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Thursday 22 May 2025
Gang Member Sentenced to 16.5 Years After Conviction at Trial for Leadership Role in Memphis Mob Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced a Memphis man to more than 16 years in federal prison for his involvement in an armed drug trafficking operation. Jeffery “Bud B” Sevier, 48, of Memphis, was sentenced to 198 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris also ordered Sevier to serve four years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Interim United States Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr. announced the sentence today.
According to information presented at trial and the sentencing hearing, while looking into drug trafficking activity by members of the Memphis Mob, investigators identified a North Memphis home from which narcotics were being sold. On March 4, 2019, someone allegedly stole narcotics from the house which led to shots being fired. A Memphis police officer responded and witnessed someone with a gunshot wound to the head running away from the house. Surveillance video from the house showed Sevier at the location, with co-conspirators firing into a vehicle occupied by five people including a minor child. One person was injured from the shooting but survived. Sevier was arrested on the scene and provided false information to the police.
In addition, the surveillance video showed Memphis Mob members distributing narcotics from the North Memphis house daily until the shooting, after which the group relocated operations.
In July 2022, Sevier was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. At sentencing, the Court held Sevier responsible for 4.5 kilograms of cocaine, holding a leadership role in the Memphis Mob directing others to sell narcotics on the gang’s behalf, and maintaining control over the gang’s drug distribution house.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz stated, “The ATF will continue to use its resources to combat illegal firearm possession, drug distribution, and violent acts of crime. We will continue to work closely with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure public safety in the communities that we serve.”
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking organizations and organized criminal enterprises, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Memphis Police Department, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Allen and Michelle Kimbril-Parks prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Gang Leaders Among 16 Indicted for Drug Trafficking, Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Charleston returned two multi-count indictments (United States v. Gailliard et al. and United States v. Bailey et al.) charging a total of 16 individuals for their roles in trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl as well as the use of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The indictments stem from a lengthy investigation led by the Lowcountry Violent Crime Task Force to address significant drug trafficking in our local communities and the violence associated with such activities. The individuals charged in these indictments operated primarily out of the North Charleston and West Ashley areas and several are associated with the Gangster Disciple and Fruit Town Piru street gangs. During the course of this investigation, law enforcement has seized approximately 60 kilograms of cocaine, 1 kilogram of methamphetamine, 24 pounds of marijuana, 600 grams of fentanyl, 500 grams of heroin and thousands of narcotics pills, as well as 12 firearms.
"These indictments send a clear message that we will not tolerate the proliferation of dangerous drugs and the violence they breed in our communities. The significant quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, along with numerous firearms, underscore the scale and severity of the alleged criminal activity,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. "Our local, state, and federal partners demonstrated their commitment to aggressively dismantling drug trafficking networks, particularly those fueling violent street gangs."
“These indictments and arrests should provide the community with a sense of reassurance of the FBI’s commitment to work with our state and local partners to make our communities safer,” said Reid Davis, acting special agent in charge of the FBI Columbia field office. “Every resident deserves to live in a safe environment, free from the threats of drugs and violence. The FBI is committed to justice, and we will continue to stand firm in protecting our communities by upholding the rule of law.”
In the Gailliard et al indictment, the following charges have been filed in United States District Court, according to court documents:
- Shawntez Gaillard, 32, of North Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, as well as two counts of distribution of cocaine and one count of distribution of 50 gram or more of methamphetamine.
- Bernard Garland Gregory, 36, of North Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine.
- Harold Alvin Champaigne, 49, of North Charleston was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, as well as one count of distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine.
- Dominic Jaquan Mack, 44, of North Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.
- Sharon T. Carter, 53, of Summerville, was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, as well as one count of possessing with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.
- Mary Nelly Ayala, 48, of Summerville, was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.
- Scott Clayton Hollins, 55, of North Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of cocaine, as well as one count of possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and quantities of cocaine and fentanyl, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
- Quentin Rambert, 34, of North Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.
- Levi Cohen, IV, 30, of Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
- Jabari Cortez Lee, 28, of North Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute a quantity of cocaine.
- Marchevis Jefferson, 33, of Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute a quantity of cocaine.
In the Bailey et al indictment, the following charges have been filed in United States District Court, according to court documents:
- Jarell Montsho Bailey, 31, of Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, as well as eight counts of distribution of cocaine, four counts of distribution of methamphetamine, three counts of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
- DaQuan Hakeem Lee, 33, of Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute a quantity of cocaine.
- Cleo Williams, Jr, 36, of Summerville, was charged with conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, as well as one count of distribution of cocaine.
- Meri Elizabeth Sottile, 42, of Charleston, is charged with conspiring to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine, as well as one count of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
- Amanda Danielle Forth, 34, of Charleston, is charged with conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, as well as possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia field office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Secret Service, City of Charleston Police Department, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, State Law Enforcement Division, North Charleston Police Department, Summerville Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Charleston Aviation Authority and Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Lietzow, Nick Bianchi, and Katie Orville are prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Four Mexican Nationals Charged for Conspiring to Distribute over 30 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 20, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a 4-count indictment charging four defendants with offenses related to a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The indictment charged the defendants as follows:
Ruben Salgado Espinoza (50), of Rockford, IL Conspiracy to Distribute over 5 Kilograms of Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Distribute over 5 Kilograms of Cocaine and Illegal Re-entry.
Pablo Sifuentes Navarro (20), of Rockford, IL, Conspiracy to Distribute over 5 Kilograms of Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Distribute over 5 Kilograms of Cocaine and Distribution of at least 500 grams of Cocaine.
Pedro Sifuentes Navarro (20) of Louisville, KY, Conspiracy to Distribute over 5 Kilograms of Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Distribute at least 5 Kilograms of Cocaine.
Sanjuana Montenegro Ochoa (27)of Rockford, IL Conspiracy to Distribute over 5 Kilograms of Cocaine and over 50 grams of Methamphetamine.
According to court records, on April 22, 2025, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized 30 kilograms of cocaine from vehicles occupied by Ruben Salgado Espinoza, Pablo Sifuentes Navarro, and Pedro Sifuentes Navarro, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Court documents allege that the defendants expected to receive $495,000 cash in exchange for the cocaine. Prior to this arrest, the four defendants are alleged to have distributed and conspired to distribute 1 kilogram of cocaine and 1 pound of methamphetamine.Court records indicate that all four defendants are Mexican nationals who entered the country illegally. Ruben Salgado Espinoza was previously deported to Mexico.
If convicted of the conspiracy charge, the defendants face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration – Green Bay Resident Office (DEA-GBRO), with assistance from DEA – Rockford, the Brown County Drug Task Force, the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group – Drug Unit (LWAM), and the Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation (DOJ-DCI). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alex Duros.
The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer
[email protected]
414-297-1700
Fort Wayne Woman Ordered to Repay Funds from PPP Loan FraudRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Dashanae Hamlet-Davis, 26 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to a federal felony for wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Hamlet-Davis was sentenced to 18 months of probation and ordered to pay $23,431.53 in restitution to the Small Business Administration.According to documents in the case, Hamlet-Davis falsely claimed gross income for a business that did not exist when she applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. The PPP program provided loans to small businesses for job retention and other expenses as part the CARES Act and for emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hamlet-Davis falsely claimed that she was the sole proprietor of a retail business when in reality, no such business existed. As a result of her fraudulent representations, Hamlet-Davis received PPP funds which she used for her own benefit on personal items such as clothing, jewelry, electronics, and a vacation.
“This sentencing demonstrates the commitment of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) to investigate and bring to justice those who victimize the American taxpayer,” said Kelly Moening, TIGTA Special Agent-in-Charge. “Fraudulently applying for loans through a federal program meant to assist Americans in need will be met with aggressive investigation and prosecution. I want to thank our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney's Office for their commitment to this goal.”
This case was investigated by the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration with assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin C. Sheridan.
Former United States Forest Service Special Agent Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
Edward Williams, 49, of Auburn, a former Special Agent with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), pleaded guilty today to theft of government property, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Williams was a USFS Special Agent in the Grass Valley field office. On Oct. 25, 2021, Williams accessed the USFS Truckee Ranger District office and stole at least 21 pieces of equipment. These items were DRMO, which stands for Defense Reutilization Marketing Office, and refers to retired military-grade equipment from the U.S. Department of Defense. The DRMO equipment that Williams took belonged to the USFS and was not meant for Williams’ personal use, to be given to others, or to be sold for profit.
On May 19, 2022, law enforcement interviewed Williams. He confessed to the Oct. 25, 2021, theft. Later that day, Williams’ home was searched pursuant to a federal warrant and agents seized dozens of pieces of equipment that originated from the USFS, both from the October theft as well as at other times. Law enforcement later recovered additional pieces of night vision equipment that Williams had stolen from the USFS and had given to two of his friends. As part of his plea agreement, Williams agreed to return these items back to the USFS. The total value of these items is approximately $206,371.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and USFS Office of Professional Responsibility, with assistance by USFS and Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case.
Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta. Williams faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will 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.
Former Solon-based Manufacturer to Pay $6M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The Justice Department has announced that Cosmax USA, a corporation having previously done business as two separate entities, Cosmax USA and Nu-World Corporation, has agreed to pay $6 million, of which $3 million is restitution, to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act (FCA) that they knowingly provided false information to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and loan forgiveness. The companies are part of a global conglomerate that supplies cosmetics and nutritional supplements. Nu-World was merged into Cosmax USA in 2023.
Cosmax USA operated a manufacturing facility in Solon, Ohio up until 2023. This settlement resolves a lawsuit filed by a former employee who worked at that location. Under the whistleblower provisions of the FCA, an individual, known in legal terms as the “relator,” may file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The relator in this case, Alexander Novik, served as Cosmax USA’s controller and also in its human resources department.
