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Wednesday 21 May 2025
Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that RAUDEL MIRANDA-MARTINEZ (“MIRANDA-MARTINEZ”), age 47, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced on May 13, 2025 after previously pleading guilty to violating Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), illegal re-entry of a removed alien.
According to court records, on or about January 11, 2023, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents encountered MIRANDA-MARTINEZ at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center after his arrest for public intoxication in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. MIRANDA-MARTINEZ had unlawfully reentered the United States after being originally deported on September 9, 2004.
Since his 2004 deportation MIRANDA-MARTINEZ has unlawfully reentered the United States, and thereafter been removed on at least five occasions, that is on September 26, 2005,October 14, 2011, January 3, 2013, March 6, 2018, and finally on September 6, 2022. In connection with his unlawful reentries, MIRANDA-MARTINEZ has two prior convictions for Illegal Re-entry of a Previously Removed Alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). Specifically, in 2009, he was sentenced to 26 months’ imprisonment, and in 2015, he was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment. MIRANDA-MARTINEZ has additional criminal convictions including drug possession, theft, and burglary.
On May 13, 2025, U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long sentenced RAUDEL MIRANDA-MARTINEZ to 66 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican National Indicted for Allegedly Attempting to Smuggle over 1100 Pounds of Meth into the U.S. Through Eagle PassRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A federal grand jury in Del Rio returned an indictment charging a Mexican national with four counts related to methamphetamine trafficking.
According to court documents, Veronica Sanchez-Pineda, 46, of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, approached the Eagle Pass Port of Entry in a pickup truck on April 20, allegedly giving Customs and Border Protection officers a negative declaration for contraband including narcotics. A secondary inspection allegedly resulted in the discovery of a crystal-like substance inside an auxiliary tank in the bed of the truck. The liquid was extracted and resulted in a positive test result for the properties of methamphetamine, a criminal complaint alleges. The total approximate weight of the alleged narcotic was 521.03 kg.
The criminal complaint also alleges that Sanchez-Pineda consented to a search of her cell phone, which contained a text message about a “job” in Eagle Pass as well as screenshots of money transfers between the defendant and another individual. Sanchez-Pineda allegedly admitted to being involved in illegal activity regarding the contents of the auxiliary tank and that she was being compensated in Mexican Pesos.
Sanchez-Pineda is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute; one count of conspiracy to import methamphetamine; and one count of importation of methamphetamine. She was arrested and made her initial court appearance April 24 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew H. Watters of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, Sanchez-Pineda faces 10 years to life in prison and up to a $10 million fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Warsame Galaydh is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Merrill Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distribution of MethRead the Press Release
Larry Snyder, Jr., 44, from Merrill, Iowa, was sentenced May 16, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City. Snyder, Jr. pled guilty on January 7, 2025, and January 30, 2025, to one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and four counts of distributing methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from November 2023 through August 2024, Snyder, Jr. and others conspired to distribute 1500 grams or more of methamphetamine in the Sioux City, Iowa area. On four occasions in 2024, Snyder, Jr. distributed a total of over 650 grams of pure methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. The last transaction occurred within 1000 feet of an elementary school. Evidence further showed that on August 26, 2024, Snyder, Jr. and a co-conspirator were in possession of or involved with an additional 479 grams of pure methamphetamine. In September 2024, Snyder, Jr. tried to elude law enforcement by means of a high-speed chase, and later, a foot-pursuit with law enforcement agents before his apprehension.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Snyder, Jr. remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. Snyder, Jr. was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of five years of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4064.
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Mechanicville Man Charged with Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jonathan Macdonald, age 31, of Mechanicville, New York, was charged yesterday with receipt and possession of 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.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
United States Attorney Sarcone said: “We are grateful to our partners at the FBI and the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work in investigating this case so far.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: “The FBI will continue to use every resource available to investigate these predators and bring them to justice. We remain grateful to our law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local level who join us in this shared goal of protecting our most vulnerable.”
If convicted on all charges, Macdonald faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute(s) the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. If convicted, Macdonald would also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
Macdonald had his initial appearance yesterday in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Friday, May 23.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating this case, which was initiated by the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Walter is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
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.
McLaughlin Man Sentenced to 4 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on May 19, 2025.
Norman Ray Red Legs, age 38, was sentenced to four years and five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Red Legs was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He pleaded guilty on September 30, 2024.
During the early morning hours of March 11, 2024, a 46-year-old woman awoke to Red Legs punching her in the face. When she cried for him to cease, Red Legs struck the woman several times in the knees with a pot. Red Legs desisted only when his girlfriend told him to stop. The woman sustained extensive bruising to her face, right arm, and legs and was wheelchair-bound for several weeks. The assault occurred at a mutual acquaintance’s home in McLaughlin, South Dakota, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Red Legs was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
McLaughlin Man Sentenced to 2 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Burglary of a Home within the Standing Rock ReservationRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of First Degree Burglary. The sentencing took place on May 19, 2025.
Brian Wallace Taken Alive, age 34, was sentenced to two years and sixth months months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Taken Alive was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 21, 2024.
Shortly after nightfall on July 5, 2023, Taken Alive and two co-defendants went to a woman’s home in McLaughlin, South Dakota, to assault a man they believed had inappropriately touched a girl. McLaughlin lies within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. As the woman yelled at them to go away, Taken Alive kicked in her front door. Taken Alive and another co-defendant rushed into the house while their accomplice stood on the stoop. Although the man they came to find was passed out, Taken Alive repeatedly kicked him in the face and struck him with a bar while a co-defendant illumined the scene with a cell phone flashlight. The victim incurred a broken nose and shattered orbital and sinus bones in the affray. He still struggles with his vision and headaches today.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Taken Alive was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Massachusetts Couple to Plead Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A couple from Randolph, Mass., has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to running a Ponzi scheme that defrauded dozens of individual investors out of millions of dollars.
Milendophe Duperier, 33, and Vanessa Joseph, 26, have agreed to plead guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Plea hearings for the defendants have not yet been scheduled by the Court.
According to the charging documents, Duperier acted as an investment advisor, soliciting investments from individuals and advising them that their funds would be invested in the securities markets. Joseph was allegedly Duperier’s girlfriend and business partner.
It is alleged that, between early 2018 and December 2022, Duperier and Joseph defrauded dozens of individual investors by falsely representing that Duperier would use the entirety of their investments to purchase securities. However, instead of investing the funds in the securities markets as promised, Duperier and Joseph allegedly used the funds to pay prior investors and for personal purchases and expenses – including payments for luxury vehicles and mortgage and credit card debt.
In total, the charging documents allege that Duperier and Joseph defrauded individual investors, some of whom had invested their life savings, of more than $3.2 million. As part of the alleged scheme, Duperier and Joseph allegedly applied for and received small business loans for various entities and used the loan proceeds to pay purported investment returns to victim investors. It is further alleged that Duperier made false statements and excuses to investors as to why he had not made promised interest payments and/or could not return the investors’ principal.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. 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.
If you have questions, concerns or information about this case, please reach out to [email protected].
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie A. Queenin and Leslie A. Wright of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mapleton, Iowa, Man Who Possessed Child Pornography Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Gregory William Douglas McCormick, 23, from Mapleton, Iowa, was sentenced May 20, 2025, to 5 years in federal prison. McCormick received the prison term after a January 6, 2025, guilty plea to possession of child pornography.
Evidence in the case showed that between May 1, 2022, and February 23, 2023, McCormick received, distributed, and possessed child pornography. In 2022, the internet messaging application Kik became aware one of its users uploaded approximately seven files that depicted child pornography. Kik reported the account to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and a CyberTip report was assigned to the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Child Task Force. Law enforcement tracked the account back to McCormick. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at McCormick’s residence and during an interview with law enforcement he confirmed he was the individual responsible for the receipt and distribution of child pornography connected to the CyberTip. McCormick admitted there would be child pornography on his current cell phone as well as two older cell phones. A forensic search of McCormick’s cell phones and Kik account showed he possessed a total of 120 images and 7 videos of child pornography. The videos and images included infants and toddlers as well as sadistic and masochistic conduct.
McCormick was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. McCormick was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $10,100 in restitution and assessments. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. McCormick is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Cyber Crime Bureau and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-4047.
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Man Sentenced to over Three Years in Federal Prison for Stealing More Than $1.3 Million from San Francisco Law FirmsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Tony Archuleta-Perkins, 49, of Palm Springs, was sentenced today to 37 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley handed down the sentence.
Archuleta-Perkins, who was indicted in June 2024, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of bank fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344(2) and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity (money laundering) in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957.
Archuleta-Perkins was hired in 2017 by a San Francisco law firm and eventually became the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of that firm as well as a related law firm. As the CFO, Archuleta-Perkins was in a position of trust and had access to the law firms’ payroll systems and end-to-end payments automation platforms. He used his position to embezzle more than $1 million while he worked at the firms. From 2017 through 2023, Archuleta-Perkins stole more than $1.3 million and used that money for, among other things, improvements to and mortgages on three houses he owned.
Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Corley also sentenced Archuleta-Perkins to a three-year period of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $1,321,752.72.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikhil Bhagat is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Mark Coon, 55, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 20, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Coon to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Coon’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On October 4, 2023, Coon was contacted by narcotics investigators at a gas station in Lincoln and was found in possession of a bag containing more than 110 grams of meth. Purity testing at the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Laboratory showed the bag contained at least 100 grams of actual (pure) meth. Coon agreed to talk to investigators. Coon said he intended to sell the meth found on that date. He said he had sold a total of about two and one-half pounds of meth to seven customers over the prior month.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery of Jewelry StoreRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to the December 2023 armed robbery of a jewelry store in Lawrence, where he stole over $500,000 worth of jewelry and precious metals.
Rosnel Polanco, 26, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (commonly referred to as Hobbs Act robbery). U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Aug. 12, 2025. In August 2024, Polanco was charged along with two co-conspirators.
