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Monday 19 May 2025
Washington State Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Dominique Terrel Gonzales, 35, was sentenced today to 11 years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of sex trafficking a minor. Gonzales has been in federal custody since his arrest for illegal firearms possession in August 2020. The court has set a restitution hearing date for Aug. 18.
According to court documents, Gonzales first met the victim when she was 13 or 14 years old. In July and August 2020, when the victim was 17 years old, Gonzales caused her to engage in commercial sex acts. He arranged her travel across state lines and directed her acts in a rented apartment in Portland, Oregon. Gonzales collected the illicit proceeds and controlled the victim with various rules that he implemented.
“Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for the criminal conduct he perpetrated for years within the Western District of Washington,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Predators who target and coerce the vulnerable face appropriately serious sanctions under federal law, and the Justice Department will continue to seek significant sentences to vindicate the rights of human trafficking victims.”
“For years this defendant used violence, threats, and emotional coercion to force vulnerable young women into having sex with strangers and giving their earnings to him,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller for the Western District of Washington. “He preyed upon teenagers and young women who were insecure and estranged from their families. To maintain control over his victims, Gonzales physically beat them, verbally assaulted them, and forced them to install tracking programs on their cellphones so that he could follow their every move. He used whatever means necessary to ensure that his victims engaged in prostitution to fund his luxurious lifestyle.”
“Today’s sentencing is a powerful reminder that those who prey on vulnerable children through violence and exploitation will be held fully accountable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy of ICE Homeland Security Investigations Seattle. “This individual used force and coercion to rob a minor of their freedom and dignity, and justice has now been served. This outcome was made possible through the unwavering collaboration with our law enforcement partners across multiple jurisdictions, whose dedication and coordination were vital to this investigation. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting victims, dismantling trafficking networks, and ensuring that those responsible face the full weight of the law.”
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Olympia Police Department, Vancouver Police Department, Idaho State Police, Ada County (Idaho) Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG), and the Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Crisham for the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorney Jessica Arco of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org
. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Violent pimp who trafficked victims in Washington, Oregon, and across the country sentenced to 11 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A 35-year-old Washington State man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 11 years in prison for sex trafficking of a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Dominique Terrel Gonzales used residences in Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver, Washington, as well as different short-term rental homes on the East Coast, during the period when he preyed on young women, forcing them into prostitution. Gonzales has been in federal custody since his arrest for illegal firearms possession in August 2020.
At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said, Gonzales “engaged in monstrous activity that profoundly affected a number of people. In many ways, your victims have lifetime sentences as a result of the harm you’ve caused. It is hard to overstate the human suffering and damage . . . The victims in this case go beyond those that you abused. You can see how profoundly your actions have affected their families.”
“For years this defendant used violence, threats, and emotional coercion to force vulnerable young women into having sex with strangers and giving their earnings to him,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “He preyed upon teenagers and young women who were insecure and estranged from their families. To maintain control over his victims, Gonzales physically beat them, verbally assaulted them, and forced them to install tracking programs on their cellphones so that he could follow their every move. He used whatever means necessary to ensure that his victims engaged in prostitution to fund his luxurious lifestyle.”
“Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for the criminal conduct he perpetrated for years within the Western District of Washington,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Predators who target and coerce the vulnerable face appropriately serious sanctions under federal law, and the Justice Department will continue to seek significant sentences to vindicate the rights of human trafficking victims.”
Law enforcement in Idaho, Southwest Washington, and Seattle investigated the case. According to records in the case, in August 2020, Gonzales trafficked a juvenile female causing her to engage in commercial sex acts. Gonzales transported the girl across state lines to Portland, Oregon, for her to engage in commercial sex acts.
The investigation revealed that between 2016 and 2019, Gonzalez also forced four adult women to work for him as prostitutes – using force, fraud, and coercion to make them do his bidding. One of the victims was lured from her home in Idaho and then forced to engage in prostitution. Many of the victims met Gonzales through online dating aps. After he lured them in promising a relationship, he put them to work doing sex acts with strangers. Gonzales arranged the “dates” and forced the women to turn over any money they earned. He used violence and threats of violence to keep the victims working for him.
At the time of his arrest, Gonzales illegally possessed a Desert Eagle 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. Three felony convictions prohibit him from possessing firearms: Two counts of second-degree assault (domestic violence) from August 2014 in King County Superior Court and one count of unlawful imprisonment – domestic violence, from the same incident.
In asking for a 12-year prison sentence and 15 years of supervised release prosecutors wrote to the court, “The facts make clear that Gonzales is a manipulative, violent predator who targets vulnerable women to work for him in prostitution and then brutally beats them to keep them under his control….. Despite being prohibited from doing so, Gonzales possessed firearms and used them to threaten and frighten his victims. As a result of their victimization, all five victims have suffered significant trauma – trauma that they were forced to revisit during the course of this prosecution.”
“Today’s sentencing is a powerful reminder that those who prey on vulnerable children through violence and exploitation will be held fully accountable,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Seattle Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy. “This individual used force and coercion to rob a minor of their freedom and dignity, and justice has now been served. This outcome was made possible through the unwavering collaboration with our law enforcement partners across multiple jurisdictions, whose dedication and coordination were vital to this investigation. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting victims, dismantling trafficking networks, and ensuring that those responsible face the full weight of the law.”
Judge Settle ordered that Gonzales be on supervised release for 15 years following his prison term. Restitution for the victims will be determined at a hearing in August 2025.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Olympia Police Department, Vancouver Police Department, Idaho State Police, Ada County (Idaho) Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG), and the Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Crisham for the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorney Jessica Arco of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case. Ms. Crisham leads the Anti-Trafficking prosecutions in the Western District of Washington.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking
Two More Defendants Plead Guilty in Bank Fraud and Identity Theft ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kani Bassie, age 36, of Brooklyn, New York, and Jermon Brooks, age 20, of Richmond, Virginia, pled guilty last week to their roles in a multi-million-dollar bank fraud conspiracy led by Oluwaseun Adekoya, age 39, a Nigerian citizen. 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.
Bassie and Brooks admitted that they were members of a conspiracy to defraud financial institutions all over the country by obtaining the personal identifying information (“PII”) of individuals and using lower-level “workers” to impersonate the identity-theft victims to conduct fraudulent banking transactions in their names. Bassie and Brooks supervised and oversaw lower-level coconspirators who withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars from identity-theft victims in the Northern District of New York and all over the country. Bassie admitted to conspiring with alleged ringleader Adekoya to launder bank fraud proceeds in transactions designed to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds and to use bank fraud proceeds to reinvest in the ongoing conspiracy.
Adekoya, the alleged ringleader of the conspiracy, faces trial beginning June 9, 2025 before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on a second superseding indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and nine counts of aggravated identity theft. The charges against Adekoya in the second superseding indictment are merely accusations. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“And then there was one,” United States Attorney Sarcone said. “We look forward to trial. We appreciate the efforts of the FBI, and many other law enforcement partners across the country, in uncovering this scheme.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: “The FBI takes very seriously our responsibility to investigate and pursue those who commit fraud for personal gain. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who use illegal means and criminal behavior to take advantage of others.”
The prosecution is the result of an ongoing investigation led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Albany Field Office, which began after the May 2022 arrest of David Daniyan, a/k/a “Bamikole Laniyan,” a/k/a “David Enfield,” a/k/a “Africa,” age 60, of Brooklyn, New York, Gaysha Kennedy, age 46, of Brooklyn, and Victor Barriera, age 64, of the Bronx, New York, by the Cohoes Police Department after the trio traveled to the Capital Region to commit bank fraud. According to documents previously filed in the case, the investigation has uncovered over $2 million in fraudulent transactions to date. Thirteen defendants have pled guilty and forfeited hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds, luxury apparel, and jewelry.
At sentencing later this year, Bassie and Brooks face a maximum term of 30 years’ incarceration for the bank fraud conspiracy, Bassie faces a maximum term of 20 years’ incarceration for the money laundering conspiracy, and Bassie and Brooks face a mandatory consecutive term of 2 years’ incarceration for their convictions of aggravated identity theft. The defendants will be ordered to pay restitution and will also face a term of post-incarceration supervised release of up to 5 years.
FBI Albany is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in New York, Newark, Richmond and Resident Agencies in Westchester, New York; Brooklyn/Queens, New York; Garrett Mountain, New Jersey; and Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Additional assistance was provided by other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement & Removal Operations (New York Field Office & Albany sub-office); U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (Buffalo Field Office & St. Albans Resident Office); U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General; New York law enforcement agencies including the New York State Police; Cohoes PD; Colonie PD; Elmira PD; Corning PD; Plattsburgh PD; Florida law enforcement agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Pennsylvania State Police; Alabama law enforcement agencies including the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Gasden PD, and Rainbow City PD; Georgia law enforcement agencies including the Georgia State Patrol, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow PD; Kansas law enforcement agencies including Lawrence PD and Overland Park PD; New Hampshire law enforcement agencies including Rochester PD, Manchester PD, and Amherst PD; the Delaware State Police; Maryland law enforcement agencies including the Maryland State Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office; Wisconsin law enforcement agencies including Onalaska PD and Eau Claire PD; and Indiana law enforcement agencies including the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark, Mathew M. Paulbeck, and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting this case.
Terrebonne Parish Man Sentenced for Violating Federal Controlled Substances Act, Federal Gun Control Act, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JON VERDIN (“VERDIN”), age 29, of Terrebonne Parish, La., was sentenced on May 14, 2025. by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance, after previously pleading guilty to possessing over a kilogram of fentanyl and four firearms, in addition to money laundering. As to the charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, VERDIN was sentenced to 200 months imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. As to the charges of felon in possession of firearms and engaging in monetary transactions derived from a specified unlawful activity, VERDIN was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee on each count. All sentenced are to run concurrently with each other.
