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Friday 16 May 2025
Indian National Indicted for Transportation and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on May 8, 2025, ASHISH KAPOOR, a/k/a “Romy Kapoor,” (“KAPOOR”), age 28, a national of India, was charged in a superseding indictment Transportation of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(1), (a)(4)(B), (b)(1), and (b)(2).
If convicted of Transportation of Child Pornography, KAPOOR faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to 250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to life, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. If convicted of Possession of Child Pornography, KAPOOR faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to 250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to life, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
According to the superseding indictment, on or about February 21, 2024, KAPOOR transported a cellular phone containing digital videos and computer images containing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On or about December 20, 2024, KAPOOR possessed digital videos and computer images containing visual depictions of prepubescent minors under the age of 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the superseding indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, the United States Customs and Border Protection, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Illegal Immigrant Sentenced for Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Guatemalan national was sentenced yesterday for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported.
According to court documents, Mateo Juan-Lorenzo, 22, was arrested by the Robertsdale Police Department on February 16, 2025, for giving a law enforcement officer false information. Homeland Security (“HSI”) was notified of his arrest. HSI was able to determine that Juan-Lorenzo had previously been removed from the United States in 2024.
At sentencing, Judge Moorer imposed a time-served sentence and a 1-year term of supervised release upon his future release. Juan-Lorenzo had been in custody since his arrest on February 16, 2025. Upon his release from prison, Juan-Lorenzo is to be referred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Juan-Lorenzo was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and the Robertsdale Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Houston sex trafficker gets 14 years for luring minor through social mediaRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 25-year-old man has been sentenced for coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Michael Ramone Hooks pleaded guilty Sept. 27, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake considered victim letters and sentenced Hooks to 168 months in prison. He was also ordered to pay $6087 in restitution to a known victim and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Hooks will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
At the time of his plea, Hooks admitted to recruiting the 16-year-old victim to engage in prostitution via Instagram, text messages and video calls.
He communicated via cell phone with the minor and lured her away from a known sex trafficker, Antonio Dario Osario-Avelar aka Pressure. Prior to Hooks’ attempt to lure the minor victim away to work for him, Osario-Avelar had caused to her to engage in commercial sex.
Hooks knew the victim was a minor. Law enforcement discovered text messages revealing that they discussed her age. The victim agreed to pay Hooks a “choosing fee,” which is a fee the victim pays a trafficker for them to be their “pimp.”
In August 2023, authorities arrested Hooks and recovered the minor victim before she could join up with him.
Osario-Avelar was previously sentenced to 375 months in federal prison for his conduct in a separate case before U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks.
“This case is a reminder that sex trafficking is happening in our city, even if it is not always immediately visible,” said Ganjei. “This case was, of course, a great hit against this specific defendant, but our larger goal is nothing short of putting the Houston sex trafficking trade completely out of business.”
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance and Houston Police Department (HPD).
Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Celia Moyer and former AUSA Sherri Zack prosecuted the case.
HTRA law enforcement includes members of HPD, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor (DOL), DOL – Wage and Hour Division, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Social Security Administration – OIG and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.
Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Honduran National Charged with Reentry of Deported AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ROSSEL GEOVANNY RECINOS ARITA (“RECINOS ARITA”), age 30, a native of Honduras, was charged in a bill of information on May 12, 2025, for reentry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to court documents, RECINOS ARITA, a Honduran national, was found in St. Tammany Parish on or around February 24, 2025. He had previously been deported to Honduras on June 19, 2018.
If convicted, RECINOS ARITA faces a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
Guilty Plea Entered in Metropolitan Branch Trail Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jalique Wiseman, of the District, and Leon Kirksey, of Maryland, both 20, pleaded guilty today to charges stemming from a string of armed and unarmed robberies along the Metropolitan Branch Trail in October and November of 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Wiseman and Kirksey each pleaded guilty in Superior Court to three counts of armed robbery and three counts of robbery. Sentencing is scheduled for August 8, 2025, before Superior Court Judge Jennifer Di Toro.
