were not using their cellphones consistent with FCC usage regulations, including customers who did not possess activated phones. The United States also alleged that Q Link and Asad understood that Q Link was required to de-enroll and stop seeking payment for customers who were not using their phones consistent with the FCC’s usage rules. The United States further alleged that Q Link, Asad, and others, in order to deceive the FCC and in order to continue billing for Q Link’s customers, manufactured cellphone activity on behalf of Q Link customers who were not using their cellphones. The United States also alleged that, in order to obscure Q Link’s and Asad’s actions, Q Link provided false and fabricated records to the FCC purporting to show cellphone usage for customers who were not using their cellphones including for some cellphones that were actually in the FCC’s possession at the time. As a result of this alleged conduct, Q Link received approximately $38,438,541 in improper Lifeline payments between February 2018 and October 2019. Under the civil settlement, Q Link’s and Asad’s payment of the criminal restitution they owe related to the Lifeline Program will be credited toward the amount due under the civil settlement.
“The Justice Department will take action where companies and individuals knowingly violate the rules of federal programs and claim federal funds to which they are not entitled,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to preventing fraud against important FCC subsidy programs like Lifeline.”
“The FCC takes very seriously any instance of misuse of public funds and misrepresentation. Protecting taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse is central to our work,” said FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. “I thank our partners at the Justice Department and the tireless teams at the FCC – including the Office of General Counsel and Office of Inspector General – for their relentless pursuit of this matter.”
“When individuals and corporations target programs that serve vulnerable populations to line their own pockets with millions, our office stands ready to investigate and pursue those allegations using all appropriate civil enforcement tools,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “This settlement addresses the integrity of the Lifeline Program, an important program that helps low-income Americans connect to people and information, a modern-day necessity.”
“FCC OIG is committed to vigorously protecting FCC’s low-income subsidy programs and legitimate customers from telecommunications providers who use deceptive practices to perpetrate fraud,” said FCC Inspector General Fara Damelin. “We appreciate the dedication and outstanding work of our investigative team, our law enforcement partners at DOJ, and our FCC colleagues, in particular OGC, who together strengthen the integrity of FCC programs and ensure that bad actors are held accountable.”
As part of a global resolution, Q Link and Asad entered into criminal plea agreements with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. On Oct. 15, 2024, Q Link and Asad pled guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and theft of government funds and defrauding the United States, related to the conduct at issue in today’s civil settlement. Asad also pled guilty to money laundering arising from conduct not related to the civil investigation. Q Link and Asad were sentenced by United States District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on July 24. In connection with the criminal resolution, Q Link and Asad further agreed to not participate in any program administered by the FCC and agree to cooperate in transitioning its Lifeline customers to other ETCs.
The civil False Claims Act resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, with assistance from the FCC’s Office of Inspector General and the FCC’s Office of General Counsel.
The civil False Claims Act investigation was handled by Trial Attorney David M. Sobotkin, Assistant United States Attorney Rosaline Chan, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Miriam L. Alinikoff and Christopher Cheek for the Southern District of Florida.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of civil liability.
Portland Man Charged with Assaulting a Federal Law Enforcement Officer and Damaging Federal Property During Violent Protest at Local ICE OfficeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – A Portland man made his initial appearance in federal court today after committing various offenses – including aggravated assault of a federal officer and damaging federal property – during a violent protest at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland.
Robert Jacob Hoopes, 24, of Portland, has been charged by criminal complaint with the felony offenses of aggravated assault of a federal officer with a dangerous weapon, and depredation of federal property in an amount exceeding $1,000.
According to court documents and information shared in court, on June 14, 2025, Hoopes was present at a protest at the ICE building. He was seen throwing large rocks at the building. He threw one of those rocks at an ICE officer and struck the officer in the head, causing a significant laceration over the officer’s eye. Later that same day, he and two other individuals were seen using an upended stop sign as a makeshift battering ram, which resulted in significant damage to the main entry door to the ICE building. Hoopes was identified from a photo online later that same day. Hoopes was arrested by FBI agents on Friday, July 25, 2025.
Hoopes made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. Hoopes was ordered released pending trial.
Aggravated assault of a federal officer with a dangerous weapon that results in bodily injury is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Depredation of federal property in an amount exceeding $1,000 is a felony punishable by up to ten years in prison.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Since June 13, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged 23 defendants with offenses committed at the ICE building including assaulting federal officers, arson, possession of a destructive device, and depredation of government property.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pierre Woman, Sixth in a Large-Scale Conspiracy, Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine in the Pierre AreaRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a woman from Pierre, South Dakota, who had been convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on July 21, 2025.