According to court records, on February 2, 2022, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at VERDIN’s home and recovered over a kilogram of fentanyl and four firearms. VERDIN admitted he possessed the fentanyl with intent to distribute. He also admitted that he possessed the firearms knowing he had prior felony convictions that prohibited him from possessing a firearm.
During the investigation, law enforcement learned that on March 20, 2021, VERDIN used proceeds from a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan to purchase a Lincoln MKZ for $28,000, an act of money laundering.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, Houma Police Department, St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
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Tennessee Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in Scheme Involving Fraudulent Deed Transfers and Property SalesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Alicia England, 32, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan C. Rodriguez and pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for orchestrating a scheme involving fraudulent deed transfers and sales of properties in North Carolina and elsewhere, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to filed plea documents and today’s court hearing, from October 2022 to August 2024, England engaged in a wire fraud scheme involving, among other things, the filing of bogus deeds for residential real estate in North Carolina and other states, and the misuse of property owners’ personal identifying information (PII). As part of the scheme, England caused bogus deeds to be filed for certain properties, and then sold, and attempted to sell, those properties to third parties. England’s fraudulent scheme involved at least 19 properties worth over $1.4 million.
As England admitted in court today, the defendant stole the identities of various living and deceased individuals and used those identities and PII to open bank accounts, file fraudulent deeds, and enter into real estate sales for properties she did not actually own. For example, England utilized falsified trust documents in the name of VGR, a deceased individual. England admitted to causing the electronic filing of fraudulent quitclaim deeds purporting to transfer multiple real estate parcels from identity theft victims to the VGR Trust. After the fraudulent quitclaim deeds were filed, England advertised those properties for sale, including through online marketplaces, like Facebook Marketplace. England then negotiated the sales of the properties with interested buyers and arranged for the proceeds of the sales to be wired to bank accounts she controlled, including accounts in her own name, the VGR Trust, and in the names of other identity theft victims.
England pleaded guilty to wire fraud which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, and aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. England was released on bond following the plea hearing. A sentencing date has not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the U.S. Secret Service for the investigation of this case and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for its assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Ryan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Tampa Man with A History of Drug Trafficking Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in the Death of Two VictimsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Marquis Lamar McCullough (39, Tampa) to imprisonment for life for distributing fentanyl, the use of which resulted in the deaths of two victims. On February 13, 2025, a federal jury found McCullough guilty of two counts of distribution of fentanyl, the use of which resulted in the death of a person, and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The court sentenced McCullough to life imprisonment for each count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, 30 years on the count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and ordered that the sentences be served consecutively to prison sentences McCullough is currently serving in the Florida Department of Corrections.
According to court records and the evidence presented at trial, on April 22, 2021, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) deputies responded to the residence of K.K. to conduct a wellness check. They found K.K. dead when they entered his apartment and found two baggies with small quantities of fentanyl in the residence. Detectives reviewed K.K.’s cellphone and found communications with a woman who appeared to help K.K. purchase fentanyl the previous evening. During the investigation, detectives found the woman, who explained that K.K. could not get heroin from his usual source, so he asked her to buy some for him from her source. She arranged a meeting with McCullough, who was her supplier, and she purchased the fentanyl and provided it to K.K. The woman provided McCullough’s phone number to the detectives.
On May 6, 2021, the son of N.M. found his father dead, lying in his bed, and called 911 to report the death. HCSO deputies and detectives responded to the residence, and inside N.M.’s wallet they found a baggie with a small amount of fentanyl. While reviewing calls and texts on N.M.’s phone, a detective determined that the last three calls placed by N.M. were to McCullough’s phone number, and the call and text history indicated that McCullough was N.M.’s supplier. Later that day, detectives planned to purchase fentanyl from McCullough, using N.M.’s cellphone to set up the meeting. When McCullough arrived at the meet location, he tried to call N.M., but when his calls went unanswered, McCullough fled the area. An arrest team pursued his vehicle and apprehended McCullough.
The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office investigated both deaths and determined that the use of fentanyl caused the deaths of K.K. and N.M.
Before he committed these offenses, McCullough had been convicted in Hillsborough County, Florida, for trafficking in cocaine, and he served a prison sentence of 60 months. He was also convicted in state court in 2022 for trafficking in fentanyl and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, and he is currently serving a sentence of seven years in the Florida Department of Corrections for those crimes.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Sinacore and Ross Roberts.
Stockton Man Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ricardo Sanchez, 32, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to four years and three months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, on Aug. 20, 2023, law enforcement officers contacted Sanchez and found him to be in possession of a Springfield Armory Hellcat 9 mm semi-automatic pistol. Sanchez is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions, including conspiracy to commit a crime and inflicting injury on a spouse/cohabitant or fellow parent.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice 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.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 210 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Lawrence Powell, 44 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Powell was sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.According to documents in the case, in July 2022, a search warrant executed on Powell’s house resulted in the recovery of more than 800 grams of methamphetamine and 3 loaded guns.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration including the DEA North Central Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
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.
Sharon Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Fentanyl and Cocaine in Close Proximity to SchoolRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Sharon, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to fentanyl and cocaine trafficking within 1,000 feet of an elementary school and next to a day care facility, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Larry Marrow, 37, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Robert J. Colville to possession with intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine within 1,000 feet of a playground, school, or public housing on July 6, 2023.
Judge Colville scheduled sentencing for September 30, 2025. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of not less than one year and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $2 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Mercer County Drug Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Marrow.
Santa Barbara County Investment Advisor Sentenced to over 10 Years in Prison for Stealing Nearly $2.3 Million from Elderly ClientsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Santa Barbara County investment advisor was sentenced today to 121 months in federal prison for stealing approximately $2.25 million from elderly clients of her investment advisory business, including clients that were receiving end-of-life care.
Julie Anne Darrah, 52, of Santa Maria, was sentenced by United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II, who will schedule a restitution hearing at a later date.
Darrah pleaded guilty on March 4 to one count of wire fraud.
During the scheme, Darrah stole approximately $2.25 million from her firm’s clients. She did so by obtaining control of her victims’ assets, and then – without the victims’ knowledge or consent – she liquidated their security holdings and transferred the proceeds to accounts she controlled. As part of this, she convinced victims to sign documents making her the trustee of their trusts or a signatory on their bank accounts or giving her power of attorney over their brokerage accounts and allowing her – as their investment advisor – to transfer funds from their accounts to other bank accounts, including to her own accounts.
Darrah took advantage of trust victims placed in her – often convincing them she would take care of them in their older years like a daughter, and she used this trust to convince them to sign the documents that she then used to steal money from them. In this way, Darrah stole money from victims from approximately November 2016 to July 2023. She used stolen funds to buy properties for herself, pay other personal expenses, buy luxury vehicles, and operate other business ventures. Some victims were left in desperate circumstances, without the money to pay for end-of-life care, when the fraud was discovered.
Darrah also convinced a company identified in the plea agreement as “Business Victim 1,” a Minnesota-based investment advisor firm, to acquire VFM based on false and misleading statements and the concealment of material facts, including not telling that firm about her theft of individual client funds. After the fraud was discovered, Business Victim 1 incurred approximately $5.4 million in losses.
In October 2023, the SEC filed a civil complaint against Darrah in connection with this scheme. In December 2024, United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer found Darrah liable to pay $2,416,511, including interest.
The FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
Salesman Who Defrauded Women and Older Adults Denied Bankruptcy DischargeRead the Press Release
The U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) recently obtained a judgment denying a bankruptcy discharge to a door-to-door salesman who concealed his business interests and lied in his bankruptcy case to evade his creditors, including women and older adults whom he defrauded.
On April 18, the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon entered a default judgment denying a discharge to chapter 7 debtor Jason Gillis. Gillis — who sold vacuums, air filters, and related products — crafted fraudulent schemes generally targeting women he pursued as romantic partners and their elderly parents. In one such scheme, he solicited investments in his businesses but used the money primarily for personal expenses. His victims included a 79-year-old woman recovering from a stroke. In addition to running up debts using the identities of the woman and her daughter without their knowledge or consent, Gillis arranged for the older woman to take out a mortgage on her home, purportedly under duress. In total, he persuaded her to transfer more than $100,000 to a business bank account that he controlled, then diverted a significant amount of the funds to pay for personal expenses.
Gillis also used some of those funds to lease a recreational vehicle valued at about $150,000 from another woman in her seventies, whose daughter he briefly dated. After taking possession of the RV, which he then lived in, Gillis stopped making lease payments and refused to disclose the vehicle’s location.
Gillis filed a chapter 7 bankruptcy petition in August 2024 amid several lawsuits and judgments based on claims of breach of contract, fraud, and theft by deception. An investigation by the USTP’s Portland office revealed that to avoid collection efforts, Gillis concealed his interests in several businesses by transferring nominal ownership to victims while he retained full control and by forging signatures on forms filed with the Oregon Secretary of State. He also made several false statements in his bankruptcy case about his assets and financial affairs, including his multiple business interests; the transfers of nominal ownership; deposits to undisclosed financial accounts; and a wrongful death settlement related to his mother’s estate.
Gillis did not respond to or defend against the USTP’s complaint to deny his bankruptcy discharge, leading to a default judgment in the USTP’s favor. As a result, Gillis remains personally liable for his debts — including more than $1.7 million in unsecured debts listed in his bankruptcy schedules — and creditors may continue collections on claims against him.
“Bankruptcy is not a safe haven for fraudsters,” said Acting U.S. Trustee Jonas V. Anderson for Region 18, which includes the District of Oregon. “The U.S. Trustee Program, as the watchdog of the bankruptcy system, is committed to rooting out deceptive schemes that harm innocent victims.”
One of the USTP’s core functions is to combat bankruptcy fraud and abuse through civil enforcement actions against debtors who engage in fraud or otherwise abuse the bankruptcy system. When circumstances warrant, the USTP takes action to deny those debtors a discharge. Generally, under the Bankruptcy Code, debtors are not entitled to a discharge if they conceal property with intent to hinder, delay or defraud a creditor or an officer of the bankruptcy estate, such as the private trustee administering the estate. The Code also prevents a discharge if the debtor knowingly and fraudulently made a false oath or account in or in connection with the bankruptcy case.