The PPP was launched through the Small Business Administration (SBA), with the enactment of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act in 2020. The program provided eligible companies with financial support as businesses faced unprecedented challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. This resolution addresses two alleged violations in which the United States contended that Cosmax USA and Nu-World submitted false information to be eligible to receive PPP funds.
First, the resolution addresses allegations that Nu-World submitted an application in April 2020 for a First-Draw PPP loan, and an application for forgiveness of that loan in 2021, based on a calculated loan amount that was partially based on payments to temporary employees who were not employees of Nu-World.
Second, the resolution addresses allegations that Cosmax USA falsely certified that it was a small business with fewer than 300 employees (including employees at affiliated companies) when it submitted its Second-Draw PPP loan application. In reality, the number of Cosmax USA’s employees, when combined with the number of employees working at its affiliate Nu-World, exceeded the PPP program’s 300-employee limit.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel (SBA-OGC) and Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG).
Trial Attorney Graham D. Welch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Jackson Froliklong for the Northern District of Ohio handled the matter, with assistance from Thomas W. Rigby and Arlene P. Messinger Lerner of the SBA.
Anyone with information about allegations of CARES Act fraud may submit a report with the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or online at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
executed_settlement_agreement-cosmax_0.pdfFormer President of Palmetto Railways Sentenced for Role in Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Jeffrey McWhorter, 63, of Mount Pleasant, has been sentenced to five years of probation with 12 months of home confinement for conspiracy to commit honest services fraud.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that McWhorter and an individual named Kevin Newkirk agreed to accept a payment from Tony Berenyi of Berenyi Construction should he be awarded a construction bid for the company Newkirk worked for, which is a Texas-based logistics company. The Texas Company went to McWhorter for contractor recommendations and McWhorter facilitated an introduction to Berenyi. Through the bidding process, McWhorter, Newkirk, and Berenyi discussed the payment and when the Texas Company awarded the contract to Berenyi Construction, payments began from Berenyi. Ultimately, through the course of the conspiracy, Berenyi paid a total of $420,000 that was wired to a bank account in the name of Newkirk’s wife. Newkirk agreed to pay McWhorter his portion in cash and the evidence revealed that McWhorter received $136,500 in total payments. McWhorter did not disclose these payments on the required filings for public officials.
United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced McWhorter to five years of probation with 12 months of home confinement and electronic monitoring. There is no parole in the federal system. There is no parole in the federal system. McWhorter was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $75,198.02 and was fined $4,000. He must also complete 300 hours of community service. He must also complete 300 hours of community service. Kevin Newkirk was also charged and sentenced in April to five years of probation by United States District Judge David C. Norton.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia field office and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower is prosecuting the case.
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Former New Jersey Department of Children and Family Services Caseworker Sentenced to 109 Months in Prison for Possession and Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former caseworker for the New Jersey Department of Children and Family Services, Division of Child Protection and Permanency, was sentenced to 109 months in prison for possessing and transporting child pornography, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Trent Collier, 58, of Kearny, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an indictment charging him with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On or about September 28, 2021, Collier arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport aboard a flight from the Dominican Republic. Upon his arrival, law enforcement searched Collier’s cellular phone and identified at least two images of child pornography. In a statement to law enforcement, Collier admitted that he had previously sent child pornography to at least one other individual using his cellular phone and that that individual also sent child pornography to Collier’s cellular phone. A further search of Collier’s cellular phone uncovered multiple additional videos of child pornography, including videos depicting the sexual exploitation of toddlers.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Collier to 5 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark, and the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, under the direction of Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, with the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren D. Kober of the Criminal Division in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Carol Dominguez, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark, NJ
Former Mexican Police Officer Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Martin Eulalio Molina Lopez, 33, of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on May 19, 2025, by United States District Judge Sharad Desai to 63 months in prison. Molina Lopez previously pleaded guilty to Alien in Possession of a Firearm.
In early 2024, Molina Lopez was admitted to the United States under a travel visa. In February 2024, Molina Lopez was arrested and charged after law enforcement observed him recruit United States citizens to serve as straw purchasers for firearms at a gun show in Phoenix, Arizona. Law enforcement agents found Molina Lopez in possession of 18 firearms that were purchased by others for him at the show. A subsequent investigation revealed that Molina Lopez, who was prohibited from purchasing firearms in the United States while on a travel visa, had previously recruited United States citizens to purchase an additional 20 firearms on his behalf.
Molina Lopez retired from the Hermosillo Municipal Police in 2021 after sustaining a gunshot wound.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Marcus Shand, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00482-PHX-SHD
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-081_MOLINA LOPEZ# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor of Public Safety Agrees to Plead Guilty to Threatening to Bomb L.A. City Hall Last YearRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor of Public Safety was charged today with threatening to bomb Los Angeles City Hall last year.
Brian K. Williams, 61, of Pasadena, is charged in a single-count information with threats regarding fire and explosives.
In a related filing today, Williams agreed to plead guilty to the felony charge, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Williams is expected to make his initial appearance in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
“In an era of heated political rhetoric that has sometimes escalated into violence, we cannot allow public officials to make bomb threats,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “My office will continue its efforts to keep the public safe, including from those who violate their duty to uphold the law.”
“Mr. Williams, the former deputy mayor of Public Safety for Los Angeles, not only betrayed the residents of Los Angeles, but responding officers, and the integrity of the office itself, by fabricating a bomb threat,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Government officials are held to a heightened standard as we rely on them to safeguard the city. I’m relieved that Mr. Williams has taken responsibility for his inexplicable actions.”
According to his plea agreement, on October 3, 2024, while serving as Deputy Mayor of Public Safety for the City of Los Angeles, Williams participated in a virtual meeting with multiple people in connection with his official duties. During this meeting, Williams used the Google Voice application on his personal cellphone to place a call to his city-issued cellphone. Williams then left the virtual meeting and placed a call to the Chief of Staff of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). During this call, Williams falsely stated that he had just received a call on his city-issued cellphone from an unknown man who threatened to bomb Los Angeles City Hall.
In fact, Williams received no such call and had made the bomb threat himself. At no time did Williams intend to carry out the threat.
Approximately 10 minutes later, Williams sent a text message to the Los Angeles Mayor and several high-ranking city officials in the Mayor’s office and falsely reported, “Bomb threat: I received phone call on my city cell at 10:48 am this morning. The male caller stated that ‘he was tired of the city support of Israel, and he has decided to place a bomb in City Hall. It might be in the rotunda.’ I immediately contacted the chief of staff of LAPD, they are going to send a number of officers over to do a search of the building and to determine if anyone else received a threat.” In fact, Williams had not received such a call.
Shortly thereafter, LAPD officers responded to City Hall to investigate the threat Williams reported. Police searched the building and did not locate any suspicious packages or devices. Williams described to police the threatening call he claimed to have received, showed them the record of an incoming call that appeared as a blocked number on his city-issued cellphone, and said it was the unknown man who conveyed the threat. In fact, that incoming call record was the call Williams had placed to himself from the Google Voice application on his personal cellphone.
Williams then sent additional text messages to the Los Angeles Mayor and other high-ranking city officials stating, “At this time, there is no need for us to evacuate the building, I’m meeting with the threat management officers within the next 10 minutes. In light of the Jewish holidays, we are taking this thread, a little more seriously. I will keep you posted.”
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating this matter. The Los Angeles Police Department provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney David T. Ryan, Chief of the National Security Division, is prosecuting this case.
Former Illinois Police Officer Sentenced for Assaulting Handcuffed ManRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Thursday sentenced a former police officer who struck a handcuffed man in the face to two years in prison.
Justin Gaither was in full uniform and on duty with the Venice Police Department on Nov. 20, 2022, when he began pursuing a car that was displaying stolen license plates. The car drove over spike strips that Gaither deployed, then over the McKinley Bridge and into St. Louis. A Brooklyn Police Department officer was also pursuing the car. The pursuit ended in the 3800 block of Parnell Avenue in St. Louis. The vehicle’s occupants ran away. Gaither, the Brooklyn officer and that officer’s K-9 chased the driver. The driver was bitten while climbing over a fence and fell. His hands were then handcuffed behind his back by the Brooklyn officer. As Gaither lifted the driver from the ground to escort him to a police vehicle, he struck the driver twice in the face without justification and without a legitimate purpose, breaking the driver’s nose.
Gaither, 34, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in February to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. The right violated in this case is the right to be free from the use of unreasonable force under the Fourth Amendment.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug prosecuted the case.
Former Harvard Morgue Manager Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Stolen Human RemainsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Cedric Lodge, age 57, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, pled guilty yesterday before Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann to interstate transport of stolen human remains.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, Lodge admitted that, from 2018 through at least March 2020, he participated in the sale and interstate transport of human remains stolen from Harvard Medical School morgue, located in Boston, Massachusetts. Lodge, who was then employed as the manager of the Harvard Medical School Morgue, removed human remains, including organs, brains, skin, hands, faces, dissected heads, and other parts, from donated cadavers after they had been used for research and teaching purposes but before they could be disposed of according to the anatomical gift donation agreement between the donor and the school. Lodge took the remains without the knowledge or permission of his employer, the donor, or the donor’s family, and transport the remains to his home in New Hampshire. After he and his wife Denise Lodge sold the remains, they would ship the remains to the buyers in other states or the buyer would take possession directly and transport the remains themselves. Remains stolen and sold by Lodge were transported from the morgue in Boston to locations in Salem, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.
Lodge admitted to having sold remains to Joshua Taylor and Andrew Ensanian, among others. Many of the remains purchased from Lodge were resold for a profit, including to Jeremy Pauley, who previously entered a guilty plea to conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen human remains.