On Dec. 15, 2023, Polanco, and allegedly his co-conspirators, entered a Lawrence jewelry store armed with firearms. Numerous employees of the store were present at the time, and it is alleged that the defendants robbed them of their jewelry and cell phones. Polanco and his alleged co-conspirators then allegedly pointed firearms at the victims’ heads and pressed the firearms to their backs as they brought the employees to the basement where the store’s office and safes were located.
Once downstairs, Polanco and his alleged co-conspirators forced the owner of the store to open the safes containing the jewelry and other precious metals. In total, approximately $500,000 in jewelry and precious metals are alleged to have been taken. The second safe could not be successfully opened. Polanco and his alleged co-conspirators then fled the scene in a rented Nissan Altima that was later found burned and torched in a field in Maine the following day.
The charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Essex District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lawrence Acting Chief of Police Millix Bonilla made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cumberland County (Maine) Sheriff’s Department and the Norway (Maine) and Oxford (Maine) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Kansas City Man Charged for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was charged in a federal criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Vinol Wilson, 50, made his first appearance in federal court after his arrest on May 20, 2025.
The affidavit in support of the complaint alleges that the Jackson County Drug Task Force (JCDTF) initiated an investigation into drug sales in the Kansas City metro area. The JCDTF identified Wilson as being a source of supply of MDMA/methamphetamine and cocaine. Additionally, since 2022, Wilson has been an ongoing target of a dog fighting investigation by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The affidavit in support of the complaint also alleges that on May 20, 2025, a search warrant was executed at Wilson’s residence with the assistance of the Kansas City Police Department. Inside the residence, investigators located a Stag Arms AR pistol, .556 caliber, with a round in the chamber and 29 rounds in the magazine inside the primary bedroom. Wilson is a prohibited person because he previously pleaded guilty to a federal drug charge in the District of Kansas. In 2010, Wilson was sentenced to 121 months in prison on that case.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Becker and David Barnes. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, and the United States Marshals Service.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Justice Department Seizes Domains Behind Major Information-Stealing Malware OperationRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today the unsealing of two warrants authorizing the seizure of five internet domains used by malicious cyber actors to operate the LummaC2 information-stealing malware service.
“The Department will continue to use its unique tools, authorities, and partnerships to disrupt malicious cyber operations and criminal networks,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s disruption is another instance where our prosecutors, agents, and private sector partners came together to protect us from the persistent cybersecurity threats targeting our country. We are grateful for their work and dedication.”
“Malware like LummaC2 is deployed to steal sensitive information such as user login credentials from millions of victims in order to facilitate a host of crimes, including fraudulent bank transfers and cryptocurrency theft,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that the Justice Department is resolved to use court-ordered disruptions like this one to protect the public from the theft of their personal information and their assets. The Department is also committed to working with and appreciates the efforts of the private sector to safeguard the public from cybercrime.”
“The FBI is committed to disrupting the key services that cyber criminals rely on,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of FBI’s Cyber Division. “That’s why, with our partners, we took action against the most popular infostealer service available in online criminal markets, which is responsible for millions of attacks against victims. Thanks to partnerships with the private sector, we were able to disrupt the LummaC2 infrastructure and seize user panels. Together, we are making it harder, and more painful, for cyber criminals to operate.”
As alleged in the affidavits filed in support of the government’s seizure warrants, the administrators of LummaC2 used the seized websites to distribute LummaC2, an information-stealing malware, to their affiliates and other cyber criminals. According to court documents, common targets for cybercriminals using malware like LummaC2 include browser data, autofill information, login credentials for accessing email and banking services, as well as cryptocurrency seed phrases, which permit access to virtual currency wallets. As alleged in the affidavits, the FBI has identified at least 1.7 million instances where LummaC2 was used to steal this type of information.
The government’s affidavit further alleges that the seized domains, also referred to as user panels, served as login pages for the LummaC2 malware, allowing credentialed users and administrators to access and deploy LummaC2. On May 19, 2025, the government seized two domains. On May 20, 2025, as detailed in court documents, the LummaC2 administrators informed their users of three new domains that they had set up to host the user panel. The next day, the government then seized those three domains.
The seizure of these domains by the government will prevent the owners and cybercriminals from using the websites to access LummaC2 to compromise computers and steal victim information. Individuals who now visit the websites will see a message indicating that the site has been seized by the Justice Department, including the FBI.
Concurrent with today’s actions and consistent with the Department’s approach to public-private operational coordination, Microsoft announced an independent civil action to take down 2,300 internet domains also claimed to be used by the LummaC2 actors or their proxies.
FBI’s Dallas Field Office is investigating the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section, and the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are handling the case.
The U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, offers a reward of up to $10 million for information on foreign government-linked individuals participating in certain malicious cyber activities against U.S. critical infrastructure in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
Anyone with information on any other foreign government-linked malicious cyber actors or activity targeting U.S. critical infrastructure should contact Rewards for Justice via the RFJ Tor-based tip line at: he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion (Tor browser required). Learn more about Rewards for Justice and their reward offers at RewardsforJustice.net.
If you believe you have a compromised computer or device, please visit the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). You may also contact your local FBI field office directly.
Jury convicts home health agency owner in Medicare fraud and identity theft schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 64-year-old man has been convicted of all counts as charged for leading a Medicare fraud scheme involving the submission of falsified medical records, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for less than two hours before convicting Paul Njoku following a three-day trial.
Njoku owned and operated a home health care agency called Opnet Health Care Services Inc. doing business as P & P Health Care Services. Njoku was the owner and CEO.
The jury heard testimony from witnesses that Njoku, or others working at his direction, forged signatures of doctors and nurses. Specifically, Njoku and others cut out old signatures and taped them onto newly created doctors’ orders, nursing notes and nursing assessments. Medicare required home health agencies to maintain these documents to obtain payment for providing home health services. Njoku then submitted the falsified records in response to a request for records from Medicare.
The jury also heard about a registered nurse who had departed Opnet in 2017. Njoku continued using her signature on nursing notes and assessments in 2018 and 2019 without her knowledge or consent.
A witness also testified that Njoku bribed a doctor in exchange for approving home health services.
From 2015 to 2019, Opnet billed Medicare over $400,000 in claims for home health services and received over $360,000. Opnet did not maintain the required documentation for many of them and later falsified records to support the claims.
During the trial, a representative testified that Medicare would not have paid these claims had Medicare known there was no documentation or that they were based on falsified records.
“It is absolutely paramount that Americans—both as patients and as taxpayers—have confidence in the integrity of medical providers that receive Medicare funds. Here, the defendant unrepentantly abused that trust by engaging in bribery and stealing from Medicare,” said Ganjei. “With today’s guilty verdict, the Southern District of Texas aims to restore some of that lost trust. I thank the jury for their time and attention to this important case.”
The defense attempted to blame another person for the fraud. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett presided over the trial and will set sentencing at a later date. At that time, Njoku will face a maximum of 10 years for conspiracy to commit health care fraud, five years for two counts of false statements relating to health care matters as well as another two years for the identity theft which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. The convictions also carry a possible $250,000 fine for each count.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
The FBI, Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General and Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christian Latham and Kathryn Olson are prosecuting the case.
Jury Convicts South Boston Man on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A federal jury sitting in Roanoke convicted a man from South Boston, Virginia, yesterday of federal drug and gun charges.
Following a two-day trial, the jury found Richard Elijah Jacobs, 27, guilty of possessing cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute it, possessing machineguns in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on February 3, 2024, police received a report that two men brandished guns from a newer white Jaguar in downtown South Boston. An officer saw the Jaguar park in a shopping center, and he approached as Jacobs exited the driver’s side of the car. Meanwhile, the passenger, James Alexander Hiett, evaded the officer and quickly walked away. Hiett was later identified by store surveillance cameras.
Other officers arrived on scene and spotted a gun protruding from the backseat of the car, prompting them to search it. Ultimately, officers found three loaded guns: a Glock 21 pistol with a 40-round drum magazine beneath the driver’s floormat; a Radical Firearms RF-15 pistol behind the driver’s seat; and a Glock 19 pistol under the passenger seat. The Glock 21 and RF-15 pistols were equipped with machinegun conversion devices that allowed for fully automatic fire.
Inside the Jaguar’s trunk, officers also found thousands of dollars’ worth of cocaine powder, cocaine base, and marijuana, as well as paraphernalia for packaging and selling the drugs.
Hiett previously pled guilty to related charges and was sentenced to 33 months in prison.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The South Boston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Halifax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Drew Inman and Kelly McGann prosecuted the case for the United States.
Jury Convicts Savannah Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A jury convicted a Savannah man at trial for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Ronald Lamont Milton, 74, Savannah, GA, was convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person following a jury trial in the Southern District of Georgia, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker presided over the trial.
In July 2023, law enforcement obtained a warrant for Milton’s arrest on a felony offense involving a firearm. While executing the arrest warrant, law enforcement found a .357 revolver in Milton’s waistband. As described in courtroom testimony, Milton has a history of offenses in the Savannah area that span over a 30-year period. At the time of his arrest, he was on state probation for Aggravated Battery, Burglary, and False Imprisonment convictions from the Superior Court of Chatham County.
Milton awaits sentencing upon the U.S. Probation Services completing a presentence investigation.
“With our law enforcement partners, we continue the work of removing firearms from the hands of those who can’t legally possess them – especially those convicted of prior felonies,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “This effort is a vital step in reducing gun violence in our communities.”
“This conviction reinforces a clear message: if you are prohibited from possessing a firearm and choose to ignore that law, you will be held accountable,” said ASAC Beau Kolodka. “ATF will continue to stand with our local and federal partners to combat gun crime and keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals.”
“I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this case,” said Chief Lenny B. Gunther, Savannah Police Department. “Getting guns out of the hands of those who have no business possessing them is, and will remain, one of our highest priorities.”