The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 89 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust.
Retired U.S. Navy Admiral Found Guilty in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Admiral Robert Burke (USN-Ret.), 62, of Coconut Creek, Florida, was found guilty of bribery today in connection with accepting future employment at a government vendor in exchange for awarding that company a government contract.
Following a five-day trial, a federal jury found Burke guilty of conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, performing acts affecting a personal financial interest, and concealing material facts from the United States. U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden scheduled sentencing for August 22, 2025.
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Matthew R. Galeotti Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office, Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Stanley Newell of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s (DoD OIG) Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Transnational Field Office.
“When you abuse your position and betray the public trust to line your own pockets, it undermines the confidence in the government you represent,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Our office, with our law enforcement partners, will root out corruption – be it bribes or illegal contracts – and hold accountable the perpetrators, no matter what title or rank they hold.”
"Burke tarnished his reputation and position as a four-star admiral by steering a lucrative contract toward a government vendor in exchange for future employment," said Steven J. Jensen, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. "Today's verdict shows that no one is above the law. The FBI and our federal law enforcement partners remain committed to exposing fraud in the government and bringing corrupt officials to justice for abusing their positions of power."
According to court documents and as the evidence proved at trial, from 2020 to 2022, Burke was a four-star Admiral who oversaw U.S. naval operations in Europe, Russia, and most of Africa, and commanded thousands of civilian and military personnel. The two co-defendants Kim and Messenger were the co-CEOs of a company (Company A) and provided a workforce training pilot program to a small component of the Navy from August 2018 through July 2019. The Navy terminated a contract with Company A in late 2019 and directed Company A not to contact Burke.
Despite the Navy’s instructions, the co-defendants met with Burke in Washington, D.C., in July 2021, to reestablish Company A’s business relationship with the Navy. At the meeting, the charged defendants agreed that Burke would use his position as a Navy Admiral to steer a contract to Company A in exchange for future employment at the company. They further agreed that Burke would use his official position to influence other Navy officers to award another contract to Company A to train a large portion of the Navy with a value one of the co-defendants allegedly estimated to be “triple digit millions.”
In December 2021, Burke ordered his staff to award a $355,000 contract to Company A to train personnel under Burke’s command in Italy and Spain. Company A performed the training in January 2022. Thereafter, Burke promoted Company A in a failed effort to convince another senior Navy Admiral to award another contract to Company A. To conceal the scheme, Burke made several false and misleading statements to the Navy, including by falsely implying that Company A’s employment discussions with Burke only began months after the contract was awarded and omitting the truth on his required government ethics disclosure forms.
In October 2022, Burke began working at Company A at a yearly starting salary of $500,000 and a grant of 100,000 stock options.
This case was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca G. Ross for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Trevor Wilmot and Kathryn E. Fifield of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. It was investigated and indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein.
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Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Dunbarton man was sentenced in federal court for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Scott Currier, age 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott to 144 months in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release. Currier was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $38,000. In May 2024, Currier pleaded guilty to one count of possession of CSAM.
“The defendant is a convicted sex offender who repeatedly exploited children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack. “Thanks to the vigilant efforts and critical leads from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, law enforcement was able to identify the defendant and swiftly investigate his conduct. This office will relentlessly pursue and hold predators accountable, and we will use every tool at our disposal to protect children from exploitation and revictimization.”
“Currier’s criminal history of aggravated felonious sexual assault makes his possession of hundreds of images of child sexual abuse material all the more troubling. Friday’s significant sentence takes a repeat sex offender off the streets and puts him into federal prison for over a decade while also offering restitution to identified victims of child sexual exploitation found in the materials he possessed,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations New England.
The defendant was identified through a CyberTip reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children based on internet activity that was traced to his residence. Based on that tip, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s home that resulted in the seizure of a computer that was found to contain over 700 files of suspected CSAM. The defendant faced enhanced penalties in this matter due to a prior state conviction for aggravated felonious sexual assault.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Dunbarton Police Department and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Petersburg meth trafficker sentenced to five years in prisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Petersburg woman was sentenced today to five years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, between June 28, 2024, and July 2, 2024, Miranda Lynn Hubert, 29, distributed 141.75 grams of meth. On July 2, 2024, Hubert, who had several outstanding warrants at the time, arrived at a 7-Eleven in Richmond to sell meth. Law enforcement took Hubert into custody and conducted a search of her vehicle. Investigators recovered 84 grams of meth, a handgun, and a digital scale.
Hubert was convicted previously for possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, larceny, probation violation, entering a house to commit larceny, and assault and battery.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. The Prince George County Police Department assisted in the investigation of this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gilliland, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-168.
Operation Guardian Angel Launched to Neutralize California’s Sanctuary State Policies that Protect Criminal Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The United States Attorney’s Office along with its federal law enforcement partners today announced the launch of Operation Guardian Angel, a program that seeks to neutralize California’s sanctuary state policy and protect Americans from criminal illegal aliens incarcerated in county jails by issuing federal arrest warrants for them.
The Central District of California – comprised of the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura – is home to an estimated 1.5 million illegal aliens. Among this population are gang members and other dangerous felons.
The operation will file complaints and arrest warrants to allow federal law enforcement to take as many defendants as possible into custody from state jails. The program, which began May 10, has resulted in the arrest of 13 defendants as of May 15. Those numbers are expected to grow.
“Even the worst criminal aliens in state custody are frequently released into the community because California’s sanctuary state policies block cooperation with federal law enforcement,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “These laws effectively render federal immigration detainers meaningless. The days of giving criminal illegal aliens a free pass are over. While California may be presently disregarding detainers, it cannot ignore federal arrest warrants.”
The danger to the community of state protection of criminal illegal aliens could not be starker. In February 2025, José Cristian Saravia-Sánchez, 30, of Mexico, shot and killed an Inglewood man who tried to stop him from stealing a catalytic converter. Despite the fact he was an illegal alien who had been convicted of vehicle theft, was removed from the United States in 2013, and had been arrested 11 times between June 2022 and August 2024, local law enforcement was prevented by state law from complying with an immigration detainer request.
The goal of Operation Guardian Angel is to neutralize – as far as possible – California’s sanctuary state policy and make our community safer.
Ojo Amarillo Man Charged in Brutal AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Ojo Amarillo man has been charged by criminal complaint with assault following an incident that left the victim with multiple fractures and severe facial injuries.
According to court documents, on May 6, 2025, the Navajo Nation Police Department responded to a residence in Ojo Amarillo, New Mexico, where officers discovered the victim suffering from extensive facial lacerations, swelling, and a right eye swollen shut. She was immediately transported to San Juan Regional Medical Center for emergency treatment.
The victim reported that Kyle Kee, 33, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, attacked her without warning, striking her repeatedly in the face, back, and stomach. The assault only ended when a phone call interrupted the attack. The victim said that Kee had previously assaulted her and was on probation for a prior offense.
Officers located Kee hiding in a nearby field. After initially attempting to evade capture, Kee was apprehended and became verbally aggressive, spitting on and kicking an officer during the arrest.
Medical records confirm the victim sustained an orbital fracture, nasal bone fractures, multiple contusions, and a laceration above her right eye requiring sutures.
Keeis charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted, Kee faces up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jordan is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Making Hate Crime Threat against Michigan Attorney GeneralRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A New York man pleaded guilty today to a federal crime for threatening Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. and Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, on October 21, 2023, AG Nessel posted to her X account a photograph of herself and her friend who had been murdered that day. Along with the photograph, AG Nessel described her friend’s faith and contributions to the community and expressed grief and shock about the murder. The next day, Kevin Delgado, 40, of Bayside, New York, posted a threatening reply to AG Nessel’s post. Delgado then pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting threats in interstate commerce. Delgado admitted that he threatened her because of her religion and her perceived sexual orientation.
“The federal government is dedicated to protecting all Americans against threats of violence. Everyone person has equal dignity, and our office will tirelessly work to protect them. And public officials must be free to exercise their office without fear,” U.S. Attorney Gorgon said.
"Threatening public officials is both illegal and unacceptable. The hateful comments made by Mr. Delgado online were especially outrageous," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable those who make these dangerous and harmful threats against officials dedicated to serving and protecting our communities."
Delgado will be sentenced by United States District Court Judge Nancy G. Edmunds on September 22, 2025. He faces a maximum sentence of up to 5 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Lee Carlson.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge Related to Threatening Calls and MessagesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that on May 16, 2025, ELIJAH WHYTE, 30, formerly of White Plains, New York, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to offenses related to harassing and threatening communications.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between August and October 2023, Whyte sent a Connecticut resident 1,330 text messages, made 72 phone calls, and left three voicemail messages. Many of the messages were threatening and harassing, discussing the victim getting killed and raped, the victim’s children, and the victim’s home and hometown.
Whyte pleaded guilty to making repeated harassing telephone communications, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of two years. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for August 8.
Whyte has been detained since October 2023.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel George.
New Orleans Resident Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession and Receipt of Online Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that STEPHEN BADON (“BADON ”), age 35, of New Orleans, was sentenced on May 13, 2025, to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 25 years of supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey, after previously pleading guilty to receipt of child pornography, and distribution of child pornography, both in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1). Additionally, BADON was ordered to pay $86,500 in restitution to numerous victims, as well as a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, the case against BADON stemmed from an online Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). On August 2, 2023, FBI special agents executed a federal search warrant at BADON’s New Orleans home. FBI agents seized four electronic devices from BADON’s residence and subsequently located over 88,000 files of CSAM material throughout the four devices. BADON was subsequently arrested by the FBI.