Several other defendants have previously entered guilty pleas in related cases, including Lodge’s wife, Denise Lodge, Joshua Taylor, Andrew Ensanian, Matthew Lampi, and Angelo Pereyra. Lampi was sentenced to 15 months in prison and Pereyra was sentenced to 18 months. Denise Lodge and Joshua Taylor are still awaiting sentencing. Additionally, Candace Chapman-Scott, who stole remains from an Arkansas crematorium where she was employed and sold them to Pauley in Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty in Arkansas federal court and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the East Pennsboro Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan Martin is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Former Exec at O.C. Company and Illegal Alien Arrested on Federal Complaint Alleging He Embezzled $7 Million from His EmployerRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A former executive at a Newport Beach company that specializes in the purchase of classic cars – who also happens to be an illegal alien from Mexico – was arrested today on a federal complaint alleging he embezzled approximately $7 million from his employer.
Alexander G. Ramos, 62, of Newport Beach, is charged with wire fraud, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
A federal magistrate judge ordered Ramos jailed without bond and scheduled an arraignment for June 30.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Ramos was employed at the victim company since 2017 until his termination in September 2024 in the company’s Risk Management Department. Through his positions, he knew his employer’s loans and held relationships with title agents or other partners nationwide. He also oversaw requests by the company’s Title and Risk Department to its Accounting Department for payment to title agents, sometimes submitting the requests himself.
Ramos allegedly caused checks to be issued from the victim company to certain parties, including a Las Vegas DMV services business. The checks were supposed to cover expenses for tax, titling, and licensing associated with car purchases.
However, Ramos purposely caused his employer to send too much money to the outside entities. He then directed those entities on how to dispose of the extra money, including by sending the funds to bank accounts that he controlled.
A law enforcement review of financial records revealed that approximately $7 million in checks and wires were deposited into Ramos-controlled bank accounts from the outside entities in the car industry. The origin of some of the funds deposited into Ramos’s bank accounts showed the checks and wires were made out to the victim company and were intended as refunds to that company’s clients who had overpaid for vehicle registration fees.
Instead of being returned directly to the Ramos’s employer, Ramos allegedly moved the funds to other accounts he controlled for his personal use, including buying a home in Irvine. The illegal transfers date back to at least January 2020, according to the complaint.
Ramos is an illegal alien from Mexico who was removed from the United States in 2017 but later returned.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
The FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Fu of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.
Former East Hartford Resident Sentenced to More Than 13 Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl, Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that EDUARDO AGUILAR-LINARES, 34, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 158 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release that followed a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 1, 2017, Aguilar-Linares was sentenced in the Eastern District of New York to 29 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for a fentanyl trafficking offense. He was released from federal prison in June 2018 and, while residing in East Hartford, his supervision was subsequently transferred to the District of Connecticut. At some point, Aguilar-Linares absconded from supervision and fled to Mexico.
In July 2019, the DEA’s Hartford Task Force began investigating a Mexican-based drug trafficking organization that was distributing fentanyl and heroin in Connecticut. The investigation determined that Aguilar-Linares, while living in Mexico, was trafficking kilogram-quantities of narcotics, primarily fentanyl, to associates in Connecticut who then distributed the drugs to street-level distributors. His associates used several locations to store, process and package fentanyl, including office space on Pratt Street in Hartford, an apartment in the Asylum Hill neighborhood in Hartford, and an apartment in New Britain.
Members of the organization delivered cash generated from the sale of narcotics to a money broker in Brooklyn, New York, who assisted in laundering the narcotics proceeds before they were transferred to Aguilar-Linares and others. Between August and October 2019, investigators seized more than $200,000 in cash from members of the drug trafficking organization.
On June 3, 2020, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Aguilar-Linares and nine others with narcotics distribution and money laundering offenses. Aguilar-Linares remained a fugitive until December 20, 2023, when he was arrested in Texas.
Aguilar-Linares has been detained since his arrest. On February 18, 2025, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Judge Hall sentenced Aguilar-Linares to 137 months of imprisonment for the fentanyl trafficking offense, and a consecutive 21 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. The DEA New York Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Strike Force and the New York Police Department assisted the investigation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Food Stamp Fraud Nets Two Former Harrisburg Merchants Federal Prison TimeRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Mervat Gharib, 60, and Adam Rashwan, 63, both of Harrisburg, were each sentenced on May 21, 2025, by Senior United States District Judge Yvette Kane to 21 months’ imprisonment for defrauding the United States out of over $1 million dollars in benefits under what was formerly the federal food stamp program.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on October 19, 2022, one-count Informations were returned charging both Gharib and Rashwan, formerly husband and wife, with unauthorized use of benefits from on or about January 2017 through in or about August 2020. In November 2022, both defendants pled guilty.
The United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”), formerly known as the Federal Food Stamp Program. Retail food stores approved for participation in SNAP may sell food in exchange for SNAP benefits. These benefits may not be lawfully exchanged for cash. The investigation disclosed that Capital City Family Market was a small food retailer and/or convenience store located at 2000 North 6th Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Gharib was listed as the owner. Rashwan was married to Gharib at that time and employed at the store. Rashwan and Gharib engaged in a scheme to defraud SNAP. The scheme included food stamp trafficking, which occurs when a retailer allows customers to exchange SNAP benefits for cash, charging the customer a significant percentage of the amount of the unlawful transaction. Between November 2016 and July 2021, 24 undercover transactions occurred at Capital City Family Market during which SNAP benefits were exchanged for United States currency.
Agents reviewed FNS records detailing the total amount paid to Capital City Family Market dating to January 2014. From January 2014 through June 2021, Capital City Family Market received approximately $1,806,761 in SNAP benefits. Data from FNS revealed in May 2021 alone, Capital City Family Market processed 408 individual SNAP transactions totaling $96,908.46 with an average transaction amount of $238.86. Gurganus said that the average transaction amount during the same time period for convenience stores in Pennsylvania was $11.58, and for small grocery stores was $23.16. The unusual number of large transactions at Capital City Family Market alerted the authorities to the possibility of fraud. The investigation revealed that from January 2011 through June 2021, Rashwan and Gharib, through the Capital City Family Market, illegally diverted approximately $1,091,822.05 in SNAP benefits. The business has since closed.
Defendants were also ordered to pay restitution to the USDA’s SNAP program in the amount of $1,091,822.05.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General - Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney William A. Behe prosecuted the case.
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Five Illegal Hondurans Charged in Separate Cases Involving Illegal Re-entry into the United States After DeportationRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Five men found to be in the United States illegally have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Lafayette in five separate cases, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. All of the defendants are currently in federal custody.
Enrique Hernandez-Ortiz, 44, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with one count of re-entry of a removed alien. The indictment alleges that Hernandez-Ortiz was found in Lake Charles, Louisiana, on December 3, 2024, and the indictment alleges his prior removal was subsequent to a conviction for commission of an aggravated felony. The indictment also alleges that Hernandez-Ortiz never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
Enrique Hernandez-Ortiz has been removed from the United States on three prior occasion as follows:
- On or about June 30, 2008, at or near Atlanta, Georgia
- (After being convicted of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile on March 20, 2008)
- On or about May 18, 2012, at or near New Orleans, Louisiana
- (After being convicted on July 17, 2011, of Illegal Re-entry After Aggravated Felon Conviction)
- On or about September 2024, at or near Alexandria, Louisiana
- (After being convicted on June 8, 2023, for illegal re-entry after removal subsequent felony conviction as well as failure to register and update registration as a sex offender)
If convicted Hernandez-Ortiz faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,00.00 and deportation.
This case is being investigated by Customs Border and Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamilla Bynog.
The second indictment charges Martin Perez-Amaya, 30, a citizen of Honduras re-entry of a removed alien. The indictment alleges that on April 23, 2025, Perez-Amaya was found in Lake Charles, Louisiana, after having been removed from the United States on three prior occasions. The indictment also alleges that Perez-Amaya never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. His prior removals are as follows:
- On or about January 30, 2015, at or near Brownsville, Texas
- On or about May 21, 2015, at or near Brownsville, Texas
- On or about September 2, 2015, at or near Brownsville, Texas
Perez-Amaya came to the attention of immigration officials after he was arrested by the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office for Domestic Abuse Child Endangerment on April 4, 2025. He was subsequently arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol in Lake Charles, Louisiana on April 23, 2025 and charged by complaint with illegal reentry.
If convicted, Perez-Amaya faces up to 2 years in prison and deportation.
This case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Border Patrol and prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Myers Namie.
The third indictment charges William Noel Delcid-Guzman, 22, a citizen of Honduras with possession of a fraudulent immigrant visa or about February 26, 2025.
If convicted, Delcid-Guzman faces up to 10 years in prison and deportation.
This case was investigated by Customs and Border Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamilla Bynog.
The fourth indictment charges Yunior Nahin Nazar-Garcia, 29, a citizen of Honduras with possession of a fraudulent immigrant visa on or about February 14, 2025. The defendant has a criminal history of domestic abuse battery and served a six-month sentence in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana.
If convicted, Nazar-Garcia faces up to 10 years in prison and deportation.
This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamilla Bynog.
The fifth indictment charges Humberto Valladares-Cruz, 37, a citizen of Honduras, with one count of re-entry of a removed alien. The indictment alleges that on March 26, 2025, Valladares-Cruz was found in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, after having been removed from the United States on five prior occasions. The indictment also alleges that Valladares-Cruz never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. Valladares-Cruz’s five prior removals are as follows:
- On or about October 14, 2016, at or near Oakdale, Louisiana
- On or about April 20, 2018, at or near Brownsville, Texas
- On or about October 14, 2018, at or near Alexandria, Louisiana
- On or about September 27, 2019, at or near Brownsville, Texas
- On or about March 3, 2021, at or near Laredo, Texas
Valladares-Cruz has a criminal history with convictions for DWI, possession of drug paraphernalia and simple burglary.