Misty Stahlhoefer, age 42, was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Stahlhoefer was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. She pleaded guilty on April 14, 2025. Her conviction stemmed from a drug distribution conspiracy beginning in June 2023 and continuing until September 2024. Misty Stahlhoefer and co-defendant Heather Stahlhoefer were the source of supply to several other individuals in the Pierre area. The Stahlhoefers would acquire up to one pound of methamphetamine per trip to be further distributed by themselves and others including Whitney Marrowbone, Wendy Mealer, Brent Larvie, David Rinehart, and Heath Choal. The conspiracy involved between 30 and 35 pounds of methamphetamine.
“Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the FBI’s Northern Plains Safe Trails Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, the Chamberlain Police Department, and the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office, Misty Stahlhoefer and her local co-conspirators are facing significant time in federal prison for pushing drugs that are ravaging our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Drug traffickers should take note that in South Dakota, they will be met with the full force of law enforcement—federal, state, local, and tribal—and unrelenting federal prosecution out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“For years, Misty Stahlhoefer distributed illegal drugs in the Pierre, SD area,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. “Stahlhoefer will pay dearly for her reprehensible conduct. Those who choose to harm our community by enriching themselves and leading others to drug addiction will pay a heavy price. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to rid our communities of illegal drugs.”
The co-defendants were earlier sentenced to federal prison as follows:
• Heather Stahlhoefer was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.
• Marrowbone was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.
• Mealer was sentenced to six years in federal prison.
• Larvie was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison.
• Rinehart was sentenced to two years in federal prison.The seventh co-defendant, Heath Choal, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 2, 2025.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, the Chamberlain Police Department, and the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges.
Stahlhoefer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison and lifetime supervised release for transporting a minor with the intent to sexually abuse the child and for accessing with intent to view child pornography. He was also ordered to pay $12,000 in restitution.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, George Travis Woodfield, 41, of Macungie, drove an 11-year-old child across state lines for an overnight trip to New York City in November 2018 in order to engage in sexual activity with the child. After a day of sightseeing, Woodfield sexually abused the child in his hotel room. Further, between September 2015 and July 2024, Woodfield accessed numerous depictions of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including images of prepubescent children being sexually abused.
“Child sexual abuse is a depraved criminal act that harms the most innocent among us,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This defendant took a child across state lines with the express intent of abusing that child, and he exploited others by viewing child sexual abuse material. We will swiftly bring to justice any individual who commits these horrific crimes against children in our communities.”
“Woodfield didn’t just view images of child sexual abuse, he sought out sex with a child,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “The sexual exploitation of children causes unthinkable harm. While prosecuting a predator like Woodfield can’t undo that damage, his prison sentence prevents him from causing further harm and provides his victim justice.”
“There’s no greater priority than safeguarding our children from those who seek to exploit or harm them,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “I commend the work done by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit and our field office whose expertise was critical in bringing this offender to justice. This sentence is a testament to our shared resolve to hunt down predators that rob children of their innocence. We will not rest until those who commit these heinous crimes are held fully accountable.”
"The exploitation of children remains among the most heinous crimes we investigate,” said Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office. “Let today's sentencing send a message: if you prey upon our most vulnerable, you will be found and you will be brought to justice. This case is a powerful testament to the unwavering dedication of the personnel in our Allentown Resident Agency and our law enforcement partners, who work tirelessly to protect our children and ensure those who harm them are held accountable.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency and FBI Richmond, with assistance from the High Technology Investigative Unit of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).
CEOS Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban, CEOS Senior Trial Attorney Jennifer Toritto Leonardo and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca J. Kulik for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Oxon Hill Man Found Guilty of Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – After a two-day trial, a federal jury convicted Lester Massey, Jr., 42, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, of being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland announced the conviction with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to the evidence presented at trial, on August 11, 2023, ATF agents, with the assistance of PGPD officers, executed a court-ordered search-and-seizure warrant at Massey’s residence. During the search, law enforcement located and recovered 243 live rounds of ammunition throughout the apartment.
Law enforcement also found assorted gun parts — including an AR style receiver — a slide, spring, barrel, two magazines, and gun tools. The ammunition traveled in interstate commerce prior to law enforcement finding Massey in possession of it in August 2023. Massey was previously convicted of a state crime punishable by more than two years imprisonment and was aware that his conviction prohibited him from possessing firearms and ammunition. Sentencing is set for Wednesday, October 1, at 2 p.m.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and PGPD for their work in the investigation. U.S. Attorney Hayes thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Appleby-Rumon and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Nicholas Potter who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Ohio Woman Sentenced for Role in Public Corruption SchemeRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Cleveland woman who conspired with an elected public official to defraud local nonprofits has been sentenced.