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 Attorney’s 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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Narco-Terrorists Charged in Federal Indictment with Exchanging Cocaine for Firearms, Explosives in War with Colombia’s GovernmentRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP) foreign terrorist organization and his associate have been charged in a six-count superseding indictment alleging they are senior members of a large cocaine-manufacturing ring that trades cocaine to buy firearms to engage in terrorist activity in Colombia, the Justice Department announced today.
Iván Jacobo Idrobo Arredondo, 39, a.k.a. “Marlon Vásquez,” and Juan Diego Palta Montero, 26, a.k.a. “Ñeque,” are charged with:
- one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization;
- one count of conspiracy to engage in narco-terrorism;
- one count of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine for the purpose of unlawful importation;
- one count of conspiracy to possess firearms, machine guns, and destructive devices in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and
- one count of distribution of cocaine for the purpose of unlawful importation.
Idrobo is charged with one additional count of possession of firearms, machine guns, and destructive devices in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Both defendants are believed to be in Colombia and are not in custody.
According to the superseding indictment that was unsealed on May 5, FARC-EP is a dissident faction of the FARC terrorist group and emerged after its rejection of a 2016 peace agreement between FARC and the Colombian government. FARC-EP is Colombia’s most powerful and violent dissident group and has continued to carry out criminal acts, including assassinations, extortion, hostage-takings, and armed assaults. The group focuses most of its attacks on Colombian government and military targets but has also attacked critical infrastructure, Colombian civilians, and U.S. military personnel in the country. FARC-EP equips its members with firearms, machine guns, mines, and bombs.
The group disseminates propaganda videos to convince the Colombian public and government that FARC-EP controls Colombia, to threaten rivals, and to recruit young Colombians to join it. Idrobo has appeared in and is the primary speaker in some of these videos. FARC-EP controls an area of Colombia responsible for producing approximately 70% of the cocaine manufactured in that nation.
The United States designated FARC-EP a foreign terrorist organization in December 2021. FARC-EP partners with other terrorist organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), and Nueva Familia Michoacana.
From March 2023 to March 2024, Idrobo and Palta knowingly attempted to provide material support and resources to FARC-EP by way of thousands of rounds of ammunition, including for AK-47s, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, 100 grenades, and 12 machine guns – weapons they attempted to obtain by exchanging cocaine they had manufactured and distributed at Colombia-based laboratories Idrobo and others owned and operated.
In one such drug deal in Colombia in May 2023, seven kilograms (15.4 pounds) of cocaine – intended for importation and distribution into the United States, including Southern California – in exchange for Colombian pesos worth approximately $10,715.
In December 2023, a co-conspirator traveled to the Czech Republic on Idrobo’s behalf to review and examine weapons that would be traded for cocaine to be imported into the United States. Following a meeting with a purported weapons supplier, the co-conspirator discussed how FARC-EP sought to obtain rocket-propelled grenade launchers to shoot at the Colombian presidential palace, Colombian army helicopters, Colombia’s Supreme Court building, local police stations, and the place where Colombian President Gustavo Petro was located, to force Colombia’s government to respect them.
Later that month, the defendants, along with a co-conspirator, distributed approximately 21 kilograms (46.3 pounds) of cocaine packaged in materials depicting the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles to a buyer.
Four other Colombian nationals were also charged in a related indictment also unsealed on May 5. Two defendants – Jorge Eliecer Luque Monsalve, 53, a.k.a. “Jorge Col,” and Rubén Darío García Londoño, 41, a.k.a. “Bencho,” have been arrested by Colombian authorities. Luque is pending extradition to the United States and García has been extradited to the United States and made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on May 5. García was ordered detained pending trial and entered a plea of not guilty. His trial is scheduled to begin on July 1.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted of all charges, the defendants would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 50 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Los Angeles Field Division and Bogotá Country Office are investigating this matter with substantial assistance from the Colombian National Police, the Czech Republic Police’s National Counterterrorism, Extremism and Cybercrime Agency (NCTEKK) and Special Activities Unit (UZC SKPV PCR). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, provided significant assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Benedetto L. Balding, Kyle W. Kahan, and Kelly L. Larocque of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Mexican National Unlawfully Residing in Oregon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.— Saul Uriel Nunez-Vega, 24, a Mexican national unlawfully residing in Jackson County, Oregon, pleaded guilty today for illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, on November 14, 2023, law enforcement responded to an attempted kidnapping and shooting in White City, Oregon, where they recovered a firearm. Surveillance footage showed Nunez-Vega in the area before the shooting occurred and investigators learned that he possessed the firearm prior to its use in the shooting.
On December 15, 2023, Nunez-Vega was charged by criminal complaint with illegally possessing a firearm.
Nunez-Vega faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on August 13, 2025, before a U.S. District Judge.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by John C. Brassell, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
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.
Mexican National Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Role in Smuggling and Labor Trafficking Scheme, Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that APOLINAR FRANCISCO PAREDES ESPINOZA, also known as “Pancho,” 58, a citizen of Mexico last residing in Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 40 months of imprisonment, for illegally reentering the U.S. and his involvement in a scheme to smuggle aliens into the U.S., harbor them at Hartford area residences, force them to work, and threaten to harm them in various ways if they failed to pay exorbitant fees, interest, and other living expenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in September 2022, the FBI and Hartford Police interviewed several Mexican nationals who disclosed that they were smuggled from Mexico into the U.S. and transported to Hartford. The investigation revealed that victims typically arranged with Maria Del Carmen Sanchez Potrero and others in Connecticut and Mexico to cross the border into the U.S. in exchange for a fee of between $15,000 and $20,000 that each would need to pay once they were in the U.S. In most cases, the victims were required to turn over a property deed as collateral before leaving Mexico. They were then smuggled across the border and transported to Hartford area residences, including Sanchez’s and Paredes’ residence on Madison Street in Hartford, often at a substantial risk of bodily injury or death.
After the victims arrived in Connecticut, they were told that they would have to pay approximately $30,000, with interest, and that they would have to pay Sanchez and her co-coconspirators for rent, food, gas and utilities. Sanchez, Paredes, and their co-conspirators created false documents for the victims, including Permanent Residence cards and Social Security cards, and helped the victims find employment in the Hartford area. In addition to their own jobs, some victims were required to perform housework and yardwork, or to assist Paredes in his job responsibilities, without compensation and without having their debt reduced.
Victims were rarely provided with an accounting of their debt. If victims failed to make regular payments, or in amounts that Sanchez, Paredes, and their co-conspirators expected, they were sometimes threatened, including with threats to harm family members in Mexico, to take property in Mexico that had been secured as collateral, to reveal victims’ immigration status to U.S. authorities, and to raise their interest payments.
To date, investigators have identified 19 victims of this scheme. Multiple victims were minors, and at least two were smuggled into the U.S. unaccompanied by a relative or legal guardian.
In November 2014, Paredes was encountered in the U.S. and removed the same day via foot at Hildago, Texas. He illegally reentered the U.S. and, in December 2018, was arrested by East Hartford Police and charged with various motor vehicle offenses. He was again removed to Mexico in February 2019, and subsequently illegally reentered the U.S.
Paredes has been detained since his arrest on March 1, 2023. On November 22, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to encourage and induce, bring in, transport, and harbor aliens, and to illegal reentry of a removed alien.
Sanchez and her daughter, Porfiria Maribel Ramos Sanchez, previously pleaded guilty to related charges. On April 11, 2025, Sanchez was sentenced to 51 months of imprisonment, and on March 7, 2025, Ramos was sentenced to 36 months of imprisonment.
Judge Dooley ordered Paredes to pay, jointly and severally with his codefendants, restitution of $574,608.
Paredes, Sanchez, and Ramos face immigration proceedings when they complete their prison terms.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hartford Police Department, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel Krull and Shan Patel.
Maryland Man Charged with Possession of Unauthorized Access Devices, Aggravated Identity Theft, Passport Fraud, and Tampering with WitnessRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment against Brendyn Andrew, 33, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, and Dominique Collins, 37, of Stafford, Virginia.
In February 2025, a grand jury indicted Andrew for aggravated identity theft, supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits fraud, social security number misuse, and theft of government property. Andrew is now charged with additional criminal charges for possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices, aggravated identity theft, passport fraud, and tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant. Collins is named as a co-defendant for tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker, U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) Northeast Region, and Special Agent in Charge David M. Richeson, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) – Washington Field Office.
According to the superseding indictment, in October 2022, with the intent to defraud, Andrew possessed 15 or more electronic benefit transfer cards. In February 2024, Andrew used someone else’s identification to apply for a U.S. passport. Then in March 2025, Andrew and Collins corruptly tampered with a Google electronic-mail account so that it could not be used in a court proceeding.
If convicted, Andrew faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years for aggravated identity theft, up to five years for supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits fraud, up to five years for misuse of a social security number, and up to 10 years for theft of government property. Additionally, Andrew is facing up to 10 years for possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices and up to 15 years for passport fraud. Andrews and Collins both face up to 20 years for tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant.
A federal district court judge determines sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment or a superseding indictment are not findings of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment, or a superseding indictment, are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended USDA-OIG and DSS for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes thanked the Montgomery County Police Department for its investigative assistance and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Marion County man convicted of federal sex trafficking violationsRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Jefferson man has been found guilty of federal sex trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Corey Lamar Johnson, 42, was found guilty by a jury on all counts following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker, on May 19, 2025. Specifically, the jury convicted Johnson of two counts of sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, obstruction of a sex trafficking investigation, three counts of interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution, and conspiracy to violate the Travel Act. Johnson’s co-defendants, Jessica Smith and Rachel Walker, previously pleaded guilty to related charges.
“Congratulations to the team who brought Corey Johnson to a well-deserved appointment with justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. “For far too long, the defendant treated vulnerable, young women in ways no person should ever be treated, but today justice was served. There is no more important work for the U.S. Attorney’s Office than to rescue the oppressed and protect those who cannot protect themselves.”