If convicted, Valladares-Cruz faces up to 10 years in prison and deportation.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey Stelly.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Final Defendant Pleads Guilty in Federal Pandemic Fraud Unemployment Benefits SchemeRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – The final defendant charged in a 17-member conspiracy that defrauded the United States, committed program fraud and mail fraud in connection with a scheme involving the filing of fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits pled guilty today in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.
Jason Dale Worley, 47, of Meadowview, Virginia, pled guilty today to filing a fraudulent claim for pandemic unemployment benefits. He will be sentenced on August 29, 2025.
Earlier this month, Crystal Shaw was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for her role in the conspiracy. Shaw, one of the lead organizers of this conspiracy, was sentenced to the statutory maximum term of imprisonment. She was also ordered to pay $287,459 in restitution to the Virginia Employment Commission for her role in this conspiracy.
Previously sentenced as part of the conspiracy were: Christopher Webb, 20 months; Russell Stiltner, 24 months; Jessica Lester, 19 months; Cara Camille Bailey, 19 months; Justin Meadows, 18 months; Terrence Vilacha, 18 months; Joseph Hass, 27 months; Daniel Horton, 21 months; Brian Addair, 24 months; and Stephanie Amber Barton, Hayleigh McKenzie Wolfe, Clinton Michael Altizer, and Jeramy Blake Farmer were each sentenced to 12 months and 1 day.
Jonathan Webb, the individual charged with recruiting others to file fraudulent claims, mostly inmates at local jails, was sentenced to 48 months in prison and was ordered to pay $150,218 in restitution. Josef Brown, another incarcerated individual who recruited others to file fraudulent claims, was sentenced to 35 months in prison and was ordered to pay $119,660 in restitution.
All defendants were also ordered to pay restitution to the Virginia Employment Commission for the fraudulent claims.
According to court documents, between March 2020 and September 2021, Josef Brown, Jonathan Webb, and Crystal Shaw developed a scheme to file fraudulent claims and recertifications for pandemic unemployment befits via the Virginia Employment Commission website. The scheme involved the collection of personal identification information (PII) of inmates housed at SWVRJA-Haysi and Abingdon, as well as personal friends and acquaintances of Brown, Webb, and Shaw. The conspirators used that information to file fraudulent claims and recertifications for pandemic unemployment benefits for incarcerated individuals and others who were ineligible for the benefits.
In total, the defendants stole $341,205 in pandemic relief to which they were not entitled.
As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force, this investigation was conducted by the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General were charged with identifying 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. According to the United States Department of Labor, Virginia paid approximately $1.1 billion in fraudulent unemployment claims between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, Syreeta Scott, Special Agent in Charge, Mid-Atlantic Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the sentences.
Agencies that assisted with this investigation included the Dickenson County Sheriff’s Office, the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority, the FBI, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, and the Virginia Employment Commission.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Danielle Stone are prosecuting the case for the United States.
Fifteen Charged with Drug Conspiracy and Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
A 29-count indictment was unsealed today charging 12 men and 3 women for their roles in a drug trafficking organization and related gun offenses.
According to court documents, the defendants were part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, Xanax, psylocibin mushrooms, and marijuana. Six of the defendants face additional charges for gun crimes relating to their alleged drug trafficking. The defendants are alleged to have used several drug houses and a food truck to store illegal drugs and conduct drug transactions. As alleged, in one notable instance in June of 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents seized 29 kilograms of methamphetamine that one defendant was attempting to transport into the United States.
“As alleged, this drug trafficking organization imported methamphetamine directly from Mexico and used the U.S. mail, a taco truck, and homes in different Houston neighborhoods to distribute and sell methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Several of the defendants are also alleged to have used firearms in furtherance of their narcotics trafficking and illegally possessed firearms despite having previously been convicted of felonies. The Criminal Division, along with our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to work tirelessly to combat the scourge of drug trafficking in communities.”
“The defendants are alleged to have engaged in a multi-drug narcotics distribution ring, and, as often seen in the drug trade, are also alleged to have used illegal firearms to facilitate their enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “Some of the charges indicate methamphetamine was alleged to have been sourced from Mexico, and thus this investigation highlights why this office’s enforcement efforts on the border are so critical. The Southern District of Texas will do everything it can to prevent narcotics from entering our country and will be relentless in apprehending those that would distribute drugs in our communities.”
“For years, the transnational criminal organization allegedly operated by these gang members has brazenly flooded our local communities with deadly narcotics,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Houston. “Working in conjunction with the Houston Police Department (HPD) and our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) partners, we were able to expose and dismantle their drug trafficking scheme, eliminating a significant contributor to violent crime in the area and saving an untold number of Houstonians from becoming addicted.”
James Michael Brewer, also known as Creeper, 33; Jonathan Alvarado, also known as Joker, 28; Hector Luis Lopez, also known as Capulito, 23; Alfredo Gomez, also known as Fredo, 26; and Victor Norris Ellison, 35, all of Houston, have been indicted on drug trafficking and firearm charges. If convicted, they each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The following defendants, all of Houston unless otherwise noted, have been indicted on drug trafficking charges. If convicted, they each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
- Jose Francisco Garcia-Martinez, also known as Paco, 29, a Mexican national;
- Enzo Xavier Dominguez, also known as Smiley, 32;
- Alexis Delgado, also known as Chino, 28;
- Jose Eduardo Morales, also known as Primo, 22;
- William Alexander Lazo, also known as Miclo, 21;
- Kylie Rae Alvarado, 24;
- Ruby Mata, 31;
- Mexi Dyan Garcia, also known as Mexi, 31; and
- Jesus Gomez-Rodriguez, also known as Jr., 33.
Marcos Rene Simaj-Guch, also known as Taco Man, 41, a Mexican national, is charged with drug trafficking. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
ICE-HSI and HPD conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Texas Board of Criminal Justice Office of the Inspector General.
Trial Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and Amanda Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Rodriguez for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Houston, Texas. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute the violent offenders and prevent further violence.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Jury Convicts Tampa Felon for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL –United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Cortevious Torrez Crews (31, Tampa) guilty of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Crews faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on May 3, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Crews’ car in Clearwater Beach, Florida. When officers searched the car, they located two firearms. Despite knowing he was a felon and that he was prohibited from owning firearms, Crews had purchased one of the recovered firearms off the streets about a week earlier.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Clearwater Police Department, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.
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.
Federal Charges Filed After Deadly Shooting of Israeli Embassy Staffers in D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, has been charged with federal and local murder offenses in connection with the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staff members outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on May 21, 2025.
Rodriguez is charged in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with the murder of foreign officials, causing death through the use of a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He is also charged with two counts of first-degree murder under the D.C. criminal code.
The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen, and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith.
“This brutal, anti-Semitic violence has no place in our country or anywhere in civilization,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will follow the facts and secure the most severe possible punishment for the perpetrator of this heinous crime, which robbed two wonderful young people of a bright future together.”
“Our community is reeling. Because of one person’s actions, two families are left to grieve for dreams that will never be realized,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Violence of any kind is unacceptable. Senseless acts that take innocent lives are intolerable. We will hold accountable anyone who inflicts harm on our families, our neighbors, the citizens of our nation, or the visitors to our great capital city. We are united in that purpose, and we hold strong against those whose reckless actions claim as victim any part of our community.”
“This Civil Rights Division is aggressively pursuing every avenue to investigate this crime,” said Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon.” Let me be clear: hateful violence against Jewish Americans will be met with the full force of the Justice Department. We are expanding enforcement, increasing our outreach, and holding perpetrators accountable wherever they act.”
“Make no mistake: This attack was targeted, antisemitic violence,” said Assistant Director in Charge Jensen. “The FBI will continue to pursue all leads and use all available resources to investigate this heinous murder.”
“We continue to work closely with our federal partners and want to assure our community that the safety of all residents and visitors remains our top priority,” said Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith. “Out of an abundance of caution we are increasing our presence at religious institutions citywide.”
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Rodriguez allegedly opened fire on the victims as they were leaving an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee, which brought together Jewish professionals and members of the diplomatic community. Both victims were employed by the Israeli Embassy. One was an Israeli citizen and an official guest of the U.S. government.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows Rodriguez walking past the victims before turning and firing multiple rounds. After the victims fell, he allegedly continued firing at close range, including as one attempted to crawl away. Investigators recovered a 9mm handgun and 21 spent shell casings at the scene.
Rodriguez entered the Museum after he committed the murders. Witnesses and surveillance video reportedly confirmed his involvement. He had flown from Chicago to Washington the day prior with the firearm declared in his checked luggage.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with assistance from the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Charges Brought After Shots Fired at Bertie County DeputiesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Federal charges were brought today against a Lewiston-Woodville man charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Dominique Javon Thompson, 34, appeared in federal court for his initial appearance.
According to information presented in the Criminal Complaint, Thompson fired at Bertie County Deputies who were responding to a call regarding an armed individual at a residence in Lewiston-Woodville. The Complaint alleges that when deputies arrived, Thompson opened fire at their patrol vehicles. Neither the deputies nor the K-9 deputy were struck by the gunfire, although their vehicles were hit multiple times. Thompson then fled in a White Hyundai Elantra. Deputies received information that Thompson had family in the Kinston area, and the Kinston Police Department found the white Elantra abandoned on the side of the road around 9 am. Kinston PD later found Thompson in a car during a traffic stop. Upon approaching the car, the officer found Thompson in the back seat and took him into custody. A firearm was found in the glovebox, which matched the description of the one used in the shooting in Bertie County.