According to the government’s evidence, between October 2, 2023 and November 23, 2023, Wiseman and Kirksey robbed multiple people on six separate instances on or near the Metropolitan Branch Trail, using either physical violence or at gunpoint, taking the victims cell phones and other property. Wiseman and Kirksey demanded the victims’ passcodes and used that information to access the victims’ financial accounts to transfer money to accounts that Wiseman and Kirksey controlled. Wiseman committed a number of the robberies while wearing a distinctive red, white, and blue Moncler jacket and distinctive Penny Hardaway shoes.
The plea agreement is the culmination of an investigation into a string of robberies along the Metropolitan Branch Trail in the fall of 2023.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kraig Ahalt.
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Guatemalan National in the United States Illegally Detained for Assaulting a Federal AgentRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A previously deported Guatemalan national illegally present in the United States has been ordered detained on a charge of assault, resisting, and impeding a law enforcement officer in the performance of official duties, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
It is alleged that on April 30, 2025, Miguel Tamup-Tamup, a/k/a Miguel US Tamup, 28, struggled with an ICE deportation officer and Homeland Security Investigations agents as they attempted to apprehend him as authorized by a Warrant for Arrest of Alien. A Homeland Security Investigations agent suffered serious injury during the encounter.
Charging documents reflect that on April 19, 2025, Tamup was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence after his car allegedly collided with another vehicle. He was subsequently arraigned and released. Tamup’s fingerprints matched ICE fingerprint records associated with a person flagged as being in the United States illegally.
It is alleged that on April 30, 2025, an ICE deportation officers and Homeland Security Investigations agents stopped a car that Tamup was operating. After he refused to exit, the law enforcement agents guided him out of the vehicle. While the agents attempted to place Tamup in handcuffs, he resisted, threw his upper body and shoulders against the agents, flailed his arms, and broke an agent’s hold. During the encounter, one of the agents fell to the ground and suffered a serious leg injury. Tamup fled as the injured agent was attended to by the other agents.
On Thursday, ICE and HSI agents located Tamup at a Providence residence and took him into custody. He made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and has been ordered detained.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Milind M. Shah.
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Grand jury indicts 11 more individuals for involvement with online groups dedicated to monkey torture & mutilationRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – An indictment was unsealed today charging 11 defendants from across the United States for their alleged involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.
The indictment alleges the individuals conspired with previously charged defendant Nicholas T. Dryden, of Cincinnati, to create and distribute so-called “animal crush videos.”
The indictment details 79 overt acts in which defendants allegedly paid Dryden who then paid a minor in Indonesia to commit the requested acts on camera.
The videos alleged to have been created as part of the conspiracy depicted, among other things, monkeys having their genitals burned and cut with scissors, as well as being sodomized with a wooden skewer and a spoon.
Those charged include:
NameAlso Known AsResidenceErnest D. ChavezLaxArizonaHugh T. CampbellTim TempletonPennsylvaniaCarter G. FawcettCaptainColoradoBrady O. ShellhammerBeglu, BbbegluLouisianaJimmy WongYasser LopezNew YorkKimberly A. AnglinKim AnglinConnecticutMark M. SampieriThe Chef, SainTConnecticutVictoria S. HaskinsCat Face, Sparkles Fancy PantsLouisianaVance H. BeadlesMr. GreenKentuckyMary L. LongoriaR6, R6exNorth CarolinaPatrick C. NaylorYANTF, YANTF 2xNorth Carolina“The acts of torture and abuse of young monkeys alleged in this case are beyond disturbing,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “As a result of the work of the FBI, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and our partners, those involved in the conspiracy to create and distribute these repulsive videos are being held accountable.”
If convicted as charged, these defendants face maximum penalties of five years in prison.
Acting United States Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio; Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Department of Justice’s Environmental & Natural Resources Division (ENRD); and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; made today’s announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Adam C. Cullman of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Oakley for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Grand Jury Indicts 11 More Individuals for Involvement with Online Groups Dedicated to Monkey Torture and MutilationRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging 11 defendants from across the United States for their alleged involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.