The case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia Assistant United States Attorney Timothy P. Dean and Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese. For any questions, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Jefferson County man sentenced for possessing machinegun conversion deviceRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for possessing a machinegun in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Aaron Charles Hill, 22, pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on May 21, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on July 15, 2024, law enforcement was dispatched to an apartment complex on Pinchback Road in Beaumont in reference to a disturbance with a firearm. The victim reported being chased by multiple armed persons trying to shoot him. Hill was apprehended attempting to leave the scene with two stolen pistols, one of which was equipped with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device, also referred to as a Glock switch. A Glock switch is a small device that can be attached to the rear of the slide of a handgun, converting a semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic machinegun. Federal law defines a machinegun as a weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn.
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Jamestown man going to prison for selling methRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Richard S. Dean, 49, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, 500 grams of methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that the defendant was a drug trafficking associate of co-defendant Douglas Beardsley. During the conspiracy, Dean would go over to Beardsley’s residences on Linden and Forest Avenues in Jamestown several times a week and pick up ounces of methamphetamine and grams of heroin to sell for Beardsley. At times, Beardsley would “front” the narcotics to the defendant to sell. Dean and Beardsley would often communicate about their drug trafficking, including through their Facebook accounts.
On January 6, 2019, local law enforcement observed a suspicious male, later identified as the defendant. Dean became evasive and ran from officers. Shortly thereafter, the defendant was taken into custody and arrested on an outstanding warrant. Dean was transported to the Jamestown City jail where a subsequent search revealed that he possessed methamphetamine, heroin, plastic baggies, a digital scale, and Dimethyl Sulfone, a common cutting agent for methamphetamine. On March 21, 2019, the defendant pleaded guilty in Chautauqua County Court to Criminal Possession Controlled Substance-5th: Intent To Sell and Criminal Sale Controlled Substance-5th Degree.
Douglas Beardsley was previously convicted and sentenced to serve 176 months in prison.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division; and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson.
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Jackson Health Foundation Executive Charged with Pocketing over $1 million in Kickbacks, Stealing Foundation Money to Buy Designer Handbags and Rose Gold Golf CartRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal indictment unsealed today charges former Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Jackson Health Foundation with designing a scheme to embezzle from the nonprofit foundation by submitting false invoices and taking kickbacks.
According to the indictment, Charmaine Gatlin, 52, formerly of Weston, Fla., served as the COO of the Jackson Health Foundation from 2014 through 2024. The Foundation is the fundraising arm of Jackson Health System (Jackson), a nonprofit hospital and medical system that serves Miami-Dade County. In addition to philanthropic contributions, Jackson’s funding comes from sales taxes, federal government programs, and other sources. As COO, Gatlin received a base salary ranging from $185,000 to $290,000. She signed a conflict-of-interest form with the Foundation preventing her from making decisions that resulted in personal gain.
The indictment alleges that Gatlin submitted false invoices to the Foundation for at least $3.6 million in goods and services that: (a) funded kickbacks to Gatlin; (b) were never provided to the Foundation or Jackson; (c) were provided to Gatlin or her relatives instead of the Foundation or Jackson; or (d) were provided to an Atlanta-based civic organization (Civic Organization 1).
For example, as charged in the indictment, Gatlin approved approximately $2 million in invoices to a Georgia-based audiovisual company for services that were not provided to the Foundation. Instead, the vendor allegedly paid $1 million in kickbacks directly to Gatlin, some of which she used to pay her personal credit card bill. The indictment alleges that Gatlin coached the vendor, via email, on how to falsify invoices.
The indictment also alleges that Gatlin falsified invoices from a merchandise vendor who, at Gatlin’s request, bought her expensive designer gifts from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Apple. Gatlin also submitted a false invoice to the Foundation to cover the purchase of a new rose gold-colored golf cart that she had delivered to her Weston, Florida home in September 2023.
The indictment charges Gatlin with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, 26 counts of wire fraud, and five counts of money laundering. Gatlin faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each of the conspiracy and substantive wire fraud counts. She faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment on each money laundering count.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne of the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Young is prosecuting this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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-sdfl. The case number is 25-cr-20220.
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International Diamond Dealer Charged with Fraudulent Scheme to Obtain over $3 Million of DiamondsRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging business man and diamond dealer EDWARD CARLOS ST. MARY III with wire fraud in connection with his scheme to fraudulently obtain diamonds belonging to an international exporter and manufacturer of natural diamonds (the “Diamond Company”). ST. MARY was arrested yesterday morning and was presented yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
“As alleged, Edward Carlos St. Mary orchestrated an international scheme to steal over $3 million of uncut diamonds,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He falsified bank records and repeatedly lied to line his own pockets. New York’s Diamond District is one of the world’s foremost destinations for the sale of precious gems, and this Office and its law enforcement partners are committed to ensuring both wholesale and retail buyers can engage in the market free from fraud.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “Edward Carlos St. Mary allegedly unlawfully procured hundreds of carats of diamonds worth millions of dollars with fabricated documents and promises of payment that were never upheld. The defendant allegedly disrupted the operations of an international company, and utilized our city to do so. The FBI remains committed to investigating anyone who orchestrates illicit surreptitious schemes to enrich themselves.”
As alleged in the Complaint:[1]
In or about April 2021, ST. MARY met with the owner of the Diamond Company in India and agreed to purchase uncut diamonds from the Diamond Company. Between in or about April 2021 and in or about June 2021, ST. MARY and the owner of the Diamond Company exchanged numerous messages regarding the sale of diamonds to ST. MARY. They eventually agreed that ST. MARY would buy approximately 287 carats of diamonds (the “Diamonds”) from the Diamond Company for approximately $3.275 million. During that time, ST. MARY sent fraudulent documents and made numerous misrepresentations to the owner of the Diamond Company regarding his communications with his bank (“Bank-1”), the funds in his accounts at Bank-1, and his ability to pay the Diamond Company for uncut diamonds.
On or about June 11, 2021, the owner of the Diamond Company delivered the Diamonds to a company specializing in secure transportation and the handling of valuable goods (the “Security Company”) to transport the Diamonds to the U.S. and provide them to ST. MARY once he made the necessary payments. The Diamonds arrived in the U.S. the following week. After the Diamonds arrived in the U.S., ST. MARY made numerous false statements to the owner of the Diamond Company to explain why he had not yet paid for or picked up the Diamonds.
On or about August 4, 2021, ST. MARY picked up the Diamonds from the Security Company’s New York City location—without paying for them and without the Diamond Company’s knowledge or authorization. Thereafter, ST. MARY continued to make false statements to the owner of the Diamond Company to suggest that the Diamonds were still in the care of the Security Company and to provide various explanations for why he had not yet paid the Diamond Company. By November 2021, ST. MARY began making false statements to suggest that he had, in fact, paid for the Diamonds and sent the owner of the Diamond Company a fraudulent account statement purporting to show a wire transfer of over $3 million from ST. MARY to the Diamond Company. No such wire transfer was ever made.
On or about December 7, 2021, ST. MARY sent a message to the owner of the Diamond Company admitting that he had not paid for the Diamonds and falsely stating, in substance and in part, “this entire time my banker has told me that the funds were in your account. He assured me that you had already been paid. I will have it done as quick as I possibly can.” However, there are no records of ST. MARY communicating with anyone at Bank-1 about a payment for the Diamonds.
To date, ST. MARY has neither paid for nor returned the Diamonds.
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ST. MARY, 55, of Houston, Texas, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI on this case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Remy Grosbard and Ariana Bloom are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Insurance Brokerage Executive Agrees to Plead Guilty to Making Tens of Thousands of Dollars in Illegal Campaign ContributionsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An insurance brokerage executive was charged today with breaking federal campaign laws by making so-called “conduit” campaign contributions –contributions illegally made in the name of another person – to a joint fundraising committee that included a U.S. Senator’s principal campaign committee.
Teena Maria Hostovich, 66, of La Cañada Flintridge, is charged in a single-count information with making contributions in the name of another aggregating to more than $10,000 in a year, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of two years in federal prison.
In a related filing today, Hostovich has agreed to plead guilty to the federal criminal charge and agreed to pay a fine of $43,500.
Hostovich is expected to make her initial appearance in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
According to her plea agreement, from May 2020 through 2023, Hostovich knowingly and willfully made a total of $75,700 in contributions to federal candidates’ principal campaign committees and federal joint fundraising committees in the names of other people. For the calendar years 2021 through 2023, Hostovich’s conduit contributions aggregated to more than $10,000 during each of those years.
To make these illegal campaign contributions, Hostovich used 11 different people – including employees at the insurance brokerage that employed her, family members of those employees, and individuals who performed personal services for Hostovich and her family.
As part of the scheme, Hostovich contacted one of these individuals or their family members and asked them to contribute individually or have one of their family members contribute to a particular candidate’s campaign or fundraising committee. Hostovich then paid the person the funds via PayPal either before the contribution was made or reimbursed them afterward.
To execute these conduit contributions, Hostovich sometimes explicitly stated that she would advance the money for the contribution or pay the person back for that contribution. Other times, the person had an implicit understanding that Hostovich would advance the money or reimburse them based on her history of advancements and reimbursements of political contributions. Hostovich generally advanced or reimbursed these individuals in amounts that exceeded the exact contribution amount but often the amounts were very close to the contribution amount.
Hostovich admitted in her plea agreement that one of the reasons she engaged in conduit contributions was to secure an appointment to the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees in Washington, D.C. She did not obtain this position.
The recipients of the illegal contributions included a joint fundraising committee that included a United States senator’s principal campaign committee, a principal campaign committee for a U.S. senatorial candidate, principal campaign committees for two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, and a joint fundraising committee that included the principal campaign for a presidential candidate.
At no time did Hostovich reveal to any of these candidate committees or joint fundraising committees that she was the true source of the funds donated by the 11 individuals. Hostovich further admitted that she knew it was unlawful to make conduit contributions and that, before executing this scheme, she made numerous political contributions to federal candidates and served as a host for political fundraisers.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Thomas F. Rybarczyk of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section is prosecuting this case.
Indian National Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Elderly Victims in Excess of $2MRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Acting U.S. Attorney Shannon T. Hanson announced today that Rakeshkumar Patel, age 36, of Flushing, New York, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy for his role in an elder fraud scam targeting older Americans. The Honorable U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews accepted the plea.
According to court documents, between at least May 2023 and May 2024, the defendant, who was in the U.S. illegally, conspired with others to defraud elderly victims in Delaware and throughout the country of at least $2,154,889. The victims were contacted over the phone by fraudsters posing as federal agents. The fraudsters convinced each victim that their identity had been compromised and that they were the subject of a federal investigation. To cooperate with the fake federal investigation, the victims were instructed to liquidate their life savings and convert those savings into cash or gold bars. The victims were then directed to deliver that cash or gold to couriers posing as federal agents—like the defendant—who picked up the cash or gold from the victims’ residences or other public places.
“The Department’s Elder Justice Initiative is committed to protecting elderly victims from being swindled out of their hard-earned life savings by bad actors like Patel,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Shannon T. Hanson. “Together, with our law enforcement partners, my office will continue to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who scam the elderly for financial gain. We encourage all members of the public to remain vigilant against these scams. If you think you or a loved one may have been defrauded, make a report to law enforcement immediately.”
"When you talk to victims, you see and hear how gut wrenching and devastating these scams are. They're often facing deep financial anxiety and are emotionally distressed, with the aftereffects weighing heavy on all aspects of their lives," says FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Bill DelBagno. "The FBI and our partners are working steadfastly every day to educate the public to avoid these scams and to identify, disrupt, and bring to justice those committing these appalling crimes."
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). You can also report fraud to any local law enforcement agency or on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
The FBI requests victims report:
- The name of the person or company that contacted you.
- Methods of communication used, including websites, emails, and telephone numbers.
- Any bank account number(s) to which you wired funds and the recipient’s name(s).
- The name and location of the metal dealer company and the account to which you wired funds, if you were instructed to buy precious metals.
As a result of Patel’s guilty plea to the wire fraud conspiracy, he faces more than five years in federal prison when sentenced. Judge Andrews will determine the defendant’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by FBI Baltimore Field Office’s Wilmington Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William E. LaRosa and Alexander P. Ibrahim are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 25-CR-46.
Indian National Indicted for Transportation and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on May 8, 2025, ASHISH KAPOOR, a/k/a “Romy Kapoor,” (“KAPOOR”),age 28, a national of India, was charged in a superseding indictment Transportation of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(1), (a)(4)(B), (b)(1), and (b)(2).
If convicted of Transportation of Child Pornography, KAPOOR faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to 250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to life, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. If convicted of Possession of Child Pornography, KAPOOR faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to 250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to life, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
According to the superseding indictment, on or about February 21, 2024, KAPOOR transported a cellular phone containing digital videos and computer images containing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On or about December 20, 2024, KAPOOR possessed digital videos and computer images containing visual depictions of prepubescent minors under the age of 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the superseding indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, the United States Customs and Border Protection, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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Illegal Firearm Possession Lands Oklahoma City Man in Federal Prison for Six Years Following Domestic Calls to Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – AARON JOELRAYEL TURNER, 27, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 72 months in federal prison for illegal possession of firearms after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On February 25, 2025, Turner was charged by Superseding Information with three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to public record, in 2024, Turner had three separate interactions with the Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD). During the first incident on June 19, 2024, OCPD officers responded to a home on reports of a domestic dispute. Once at the home, the victim told police Turner gained entry into her residence despite a recent emergency VPO issued against Turner, and that Turner had struck her in the face before leaving the house. OCPD located and arrested Turner shortly after and discovered a firearm in his pocket. The second encounter with OCPD took place on August 23, 2024, after OCPD officers encountered Turner again at the same residence and seized two more pistols possessed by Turner.
The third encounter with OCPD took place on October 23, 2024, after officers responded to another home on a welfare check. The calling party advised OCPD that Turner was in the home with a firearm, and that Turner had been having domestic issues with the calling party’s granddaughter. OCPD officers received consent to search the home, and seized two firearms and several live rounds of ammunition possessed by Turner.
On February 25, 2025, Turner pleaded guilty to the Superseding Information and admitted he possessed a firearm on the three instances noted above, despite his previous felony convictions.
On May 19, 2025, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Turner to serve 72 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Jones noted Turner’s history of illegal firearm possession as well as his extensive criminal history. Public record reflects that Turner has previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court that include two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm in case numbers CF-2020-1985 and CF-2017-5873.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program to reduce violent crime. This case is also part of “Operation 922,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of PSN, which prioritizes prosecution of federal crimes connected to domestic violence. For more information about PSN, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Houston Pharmacy Owner Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for Illegal Distribution of Opioids and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A Texas man was sentenced on Monday to 19 years in prison for unlawfully conspiring to distribute millions of opioid pills and aiding the falsification of tax records.
According to court documents, Christopher Obaze, 64, of Houston, Texas, was the owner and pharmacist-in-charge of Chrisco Pharmacy. Obaze and his co-conspirators operated Chrisco Pharmacy as an illegal “ghosting pharmacy,” purchasing pharmaceutical opioids and other commonly abused prescription drugs from wholesalers and then selling them in bulk to drug traffickers, without involving physicians, patients, or prescriptions. From January 2018 through October 2021, Obaze and his co-conspirators distributed at least 2,268,700 hydrocodone 10-325 mg and oxycodone 30 mg pills as part of the scheme.
The defendant and his pharmacy technician attempted to conceal their illegal activities by reporting no dispensing of the drugs to the Texas State Board of Pharmacy’s prescription monitoring program after July 2018, and by structuring cash deposits and submitting false documents to banks to maintain accounts to hold the proceeds of their unlawful distribution scheme. Obaze also aided and assisted in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent tax returns to the IRS by understating, among other things, the gross receipts of Chrisco Pharmacy.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Houston Division, and Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Houston Field Office made the announcement.
The DEA and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Drew Pennebaker of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Honduran National Guilty of Re-Entry of Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – EDGARDO AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ (“AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ”), age 29, a native of Honduras, pled guilty on May 13, 2025, to an indictment charging him with re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. His sentencing is set for June 17, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long.
According to court documents, AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ re-entered the United States after being previously deported on June 8, 2018. On December 22, 2024, AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ, was booked into the Orleans Justice Center after being arrested for several state charges. Thereafter, on March 5, 2023, The Pacific Enforcement Response Center issued a detainer for AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ, after he was arrested in Jefferson Parish on municipal and traffic attachments. Enforcement and Removal Operations New Orleans picked up AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ, on March 7, 2025, after his release from local custody and turned him over to immigration authorities.
EDGARDO AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
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).
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Havre man sentenced to over 5 years in prison for drug and gun charges on the Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Havre man who admitted trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl while possessing a firearm on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced yesterday to 66 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Bradley Lynn Perkins, 25, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances (methamphetamine and fentanyl) and possession of an unregistered firearm.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on February 15, 2023, in Hill County, the Tri-Agency Task Force arranged a controlled purchase of roughly 27 grams of methamphetamine from the Perkins.
One week later, Perkins was in state custody on other narcotics charges. He was interviewed by law enforcement and admitted he bought 500 fentanyl pills from someone on February 18, 2023, and he had previously purchased meth from the same person. Perkins also said he had been selling fentanyl pills for the last month or two and estimated he sold about 100 pills for $10 each. In March 2023, two witnesses said they had purchased fentanyl pills from Perkins. Another witness described selling between 500 and 700 fentanyl pills to Perkins between August and December 2022.
On May 17, 2023, the Task Force and FBI arranged another controlled purchase of about 30 grams of methamphetamine from Perkins.
On December 13, 2023, an FBI agent interviewed a witness who had gotten methamphetamine from Perkins and had previously paid him for meth. The witness also said Perkins gave them a shortened shotgun prior to a probation search; the FBI seized the shotgun and found the barrel was less than 18 inches in length. Perkins claimed ownership of the gun, and it had not been registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Tri-Agency Task Force.
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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Health Care Business Owner Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failure to Pay over $500,000 in TaxesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney April M. Leon announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Leslie Henry Wilson, age 53, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 12 months in federal prison following her conviction for failure to pay federal taxes. The Court further sentenced Wilson to serve three years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered her to pay $598,774.51 in restitution.
From January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2023, Wilson was the sole owner of Personal Touch Healthcare Services, LLC, which provides outpatient assisted living services, and Personal Touch Respite Center, LLC, which provides temporary housing for homeless people with special needs. Each of these businesses employed workers and operated in and around the Baton Rouge metropolitan area. Wilson managed and oversaw all aspects of these two companies, including payroll and taxes.
During that time, Wilson failed to pay over $598,774.51 to the IRS on behalf of her businesses and employees. Specifically, she withheld hundreds of thousands of dollars in payroll (i.e., FICA) taxes from her employees but kept the money for herself instead of paying it to the IRS. Further, she also failed to pay the employer portion of the FICA taxes for her employees. FICA payroll taxes are used to fund Social Security and Medicare benefits for all Americans.
This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ben Wallace.
Great Falls man sentenced to 20 years in prison for drug and money laundering chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man who distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine was sentenced today to 240 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Daniel Allen Wakeford, 61, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of money laundering.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement learned Daniel Wakeford had been involved in the distribution of methamphetamine in Great Falls and elsewhere for several years. A witness informed law enforcement they received methamphetamine from Wakeford for resale since 2020. Prior to 2021, the witness had received approximately two pounds of methamphetamine from Wakeford. In March 2021, however, law enforcement learned Wakeford provided the witness with roughly five pounds of methamphetamine for resale. Surveillance conducted by law enforcement corroborated the witness’s account.
Law enforcement spoke with numerous individuals who received methamphetamine from Wakeford between approximately 2020 and 2024. Those individuals outlined how Wakeford and others would provide them with methamphetamine for resale. In February 2024, an individual referred to here as John Doe was apprehended in Billings, Montana with approximately 78 grams of methamphetamine in his possession. He outlined how, among other things, he had recently assisted Wakeford with packaging several hundred thousand dollars in cash, how John Doe received the methamphetamine from Wakeford in Great Falls, and that Wakeford made statements indicating he was conspiring to distribute a significant amount of methamphetamine.
Law enforcement determined that during the time of the conspiracy Wakeford did not have a significant source of legitimate income. However, on November 21, 2022, Wakeford paid $16,534 in cash for a new 2022 snowmobile in Great Falls.
Following the original indictment in this case, law enforcement conducted a search of Wakeford’s home in Great Falls, Montana and located paperwork for a storage unit that Wakeford leased in Phoenix, Arizona. Wakeford was arrested in Utah on a federal warrant while driving a motorhome valued at over $40,000. Inside the motorhome, officers located over $62,000 in cash, as well as additional paperwork related to the storage unit in Arizona. Federal agents in Arizona obtained a warrant to search the storage unit and located over 100 pounds of methamphetamine and a firearm (both pictured below).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno Baucus and Jeff Starnes prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Russell Country Drug Task Force.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Gainesville Man Found Guilty of Possession of a MacHine Gun in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Lagarius Joseph Johnson, 20, of Gainesville, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury of possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The guilty verdict was announced by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Evidence at trial demonstrated that officers from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and Gainesville Police Department were conducting surveillance of the Majestic Oaks apartments due to reports that Johnson and others were in possession of firearms, including a machinegun. Johnson was prohibited under state law from possessing a firearm due to prior criminal history. Officers identified Johnson and tried to approach him, but Johnson spun around and pointed with his hand inside his jacket pocket, making officers believe he was armed with a pistol. As officers identified themselves as police, Johnson ran. Officers were able to apprehend Johnson with a police canine. As Johnson fled, he threw a cellphone, backpack, and pistol. Officers discovered a distribution-quantity of marijuana, empty baggies, and a digital scale, in Johnson’s backpack. Examination of the Glock pistol discarded by Johnson revealed a machinegun conversion device, rendering the pistol fully automatic. Officers obtained search warrants and reviewed material from Johnson’s cellphone, as well as his social media accounts, and found dozens of pictures of Johnson posing with guns, large amounts of cash, and advertising marijuana for sale, including on the day of his arrest.
Johnson was convicted during a previous trial on April 16, 2025, in United States District Court for the charges of possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of controlled substances, and possession of a machinegun.
Sentencing for each of the firearm and drug trafficking charges is scheduled for August 12, 2025, at 10:00 am. at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before United States District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.
Johnson also faces unrelated charges of attempted first degree murder involving a machinegun in the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court in and for Alachua County where he has entered a plea of not guilty and is presumed innocent.
This conviction was the result of a joint investigation by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the Gainesville Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain and Eric Welch prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Francis Creek Man Indicted for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 20, 2025, a two-count federal indictment was returned alleging that Ryan S. Schroeder (age: 37) of Francis Creek, Wisconsin, engaged in the production of child pornography in August and September of 2023, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a).
Each count of the indictment alleges that Schroeder “knowingly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced Jane Doe A, a minor, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct.” If convicted of either count, Schroeder would face a mandatory 15 and up to 30 years of imprisonment. He also could be fined up to $250,000 per count and would be required to register as a sexual offender under state and federal law.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office and the Mishicot Police Department with the assistance of the Manitowoc County District Attorney’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Four Convicted in Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy Spanning from Mexico to AlabamaRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, AL – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer, with the Drug Enforcement Administration New Orleans Division, announced that four individuals have been convicted for their roles in a large-scale drug trafficking operation that transported cocaine from Mexico to Alabama. On May 19, 2025, a federal jury found the following individuals guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine: Jim Carter, Jr., 58, of Montgomery, Alabama; Francisco Lopez, 39, of Texas; Michael Evans, 53, of Montgomery, Alabama; and Bryce Johnson, 38, of Union Springs, Alabama. The jury convicted Carter and Lopez on an additional charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a suspected drug trafficking network involving Carter in 2023. The investigation uncovered that Carter traveled to Texas and crossed the border into Mexico on multiple occasions to further the conspiracy. Couriers regularly transported cocaine from Texas to Alabama, delivering it to Carter. On June 10, 2024, agents seized six kilograms of cocaine during a delivery to Carter by Lopez.
The jury also heard evidence that Michael Evans—who was an Alabama State Trooper at the time—offered to wear his uniform and use his official patrol vehicle to facilitate drug transportation, in an attempt to avoid detection by law enforcement.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled in the coming months. Carter and Lopez each face a statutory sentence of 10 years to life in prison. Evans and Johnson face up to 20 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
Five other individuals previously pleaded guilty in connection with this investigation:
- Saundra Curry, 63, of Deatsville, Alabama, pleaded guilty on September 19, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. She faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Othello Howard, 29, of Montgomery, Alabama, pleaded guilty on February 3, 2025, to the same charge and also faces up to 20 years.
- Jimario Thompson, 37, of Montgomery, Alabama, pleaded guilty on April 30, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. He faces a maximum of 20 years.
- Raul Ramos Deleon, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty on April 30, 2025, to illegal reentry into the United States after deportation. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
- Maria Beatriz Palomo-De Lopez, 41, also a Mexican national, pleaded guilty on April 30, 2025, to illegal reentry into the United States after deportation. She also faces up to 20 years.
“This case is a clear reminder of the serious threat that drug trafficking poses to our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson. “Cocaine and other illegal narcotics fuel violence, addiction, and instability in neighborhoods across Alabama and the nation. Our office remains committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to dismantle these networks and hold traffickers accountable, no matter where the drugs originate or how they move.”
“This investigation shows that no one is above the law – not even those sworn to uphold it,” said Special Agent in Charge Hofer. “Drug trafficking puts lives at risk and tears at the fabric of our communities. The DEA, working alongside our local law enforcement partners, is committed to protecting the people of Alabama by keeping dangerous drugs off the streets and ensuring accountability at every level. Our communities deserve safety, justice, and law enforcement they can trust.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with cooperation from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Other investigating agencies include the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, Millbrook Police Department, Montgomery Police Department, and Prattville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Andreu and Michelle R. Turner are prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Daniel Smith, 38, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty on May 20, 2025, to one count of illegal possession of firearms, in federal court in Sioux City. Smith was previously convicted of Unauthorized Possession of Offensive Weapons, in 2017, and Dominion/Control of Firearm/Offensive Weapon by a Felon, in 2022 both in Iowa. These convictions prohibited Smith from possessing firearms.
At the plea hearing, Smith admitted that in November 2024, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, he possessed one rifle and two shotguns which had been provided to him by another person to clean/store. On November 16, 2024, law enforcement went to Smith’s residence regarding a shots fired call and observed evidence of a shotgun being fired. During a follow-up search warrant on November 21, 2024, at Smith’s residence, law enforcement seized 3 guns, a .22 rifle, a .410 shotgun, and a 16-gauge shotgun. Smith admitted he had received the firearms and had fired two of the firearms to test their functioning.
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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Smith remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Smith faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Fort Dodge Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3052.
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Former Tutor from New York Sentenced to 65 Years in Prison for Enticement of Minors to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Stephen Andrew Cipkin, 38, a former tutor from Suffolk County in New York, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Dee D. Drell to 65 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for two counts of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.
Cipkin was charged in a Bill of Information and Indictment with enticement of minors to engage in sexual activity and pleaded guilty to the charge on August 13, 2024.
At the guilty plea hearing, Cipkin admitted that from January 2022, through April 23, 2022, he used a smart phone and computer to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor female under the age of 18 years old to engage in sexual activity. Cipkin, posing as an adolescent female seeking a friendship, used an online catfish account to contact the minor victim. He later admitted to being a male and began an online relationship with the minor victim after gaining her trust. During this relationship, Cipkin asked the minor victim to send sexually explicit photographs of herself to him and also asked her to meet up with him for sexual intercourse. After receiving the photographs and videos, he used them as blackmail to extort and threaten the minor victim.
From April 16, 2022, through April 23, 2022, Cipkin traveled from the State of New York to Natchitoches, Louisiana, to meet with the minor victim. Cipkin picked up the minor victim from her home and brought her to a hotel in the Western District of Louisiana where they engaged in sexual intercourse.
Cipkin also admitted that between January 1, 2021, and continuing through January 1, 2022, in the Northern District of Tennessee, he used his smart phone and computer to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce another minor female under the age of 18 years old to engage in illegal sexual activity. Cipkin reached out to the minor female victim using an online account that he had created and began an online relationship with the minor female victim, asking her to send sexually explicit photographs to him and to meet with him for sexual intercourse.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey N. Stelly in the Western District of Louisiana.
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Former Secretary of Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Indicted by Federal Grand JuryRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Jack Montoucet, former Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), has been indicted on federal charges. A federal grand jury in Lafayette has returned an indictment charging Montoucet with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The indictment alleges that LDWF was an agency of the State of Louisiana that received benefits under federal programs involving grants, contracts, and other forms of assistance. While Secretary of the LDWF, Montoucet was the chief executive and empowered to enter contracts on LDWF’s behalf. Dusty J. Guidry was a Commissioner on the LDWF Commission which was charged with the control and supervision of the wildlife of the State of Louisiana and operated as a policy-making and budgetary control board. It is alleged that Guidry was placed on the Commission by and would take actions as directed by Montoucet. Leonard C. Franques, IV was a resident of the State of Louisiana and owned DGL1, LLC, a business created to provide online educational courses to be used by LDWF and was registered with the State of Louisiana in May 2020; Franques also owned LWF, LLC, (LWF) a Louisiana company registered with the State of Louisiana in June 2020.
It is alleged in the indictment that from approximately May 2020 until June 2022, Montoucet knowingly and unlawfully conspired with Guidry and Franques, and others known and unknown to the grand jury, to accept and agree to accept kickbacks from Franques in return for being influenced in connection with awarding a state contract to DGL1.
The indictment further alleges that Montoucet and Guidry used their official positions at LDWF to award a state contract to DGL1 and under the contract, DGL1 would provide online hunters’ education and boaters’ education courses and the education courses to resolve LDWF citations. It is alleged that DGL1 would keep a portion of the revenue generated from providing those services and in exchange, Franques agreed to provide, and Montoucet and Guidry agreed to accept, kickbacks and other things of value. It is alleged that as part of their conspiracy, Franques attempted to conceal the true source and nature of payments to Montoucet and Guidry.
According to the indictment, from on or about November 10, 2021, until June 10, 2022, LDWF received $454,174.14 from the LWF contract signed by Montoucet, of which $122,507.96 was held as a kickback for Montoucet, to be paid after he completed his term as LDWF Secretary. The indictment alleges that Montoucet, Guidry, and Franques agreed that after Montoucet’s retirement from LDWF, they would hire Montoucet and pay his kickbacks as a purported “signing bonus,” in order to conceal the true nature of these funds.
If convicted, Montoucet faces a sentence of not more than 5 years in prison on the conspiracy count, and up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud and money laundering counts, and a fine of up to $1,000,000.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Myers P. Namie, Lauren L. Gardner, and LaDonte A. Murphy, along with Trial Attorneys Trevor Wilmot and Steven Loew of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice.
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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Former Postal Employee Sentenced to Two Years Probation for Delay of U.S. MailRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – CHRISTOPHER WASHINGTON (“WASHINGTON”), age 32, of Houma, La. was sentenced, on May 15, 2025, to 2 years probation after previously pleading guilty to delay of U.S. Mail matter by postal employee, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 1703(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
According to court documents, on or about June 2021, WASHINGTON delayed U.S. mail, which was intended to be conveyed by mail. The United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General ("OIG") was notified about missing mail on certain Postal Routes in Houma, Louisiana. On June 16, 2021, the mail for the City Route 40 in Houma, was found discarded in bushes in the 700 block of Maple Avenue in Houma. WASHINGTON was the postal carrier assigned to the route on that date. On June 21, 2021, discarded mail was also discovered in a trash can in the1100 block of Daspit Street in Houma. This City Route, number 35, was also assigned to WASHINGTON on the approximate date on which the mail was found. The total number of mail items recovered from both locations include 379 first class letters, 353 standard letters and 2 first class parcels. WASHINGTON, instead of delivering the mail, unlawfully disposed of it by hiding it in bushes and garbage cans on his assigned routes.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.
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Former Monroe County District Court Judge Sentenced to Two Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
HELENA-WEST HELENA—A man who has served as local judge, prosecutor, and criminal defense attorney was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for making false statements to the FBI. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on May 19, 2025, by United States District Court Judge D. Price Marshall Jr. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial Thomas David Carruth, 64, of Clarendon, served as an elected Monroe County district court judge. In that role, Carruth presided over criminal and civil matters. In April 2022, Carruth met with the girlfriend of a defendant in a criminal case pending before him. The girlfriend sought Carruth’s assistance in getting her boyfriend’s case dismissed. During the meeting, which the girlfriend recorded, Carruth solicited sex and a lingerie show from her in exchange for assisting her boyfriend.
Carruth asked the girlfriend, “How do you feel about sex?” and “The next step back from that is, do you have any nice lingerie? …Do you mind letting me see you in it?” He also asked the girlfriend, “So, if you change your mind about giving me a lingerie show…well, you got a body that can do it and if you have an attitude where you like to wear lingerie, I’d love to look – to see it on you…If you change your mind about seeing what an old man can do, you know…”
The jury found that, when questioned by the FBI, Carruth lied to agents about the incident, including by falsely stating that he did not “request,” “ask,” “offer”, make “overture[s] about”, “insinuate,” or “even [think] about,” sex with the girlfriend.
The jury convicted Carruth of one count of making false statements. Carruth was acquitted of charges of bribery, honest services fraud, and violations of the Travel Act.
“When judges exploit their positions for personal gain, they pervert justice which erodes public trust in the judiciary,” said Ross. “The sentence underscores that no one, including a debauched judge, is above the law.”
"Officials who violate the public’s trust for their own personal gain have no place in our Arkansas communities,” said Alicia D. Corder, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Little Rock Field Office. “FBI Little Rock will continue to work with members of the ArkTrust Public Corruption Task Force to protect Arkansans from corruption and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.”
This case was investigated by the FBI. This case was prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Nicholas W. Cannon and Trial Attorney Madison H. Mumma of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. They received substantial assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Julie Peters.
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Former IRS Employee Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud and Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employee pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to filing false tax returns in order to fraudulently obtain tax refunds and stealing Social Security benefits.
Kathleen Mannion, 58, of Lawrence, pleaded guilty to four counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false tax return and one count of theft of government money. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Sept. 3, 2025. Mannion was charged in March 2025.
From 1998 to 2009, Mannion worked as an IRS contact representative in Andover, Mass. Between approximately July 2020 through April 2023, Mannion prepared and filed income tax returns for other individuals with the IRS. Even though Mannion prepared these returns on behalf of other individuals, she did not list herself as the tax return preparer. Instead, Mannion prepared the returns to appear as if the taxpayers prepared the returns on their own. Further, Mannion listed ineligible dependents on the tax returns, resulting in higher refund amounts for which the taxpayers did not qualify—all without the knowledge of the taxpayers. Mannion also filed forms with the IRS directing that a portion of the fraudulently obtained tax refunds be deposited in her personal bank accounts, which she then used for her personal benefit.
Separately, between April and October 2020, Mannion applied for Social Security retirement, spouse and widow benefits with the Social Security Administration (SSA) via telephone for other individuals. Unbeknownst to these beneficiaries, Mannion directed SSA to deposit the Social Security benefits in her personal bank accounts, which she also used for her personal benefit.
The charge of aiding and assisting the preparation and filing of a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
Former IRS Employee Ordered to Repay Funds from PPP Loan FraudRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Rakita Davis, 45 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to federal felonies for wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Davis was sentenced to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay $55,213.61 in restitution to the Small Business Administration.According to documents in the case, Davis falsely claimed gross income for a business that did not exist when she applied for two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in 2021. 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. Davis, who was employed by the IRS when she applied for the loans, falsely claimed that she was the sole proprietor of a catering business when in reality, no such business existed. As a result of her fraudulent representations, Davis received PPP funds which she used for her own benefit on personal items such as jewelry, airfare, luxury car rentals, and vacations.
“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 Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty to Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Douglas Edelman, 73, a former defense contractor, pleaded guilty today to tax crimes related to a scheme to defraud the United States and evade taxes on income he earned from his contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense.
The sentence was announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter with IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office.
Edelman pleaded guilty to 10 felony counts: conspiracy to defraud the United States, seven counts of tax evasion, and two counts of making a false statement. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled a hearing on issues related to sentencing on Nov. 17, 2026. Trial on the remaining counts of the indictment will be in 2026.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Edelman founded and owned 50% of Mina Corp. and Red Star Enterprises (Mina/Red Star), a defense contracting business that received more than $7 billion from contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide jet fuel in the United States’ post-9/11 military efforts in Afghanistan and the Middle East.
Working with others, Edelman engaged in a lengthy scheme to hide his Mina/Red Star profits to evade U.S. taxes, including by concealing his income in undisclosed foreign bank accounts, creating false documents and making false statements that one of his co-conspirators — a French citizen residing abroad and without U.S. tax obligations — founded and owned Mina/Red Star.
For example, when the company became profitable in 2005, Edelman began taking distributions which he deposited into Swiss bank accounts, primarily at Credit Suisse, in the name of other companies he owned. In 2008, Credit Suisse informed Edelman that he had to either close his accounts or disclose them to U.S. authorities. Rather than come into compliance with his tax and reporting obligations, Edelman closed his accounts and opened new ones at Bank Julius Baer in Singapore in the name of a nominee entity, the beneficiaries of which were purportedly Edelman’s daughters. He then directed the subject income he earned from Mina/Red Star to those bank accounts.
In 2010 the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs began investigating allegations of corruption in connection with Mina/Red Star’s contracts with the Department of Defense. As part of this inquiry, the subcommittee became interested in the identity of Mina/Red Star’s owners. At this time, Edelman had not filed U.S. tax returns to report the millions of dollars he had earned from Mina/Red Star and had not paid U.S. taxes on his income.
Rather than disclose his ownership, Edelman caused his attorneys to tell Congress a false story that a French co-conspirator who had no U.S. tax or reporting obligations founded and co-owed Mina/Red Star with another individual. To corroborate the false story, Edelman and a co-conspirator caused false and backdated paperwork to be created.
To continue the scheme, Edelman conveyed the false story about Mina/Red Star’s ownership to other arms of the U.S. government, including to the Department of Defense during contract negotiations in 2010 and 2011, to the IRS in a 2016 application to the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program, and to the Justice Department in a 2018 presentation.
In conjunction with his 2016 application to the IRS’s Voluntary Disclosure Program, Edelman filed false tax returns for several prior years that only reported income from gifts or purported consulting payments, continuing to conceal the millions he had earned from his company. On the returns, he also concealed profits he had earned from a separate business to provide internet service to members of the armed forces at Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan.
Instead of paying the taxes that he knew he owed, Edelman used the money to fund his lifestyle and additional investments. He invested in a music television franchise in Eastern Europe, a land venture in Tulum, Mexico, and a farm in Kenya, and purchased property around Europe, including a home in Ibiza, Spain, and a townhouse in London.
Edelman faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each of the 10 counts to which he has pleaded. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated by special agents from IRS-CI’s International Tax & Financial Crimes specialty group, a team based out of Washington, D.C., that is dedicated to uncovering international tax crimes, along with the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted in the investigation. His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs of the United Kingdom also provided assistance, as did the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5), which brings together the taxing authorities of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States; and authorities from Belize, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Israel, and Singapore.
The Government of the Kingdom of Spain arrested and extradited Edelman to the United States. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance in securing Edelman’s arrest and extradition and assisted with securing evidence from abroad, including through mutual legal assistance requests.