“We will work quickly and tirelessly to investigate anyone who tries to inflict violence against our law enforcement partners and break federal laws, as alleged in the complaint,” Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar stated today. “I’m proud of the investigative response provided by our federal and state partners in this case.”
“Thankfully, no one was hurt, and the defendant was taken into custody without incident,” Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone M. Ruffin stated today. “Law enforcement officers dedicate themselves to public service and we leave home daily not knowing if we will return. We are thankful for the partnerships of our local, state, and federal resources.”
Thompson is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code Sections 922(g)(1) and 924. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison if convicted.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office, State Highway Patrol, Bertie Police Department, Martin Police Department, Williamston Police Department, and Kinston Police Department assisted with the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Aubart is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-mj-01049.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Fairfield County man arrested on federal child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Lancaster man was arrested yesterday afternoon on federal child pornography charges and appeared in federal court in Columbus today.
It is alleged that Carson A. Bigham, 23, possessed, distributed or received child pornography.
According to charging documents, law enforcement received two separate Cybertips from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) related to a Columbus man who was charged with federal child pornography crimes in March, including exploitation of a minor. One report was from Kik messenger regarding the distribution of 13 child pornography files. The second report was from Sniffies LLC, a map-based hookup application for gay, bisexual and bicurious men.
As part of their investigation, devices were seized from the Columbus man. Law enforcement’s forensic review of the devices revealed conversations between the Columbus man and Bigham. In the conversations, Bigham allegedly uses the screenname “daddy.” The conversations between the two men were sexual in nature and included discussions about engaging in sex with minors. Bigham also allegedly received child pornography during these discussions, including files which depicted prepubescent minors engaged in sex acts with adults.
Law enforcement officers learned that Bigham is employed as a Columbus firefighter and photographs of Bigham match those sent to the Columbus man during their conversations.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin; other members of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force; and officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Columbus Airport Group and Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Emporia man sentenced to over five years in prison for armed robberyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – An Emporia man was sentenced yesterday to five years and five months in prison for a Hobbs Act Robbery.
According to court documents, on Aug. 19, 2023, David Earl Gay, 60, entered a Walmart in Emporia, approached a clerk, and told her that he had a gun in his pocket, that if she did anything he would shoot her, and to hand him all the money. The clerk complied, handing him money from the service desk. Gay fled the Walmart in a rusted white van.
Law enforcement responded to the address where the van was registered and located the van. Investigators executed a search warrant on the trailer located at that address and found Gay inside. Gay had some of the money from the robbery in his pants pocket. Investigators then found additional money from the robbery in a metal shed on the property.
Gay was previously convicted of, among other crimes, breaking and entering, uttering forged paper or instrument, common law forgery, uttering forged check, statutory burglary, larceny, possession of stolen goods or property, forgery of instrument, abuse of a child – neglect, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and armed bank robbery. At the time he robbed the Emporia Walmart, Gay was on supervised release for his armed bank robbery conviction.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. McGorman, Stephen E. Anthony, and Vetan Kapoor prosecuted 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. 3:24-cr-23.
Eight Defendants Charged with Federal Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury in Huntsville has charged eight individuals with immigration crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona.
The following defendants were indicted for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported:
- Raul Alvarez-Lopez, 28, a citizen of Mexico;
- Jose Faustino-Climaco, 29, a citizen of Mexico;
- Nazario Vargas-Peres, 27, a citizen of Guatemala;
- Eberardo Yovany Peralta-Cazales, 33, a citizen of Mexico;
- Amilcar Pablo-Cinto, 35, a citizen of Guatemala;
Stanley Amalemba Ambeyi, 38, a citizen of Kenya, was charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm.
Pedro Pedro-Mateo, 30, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged with fraud and misuse of a visa, permits, and other documents, and for failure to maintain personal possession of alien registration.
Efren Gimenez-Gimenez, 44, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported and for failure to register.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Operation Take Back America partners Homeland Security Investigations – Atlanta and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division investigated these cases.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
East Helena man sentenced to over 5 years in prison on drug chargesRead the Press Release
HELENA – An East Helena man who admitted distributing meth was sentenced today to 64 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Gordon Eric Barraugh, 63, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on September 21, 2022, law enforcement agencies conducted a controlled buy from Barraugh at his home in Helena. They purchased over 80 grams of actual methamphetamine from Barraugh in the alley behind his house.
On September 23, 2024, law enforcement arrested Barraugh on an arrest warrant. They also searched his truck and seized meth and prescription pills. When Barraugh was brought to the courthouse for an arraignment on December 16, 2024, the United States Marshal’s Service located a small baggie with methamphetamine residue and another pill.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by Missouri River Drug Task Force, State of Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Helena Police Department, and ICE.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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District Woman Charged with Assault for Spitting on Former Interim U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Emily Gabriella Sommer, 32, of the District of Columbia, was arrested today on a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in connection with a May 8 incident during which she allegedly spit on former U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. while he was participating in a video-recorded interview.
Sommer is charged with one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding a government official.
The complaint was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Acting U.S. Marshal Ron Carter of the District Court for the District of Columbia.
According to the complaint, on May 8th, 2025, at approximately 3:30 p.m., then-Interim U.S. Attorney Martin was conducting an on-camera interview in front of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the 600 block of D Street Northwest.
During the interview, the suspect, later identified as Sommer, approached Martin and stated words to the effect of, “Who in the f-- are you?” Martin turned to face Sommer. Sommer then said, “Are you Ed Martin? You are. Ed Martin.” Sommer lunged at Martin and spit on his shoulder. Sommer then walked eastbound on D Street Northwest and yelled, “You are a disgusting man. F--- you, Ed Martin. My name is Emily Gabriella Sommer, and you are served.”
Law enforcement identified the X account with username @EmilyGabriellaS and display name “Lefttits” as likely belonging to Sommer. On the evening of May 8, 2025, that account made several posts related to the incident including the following:
On May 22, 2025, law enforcement located Sommer and placed her under arrest.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Green.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District Man Who Wielded a Machine Gun Near Anacostia Elementary School Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jason Jerome Bell, 21, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 21 months in federal prison for brandishing a fully loaded machine gun at a passing car, on a heavily trafficked street in the middle of the afternoon, in the direction of an elementary school with staff present.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Jessica M.E. Taylor of the U.S. Park Police.
Bell pleaded guilty on January 15, 2025, without a plea agreement to unlawful possession of a machine gun, and to carrying a pistol without a license. In addition to the 21-month prison term, U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Bell to serve three years of supervised release. In light of the severity of Bell’s conduct, the government had asked the Court for an upward variant sentence of 36 months.
According to court documents, about 2:45 pm on Oct. 11, 2024, a U.S. Park Police investigator was conducting surveillance of Bell in Anacostia. Bell had been reported to be flashing firearms. The investigator located Bell in the alley behind a house on 1900 block 16th Street SE. The investigator watched as Bell pulled a firearm from his waistband and aimed it at a silver sedan. The USPP investigator captured Bell’s actions on camera.
USPP officers subsequently arrested Bell and recovered a loaded Glock 30 gen 4 pistol, .45 caliber, outfitted with a switch which converted the semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic machine gun. The Glock had 26 rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Park Police with the assistance of the ATF. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Strong and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren R. Randell.
Bell brandishes a Glock outfitted with a “switch” to fire like a machine-gun in the direction of a U.S. Park Police Officer on Oct. 11. 2024.
The Glock and magazine found in Bell’s possession.
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Deltona Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger has sentenced Juan Santiago (36, Deltona) to 57 months in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material. Santiago entered a guilty plea on December 19, 2024.
According to court documents, between August and December of 2022, Santiago purchased child sexual abuse material on multiple occasions from an individual that he communicated with via the messaging application Telegram. Santiago’s cell phone contained over 80 files of child sexual abuse material, including images depicting prepubescent children, toddlers, and infants.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.
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 Attorney’s 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.
Danvers Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Money Laundering and Operating Unlicensed Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Danvers man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for money laundering and operating an unlicensed, “no questions asked,” money transmitting business that converted more than $1 million in cash to the digital currency Bitcoin, including on behalf of scammers and a drug dealer.
Trung Nguyen, a/k/a “DCS420”, 48, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to six years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Court also ordered Nguyen to forfeit $1,513,000.04. In November 2024, Nguyen was convicted of one count of conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business and one count of concealment money laundering. Nguyen was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 30, 2023.
Between September 2017 and October 2020, Nguyen owned and operated National Vending, LLC. Through National Vending, Nguyen accepted cash from customers and, in exchange for a fee, sent them Bitcoin in return. Exchangers of virtual currency, including Bitcoin exchangers, are money transmitters under federal law and are subject to federal anti-money laundering (AML) regulations. The regulations require them to register as money service businesses with the Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and to maintain effective AML programs, including by filing Suspicious Activity Reports with FinCEN, and by filing Currency Transaction Reports for Bitcoin-for-cash exchanges of more than $10,000.
Nguyen purposely failed to register National Vending with FinCEN, despite being required to do so. Over the course of 10 transactions in 2018, Nguyen accepted a total of $250,000 in cash from an individual who identified himself to Nguyen as a methamphetamine dealer. In 2019 and 2020, Nguyen also accepted approximately $325,000 from a romance scam victim from Kansas City, Mo.; $60,000 from a romance scam victim from Glastonbury, Ct. and $60,000 from a romance scam victim from central Massachusetts—each of whom had been tricked into converting cash into Bitcoin and sending it to con artists overseas. Nguyen failed to file Suspicious Activity Reports or Currency Transaction Reports on any of these transactions, including cash transactions of more than $10,000.
Nguyen concealed his money transmitting business by, among other ways, holding National Vending out to banks, cryptocurrency exchanges and state authorities as a vending machine business. He used encrypted messaging apps to communicate with customers, using technologies that made it more difficult to trace Bitcoin transactions and breaking cash deposits of more than $10,000 into smaller cash deposits over consecutive days or at different branches of the same bank. Nguyen also enrolled in a paid course on concealing his business that recommended Nguyen purport to operate “a business for which cash deposits from around the country make sense” and that he “develop [his] cover story,” “create a list or your suppliers Fictitious of course” and “Don’t say the word ‘Bitcoin.”
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth B. Kosto and Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Coventry Man Indicted for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A federal grand jury has returned a two-count indictment charging Christian Rodriguez, 38, of Coventry, with possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
According to information presented to the court, it is alleged that Rodriguez was involved in a drug trafficking organization that worked out of a stash house in Providence and supplied buyers in Southeastern Massachusetts.
At the time of his arrest on April 22, 2025, law enforcement executed court-authorized searches of Rodriguez’s Coventry residence and the Providence residence. Agents seized more than $100,000 in cash, more than 40 grams of fentanyl, cocaine, and various items used in the packaging of illegal drugs.
Rodriguez is currently detained in federal custody.
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey A. Erickson
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 24 Months for Possession of a Glock Semiautomatic PistolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyrell Anthony West, 30, a previously convicted felon and resident of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison in connection with being in possession of a loaded Glock semiautomatic pistol when police encountered him with a stolen Mercedes.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives - Washington Division, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
West pleaded guilty on Feb. 13, 2025, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered West to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on Feb. 26, 2024, about 7:30 p.m., the officers with the MPD’s Robbery Suppression Unit were travelling down the 2900 block of Knox Place, SE, in unmarked vehicles. An officer noticed a parked silver Mercedes Benz C300 park and watched as West quickly closed the car door and crossed the street at a brisk pace to where a group was congregated.
Officers ran the Mercedes’ plate number and learned it was not registered in the database. They approached the vehicle to discover that its VIN number was covered.
An officer uncovered the VIN. Another asked West if the car's registration was in the glove compartment. West opened the glove compartment and then opened the vehicle’s center console. One of the officers immediately spotted a firearm. Three seconds later, the officer checking the VIN number learned the Mercedes had been reported stolen from a car dealership in Howard County, Maryland.
From the center console, MPD officers recovered a black Glock 30. .45 caliber semi-automatic firearm loaded and ready to fire with one round of ammunition in the chamber and 13 additional rounds in the magazine. DNA evidence later linked West to the firearm.
Officers also recovered three plastic bags containing a white rock substance with a combined weight of 82.79 grams, and a black digital scale with white residue. Later testing by the DEA determined the substance was N, Ndimethylpentalone, an illegal synthetic controlled-substance otherwise known as 'boot." Officers also recovered 28 suspected suboxone strips from the trunk of the Mercedes.
West has a previous conviction for carrying a pistol without a license. On April 22, 2022, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison, which was suspended. On Feb. 9, 2023, he was resentenced to nine months in prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Reeder-Ricchetti, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Omeed Ali Assefi, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Svetoslavov.
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Convicted Child Predator Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A previously-convicted child predator was sentenced to 192 months in prison today for distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Justin Matthew Adkins, 40, of Marion, North Carolina, was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.
According to records, Adkins was convicted of Second-Degree Exploitation of a Minor in Buncombe County and was sentenced to a term of imprisonment. Adkins was released from state custody in April 2023, and was placed on post-release supervision until 2028. On November 7, 2023, officers with the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, deputies with the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office, and deputy marshals with the U.S. Marshals Service conducted a probation search at Adkins’ home. During the search, law enforcement reviewed Adkins’s electronic devices for compliance with his post-release conditions and found that the defendant possessed CSAM. Law enforcement also seized narcotics and drug paraphernalia.
Court records show that a computer forensic analyst with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) analyzed Adkins’s electronic devices and located thousands of CSAM images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent children. The analysis also revealed that Adkins had distributed CSAM to other individuals online.
On December 18, 2024, Adkins pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended HSI in Greenville, the U.S. Marshals Service, the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, and the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Alexis Solheim of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Colombian National Sentenced to over 20 Years in Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Kidnap and Assault U.S. Army Soldiers in ColombiaRead the Press Release
A Colombian national was sentenced today in the Southern District of Florida for her role in kidnapping and assaulting two members of the U.S. military who were on temporary duty in Bogotá, Colombia.
Kenny Julieth Uribe Chiran, 35, was sentenced to 262 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $24,115 in restitution. She is the third and final defendant to be sentenced and held accountable for this criminal conspiracy. She pleaded guilty in March 2025 to conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person.
“Uribe Chiran and her co-defendants mercilessly preyed on U.S. soldiers when they drugged their drinks, stole their valuables, and left them incapacitated on the street,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Kidnapping and assaulting two U.S. military service members is deplorable and the Criminal Division will continue to prioritize protecting our service members through these prosecutions. I thank the prosecutors and our law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to bring justice to these victims.”
“Members of our military, whether serving here or abroad, can count on this Department of Justice’s respect, support, and protection,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Kidnappings and assaults against U.S. service members will not be tolerated. To those who would dare commit such reprehensible acts against America’s heroes, know this: We will identify you; we will find you; and we will prosecute you as aggressively as the law permits.”
“The FBI’s commitment to investigate criminal acts against the U.S. military beyond our borders is clearly demonstrated by our persistent pursuit of justice for the two kidnapped soldiers,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office. “Our close cooperation with Colombian and Chilean law enforcement authorities was essential to this international investigation’s success. To all would be kidnappers the message is clear: target our citizens with violence anywhere in the world and we will hold you accountable for your actions.”
According to court documents, the two U.S. soldiers went to an entertainment district in Bogotá to watch a soccer game on the evening of March 5, 2020. They later went to a pub, where Uribe Chiran and one of her co-defendants approached the soldiers and, without their knowledge, put drugs in their drinks that rendered them incapacitated. Medical examinations later confirmed the presence of benzodiazepines in the two soldiers’ systems. The defendants then kidnapped the soldiers, took their valuables, including their credit and debit card information, and left them incapacitated on the street in separate locations. The defendants used one victim’s credit card and the other victim’s debit card to make purchases and withdraw money.
Uribe Chiran was extradited in September 2024 from Colombia to the United States. Co-defendant Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa was extradited in April 2024 from Chile to the United States, pleaded guilty in December 2024, and was sentenced in March 2025 to 27 years and three months in prison. Co-defendant Jeffersson Arango Castellanos was extradited in May 2023 from Colombia to the United States, pleaded guilty in January 2024, and was sentenced in May 2024 to 48 years and nine months in prison.
The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá provided significant assistance in this matter. The United States thanks Colombian law enforcement authorities for their valuable assistance.
Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Colombian National Sentenced to over 20 Years in Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Kidnap and Assault U.S. Army Soldiers in ColombiaRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Colombian national was sentenced today in the Southern District of Florida for her role in kidnapping and assaulting two members of the U.S. military who were on temporary duty in Bogotá, Colombia.
Kenny Julieth Uribe Chiran, 35, was sentenced to 262 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $24,115 in restitution. She is the third and final defendant to be sentenced and held accountable for this criminal conspiracy. She pleaded guilty in March 2025 to conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person.
“Members of our military, whether serving here or abroad, can count on this Department of Justice’s respect, support, and protection,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Kidnappings and assaults against U.S. service members will not be tolerated. To those who would dare commit such reprehensible acts against America’s heroes, know this: We will identify you; we will find you; and we will prosecute you as aggressively as the law permits.”
“Uribe Chiran and her co-defendants mercilessly preyed on U.S. soldiers when they drugged their drinks, stole their valuables, and left them incapacitated on the street,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Kidnapping and assaulting two U.S. military service members is deplorable and the Criminal Division will continue to prioritize protecting our service members through these prosecutions. I thank the prosecutors and our law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to bring justice to these victims.”
“The FBI’s commitment to investigate criminal acts against the U.S. military beyond our borders is clearly demonstrated by our persistent pursuit of justice for the two kidnapped soldiers,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office. “Our close cooperation with Colombian and Chilean law enforcement authorities was essential to this international investigation’s success. To all would be kidnappers the message is clear: target our citizens with violence anywhere in the world and we will hold you accountable for your actions.”
According to court documents, the two U.S. soldiers went to an entertainment district in Bogotá to watch a soccer game on the evening of March 5, 2020. They later went to a pub, where Uribe Chiran and one of her co-defendants approached the soldiers and, without their knowledge, put drugs in their drinks that rendered them incapacitated. Medical examinations later confirmed the presence of benzodiazepines in the two soldiers’ systems. The defendants then kidnapped the soldiers, took their valuables, including their credit and debit card information, and left them incapacitated on the street in separate locations. The defendants used one victim’s credit card and the other victim’s debit card to make purchases and withdraw money.
Uribe Chiran was extradited in September 2024 from Colombia to the United States. Co-defendant Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa was extradited in April 2024 from Chile to the United States, pleaded guilty in December 2024, and was sentenced in March 2025 to 27 years and three months in prison. Co-defendant Jeffersson Arango Castellanos was extradited in May 2023 from Colombia to the United States, pleaded guilty in January 2024, and was sentenced in May 2024 to 48 years and nine months in prison.
The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá provided significant assistance in this matter. The United States thanks Colombian law enforcement authorities for their valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-20173.
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Colombian National Charged with Voter Fraud; Federal Benefit Fraud; And Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Colombian woman, unlawfully residing in Boston, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for identity theft offenses, including receiving rental assistance, Social Security and SNAP benefits, as well as voter fraud under the stolen identity. The defendant also allegedly applied for a United States passport and obtained a Massachusetts Real ID and eight other state IDs.
Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez, 59, was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of false representation of a Social Security number; one count of making a false statement in an application for a United States passport; one count of aggravated identity theft; three counts of receiving stolen government money or property; one count of fraudulent voter registration; and one count of fraudulent voting. Orovio-Hernandez was previously charged in an indictment in February 2025 and has remained in federal custody since that time.
According to court filings, Orovio-Hernandez, a Colombian national without lawful status in the United States, has lived under a stolen identity for more than 20 years. Using this stolen identity, Orovio-Hernandez allegedly obtained nine state IDs, including a Massachusetts Real ID and applied for a U.S. passport.
Orovio-Hernandez allegedly used the stolen identity to submit a fraudulent voter registration in January 2023 and cast a fraudulent ballot in the November 2024 presidential election. It is further alleged that Orovio-Hernandez improperly received approximately $400,000 in federal benefits: $259,589 in Section 8 rental assistance benefits from October 2011 through January 2025; $101,257 in Social Security disability benefits from July 2014 through January 2025; and $43,348 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from April 2005 through January 2025.
“For more than 20 years, this defendant is alleged to have built an entire life on the foundation of a stolen identity – including illegally voting in our presidential election and collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in government benefits intended for Americans in need. The right to vote is one of the many privileges of being a U.S. citizen. Government funded programs for those in need are intended to be safety nets for those living in our country lawfully – not support an illegal alien without a right to be here. Ms. Orovio-Hernandez was entitled to none of these privileges as a Colombian citizen who was unlawfully in this country. The alleged crimes are an affront to every individual who plays by the rules and undermines many of the programs meant to support the most vulnerable members of our society,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to root out individuals who abuse the system and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to protecting the integrity of the U.S. passport,” said Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Boston Field Office. “Our special agents work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement partners to detect and stop fraud when criminals attempt to unlawfully obtain and use passports. DSS continues to play a critical role in the United States’ efforts to combat illegal immigration and bring to justice those who seek to exploit the U.S. travel system.”
“Stealing someone’s identity to unlawfully obtain Social Security benefits is not just theft—it’s a long-term abuse of a system meant to support those truly in need,” said Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration (SSA), Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Boston-New York Field Division. “SSA OIG is committed to ensuring ineligible aliens are not receiving funds from SSA programs. For over 20 years, the defendant is alleged to have lived under a stolen identity, fraudulently collecting federal benefits, committing voter fraud, and undermining the integrity of public trust. This indictment reflects our continued commitment to uncovering long-term fraud and holding individuals accountable for exploiting the Social Security system.”
“Orovio-Hernandez allegedly spent two decades living under a stolen identity while simultaneously orchestrating a sophisticated multi-agency fraud scheme, misappropriating over $400,000 in federal benefits—funded by taxpayers—including Section 8 rental assistance funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “These critical housing funds support the most vulnerable populations, including families with very low income, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. HUD OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who engage in activities that threaten the integrity of HUD programs.”
The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years of in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of making a false statement in an application for a United States passport provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year sentence to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charges of receiving stolen government or property provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charges of fraudulent registration and fraudulent voting each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Foley; DSS SAC O’Brien; SSA OIG SAC Connelly; HUD OIG SAC Rice; and Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations – Northeast Region made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Cayuga County Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Andrew Wilbur, age 25, was sentenced today to 12 years’ incarceration for possessing child pornography. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As a part of his prior guilty plea, Wilbur, who previously served a state sentence for a 2019 child pornography conviction in Cayuga County Court, admitted that between January and May of 2024 he possessed child pornography images and videos depicting children as young as 4 years old being sexually abused. Wilbur admitted that he maintained these files in both an online social communication platform, and on his cellular telephone.
In addition to the 12-year sentence, Wilbur was ordered to serve 15 years of supervised release following his term of incarceration, and to forfeit the cellular telephone he used to commit the offense. In addition, Wilbur will be required to continue to register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “This arrest continues to demonstrate my office’s close cooperation with our state and local partners to prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law, especially those who repeatedly victimize children.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli said, “This sentence sends a clear message that our office will use every resource available to bring individuals who repeatedly victimize innocent children to justice. We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities from these dangerous predators.”
The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated this case, which was initiated by the New York State Police, and the Cayuga County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Fletcher, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator for the Northern District of New York, prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Canoncito Man Sentenced for Role in 2022 Fatal AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Canoncito man was sentenced to three years’ probation for his role in the violent 2022 assault that led to the death of John Doe.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on May 27, 2022, Landen Toledo, 21, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, along with Cole Ray Shorty, confronted John Doe at his residence to retrieve Shorty’s backpack. During the confrontation, John Doe exited his vehicle with a baseball bat. Toledo grabbed John Doe by the wrists, threw him to the ground, and kicked him in the stomach several times, causing him to drop the bat. Shorty then struck John Doe on the head with the bat. John Doe was left unconscious at the scene and later died from blunt head trauma.
Shorty pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 72 months in prison.
Toledo pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case.
California Man Sentenced to 108 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Antonio Curiel, 44 years old, of San Ysedro, California, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Curiel was sentenced to 108 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.According to documents in the case, in March 2024, Curiel was transporting more than 18 kilograms of cocaine from California to the East Coast in a vehicle when he was stopped by law enforcement in Northern Indiana. Curiel admitted he was being paid for his transportation services, and this was not the first time making such a trip.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration including the DEA North Central Laboratory with assistance from the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
California Man Sentenced for 20-Year Scheme to Evade Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
A California man was sentenced today to 96 months in prison and ordered to pay $38 million in restitution for a decades-long scheme to evade employment taxes.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: for more than 20 years, Luis E. Perez was the owner and primary decision-maker for more than a dozen labor staffing companies including Check Mate Inc., BaronHR LLC, BaronHR West Inc., and Fortress Holding Group LLC. Typically, a labor staffing company helps connect job candidates with client-companies looking for temporary employees. The staffing company also usually remains responsible for paying the temporary employees’ wages and complying with associated reporting and tax obligations. Specifically, the companies were responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the IRS each quarter. They were also responsible for paying their own Social Security and Medicare taxes. The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government, because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.
For nearly as long as Perez was in business, he was noncompliant with his tax obligations. Starting as early as 2001, Perez began not paying over the full amount of taxes withheld from employees’ wages or the full amount of Social Security and Medicare taxes his companies owed. In June 2007, Perez personally owed the IRS taxes related to Check Mate Inc., which the IRS was attempting to collect. By 2017, Perez’s outstanding tax liability had ballooned to nearly $30 million. Between 2007 and 2017, Perez tried to hinder IRS collection efforts in a number of ways. He used BaronHR and Fortress Holding Group’s bank accounts to make personal purchases, such as several luxury items, including automobiles and a boat. He titled the items in the names of several nominees to conceal his ownership from the IRS and to prevent the IRS from seizing them. In addition, he opened a credit card in the name of a nominee and used the card to make personal purchases. He then paid the bills for that credit card from those same business bank accounts. Perez also funneled money from BaronHR and Fortress Holding Group to a nominee, but then used the funds for himself. To further impede IRS collection efforts, Perez lied to IRS revenue officers and submitted false forms to the IRS about his income.
Perez’s misconduct continued even after he was charged for tax offenses in February 2018. From January 2018 through June 2019, he reported that BaronHR West had paid total wages of approximately $54 million and paid approximately $7 million in total taxes on these wages to the IRS. In fact, BaronHR West paid approximately $185 million in total wages and was required but did not pay approximately $37 million in total taxes to the IRS. Similarly, during the first quarter of 2022, BaronHR West paid about $30 million in wages and was obligated to pay nearly $6 million in taxes. The company paid only $76,000.
In total, Perez caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $60 million.
Instead of paying his tax obligations, Perez used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle for himself, including multiple large residences, courtside seats to the Los Angeles Lakers, a private jet, a yacht, and dozens of luxury automobiles, including Bentleys and Lamborghinis.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Kenly Kiya Kato for the Central District of California ordered Perez to serve three years of supervised release and pay $38,052,767 in restitution to the IRS.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli for the Central District of California made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Robert Kemins of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brett A. Sagel and James C. Hughes for the Central District of California prosecuted the case
Brooklyn Center Woman Pleads Guilty for Her Role in a Black-Market Travel Agent Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Reginae Calhoun of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota has pleaded guilty to access device fraud and aggravated identify theft, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, from at least April 2024 to June 2024, Reginae Calhoun, 23, operated as a black-market travel agent. She purchased credit card information—including name, address, card numbers, expiration date, and CV2 code—of approximately 216 different victims on the dark web, which she used to book hotel rooms and rental cars for others. Calhoun’s customers paid her a fraction of the actual booking costs through peer-to-peer payment applications or in cash.
According to court documents, on June 2, 2024, Calhoun attempted to purchase airline tickets by using several different credit cards until the purchase was successful. Due to the several attempts, the airline reported suspected credit card fraud to the airport police. Airport police confirmed with the credit card owners that Calhoun was not authorized to use their cards.
“The ingenuity of Minnesota’s fraudsters seems to know no bounds,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Calhoun stole hundreds of victim identities and used them to conduct a black-market travel agent fraud scheme—stealing from others to enrich herself. She will now be held accountable in federal court.”