The indictment alleges the individuals conspired with previously charged defendant Nicholas T. Dryden, of Cincinnati, to create and distribute so-called “animal crush videos.”
The indictment details 79 overt acts in which defendants allegedly paid Dryden who then paid a minor in Indonesia to commit the requested acts on camera.
The videos alleged to have been created as part of the conspiracy depicted, among other things, monkeys having their genitals burned and cut with scissors, as well as being sodomized with a wooden skewer and a spoon.
Those charged today include:
- Ernest D. Chavez — also known as Lax — from Arizona;
- Hugh T. Campbell — also known as Tim Templeton — from Pennsylvania;
- Carter G. Fawcett — also known as Captain — from Colorado;
- Brady O. Shellhammer — also known as Beglu or Bbbeglu — from Louisiana;
- Jimmy Wong — also known as Yasser Lopez — from New York;
- Kimberly A. Anglin — also known as Kim Anglin — from Connecticut;
- Mark M. Sampieri — also known as The Chef or SainT — from Connecticut;
- Victoria S. Haskins — also known as Cat Face or Sparkles Fancy Pants — from Louisiana;
- Vance H. Beadles — also known as Mr. Green — from Kentucky;
- Mary L. Longoria — also known as R6 or R6ex — from North Carolina; and
- Patrick C. Naylor — also known as YANTF or YANTF 2x — from North Carolina.
If convicted as charged, these defendants face maximum penalties of five years in prison.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio, Assistant Director Douglas Ault of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement, and Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office made today’s announcement.
The USFWS Office of Law Enforcement and FBI investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Adam C. Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Oakley for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Four Men Arrested for Illegal Reentry During Immigration Enforcement Operation in Sumter CountyRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Henry Noe Murillo Castellanos (29, Honduras), Juan Diaz Mendez (29, Mexico), Esteban Pashanno Gomez (30, Mexico), and Hermilo Jimenez Vazquez (23, Mexico) have been arrested on federal criminal complaints charging them with illegal reentry after being previously deported or removed from the United States. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.
These arrests took place during an immigration enforcement operation carried out in in Sumter County during the week of May 12, 2025. According to court records, Murillo Castellanos had been previously deported from the United States on at least three occasions; Diaz Mendez had two prior deportations; Pashanno Gomez and Jimenez Vazquez each had one prior removal. None of these individuals applied for or received permission from the Attorney General, or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, to return to the United States.
These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Florida Highway Patrol. They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
The investigations 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.
Four Dominican Nationals Indicted for Drug Conspiracy Involving Fentanyl and Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A federal grand jury in Boston has indicted four Dominican nationals residing in Lawrence, Mass., on drug charges.
Juana Luduvina Aguasvivas, 66, Richard Arias-Aguasvivas, 38, Ariel Ruiz, 31, and Yonelin Baez Soto, 30, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Arias-Aguasvivas, Ruiz and Baez were also charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and/or crack cocaine. All four defendants are scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston on May 29, 2025.
According to the charging documents, in April 2021, an investigation began into a drug trafficking organization operating in Lawrence that was supplying fentanyl, cocaine base and cutting agents to customers. Between April 2021 and February 2025, investigators conducted controlled purchases, during which Aguasvivas, Arias-Aguasvivas, Ruiz and Baez collectively sold more than 800 grams of fentanyl, more than 80 grams of crack cocaine and copious amounts of cutting agents.
In May 2025, Baez pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry and is scheduled to be sentenced on those charges on Aug. 6, 2025.
Arias-Aguasvivas, Ruiz and Baez each face at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $10 million fine. Aguasvivas faces at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $5 million fine. The defendants are subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in charge for the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police, Essex County District Attorney’s Office, North Andover Police Department, Billerica Police Department, Lowell Police Department, Haverhill Police Department, Methuen Police Department, Internal Revenue Service and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna of the Criminal Division is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former employee sentenced to federal prison for stealing from psychiatristRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for fraud violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Jerry Leonard Carnley, Jr., 55, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on May 16, 2025. Carnley was also ordered to pay restitution of $191,251.35 to his victims.
According to information presented in court, Carnley was employed as an office manager and information technology (IT) specialist for a local psychiatric practice. As such, Carnley had access to the business checking account. As part of his scheme to defraud the business, Carnley would utilize the business checking account, which had a debit card attached to it, and withdraw money from ATMs for matters other than business, including his own personal use. One of Carnley’s responsibilities was to provide an accounting firm with documents necessary for the filing of federal income tax returns. From December 2020 to September 2021, However, Carnley purposefully refused to provide the accounting firm with requested information such as quick books and bank statements. Eventually, Carnley told the accounting firm that he would file the taxes himself and that the doctor would no longer be using their services. These actions allowed Carnley to continue to discretely withdraw money from the business checking account. Carnley befriended the doctor’s mother with the pretense of getting to know the doctor better and obtained information that would help him change passwords to bank accounts. From November 2020 to December 2021, Carnley made 355 unauthorized withdrawals from an ATM machine located at the Delta Downs Racetrack, Hotel and Casino in Vinton, Louisiana, and 53 unauthorized cash withdrawals from banks in and around Beaumont, Texas. As a result of the scheme, Carnley was responsible for obtaining over $191,000 by fraud.
This case was investigated by FBI’s Beaumont field office and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reynaldo P. Morin.
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Former Youth Pastor Sentenced for Coercion of a Minor and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A former youth pastor was sentenced today for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor and Possession of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Chaz Chinsethagid, 34, of Jenks, to serve 168 months imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release. Upon his release, Chinsethagid will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, from December 2023 through March 2024, Chinsethagid knowingly entered an online chat room. He engaged in several conversations and initiated a conversation with someone he believed to be 14 years old. Chinsethagid spoke with the 14-year-old about school and quickly turned the conversation sexual. He then attempted to entice the 14-year-old to participate in a video call or provide sexually explicit photos.
Chinsethagid further admitted to possessing explicit videos and images of children, some under 12 years old, engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Chinsethagid will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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 Justice.gov/PSC.
Former Theology Professor Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Pornographic Images of ChildrenRead the Press Release
A former professor of theology and librarian at the Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for possession of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Charles Kilby Bellinger, 63, was arrested in October 2024 by the Fort Worth Police Department after TCU’s IT staff reported they had detected pornographic images with concerning file names, including “infant” and “toddler,” on Bellinger’s work computer. He was charged by federal complaint, which stated that investigators found multiple sexually explicit images of pre-pubescent minors on a hard drive and an SD card removed from Bellinger’s office.
In early January 2025, Bellinger pled guilty to federal charges of possessing child pornography. Today, he was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman, who also ordered that Bellinger pay restitution of $6,000 to certain victims and that Bellinger be taken into custody immediately following the hearing.
Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham praised the work of the law enforcement agencies that conducted the investigation, including the U.S. Secret Service, the Fort Worth Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, and the Texas Christian University Campus Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Saleem prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative that was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Former Tennessee State Representative and His Chief of Staff Convicted of Bribery and Kickback ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –After a three-week trial,former Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada, 64, and his former Chief of Staff Cade Cothren, 38, of Nashville, were found guilty today by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit theft from programs receiving federal funds; bribery and kickbacks concerning programs receiving federal funds; honest services wire fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering; using a fictitious name to carry out a fraud; theft concerning programs receiving federal funds; eight counts of money laundering; and two counts of bribery and kickbacks, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Cothren was also found guilty on six counts of honest services wire fraud, and Casada was found guilty on four counts of honest services wire fraud and acquitted on two counts.
“Tennesseans have a right to expect honest services from their elected leaders and their staffs,” said McGuire. “Our office will continue to pursue justice on behalf of our community in cases involving public corruption and fraud committed by elected officials or their staffs. We believe that Tennesseans deserve no less.”
“Elected officials and their staff members have a duty to act honestly and ethically when serving the public,” said Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “Using public office for personal gain is a crime and the FBI is committed to holding those who abuse power accountable and protecting public resources.”
According to evidence presented at trial, beginning in late 2019, Casada, while representing Tennessee House District 63, Cothren, and former Tennessee State Representative Robin Smith, 61, of Hixson, Tennessee, engaged in a fraudulent scheme to enrich themselves by exploiting Casada and Smith’s official positions as legislators to obtain funds from the State of Tennessee. Specifically, the conspirators deceived their former colleagues and officials at the State of Tennessee in an effort to obtain State funds for Phoenix Solutions, Cothren’s political consulting business. In exchange for recruiting legislators and securing the approval of Phoenix Solutions’ invoices by the State, Cothren paid kickbacks to Casada and Smith.
Smith pleaded guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud in 2022 and testified at trial.
The evidence showed that Cothren pretended to be “Matthew Phoenix,” supposedly an experienced political consultant who had previously worked for a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm. In fact, Cothren operated Phoenix Solutions, and Casada, Cothren, and Smith knew that “Matthew Phoenix” was a fictitious person. Casada, Cothren, and Smith concealed their involvement in Phoenix Solutions by submitting invoices to the State of Tennessee in the names of political consulting companies owned by Casada and Smith, for the purpose of secretly funneling money from the State to Phoenix Solutions through the bank accounts of these companies. In 2020, these companies and Phoenix Solutions received approximately $51,947 from the State in payments associated with the mailer program. Phoenix Solutions also obtained more than $170,000 in payments from political organizations, campaigns, and candidates.
Casada and Cothren will be sentenced later this year, and each face up to 20 years in prison. Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Casada, Cothren, and Smith may also be ordered to forfeit any property which represents or is traceable to receipts obtained as a result of the offenses.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Nashville Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor J. Phillips and Trial Attorneys John P. Taddei and Blake J. Ellison of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.
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Former Owner of San Diego Surrogacy Consulting Businesses Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding ClientsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO –Lillian Arielle Markowitz, former owner of three San Diego-based surrogacy consulting businesses, was sentenced in federal court today to 24 months in prison for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from her clients.
At today’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson also ordered Markowitz to pay $389,142.00 in restitution to her former clients.
According to court documents, Markowitz owned three businesses — My Donor Cycle, Surrogacy Beyond Borders, and Expecting Surrogacy — through which she marketed herself as a surrogacy consultant to those seeking to realize their dreams of becoming parents. Beginning around 2018, when Markowitz and her businesses began to experience financial distress, she devised a scheme to steal money from her surrogacy clients by, among other things, submitting fraudulent requests to withdraw client funds from the escrow company where the funds were maintained. Markowitz submitted four fraudulent escrow disbursement requests, including one in which she forged a client’s signature in order to steal his escrow funds.
In her plea agreement, Markowitz admitted that from 2019 through 2021, she defrauded nine additional clients by falsely promising that their funds would be deposited into an escrow account and that their funds would be accessed only to pay for expenses related to their respective surrogacy journey. Instead, Markowitz deposited these clients’ funds into her business checking account, then immediately used them to cover general business expenses, expenses related to other clients’ surrogacy journeys, expenses related to her unrelated yoga and float business, and to pay for her personal expenses.
“Lillian Markowitz turned her surrogacy businesses into a Ponzi scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “She did not simply steal funds. She stole the dream of parenthood from her victims. She exploited hope and heartbreak for profit. Those who prey on the desperate will be held accountable.”
“Today’s sentencing of Lilian Markowitz marks the conclusion of a cruel and deceitful scheme that deeply exploited the victims’ hopeful dreams of becoming parents,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi. “After years of deception, Ms. Markowitz will now be held accountable for her egregious breach of trust and unethical conduct.”