Sinera Unique Jones, aka Sinera McCoy, 46, has been sentenced to three years of probation with two months of home detention by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko, after pleading guilty in April to conspiring to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud by acting in concert with a public official to defraud multiple community stakeholders. Additionally, she was ordered to pay $143,598.47 in restitution.
According to court documents, from about December 2018 to June 2021, Sinera Jones conspired with former Cleveland city councilman for Ward 7, Basheer Jones, 40, with whom she was in a romantic relationship, to persuade local nonprofits to enter into arrangements from which the two could financially benefit. Basheer Jones sought and obtained funds from the nonprofits under the guise of working on projects to redevelop Ward 7.
The scheme involved convincing nonprofits to make payments toward projects they believed were for Ward 7 revitalization projects. But instead, the money went into bank accounts that Sinera Jones controlled which, at Basheer Jones’s direction, she then diverted to herself, to Basheer Jones, and to others.
The two took steps to ensure that their personal connection was not discovered and used various methods to obtain money from the organizations. In one scheme, a nonprofit hired Sinera Jones as a consultant for community outreach on the recommendation of Basheer Jones. She submitted invoices to the nonprofit despite doing little work and was subsequently paid through her consulting business—all while concealing her personal relationship to the councilman.
In another scheme, Basheer Jones represented to a nonprofit that he was assisting with the acquisition of a distressed piece of property from the original owner. At the same time, Basheer Jones arranged for the owner to sell Sinera Jones the property for only $1 with the promise to the seller that she would pay the $40,500 city demolition bill. Sinera Jones, who put the property in the name of a business entity when she made the purchase, immediately re-sold the property to the nonprofit for $45,000 without paying the demolition bill or disclosing it or disclosing her ties to Basheer Jones. In all, Sinera and Basheer Jones were able to defraud various nonprofits out of more than $140,000.
On April 1, 2025, Basheer Jones was sentenced to 28 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $143,598.47 in restitution.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General, and the IRS – Criminal Investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erica Barnhill and Elliot Morrison for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report fraud, visit justice.gov/action-center/report-crime-or-submit-complaint.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Drug and Machinegun OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –LOVON WHITE (“WHITE”), age 22, was sentenced on July 23, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $300 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute tapentadol and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, WHITE was using social media to sell drugs and machinegun conversion devices. These devices turn a semi-automatic handgun into a fully-automatic firearm. In June of 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at WHITE’s residence and recovered an Anderson Manufacturing Model AM-15 pistol and a Glock Model 21, .45 caliber pistol, both equipped with machinegun conversion devices; tapentadol and marijuana that WHITE intended to sell; drug trafficking supplies; and hundreds of dollars in drug sale proceeds.
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.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
Neshoba County Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS –A Neshoba County man was sentenced to over fifteen years in federal prison for possession of child pornography.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon and Robert Eikhoff, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Office, made the announcement.
According to court documents, Brandon Keith Farmer, 23, filmed himself engaging in sexual contact with a female minor. Court records show that the offense occurred in the Pearl River Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation in July of 2024.
In addition to being sentenced to federal prison for 182 months, once released, Farmer will serve a twenty-five-year term of supervised release. Farmer was also ordered to pay $3,000.00 to the Child Pornography Victims Reserve Fund established by the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian K. Burns and Kevin J. Payne prosecuted the case.
Mother-Daughter Duo Sentenced in Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A mother and daughter have been sentenced for their involvement in an elder fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Mykia L. Henderson, 32, of Moody, to 87 months in prison, and Cynthia H. Mixon, 50, of Fairfield, to 57 months in prison. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to the plea agreements, between December 2020 and February 2022, Mixon and Henderson were the in-home caretakers for the elderly victim. In their role as caretakers, Henderson and Mixon had access to the victim’s financial information, which they shared with one another and with other members of the conspiracy. The defendants devised a scheme to defraud the victim by using fake and fraudulent accounts they set up through Square, Inc. and Stripe, Inc. Through the scheme, the defendants charged the victim’s credit cards through the Square and Stripe accounts and then deposited the funds into their bank accounts or shared the proceeds with one another. The defendants hid the charges from the victim by including false “descriptions” to prevent their discovery. The defendants also wrote unauthorized checks to themselves that were drawn on the victim’s bank accounts. In total, members of the conspiracy stole nearly $500,000 from the victim.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Mountain Brook Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan S. Rummage prosecuted the case.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcements’ efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This 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 next steps. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. [ET]. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov.