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Friday 30 May 2025
Eight defendants charged with narcotics offensesRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that eight defendants were charged by indictment or criminal complaint for their roles in a narcotics conspiracy operating in the Rochester, NY, area, and other related offenses.
Named in two separate indictments and charged with narcotics conspiracy are:
• Carlos Serrano, Jr.
• Sam Sierra, Jr.
• Carlos Melendez, Jr.
• Eban Sterina
If convicted, the indicted defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $10,000,000.
In addition:
- Juan Sosa is charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum of life.
- Jose Laviena and Giovanni Serrano are charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum of life.
- Dusty Phakousonh is charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum of 40 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas T. Cooper, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictments and complaints against the nine defendants, who are all from Rochester, investigators executed 20 search warrants on 14 residences and six vehicles, seizing:
- Approximately 2,678 grams of fentanyl
- Approximately 692 grams of cocaine
- Approximately 22 grams of crack cocaine
- Approximately 31 pounds of marijuana
- Approximately 168 grams of hash
- Approximately 441 grams of K2 (synthetic cannabinoid)
- Approximately 108 grams of suboxone
- Six firearms
- Drug paraphernalia
- Approximately $100,000 in cash
- Approximately $100,000 in jewelry
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The indictments and complaints are the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff David Cirencione, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Acting Field Office Director Steven Kurzdorfer.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 110 Months for Smuggling Fentanyl from California to the DMVRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON— Lamin Sesay, 28, of Alexandria, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 110 months in federal prison for participating in a wide-spread narcotics trafficking conspiracy that distributed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills purchased in Southern California to destinations throughout the United States, including the District of Columbia.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Sesay was one of 24 co-defendants arrested during 2023 in the District, Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Los Angeles and charged in the conspiracy.
On Feb. 7, 2025, Sesay pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Sesay to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Sesay entered into the conspiracy after he was introduced to a Los Angeles-based drug trafficker, co-defendant Hector David Valdez, who was a distributor of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills. Sesay was introduced to Valdez by an unindicted co-conspirator, Mathias Tsegaye, a D.C.-based fentanyl trafficker who died in January 2023 from the combined toxic effects of codeine, fentanyl, and oxycodone. At the time of Tsegaye’s death, a shipping box containing several thousand fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills was discovered in his residence.
Sesay’s role was to have fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills shipped by Valdez to the District of Columbia. Sesay then conspired with one or more D.C.-area-based co-conspirators to redistribute the pills. Sesay also communicated with Valdez about Tsegaye flying to Los Angles to obtain pills for Tsegaye and Sesay to resell in D.C.
The impetus for the investigation was the overdose death of Diamond Lynch, a young mother in Southeast D.C. In addition to investigating and prosecuting the death resulting case, law enforcement followed the evidence and uncovered a vast network of traffickers who transported fentanyl from Mexico to Los Angeles to the District of Columbia. Since then, investigators have seized more than 450,000 fentanyl pills, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 30 firearms.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division and the USPIS Washington Division in partnership with MPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Offices, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland, Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Solomon S. Eppel, and Iris McCranie, of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section.
DEFENDANT
AGE
LOCATION
CHARGES/SENTENCE
Hector David Valdez,
aka “Curl”
27
Santa Fe Springs, CaliforniaConspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
Craig Eastman
21
Washington, D.C.Sentenced Feb. 6, 2025, to 165 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.Charles Jeffrey Taylor21
Washington, D.C.Pleaded guilty Feb. 28, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Raymond Nava, Jr.21
Bell Gardens,
California
Sentenced Sept. 17, 2024, to 14 years for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Ulises Aldaz28
Bell Gardens,
California
Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 95 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Max Alexander Carias Torres27
Bell Gardens,
California
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit international money laundering.Teron Deandre McNeil, aka “Wild Boy”35
Washington, D.C.Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; Conspiracy to commit wire fraud.Marvin Anthony Bussie,
aka “Money Marr”
22
Washington, D.C.Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Marcus Orlando Brown29
Washington, D.C.Sentenced Oct. 3, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Columbian Thomas, aka "Cruddy Murda”27
Washington, D.C.Sentenced Oct. 22, 2024, to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Wayne Rodell Carr-Maiden35
Washington, D.C.Sentenced April 29, 2024, to 45 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Andre Malik Edmond,
aka “Draco”
23
Temple Hills, MarylandSentenced July 22, 2024, to 130 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Treyveon James Johnson,
aka “Treyski”
21
Alexandria, VirginiaSentenced Sept. 5, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Karon Olufemi Blalock,
aka “Fat Bags”
30
Alexandria, VirginiaConspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering.Ronte Ricardo Greene,
aka “Cardiddy”
29
Washington, D.C.Pleaded guilty Feb. 27, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., aka “21”39
Washington, D.C.Pleaded guilty Dec. 18, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Darius Quincy Hodges,
aka “Brick”
34
Glen Allen, VirginiaConspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Lamin Sesay,
aka “Rock Star”
28
Alexandria, VirginiaSentenced May 30, 2025, to 110 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Paul Alejandro Felix26
Glendale,
California
Sentenced Nov. 12, 2024, to 164 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Omar Arana,
aka “Frogs”
27
Cudahy,
California
Sentenced May 2, 2025, to 93 months, for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Edgar Balderas, Jr., aka “Nano”27
San Diego,
California
Sentenced May 8, 2025, to 148 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Raul Pacheco Ramirez31
Long Beach,
California
Sentenced Nov. 26, 2024, to 95 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Giovani Alejandro Briones31
Victorville, CaliforniaSentenced Feb. 20, 2025, to 90 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Alfredo Rodriguez Gonzalez26
Rosarito, MexicoConspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
23cr73
District of Arizona Charges 257 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from May 24, 2025, through May 30, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 257 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 125 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 124 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 7 cases against 8 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Hugo Antonio Martinez-Lopez: On May 24, 2025, an Integrated Fixed Tower operator observed an individual come out of the brush and enter a truck, driven by Hugo Antonio Martinez-Lopez, on Federal Route 19 near mile marker 1 in Newfield, Arizona, on the Tohono O'odham Nation. BPAs located the truck and attempted a stop, but Martinez-Lopez failed to yield. While BPAs were pursuing the truck, Martinez-Lopez abruptly stopped on the right shoulder of the road and an individual exited the passenger's side of the vehicle and ran into the brush. Martinez-Lopez then fled at a high rate of speed. After a foot chase, BPAs apprehended the individual who had run into the bush and determined that they were a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Other BPAs continued to pursue Martinez-Lopez and successfully deployed a vehicle immobilization device (VID), which punctured one of the truck's tires. The truck then came to a stop and Martinez-Lopez fled from the vehicle. BPAs also apprehended Martinez-Lopez after a short foot pursuit. Martinez-Lopez was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: MJ-25-2029]
United States v. Jesus Fernando Jimenez Rodriguez: On May 28, 2025, Mesa Police Department executed a search warrant on a residence in Mesa, Arizona. Jesus Fernando Jimenez Rodriguez, a citizen of Mexico, was one of the occupants of the residence. Inside the residence, readily visible in the living room and stacked against the wall, law enforcement found 10,000 rounds of PMC 5.56 ammunition and 25,000 rounds of Wolf .223 ammunition. Jimenez Rodriguez was charged by complaint with one count of Alien in Possession of Ammunition and Illegal Re-entry. [Case Number: MJ-25-9221]
United States v. Nicholas Anthony Lawrence: On May 28, 2025, Nicholas Anthony Lawrence, a citizen of Jamaica and illegal alien, was charged by indictment with Aggravated Identity Theft, Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and Other Documents, Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, and Reentry of Removed Alien. Lawrence was previously convicted on or about December 4, 2017, of Attempt to Commit Molestation of Child, and Attempt to Commit Sexual Conduct with Minor, both felony offenses, in the Superior Court of Arizona, County of Maricopa. Lawrence was sentenced to seven years in prison, and lifetime probation, respectively. Lawrence was previously removed from the United States in November 2022. [Case Number: CR-25-00817-PHX-GMS]
Criminal complaints and indictments are methods by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raise no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-087_May 30 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.District Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Deadly Drive-by Shooting in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Martinez Raynor, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 16 years in prison today for his part in a 2018 drive-by shooting of a man in front of a convenience store in Southeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Raynor pleaded guilty to second degree murder while armed on October 4, 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Today, the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan sentenced the defendant to 16 years in prison.
According to court documents, on October 20, 2018, Raynor and two other men drove into the parking lot of Holiday Market and Liquor Store located at 3509 Wheeler Road SE at 1:56 p.m. Once there, they opened fire on a group of men standing in front of the store. In the hail of gunfire, the victim, Malik McCloud, was struck in the back by a bullet, and he fell to the ground paralyzed. The defendant then fled on foot while the other two shooters drove off. Shortly after the initial shooting, the shooters returned to the area and opened fire on the group of men again, this time fatally striking Mr. McCloud in the chest as he laid helplessly on the ground.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the work of those who provided valuable assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office including, Paralegal Specialists LaShone Samuels and Lisa Speight, and Victim Assistant Jennifer Allen. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zach Horton and Joshua Hall, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Firearm While on Court-Ordered SupervisionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – LaPrince Stephens, 46, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 27 months in federal prison for being in illegal possession of a firearm while on court-ordered supervision.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Stephens was found guilty by a federal jury on Jan. 29, 2025, of illegal possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss ordered Stephens to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on January 6, 2019, MPD officers responded to reports that two men were tampering with a dark BMW in front of an apartment complex on the 2200 block of Savannah Terrace SE. Officers arrived and encountered two men walking away from the vehicle. One of the windows of the BMW was smashed and the ignition had been punched. After conducting an initial investigation and releasing Stephens officers later found a loaded black Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol at the scene. DNA testing linked Stephens to the firearm.
On August 24, 2023, officers apprehended Stephens on a valid arrest warrant outside of the same apartment complex where the prior offense took place. In Stephens’ waistband, police recovered a loaded Smith and Wesson SD40 VE handgun.
Stephens has multiple prior convictions for drug offenses, robbery, threats, assaults, and firearms.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department with valuable assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Martin and Cameron Tepfer.
23cr265
Denver Man Sentenced to 110 Months in Federal Prison for Fentanyl, Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Derris Mayberry, 37, of Denver, was sentenced to 110 months in federal prison after being convicted by federal juries in two trials of one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
According to the facts established at the trials, on the evening of March 22, 2024, a woman approached an officer conducting surveillance for an undercover operation and offered the officer “dope.” She then told the officer that she knew someone who could get “blues,” meaning fentanyl pills. The woman ultimately led undercover police officers to an alley near the Colorado State Capitol where Mayberry was waiting. An audio recording captured the undercover officer negotiating the price and amount of fentanyl pills. The officers then observed the woman make a hand-to-hand exchange with Mayberry, immediately after which the woman handed four fentanyl pills to the undercover officer in exchange for $20. Law enforcement contacted Mayberry shortly thereafter at a bus stop only feet away from where the deal had taken place. During a pat down, law enforcement found a loaded .22 caliber revolver in his shorts pocket. Mayberry had previously been convicted of multiple felonies and, therefore, was prohibited from possessing the loaded revolver. During a search incident to his arrest, law enforcement found additional fentanyl pills and the $20 used by the undercover officer to purchase the drugs.
“Illicit fentanyl destroys lives,” said Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell. “Our office will continue to prioritize putting fentanyl traffickers behind bars.”
“Felons illegally possessing firearms and distributing deadly drugs like fentanyl pose a serious and immediate threat to public safety,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Ashbridge. “We are grateful for our local and federal partners who are unified in our commitment to pursue these violent criminals and hold them accountable for their actions.”
“What began as great, proactive police work ended with an armed dealer of dangerous narcotics being sentenced to prison to a lengthy term,” said Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas. “The Denver Police Department, in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and U.S. Attorney’s Office, remain committed to stopping the availability of dangerous drugs in Denver.”
United States District Judge Daniel D. Domenico presided over the sentencing. The Denver Police Department VICE unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore O’Brien and Celeste Rangel handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 24-cr-00110-DDD
Collin County physician agrees to pay $3.5 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations of billing false claims to the COVID-19 Uninsured Program for evaluation & management services not renderedRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Frisco physician has agreed to pay $3.5 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Samad Khan, M.D. has agreed to pay the United States $3.5 million to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting or causing the submission of false claims to the Health Resources & Services Administration COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care Providers and Facilities for Testing, Treatment, and Vaccine Administration for the Uninsured Program (the “Uninsured Program”) for evaluation and management services that were not performed.
Between approximately May 2020 and April 2022, the Uninsured Program reimbursed eligible providers for COVID-19 tests, testing-related items and services, treatment, and vaccines performed on uninsured individuals. Khan is a physician who owns SK Primary Care, PLLC (“SK Primary Care”), a medical clinic in Frisco. During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (“PHE”), SK Primary Care provided healthcare services, including specimen collection for COVID-19 tests. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that from April 2020 through October 2021, Khan knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims to the Uninsured Program by billing evaluation and management services (E/M Services) that were not performed.
As alleged by the United States, claims for E/M Services, sometimes referred to as “office visits,” are submitted under Current Procedural Terminology (“CPT”) Codes, and vary in level of complexity. Higher level codes reflect increased complexity, such as a higher level of decision-making, more detailed history, or longer duration of time. E/M Services levels 2 through 5 (e.g. CPT Codes 99202 through 99205, and 99212 through 99215) (“Higher Level E/M Services”) can only be performed by physicians or other qualified health care professionals (“QHPs”). These professionals are distinct from clinical staff, such as medical assistants. A level 1 E/M Service, under CPT Code 99211, may not require the presence of a physician or other QHP. During the PHE, CMS approved the use of CPT Code 99211 for COVID-19 test specimen collection. Physicians and non-physician practitioners, such as nurse practitioners (NPs) were required to use CPT Code 99211 to bill for COVID-19 specimen collection billed by clinical staff incident to their services.
The United States contends that during the PHE, SK Primary Care provided services at dozens of COVID-19 testing sites in Texas, operated by SK Primary Care and its management company, the majority of which were walk up or drive through testing sites (the “COVID test sites”). Patients could register to receive a test at the COVID test sites by registering online through a website called “GoGetTested.Com.” The United States alleges that the COVID test sites were staffed with medical assistants who performed specimen collection services through nasal swabs on patients for COVID-19 tests. Khan knew that the appropriate CPT Codes for the services provided at the COVID test sites were specimen collection codes, including CPT Code 99211, but instead submitted claims under CPT Codes for Higher Level E/M Services. The United States contends that patients who went to the COVID test sites were never seen by Khan or any other QHP, and at no time was Khan or any other QHP providing any E/M Services to patients at the COVID test sites either in person or by audiovisual means. From April 2020 through October 2021, for the services provided at the COVID test sites, Khan submitted or caused the submission of approximately 400,000 claims by SK Primary Care to the Uninsured Program for Higher Level E/M Services, the majority of which were level 2 and 3 E/M services. Khan is the only rendering provider listed on SK Primary Care’s claims.
The United States further alleges that Khan, in conjunction with and at the direction of SK Primary Care’s management company, coded the COVID specimen collection services as Higher Level E/M Services. Reimbursements for E/M Services were substantially higher than reimbursements for specimen collection. Moreover, in conjunction with and at the direction of SK Primary Care’s management company, SK Primary Care and Khan often submitted two claims for E/M Services for COVID-19 test specimen collection—the first “encounter” for the test, and a second “encounter” for providing results. The second “encounter” of providing results was not Khan providing E/M Services. Instead, an employee or contractor of SK Primary Care or SK Primary Care’s management company, such as nurse practitioners (NPs) and medical assistants, would provide tests results via telephone based on a courtesy call script. NPs were not providing medical services, did not have any audiovisual connection to patients, and in many instances never even spoke to the patients to provide results, which were emailed or sent by text message. As a result of these false claims for payment for E/M Services that were not performed, Khan received payments from the Uninsured Program to which he was not entitled.
“The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic required both beneficiaries and the government to place their trust in front-line healthcare providers, even more than usual,” said Jay R. Combs, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas. “Unfortunately, some of those providers abused that trust and instead took advantage of the crisis to artificially inflate profits. It is these individuals that the Eastern District of Texas will hold accountable for their greed.”
“When health care professionals receive payments for false claims they submit to federal health care programs, they erode public trust and divert taxpayer-funded resources away from those who truly need them,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This settlement demonstrates our steadfast commitment to safeguarding taxpayer funds and working with our law enforcement partners to use all tools in our arsenal to hold accountable those who steal from the American public.”
The 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 U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas with assistance from HHS-OIG. This matter was handled by Civil Division Fraud Section Trial Attorney Elizabeth J. Kappakas and by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham and Kevin McClendon.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Cape Coral Man Arraigned on Charge of Threatening to Assassinate the PresidentRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Christopher Davies (31, Cape Coral) was arraigned in federal court on an indictment charging him with one count of making threats against the President of the United States. If convicted, Davies faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Davies wrote and delivered a letter to an official at the Charlotte Correctional Institute stating in substance that he intended to kill President Donald Trump.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
IndictmentBuffalo man going to prison for making purchases on illicit online marketplace and cocaine chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Corey Robert Dodge a/k/a Cakesbaylor, 43, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possessing 15 or more unauthorized access devices with intent to defraud and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, was sentenced to serve 41 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. In addition, Dodge was ordered to forfeit $27,000, which represented proceeds of his criminal activities.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who handled the case, stated that since August 2018, the FBI has been investigating an illicit online marketplace known as Genesis Market, whose operators compile stolen data, such as computer and mobile device identifiers, email addresses, usernames, and passwords, from malware-infected computers around the globe and package it for sale on the market. Purchases made through Genesis Market are conducted using virtual currency, such as bitcoin.
Between March 26, 2020, and May 30, 2021, Dodge purchased 14 packages on Genesis Market, that included stolen account credentials. The stolen credentials included accounts for Paypal, Tracfone, eBay, Amazon, FedEx, Etsy, Walmart, Chase, Venmo, and eTrade. In addition, on April 3, 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at Dodge’s residence to search for evidence related to his use of Genesis Marketplace. During the search, the FBI also found and seized quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, MDMA, ketamine, and drug paraphernalia.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alphonso Wright.
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British and Chinese Nationals Indicted for Alleged Plot to Silence U.S. Dissident and Smuggle U.S. Military Technology to ChinaRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal grand juries in Los Angeles and Milwaukee each have returned indictments charging two foreign nationals, Cui Guanghai, 43, of China, and John Miller, 63, of the United Kingdom and a U.S. lawful permanent resident, with interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit interstate stalking (Los Angeles) and conspiracy, smuggling, and violations of the Arms Export Control Act (Milwaukee), the Justice Department announced today.
“As alleged, the defendants targeted a U.S. resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and conspired to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This is a blatant assault on both our national security and our democratic values. This Justice Department will not tolerate foreign repression on U.S. soil, nor will we allow hostile nations to infiltrate or exploit our defense systems. We will act decisively to expose and dismantle these threats wherever they emerge.”
“The defendants allegedly plotted to harass and interfere with an individual who criticized the actions of the People’s Republic of China while exercising their constitutionally protected free speech rights within the United States of America,” said FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. “The same individuals also are charged with trying to obtain and export sensitive U.S. military technology to China. I want to commend the good work of the FBI and our partners in the U.S and overseas in putting a stop to these illegal activities.”
- Central District of California (Los Angeles)
According to court documents, beginning in October 2023, Cui and Miller enlisted two individuals (Individual 1 and Individual 2) inside the United States to carry out a plot to prevent the Victim from protesting President Xi’s appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November 2023. The victim had previously made public statements in opposition to the policies and actions of the PRC government and President Xi.
“The indictment alleges that Chinese foreign actors targeted a victim in our nation because he criticized the Chinese government and its president,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “My office will continue to use all legal methods available to hold accountable foreign nationals engaging in criminal activity on our soil.”
“The FBI will not tolerate transnational repression targeting those in the United States who express dissenting opinions about foreign leaders,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Both defendants face serious stalking charges in Los Angeles and my office intends to hold them accountable for bullying a victim, a critic of the PRC, and targeting him with violence.”
Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 1 and Individual 2 were affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.
In the weeks leading up to the APEC summit, Cui and Miller directed and coordinated an interstate scheme to surveil the victim, to install a tracking device on the victim’s car, to slash the tires on the victim’s car, and to purchase and destroy a pair of artistic statues created by the victim depicting President Xi and President Xi’s wife.
A similar scheme took place in the spring of 2025, after the victim announced that he planned to make public an online video feed depicting two new artistic statues of President Xi and his wife. In connection with these plots, Cui and Miller paid two other individuals (Individual 3 and Individual 4), approximately $36,500 to convince the victim to desist from the online display of the statues. Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 3 and Individual 4 were also affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.
- Eastern District of Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
According to court documents, beginning in November 2023, Miller and Cui solicited the procurement of U.S. defense articles, including missiles, air defense radar, drones, and cryptographic devices with associated crypto ignition keys for unlawful export from the United States to the People’s Republic of China from two individuals (Individual 5 and Individual 6).
In connection with the scheme, Cui and Miller discussed with Individuals 5 and 6 ways to export a cryptographic device from the United States to the People’s Republic of China, including concealing the device in a blender, small electronics, or motor starter, and shipping the device first to Hong Kong. Cui and Miller paid approximately $10,000 as a deposit for the cryptographic device via a courier in the United States and a wire transfer to a U.S. bank account.
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Complaints and indictments contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Cui and Miller face the following maximum penalties: five years in prison for conspiracy; five years in prison for interstate stalking; 20 years in prison for violation of the Arms Export Control Act; and 10 years in prison for smuggling.
The FBI is investigating the case. The United States is coordinating with Serbian authorities regarding the pending extraditions of Cui and Miller from Serbia.
Assistant United States Attorneys David Ryan, Chief of the National Security Division and Amanda B. Elbogen of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, both of the Central District of California, Benjamin Taibleson of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Trial Attorneys Leslie Esbrook and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the cases, with valuable assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
Brazilian National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national, residing in Framingham, has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Rafael De Jesus-Ribeiro, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing on June 9, 2025. In February 2025, De Jesus-Ribeiro was indicted by a federal grand jury.
According to the indictment, De Jesus-Ribeiro was deported from the United States on July 17, 2019, after illegally crossing the border in Texas and being stopped by Border Patrol, to whom he initially provided false documentation. Sometime after his July 2019 removal, De Jesus-Ribeiro illegally reentered the United States without permission.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of an imposed sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric L. Hawkins of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Blanchard Man Sentenced to Serve More Than Three Years in Federal Prison for Bank Fraud after Diverting Company Loan Proceeds to Pay for Construction of Personal HomeRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – JERRY WAYNE NOLES, 61, of Blanchard, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to serve 40 months in federal prison for conspiring to commit bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On September 9, 2024, Noles was charged by Amended Information with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. According to public record, in January 2015, Noles was the managing partner of Coil Chem LLC, a chemical manufacturing company based in Washington, Oklahoma. The Amended Information alleged that on January 27, 2015, Noles opened a $690,000 revolving line of credit through First National Bank (FNB) for the bank-authorized purpose of funding Coil Chem’s operating expenses. Noles later caused the advance of $250,000 from the company’s credit line into another account under Noles’ control, then directed a coconspirator to immediately withdraw and deposit the funds into the account of a local home builder to help pay for the construction of a new home for Noles. The Amended Information further alleged that Noles then sought and obtained a $1,200,000 home construction loan from FNB, despite the fact he had already paid a portion of the home’s construction costs with the money fraudulently obtained from Coil Chem’s credit line.
On September 10, 2024, Noles pleaded guilty to the Amended Information, and admitted he conspired to divert $250,000 from Coil Chem’s revolving line of credit to fund construction of his personal home in Blanchard, Oklahoma.
At the sentencing hearing on May 28, 2025, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Noles to serve 40 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered Noles to pay $50,498.62 in restitution. In announcing her sentence, Judge Dishman noted the need to prevent others from committing similar crimes. Judge Dishman also noted the nature, circumstances, and seriousness of the offense, including that Noles was motivated by greed and deception and personally benefitted from the fraud.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Bergen County Man Sentenced to Twenty Months in Prison for COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK N.J. – A New Jersey man was sentenced to 20 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining approximately $149,900 in federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”) loans, U.S. Alina Habba announced.
George Leguen, 51, of Paramus, New Jersey, previously plead guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with wire fraud and money laundering. Judge Arleo imposed the sentence in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From August 2020 through January 2021, Leguen participated in a scheme to defraud and receive COVID-19 emergency relief funds meant for distressed small businesses under the EIDL program. Leguen applied to the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) on behalf of a business he owned and controlled. He falsified information that he submitted in support of that application, including the number of employees, annual gross revenue figures, and fraudulent federal tax returns. Based on this false information, Leguen was approved for and received an EIDL loan in the amount of $149,900. After receiving the EIDL funds, he diverted the proceeds for his personal gain.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Leguen to 3 years of supervised release, forfeiture was ordered in the amount of $149,900, and restitution in the amount of $174,426.37.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz of the New Jersey Field Division; special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron Hatley, Newark Field Office; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, Northeast Region, with the investigation.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Defense counsel: Jeffrey Lichtman, Esq. and Matthew Cohan, Esq.
Beaumont convenience store robbers sentenced for killing clerk with firearmRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – Two men who robbed a Beaumont convenience store and killed the clerk have been sentenced to over 30 years in federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Keandre Marquis Robinson, 20, of Beaumont, pleaded guilty to possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death and was sentenced to 405 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on May 30, 2025. Larry Nathaniel Hagan, 28, of Houston, also pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison by Judge Crone.
According to information presented in court, on December 29, 2023, Robinson and Hagan were wearing masks and brandishing semi-automatic pistols when they entered the Kris Food Mart located on Gulf Street in Beaumont. Robinson quickly forced the clerk behind the counter and demanded cash while Hagan guarded the front door. Seconds later, Robinson shot the clerk two times in the chest, killing him. Robinson grabbed cigarettes from behind the counter and fled with Hagan. No cash was taken.
Later that night, the Beaumont Police Department posted images from the robbery to social media and a tip identified Robinson. Police detained Robinson about three hours after the robbery as he was leaving his residence just a few blocks from the store. Robinson later confessed to his role in the robbery and killing but would not identify Hagan.
Detectives searched Robinson’s phone and discovered text messages with Hagan related to the robbery. The texts began on December 28 at 10:15 a.m. and ended a few minutes after the robbery. During the conversation, Robinson and Hagan planned to rob the store to “[g]et some money.” In one text, Robinson told Hagan that he would “knock [the clerk’s] top” [to eliminate any] “lose [sic] ends…”. The conversation ended on December 29 at 10:07 p.m. (approximately 4 minutes after the shooting). In that text, Hagan told Robinson to “[s]tay in the house for some days”.
“The despicable killing committed by Robinson and Hagan has caused unimaginable pain and loss to the victim’s loved ones and damaged the fabric of our society,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “We can never undue the pain that the victim’s loved ones have endured, but we hope this outcome provides them with some measure of closure. The lengthy sentences that were meted out today reflect the gravity of the brazen and senseless crime committed by Robinson and Hagan.”
“This case shows the importance of collaboration between our officers, our federal partners, and the community that helped us identify the suspect so quickly,” said Beaumont Police Chief Tim Ocnaschek. “The shooter had already committed an aggravated robbery a year before and was back on the streets just weeks before this murder. The second suspect came to our city with a violent past. While no sentence can bring back the innocent life that was lost, taking these dangerous criminals off the streets for decades makes our community safer and sends a strong message about consequences.”
“Keandre Robinson’s text messages with Larry Hagan, plotting the slaughter of an unsuspecting store clerk, leave no doubt their only ‘plan’ was to kill,” said Douglas Williams, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Houston. “This was not a robbery gone wrong; it was a cold-blooded, premeditated execution. Thanks to the exceptional partnership between FBI Beaumont and the Beaumont Police Department, these savage criminals will now endure the full consequences of murdering an innocent man.”
Robinson was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 7, 2024. Hagan, who was at large until April 24, 2024 when he was arrested in New Orleans by the U.S. Marshals Service, was added to the indictment by the grand jury on May 1, 2024.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.
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Arizona Fentanyl Distributor Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute controlled substances by mailing packages with methamphetamine and fentanyl from Arizona to Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted by a jury on May 29, 2025, after a four-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Daniel Alan Van Gorp, age 43, who was living in Arizona at the time, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, both fentanyl and methamphetamine. The jury also found that the fentanyl Van Gorp conspired to distribute resulted in a serious bodily injury to a victim in Iowa. The verdict was returned following about five hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that Van Gorp mailed multiple packages with fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and “ice” methamphetamine to Alexander Chapman in Dubuque, Iowa. Chapman then re-distributed the controlled substances to others in the Dubuque area. The evidence at trial also showed that on May 15, 2023, the fentanyl powder that was mailed by Van Gorp was used by a victim and the victim suffered a serious bodily injury.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Van Gorp remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Van Gorp faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, the United States Postal Inspection, and the Phoenix Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-1003.
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413 New Immigration Cases This Week in the Western District of TexasRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 413 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from May 23 through May 29.
Among the new cases, Salvadoran national Jaqueline Del Carmen Aleman-Aguilar was charged with one count of illegal re-entry in San Antonio. According to a criminal complaint, Aleman-Aguilar was convicted for transportation of aliens in June 2015 and sentenced to six months in federal prison. She was then removed from the United States to Mexico in July 2015.
Christian Ruben Corea-Benavides, a Nicaraguan national, was charged in El Paso with attempting to transport illegal aliens. U.S. Border Patrol agents allegedly observed Corea-Benavides pick up five illegal aliens just over four miles west of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry. A criminal complaint alleges that during a traffic stop, the investigating USBP agent observed a female passenger in the front seat of the vehicle, and four additional passengers lying on top of one another in the backseat—all appearing to be wet and muddy.
Mexican national Sabino Renteria-Alvarado was arrested May 28 at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry after he attempted to enter through the pedestrian entrance and allegedly presented the Customs and Border Protection officer (CBPO) with a false claim that he had been a Legal Permanent Resident, but that police in Nevada possessed his LPR card. The CBPO referred Renteria-Alvarado to Passport Control Secondary, where records revealed he had been previously removed in January 2024 through Nogales, Arizona. His criminal record includes a 15-year prison sentence for a sexual assault of a minor conviction in 2017. Renteria-Alvarado is currently charged with one count of illegal re-entry.
Two U.S. citizens were arrested in the Del Rio area as the result of separate human smuggling attempts, as alleged in criminal complaints. Nancy Anna Gwyn, of Houston, was encountered during a May 22 traffic stop near Carrizo Springs. USBP agents allegedly uncovered three passengers in her vehicle who were identified to be citizens of foreign countries and illegally present in the U.S. On May 24, an immigration checkpoint inspection near Eagle Pass allegedly revealed that Anastasia Lee Daneill Godfrey, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was attempting to transport two illegal aliens to San Antonio in the trunk of a sedan.
Honduran national Walter Alonso Martinez-Chandias is charged with illegal re-entry. He has one prior removal—in June 2013 through Alexandria, Louisiana—and a lengthy criminal record that includes convictions in Birmingham, Alabama for drug trafficking and homicide, for which he was sentenced in 2018 to five years and 20 years in prison, respectively. In 2017, he was convicted in Birmingham for unlawful transport of firearms and sentenced to 81 months in prison. A criminal complaint alleges that when he was arrested on May 25, Martinez-Chandias refused to comply with Border Patrol agents’ commands and resisted attempts to be placed in custody and handcuffs by running and kicking.
Luis Alberto Olivarez-Hernandez, of Mexico, was arrested May 27 near Eagle Pass for illegal re-entry. He has two prior removals, the last one being Feb. 25 through Laredo, five days after a felony conviction for unlawfully carrying a weapon in prohibited places. Additionally, Olivarez-Hernandez was convicted in 2010 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Armando Vazquez-Ruiz, also a Mexican national, is charged with illegal re-entry after being found near Eagle Pass less than two weeks after his most recent removal. Vazquez-Ruiz had been convicted in Georgetown May 7 for assault causing bodily injury and was deported May 8 through Laredo.
In Austin, Mexican national Basilio Luna-Luna was encountered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Travis County Jail May 24, where he was detained for what would be his seventh DWI, if convicted. Luna-Luna was previously removed from the U.S. in November 2014 and voluntarily returned to Mexico twice—once in 1998 and once in 2009.
Juan Alberto Zarate-Salgado, also of Mexico, was encountered at the Travis County Jail as well and is charged with illegal re-entry. Zarate-Salgado has two prior removals and multiple convictions for assault of a family/household member and assault causing bodily injury to a family member.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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282 charged in new cases related to SDTX’s continuing efforts to secure southern borderRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – In support of Operation Take Back America, the Southern District of Texas has filed another 281 cases in immigration and border security-related matters from May 23-29, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Among those are 105 people who face charges of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 163 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while seven cases allege various instances of human smuggling with the remainder involving other immigration crimes, child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and firearms.
One such person charged this week is Carlos Enrique Gonzalez-Pena, an alien present in the United States with a work visa who was allegedly found in possession of CSAM. The charges allege he had visited the darknet where he viewed child pornography sites. A forensic examination of his computer allegedly resulted in the discovery of two video files involving a female child approximately four to six years of age, one of which showed her being sexually assaulted. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Another one of the cases involves Humberto Vasquez - a Mexican male who allegedly attempted to exit the United States via the Donna Port of Entry. Upon inspection, law enforcement discovered four pistols belonging to him as well as 870 rounds of assorted ammunition, according to the charges. The complaint alleges he did not possess an export license that would authorize him to transport such items into Mexico and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of illegal exportation of firearms.
Authorities also found three Mexican nationals near Mission this week with no legal permission to be in the United States, according to the complaints against them. Victor Manuel Ornelas-Ochoa, Alfredo Samuel Gallegos-Esquivel and Exequiel Solano had allegedly been previously removed from the country and have felonies to include possession with intent to deliver marijuana, human smuggling and aggravated sexual assault of a child, respectively. They are all charged with illegal reentry and could receive up to 20 years in prison. Another man who faces the same charges and penalty is Julio Sanchez-Lorenzo. He is a Mexican male who had just been removed from the United States via Brownsville May 21 with no permission to return, according to the charges. However, authorities allegedly found him just six days later near Roma.
In addition to the new cases, a federal jury in Houston convicted a Mexican citizen for illegally reentering the United States under an assumed identity. On June 11, 2024, authorities found Jose Martin Valdez-Galvan in Laredo. At that time, he provided a false name and claimed to be a U.S. citizen. Testimony revealed Valdez-Galvan originally stole the person’s identity to avoid previous charges for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Valdez-Galvan was an illegal alien who had been previously removed but returned to the United States without permission. He had assumed the other person’s identity in 2015 after his second removal. He faces up to a 20-year prison sentence.
“Both public safety and basic common sense require us to know who is entering and residing in our country. Those that adopt false or stolen personas to hide their identities pose an increased criminal risk to our community,” said Ganjei. “Theft of an American citizen’s identity by a foreign national will not be tolerated, and those that engage in such criminality will be charged, punished, and, if appropriate, deported.”
In Corpus Christi, an intoxicated driver admitted he was an alien illegally in possession of firearm. Honduran national Josias Eliseo Ulloa-Pavon had been driving under the influence of alcohol before crashing Feb. 18. Upon arrival at the scene, authorities found him pinned inside the fully overturned vehicle. He had red bloodshot eyes, appeared unsteady on his feet and had a strong odor of alcohol. A search revealed a magazine containing six rounds of ammunition in his pocket and a Bersa Model Thunder .380 caliber pistol in his car.
Two men from Brownfield admitted to conspiring to transport illegal aliens in Laredo federal court this week. On March 22, authorities observed a Ford Expedition circumventing a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Laredo. Mac Quese Howard was driving, and De Richardson Miller was in the front passenger seat providing directions. Authorities conducted a traffic stop and found three illegal aliens hidden in the back seat. Miller and Howard admitted they had travelled to Laredo for the sole purpose of picking up the aliens and transporting them to San Antonio for payment.
Also announced was the sentencing of a Mexican national with a felony criminal history and multiple prior removals for illegally reentering the country again. Juan Humberto Lara Molina’s has a lengthy drug, weapons and immigration criminal history including two other illegal reentry convictions. He was also convicted of dealing cocaine in Indiana and unlawful sale of firearms in Illinois and was previously ordered removed from the United States on multiple occasions, most recently in November 2021. However, law enforcement discovered him at the Falfurrias BP checkpoint Dec. 12, 2024. He was one of seven individuals being transported farther north by human smugglers in a tractor-trailer. He was ordered to serve 24 months in federal prison.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The 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 our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Thursday 29 May 2025
Woman guilty of bank fraud conspiracy involving millionsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 71-year-old woman has admitted to acting as a loan borrower on millions of dollars in fraudulent loans as part of a large-scale bank fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jennifer Williams admitted that from 2016 to 2021, she conspired with others in a bank fraud scheme involving dozens of loans totaling at least $10 million in fraudulent proceeds.
As part of the plea, Williams acknowledged submitting loan applications with false income information along with fraudulent tax returns and financial statements. She also admitted using proceeds from the scheme to buy a home in the Houston area.
Williams and others accomplished the bank fraud by preparing loan applications that contained false and fraudulent information and documents, including fake equipment sales invoices, income tax returns and financial and bank statements.
U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison will impose sentencing Aug. 14. At that time, Williams faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine or twice the amount involved in the transaction.
She was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
Another Houston resident charged in the case - Hugo Villanueva, 70, - is considered a fugitive, and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General (OIG), IRS Criminal Investigation, FBI and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek is prosecuting the case.
Woman Bound for Dubai Arrested at Airport and Indicted in Feeding Our Future SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – The 71st defendant in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme has been indicted with two counts of wire fraud following her failed attempt to leave the country for Dubai, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, Hibo Daar, 50, owned and operated an entity called Northside Wellness Center. In 2020, Daar applied to use Northside Wellness Center as a food distribution site in the federal child nutrition program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Using Northside Wellness, Daar purportedly served thousands and thousands of meals to children from a small business park on Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis. At times, Daar completed and signed meal count forms on which she claimed to be serving 40,000 meals to children from the Northside Wellness site each week. Court documents explain that those meal counts were inflated, and that Daar used false invoices and false attendance rosters to bolster those inflated claims. Daar’s Northside Wellness site submitted over $2.4 million in reimbursement claims. A bank account Daar controlled received more than $1.7 million in taxpayer dollars from those claims. Financial records indicate that Daar used only a tiny portion of those dollars to purchase food and instead transferred most of that money to family, associates, and to herself. Court documents further describe that Daar paid $72,000 in bribes to a Feeding Our Future employee to ensure processing of Daar’s fraudulent reimbursement claims.
Federal agents apprehended Daar at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport this week before she could board a flight booked to Dubai. Daar is currently in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for May 30.
“As we have said, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is not stopping. We will continue to investigate and charge defendants who defrauded the government in the Feeding Our Future case—the largest COVID fraud scheme in the country and the single largest case charged in the history of this office,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Our work is not done.”
“Fraud against the government takes money out of taxpayers’ pockets,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Criminals who exploit government programs for personal gain will face the full weight of justice. The FBI and our law enforcement partners condemn these actions and will continue to work to protect the public from these damaging schemes.”
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Matthew S. Ebert, Harry M. Jacobs and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Whitestown Man Sentenced to 12.5 Years in Federal Prison for Sharing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— Kyle Vincent Rogers, 32, of Whitestown, Indiana, has been sentenced to 12.5 years in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of child sexual abuse material. Rogers has also been ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution.
According to court documents, between March 2023 and October 2023, Rogers knowingly distributed and received child sexual abuse material using uTorrent, a peer-to-peer file-sharing software that he had downloaded to his laptop.
On November 9, 2023, investigators located at least 600 images and videos of child sexual abuse on Rogers’ laptop. The images involved sadistic or masochistic conduct and sexual abuse of prepubescent minors, including toddlers and infants. Rogers’ collection included not only images of children being sexually abused, but graphic videos of very young children forced to engage in sex acts with adults, including intercourse, bondage and bestiality.
“The children in these images and videos will be revictimized for years to come because the defendant possessed and recirculated the material, allowing an unknown number of additional predators to gain unrestricted access,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Our office is committed to leveraging law enforcement partnerships and tools to secure justice for the most vulnerable. Today’s sentence should send a clear message that there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that those who trade in the exploitation of children will face serious consequences. Behind every image and video is a real child who has endured unimaginable harm that will haunt them the rest of their lives,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy O’Malley. “The FBI will continue to relentlessly work to identify and track down those who commit such heinous crimes and ensure they can never victimize another innocent child.”
The FBI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon. Rogers must also register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Haney and Meredith Wood, who prosecuted this case.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood
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West Virginia Man Sentenced for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – David Laquan McGowan, 41, of Huntington, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 92 months in federal prison for the possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that McGowan, also known as “Drip,” was traveling from Huntington to Elkins to sell fentanyl and methamphetamine in Randolph County. During a traffic stop, a search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of fentanyl hidden in the ceiling of McGowan’s car.
McGowan will serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
West Columbia Man Indicted for Directing the Sex Abuse of Children in Brazil by Livestream, Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Florence has returned a 13-count indictment charging Stephen Todd Greene, 55, of West Columbia, with conspiracy to produce child sexual abuse material, two counts of production of child sexual abuse material, four counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material, three counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material, possession of child sexual abuse material, and two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor into illegal sexual conduct.
The indictment alleges that from June 2023 through September 2024, Greene worked with a woman in Brazil, referred to in the indictment as C0-Conspirator 1, to sexually exploit her nieces, who are 3 years old and 9 years old as of the date of the indictment. Co-Conspirator 1 abused the children in person and Greene abused the children virtually, including by livestreaming their sex abuse to his home in West Columbia and by directing Co-Conspirator 1 to engage in certain abuse over livestream, according to the indictment.
Greene and Co-Conspirator 1 used Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram, and FaceTime to facilitate the scheme, as well as a series of cameras installed in Greene’s home and in Co-Conspirator 1’s home in Brazil, which allowed a livestream from both locations. According to the indictment, Greene produced, received, distributed, and possessed child sexual abuse material, and he engaged in sexually explicit conduct on video and caused the minor victims to watch. During the scheme, Greene travelled twice to Brazil, where he gained direct access to the children, and he transferred money during the scheme to Co-Conspirator 1 through a wire service, according to the indictment.
Agents with the FBI Columbia field office arrested Greene and he was arraigned in federal court earlier this afternoon. He was ordered detained pending a bond hearing.
Greene faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. He also faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years on the conspiracy to produce child sexual abuse material and the production of child sexual abuse material charges, a mandatory minimum of 10 years on the coercion and enticement charges, and a mandatory minimum of five years on the receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material charges. Greene also faces up to a $250,000 fine, restitution payable to the minor victims for damages incurred as a result of the conduct, a special assessment of $5,000, lifetime supervision by the U.S. Probation Office following any term of incarceration, and potential sex offender registry requirements.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia field office and the Brazilian Federal Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case.
The FBI’s Columbia field office is seeking any information regarding additional potential victims in this investigation. Tips can be provided at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.
U.S. Attorney Bryan P. Stirling stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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* The term “pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child. The Associated Press Stylebook also discourages the use of the phrase “child pornography.”
Websites selling hacking tools to cybercriminals seizedRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A coordinated effort involving an international disruption of an online software crypting syndicate which provides services to cybercriminals to assist them with keeping their malicious software (malware) from being detected has resulted in the seizure of four domains and their associated server, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Crypting is the process of using software to make malware difficult for antivirus programs to detect. The seized domains offered services to cybercriminals, including counter-antivirus (CAV) tools. When used together, CAV and crypting services allow criminals to obfuscate malware, making it undetectable and enabling unauthorized access to computer systems.
According to the affidavit filed in support of these seizures, authorities made undercover purchases from seized websites and analyzed the services, confirming they were designed for cybercrime. Court documents also allege authorities reviewed linked email addresses and other data connecting the services to known ransomware groups that have targeted victims both in the United States and abroad, including in the Houston area.
“Modern criminal threats require modern law enforcement solutions,” said Ganjei. “As cybercriminals have become more sophisticated in their schemes, they have likewise become more advanced in their efforts to avoid detection. As such, our law enforcement efforts must involve striking not just at the individual fraudster or hacker, but the enablers of these cybercriminals as well. This investigation did exactly that. With this syndicate shut down, there is one less provider of malicious tools for cybercriminals out there.”
“Cybercriminals don’t just create malware; they perfect it for maximum destruction,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “By leveraging counter antivirus services, malicious actors refine their weapons against the world’s toughest security systems to better slip past firewalls, evade forensic analysis, and wreak havoc across victims’ systems. As part of a decisive international operation, FBI Houston helped cripple a global cyber syndicate, seize their most lethal tools, and neutralize the threat they posed to millions around the world.”
The seizures occurred May 27 in coordination with Finnish and Dutch national police as part of Operation Endgame, a multinational law enforcement initiative targeting the dismantling of malware cybercriminal services. Participating countries include the United States, The Netherlands, France, Germany and Denmark with additional support from Ukraine and Portugal.
The FBI Houston Field Office is conducting the investigation with the cooperation and significant assistance of law enforcement partners in The Netherlands and Finland and U.S. Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Shirin Hakimzadeh and Rodolfo Ramirez are prosecuting the case. AUSA Kristine Rollinson is handling the seizure aspects of the case.
Wagoner County Resident Sentenced for Distributing Child Sexual Exploitation MaterialRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sovana Xiong, age 32, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 188 months in prison and a 10 year term of supervised release to follow for one count of Distribution of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Tulsa Police Department — Special Investigations Division.
On December 9, 2024, Xiong pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, from October 15, 2023, until April 11, 2024, Xiong knowingly distributed visual depictions on the internet of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement. You can file a report through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-843-5678 or online at www.cybertipline.com, through the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or through Homeland Security Investigations at 1-877-4-HSI TIP.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Xiong will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.
Upper Marlboro Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drive-Thru Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Zachary Alexander Kinnell, 23, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Kinnell is guilty of interference with interstate commerce by robbery and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
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; Chief Marc Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
According to the guilty plea, beginning July 28, 2022, and continuing through August 3, Kinnell and co-conspirator Brian Thornel Elzey, traveled through Maryland and Virginia robbing fast-food restaurants.
The co-conspirators robbed 11 fast-food restaurants for a total of $3,555.01.
During the robbery spree, the co-conspirators approached the victim businesses’ drive-thru window as if they were conducting a legitimate transaction. Typically, the co-conspirators pulled into the drive-thru, then Kinnell exited the vehicle and approached the window on foot. Then Kinnell initiated a transaction with the victim employee before forcibly removing cash.
Beginning on August 1, and continuing August 3, the robberies escalated to armed robberies. On these dates, Kinnell brandished a firearm while robbing four fast-food restaurants.
Then in the early morning hours of August 4, MCPD officers stopped a stolen Chevrolet Cruze near Wheaton, Maryland. Law enforcement searched the vehicle, finding a Taurus, Model G2C, 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol in the rear passenger compartment; a restaurant cash drawer in the footwell of the front passenger seat; and another restaurant cash drawer in the trunk. Officers also seized Kinnell and Elzey’s cell phones along with $427.01.
Law enforcement discovered that during the same robbery spree, Kinnell and Elzey attempted to rob six additional fast-food restaurants.
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 FBI, MCPD, Howard County Police Department, Baltimore County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department, Calvert County Sherriff’s Office, Loudon County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax, Virginia Police Department, and Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas F. Potter and Timothy J. Hagan who prosecuted the 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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USDA Employee and Five Others Charged in Multimillion-Dollar Food Stamp Fraud and Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
Perry Carbone, Attorney for the United States, Acting under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515; Charmeka Parker, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (“USDA-OIG”); and Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of a Superseding Indictment charging six individuals in connection with a sprawling fraud and bribery scheme that generated over $66 million in unauthorized transactions under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”)—colloquially known as food stamps. This is one of the largest food stamp frauds in U.S. history. The defendants—MICHAEL KEHOE, MOHAMAD NAWAFLEH, OMAR ALRAWASHDEH, GAMAL OBAID, EMAD ALRAWASHDEH, and ARLASA DAVIS—are charged with conspiracy to steal government funds and to misappropriate U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) benefits, among other charges. DAVIS, a USDA employee, is additionally charged with bribery and honest services fraud. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.
“Michael Kehoe and his co-conspirators misappropriated tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds meant to help low-income families put food on the table,” said U.S. Attorney Perry Carbone. “This fraud was made possible when USDA employee Arlasa Davis betrayed the public trust by selling confidential government information to the very criminals she was supposed to catch. Their actions undermined a program that vulnerable New Yorkers depend on for basic nutrition. These charges should be a reminder that those who exploit anti-poverty programs for personal gain will be held accountable for their crimes.”
USDA-OIG Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker said: “We appreciate the collaboration with our law enforcement partners in pursuing allegations regarding government employees, who use their positions to participate in schemes that exploit taxpayer funded programs.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “Arlasa Davis, a USDA employee, is alleged to have abused her position and privileged access to confidential government databases to assist her co-conspirators in exploiting the SNAP program, driving tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent transactions. This alleged scheme benefited the defendants while undermining critical safeguards designed to ensure that SNAP assistance reaches only eligible families in need. The FBI will never tolerate any individual who exploits federal financial assistance for personal reward.”
According to the Indictment, statements made in public court proceedings and filings, and the evidence at trial: [1]
The SNAP program uses federal tax dollars to help low-income households purchase food. SNAP recipients use Electronic Benefit Transfer (“EBT”) cards—similar to debit cards—to buy food at participating stores. Those stores, which get license numbers from the USDA, use special EBT terminals to swipe the EBT cards. When a SNAP recipient swipes their EBT card, the system verifies the transaction and electronically deducts the purchase amount from the recipient’s account. The corresponding federal funds are then transferred to the store’s bank account.
Starting in 2019, KEHOE orchestrated a network that supplied approximately 160 unauthorized EBT terminals to stores across the New York area to illegally process more than $30 million in EBT transactions. Working with his codefendants NAWAFLEH, OMAR ALRAWASHDEH, OBAID, and EMAD ALRAWASHDEH, KEHOE submitted approximately 200 fraudulent USDA applications, misappropriating USDA license numbers and, in some cases, doctoring application documents, to obtain EBT terminals for unauthorized stores—including smoke shops and other ineligible businesses.
Critical to the scheme was ARLASA DAVIS, a longtime USDA employee who worked within the very division of the USDA responsible for identifying SNAP fraud. DAVIS abused her privileged access to federal systems to sell hundreds of EBT license numbers enabling over $36 million in fraudulent SNAP redemptions at unauthorized stores. DAVIS photographed handwritten lists of license numbers intended for qualifying stores with her personal cellphone and funneled them to an intermediary who sold them to co-conspirators, including NAWAFLEH, OMAR ALRAWASHDEH, EMAD ALRAWASHDEH, and OBAID, who then used those license numbers to fraudulently obtain EBT terminals for stores that were not authorized by the USDA to process SNAP transactions. In return, DAVIS received substantial bribes that were disguised in communications as, among other things, “birthday gifts” and “flowers.”
* * *
KEHOE, 46, of Long Island, New York; NAWAFLEH, 34, of the Bronx, New York; OMAR ALRAWASHDEH, 37, of the Bronx, New York; OBAID, 39, of the Bronx, New York; EMAD ALRAWASHDEH, 37, of the Bronx, New York; and DAVIS, 56, of Gardiner, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to steal government funds and misappropriate USDA benefits, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, one count of theft of government funds, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and one count of misappropriation of USDA benefits, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. DAVIS is additionally charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, one count of bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. NAWAFLEH is additionally charged with one count of failure to appear, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Carbone praised the outstanding work of the USDA and FBI, which is also assisting in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Georgia V. Kostopoulos and Joe Zabel are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
kehoe_et_al_superseding_indictment.pdf
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.
U.S. government employee arrested for attempting to provide classified information to foreign governmentRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An IT specialist employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was arrested today for attempting to transmit national defense information to an officer or agent of a foreign government.
Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 28, of Alexandria, was arrested in northern Virginia and will make his initial court appearance tomorrow.
According to court documents, Laatsch became a civilian employee of the DIA in 2019, where he works with the Insider Threat Division and holds a Top Secret security clearance. In March, the FBI commenced an operation after receiving a tip that an individual - now known to be Laatsch - offered to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government. In that email, the sender wrote that he did not “agree or align with the values of this administration” and was therefore “willing to share classified information” to which he had access, including “completed intelligence products, some unprocessed intelligence, and other assorted classified documentation.”
After multiple communications with an FBI agent - who Laatsch allegedly believed to be an official of the foreign government - Laatsch began transcribing classified information to a notepad at his desk and, over the course of approximately three days, repeatedly exfiltrated the information from his workspace. Laatsch subsequently confirmed to the FBI agent that he was prepared to transmit the information.
The FBI implemented an operation at a public park in northern Virgina where Laatsch believed he would deposit the classified information for the foreign government to retrieve. On May 1, FBI surveillance observed Laatsch proceed to the specified location and deposit an item. Following Laatsch’s departure, the FBI retrieved the item, which was a thumb drive later found to contain a message from Laatsch and multiple typed documents, each containing information that was portion-marked up to the Secret or Top Secret levels. The message from Laatsch indicated that he had chosen to include “a decent sample size” of classified information to “decently demonstrate the range of types of products” to which he had access.
After receiving confirmation that the thumb drive had been received, on May 7, Laatsch allegedly sent a message to the FBI agent, which indicated Laatsch was seeking something from the foreign government in return for continuing to provide classified information. The next day, Laatsch specified that he was interested in “citizenship for your country” because he did not “expect[] things here to improve in the long term.” Although he said he was “not opposed to other compensation,” he was not in a position where he needed to seek “material compensation.”
On May 14, the FBI agent advised Laatsch that it was prepared to receive additional classified information. Between May 15 and May 27, Laatsch again repeatedly transcribed multiple pages of notes while logged into his classified workstation, folded the notes, and exfiltrated the classified information in his clothing.
On May 29, Laatsch arrived at a prearranged location in northern Virginia, where Laatsch again allegedly attempted to transmit multiple classified documents to the foreign country. Laatsch was arrested upon the FBI’s receipt of the documents.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Roman Rozhavsky, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division; Steven J. Jensen, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office; and Lee M. Russ, Executive Director of Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) Office of Special Projects, made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Air Force OSI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Christina Clark and Mark Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
U.S. Government Employee Arrested for Attempting to Provide Classified Information to Foreign GovernmentRead the Press Release
An IT specialist employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was arrested today for attempting to transmit national defense information to an officer or agent of a foreign government.
Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 28, of Alexandria, Virginia, was arrested today in northern Virginia, and will make his initial court appearance in the Eastern District of Virginia tomorrow.
“The conduct alleged in this case is a profound betrayal of the American people and a direct threat to our national security,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “When someone entrusted with access to classified information attempts to provide it to a foreign government, it jeopardizes our intelligence capabilities, our military advantage, and the safety of our nation. The National Security Division is committed to using every tool available to uncover, disrupt, and hold accountable those who seek to harm the United States.”
According to court documents, Laatsch became a civilian employee of the DIA in 2019, where he works with the Insider Threat Division and holds a Top Secret security clearance. In March 2025, the FBI commenced an operation after receiving a tip that an individual — now known to be Laatsch — offered to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government. In that email, the sender wrote that he did not “agree or align with the values of this administration” and was therefore “willing to share classified information” that he had access to, including “completed intelligence products, some unprocessed intelligence, and other assorted classified documentation.”
After multiple communications with an FBI agent — who Laatsch allegedly believed to be an official of the foreign government — Laatsch began transcribing classified information to a notepad at his desk and, over the course of approximately three days, repeatedly exfiltrated the information from his workspace. Laatsch subsequently confirmed to the FBI agent that he was prepared to transmit the information.
Thereafter, the FBI implemented an operation at a public park in northern Virginia, where Laatsch believed he would deposit the classified information for the foreign government to retrieve. On or about May 1, 2025, FBI surveillance observed Laatsch proceed to the specified location and deposit an item. Following Laatsch’s departure, the FBI retrieved the item, which was a thumb drive later found to contain a message from Laatsch and multiple typed documents, each containing information that was portion-marked up to the Secret or Top Secret levels. The message from Laatsch indicated that he had chosen to include “a decent sample size” of classified information to “decently demonstrate the range of types of products” to which he had access.
After receiving confirmation that the thumb drive had been received, on May 7, Laatsch allegedly sent a message to the FBI agent, which indicated Laatsch was seeking something from the foreign government in return for continuing to provide classified information. The next day, Laatsch specified that he was interested in “citizenship for your country” because he did not “expect[] things here to improve in the long term.” Although he said he was “not opposed to other compensation,” he was not in a position where he needed to seek “material compensation.”
On May 14, the FBI agent advised Laatsch that it was prepared to receive additional classified information. Between May 15 and May 27, Laatsch again repeatedly transcribed multiple pages of notes while logged into his classified workstation, folded the notes, and exfiltrated the classified information in his clothing.
On May 29, Laatsch arrived at a prearranged location in northern Virginia, where Laatsch again allegedly attempted to transmit multiple classified documents to the foreign country. Laatsch was arrested upon the FBI’s receipt of the documents.
Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, and Executive Director Lee M. Russ of Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) Office of Special Projects made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Air Force OSI and with thanks to the Defense Intelligence Agency for its cooperation.
Trial Attorneys Christina Clark and Mark Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two People Sentenced for Stealing Nearly $300,000 in COVID-19 Relief MoneyRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R Barker announced that David Kurt Schneider, of Kennewick, Washington and Kelly Jo Driver, of South Carolina, were sentenced after pleading guilty to COVID-19 relief fraud. Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Schneider to 12 months in prison and Driver to 5 years of probation. Chief Judge Bastian also ordered restitution of $121,762.
Co-defendant, Leif Gerald Larsen, of Pasco, Washington, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and will be sentenced July 30, 2025, in Yakima.
On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One such program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), provided government-backed funding to small businesses which could be forgiven so long as the proceeds were used for payroll and other eligible expenses. Another program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low interest loans that could be deferred until the conclusion of the pandemic to provide “bridge” funding for small businesses to maintain their operations during shutdowns and other economic circumstances caused by the pandemic. The PPP and EIDL programs have provided billions of dollars in aid, the vast majority of which have not been paid back, including hundreds of millions of dollars disbursed within Eastern Washington.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Schneider, Driver, and Larsen submitted funding applications in the name of Larsen Firearms, owned by Larsen, and Solar Mobility LLC, RealNZ Water LLC, and Tempest Tactical Solutions, LLC, all owned by Schneider. Driver created fraudulent payroll and tax forms that were submitted in support of the applications, and that, for her part in the scheme, Driver received 10% of the funds disbursed by the SBA and participating lenders.
In total, Schneider, Driver, and Larsen fraudulently obtained at least $292,000 in CARES Act funding through the PPP and EIDL programs and submitted fraudulent applications seeking at least an additional $560,000 in CARES Act funding that were ultimately not approved.
“Pandemic relief programs were created to support workers, small businesses, and communities struggling through an unprecedented crisis – not to enrich fraudsters,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rich Barker. “By stealing nearly $300,000 intended for legitimate businesses, these defendants diverted critical resources at a time when many businesses were fighting to survive. The SBA, FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to hold accountable those who exploit government aid for personal gain.”
“Those who exploited SBA’s pandemic relief programs for personal gain will be held accountable,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Tim Larson. “SBA OIG continues to prioritize fraud investigations involving pandemic-era programs, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer funds and uphold the integrity of federal relief efforts.”
This case was investigated by the Eastern District of Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force and by FBI and SBA OIG. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy J. Kelley and Frieda K. Zimmerman.
4:24-cr-06004-SAB
Two Men Sentenced for their Involvement in the April 2023 Fentanyl Mass Poisoning in KalamazooRead the Press Release
LANSING – Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Byerly Birge today announced that James Smith, 42, and Patrick Donald Martin, 27, both of Kalamazoo County, were sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in the distribution of controlled substances in April 2023 that resulted in numerous fentanyl poisonings in Kalamazoo County, at least seven fatal, and numerous others non-fatal. Smith was sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death, and Martin was sentenced to 4 years in prison for use of a communication facility to commit conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death.
“The distribution of fentanyl continues to take lives and destroy our communities and families,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Birge. “The sentences imposed on the defendants in this case reflect the seriousness of their crimes. Our office will continue to support these investigations and prosecute these cases to seek accountability and justice for the victims.”
According to court records, on April 12 and continuing into April 13, 2023, law enforcement responded to numerous drug poisonings in the Kalamazoo area, which resulted in multiple hospital admissions and fatalities. Investigators traced the deadly substance back to Martin, and ultimately, to Smith, both of whom thought they were selling cocaine, when they were in fact selling a substance that contained fentanyl.
During sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou remarked that drug dealing is inherently dangerous regardless of what the dealer thinks he is selling, especially today, when most drugs “have fentanyl in it—it’s just that prevalent.” In sentencing Smith, Judge Jarbou found it “inexplicable” that Smith continued to sell drugs months after he became aware of the mass poisoning in April 2023 that was caused, at least in part, by his drug dealing. “That tells me the consequences of your actions did not deter you,” said Judge Jarbou before imposing the 20-year sentence on Smith.
“April 13, 2023, was a sad day in Kalamazoo County,” said Captain Mike Ferguson, Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team/Crime Reduction Team. “We extend our condolences to the families who were deeply affected by this tragedy. Hopefully, these sentences will allow some closure to those involved. Additionally, this should send a message to drug dealers who continue to peddle deadly drugs in our community.”
“While these sentences cannot undo the tragic loss of life we witnessed in Kalamazoo in 2023, it sends a message that we will employ every resource to make sure those responsible for drug-related deaths face the consequences for their actions,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Detroit Field Division Andrew Lawton.
The following services are available for people experiencing substance use disorder, or for their friends or loved ones:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, www.samhsa.gov/find-support/in-crisis
Cope Network (providing free Naloxone and other harm reduction services in Barry, Berrien, Branch, Cass, Calhoun, St. Joseph, and Van Buren Counties), 269-580-8290, www.copenetwork.org
The Grand Rapid Red Project (providing free Naloxone and other harm reduction services in Kent and Muskegon Counties), 616-456-9063 (Kent County), 231-563-6865 (Muskegon County), www.redproject.org
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has a webpage that identifies county-by-county services.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, the Portage Department of Public Safety, and the Michigan State Police.
Texas Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeffrey Wayne Thompson, age 49, of Fort Worth, Texas, was sentenced to time served and three years of Supervise Release for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On November 7, 2024, Thompson pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on February 21, 2023, deputies conducting a traffic stop discovered Thompson in possession of a handgun and six rounds of ammunition. At the time of the stop, Thompson had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
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 Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael E. Robinson and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping a ToddlerRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Texas man has pleaded guilty to conspiring to kidnap a toddler, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco adjudged Steven Andrew Holguin, 42, of El Paso, Texas, guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
According to the plea agreement, on November 4, 2021, a police officer with the Birmingham Police Department responded to a call at a residence in Birmingham regarding the kidnapping of a three-year-old female from the residence. Holguin and his co-conspirator, Elis Salgado-Galindo, kidnapped the toddler with the intent of taking her to her father, who lives in Mexico. With Holguin’s assistance, Salgado-Galindo grabbed the toddler and fled the residence. An Amber Alert was issued and law enforcement along the Alabama/Mississippi state line were provided the description of the vehicle, toddler, and suspects. That same evening, deputies with the Rankin County, Mississippi Sheriff’s Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle matching the description of Holguin’s vehicle. Deputies instructed Holguin, who was the driver of the vehicle, to exit the vehicle and walk back to the officer’s vehicle. Deputies then removed the other individuals from the vehicle, including the toddler. A deputy recognized the toddler from the Amber Alert and sent a picture of her to a detective with the Birmingham Police Department. The detective showed the picture to the toddler’s mother, who confirmed that it was her daughter. Both men were taken into custody.
Holguin was convicted in 2020 in the United States District Court in the Western District of Texas for conspiracy to transport aliens. He was sentenced to six months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.
Salgado-Galindo, a citizen of Mexico, was unlawfully present in the United States. On December 14, 2021, Salgado-Galindo was turned over to ICE custody.
Homeland Security Investigations, Birmingham, investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Pearl Mississippi Police Department, and the Rankin County Mississippi Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
Tampa Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years for Possessing A Firearm and Ammunition as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Brandon Palmore (30, Tampa) to six years and six months in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Palmore to forfeit a Sig Sauer firearm and assorted rounds of ammunition possessed during the commission of the offense. Palmore pled guilty on March 12, 2025.
According to court records, agents were conducting surveillance on Palmore at an apartment complex in Tampa in relation to an outstanding arrest warrant and observed him walking to his vehicle. As Palmore was given commands to exit the vehicle, he was seen reaching toward the center console and passenger floorboard areas of the vehicle. A Sig Sauer handgun was found where Palmore was seen reaching. The handgun was loaded and had previously been reported stolen. Prior to the offense, Palmore knew he had been convicted of multiple felonies, including convictions for aggravated assault and shooting at, within, or into a vehicle in 2019. The 2019 convictions resulted from an incident where Palmore fired a handgun into an occupied vehicle. As a convicted felon, Palmore is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Louis Drug Trafficker Connected to Nine Murders Sentenced to Two Life SentencesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a St. Louis cocaine trafficker responsible for nine murders to two consecutive life sentences in prison, plus five more years. Judge Autrey also ordered Anthony “TT” Jordan to pay restitution of $67,405.
Jordan, 38, was convicted by a jury in February of one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and nine counts of use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime resulting in death.
Evidence and testimony at that trial showed that Jordan led a major cocaine trafficking ring. “Building up his drug empire, Jordan maintained his status by enforcing a lethal code against those who snitched, those who stole, and those who targeted his associates,” a sentencing memorandum says. After a Jordan associate was murdered, Jordan later targeted a St. Louis gang he held responsible for the murder. He then targeted gang members and their families with the help of others.
According to evidence and testimony, Jordan was responsible for multiple non-fatal shootings and the murders of nine people:
- The April 19, 2008, murders of Al Walters, Linnie Jackson and Keith Burks.
- The Feb. 3, 2010, murders of Marquis Jones and Keairrah Johnson.
- The June 25, 2013, murder of Anthony “Blinky” Clark.
- The Dec. 29, 2013, murders of Robert “Parker G” Parker and Clara Walker.
- The Jan. 21, 2014, murder of Michail “Yellow Mack” Gridiron.
Jordan’s associate, Michael Brooks, fatally shot Montez “Tez” Woods on May 20, 2012, because Jordan believed he stole cocaine, according to evidence and testimony. When Brooks was killed in retaliation for the murder of Woods, that sparked another round of retaliatory murders by Jordan.
Jordan’s phone was later seized and found to contain images of some of the victims he murdered, including Mr. Clark and Mr. Gridiron. Twenty firearms were also seized from vehicles and residences connected to Jordan.
“Today’s sentencing of Anthony Jordan wraps up the last and most violent of the 34 defendants responsible for large-scale drug trafficking directly sourced from Mexican cartels,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Dismantling an entire criminal enterprise is what the FBI does best. Together with our law enforcement partners, this is how we are making the greatest impact in protecting our community.”
“Anthony Jordan’s reign of terror has come to an end,” DEA St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “Our hope is that today’s sentencing serves as a reminder that the DEA and our law enforcement partners will go to great lengths to remove criminals who bring violence and push harmful drugs into our communities. The life sentence of Anthony Jordan handed down today is the culmination of the dismantling of a violent drug trafficking network that no longer possesses the ability to wreak havoc in the St. Louis area.”
Jordan’s cocaine was supplied by Adrian Lemons, who obtained cocaine in bulk from representatives of a Mexican cartel. Lemons, now 47, of St. Louis, is serving a 20-year prison sentence. Lemons, Jordan and 32 others were indicted as part of a long-running investigation by the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Granger and Donald Boyce prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
St. Bernard Parish Man Sentenced on Federal Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ABE JYLES (“JYLES”), age 44, a resident of St. Bernard Parish, pled guilty on February 4, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c); possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin, and cocaine, in violation of Title 21 USC § 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18 USC § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
On May 27, 2025, Judge Vitter sentenced JYLES to a total of 130 months imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and payment of a $300 mandatory special assessment fee.
Additionally, since JYLES was on federal supervised release stemming from a 2006 federal drug trafficking conviction when he committed the above-described crimes, his term of federal supervised release was revoked by United States District Judge Jay Zainey. Judge Zainey then sentenced JYLES on May 27, 2025, to serve 27 months of imprisonment to run consecutive to the sentence imposed by Judge Vitter.
The facts of this case revealed that on February 29, 2024, JYLES was involved in a traffic stop by the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office. During the stop, JYLES was identified as the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. Law enforcement personnel detected the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. JYLES was then detained, and following a search of the vehicle, law enforcement discovered multiple illegal narcotics, a scale, drug paraphernalia, and four firearms inside the vehicle.
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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr. of the Narcotics Unit.
Spree of Bank Robberies in Maryland and D.C. Sends Previously Convicted Felon Back to Federal Prison for 63 MonthsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jonathon Brown-Murphy, 44, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court to 63 months in federal prison for committing a spree of bank robberies— both attempted and successful—on May 23 and May 25, 2022, in Maryland and Washington, DC.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Brown-Murphy pleaded guilty on July 12, 2023, to an Information charging him with three counts of bank robbery. In addition to the 63-month prison term, U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon ordered Brown-Murphy to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Brown-Murphy robbed or attempted to rob six banks over two days in Maryland and Washington, DC. Brown-Murphy covered his face in each robbery and wore different clothing to avoid detection. After one attempt to rob a bank failed, he quickly traveled to his next target—hitting five banks on a single day in the span of about two hours.
On the morning of May 23, 2022, after unsuccessful attempts to rob two other banks, Brown-Murphy entered a Truist bank in Temple Hills, Maryland at 11:08 a.m. He approached a teller and passed her a note, stating “Give me the money or I will kill you.” The teller did not give him any money and Brown-Murphy left.
About 12:04 p.m. on May 23, 2022—shortly after another failed attempt elsewhere—Brown-Murphy entered a branch of Capital One bank on Alabama Avenue, SE. Brown-Murphy walked up to a teller and passed her a note, which stated “Give Me The Money Don’t Get Killed !!” The teller told police that she then saw Brown-Murphy nod and lift up his shirt as though he had a gun. Fearing for her life, the teller gave him cash from her register.
Two days later, on May 25, 2022, at 11:04 a.m., Brown-Murphy entered a Wells Fargo bank in District Heights, Maryland. He passed a teller a note, which stated “GIVE ME THE MONEY!!! DON’T GET KILLED!!!.” A fellow bank employee saw the note and pressed an alarm. Brown-Murphy fled without receiving anything.
As he left the Wells Fargo, a witness saw Brown-Murphy get into a black Cadillac and alerted the Prince George’s County Police officers then arriving on scene. Police attempted a traffic stop, but Brown-Murphy led them on a chase to nearby Suitland, Maryland. Brown-Murphy bailed out from his vehicle. When police arrested him after a foot pursuit, Brown-Murphy was wearing the black hat and glasses he had worn during the robberies, and police found in his car other clothing that he had worn as well.
Brown-Murphy was arrested on federal charges on August 29, 2022, and has been held in custody since. He has two previous convictions for bank robbery and robbery.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force with valuable assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department. It was indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey.
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Sovereign Health Group Founder and Ex-CEO Arrested on Indictment Alleging Long-Running, Massive Fraud Against Health InsurersRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – The founder and former CEO of the now-defunct Sovereign Health Group addiction treatment provider was arrested today on an eight-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he submitted more than $149 million in fraudulent claims to health insurers – including for fraudulent urinalysis claims – and, in addition, paid more than $21 million in illegal kickbacks for patient referrals.
Tonmoy Sharma, 61, of Tustin, was arrested this afternoon at Los Angeles International Airport and is expected to make his initial appearance and be arraigned tomorrow in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Sharma is charged with four counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy, and three counts of illegal remunerations for referrals to clinical treatment facilities.
Also arrested today was co-defendant Paul Jin Sen Khor, 45, of Irvine, who worked as Sovereign’s cash management and accounts payable supervisor. Khor is charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of illegal remunerations for referrals to clinical treatment facilities. Khor was arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana. He pleaded not guilty and a July 29 trial date was scheduled. A federal magistrate judge ordered him released on $20,000 bond.
According to the indictment, the San Clemente-based Sovereign once was a prominent addiction treatment provider throughout Southern California and several other states. From 2014 to 2020, Sovereign billed private insurance companies for drug addicted and mentally ill patients often at high, out-of-network rates.
At Sharma’s direction, Sovereign employees aggressively pursued patients through various forms of marketing, directing the patients to contact the company at its toll-free phone number. Once patients called in to Sovereign’s call center, employees used various tactics to enroll patients into the company’s treatment facilities, including misrepresentations. One such misrepresentation was that a patient’s treatment would be paid for by a foundation funded by donations from former Sovereign patients.
In fact, the foundation was a sham organization and a ruse for Sovereign employees – at Sharma’s direction – to obtain patients’ names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers for use in surreptitiously obtaining health insurance coverage on their behalf. In order to obtain these private health insurance plans, Sovereign employees, at Sharma’s direction, made false representations on insurance applications, claiming qualifying life events that had not happened in order to obtain new insurance outside the enrollment period and inflating or underreporting their income so the patients would qualify for Affordable Care Act government-subsidized private insurance instead of Medicaid, whose reimbursement rates were significantly lower than private insurers.
Patients generally did not know that Sovereign would enroll them into these policies or authorize Sovereign to do so. Sovereign employees at times even pretended to be the patients when calling into those insurance companies. Those insurance companies would not have covered any services under plans obtained by these fraudulent means.
Sovereign also fraudulently billed insurers more than $29 million for urinalysis tests not authorized by the purported ordering health providers. At Sharma’s direction, Sovereign submitted fraudulent claims for comprehensive urinalysis screening, including through its laboratory, Vedanta Laboratories Inc. Sovereign patients were frequently drug tested through both cup testing and comprehensive panel testing. The cup testing returned results within minutes, while the panel testing was much more comprehensive, with results taking several days to return. The comprehensive panel testing screened for dozens of different substances and, accordingly, was billed at a significantly higher rate than cup testing.
Sharma directed Sovereign employees to frequently administer cup testing and comprehensive panel testing on patients, including comprehensive panel testing up to three times a week. Sovereign submitted thousands of claims to insurance companies, including for comprehensive panel tests that purportedly were authorized by physicians when, in reality, the physicians did not authorize the tests. Sovereign also submitted numerous claims to the insurance companies, including urinalysis tests, after physicians were no longer working at Sovereign.
Finally, in addition to the patients obtained through the call center above, Sharma and Khor also procured patients for Sovereign by paying illegal kickbacks to patient brokers. To conceal the nature of these transactions, Sharma and Khor caused Sovereign to enter sham contracts that referred to the brokers’ services as “marketing hours,” a term the brokers used when sending invoices to Sovereign for payment. Sovereign paid more than $21 million in illegal kickbacks for patient referrals.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Sharma would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count. Both defendants would face up to five years in federal prison for the conspiracy count, and up to 10 years in federal prison for each illegal remunerations count.
The FBI, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the California Department of Health Care Services are investigating this matter. The California Department of Insurance, the United States Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General, and IRS Criminal Investigation provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Solomon Kim of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
Serial Fraudster “Dr. Cash” Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Running Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that TERRENCE CHALK, a/k/a “Dr. Cash,” was sentenced to three years for committing investment adviser fraud. CHALK previously pled guilty on May 7, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr., who imposed today’s sentence.
“Defrauding retirees, using the common bond of faith to build trust, is a horrible crime, one that disturbs all New Yorkers,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “This Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to bringing to justice fraudsters who exploit shared ethnic or religious backgrounds to build false trust. If you suspect ‘affinity fraud’ in or around your place of worship, please contact law enforcement.”
According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Information and statements made in public filings and in public court proceedings:
In 2017, CHALK began marketing an investment fund using the alias “Terrence Cash” or “Doctor Cash.” He avoided using his real name because an Internet search for “Terrence Chalk” would have revealed that in 2006, he had been convicted in federal court of multiple fraud offenses. CHALK’s website advertised him as “the nation’s No. 1 business, money, and wealth coach,” and offered money management and “coaching” sessions in which CHALK promised to share the “hidden secrets of the wealthy” that would change his clients’ “mindset, perspective, and relationship with money.” After engaging his victims in these courses, he would then press them to invest in what he called the “Chairman’s Fund,” which he claimed was invested in a number of pooled investments that would be consistent, quarterly cash payments and high returns.
CHALK targeted elderly investors and sometimes marketed his services through wealth seminars that he held primarily at Black churches. He used this setting to his advantage, holding himself out as a man of faith who was seeking to help other Christians like himself.
At first, CHALK’s victims received their promised quarterly payments and assumed all was as advertised at the Chairman’s Fund. Some of the victims even recruited friends and family members into the fund. But by the end of 2019, many of the victims had stopped receiving payments. When they complained to CHALK, he stonewalled them and even told them—falsely—that they had agreed not to withdraw their funds for 10 years. In total, CHALK convinced approximately 26 individuals to invest approximately $4.8 million in his fund. None of that money appears to have been used to invest in funds, as CHALK had represented to his investors. Most of the money was paid to other corporate entities controlled by CHALK, to pay off earlier investors, or to cover CHALK’s lavish lifestyle. For example, CHALK spent approximately $1.7 million to pay personal credit card bills, spent $17,000 on NBA season tickets, and spent $74,000 on a BMW. After deducting the Ponzi payments that some investors received, the total group of investors still lost a combined $3,210,469 when CHALK’s scheme collapsed.
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In addition to the prison term, CHALK, 62, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which previously filed a parallel civil action.
The case is being overseen by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam S. Hobson is in charge of the prosecution.
Second large-scale methamphetamine trafficker in Duncanville sentenced to 20 years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
The second defendant convicted of large-scale methamphetamine trafficking in Duncanville, Texas was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Moises Elias Saavedra Posadas, 45, a Mexican national illegally living in the United States, pled guilty to methamphetamine possession with intent to distribute in February 2025. He was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison yesterday, May 28, 2025, by United States District Judge David C. Godbey.
According to court documents, Saavedra Posadas helped codefendant Gerardo Barraza Ortiz deliver more than 4 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine on two separate occasions. Officers with the Duncanville Police Department executed a search warrant at an auto body shop located on South Cockrell Hill Road in Dallas, Texas, where several identifying documents belonging to Saavedra Posadas were located.
Testimony from codefendant Barraza Ortiz’s sentencing hearing revealed that on June 2, 2022, officers located approximately 48.66 kilograms (107.05 pounds) of crystalized methamphetamine during a search of the building. The majority of the methamphetamine was located in 1,022 small packages hidden in buckets and pallets. A further search of the auto body shop revealed a freezer, burners, coolers, storage bins, and barrels that were being used to store, cook, and convert liquid methamphetamine into a crystalized form. Officers also located three firearms and several pounds of marijuana during the search.
According to the Duncanville Police Department, the 48.66 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, if sold in ounce quantities, has a street value of approximately $3,128,400.00 in the Dallas, Texas area.
Barraza Ortiz was sentenced to a term of 262 months’ imprisonment in March 2025 by U.S. District Judge Godbey.
The Duncanville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Leal and Sarah Douglas prosecuted the case.
Salt River Man Sentenced to Life Plus 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Clifton Nez Hamalowa, 47, of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, was sentenced on May 27, 2025, by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi to life plus 10 years in prison.
On August 29, 2020, Hamalowa shot the victim in the head multiple times in front of the victim’s young child while on reservation land belonging to the Gila River Indian Community. After killing the victim, Hamalowa and his siblings attempted to conceal his crimes by disposing of the victim’s car and dumping the victim’s body in a remote area of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian reservation. Hamalowa and his sister also intimidated witnesses to prevent them from reporting.
Following a seven-day trial, a federal jury found Hamalowa guilty of First-Degree Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Discharging a Firearm During, in Relation to, and in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence.
Hamalowa’s brother, Thomas Leon Hamalowa, pleaded guilty to Accessory-After-the-Fact to Murder and was sentenced to 108 months in prison on October 23, 2023. Hamalowa’s sister, Devonne Beth Hamalowa, pleaded guilty to Accessory-After-the-Fact to Murder and was sentenced to 84 months in prison on April 1, 2024.
The FBI and Gila River Police Department jointly conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer E. LaGrange and Travis L. Wheeler, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00751-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-084_Hamalowa# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Salem Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Salem, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison Friday for possessing and trafficking more than 40 pounds of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin.
Rico Anthony Russell Rigutto, 46, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on December 14, 2021, as part of a drug trafficking investigation, investigators arranged a controlled buy of counterfeit oxycodone pills from Rigutto. Investigators observed him arrive and depart the meeting location, after which they conducted a traffic stop on Rigutto.
Investigators searched Rigutto’s vehicle and seized approximately 3,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and a firearm with a machine gun conversion switch. Machine gun switches, sometimes referred to as “Glock switches,” are small attachments used to convert firearms from semi-automatic to fully-automatic.
Later the same day, investigators obtained and executed a search warrant on Rigutto’s residence. During the search, investigators located and seized 20,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, 28 pounds of methamphetamine, six pounds of heroin, approximately $100,000 in cash, and fifteen firearms, including an AR-15 rifle and another handgun with a conversion switch.
On January 19, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Rigutto with possessing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin with the intent to distribute and possessing a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On April 18, 2023, Rigutto pleaded guilty to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute. However, on March 5, 2024, Rigutto failed to appear for his sentencing and an arrest warrant was issued.
On August 2, 2024, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) located and arrested Rigutto for failing to appear. USMS also found a firearm during the arrest.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Salem Police Department. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.
Romanian National Charged with Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft for Stealing from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap)Read the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ionut Popovici, age 33, a Romanian National, was indicted on May 28, 2025, by a federal grand jury on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for targeting and defrauding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”), a federally funded program that helps low-income individuals purchase groceries and certain food items.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment returned by the grand jury alleges that Popovici used stolen SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (“EBT”) card information at Sam’s Club stores in Harrisburg and Mechanicsburg between March 4 and 5, 2023. During this period, Popovici illegally purchased thousands of dollars in goods.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The maximum penalty under federal law for the offenses charged against Ionut Popovici is twenty years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison in 2nd Federal Conviction on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A registered sex offender now twice convicted on federal child pornography charges has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
In December 2016, David A. Skally, 65, was convicted in federal court of possessing and accessing with the intent to view child pornography. He was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence presented at Skally’s December 2024 trial in this most recent matter:
- Skally admitted, in interviews that were part of his court-ordered supervised release, to viewing sexually explicit images of children “over ten times” after his release from prison while on supervised release.
- In these interviews, Skally admitted some of the images he viewed depicted children 11 years of age or under engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
- Skally engaged in repeated efforts to avoid monitoring software and other safeguards required during his term of probation but subsequent investigation and a forensic examination of Skally’s computer ultimately discovered several images of child pornography, including images of adults engaged in sexual activity with prepubescent victims.
In December 2024, the jury ultimately concluded that Skally both possessed and accessed child pornography with the intent to view it, and specifically found that at least some of the material in question involved prepubescent children under the age of twelve.
At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Senior Judge William E. Smith sentenced Skally to 120 months in federal prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. By virtue of his most recent conviction, Skally was also adjudged to be a violator of his previously imposed supervised release and sentenced to a concurrent term of 10 months. Additionally, the court imposed an assessment totaling $10,000 as mandated by the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ronald R. Gendron and Denise M. Barton, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and John P. McAdams.
This case, investigated by the U.S. Probation Department and Homeland Security Investigations, was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
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Preston County Man Sentenced for Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Steven Sharps, age 45, of Kingwood, West Virginia, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Sharps worked with others to sell methamphetamine in Monongalia County. Sharps has prior convictions that include drug trafficking and domestic battery.
Sharps will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
This case was investigated by the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative. The task force consists of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the West Virginia State Police; the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office; the Monongalia County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; the Morgantown Police Department; the WVU Police Department; the Granville Police Department; and the Star City Police Department.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
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).
Pocahontas County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Joshua Ray Vanreenan, 37, of Hillsboro, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison for the distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Vanreenan was selling methamphetamine from his home in Pocahontas County. He has prior firearms convictions, as well as a domestic violence protection order.
Vanreenan will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Physician at VA Medical Center Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A physician employed at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Bedford, Mass. has been indicted by a federal grand jury for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Sven Knudsen Ljaamo, 70, was indicted on one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The defendant was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on April 23, 2025.on April 23, 2025 He was subsequently released on conditions following a detention hearing.
According to the charging documents, law enforcement received a CyberTip reporting that over 100 files of suspected CSAM files had allegedly been uploaded to Ljaamo’s Google account. When Ljaamo spoke to investigators, he allegedly admitted to viewing, downloading and saving pornographic material involving female minors. It is further alleged that several CSAM files, along with tens of thousands of pornography files, were found during a review of Ljaamo’s devices, including on a cell phone Ljaamo kept in his office at the VA Medical Center.
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Billerica, Lowell and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Gonzalez Sanchez of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pastor at Word of God Church Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining More than $400,000 in COVID-19 LoansRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Mitchell Summerfield, age 45, of Raleigh, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 loan funds. At sentencing, Summerfield faces a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. Summerfield will also be required to pay restitution in an amount to be determined.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Summerfield was the pastor of the Word of God Fellowship Church in Raleigh, and also owned various other entities, including Winning Ways, KHS Investments, and Vision and Destiny. Between July 2020 and July 2021, Summerfield conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster loans (EIDL) for these entities.
Congress created the PPP program in March 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in order to mitigate the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for small businesses. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the United States and forgivable so long as the proceeds were used for payroll and other qualified expenses. The CARES Act also expanded the EIDL program to assist small businesses experiencing financial distress due to the pandemic. The PPP and EIDL programs were administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Summerfield submitted multiple EIDL and/or PPP applications on behalf of Winning Ways, KHS Investments, and Vision and Destiny. Summerfield made various false statements in the applications to induce the SBA and lending institutions to approve and disburse the requested loan amounts. Summerfield also provided fabricated IRS tax forms, including false income tax returns. As a result of the fraudulent applications, Summerfield received more than $400,000 in PPP and EIDL funds. Summerfield used the loan fraud proceeds for unauthorized and unlawful purposes, including paying for personal expenses.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the plea. The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, investigated the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa K. Labresh prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-22.
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Onalaska Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking and Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Efrain Estrada, 31, Onalaska, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 132 months in federal prison for possessing 400 grams or more of fentanyl intended for distribution and possessing firearms as a felon. Estrada pleaded guilty to these charges on March 13, 2025.
On July 22, 2024, law enforcement found approximately 5,000 fentanyl pills and 3,000 methamphetamine pills in a package mailed from Houston, Texas, to La Crosse, Wisconsin. On July 25, 2024, after replacing the pills with candy, agents conducted a controlled delivery to the recipient address and arrested the person who retrieved the package. Upon arrest, the person told agents that the package was meant for Estrada and agreed to conduct a controlled delivery to Estrada’s house in Onalaska, Wisconsin. The person then delivered the package to Estrada and agents arrested him as he left his house.
Law enforcement then searched Estrada’s house and found another 2,800 fentanyl pills, approximately 1,000 pills containing other controlled substances, and more than 600 grams of methamphetamine. Law enforcement also found 10 firearms and ammunition of varying caliber in various locations throughout the house, some containing loaded high-capacity magazines. One firearm was a short-barreled rifle, and 2 other firearms were sawed-off shotguns with scratched off serial numbers. Some of the drugs and guns were found in a hidden compartment of a coffee table accessible only through a key card found in Estrada’s dresser.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson acknowledged Estrada inherited a mature drug operation from a deceased relative, but Estrada was not an amateur and did not simply fall into drug trafficking. He said Estrada not only stepped into it but embraced it, and it constituted a very destructive financial shortcut for him. Estrada was not a low-level actor in someone else’s organization caught with a large quantity of drugs – this was Estrada’s organization for which he was fully accountable. Judge Peterson also observed that Estrada possessed a mini arsenal of firearms that had no purpose other than to protect his drug operation and that the result would have been catastrophic if he had used the firearms for that purpose.
The charges against Estrada were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Wisconsin Department of Justice-Division of Criminal Investigation, La Crosse Sheriff’s Office, La Crosse Police Department, Madison Police Department, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Ayala and David Reinhard prosecuted this case.
Okfuskee County Residents Sentenced for Child Abuse, Child Neglect, and MaimingRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Daniel Levi Magness, age 36, of Okemah, Oklahoma, and Joanna Lee Higgins, age 33, of Okemah, Oklahoma, were sentenced for charges relating to child abuse and neglect.
Magness was sentenced to 220 months in prison for two counts of Child Abuse in Indian Country and one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country. Magness was also sentenced to 63 months for one count of Maiming in Indian Country and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The Court ordered the terms to be served concurrently for a total of 220 months. Magness entered a guilty plea to the charges on October 15, 2024.
Higgins was sentenced to 140 months in prison for one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country. Higgins pleaded guilty to the charge on November 12, 2024.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to investigators, on January 31, 2024, officers responded to a call for a welfare check at an Okemah residence and discovered two minor children in the defendants’ care living in unsanitary conditions and covered in bruises. One child was suffering from a visible disfiguring injury to one ear. A search of the home recovered a semi-automatic pistol, a revolver, a bolt-action rifle, and a shotgun despite Magness having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. Investigators determined that Magness and Higgins had perpetrated their abuse and neglect on the children for over a year.
The crimes occurred in Okfuskee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. The defendants will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Ocala Woman Indicted for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Christina Gates Thagard (40, Ocala) with bank robbery. If convicted, Thagard faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Thagard was arrested on May 24, 2025. She is currently detained pending the resolution of the case.
According to the indictment, on May 3, 2025, Thagard took money belonging to TD Bank by using force, violence, and intimidation. The bank’s deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
The 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).