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Former Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty to Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A former defense contractor pleaded guilty today to tax crimes related to his scheme to defraud the United States and evade taxes on income that he earned from his contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Douglas Edelman founded and owned 50% of Mina Corp. and Red Star Enterprises (Mina/Red Star), a defense contracting business that received more than $7 billion from contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide jet fuel in the United States’ post-9/11 military efforts in Afghanistan and the Middle East.
Working with others, Edelman engaged in a lengthy scheme to hide his Mina/Red Star profits to evade U.S. taxes, including by concealing his income in undisclosed foreign bank accounts, creating false documents and making false statements that one of his co-conspirators — a French citizen residing abroad and without U.S. tax obligations — founded and owned Mina/Red Star.
For example, when the company became profitable in 2005, Edelman began taking distributions which he deposited into Swiss bank accounts, primarily at Credit Suisse, in the name of other companies he owned. In 2008, Credit Suisse informed Edelman that he had to either close his accounts or disclose them to U.S. authorities. Rather than come into compliance with his tax and reporting obligations, Edelman closed his accounts and opened new ones at Bank Julius Baer in Singapore in the name of a nominee entity, the beneficiaries of which were purportedly Edelman’s daughters. He then directed the subject income he earned from Mina/Red Star to those bank accounts.
In 2010 the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs began investigating allegations of corruption in connection with Mina/Red Star’s contracts with the Department of Defense. As part of this inquiry, the subcommittee became interested in the identity of Mina/Red Star’s owners. At this time, Edelman had not filed U.S. tax returns to report the millions of dollars he had earned from Mina/Red Star and had not paid U.S. taxes on his income.
Rather than disclose his ownership, Edelman caused his attorneys to tell Congress a false story that a French co-conspirator who had no U.S. tax or reporting obligations founded and co-owed Mina/Red Star with another individual. To corroborate the false story, Edelman and a co-conspirator caused false and backdated paperwork to be created.
To continue the scheme, Edelman conveyed the false story about Mina/Red Star’s ownership to other arms of the U.S. government, including to the Department of Defense during contract negotiations in 2010 and 2011, to the IRS in a 2016 application to the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program, and to the Justice Department in a 2018 presentation.
In conjunction with his 2016 application to the IRS’s Voluntary Disclosure Program, Edelman filed false tax returns for several prior years that only reported income from gifts or purported consulting payments, continuing to conceal the millions he had earned from his company. On the returns, he also concealed profits he had earned from a separate business to provide internet service to members of the armed forces at Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan.
Instead of paying the taxes that he knew he owed, Edelman used the money to fund his lifestyle and additional investments. He invested in a music television franchise in Eastern Europe, a land venture in Tulum, Mexico, and a farm in Kenya, and purchased property around Europe, including a home in Ibiza, Spain, and a townhouse in London.
Edelman faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count to which he has pleaded. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia, and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C., Field Office made the announcement.
Special agents from IRS-CI’s International Tax & Financial Crimes specialty group, a team based out of Washington, D.C., that is dedicated to uncovering international tax crimes, along with the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted in the investigation. Also providing assistance were His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs of the United Kingdom; the Australian Federal Police; the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5), which brings together the taxing authorities of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States; and authorities from Belize, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Israel, and Singapore.
The Government of the Kingdom of Spain arrested and extradited Edelman to the United States. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance in securing Edelman’s arrest and extradition and assisted with securing evidence from abroad, including through mutual legal assistance requests.
Assistant Chief Sarah Ranney and Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
Foreign Nationals Plead Guilty to Illegal Entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 20, 2025, Belvie Ikiela Lecka, 32, a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ayse Gul Sakiner, 49, a citizen of Türkiye, pleaded guilty to a criminal complaint charging them with illegally entering the United States at a time or place other than designated for entering the country by immigration authorities. A third individual, Sajah Konateh, 51, a citizen of The Gambia, also made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday, and he is facing charges of illegal entry into the United States.
According to court records, on May 19, 2025, at approximately 11:45 p.m., the United States Border Patrol received an image of three individuals, later identified as Ikiela Lecka, Sakiner, and Konateh walking south toward the bike path on North Derby Road in Derby, Vermont. This area is less than a tenth of a mile south of the United States/Canada border. Investigators believed that the three individuals had just entered the United States illegally from Canada. Border Patrol agents responded to the area, and found the three individuals, who appeared to be the same people in the image they had received, hiding in thick vegetation. The three defendants were placed under arrest. Border Patrol conducted records checks, which indicated that Ikiela Lecka, Sakiner, and Konateh had no current legal status in the United States.
Ikiela Lecka, Sakiner, and Konateh had their initial court appearances before United States District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford on May 20, 2025, where they pleaded guilty, and both received time-served sentences. Konateh entered a not guilty plea, he faces up to 6 months’ imprisonment.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Stendig. Ikiela Lecka is represented by Mark Oettinger, Esq., Sakiner is represented by Devin McLaughlin, Esq., and Konateh is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls.
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).
Fond du Lac Man Indicted on Sex Trafficking of Children and Attempted Use of a Computer to Entice a Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 20, 2025, a three-count federal indictment was returned alleging that Ricardo Ortiz (age: 26) of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, sex trafficked a minor on two separate occasions in March of 2025, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1591(a). Ortiz is further alleged to have used a computer to attempt to “persuade, induce, and entice” a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b). That crime is alleged to have occurred on or About April 8, 2025.
If convicted of any of the three charges alleged in the indictment Ortiz faces a mandatory 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a lifetime of incarceration. He may also be fined up to $250,000 and would be required to register as a sexual offender under state and federal law.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Oshkosh Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Five Romanians Admit Bank Fraud Involving ATM Skimming DevicesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Five Romanian nationals have admitted installing skimming devices on St. Louis area ATMs to harvest bank account information from customers and commit fraud.
Mihai Vlaicu, 48, and Mihai Florin Marinescu, 37, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Courtin St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Laurentiu Miguel Ivan, 33, pleaded guilty to the same charge in March and Nelu Nae, 37, and Venera Isabelle Dumitru, 28, pleaded guilty to the charge in April. A sixth person indicted in the case, Ianus Nita, 53, has not yet been arrested.
In their plea agreements, the five admit stealing bank account information via skimming devices and then using, or attempting to use, that information to withdraw money from ATMs.
Around January of 2024, Vlaicu and Marinescu installed skimming devices on at least two bank ATMs, one in Clayton and one in Frontenac. They obtained the information of at least six victims, and then used cloned cards to try and withdraw cash.
On five days in April, Dumitru and Ivan used account information from two other victims to withdraw cash from ATMs in St. Louis. Ivan obtained $1,421 and Dumitru obtained $1,070.50.
On April 25, Dumitru and Ivan tried to withdraw cash from a St. Louis County ATM using an account number belonging to another victim. On April 30, Vlaicu tried to withdraw money from a St. Louis County ATM using the banking information of six victims.
On May 2, Marinescu unsuccessfully tried to install a skimming device on an ATM in south St. Louis County. Nae retrieved the device the next day.
On May 9, Marinescu installed a skimming device on an ATM in Wildwood. On May 11, Nita withdrew cash belonging to two victims from a St. Louis County ATM.
On May 28, Marinescu and Nae installed a skimming device on an ATM in St. Louis, which was located and removed by law enforcement before Nita and Vlaicu could retrieve it.
The conspirators were using an Airbnb in St. Louis County as a base for their criminal activity. Investigators found a laptop computer there containing hundreds of videos of customers entering their PINs when they used an ATM outfitted with a skimming device. They also found skimming devices, installation tools, a large amount of cash and numerous gift cards at the rented residence.
Ivan is scheduled to be sentenced June 25, Dumitru on July 10, Nae on July 23 and Marinescu and Vlaicu on August 20. The charge carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both prison and a fine.
Ivan, Dumitru, Marinescu are not legally in the United States.
The FBI, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Webster Groves Police Department, the Clayton Police Department and the Frontenac Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.
FCI Danbury Prisoner Sentenced for Assaulting Another InmateRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JONATHAN CRUZ-CARMONA, 34, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 12 months and one day of imprisonment for assaulting another inmate while imprisoned at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Danbury.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 18, 2023, while incarcerated at FCI Danbury, Cruz-Carmona used a weapon fashioned from a broken pencil and two razor blades to assault another inmate, causing wounds to the victim’s chin and neck. The injury was not life-threatening.
On June 3, 2024, Cruz-Carmona pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon.
At the time of the offense, Cruz-Carmona was serving a 200-month federal sentence from the Western District of New York for murder with a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The sentence imposed today will run consecutively to Cruz-Carmona’s previous sentence.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.
Eight Indicted in Transnational Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A federal indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Providence, RI, charges eight individuals for their roles in orchestrating and executing an elaborate transnational fraud and money laundering scheme targeting elderly citizens in the United States and Canada, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
A defendant was taken into custody this morning in New York. He is expected to appear later today in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
Charging documents allege the following:
- To date, law enforcement has identified approximately 300 individuals in at least 37 states, including several in Rhode Island, who have been defrauded.
- At this time, victims are estimated to have suffered known losses exceeding $5 million. However, investigators have identified a bank account through which approximately $16 million in additional suspected fraud funds appear to have been laundered.
- To carry out the scheme, members of the conspiracy sent pop-up messages to seniors’ computers, often styled to appear as if they were originating from a well-known technology company. The messages contained various false claims, including that the victims’ financial accounts had been compromised, that their computers had been hacked, or that the victims had been identified as the target of a criminal investigation.
- The pop-up message contained information that directed victims to call a “live agent,” who informed the victims that their financial assets were at risk or could be garnished, but that they, the agent, could assist in protecting their assets. During a series of calls, victims were connected with other persons who falsely claimed to be “representatives” of the victim’s financial institutions and/or government agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Reserve Bank. Those “representatives” were, in fact, members of the conspiracy.
