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11 July 2025
Berks County Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robberies of Reading Gas Stations, Credit UnionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Mikal Portalatin, 34, of Reading, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Judge John M. Gallagher yesterday to one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery, one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of armed bank robbery.
The defendant was indicted on those charges in January 2024, in connection with three armed robberies in Berks County in the second half of 2022:
- July 27, 2022; Citgo gas station convenience store, 200 block of Buttonwood Street
- August 3, 2022; Sunoco gas station convenience store, 1500 block of Lancaster Avenue
- November 21, 2022; Members First Credit Union, 500 block of E. Lancaster Avenue
During the July robbery, Portalatin discharged his firearm at an employee who chased him as he fled; no one was hit.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30 and faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency, the Cumru Township Police Department, and the Reading Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rosalynda M. Michetti and Kelly Lewis Fallenstein.
Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Reynard Penn, 44, of Beckley, was sentenced today to two years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 17, 2023, Penn sold approximately 27 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $1,600 at his Beckley residence. Penn admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling fentanyl to the confidential informant on three other occasions at or outside his residence between August 23 and September 13, 2023.
On September 18, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Penn’s residence and found 6.482 grams of cocaine, 162 grams of marijuana, a Ruger .380-caliber pistol and $4,889. The cash included $470 in pre-recorded money Penn received from the confidential informant during the controlled drug buys.
At the time of this offense, Penn was employed as a peer support counselor at a substance abuse treatment center. Penn has a criminal history that includes a previous conviction for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-94.
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Attorney General Bondi Takes Action to End the Subsidization of Open BordersRead the Press Release
Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced today a decisive move to help end the subsidization of open borders by taxpayers.
As noted in the announcement by the White House yesterday, the Attorney General has rescinded a nearly 30-year-old order allowing for the provision of federal benefits to illegal aliens. In 1996, Congress passed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 (PRWORA), which limits public benefits to citizens and “qualified aliens” who have a legal right to be in the United States.
To conform with President Trump’s Executive Order, the Attorney General has now issued an order expressly declining to exempt any programs from PRWORA, revoking overly broad exceptions put in place by Attorney General Reno nearly three decades ago.
“Previous administrations have acted for decades to undermine the principles and limitations directed by Congress through PRWORA—no longer,” said Attorney General Bondi. “The Trump Administration’s action will preserve public benefits for American citizens, support the rule of law, and avoid the waste of taxpayer dollars.”
Arapahoe man sentenced for abusive sexual contact with a minorRead the Press Release
Kendall Joseph Moss III, 35, of Arapahoe, Wyoming, was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment followed by 15 years of supervised release for abusive sexual contact with a minor. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence in Casper on July 10.
Moss was convicted by a federal jury on March 20, after a four-day trial. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, an investigation began in connection with a minor witness’s disclosure to a student advocate and school resource officer at her elementary school of sexual abuse by the defendant in 2021. Dr. Gail S. Goodman, PH.D., a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Davis, testified at trial on the dynamics of child sexual abuse, including that victims often delay disclosing the sexual abuse or make piecemeal disclosures of the abuse over time. The victim was interviewed twice over two years and provided more details of the sexual abuse in her second interview. The defendant made statements to law enforcement indicating the victim was not lying in her allegations against him. The jury’s verdict found the defendant guilty of touching the minor victim in her genital area over her clothing with the intent of sexual gratification.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs Wind River Police Department and the FBI investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Case No. 24-CR-00165
A Message from the United States Attorney to the Residents of Ruidoso, New Mexico: Combating Disaster-Related FraudRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – The recent flooding in Ruidoso, New Mexico, has brought devastating loss and hardship to our community. Lives have been lost, homes and businesses have been destroyed, and many families are facing an uncertain future. In the midst of this tragedy, we have witnessed countless acts of generosity and resilience as neighbors, volunteers, and organizations step forward to help those in need.
Unfortunately, history teaches us that disasters like this also attract individuals seeking to exploit the situation for personal gain. Fraudulent activity undermines recovery efforts and diverts critical resources away from genuine victims.
Past disasters have shown that fraud can take many forms, including:
- Individuals not affected by the flooding who attempt to claim disaster benefits.
- The creation of fraudulent charities or the diversion of donations intended for legitimate relief organizations.
- Fraudulent applications for rebuilding grants and loans, such as those offered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Our office has zero tolerance for those who seek to steal from disaster victims or misuse funds meant for recovery. We have established a Disaster Fraud Working Group, which includes the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service, HUD, SBA, Postal Inspectors, Internal Revenue Service, and U.S. Marshals Service. This group is actively reviewing potential cases and will work closely with the New Mexico Department of Justice, local and tribal law enforcement, and community partners to ensure that fraudsters are brought to justice.
Anyone considering disaster-related fraud should be aware that federal law—specifically, 18 United States Code, Section 1040—provides for penalties of up to 30 years in federal prison.
We urge the public to remain vigilant. If you observe suspicious activity or suspect fraud, please report it immediately. The National Disaster Fraud Hotline is available toll-free at (866) 720-5721, or you may email [email protected]. The hotline operates 24/7.
Together, we can protect our community and ensure that help reaches those who truly need it.
10 July 2025
Ypsilanti Man Pleads Guilty in Online Refund SchemeRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Mubasher Riaz, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Riaz was engaged in an online refund scheme from July 2017 through his arrest in November 2023, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
According to court records, defendants Mubasher Riaz and his brother, Muzzammil Riaz, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud earlier this year. Muzzammil Riaz pled guilty to his lesser role in the scheme on June 4, 2025. As part of their pleas, both defendants admitted to purchasing online goods using fraudulent identities, virtual private networks, different electronic devices, and other means intended to avoid fraud detection by online vendors. The defendants purchased goods from hundreds of vendors, including cell phones, tablets, electronic doorbells, and clothing. After receiving the purchased goods, defendants submitted refund claims, falsely claiming the purchased goods were defective. Despite submitting a refund, the defendants did not return the purchased goods. Instead, the defendants shipped back an empty box, a counterfeit item, or alternative item such as a book that matched the expected shipment weight of the return. Mubasher Riaz would then resell the unlawfully obtained goods for profit.
FBI agents uncovered the scheme while executing a search warrant at the home of Mubasher Riaz in November 2023. At the time, Mubasher was under investigation for sexual exploitation of children. Agents found evidence of fraud in plain view in the home, including over 40 cell phones and 30 tablets that were individually labeled with the personal identifying information of different identities used for the fraud scheme. The total loss incurred by online vendors was over $400,000.
While the defendants used numerous accounts, some of the more common accounts used to make the online purchases and fraudulent refunds include the following:
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
Law enforcement believes many possible victims of the scheme exist. Potential victims are encouraged to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at www.fbi.gov/mubasherriazvictims
(Please note that the link to the website is case sensitive).
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Zurek.
Westminster Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Federal Prison in Connection with Drug Trafficking and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson sentenced Rodney Gaines, 35, of Westminster, Maryland, today, to 23 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. A federal jury found Gaines guilty back on April 4, of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and two counts of distribution of cocaine.
Judge Abelson also found that Gaines ordered and arranged the murder of a man in Westminster, Maryland, on January 31, 2022. The court applied sentencing guideline enhancements on the grounds that Gaines’s drug offenses involved firearms and violence or threats of violence, and that he served in a leadership role in the drug conspiracy.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr. Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Sheriff James T. DeWees, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office; and Chief Thomas Ledwell, Westminster Police Department.
Evidence presented at trial included wiretaps that revealed Gaines arranged sales of cocaine to various customers. During the recorded conversations, the cocaine was referred to in coded phrases such as “powder,” “8-balls,” “balls,” and the “sister,” among other terms. Law enforcement also seized quantities of cocaine from Gaines’s customers after he sold to them.
The wiretaps also showed that Gaines sold cocaine in conspiracy with numerous accomplices, including people who he directed to deliver cocaine to customers; prepared the crack cocaine by “cooking” powder cocaine into crack; and hid drugs at various locations, including burying the drugs in wooded areas around Westminster. Near the end of the investigation, law enforcement recovered more than $250,000 in cash in apparent drug proceeds from a storage unit that another member of the conspiracy acquired. The jury found that the conspiracy involved 280 grams or more of cocaine base, which carries a 10-year mandatory minimum to a life sentence in prison.
Additionally, the defense presented evidence at trial that proved Gaines’s activities — and the activities of his conspiracy — involved firearms, including Gaines’s efforts to acquire firearms from co-conspirators in January 2022.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, MSP, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and Westminster Police Department for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaRai N. Everett and Michael C. Hanlon who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Washington State Resident Sentenced for Burglary and Felony AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cody Lynn Lusk, age 35, of Seattle, Washington, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for one count of Burglary in the First Degree in Indian Country, and 30 months in prison for one count of Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner by Strangling, Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Muskogee Police Department.
On February 3, 2025, Lusk pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on March 22, 2024, Lusk broke into a Muskogee apartment in order to attack the resident. Once inside the apartment, Lusk proceeded to strangle and suffocate the victim, who was able to escape and call for help during a pause in the attack. The crimes occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee 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. Lusk 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 Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.
Vietnamese National Sentenced to Prison for Using Stolen Identity of Deceased Child for Six YearsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Vietnamese man residing in Braintree, Mass., was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for passport fraud and aggravated identity theft. The defendant stole the identity of a deceased minor victim and ultimately used the stolen identity to work as a paramedic and firefighter, attending the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy and securing employment at the Melrose Fire Department in the name of the victim. Defendant also previously worked for the Norwell Firefighters Union as officer of the union.
Truong Nguyen, 50, “a/k/a John Doe,” was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 25 months in prison. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In March 2025, Nguyen, whose identity was not known at the time he was charged, pleaded guilty to passport fraud and aggravated identity theft. Nguyen was arrested and charged in May 2024 and released on conditions including an unsecured bond of $50,000. He was later indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024.
“This defendant has illegally resided in the Unites States for over 30 years, assuming false identities to dodge deportation resulting from a 1991 felony conviction. For the last six years, Mr. Nguyen exploited the identity of a deceased child to avoid accountability for a litany of criminal offenses, including attempting to obtain a U.S. passport and falsifying information to become a firefighter,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Such identity fraud undermines the integrity of our identification systems. Our office is committed to holding accountable those who steal American identities and manipulate our public institutions for personal gain.”
“Deterring, detecting, and investigating U.S. passport and visa fraud are essential to protecting the integrity of consular processes and safeguarding our national security,” said Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Boston Field Office. “DSS, working with our law enforcement partners, successfully led this investigation which brought charges and a conviction against this individual who committed identity theft, passport fraud, and then evaded U.S. law enforcement by assuming the identity of a deceased child for many years.”
In March 2023, the defendant submitted a passport application in-person at the U.S. post office in Weymouth, presenting himself to be an individual identified as HH (the victim). In support of the application, Nguyen provided the victim’s name, date of birth and Social Security number, a copy of the victim’s U.S. birth certificate, as well a Massachusetts driver’s license with the victim’s information purporting to be his own.
In June 2023, the Boston Passport Agency forwarded the defendant’s passport application and supporting documents to federal law enforcement, after verifying a death record for the victim when reviewing the application. The Social Security number, date of birth and parental information provided by Nguyen in his passport application matched the records for the deceased victim. It was ultimately confirmed that the victim died in Boston in 2002 at the age of 13. The passport was not issued to the Nguyen.
A subsequent investigation determined that Nguyen used the victim’s identity to obtain and use multiple government-issued identification documents in the victim’s name, including Massachusetts driver’s licenses in June 2018, January 2019 and April 2023, as well as a Social Security card in the victim’s name in 2018.
Nguyen also used the deceased victim’s identity to obtain an EMT-Basic Certification in 2021 and an EMT-Paramedic Certification in 2023, before applying for employment as a paramedic, again using the stolen identity.
From November 2023 to January 2024, Nguyen used the deceased victim’s identity to attend the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. After graduating, Nguyen began employment with the Melrose Fire Department in the name of the victim, where he worked until his arrest in May 2024.
The investigation further revealed that Nguyen (while using the identity of the victim) was the subject of an RMV fraud hearing in August 2018, after facial recognition determined the Nguyen had been issued Massachusetts driver’s licenses under two separate identities – that of an individual identified as Truong Nguyen issued in February 2018 and that of the deceased victim issued in June 2018. At the fraud hearing, Nguyen claimed the victim’s identity was his true identity and presented a birth certificate and Social Security card issued under the deceased victim’s identity. As a result of the hearing, RMV closed the case – believing the victim was Nguyen’s true identity – and suspended the license he had in the name of the deceased victim for six months, while suspending the license in his real name without reinstatement.
According to court records, “John Doe” matched the identity of Nguyen and the individual’s corresponding records which span from 1997 to 2018. Specifically, Nguyen entered the United States from Vietnam in 1979 as a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR). In 1995, Nguyen’s LPR status was revoked and he was ordered deported after being convicted of second-degree burglary in 1991. Although ordered deported, the investigation revealed that Nguyen was not deported to Vietnam. Nguyen was later arrested in 2010 under the name Truong X. Nguyen for embezzlement and larceny after allegedly stealing over $46,000 from the Norwell Firefighters Union while working as an officer of the union.
At his March 2023 plea hearing, “John Doe” stated under oath that his true identity is Truong Nguyen.
U.S. Attorney Foley and DSS SAC O’Brien made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Melrose Fire Department; Braintree and Melrose Police Departments; and the Middlesex County and Norfolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Two Venezuelan Nationals Indicted for Conspiracy to Steal Cash in ATM “Jackpotting” Scheme in Merced and Tulare Counties and ElsewhereRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Joel Alejandro Morantes Leal, 25, of San Cristobal, Venezuela, and Endis Daniel Gonzalez Ortega, 22, of Venezuela, charging them in a conspiracy to steal cash from ATMs in the Counties of Merced and Tulare and in six other western states, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
Morantes was additionally charged with one count of bank robbery, one count of accessing a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, and three counts of attempting to access a protected computer in furtherance of fraud.
According to court documents, between April 1, 2025, and May 29, 2025, Morantes and Gonzalez engaged in an ATM “jackpotting” conspiracy, where they stole money from ATMs at targeted banks and credit unions around the Western United States by infecting the ATMs with malware and causing them to dispense money without a valid transaction. They worked with others and targeted ATMs in California, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Nebraska, Utah, and Washington. The defendants and their co-conspirators jackpotted or attempted to jackpot more than 30 ATMs and received hundreds of thousands of dollars in U.S. Currency. In one incident alone, in April 2025 at a credit union in Merced County, they stole approximately $94,800 in cash. The investigation is ongoing.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Larimer County (Colorado) Sheriff’s Office and the Eugene (Oregon) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Arelis M. Clemente are prosecuting the case.
If convicted of conspiracy, Morantes and Gonzalez face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of bank robbery, Morantes faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of accessing or attempting to access a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, Morantes faces and a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Johnstown Residents Each Sentenced to Eight Years or More of Prison for Trafficking Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Two residents of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, were sentenced in federal court on their convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute crack cocaine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The sentences imposed by United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan were:
DefendantAgeSentenceKevin Johnson39100 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised releaseDaniel Culmer5896 months in prison, to be followed by six years of supervised releaseAccording to information presented to the Court, from in and around March 2021 to July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Johnson conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a mixture of crack cocaine. From in and around April 2021 to July 2021, Culmer conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture of crack. Johnson and Culmer were intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that they distributed to others. At the time of his offense, Culmer was on supervised release for a prior federal conviction in 2018 in the Western District of Pennsylvania for distributing heroin.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of the defendants. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Two Honduran nationals plead guilty to firearms chargesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Honduran nationals pled guilty to charges relating to their purchasing and international shipping of ammunition to Honduras and an attempt to send firearms to Honduras.
According to court documents, in July 2013, Miguel Humberto Pinto Serrano, 29, unlawfully entered the United States and was encountered by immigration officials. Pinto Serrano was found removable in absentia after he failed to appear at his removal hearing. In August 2021, Walter Antonio Coto Alvarenga, unlawfully entered the United States and was encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in New Mexico. CBP determined that Coto Alvarenga was unlawfully present in the United States and removed him from the country. Coto Alvarenga later illegally reentered the United States.
The two were illegally residing in the United States in a residence they shared in Sterling. On at least 23 occasions from 2020 to 2025, Pinto Serrano purchased ammunition and firearm parts from three companies. Pinto Serrano also purchased pistol magazines, grips, barrels, and night sights on eBay. On Nov. 29, 2022, Pinto Serrano shipped 3,000 rounds of ammunition to Honduras, and, in coordinating the shipment, stated that the shipment contained clothes and food for Coto Alvarenga’s family in Copán, Honduras. The ammunition was later seized by Honduran officials in a box bearing Coto Alvarenga’s name and phone number.
On April 10, Pinto Serrano ordered 1,200 rounds of ammunition that were delivered to the residence in Sterling on April 19. On April 21, 2025, law enforcement searched the residence shared by Pinto Serrano and Coto Alvarenga. From the residence, investigators recovered over a thousand rounds of ammunition, firearm parts, 10 new rifle magazines, and three handgun magazines, including an extended capacity magazine. During the search, Pinto Serrano and Coto Alvarenga arrived in a rental vehicle from which investigators recovered two rifles, four unloaded magazines, and one loaded magazine. The serial number on one of the rifles had been obliterated. On Pinto Serrano’s cellphone were messages indicating that he intended to sell and ship the rifles to Honduras.
Pinto Serrano pled guilty today to smuggling goods from the United States and possession and interstate transport of a firearm by an illegal alien. He remains subject to the 2013 order of removal. Coto Alvarenga pled guilty yesterday to possession and interstate transport of a firearm by an illegal alien. Pinto Serrano and Coto Alvarenga are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24 and face up to 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Call and is prosecuting the case. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Binder assisted in the prosecution.
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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:25-cr-175 (Pinto Serrano) and 1:25-cr-176 (Coto Alvarenga).
Two Former West Virginia Correctional Officers Sentenced on Federal Civil Rights Charges in Connection with Death of InmateRead the Press Release
Two former correctional officers from the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, were sentenced today for their roles in an assault that resulted in the death of a pretrial detainee, identified by the initials Q.B., on March 1, 2022. Corey Snyder, 30, was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in prison for conspiring with other officers to violate inmate Q.B.’s civil rights by using unreasonable force against him, resulting in Q.B.’s death. Jacob Boothe, 27, was sentenced to three years in prison for failing to intervene to stop fellow officers from assaulting Q.B.
According to court documents filed in connection with the guilty pleas, Snyder and Boothe responded to a call for officer assistance after Q.B. tried to push past another correctional officer and leave his assigned pod. When they arrived, officers were engaged in using force to restrain and handcuff Q.B. Snyder also began using force, including putting his arm around Q.B.’s neck and taking him to the floor. Snyder and other officers then conspired to violate Q.B.’s civil rights by unlawfully punishing Q.B. to retaliate against him for his attempt to leave the pod. As a part of that conspiracy, officers brought Q.B. to an interview room, where Snyder and other officers used unreasonable force against Q.B., including striking Q.B. in the head multiple times, kicking, knee-striking him, pulling and twisting his fingers, and using spray, all while Q.B. was restrained, handcuffed and posed no threat to anyone. Boothe was present during the assault and had an opportunity to intervene to stop other officers from assaulting Q.B., but he chose not to make any reasonable effort to do so.
Snyder and Boothe each further admitted knowing that officers could not use unreasonable force to punish inmates, including pretrial detainees such as Q.B. In addition, Snyder admitted that he knew the interview room to which officers brought Q.B. was a “blind spot” – meaning, there were no surveillance cameras to record what happened there. Prior to the assault of Q.B. on March 1, 2022, Snyder and other officers would bring inmates, including pretrial detainees, who had engaged in misconduct to “blind spots,” so that officers could use unreasonable force without being captured on video, thereby avoiding accountability for their actions.
Snyder and Boothe are two of six correctional officers who were indicted in this case. In November 2024, defendants Mark Holdren and Johnathan Walters each pleaded guilty in connection with the use of unreasonable force against Q.B., resulting in his death. On July 9, U.S. District Court Judge Joseph R. Goodwin sentenced Holdren to 20 years in prison and Walters was sentenced to 21 years in prison.
In August 2024, Ashley Toney pleaded guilty to failing to intervene to protect Q.B. from the officers’ assault. On June 9, U.S. District Court Judge Joseph R. Goodwin sentenced Toney to six and a half years in prison.
On January 27, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict at trial for the sixth indicted defendant, Chad Lester, a former Lieutenant at the Southern Regional Jail, finding him guilty on three obstruction of justice charges for his role in conspiring to cover up the death of Q.B. On May 15, Judge Goodwin sentenced Lester to 17 and a half years in prison.
Prior to the indictment of the above six defendants, former correctional officers Steven Nicholas Wimmer and Andrew Fleshman each pleaded guilty to conspiring to use unreasonable force against Q.B. On May 8, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Frank W. Volk sentenced Wimmer to nine years in prison. Fleshman is scheduled for sentencing before Judge Volk on July 14.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston for the Southern District of West Virginia made the announcement.
The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, Charleston Resident Agency, investigated the case.
Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Two Co-Conspirators Plead Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that two defendants entered guilty pleas for their roles in a federal drug conspiracy.
Dylan Thomas Emmick, age 32, of Purcell, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Drug Conspiracy, punishable by five to 40 years in prison, and a $5,000,000.00 fine.
Kody James Lile, age 45, of Lindsay, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by five to 40 years in prison, and a $5,000,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on November 8, 2024, Emmick conspired to distribute methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, and that on November 9, 2024, Lile knowingly and intentionally possessed five grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Latimer County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the pleas and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation reports.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Emmick and Lile will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen and Special Assistant United States Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.
Three Raleigh County Residents Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Beckley-Area Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Three Raleigh County residents were sentenced to prison today for their roles in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia.
Tilford Joe Bradley Jr., 47, of Beckley, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Heather Danielle Dunbar, 38, of Terry, was sentenced to five years in prison for distribution of methamphetamine. Kevin Wray Terrell, 39, of Beckley, was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and also for violating supervised release. Each prison term is to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Bradley, Dunbar and Terrell are among 12 individuals indicted on charges alleging they participated in the DTO, which operated from in or about June 2023 to in or about May 2024. All 12 defendants pleaded guilty, including two defendants who pleaded guilty to separate offenses in lieu of the offenses charged in the indictment.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Bradley arranged multiple drug transactions with other individuals as part of the DTO conspiracy, and received controlled substances from multiple suppliers for distribution. On June 28, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Bradley’s residence, where Dunbar was staying, and seized 38 grams of fentanyl, 6 grams of cocaine, multiple digital scales, a money counter, a large quantity of small plastic bags, and a blender containing white residue. Dunbar admitted that she intended to help Bradley distribute the seized controlled substances in and around the Southern District of West Virginia.
On October 17, 2023, Dunbar sold 1 ounce of methamphetamine in exchange for $320 to a confidential informant at Bradley’s residence. Dunbar admitted to the transaction as part of her guilty plea and further admitted to selling 25.94 grams of methamphetamine for $320 on October 23, 2023, and approximately 2.3 grams of fentanyl for $325 on December 26, 2023, each time to a confidential informant. Dunbar also admitted to working with Bradley to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and crack in and around the Southern District of West Virginia during the months of April and May 2024.
On May 6, 2024, law enforcement officers in Beckley conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Bradley was a passenger. Officers searched the vehicle and seized 2 ounces of methamphetamine found in a magnetic box hidden in the vehicle’s engine bay, a Colt model MK IV .45-caliber pistol, and a Hi-Point model C9 9mm pistol. As part of his guilty plea, Bradley admitted that he intended to distribute the seized methamphetamine.
Terrell admitted that he conspired with others to obtain and distribute controlled substances in April and May 2024 as part of the DTO. On May 30, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Terrell’s residence in Beckley and seized 136 grams of fentanyl.
At the time of this offense, Terrell was serving a term of supervised release as a result of his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on July 20, 2015. Today’s sentence includes one year and 11 months in prison for committing a crime while on supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and Brian D. Parsons and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-90.
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Three Defendants Convicted of Violent Kidnapping and Extortion Attempt in Astoria, QueensRead the Press Release
A federal jury today in Brooklyn convicted Lesly Valentin, Aasim Boone, and Jarrett Bruce (also known as “Inf,” “Infinite,” and “Infamous”), of kidnapping conspiracy, transmission of interstate threats with intent to extort, and attempted obstruction of justice. The verdict followed a three-week trial before United States District Judge Rachel P. Kovner. When sentenced, the defendants face up to life in prison.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the verdict.
“This was a heinous crime in which the defendants targeted a victim, abducted him from outside of his home, and subjected him to barbaric acts of torture and cruelty, all for financial gain,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Once their crimes were uncovered, the defendants tried to destroy evidence. With today’s verdict, the defendants’ efforts to escape accountability have failed and they now face significant punishment.”
Mr. Nocella thanked the Joint Violent Crimes Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department, for their assistance with the investigation.
As proven at trial, Boone, Bruce, and Valentin conspired to kidnap the victim on December 9, 2022. The victim was seized outside of his apartment complex in Astoria, Queens. After forcing the victim at gunpoint into a vehicle, Boone, Bruce, and Valentin drove the victim to New Jersey, subjected him to escalating forms of torture, and held him for nearly five hours. During the attack, Boone, Bruce, and Valentin beat the victim with a gun, poured bleach on him, burned his back and legs with a blowtorch, and sliced the victim’s ear with a knife. The victim was finally released on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Several days after the kidnapping, Valentin sent text messages to the victim, threatening further harm to him and his family if he failed to provide his abductors $150,000 in cash and 50 pounds of marijuana. After their scheme was uncovered, defendant Boone attempted to destroy electronic evidence tying him to the commission of the crime.
The government’s case is being supervised by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua B. Dugan, Lorena Michelen, and Andrew Wang are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Wesley Roberts.
The Defendants:
AASIM BOONE
Age: 42
Englewood, New JerseyJARRETT BRUCE (also known as “Inf,” “Infinite,” and “Infamous”)
Age: 41
Englewood, New JerseyLESLY VALENTIN
Age: 39
Asbury Park, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-292 (S-4) (RPK)
Texas Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darlene Ruelas Flores, a/k/a Darlene Sheppard, age 44, of San Antonio, Texas, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department.
On February 13, 2025, Flores pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on May 30, 2024, law enforcement conducting a routine traffic stop for equipment violations discovered Flores in possession of 968.9 grams of a white substance that later tested positive for fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.
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. Flores 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 Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Tahlequah Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cody Lee Pritchett, age 34, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment charged Pritchett with knowingly possessing a .22 caliber Derringer, a semi-automatic rifle, a short-barreled rifle, two hundred rounds of assorted ammunition, 40 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, one round of Winchester 12-gauge ammunition, and 24 rounds of 9mm ammunition on February 4, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Pritchett was released on bond with conditions pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Stilwell Resident Pleads Guilty to Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robert Bird, age 70, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to a one-count Information of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, punishable by up to eight years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Information alleged that on January 21, 2025, Bird unlawfully killed a person in the commission of a lawful act which might produce death when committed in an unlawful manner, without due caution and circumspection. As part of the plea agreement, Bird admitted the government could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he discharged a firearm without due caution and circumspection, killing the victim.
The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Stilwell Police Department, and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. District Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Bird will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael E. Robinson and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Statement of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division on the Closing of Its Investigation of the Merger of T-Mobile and UScellularRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division issued the following statement today in connection with the closing of the Department’s investigation into the proposed acquisition of UScellular by T-Mobile:
“After a thorough investigation, the Antitrust Division determined prudentially not to seek an injunction to prevent T-Mobile from closing on its proposed acquisition of UScellular. The investigation nevertheless raised concerns about competition in the relevant markets for mobile wireless services and the availability of wireless spectrum needed to fuel competition and entry. Specifically, as part of the investigation, the Department considered the potential impact on consumers resulting from the elimination of UScellular from the market, the potential for consumer benefits, and the potential impact of the further consolidation of wireless spectrum.
“With respect to the potential impact on consumers, for years, Americans have witnessed the too-familiar pattern of local or regional companies that discern and cater to their customers’ needs vanishing in favor of the ‘one size fits all’ approach of national brands. UScellular, whose tagline was ‘America’s locally grown wireless,’ noted the ‘sea of sameness’ among the ‘Big 3’ national carriers — Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile — and resolved to be ‘fundamentally different’ in how it went to market. The company understood the unmet needs of customers whom they identified as ‘Heartland Families’ or ‘Farmtown Frugals’. UScellular met those needs by building networks, pricing plans, and service offerings that its customers valued, and which for many years the Big 3 often did not offer. To the chagrin of its Big 3 competitors, UScellular maintained a sizable customer base within its network footprint by virtue of its strong emphasis on transparency, integrity, and localized customer service. Accordingly, as part of its investigation, the Department considered the impact of the potential disappearance of the services offered to those customers of UScellular — soon to become T-Mobile customers following the merger — that chose UScellular over T-Mobile or its national competitors.
“In addition to the potential impact on consumers resulting from the elimination of UScellular from the market, the Department also investigated the potential for consumer benefits. Specifically, the Department considered how UScellular subscribers would fare if UScellular continued as a business without completing this transaction. That aspect of the investigation made clear that, due in part to its limited regional footprint and unique structural limitations, UScellular simply could not keep up with the escalating cost of capital investments in technology required to compete vigorously in the relevant market. This would, in turn, lead to the slow degradation of its network quality. In contrast, T-Mobile has publicly committed that it will integrate the two networks in a way that provides UScellular customers with faster data speeds, while T-Mobile customers will obtain broader coverage in rural areas. Accordingly, the Department concluded the loss of the local offerings that UScellular customers value was outweighed by the immediate improvements in network quality promised by this proposed transaction. That conclusion is bolstered by the competitive realities of future investment in wireless networks and spectrum.
“In sum, the Department evaluated the likelihood of harm to competition and the potential effects of the transaction on consumers and determined that, on balance, the potential harm and offsetting benefits of the transaction do not warrant an enforcement action. UScellular’s inability to maintain its competitive position would result in declining value to its subscriber base, whereas the transaction offers them hope that they will be able to experience the benefits of a more robust cellular network.
“More broadly, the Department’s investigation made clear that we stand at a pivotal moment for the wireless industry. The transaction comes near the tail end of a decades-long trend toward consolidation-by-acquisition that has now left most consumers with meaningful choices among just the ‘Big 3’ national carriers. Economists and historians, appropriately, will debate whether this trend ultimately redounded to the benefit of competition and consumers, but the stark facts of today merit our immediate attention: together, the Big 3 account for more than 90 percent of the roughly 335 million mobile subscriptions in the United States.
“As the Department observed in 2019, when T-Mobile acquired Sprint, ‘The merger would also leave the market vulnerable to increased coordination among the remaining three carriers. Increased coordination harms consumers through a combination of higher prices, reduced innovation, reduced quality, and fewer choices.’ The Department also noted at the time that ‘competition between Sprint and T-Mobile to sell wireless service wholesale to [mobile virtual network operators] has benefited consumers by facilitating innovation by some MVNOs.’ These concerns remain highly relevant.
“Spectrum, a national resource that belongs to the American people, is critical to competition in the relevant markets for mobile wireless services. This transaction, and two other deals contingent on its closing, will consolidate yet more spectrum in the Big 3’s oligopoly, which controls more than 80 percent of the mobile wireless spectrum in the country. The Department investigated these spectrum transfers and concluded that they would not result in sufficient harm to competition to warrant an enforcement action, yet the risks to future competition due to further spectrum aggregation by the Big 3 are acute. As revealed in the merging parties’ advocacy in defense of the proposed transaction, the increased revenues and profitability that the Big 3 obtain through transactions like these enable them to even more dramatically outbid independent rivals for spectrum at future auctions.
“It is of concern to the United States that continued spectrum aggregation by the Big 3 threatens to impede the path for a fourth national player to emerge and challenge the entrenched incumbents with new and innovative offerings. Where future spectrum consolidation transactions threaten this path, the Antitrust Division stands ready to investigate and, if warranted by the facts and evidence, use its enforcement power to protect competition and American consumers.”
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This statement is limited by the Department’s obligation to protect the confidentiality of certain information obtained in its investigations. As in most of its investigations, the Department’s evaluation has been highly fact-specific, and many of the relevant underlying facts are not public. Consequently, readers should not draw overly broad conclusions regarding how the Department is likely in the future to analyze other collaborations or activities, or transactions involving particular firms. Enforcement decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, and the analysis and conclusions discussed in this statement do not bind the Department in any future enforcement actions.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition After Being Convicted of a FelonyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A previously convicted felon from Springfield, Mass. was sentenced on July 3, 2025, in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for unlawfully possessing a firearm. At the time of the offense, the defendant was on supervised release for a federal heroin trafficking conviction.
Sean Krasin, 31, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Mark Mastroianni to 80 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In January 2025, Krasin pleaded guilty to being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On June 20, 2022, Krasin possessed a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun. Krasin was arrested after attempting to evade arrest by jumping from the second-floor parking garage at the Holyoke Mall and running through a heavily wooded area adjacent to the mall. At the time of the offense, he was on supervised release for a 2018 heroin trafficking conviction out of federal court in Springfield, for which he was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms in New England; Colonel Geoffrey Nobel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Brian Keenan, Chief of the Holyoke Police Department made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Spiro Resident Sentenced for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Curtis Gene Atkins, age 60, of Spiro, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for two counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the 12th/21st Judicial Drug Task Force out of Sebastian and Crawford Counties, Arkansas, and the Barling, Arkansas Police Department.
On November 18, 2024, Atkins pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on April 4, 2024, and May 15, 2024, Atkins sold a total of 166.06 grams of methamphetamine 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. Atkins 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 Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Sioux City Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Firearms ConvictionsRead the Press Release
A woman who violated multiple federal firearms laws was sentenced July 9, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Maria Francisca Portalatin, age 53, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on February 7, 2025, to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms, one count of making false statements during the purchase of firearms, one count of straw purchase of firearms, and one count of concealing a person from arrest.
Evidence in the case showed that in April of 2023, Portalatin knowingly made false statements and representations on ATF forms to Dunham’s Sports Store in Sioux City in connection with her acquisition of multiple firearms. Portalatin later admitted to law enforcement that she was an unlawful user of methamphetamine and purchased the firearms for Freddie Summerville who she knew was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Evidence further showed, that in June of 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Portalatin’s residence and located the four firearms she had purchased. During an interview with law enforcement, Portalatin admitted she lied on the ATF forms and that she was aware that Freddie Summerville was wanted on a federal warrant. In July of 2024, Portalatin and Summerville were stopped in a vehicle near Sioux Falls. Subsequently, in an interview with law enforcement she admitted they were smoking methamphetamine and that she had helped harbor and conceal Summerville.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Portalatin was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay $1,400 in fines and assessments. She must also serve a 2 year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kraig R. Hamit and Kevin C. Fletcher.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-04053. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Shelby woman convicted of attempting to harbor illegal aliensRead the Press Release
Note: The U.S. Attorney's quote was corrected on July 10, 2025, at approximately 1:20 p.m.
GREAT FALLS – A Shelby woman who attempted to harbor illegal aliens was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Following a two-day trial, Kristin Louise Mitchell, 41, was found guilty of one count of attempted harboring of illegal aliens. Mitchell faces 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for November 5, 2025. Mitchell will remain released on conditions pending further proceedings.
“Mitchell attempted to harbor illegal aliens. Those who are illegally in the United States need to leave. Those who try to hide them, especially aliens like Porfirio Alexander Suarez, who allegedly possessed a firearm in November 2023 when he was encountered by law enforcement in Texas, are committing a crime and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I want to thank the Assistant U.S. Attorneys who prosecuted this case, the staff in our office for their assistance, and the law enforcement agents from the Toole County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol, and the U.S. Border Patrol for their hard work on the case.” U.S. Attorney Alme said.
The government alleged in court documents that on February 21, 2025, a Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) officer encountered individuals during a traffic stop in Gallatin County. The stop was predicated on the vehicle displaying fictitious plates. The MHP officer cited the driver, Suarez, for the license plate violation and released the vehicle. On February 25, 2025, a Sweetgrass Station Border Patrol Agent ran a registration check on a temporary Montana vehicle tag in Shelby that came back to the same vehicle cited in the February 21 stop.
On March 4, 2025, Border Patrol Agents observed Mitchell driving the same vehicle with two male occupants, including Suarez. Officers from the Toole County Sheriff’s Office also saw Mitchell driving the car and they conducted a traffic stop when the car failed to stop at an intersection. Mitchell was driving and told the deputies the two men with her were political asylees and did not speak English. The deputies contacted Border Patrol for assistance.
A Border Patrol agent responded to the call and recognized Mitchell due to a prior encounter at the northern border. The agent attempted to speak with the two passengers in English and then in Spanish. When the agent asked the men about their citizenship, Mitchell answered for them and claimed they were political asylees from Venezuela. She also referred to one of the individuals as her boyfriend. Neither of the men could produce any documents to verify their status.
The three occupants of the vehicle, including Mitchell, were detained and taken to the Sweetgrass Border Patrol Station. Records checks on the other passengers revealed their identities as citizens of Venezuela, and neither had a record of being legally admitted into the country. Mitchell is a United States citizen and has multiple prior convictions for immigration offenses.
Meanwhile, while the traffic stop was ongoing, other Border Patrol officers surveilling Mitchell’s home saw a third man outside the house; this man matched a description of one of the men encountered during the February 21 MHP stop in Gallatin County. He was detained and admitted he had been previously removed from the United States. Border Patrol determined this individual as a citizen of Honduras.
One of the individuals was deposed in April 2025 and testified he was working on a commercial construction site near Bozeman for a man who refused to pay them, leaving him stranded. One of the Venezuelans knew Mitchell and they decided to drive to Shelby to stay with her. En route to Shelby, the men stopped at a Walmart and bought bottles of margaritas. They were stopped in East Helena and the driver was arrested for DUI. Mitchell was contacted and drove from Shelby to East Helena to bail the driver out of jail and collect the car, which was released to her. The three aliens then stayed with Mitchell at her home in Shelby for a few days before they were arrested.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol, Montana Highway Patrol and Toole County Sheriff’s Office.
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).
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Salvadoran National Guilty of Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSE ALFREDO JIMENEZ-CENTENO, age 72, a citizen of El Salvador, was sentenced on June 24, 2025, by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long, after previously pleading guilty to illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). JOSE ALFREDO JIMENEZ-CENTENO was sentenced to time served and ordered to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to the court documents, JIMENEZ-CENTENO re-entered the United States after he was previously deported on August 20, 1996. JIMENEZ-CENTENO pled guilty to the entire indictment.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit and Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to 30 Years Prison for Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Jordan Anthony Hughes, 25, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 30 years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release for producing child sexual abuse materials, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, in September 2022, Hughes knowingly used a child under the age of 12 to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of that conduct in Sacramento. Hughes committed hands-on violations of the minor victim and took videos and pictures of that abuse. Hughes’ abuse of the child dated back to at least 2017. In addition, Hughes used the internet to convince other underage victims to send him images and videos depicting themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Hughes did this in part by posing as an underage male himself. Hughes also distributed images of child sexual abuse conduct, often under the guise of helping or teaching his victims how to perform certain sexual acts. At the time of his arrest, Hughes possessed voluminous child sexual abuse materials.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, which includes the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department as well as Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny prosecuted the 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 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Roanoke Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Truist BanksRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A local man, who robbed multiple Truist Banks in October 2022, pled guilty today to a pair of federal charges.
Michael Anthony McCoy, 67, of Roanoke, pled guilty today to one count of bank robbery with the use of a dangerous weapon and one count of bank robbery.
A second defendant, Dawn Davis, has previously pled guilty and will be sentenced later this year.
According to court documents, McCoy directed Davis to write a threatening note to use in a bank robbery. After Davis wrote the note as directed, on October 26, 2022, McCoy entered the Truist Bank location on Melrose Avenue NW in the City of Roanoke and handed the note to a bank teller. After McCoy handed the note to the teller, he approached a second teller and brandished a firearm.
McCoy stole approximately $6,485 from the Truist Bank location.
Two days later, McCoy then robbed another Truist Bank on McClanahan Street SW, stealing nearly $6,000 from that bank as well.
Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee, Stephen Farina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares made the announcement.
The FBI and the City of Roanoke Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Scheff and Special Assistant United States Attorney John Beamer, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, are prosecuting the case.
Poplar man sentenced for defrauding local fire departmentRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Poplar man who fraudulently obtained money intended for the local fire department was sentenced yesterday to 5 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release and restitution of $16,986.50, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
David Michael Rosebud Mathison, 49, pleaded guilty in March 2025 to one count of wire fraud.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that David Mathison served as the Fire Chief for the Poplar Volunteer Fire Department from about December 2020 until his official termination in November 2022. The Poplar Volunteer Fire Department is funded through public donations and the funds are intended to be used for Fire Department business through the use of a debit card. When a Fire Department debit card is used to access funds, those funds are transferred in interstate commerce from the relevant point of sale terminal or ATM to data centers located outside Montana. Mathison was not authorized to possess and use a Fire Department debit card, but he obtained one for purported business expenses. Mathison then used the card for personal expenses, including numerous unauthorized ATM withdrawals at local bars and restaurants.
On or about August 23, 2021, Mathison used a Fire Department debit card to make three separate withdrawals totaling $487.50 from an ATM located at the Buckhorn Bar in Poplar. When confronted about these unauthorized withdrawals, Mathison claimed the funds were used to pay for meals for other firefighters despite there being no Fire Department meeting or event at that time. When Mathison was interviewed, he admitted making the ATM withdrawals and acknowledged that the money was used to purchase alcoholic beverages from the bar. The total amount of loss is $16,986.50.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice.
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Ponte Vedra Beach Man Pleads Guilty in Fraud Scheme Involving COVID-19 Personal Protective EquipmentRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that James Elliott Davis, II (36, Ponte Vedra Beach) has pleaded guilty to bank fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of mail. Davis faces up to 30 years in federal prison on the bank fraud count, up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud count, up to 10 years in prison on the money laundering count, up to 5 years in prison on the theft of mail count and payment of restitution to the victims he defrauded. Davis has agreed to forfeit between $6.7 and $8.8 million, which are traceable to proceeds of the crimes he committed. No sentencing date has been set.
According to court documents, from March 2018 through 2022, Davis ran a purported medical supply company named Medisale Inc. Using false representations, Davis enticed individuals and business entities to invest large sums of money in Medisale. He falsely represented to victim-investors that Medisale was making significant profits on the sale of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). He claimed to have contact with CEOs at various hospitals and that Medisale had contracts with hospitals to sell large volumes of N95 masks and other PPE. In convincing victim-investors to give him money, Davis showed fraudulent bank statements with large balances, claiming the money was from the sale of PPE.
In reality, Medisale had no such contracts and had no true revenue from the sale of PPE. Instead, Davis kited checks and conducted fraudulent ACH/wire transfers between multiple financial institutions in order to artificially inflate the apparent balances on his bank accounts. Utilizing victim-investor funds, Davis paid off previous debts, paid other investors purported profits from the sale of PPE, and paid personal expenses. This included Davis using victim-investor money to purchase a membership at a luxury club in Ponte Vedra Beach and spending more than $27,000 on custom clothing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - Office of Inspector General, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by visiting the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www. justice. gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Philadelphia drug trafficker sentenced to 15 years in prisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Philadelphia man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine after having previously been convicted of a serious drug felony.
According to court documents, in September and October of 2024, Antonio Ortiz, 43, arranged to sell two kilograms of cocaine and agreed to travel to Arlington County to complete the transaction. On Oct. 15, 2024, law enforcement took Ortiz into custody upon his arrival at the agreed location in Arlington and searched his rental vehicle. From the trunk of the vehicle, law enforcement recovered 2,005.3 grams of cocaine. Law enforcement in Philadelphia searched Ortiz’s residence and recovered an additional 3,022.3 grams of cocaine.
Ortiz was convicted in 2002 and again in 2003 for distribution of cocaine. In 2011, Ortiz was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine while he was still on parole for a 2004 conviction for aggravated assault and carrying a firearm without a license after shooting another individual during an argument. Ortiz was on supervised release for the 2011 conviction at the time of his arrest on Oct. 15, 2024.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Charles “Andy” Penn, Arlington County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Alito and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hahn prosecuted the case.
This investigation is part of the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking (HIDTA) Northern Virginia Drug Initiative, which seeks to identify, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations; reduce drug-related crime and violence; and identify and respond to emerging drug trends.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-35.
Peter C. Anderson Designated as Interim U.S. Trustee for Eastern and Northern Districts of California and District of NevadaRead the Press Release
Peter C. Anderson has been designated by Attorney General Pamela Bondi as the U.S. Trustee for the Eastern and Northern Districts of California and the District of Nevada (Region 17) on an interim basis effective July 11. Anderson replaces Tracy Hope Davis, who has retired after nearly 28 years of distinguished service to the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP).
Under 28 U.S.C. § 585, the Attorney General may fill U.S. Trustee vacancies by designating an incumbent U.S. Trustee to serve in a second region. Since 2006, Anderson has served as the U.S. Trustee for the Central District of California (Region 16), and he will continue in that role while also overseeing Region 17.
The Executive Office for U.S. Trustees made the announcement.
The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 88 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust.
Pair Sentenced for Two St. Louis CarjackingsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man and a woman who committed two armed carjackings in St. Louis, Missouri in 2022 have been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison.
U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Thursday sentenced Jermanine Smith, 51, of St. Louis, to 141 months in prison. Judge Ross sentenced Bianka North, 29, of Illinois, to 154 months in prison on June 20.
Smith pleaded guilty on March 20, 2025, to one count of carjacking and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. North pleaded guilty 10 days earlier to two counts of carjacking and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Both admitted stealing a 2006 Pontiac G6 on May 14, 2022, and a 2009 Scion xD the next day.
The first victim was sitting in her G6 in North Riverfront Park in St. Louis when Smith and North pulled up in a Dodge Charger. A short time later, Smith approached the victims and asked for their help jump-starting the Charger. When the G6 driver and her friend got out of their car, North pointed a silver handgun at them and ordered them to move away. North then stole that car and drove away, followed by Smith in the Charger.
On May 15, 2022, North was driving the carjacked G6 and parked near a Scion xD in the 1600 block of South 9th Street in St. Louis just after midnight. North opened the door of the Scion and ordered the driver out at gunpoint before driving away. North also ordered the victim to leave her mobile phone in the car. After the carjacking, someone tried to use Cash App on the victim’s phone to transfer $300 to Smith.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski prosecuted the case.
Panamanian Man Pleads Guilty to Passport FraudRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Celso Javier Melgar, 60, of the country of Panama, pled guilty in federal court to Passport Fraud. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “There is a right way and a wrong way to enter and remain in the United States, but preying on U.S. citizens and fraudulently utilizing their identities to do so is a one-way ticket to federal prison. My office remains fully committed to fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by robustly enforcing our immigration laws and prosecuting to the fullest extent those who violate our laws.”
Court documents reflect that Melgar, a Panamanian citizen who obtained a U.S. Business and Pleasure Visa in 1998, never departed the country upon his visa expiration in 2008. In 2003, Melgar fraudulently applied for a U.S. passport using a U.S. citizen’s identity along with a fraudulent Florida driver’s license. The passport was issued. Melgar applied for a renewal passport on April 3, 2015, in the Northern District of Florida. Melgar used his prior fraudulently obtained passport, again representing to be the same U.S. citizen victim. During the course of its investigation, law enforcement interviewed the victim who confirmed he did not apply for a U.S. passport and not did he give anyone permission to use his personally identifiable information. Melgar was arrested on March 31, 2025, during which time he admitted to purchasing fraudulent identity documents and using them to fraudulently obtain a driver’s license and both U.S. passports.
Melgar faces up to ten years’ imprisonment. An ICE detainer has been lodged against Melgar, and he will begin deportation proceedings after he serves his federal prison term. Melgar’s imprisonment could be followed by up to a 3-year term of supervised release, meaning if he returns to the United States during such timeframe, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration related to violating his supervision.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State – Diplomatic Security Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 1, 2025, at 1:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Overton County Agrees to Settle Allegations It Violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by Discriminating During Public Meetings Against Residents with Hearing ImpairmentsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – The United States has reached an agreement with Overton County, Tennessee, to resolve allegations that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. Overton County is alleged to have ignored requests for hearing assistance during public meetings.
According to the complaint’s allegations, the complaints alleged that they requested auxiliary aids and services from Overton County with regard to hearing assistance during various county public meetings, including its Budget Committee and county legislative body meetings. The complainants alleged that they could not hear during public meetings and informed the county of these problems. The complainants alleged that Overton County ignored these requests, refused to use microphones in the spaces designated for its public meetings, and told the complainants that they could sit closer to the county commissioners if they had hearing issues. During a public meeting, a county commissioner offered to provide equipment for certain audio/listening upgrades to the spaces in which public meetings were held, but the county rejected this proposal. As a result, the complainants were not able to fully participate in public meetings.
As part of the settlement, Overton County agrees that the modifications sought by the complainants did not fundamentally alter the nature of public meetings, and that providing auxiliary aids and services so individuals with disabilities can participate fully in public meetings does not constitute an undue burden or fundamental alteration to the nature of the meetings. Overton County will take steps to furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services to ensure that communications with participants with disabilities are as effective as communications with others, including upgrading the audio and amplification systems in the public Chancery courtroom in which its county legislative body meetings are held, installing assistive listening systems in any space in which it conducts public business, and ensuring that any space in which it conducts public business will be assessed for upgrading microphones so that individuals with disabilities can fully participate in public proceedings conducted in those other public spaces. The county also will implement a process by which an individual with a qualifying disability can request an auxiliary aid, service, or reasonable modification that will ensure that individual can fully participate in any public meeting.
Assistant United States Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee investigated the complaint and negotiated the Settlement Agreement. Overton County worked collaboratively with the United States Attorney’s Office to resolve this complaint.
The civil claims settled by this resolution are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
The ADA was passed on July 26, 1990. The Act reaffirmed our nation’s commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities have the right to live, work, and full participate in the community alongside their fellow citizens.
More information about the ADA is available at the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TTY) and via the ADA website at http://www.ada.gov or through contacting the U.S. Attorney’s civil rights hotline at 313-226-9151. ADA complaints may be filed by email to [email protected].
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Okmulgee County Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Gabriel Lee Williams, II, a/k/a Chi-Chi, age 26, of Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 140 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Okmulgee Police Department.
On January 13, 2025, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm. According to investigators, on April 27, 2024, law enforcement discovered Williams in possession of one 9mm handgun and one .40 caliber handgun after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The 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. Williams 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 Gregory Dean Burris represented the United States.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Device-Making EquipmentRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – An Ohio man pleaded guilty on June 30, 2025 to illegally possessing magnetic stripe credit card encoding devices.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on the morning of April 28, 2024, John Carleton Johnson, Jr., 32, of Canal Winchester, Ohio, was arrested in Rankin County following a traffic stop wherein he was found to be in possession of approximately 322 gift cards, seventeen reencoded instruments containing stolen bank card data, and two magstripe encoding devices. Johnson and his co-defendant could be seen on CCTV footage at various retail stores throughout the Jackson metropolitan area purchasing gift cads with known cloned instruments.
Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of possession or trafficking of device-making equipment with intent to defraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 23, 2025, and faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case through their partnership in the Cyber Fraud Task Force with assistance from the Mississippi Highway Patrol and the Flowood Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
Ohio Doctor Pleads Guilty to Role in Telemedicine SchemeRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Mohammed Ahmad, 38, of Avon, Ohio, has pleaded guilty to submitting orders for patients in connection with a durable medical equipment (DME) scheme that caused Medicare to be unnecessarily billed for thousands of dollars. Medicare is a federal health care benefit program that provides items and services mainly to people who are age 65 and older.
According to court documents, Ahmad has been a licensed physician in Ohio since 2014 and worked as a contractor for Florida-based Lifeline Recruiting Inc. to provide telemedicine services. Lifeline Recruiting purchased “leads” of Medicare beneficiaries and used call center services to find and target individuals who were eligible to receive orthotic braces and other DME. Lifeline provided pre-completed orders for Ahmad to review and sign to authorize treatment with DME as medically necessary, even though he did not personally examine patients or conduct the tests that his orders indicated he had performed.
From November 2018 to May 2019, medical orders that Ahmad signed caused approximately $267,402 in false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare, of which approximately $126,643 was paid.
On July 9, 2025, Ahmad pleaded guilty after being charged by information for making false statements related to health care matters in connection with the DME telemedicine scheme. He faces a maximum of up to five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is yet to be scheduled.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea S. Rice and Erica D. Barnhill prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The Takedown is part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that brought criminal charges against 324 defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals, in 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices across the United States, for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss. The Takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represents an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit patients and taxpayers. For more information, visit: justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/2025-national-health-care-fraud-takedown.
The owner of Lifeline Recruiting, Alicia Hiller, pleaded guilty in March to charges related to the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 5, 2025, in the Southern District of Florida.
To report health care fraud and abuse, call 1-800-HHS-TIPS (8477).
Oakland Woman Sentenced for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Yasmin Charisse Millett, 22, of Oakland was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to two years and four months in prison for bank robbery, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, from June 2023 through September 2024, Millett and co‑conspirators committed at least 10 bank robberies across a string of California cities, including Sacramento, Vallejo, Suisun City, Benicia, Concord, and Antioch. As part of the conspiracy, Millett would recruit and instruct others to enter banks or credit unions with sunglasses, a purse, and a threatening demand note. Generally, the demand notes would instruct the bank employees to provide money or “I will kill everyone in here.”
On July 17, 2023, Millett and two co-conspirators used a stolen white Audi A7 with dark, tinted windows to commit a bank robbery at a credit union in Suisun City. Millett provided one of the co-conspirators with instructions on how to commit the robbery. Millett waited in the vehicle while the co-conspirator entered the bank and handed the threatening demand note to the credit union employee. The note demanded money and threatened to shoot the employee if the employee did not comply with the demand. After reading the note, the credit union employee handed over the money, and the co-conspirator returned to the waiting getaway vehicle. Millett and the co-conspirators each took a portion of the stolen money.
The next day, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of the stolen white Audi A7 that Millett was driving. The officer found bait money on Millett from the bank robbery that had occurred the previous day in Suisun City. The officer also found a crumpled demand note on the driver’s seat that stated, “Don’t Make eye contact Don’t look suspicious Don’t Push emergency Button Put smile on your face or I will shoot.”
Co-defendants Dontae Jones Jr., 20, residing in Northern California with no fixed address, and JoMya Mauriyne Futch, 21, of Richmond both pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery on April 17, 2025, and are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 7, 2025.
This case is the product of an investigation by FBI field offices in San Francisco and Sacramento, with assistance from the Sacramento Police Department, Vacaville Police Department, Suisun City Police Department, Vallejo Police Department, Antioch Police Department, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, Benicia Police Department, Concord Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Hayward Police Department, and Fremont Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins is prosecuting the case.
Nigerian Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining $1.3 Million in COVID-19 Jobless and Disability BenefitsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Nigerian man living in the San Gabriel Valley was sentenced today to 135 months in federal prison for defrauding California and Nevada out of $1.3 million in COVID-19 pandemic unemployment and disability insurance benefits by submitting more than 100 fraudulent applications using stolen identities and using the money to build a nightclub and mall in Nigeria.
Abiola Femi Quadri, 43, of Pasadena, was sentenced by United States District Judge George H. Wu, who also ordered him to pay $1,356,229 in restitution and a $35,000 fine.
Quadri is a Nigerian citizen who acquired permanent residency in the United States through what he described – according to court documents – as a “fake wedding” in messages to a woman who was not his wife, pleaded guilty on January 2 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Quadri withdrew the fraudulent unemployment and disability benefits at ATMs from 2021 until his arrest in September 2024 at Los Angeles International Airport, where he was scheduled to fly to Nigeria. Quadri sent at least $500,000 abroad during the scheme. He also paid for the construction of a 120-room resort hotel in Nigeria, the Oyins International, that includes a nightclub, a mall, and additional high-end amenities. Quadri failed to disclose his ownership of the hotel as required when completing his financial disclosure to the court.
Investigators found on Quadri’s phone images of 17 counterfeit checks totaling more than $3.3 million, along with messages about negotiating the checks. Some of the checks were made payable to shell businesses held in the names of Quadri’s aliases.
California paid Quadri to provide daycare services to developmentally disabled children through his Altadena-based business, Rock of Peace. When agents searched Quadri’s residence, they found the children’s misappropriated food-aid debit cards.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the California Employment Development Department Investigation Division investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Brown of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Cares Act FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DENT HUNTER (“HUNTER”), age 46, of New Orleans, was sentenced on July 8, 2025 to five years of probation by U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion after HUNTER pleaded guilty to both making false statements, and money laundering, related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The two primary sources of funding for small businesses were the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program.
According to the charging documents, or about April 6, 2020, HUNTER, on behalf of a business, made false statements to an approved lender to obtain a $122,100 PPP loan. On or about July 22, 2020, HUNTER stole $149,900 from the SBA by using an application in the name of NexLevel ONE Realty. Finally, HUNTER committed two counts of money laundering by using these ill-gotten funds to buy two motor vehicles for family members.
In addition to probation, HUNTER was ordered to pay approximately over $1 million in restitution to the SBA, and to conduct 400 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $200.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by an agent assigned to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to serve the American public by promoting transparency and facilitating coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 21 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. The PRAC Fraud Task Force brings together agents from 15 Inspectors General to investigate fraud involving a variety of programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program. Task force agents who are detailed to the PRAC receive expanded authority to investigate pandemic fraud as well as tools and training to support their investigations.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General (a member of the PRAC), and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
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New Orleans Man Guilty of Being Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – HAVEN PATTERSON (“PATTERSON”), age 42, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025 to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
According to court records, on February 27, 2025, PATTERSON intentionally possessed a loaded 40 caliber semi-automatic handgun and a loaded .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun. PATTERSON is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior Louisiana State conviction.
The offense is punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. Sentencing is scheduled for October 7, 2025.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon of the of the Public Integrity Unit.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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New Madrid County Man Accused of Supplying Meth to Other DealersRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A man from New Madrid County, Missouri has been accused of distributing methamphetamine to others.
Craig M. Perkins, 54, of Howardville, was indicted in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau on July 1 with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. That indictment accuses Perkins of possessing more than 500 grams of meth on May 21, 2025.
Perkins appeared in court Tuesday for a detention hearing. A motion seeking to have him held in jail until trial says a court-approved search of Perkins’ home and vehicle recovered more than 1.9 kilograms of meth. The search followed a series of meth purchases from individuals supplied by Perkins that were carried out by a confidential informant working with the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, the motion says.
A charge set forth in an indictment is merely an accusation and does not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, the Stoddard County Sheriff’s Office, the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton is prosecuting the case.
New Jersey Real Estate Investor and Online Influencer Charged with Committing Multi-Million Dollar Investment Fraud Scheme, Laundering Drug Proceeds, and Bribing a New Jersey PoliticianRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a New Jersey real estate investor and influencer with committing a multi-million-dollar Ponzi-like investment fraud scheme, conspiring to launder drug proceeds, laundering money represented to be drug proceeds as part of a sting operation, and bribing a New Jersey politician, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced today.
Cesar Humberto Pina, a/k/a “Flipping NJ,” 47, of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, was charged by criminal indictment with two counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, two counts of money laundering, and one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. Pina’s initial appearance and arraignment on the indictment have not yet been scheduled.
“Cesar Pina is alleged to have misappropriated millions of dollars of peoples’ hard-earned money, laundered money for narcotics traffickers, and bribed a politician in furtherance of real estate projects. This multi-year torrent of criminal activity hurt investors around the United States, facilitated the scourge of narcotics trafficking, and undermined confidence in our public officials. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to root out these types of illicit activities that threaten our communities.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“Today’s indictment against Cesar Pina is due to the diligent work of the DEA and our law enforcement partners, when targeting those individuals who place greed and profit over the welfare of others,” stated DEA New Jersey Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz. “Rather than utilize his social media presence for the betterment of society, Mr. Humberto Pina chose to use it to expand his criminal activities. His actions, along with his willingness to launder money from drugs proceeds, is no different than those individuals flooding our streets with illicit and diverted narcotics, exasperating an already addictive and deadly opioid crisis. The DEA will continue to hold these people accountable.”
“Leveraging his social media prominence, it is alleged Cesar Pina provided services for narcotics traffickers, bribed a government official, and defrauded unsuspecting investors out of millions of dollars, all for personal gain,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office. “Today’s indictment is a reminder of IRS-CI’s commit to work alongside with our law enforcement partners to ensure bad actors are held accountable.”
“Under the guise of being an entrepreneur with his clients’ best interests at heart, Cesar Pina allegedly defrauded dozens of investors of millions of dollars. His alleged actions didn't stop at fraud but involved bribery, money laundering, and conspiring to launder illicit funds from the sale of drugs. The FBI and its partners will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that these criminals are brought to justice,” Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy stated.
“Investment fraud is simply a crime of greed,” stated Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen, of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Newark Field Office of the Philadelphia Division. “In this case, Cesar Pina allegedly solicited dozens of individuals to provide him with millions of dollars to purchase and invest in residential properties. However, instead of sharing the profits, he defrauded his investors in a Ponzi scheme. Postal Inspectors will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat financial fraud and protect the American people.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Pina partnered with a celebrity disc jockey and radio personality to conduct real estate seminars around the country. Through these seminars, self-promotional efforts, and other marketing strategies, Pina developed a significant social media following. Starting in at least 2017, Pina began accepting investments from individual investors for the alleged purchase, remodel, and sale of specific real estate properties in New Jersey and other states. To induce investors, Pina often promised 30% or higher returns on investments within 4 to 5 months. But instead of using investors’ funds as promised, Pina commingled and misappropriated investors’ money, including by using new investor funds to pay off prior investors in a Ponzi-like scheme and spending investor funds on unauthorized business and personal expenditures. Thus far, the investigation has revealed that Pina defrauded dozens of investors of millions of dollars.
Pina also conspired to launder illicit funds, including from the sale of controlled substances, for various individuals he knew were engaged in criminal activities. Pina further laundered money that an individual acting at the direction of law enforcement represented was drug proceeds as part of a sting operation.
In addition, Pina bribed a local official of Paterson, New Jersey in connection with real estate-related projects in Paterson. For example, Pina provided cash and other bribes to the official in exchange for official action, assistance, and influence in connection with Pina’s “Old School 5” development project, which had pending applications before the Paterson Zoning Board of Adjustment.
The charges of wire fraud each carry a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense or of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense, whichever is greatest.
The charges of money laundering conspiracy and money laundering each carry a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater.
The charge of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense or of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney; special agents and task force officers of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; and special agents and task force officers of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the Franklin Lakes Police Department for its assistance in the investigation.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. 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.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Silane and Aaron Webman of the Economic Crimes Unit; Edeli Rivera and Matthew Specht of the Special Prosecutions Division; and Marko Pesce, Deputy Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Gerald Krovatin, Esq., Newark, NJ
pina.indictment.pdfNeshoba County Man Pleads Guilty to Two Counts Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – On July 1, 2025, a Neshoba County man pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon and Robert Eikhoff, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Office, made the announcement.
According to court documents, Quindon Bailey John, 23, engaged in sexual contact with two female minors who were older than 12 years old but younger than 16 years old at the time of the offenses. Court records show that the offenses occurred in the Conehatta Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation in 2023 and 2024.
John is scheduled to be sentenced on November 4, 2025, and faces up to fifteen years in prison on each count. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian K. Burns and Kevin J. Payne prosecuted the case.
Mount Vernon Police Sergeant Sentenced for Use of Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that MARIO STEWART, a Sergeant with the Mount Vernon Police Department (“MVPD”), was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas to six months in prison. While working as a Sergeant for the MVPD in 2019, STEWART used excessive force against an individual experiencing a mental health crisis (the “Victim”), tasing him seven times over the course of several minutes, in violation of the Victim’s rights under the U.S. Constitution.
“New Yorkers depend daily on the women and men of law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “We trust them to keep us safe, to act in line with their training, and to respect our individual rights. This trust, earned over decades, is essential to our way of life. When a law enforcement officer breaches that trust, we are all affected. Yesterday’s sentencing was about protecting the trust between our communities and our police departments.”
According to the Indictment, court filings and statements made in court:
On or about March 26, 2019, STEWART was employed as a Sergeant with the MVPD. STEWART was assigned to the MVPD’s Emergency Services Unit, which is responsible for, among other things, responding to individuals who are experiencing mental health crises. On that day, STEWART and six other MVPD officers received a call to assist the Victim in Mount Vernon, New York, as the Victim was experiencing a mental health crisis.
At the scene, STEWART and the other MVPD officers restrained the Victim, handcuffing his hands behind his back and securing his legs in a restraint bag in preparation to transport the Victim for medical assistance. When the MVPD officers were unable to pull the restraint bag over the Victim’s chest because the Victim was holding onto one of the bag’s straps, STEWART directed the Victim to release the strap. STEWART then deployed his taser seven times on the Victim. During each of STEWART’s taser deployments, the Victim remained laying on the ground, handcuffed with his hands behind his back and his legs secured in the restraint bag. STEWART’s actions caused bodily injury to the Victim, including extreme pain.
In pronouncing STEWART’s sentence, U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas stated that a prison sentence was necessary “to send a clear message” to law enforcement that “even though your job is really hard, and even though you protect us every day and you have to make really tough decisions, there are still times where you have to yield to authority, and where the line is clear, you cannot cross it. . . . The people of Mount Vernon have to know that they will not be themselves victims of their law enforcement officers.”
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In addition to the prison term, STEWART, 46, of Brooklyn, New York, was also sentenced to six months of home confinement.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and the MVPD for their assistance with the investigation.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg and Jared Hoffman are in charge of the prosecution.
Mobile Woman Sentenced to Five Years’ Probation and One Year of Home Confinement for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
According to court documents, Davis, 42, operated Davis Tax Service with her cousin, Kenneshia Davis, at three locations in Mobile. Internal Revenue Service records show that Davis underreported her income by over $1 Million in 2015 and 2016 and failed to file any tax returns for 2017 despite having significant income. Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Davis to serve five years of probation, of which the first year will be under home confinement and subject to ankle monitoring. Davis was also ordered to pay $53,435 in restitution.
“Tax preparers who knowingly evade their own tax obligations can expect to be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Sean P. Costello, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama.
“As a tax preparer, Brandy Davis knew her responsibilities in filing returns and properly reporting all income. However, she still willfully failed to fulfill her tax obligations.” said Demetrius Hardeman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation will vigorously investigate those individuals who knowingly and willfully evade their tax obligation."
Davis’s business partner, Kenneshia Davis, was sentenced in June 2025 to serve a year and a day of incarceration and to pay $67,975 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasee Heisterhagen prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Mexican national sentenced to federal prison in human smuggling conspiracyRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas –A Mexican national has been sentenced for illegally smuggling aliens through the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Octavio Hernandez-Hernandez, 50, a Mexican national illegally living in Austin, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens within the United States and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on July 10, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in 2022 and 2023, Hernandez-Hernandez conspired with others to transport illegal aliens from the Texas border to other locations throughout the United States. Hernandez-Hernandez provided instructions and directions to those who were transporting the illegal aliens, including some from Smith County. Hernandez-Hernandez admitted to conspiring to smuggle at least 100 illegal aliens, including unaccompanied minors.
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 FBI; Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and Texas Department of Public Safety-Criminal Investigation Division. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson.
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Mexican National with Five Prior Deportations Charged for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national made his initial court appearance today to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country.
Marlo Alejandro Valdovinos-Guerra, 32, is charged with one-count of deported alien found in the United States. A jury trial is scheduled for September 8, 2025, before United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva.
According to allegations contained in the criminal indictment and statements made during court proceedings, Valdovinos-Guerra is a citizen and national of Mexico who was previously deported and removed from the United States on December 15, 2012, March 7, 2019, April 22, 2019, March 25, 2021, and December 2, 2024, and reentered the United States illegally within a month of his most recent deportation.
In 2024, Valdovinos-Guerra was convicted of inflict corporal injury on spouse, cohabitant, and sentenced to two years of custody. In 2025, he pleaded guilty to attempt malicious destruction of property for discharging a firearm at a nightclub.
If convicted, Valdovinos-Guerra faces the maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Jason Knight made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Maryland man pleads guilty after assaulting an airline gate agentRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man pled guilty today to interfering with security screening personnel.
According to court documents, on March 13, Christopher Stuart Crittenden, 54, of Frederick, who had consumed multiple alcoholic beverages, became irate about a delay and his seating assignment for his flight from Washington Dulles International Airport. Crittenden shouted expletives at a gate agent. The agent informed the flight captain, who was on the jet bridge, that Crittenden was likely inebriated and verbally harassing airline staff. The captain came to the gate to speak with Crittenden and ultimately informed him that he could not fly on the aircraft.
Crittenden then assaulted the agent by punching him in the face, temporarily rendering the victim unconscious. Crittenden also attempted to punch another gate agent, but that gate agent avoided the assault.
Crittenden is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9 and faces up to 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Joshua P. Stone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterterrorism Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Clement is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-167.
Man Admits the Armed Robbery of Two St. Louis County StoresRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man on Thursday admitted robbing two St. Louis County, Missouri businesses at gunpoint in 2024.
Stanley E. Alford, 58, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted robbing a store on Gravois Bluffs Boulevard in Fenton, Missouri on Jan. 24, 2024, and a pawnshop in the 8100 block of Gravois Road in St. Louis County two days later.
During the first robbery, Alford asked a cashier for change and left when she said she couldn’t open the register. He returned a short time later to return an item that he’d just purchased. When the victim opened the register, Alford pulled a handgun and ordered the cashier to give him the cash drawer. He then made her put the cash in a bag and shoved her head with the barrel of the gun.
At the pawnshop, Alford browsed jewelry before pulling a handgun. After the employee who was helping Alford ran for her life, he jumped over the counter and stole a tray containing ten gold and diamond rings.
Surveillance video captured Alford committing both robberies and fleeing in a vehicle registered to him. He was also wearing or had in his possession several stolen rings, and officers found distinctive clothing and other evidence connecting him to the robberies.
Alford is scheduled to be sentenced on October 14. The robbery charges are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The brandishing charges carry a penalty of seven years in prison, consecutive to any other charge, meaning Alford faces at least 14 years in prison.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.