“The defendant used violence and threats of violence to compel his victims to engage in commercial sex for his profit,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “There is no place in a civilized society for the defendant’s inhumane conduct, and the Justice Department is committed to punishing human trafficking and achieving justice for its victims.”
On June 15, 2023, Johnson and two co-conspirators were named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury, charging them with sex trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking, transportation, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to violate the Travel Act.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Johnson trafficked young women across the United States and compelled them to engage in commercial sex through force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion. Johnson recruited vulnerable, young women through social media posts that boasted of his lavish lifestyle. He promised the victims he recruited that they could also achieve such a lifestyle. Once they were recruited, Johnson introduced the victims to commercial sex, and when the victims wanted to leave him, he became violent, using force and threats, brandishing firearms, and bragging about having “beat” a murder charge, all to keep the victims engaged in commercial sex for his profit.
At sentencing, Johnson faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison as well as mandatory restitution. The statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division with assistance from the Canton Police Department, the Chandler Police Department, the Arlington Police Department, and the Bossier City Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert A. Wells, and James Mack Noble, IV, and Trial Attorney Slava Kuperstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit with the assistance of Trial Attorney Julie Pfluger and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
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Manchester Man Sentenced for Defrauding State and Federal Taxpayers of Nearly $300K in Pandemic Relief FundsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Manchester man was sentenced for his involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain CARES Act funds from the United States government and the State of New York, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Kyereem Sackey, age 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty to 18 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. Sackey was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of $295,167. In January 2025, Sackey pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of bank fraud.
“The defendant exploited a national crisis for personal gain,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack. “He stole nearly $300k in pandemic relief funds that were meant to support struggling families and small businesses. This office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who stole from the government during the pandemic and intentionally depleted the public fisc for personal profit.”
"While the entire world was focused on dealing with a pandemic, Kyereem Sackey was selfishly focused on exploiting programs designed to help people struggling financially to instead enrich himself,” said Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “With today’s sentence, Mr. Sackey has been held accountable for cheating taxpayers, and the FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring to justice those who have committed similar crimes.”
“Kyereem Sackey and his co-defendants engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain New York Department of Labor pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits and Small Business Administration Payroll Protection Program loans. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who seek to exploit these critical benefit programs,” said Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
According to the court documents and statements made in court, Sackey used social media to conspire with others to file false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. Sackey filed unemployment insurance claims in the State of New York on behalf of a co-defendant, which he was not entitled to. When the money was deposited into the co-defendant’s bank account, a portion of the money was sent to Sackey and another co-defendant. Sackey and his co-defendants filed approximately $50,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. In addition to the claim made on behalf of his co-defendant, Sackey filed claims on behalf of a dozen individuals as well as himself resulting in more than $250,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits to be paid by the State of New York.
Sackey also used a co-defendant’s information to apply for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans using a false and fraudulent business that did not exist. Sackey provided the bank with false documents, including fabricated tax documents. Court records show that Sackey fraudulently applied for and obtained more than $30,000 in PPP loans.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Kennedy is prosecuting the case.
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Man Will Serve 12 Years for Orchestrating Out-of-State Home Invasion from PrisonRead the Press Release
OXFORD, MS – Sean Patrick Curtis, 29, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for causing a home invasion while he was in custody for a state sentence.
According to documents and evidence presented in court, on the evening of January 17, 2023, two men entered a home in the State of Nevada, where a couple and their two minor children were present. The victims were held at gunpoint and an adult victim was assaulted and robbed.
Investigators later learned that Curtis directed the men to the home. At the time, Curtis was serving a sentence in the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Curtis communicated through social media applications and FaceTime to orchestrate the home invasion and target a former girlfriend. Curtis pled guilty to cyberstalking earlier this year.
U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson sentenced Curtis to 144 months imprisonment followed by a three-year term of supervised release for the offense.
“This defendant, from prison, directed a home invasion which terrorized a family and could have ended in greater tragedy,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “Great investigative work by our partners at the FBI, and the work done by AUSA Addison led to the proper result – prison for a violent offender.”
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Howell Addison prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced to More Than Ten Years in Prison for Possessing Multiple Firearms While Trafficking Fentanyl in Chicago SuburbsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a man to more than a decade in prison for possessing multiple guns, including a semiautomatic rifle, while trafficking fentanyl and other narcotics in the Chicago suburbs.
A jury last year found OMARI ANDREWS, JR. guilty of possessing an AR-15 style firearm and three handguns while trafficking fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana in Mt. Prospect, Ill., in 2023. Andrews also pleaded guilty prior to trial to distributing fentanyl and heroin in Westmont, Ill., Villa Park, Ill., Des Plaines, Ill., and Hillside, Ill., in late 2022 and early 2023.
Andrews, 26, of Mt. Prospect, Ill., has been detained in federal custody since his arrest in 2023. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang sentenced Andrews to ten years and three months in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago. The Skokie, Ill. and Evanston, Ill. Police Departments provided valuable assistance.
“The defendant possessed a small arsenal of guns and ammunition in his apartment to protect his drug trafficking activity,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandro G. Ortega argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Drugs, and especially fentanyl, are a scourge to the public health and to law enforcement across the country, and a stain on the community.”
Holding firearm and drug offenders accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Man Charged in Connection with Fraudulent COVID-19 Relief Loan Applications Totaling More than $3.39MRead the Press Release
A Georgia man was arrested today in connection with his role in 15 fraudulent COVID-19 relief loan applications administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, totaling more than $3.39 million in fraudulent loan proceeds.
According to court documents, Ian Patrick Jackson, 37, of Atlanta, conspired with another Atlanta man to solicit, recruit, and direct at least nine business owners to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications using fabricated tax documents. Jackson and his co-conspirator allegedly directed the business owners to falsely claim in the loan applications that each business employed 16 individuals and paid monthly wages of $120,000. After receiving the funds, the business owners wrote “payroll” checks to individuals who did not work for their companies and then either kept the money for themselves or gave the money to the co-conspirator, who in turn provided a share to Jackson.
Jackson is the 12th defendant to be charged in connection with the Atlanta-based PPP fraud ring that allegedly fraudulently obtained millions in PPP loans. All eleven previously charged defendants, including the nine business owners, have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial related to $2.7 million in fraudulent PPP loans. To date, authorities have recovered nearly $1.2 million of the stolen money.
In addition to the charged conspiracy, Jackson is alleged to have participated in three other schemes to submit fraudulent PPP or EIDL applications: (1) He applied for a fraudulent $237,500 PPP loan on behalf of Parkway Media Group LLC using fabricated tax forms and a doctored bank statement; (2) He used a forged driver’s license to fraudulently apply for approximately $100,000 in PPP and EIDL program loans using false revenue statements; and (3) He fraudulently obtained a $240,035 PPP loan and $125,000 in EIDL program loans and grants on behalf of Express Xchange LLC. As alleged in the indictment, he wrote checks made payable to individuals who did not work for the businesses using the loan proceeds. He also allegedly used the loan proceeds to pay for personal expenses, including restaurant dining, spa services, phone and credit card payments, and a vacation in Aruba.
Jackson is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, two counts of bank fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and two counts of money laundering. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on each of the conspiracy and bank fraud counts and 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud and money laundering counts.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia, Deputy Inspector General Sheldon Shoemaker of the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General and Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.
The SBA Office of Inspector General and FBI Atlanta Field Office are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Matthew Reilly of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane C. Schulman for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
Since the inception of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Livingston woman sentenced to 3 years in prison for drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Livingston woman who admitted to possessing methamphetamine and a firearm was sentenced today to 36 months in prison to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Jennifer Michelle Hall, 44, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that as part of a long investigation into drug distribution in Livingston, Montana law enforcement identified Hall as someone selling methamphetamine for more serious distributors in Livingston.
On December 3, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hall’s residence in Livingston. She was present at the time. Law enforcement located methamphetamine in plastic jewelry bags, paraphernalia, 10 fentanyl pills, and a semi-automatic pistol with 6 rounds of ammunition. The ATF also recovered Hall’s phone and iPad.
Hall was interviewed and admitted possessing the methamphetamine and the firearm, but stated she was only a user of methamphetamine and was not selling.
Search warrants were obtained for Hall’s iPad and phone. There were text message exchanges between Hall and other individuals in 2021 showing she was both using and selling drugs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Park County Sheriff’s Office.
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.
Linwood, N.C. Man Charged and Arrested for Threatening to Kill Federal Agents Appears in CourtRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Johnathan Trent Thomas, 27, of Linwood, North Carolina, appeared in federal court today on charges of making threats of violence against federal law enforcement officers, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Thomas was arrested Friday, May 16, and remains in custody pending a detention hearing.
Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the criminal complaint and the affidavit unsealed today in court, on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at approximately 12:00 p.m., a caller, later identified as Thomas, contacted the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) and threatened to kill Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and CMPD officers if immigration enforcement actions did not stop. During a second telephone call with a CMPD officer, Thomas allegedly warned that he was coming to Charlotte with armor piercing ammunition, night vision devices, and body armor to kill law enforcement officers and threatened to “shoot them all” if he observed anyone making arrests. Thomas allegedly was referencing arrests made previously by ICE federal agents on Albemarle Road in Charlotte.
The affidavit further alleges that Thomas stated that if a police officer pointed a gun at him, he was just going to open fire. Thomas also allegedly said that he would “Swiss cheese” the officers if they were doing the same thing they did before, meaning making arrests. Thomas allegedly made additional threats to law enforcement, including that he had Tannerite (an explosive) all around his house if the police came, and referenced April 29, 2024, which is the date that four law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in Charlotte, warning that he “could do a whole lot better than that.”
The filed affidavit also alleges that Thomas has an extensive history of threatening law enforcement, to include the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office and CMPD, and on previous occasions had followed CMPD officers in marked patrol cars while they were attempting to fulfill their official duties.
On Friday, HSI agents also executed a search warrant at Thomas’s residence, where they seized three rifles and a handgun.
Thomas is charged with threatening to assault or murder federal law enforcement officers which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended HSI for the investigation of the case and thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of North Carolina, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the Waxhaw Police Department, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kelly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lexington Business Owner Sentenced for Failure to Pay TaxesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington business owner, Matthew Buresh, 65, was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 24 months in prison, for two counts of failure to pay taxes.
Buresh was the owner and President of CR Cable Construction Inc. (CR), a company operating in Lexington that installed underground utility lines. As the owner of the company, Buresh was required to remit trust fund taxes withheld from employee paychecks, such as individual income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes, as well as the matching amounts contributed by the employer, to the IRS on quarterly basis. These taxes are generally known as “employment taxes.”
According to his plea agreement, between March 2018 and December 2022, Buresh knew that his company was required to make deposits of the employment taxes to the IRS on a periodic basis, but chose not to pay the employment taxes withheld from CR’s employees’ paychecks to the IRS. Buresh was notified of CR employment taxes due and owing, accounted for such taxes, had sufficient funds to pay them, but willfully chose not to pay a significant portion of those employment taxes from 2018 through 2022. At the same time, between 2017 and 2022, Buresh withdrew $2.9 million in cash from CR’s bank account to pay for business expenses, his wages, and his distributions.
Under federal law, Buresh must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Buresh is also required to pay $805,787.82 in restitution.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigations, Cincinnati Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the IRS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Dunn-Pirio is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Latham Sex Offender Indicted for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nathaniel Drescher, age 41, of Latham, New York, was arraigned last Thursday on an indictment charging him with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and the commission of a felony offense against a minor by a registered sex offender. Drescher was ordered detained pending trial.
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.
According to the indictment, Drescher knowingly attempted to persuade, induce, and entice a child whom he believed to be 11 years old to engage in sexual activity. This conduct follows Drescher’s 2012 convictions in Johnson County, Texas, for online solicitation of a minor. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
United States Attorney Sarcone stated: “This conduct, as alleged, was especially egregious because the defendant had committed a similar offense before in Texas. With our state and federal law enforcement partners, we will continue to ensure that sex offenders are prosecuted to the fullest extent to the law when they commit new crimes.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: “This indictment proves crimes against our most vulnerable will be met with swift and decisive action. The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, is committed to protecting children and bringing predators like Mr. Drescher to justice.”
If convicted on all counts, Drescher faces at least 20 years and up to life 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 statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. In addition, Drescher would have to continue to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case, with assistance from the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Allen J. Vickey 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.
Last of Three Men Involved in Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Conspiracy Sentenced to 24 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ANNISTON, Ala. – A Tuscaloosa man has been sentenced for his involvement in a drug conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Hanston Alexander Clark, also known as “Hank,” 33, of Tuscaloosa, to 288 months in prison. In November 2024, a jury convicted Clark of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl, and use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The following defendants have previously been sentenced:
Terrance Antwon Stevens, also known as “Toot Toot,” 41, of Anniston, Alabama, was sentenced to 99 months in prison. In September 2024, Stevens pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin.
Yannick Keyon Wolf, 35, of Anniston, Alabama, was sentenced to 57 months in prison. In July 2024, Wolf pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
“This sentence sends a clear message that those who deal deadly drugs in our communities will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “My office will continue working with our federal, state, and local partners to dismantle drug trafficking operations and protect the citizens of North Alabama from this deadly threat.”
“This sentencing marks the final chapter in dismantling a dangerous drug trafficking network that pumped deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine into our communities,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Orleans Division Special Agent in Charge, Steven Hofer. “The DEA, alongside our federal, state, and local partners, remains steadfast in our mission to hold traffickers accountable and protect the public from the devastating impact of these illicit substances.”
“This case involved an organized group of individuals who conspired to distribute large quantities of narcotics and commit other federal crimes,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz. “The ATF worked diligently with our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners to swiftly remove these individuals from the community and hold them accountable.”
According to evidence presented at trial, in June 2023, Clark used a telephone to exchange calls and text messages with co-defendant Terrance Stevens to arrange a drug transaction. Stevens was a drug distributor in Anniston, Alabama, and Clark was Stevens’s source of supply. On June 29, 2023, Clark drove from Birmingham and delivered three pounds of methamphetamine and 100 grams of fentanyl to Stevens’s residence in Anniston. Following the distribution, law enforcement secured the residence and obtained a federal search warrant. The search of the residence recovered three pounds of methamphetamine, over 400 grams of powder fentanyl, over 2,300 “M30” blue fentanyl pills, over 50 grams of heroin, and two firearms.
The investigation and prosecution are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The DEA and ATF investigated the case along with the Oxford Police Department and 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany Byrd and Alan Kirk prosecuted the case.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Reoffending While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man who was on supervised release when he brought methamphetamine and a firearm to a meeting with his United States Probation Officer was sentenced today by United States District Judge James C. Mahan to 151 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Anthony Valenzuela was on supervised release for a felony conviction for felon in possession of a firearm. On March 7, 2023, he drove to the United States Probation Office for a meeting with his supervising officer. During a search of his vehicle, officers found a bookbag containing a digital scale, plastic bags, mail, and a fake drink can containing methamphetamine. In another bag, officers found additional methamphetamine and a Taurus 9mm semiautomatic pistol. The drugs recovered from the vehicle consisted of at least 150 grams but less than 500 grams of methamphetamine.
Photo of methamphetamine powder in resealable bag concealed in drink can.
Photo of a black Taurus 9mm semiautomatic pistol in a bag.
In January 2025, Valenzuela pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the United States Probation Office with assistance by Homeland Security Investigations and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jean Ripley prosecuted the case.
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Justice Department Establishes Civil Rights Fraud InitiativeRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice announced the establishment of the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative, which will utilize the False Claims Act to investigate and, as appropriate, pursue claims against any recipient of federal funds that knowingly violates federal civil rights laws. Violations of the False Claims Act can result in treble damages and significant penalties.
“Institutions that take federal money only to allow anti-Semitism and promote divisive DEI policies are putting their access to federal funds at risk,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will not tolerate these violations of civil rights – inaction is not an option.”
“America has watched a tidal wave of anti-Semitism sweep our universities and seen public institutions codify inherently divisive policies like DEI at an unprecedented rate,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “In advancing the initiative, the Department of Justice’s Civil Fraud Section and Civil Rights Division will work in concert – alongside other Department components and government agencies – to identify and root out instances in which recipients of federal funds fail to uphold their basic obligations under federal civil rights laws. The days of using federal funds to further discrimination are over.”
The Department strongly encourages anyone with knowledge of discrimination by federal funding recipients to consider filing a qui tam action under the False Claims Act. See 31 U.S.C. § 3730. When a qui tam action is successful, the whistleblower typically receives a portion of the monetary recovery. The Department also encourages the public to report instances of such discrimination to the appropriate federal authorities. Please visit https://www.justice.gov/civil/report-fraud for more information.
Read the full memo here.
Jefferson Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking Two Victims in TexasRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the Eastern District of Texas convicted Corey Lamar Johnson, 42, of Jefferson, Texas, today on two counts of sex trafficking and related charges for his conduct in trafficking multiple young women in several states, compelling the victims to engage in commercial sex through acts and threats of physical and psychological harm. Specifically, the jury convicted Johnson of two counts of sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, obstruction of a sex trafficking investigation, three counts of interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to commit interstate travel in aid of racketeering. Johnson’s co-defendants, Jessica Smith, 38, and Rachel Walker, 31, previously pleaded guilty respectively to conspiracy to commit interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution sex trafficking.
“The defendant used violence and threats of violence to compel his victims to engage in commercial sex for his profit,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “There is no place in a civilized society for the defendant’s inhumane conduct, and the Justice Department is committed to punishing human trafficking and achieving justice for its victims.”
“Congratulations to the team who brought Corey Johnson to a well-deserved appointment with justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin Jr. for the Eastern District of Texas. “For far too long, the defendant treated vulnerable, young women in ways no person should ever be treated, but today justice was served. There is no more important work for the U.S. Attorney’s Office than to rescue the oppressed and protect those who cannot protect themselves.”
Evidence at trial showed that Johnson recruited young and vulnerable women through alluring posts online of his supposedly extravagant lifestyle. Johnson promised the victims he recruited that they, too, could achieve such a lifestyle. Once recruited, however, Johnson had the victims engage in commercial sex acts, and when the victims wanted to leave Johnson, he turned violent, using threats, physical force, brandishing his firearms, and bragging about having “beat” a murder charge, all to keep the victims engaging in commercial sex for his profit.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Johnson faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison as well as mandatory restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel Kummerfeld and Robert Wells for the Eastern District of Texas, and Trial Attorney Slava Kuperstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Illegal Alien from Romania Pleads Guilty in South Florida to Laundering Proceeds of Online Auction Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Giuliano Orlando Costin Sandu, 32, a Romanian national illegally present in the U.S., has pleaded guilty to a concealment money laundering scheme operating out of South Florida.
In plea documents and statements made during a hearing in federal court in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Sandu admitted to laundering the illegal proceeds of a nationwide online auction fraud scheme that targeted U.S. citizens who were duped into believing they were purchasing expensive cars, boats, and tractors through online auction platforms. In fact, the ads and auctions were all part of an elaborate online scam that tricked victims into wiring money to one of several accounts opened by Sandu in South Florida. Sandu used several shell companies, false identities, and fake identity documents, including a counterfeit Czech passport, to open the accounts and conceal his identity.
Once the money was deposited into Sandu’s accounts, he would quickly withdraw large amounts of cash, often from multiple accounts in various branches on the same day, in order to prevent recoupment and conceal the nature, location, and ultimate control of the fraud proceeds. Sandu admitted to laundering over three quarters of a million dollars between late 2023 and early 2024.
Sandu was arrested at a local bank branch in April of this year as he attempted to open new bank accounts using a new fake identity with additional false identification documents.
Sandu’s sentencing hearing is set for August 15 at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Securities Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
HSI’s Miami and Salt Lake City, Utah, Field Offices investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Juenger is prosecuting it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20262.
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Haysville woman indicted for distributing child pornographyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas woman made her initial appearance in federal court after a grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging her with distributing child sexual abuse materials.
According to court documents, Addilynn Jean Onuffer, 21, of Haysville is charged with three counts of distribution of child pornography for alleged actions that took place between June 2024 and July 2024.
The defendant made her initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brooks Severson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.
The Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce (ICAC) and Wichita Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.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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Gunnison Man Sentenced to 110 Months in Prison for Being Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Scott Oldenburg, 36, of Gunnison, was sentenced to 110 months in federal prison, plus three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
On June 6, 2023, the defendant was identified as a possible burglary suspect in Mount Crested Butte. Officers later searched his vehicle and found two firearms (a .40 caliber with an obliterated serial number and a 9MM), as well as additional firearm parts, including a firearm silencer. The .40 caliber handgun recovered from the defendant's vehicle was fitted with a "Glock switch," a conversion device that caused the handgun to function as a machine gun.
On June 25, 2023, law enforcement officers in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, searched another vehicle in the defendant’s possession—this time, a Hertz rental car that had been reported stolen. They recovered a 12-gauge shotgun and an AR-15; additional firearm parts, including two suppressors; and magazines and ammunition.
Before June 6, 2023, the defendant had been convicted of a felony that was punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. He was therefore barred from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
“Mr. Oldenburg has forfeited his right to own firearms,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado J. Bishop Grewell. “Our office will continue to prioritize punishing felons in possession of weapons outfitted with machine gun conversion devices.”
“Coordinated law enforcement efforts leave no place for violent offenders to hide,” said ATF Denver Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers. “We are grateful for our local and federal law enforcement partners in this investigation. Together we ensured he will no longer present the danger of bringing violent crime into our communities.”
“We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their dedication to this investigation and prosecution,” said Mt. Crested Butte Police Chief Nate Stepanek. “This sentence reflects our continued commitment to ensuring public safety and holding offenders accountable for their actions.”
“It is a testament to Colorado law enforcement that our teamwork and collaboration results in the removal of so many dangerous individuals from our streets. I am proud of the members of the Wheat Ridge Police Department for the role they played in this multijurisdictional effort and the results,” said Wheat Ridge Police Chief Christopher Murtha.
United States District Judge Gordon P. Gallagher presided over the sentencing. The Denver Field Office of the ATF, the Denver Field Office of the FBI, the Mount Crested Butte Police Department, and the Wheat Ridge Police Department handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Springer and Kurt Bohn handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 24-cr-00022-GPG
Guatemalan Sentenced for Heroin and Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Donis Ariel Maldonado, 29, aka Donis Maldonado Reyes, aka “Danny,” a Guatemalan national residing in El Monte, was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Maldonado conspired with others to distribute 22 pounds of black tar heroin and 88 pounds of methamphetamine sourced from Mexico. On June 23, 2019, Maldonado retrieved the drugs from San Diego and transported them to El Monte. The next day, Maldonado delivered the drugs to an informant, who was acting at the direction of law enforcement, at a convenience store in El Monte. The drugs were valued at $300,000.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Initiative (HIDTA), which consists of personnel from the California Department of Justice, Fresno Police Department, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, California Highway Patrol, Madera County Sheriff’s Office, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Kings County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant United States Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted 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.
Former Tulare County Medical Doctor Pleads Guilty to Distributing Misbranded Drugs Using False Claims about COVID-19Read the Press Release
Stephen D. Meis, M.D., 73, formerly of Visalia, pleaded guilty today to one count of introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Meis was the Medical Director of Golden Sunrise Pharmaceutical Inc. and Golden Sunrise Nutraceutical Inc. that manufactured, marketed, and sold products claiming to effectively treat a variety of medical conditions.
Beginning on March 30, 2020, Meis and Golden Sunrise’s Chief Executive Officer Huu Tieu, 62, of Porterville, began selling a set of herbal mixtures they called the “Emergency D-Virus Plan of Care” as a COVID-19 treatment. The treatment consisted of a box containing various vials of Golden Sunrise drug products, including one called “Imunstem,” together with an “Emergency D-Virus Plan of Care” information sheet. Meis and Tieu mailed the products to various practitioners, public officials, and other individuals both inside and outside of California.
The labeling for the drugs, including the information sheet that accompanied the drugs, was false and misleading and stated that ImunStem and other Golden Sunrise products were “uniquely qualified to treat and modify the course of the virus epidemic in China and other countries.” Golden Sunrise falsely claimed the products had been the first dietary supplement in the United States to be approved as a prescription medicine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat the COVID-19 virus. In fact, the drugs were not FDA approved, and no Golden Sunrise product had ever been approved by the FDA for any purpose.
On June 12, 2024, Tieu was sentenced to 18 months in prison for introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Emilia P.E. Morris are prosecuting the case.
Meis is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on July 14, 2025. Meis faces a maximum statutory penalty of 12 months in prison and a $100,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Former Contractor of USAID-Funded Program Extradited to the United States, Convicted and Sentenced for Conspiracy to Obtain Grant Money Through FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON— Stephen Paul Edmund Sutton, 53, a United Kingdom citizen, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today for his participation in a fraud scheme, perpetrated when he was employed by a contracting firm that implemented a U.S. Agency for International Development-funded (USAID) power distribution program (PDP) in Pakistan, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sean Bottary.
Sutton pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit theft concerning a program receiving federal funds, which is a felony. In his role as a Logistics Operations Manager, Sutton took kickbacks of USAID-funds used to pay for the services rendered. After fighting extradition for more than two years, Sutton was extradited to the United States. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta sentenced Sutton to time-served and ordered that Sutton be turned over to immigration authorities.
He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft concerning a program receiving federal funds. He was sentenced to time-served and one day of supervised release.
According to court documents, PDP was a component of U.S. government assistance to the government of Pakistan to support its energy sector. Launched in September 2010, the five-year program was designed to facilitate improvements in Pakistan’s government-owned electric power distribution companies through interventions and projects addressing governance issues, technical and non-technical losses, and low revenue collection. The main goal of the PDP was to improve the commercial performance of the participating distribution companies through technology upgrades and improvements in processes, procedures, and practices, as well as training and capacity building. Under the PDP contract, Sutton’s employer subcontracted through purchase orders with vendors in Pakistan for certain goods and services.
From May through November 2015, Sutton and his co-conspirator, an employee supervised by Sutton, participated in a kickback scheme by creating two companies, obtaining PDP purchase orders for forklift and crane services for the companies, and distributing the profits to themselves. As part of the scheme, his co-conspirator arranged for low-grade local vendors to provide the services for at least half the contract rates, and Sutton ensured that the company paid the invoices despite suspicions raised by an accounts payable officer. U.S. government sentencing documents indicate the agency was defrauded of almost $100,000 and that for his part, Sutton received at least $21,000 in kickbacks.
Sutton’s co-conspirator is also charged by indictment and his case is pending disposition.
This case was investigated by the USAID Office of Inspector General and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily Miller and former Special Assistant United States Attorneys Scot Morris and Nicholas Coates of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Sutton from the UK.
20-cr-252
Federal Jury Finds Indy Pimp Guilty of Eight Counts Related to Human and Drug Trafficking EnterpriseRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— A federal jury has found Kristopher McDonald, 37, of Indianapolis, guilty of the following eight counts related to his operation of a violent human and drug trafficking enterprise, “The Kristopher McDonald Organization.”
Count 1: Murder in aid of racketeering activity.
Count 2: Brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Count 3: Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Counts 4 & 5: Sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.
Count 6: Enticing an individual to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution.
Counts 7 & 8: Travel act; a federal crime to engage in interstate or international travel, for the purpose of furthering certain "unlawful activities.”
According to court documents and trial evidence, Kristopher McDonald orchestrated and led a human trafficking operation in Indianapolis. During this time, he recruited and exploited women, some from out of state, for commercial sex, maintaining strict control over the operation. McDonald managed all aspects of the criminal enterprise, including collecting proceeds from sex acts and using violence to intimidate and punish both clients and the women he exploited.
To manipulate and maintain control over the women, McDonald supplied them with crack cocaine, fostering addiction and dependency. He also used physical violence—including pistol-whipping—and threats of death to punish those who didn’t earn enough money or to force them into performing sex acts, often up to nine or ten times a day.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, IRS, and IMPD, investigated this case. U.S. District Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt presided over the trial and will sentence McDonald at a later date.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley Blackington and Michelle P. Brady, who are prosecuting this case.
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East St. Louis woman sentenced to 11 years in prison for federal gun chargeRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A U.S. district judge sentenced an East St. Louis woman to 11 years’ imprisonment after she used a stolen firearm to threaten a victim.
Cierra S. Whitley, 36, pleaded guilty in January to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Following her term of imprisonment, she will serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, the Illinois State Police Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) investigated a double homicide that occurred in East St. Louis between Aug. 11-12, 2023. During that investigation, they seized a 9mm firearm that was used to kill both victims. During police interviews, Whitley admitted to possessing the firearm as a convicted felon and brandishing it to threaten one of the victims.
“PSEG’s double homicide investigation led to Cierra Whitley’s conviction for possessing the stolen firearm that was used to murder two people,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Her 11-year sentence rightly punishes her for this violent crime and demonstrates our ongoing battle against criminals who endanger our communities.”
"This 11-year sentence of a convicted felon found guilty once again of breaking the law is evidence of ISP's commitment to making communities safer," said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. "ISP Public Safety Enforcement Group special agents will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney's Office to reduce and prevent crime, while holding those who break the law accountable."
“A convicted felon in possession of a stolen firearm- and brazenly brandishing it- are a danger to the community. Such individuals and acts need to be dealt with swiftly,” said ATF Chicago Field Division Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher Amon.” Through great partnerships with ISP and the United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Illinois, Cierra Whitley and others like her who challenge the rule of law, will be held accountable for their actions.”