- During these calls, some victims were instructed that, in order to protect their assets, they should initiate a transfer of their funds from their accounts via wire transfers and cryptocurrency transfers to accounts controlled by agencies the scammers purportedly represented. Other victims were told to withdraw their funds in cash and purchase gold bars and turn them over to a purported government courier who would come to their home for transfer to a secure government location. Still others were told to simply turn the cash over to a courier for safe keeping by the government.
The indictment charges
- Nanjun Song 27, of Brooklyn, NY, a Chinese national who has allegedly overstayed a B2 visa, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The defendant is detained in federal custody in Rhode Island.
- Jirui Liu, 23, of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, a citizen of China and Canada, whose U.S. visa has expired, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The defendant is detained in federal custody in Rhode Island.
- Xiang Li, 37, of Flushing, NY, a Chinese national and lawful permanent U.S. resident, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The defendant was detained in New York and is being transferred to Rhode Island.
- Xuehai Sun, 37, of Flushing NY, a Chinese national and lawful permanent U.S. resident, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The defendant was arrested today in New York and is expected to appear tomorrow in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
- Fangzheng Wang, 24, of Westborough, MA, a Chinese national, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The defendant is detained in federal custody in Rhode Island.
- Cynthia Jia Sun, 25, of Houston, TX, a naturalized United States citizen born in China, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The defendant is in federal custody in Houston and is awaiting transfer to Rhode Island.
- Zhenyang Xin, 25, of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, a Chinese national, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. An arrest warrant has been issued for the defendant.
- Wing Kit Ho, 22, of Markham, Ontario, Canada, a Canadian citizen born in Hong Kong, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. An arrest warrant has been issued for the defendant.
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Providence and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, as part of the Rhode Island Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), a multi-agency task force focused on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
This HSTF investigation is led by HSI Providence, with assistance from the Narragansett Police Department, East Providence Police Department, New York Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, and agents from HSI New England, HSI New York, HSI Houston, and HSI Los Angeles.
Acting United States Attorney Bloom thanks the United States Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of New York and Southern District of Texas for their assistance following the apprehension of defendants arrested in their districts.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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indictment.pdfDover Man Pleads Guilty for Stalking Three Women for Multiple YearsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Dover man plead guilty yesterday in federal court for stalking three women he was in romantic relationships with by using anonymous phone numbers and email accounts to create a fictious stalker, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Jason Subirana, age 48, pleaded guilty in federal court in Concord to three counts of Stalking. U.S. District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe scheduled sentencing for August 27, 2025.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court, between November 2016 - December 2021, the defendant stalked three women he was in romantic relationships with. He used more than 50 anonymous phone numbers, provided by TextNow, and anonymous email accounts to send over 650 harassing messages to the three victims from a fictious stalker. He attempted to manipulate his victims, catch them in lies, and cause emotional distress. For example, he sent one victim a text message that read:
“How can you b*tch to everyone about your birthday? You should be grateful he’s put up with all your lies and shit for so long. Stop trying to make him look like a bad guy, he’s the best thing you have and lucky he hasn’t put you to the curb like the trash bag that you are. Own your shit and stop lying to everyone. You want more? Be honest to EVERYONE around you. Stop thinking you are smarter than everyone.”
In addition to sending harassing communications to the victims, the defendant also sent himself harassing messages from the fictious stalker using anonymous accounts. For example, the defendant texted himself from an anonymous TextNow number, “Do you really think you're the only one she's banging? You really should get yourself tested. Put something in the mail for you keep an eye out for it.” On February 10, 2021, the defendant texted himself from an anonymous TextNow number, “How many times do you think she’s going to take it this afternoon before coming to give you sloppy seconds?"
The defendant also collected compromising information about the victims and then sent the compromising information to himself under the guise that he received it from “the stalker”. For example, the defendant gained access to Victim 2's email account and forwarded himself an email exchange from 2015 where Victim 2 mentioned a potential romance with an acquaintance of hers. The defendant orchestrated a series of email forwards through anonymous accounts before making its way back to Victim 2. This email controversy led to Victim 2 admitting to the defendant a prior romantic relationship with that acquaintance, with the defendant responding, “You're only telling me this now because of the email you got. What else are you hiding from me?” and "What wlse [sic] is out there? Has this all been based on lies???”
The defendant actively distanced himself from “the stalker” by accusing innocent individuals of being his victim’s “stalker.” For example, the defendant sent numerous harassing messages to a male colleague of Victim 3. Between April 22, 2018, and August 15, 2018, the defendant sent 52 harassing text messages to the victim’s colleague from at least five anonymous TextNow numbers. The defendant also sent the victim’s colleague numerous explicit photos of a woman's body that resembled Victim 3 but was not in fact Victim 3. When Victim 3 described this to the defendant in messages, he then sent himself multiple messages from “the stalker,” including two of the explicit photos that he had sent to the victim’s colleague and suggested to Victim 3 that her colleague was in fact her stalker.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. 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. Assistant U.S Attorney John Kennedy is prosecuting the case.
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Dominican Republic National Was Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Rafael Polo-Sanchez, age 43, a Dominican Republic national residing in Patterson, New Jersey, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for illegal reentry.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Jose Rafael Polo-Sanchez, a citizen and national of the Dominican Republic, was removed from the United States on December 3, 2019. Following his removal, he illegally reentered the United States on an unknown date and at an unknown location. On October 31, 2024, he was found in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson is prosecuting the case.
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Defendants Charged for Their Roles in Two Schemes to Pay Kickbacks in Return for Business from Non-Profit OrganizationRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, a superseding indictment was unsealed charging Gary DSilva, also known as Pankaj DSilva, Jonathan Velazquez, Luis A. Camarena, and Pradeep Nigam with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bribery, as well as substantive counts of wire fraud and federal-program bribery; DSilva and Velazquez are also charged with money laundering conspiracies. The new charges arise from a scheme in which DSilva and Velazquez, employees of a Brooklyn-based non-profit organization (the Organization), received kickbacks from Nigam in exchange for steering business to a vendor owned by Nigam (Vendor 2). DSilva, Velazquez, and Camarena had been charged in a previous indictment that was unsealed on November 21, 2024, for their roles in a similar scheme in which DSilva and Velazquez received kickbacks from Camarena in return for steering business to a vendor owned by Camarena (Vendor 1). Nigam surrendered to authorities earlier today and will be arraigned this afternoon before the United States Magistrate Judge Marcia M. Henry. DSilva, Velazquez, and Camarena will be arraigned at a later date.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI); and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged, DSilva, Velazsquez, and Nigam set up a secret side deal with Nigam and awarded Nigam business contracts worth millions of dollars that provided essential information-technology services to homeless shelters in return for illegal kickbacks,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s indictment underscores our strong commitment to prosecuting all illegal fraud and contract steering schemes.”
DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber stated, “These defendants, employees of a City-funded nonprofit and principals of the nonprofit’s subcontractors, engaged in kickback schemes in return for millions of dollars in contracts, as charged. These funds were intended to provide technology services in homeless shelters operated by the non-profit, instead the defendants exploited these arrangements to benefit themselves. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the New York Office of the FBI for their continued partnership and commitment to protect public funds.”
“These four defendants allegedly crafted a kickback scheme to enrich themselves by discreetly contracting a co-conspirator’s company to install security systems in several New York City homeless shelters,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “This alleged conspiracy prioritized personal interests and established an unfair financial advantage to perpetuate the cycle of unlawful payments flowing into the defendants’ bank accounts. The FBI remains committed to investigating any instance of quid pro quo, especially when it impacts critical services to our city’s vulnerable communities.”
As alleged in the superseding indictment, DSilva and Velazquez were employed in the Management Information Systems department of the Organization, which supplied numerous services to indigent New Yorkers, including administering multiple homeless shelters. As part of their work for the Organization, DSilva and Velazquez were responsible for soliciting vendors to complete various projects involving information technology.
The superseding indictment details two schemes in which DSilva and Velazquez received kickbacks for steering contracts for the Organization to specific vendors. In the first scheme, which was also detailed in the original indictment, DSilva and Velazquez received approximately $500,000 in kickbacks from Camarena in return for steering contracts worth approximately $1.6 million to Vendor 1, Camarena’s company, for installing and/or replacing security cameras at the Organization’s homeless shelters. In the second scheme, DSilva and Velazquez took payments from Nigam in exchange for the approval of payments from the Organization to Vendor 2, Nigam’s company. The payments from the Organization were for the installation and maintenance of telephone, Internet, and network services at homeless shelters operated by the Organization. DSilva, Velazquez, and Nigam had a secret deal whereby they agreed to split the profits Vendor 2 made on the payments from the Organization three ways. DSilva and Velazquez had control over how much Nigam charged the Organization. In one instance, DSilva, using a personal email account, sent to Nigam an invoice for Vendor 2 to submit to the Organization—DSilva’s employer. As part of the conspiracy, Nigam regularly sent money to companies in the names of relatives of DSilva and Velazquez. In total, the Organization paid almost $2 million to Vendor 2 during the operation of the scheme, and Nigam paid kickbacks exceeding $700,000 to DSilva and Velazquez.
The charges in the superseding indictment are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Zuckerwise and Turner Buford are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of paralegal specialist Kavya Kannan.
The Defendants:
GARY DSILVA (also known as “Pankaj DSilva”)
Age: 46
Manalapan, NJJONATHAN VELAZQUEZ
Age: 54
Massapequa Park, NYLUIS A. CAMARENA
Age: 57
Bronx, NYPRADEEP NIGAM
Age: 63
Edison, NJE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-471 (S-1) (HG)
Davenport Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Meth Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents, Jason Douglas Ringold, 26, while on parole through the State of Iowa, was responsible for the distribution of more than ten pounds of methamphetamine and illegally possessing and selling firearms. Ringold conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Quad Cities with co-conspirators, Rosston Tate, 40, and Kyle Ogden Antle, 23, both Quad Cities residents.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Ringold will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
In December 2024, Tate received a 20-year sentence, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. In March 2025, Antle also received a 20-year prison sentence and a five-year term of supervised release.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department, Iowa Department of Public Safety—Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Rock Island Police Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, and Bettendorf Police Department.
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.