“Criminals who turn to the dark web to buy and sell stolen information are part of a growing threat to our digital security,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “This defendant built a business by exploiting the stolen identities and financial information of over 200 of innocent victims. The anonymity of the internet does not protect offenders from detection. The FBI and our partners will continue to find and expose these schemes and hold offenders accountable.”
Calhoun pleaded guilty on May 19, 2025, in U.S. District Court before Judge John R. Tunheim to one count of access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the MSP Airport Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case.
Bowling Green, Kentucky Man Sentenced to Federal Prison and Ordered to Pay $40,000 in Restitution for Odometer TamperingRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Bowling Green man was sentenced yesterday to 1 year and 6 months in federal prison, and was ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution, for wire fraud, conspiracy to commit odometer tampering, and four counts of odometer tampering.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Porter of the U.S. Department of Transportation made the announcement.
“Let this case serve notice to like-minded fraudsters that taking advantage of our citizens comes at a cost - federal prison and large fines,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett.
Randy Huff, 59, owner of South Side Auto Sales in Bowling Green and Huff’s Auto Sales in Beaver Dam, was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison, followed by 1 year of supervised release, for wire fraud, conspiracy to commit odometer tampering, and four counts of odometer tampering. According to court documents, between June 2018 and January 2023, Huff, aided and abetted by an employee, devised a scheme to defraud buyers of used cars by fraudulently reducing the mileage shown on the odometers of vehicles sold at his used car lots. In the scheme, Huff purchased high mileage vehicles at auction, then directed his employees to replace the vehicles’ odometers with ones showing lower mileage. Buyers were not informed of the odometer replacements.
Huff was also ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution.
On March 11, 2025, an employee at South Side Auto Sales, Donnie Wilson, 51, also of Bowling Green, was sentenced to probation for a term of 3 years, and ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution for wire fraud, conspiracy to commit odometer tampering, and four counts of odometer tampering.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Kentucky Department of Transportation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Sewell of the Louisville Office, prosecuted the case.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that odometer fraud in the United States results in consumer losses of more than $1 billion annually and has established a special hotline to handle odometer fraud complaints. Individuals with information related to odometer tampering should call (800) 424-9393, or email [email protected].
More information on odometer fraud is available on the NHTSA website, https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/odometer-fraud.
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Berkeley County Men Indicted for $74 Million Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Charleston returned a 17-count indictment against Jimmy Soares De Oliveira Carvalho, 46, and Jose Rivelino Serafim Da Silva, 53, both of Berkeley County, for money laundering and money laundering conspiracy. Carvalho is also charged with witness tampering.
The indictment alleges that Carvalho and Da Silva created 11 shell companies that purported to work in the construction industry to facilitate payments from contractors who were engaged in residential and commercial construction to their laborers, who frequently were undocumented and performing work on behalf of the contractors. Carvalho, Da Silva, and others used the shell companies to operate an unlicensed check cashing business and unlawfully cashed checks for individuals and companies working in the construction industry for a 3 to 5 percent fee. From January 2017 to the date of the indictment, Carvahlo, Da Silva, and others unlawfully cashed approximately $74 million in checks for clients of the shell companies.
For counts one through 12 and 17, Carvalho faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and for counts 13 through 16 Carvalho faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Carvalho is currently detained and has a detention hearing scheduled for Friday, May 23 at 9 a.m. before the United States Magistrate Judge Molly H. Cherry.
Da Silva, for count one and counts nine through 12, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and for counts 13 through 16, Da Silva faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Da Silva is scheduled for an initial appearance Friday, May 23 at 9 a.m. before the United States Magistrate Judge Molly H. Cherry.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Bower and Whit Sowards are prosecuting the case.
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition by Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Brandon Carroll, 32, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to the guilty plea, on April 25, 2023, BPD officers observed Carroll engaging in multiple hand-to-hand drug exchanges. When an arrest team approached Carroll, he attempted to flee on a dirt bike but fell. Law enforcement then took him into custody.
While searching Carroll, officers recovered 32 gelcaps — containing a mixture of fentanyl and oxycodone pills — and a key to a nearby Hyundai vehicle. After officers found the vehicle, a trained K-9 detected the presence of narcotics inside.
A search of the vehicle yielded a Beretta Nano 9mm pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition; 35 additional rounds of 9mm ammunition; and a Smith & Wesson magazine for a .40 caliber handgun. Additionally, law enforcement discovered 844 units of a fentanyl mixture packaged for distribution; eight units of cocaine packaged for distribution; 14 Suboxone strips; two digital scales with white residue; two plastic bags of packaging material; $2,443 in cash; and mail that belonged to Carroll and the vehicle’s registered owner. Due to a prior felony conviction, Carroll is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James O’Donohue who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Ataire Carl Ray (30, Tampa) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Ray qualified as an Armed Career Criminal after having committed at least three prior serious violent or drug offenses.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on April 1, 2022, Ray got into an argument during which he waived around a 9mm firearm with an extended magazine, while making various threats. Tampa Police Department officers were called to the scene and approached Ray, who ran and threw the loaded gun into a neighboring property, where it was quickly recovered. Ray was apprehended about a block away from where he threw the firearm.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.
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.
Armed Asheville Drug Distributor of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Is Sentenced to over 28 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Zachery Micah Rice, a 35-year-old Asheville man, was sentenced today to 342 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking ring that distributed many kilograms of fentanyl, methamphetamine and other drugs in Asheville and surrounding areas, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term, Rice was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
According to records filed in the case, from 2021 to 2023, Rice was a major distributor methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in Buncombe, Henderson, and Transylvania Counties. He obtained the drugs from a supplier in Atlanta and transported them back to Western North Carolina for further distribution through a local network of traffickers and dealers. During one trip, law enforcement stopped and searched Rice’s vehicle, seizing over 11.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, a .40 caliber pistol modified to fully automatic with a machinegun conversion device known as a “Glock switch,” and more than $32,683 in cash. Investigators later executed search warrants at stash houses and a storage unit used by Rice, recovering kilogram quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine, multiple firearms, including high-capacity magazines ammunition, digital scales, drug paraphernalia used for drug distribution, and more than $27,470.
Rice pleaded guilty on October 18, 2024, to conspiracy to possess methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a machinegun.
Rice remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending placement by the federal Bureau of Prisons.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina, the Asheville Police Department, the Waynesville Police Department, the Cherokee Indian Police Department, the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, the Swain County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville handled 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Charges Arising from Fatal Drunk Driving CrashRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of assault resulting in serious injury following a fatal drunk driving crash.
According to court records, on November 14, 2024, Marvin Wauneka, 40, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, drove under the influence of alcohol, resulting in a single-vehicle, high-speed rollover crash on Navajo Route 54 within the Navajo Nation. The crash caused the deaths of two passengers and seriously injured a third passenger. As the time, Wauneka had a prior DUI conviction.
At sentencing, Wauneka faces a maximum of 26 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Wauneka will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Wauneka).pdfArizona Man Guilty of Drug Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that CASEY THORNTON (“THORNTON”), age 33, of Phoenix, Arizona pled guilty on May 14, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846.
According to court documents, THORNTON conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere. On August 17, 2023, THORNTON mailed two packages, using the United States Postal Service in Scottsdale, Arizona, to a co-conspirator in New Orleans. Each package contained over 500 grams of blue fentanyl pills. On October 19, 2023, THORNTON mailed two additional packages from Arizona to a co-conspirator in New Orleans. Each of those packages contained over 500 grams of blue fentanyl pills.
THORNTON faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $ 1,000,000, at least 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Arden, N.C. Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficker Is Sentenced to 11+ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Franklin Carlos Fair, 55, of Arden, N.C., was sentenced today to 134 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to documents filed with the court and proceedings, in July 2023, law enforcement learned that Fair, who had prior state convictions for drug trafficking, was distributing kilogram amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Buncombe County. During a November 7, 2023, traffic stop in Anderson, South Carolina, deputies stopped Fair as he traveled from Atlanta to Western North Carolina. Deputies found nearly $3,800 in cash in Fair’s pockets. They also recovered a heat-sealed package and a plastic bag that contained more than 255 grams of fentanyl, which Fair had tossed out the car window before he was stopped.
According to court documents, on April 17, 2024, an individual cooperating with law enforcement arranged to buy from Fair $4,400 worth of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Fair was arrested when he arrived at the agreed location to make the drug sale. After Fair was taken into custody, law enforcement searched his vehicle and recovered more than a half a kilogram of methamphetamine and over 20 grams of fentanyl.
On October 23, 2024, Fair pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. He remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending placement by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina, and Waynesville Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville handled 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Altoona Man Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Altoona, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 46 months of imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release, on his conviction for violating federal narcotics laws related to a six-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around Blair, Cambria, Centre, and Clearfield counties, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Andrew Stowell, 67.
According to information presented to the Court, Stowell was part of an Altoona-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) and, on December 12, 2022, sold a quarter-pound of methamphetamine to an undercover police officer on behalf of the leader of that DTO.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Service–Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Stowell.
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.
Albany Man Arrested for Posing Online as a Teenage Boy to Obtain Child Sexual Abuse Material from a Minor VictimRead the Press Release
CONCORD – An Albany man was arrested for posing online as a teenage boy to obtain child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from a minor victim, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Brian Hargraves, 54, was arrested on Tuesday and indicted yesterday on charges of Possession of and Access with Intent to View Child Pornography. He appeared in federal court on May 21, 2025.
According to the charging documents, on April 29, 2025, law enforcement conducted a search of Hargraves mobile phones following a citizen complaint. A review of one of the phones revealed sexually explicit images and videos of a 16-year-old minor victim. Hargraves allegedly met the minor victim online and told her that he was a teenage boy and asked her to create explicit videos and images of herself to send to him.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department and the Conway Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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