Whitley was previously convicted of a felony and therefore unable to legally possess firearms.
Illinois State Police led the investigation, with support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ali Burns and Laura Reppert prosecuted the case.
Dubuque Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
A man who sexually exploited two children was sentenced today to 45 years in federal prison.
Justin James Paisley, age 35, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 18, 2024 guilty plea to sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that between the spring of 2022 and May 2024, on multiple occasions, Paisley and his co-conspirator, John Dixon, committed sexual acts with a prepubescent child. They photographed and videotaped the child engaging in sexual conduct and sent those images to each other via text message. Paisley also photographed a second prepubescent child engaged in sexually explicit conduct and sent the photograph to Dixon.
Paisley was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Paisley was sentenced to 540 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.”
Paisley is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
John Dixon’s sentencing hearing has been scheduled for June 23, 2025. Dixon remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Dixon faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 50 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $95,200 in special assessments, and life term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-1032.
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Dominican National Sentenced for Unlawful Re-Entry into the United States after a Previous DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court for reentering the United States after a previous deportation, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Angel David Aybar Carmona, 30, a Dominican national unlawfully residing in Massachusetts, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha D. Elliott to 9 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. On February 3, 2025, Aybar Carmona pled guilty to one count of Re-Entry After Deportation.
On or about July 19, 2024, Aybar Carmona was encountered by law enforcement in New Hampshire after being previously deported. Aybar Carmona was deported and removed from the United States on or about March 15, 2022.
U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Strelzin prosecuted the case.
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D.C. Man Sentenced to More Than 30 Years for Violent Armed Robbery Spree in Prince George’s CountyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby sentenced William David Hill, aka Old Man, aka Tank, 68, of Washington, D.C., to more than 33 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. This sentence is in connection with two armed commercial robberies — and the discharging of a firearm during one of the robberies — in November 2016.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
On July 3, 2019, following a seven-day trial, a federal jury convicted Hill and co-defendant Ronnell Francis Lewis of the robberies. According to the evidence presented at trial, on November 22, 2016, Lewis, Hill, and a co-conspirator robbed an auto repair business in Clinton, Maryland.
Specifically, the evidence showed that the robbers entered the business brandishing firearms and ordered two employees to get on the ground. The defendants took money from the victims’ pockets and ordered them into the front office. They then bound and gagged one victim with zip ties and duct tape, respectively. The second victim fought. As a result, the robbers shot and ultimately paralyzed the second victim, before fleeing in a vehicle that they stole earlier in the day.
As detailed at trial, on November 26, 2016, the defendants also robbed a barbershop in Seat Pleasant, Maryland. According to the trial testimony, the two defendants entered the business, ordered everyone on the ground, and then robbed them.
During the robbery, the defendants threatened the victims with violence. According to the evidence, the robbers put the cash in a dark, single-strap duffle bag and fled in a stolen minivan.
Police saw the minivan at a traffic light and attempted to halt the vehicle, but the driver refused to stop, fleeing into Washington, D.C. Law enforcement eventually stopped Lewis and the driver and seized their vehicle. The third person, later identified as Hill, escaped but authorities eventually apprehended him.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County Police Department, Seat Pleasant Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department for their assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan S. McKoy and Elizabeth Wright who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Correction Officers Charged with Years-Long Healthcare Fraud Scheme Following Use of Force Incidents on Rikers IslandRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Jocelyn E. Strauber, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”); and Lucy Lang, the Inspector General for the State of New York, announced today the unsealing of three Indictments charging one current and two former correction officers employed by the New York City Department of Correction (“DOC”) at Rikers Island with healthcare fraud, mail fraud, and false statements related to healthcare matters. TODD FAUSTIN, JOVANNY CONCEPCION, and STEVEN MURPHY were arrested earlier today and presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger. Their cases are assigned to U.S. District Judges Loretta A. Preska and Lewis J. Liman.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “As alleged, the defendants defrauded New Yorkers by making hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent workers compensation claims. Today’s arrests demonstrate this Office’s continuing commitment to protecting New Yorkers from corruption at Rikers Island.”
DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said: “New York City’s workers’ compensation system is a vital resource for City employees injured on the job. These three current and former Department of Correction officers, as charged, defrauded that system of almost $1 million in total, through false claims about physical injuries. To reduce the risk of future fraud, DOI recommends reforms to the DOC and the New York City Law Department’s policies and procedures, set forth in a report issued today. I thank the Law Department for referring concerns about workers’ compensation claims to DOI, and for its assistance in this investigation. I also thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and our other law enforcement partners for their continuing commitment to protect City funds.”
New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang said: “Public trust in government requires that law enforcement acts with the utmost integrity. Lying about an ongoing injury to get workers’ compensation benefits while engaging in strenuous employment and activities, as alleged here, is an affront to the honest workers whom the system is built to protect. With thanks in this case to our partnership with the Southern District of New York and the NYC Department of Investigation, we will continue to seek accountability for anyone who undermines New Yorkers’ trust by defrauding the workers’ compensation system.”
As alleged in the Indictments:1
The New York State Worker’s Compensation Board (the “Board”) administers New York State’s no-fault workers’ compensation system, which guarantees medical care and cash benefits to people who are injured at work, including DOC employees. Payments by the Board made to DOC employees are paid from the New York City Treasury. For years, FAUSTIN, a current DOC employee, and CONCEPCION and MURPHY, who were both formally employed by DOC, were DOC correction officers assigned to work at Rikers Island. During that time period, each defendant engaged in a years-long scheme to falsely claim that they were injured while on duty at Rikers Island during incidents with incarcerated individuals requiring the use of force. To effectuate this scheme, each defendant made false statements to the Board, their own physicians, and independent medical examiners claiming these fake injuries. In total, FAUSTIN received $469,705.39 in benefits to which he was not entitled; CONCEPCION received $232,427.97; and MURPHY received $294,037.83.
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CONCEPCION, 33, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of healthcare fraud and one count of mail fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of making false statements related to health care matters, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
MURPHY, 31, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of healthcare fraud and one count of mail fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of making false statements related to health care matters, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
FAUSTIN, 43, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of healthcare fraud and one count of mail fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of making false statements related to health care matters, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of DOI, the New York State Office of Inspector General, and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Clayton also thanked the New York City Police Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau and New York State Police for its cooperation and assistance.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division and the Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaiya Arroyo, Frank Balsamello, and Alexie Rothman are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._concepcion_indictment.pdf u.s._v._faustin_indictment.pdf u.s._v._murphy_indictment.pdf
1 As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictments and the description of the Indictments set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced for Violating Sex Offender Registration RequirementsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – An Alton man was sentenced today in federal court for violating his sex offender registration requirements, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay Mccormack announces.
Chad Amodio, 52, of Alton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty to 120 months in federal prison and 20 years of supervised release. In November 2024, Amodio plead guilty to three counts of failure to register his online identifiers.
“Sex offenders are legally required to register their online identifiers so law enforcement can monitor and prevent predatory behavior,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack. “The defendant willfully ignored that requirement, undermining a critical safeguard designed to protect children. Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: law enforcement in the Granite State will hold sex offenders accountable when they attempt to evade oversight and will continue to prioritize the safety of our communities, especially our children.”
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”) requires individuals convicted of certain sex offenses to report their internet or online identifiers, which includes screen names and user profiles on social media accounts. Amodio is required to register as a sex offender under SORNA due to his 2014 conviction in the District of Maine. Despite knowing this requirement, between December 2023 and January 2024, Amodio was using the screen name “CookieMunchin” in an internet chat room for teenagers and did not report the profile as required.
Within the chat room, Amodio began communicating with a purported 13-year-old girl. Amodio exchanged hundreds of sexual messages with the purported minor. Amodio requested photographs of the purported minor and suggested that they meet in person, even offering to pick her up from school so they could engage in illegal sexual activity. After identifying Amodio, authorities discovered two other online identifiers that Amodio had failed to report.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, at least 5 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 statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The United States Marshals Service investigated this case. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, the Alton Police Department, and the Haverhill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Hunter and Kasey Weiland prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Chicago Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Kidnapping, Carjacking, and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for kidnapping three drivers and sexually assaulting two of them at gunpoint.
ANDREW ANANIA, 29, kidnapped an Uber driver on March 8, 2021, in Darien, Ill. Anania showed the driver a gun and forced her to drive to Chicago and park in alleys, where he sexually assaulted her before fleeing on foot. On March 10, 2021, Anania and another man, WALTER MORAN, kidnapped a woman who was on her way to work in Cicero, Ill. Anania pointed a gun at the driver and instructed her to drive to Chicago, where Moran exchanged gunfire with others on the street. The pair eventually released the victim and took her car. A jury earlier this year convicted Anania on kidnapping, carjacking, and firearm charges in connection with those incidents.
Anania pleaded guilty prior to trial to another kidnapping and carjacking. That incident occurred on Feb. 27, 2021, in Chicago, when Anania got in a vehicle with the driver, claimed he had a gun, and sexually assaulted her. The woman escaped when the car stopped at an intersection. Anania fled in the vehicle and crashed it a short time later.
Anania committed all of the offenses while awaiting trial in a separate, unrelated federal firearm case not assigned to the sentencing judge in this matter. Anania had been released on bond in that case after multiple court hearings at which the government repeatedly sought pre-trial detention.
U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang imposed the 50-year prison sentence during a hearing on May 13, 2025, in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance was provided by the Cicero, Ill. Police Department, Darien, Ill. Police Department, Summit, Ill. Police Department, Stickney, Ill. Police Department, Chicago Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cornelius Vandenberg, Megan Donohue, and Hayley Altabef.
Moran, of Cicero, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to kidnapping and carjacking charges. Judge Chang sentenced Moran in April to 15 years and eight months in federal prison.