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey D. Hill and Assistant United States Attorney Mark W. Pletcher.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24-CR-0904-TWR
Lillian Arielle Markowitz (aka Lillian Frost) Age: 40 Portland, OR
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 134
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Contact
Kelly Thornton, Director of Media Relations
Former New York City Police Officer Sentenced to 23 Years’ Imprisonment for Sexually Exploiting Minors OnlineRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Carmine Simpson was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 23 years in prison for sexually exploiting minors online. On March 24, 2023, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of sexually exploiting a minor. The charges stem from Simpson’s extensive online conduct in 2020, while he was a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer, which includes engaging numerous children in sexual conversations, enticing and manipulating them into sending him nude images and videos, routinely requesting them to engage in live chat sessions on FaceTime and Snapchat, directing them to physically harm themselves, and asking them to write degrading sexual phrases on their nude bodies. Simpson resigned from the NYPD in 2022.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.
“The defendant’s repeated sexual solicitation and exploitation of minors is reprehensible,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “That he was a law enforcement officer at the time he committed these crimes makes his conduct even more horrific. My Office will continue to work to protect vulnerable children from predators like the defendant.”
“Carmine Simpson betrayed his badge by preying upon minors for twisted sexual gratification. Simpson repeatedly prowled online for minor victims before coercing them to provide sexually explicit and degrading content,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “The FBI will never tolerate any individual who exploits children, especially those with sworn duties to protect them.”
Simpson, then a police officer with the NYPD, targeted vulnerable children on Twitter for the purpose of having them create and send him sexually exploitative photos and videos of themselves. Simpson had multiple Twitter profiles and pretended to be a 17-year-old boy to entice minors into engaging with him, even using a filter to alter his own appearance so that he looked younger. Simpson then communicated with numerous minors, including some as young as 13-years-old.
Law enforcement first learned about the defendant’s conduct in December 2020, after the mother of John Doe 2, a 13-year-old transgender male, filed a police report after finding chat communications with the defendant on her child’s computer. In those messages, the defendant stated, “Do you take good nudes?” and “You take good nudes? Prove it.” He gave instructions to write words on the victim’s body with a marker and commented: “How many words do you think we can add to your body?” As part of that conversation, John Doe 2 sent the defendant at least two sexually explicit videos.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Megan E. Farrell is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
CARMINE SIMPSON
Age: 30
Holbrook, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-97 (GRB)
Former Health Aide Worker Sentenced for Stealing from the Family of Dying Hospice PatientRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Beverly Ochoa, 30, of Derwood, Maryland, was sentenced today to a 12-month suspended sentence for first-degree theft in the stealing of $2,600 cash from the elderly wife of a hospice patient, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Ochoa pleaded guilty on Feb. 28, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of first-degree theft. As part of the sentence, Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno ordered one year of supervised probation to include 40 hours of community service and suspended three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of Oct. 1, MPD officers were called to the victims’ home in Southeast, where an elderly couple resided, and the husband was receiving hospice care. The couple employed two health aide caregivers from different companies to assist with the care of the patient. One of the workers, Ochoa, was in the home with the patient when the patient’s wife came downstairs to pay the other health aide worker. When she asked Ochoa where the other worker was, Ochoa said she had left the residence. The patient’s wife then placed the $2,600 in $100 bills inside a drawer so she could pay the other worker later and left for a medical appointment. When the patient’s wife returned later that day, the cash was missing from the drawer. The couple’s family arrived at the home and reviewed in-home security camera footage. The video captured Ochoa retrieving something from the kitchen and placing it in her purse. The family called law enforcement and when officers arrived, they found $2,600, in $100 bills, inside the defendant’s purse. She was arrested that day.
In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nickolas Reck and Katherine Ballou, who prosecuted the case.
Florida Pharmacy Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud and Agrees to Pay More Than $1 Million SettlementRead the Press Release
BOSTON – On May 13, 2025, a Florida-based pharmacy, OHM Pharmacy Services, aka “Benzer,” aka “Auburndale,” pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud and was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay restitution of $82,000. As part of the global resolution, Benzer also agreed to pay $1,018,000 to resolve False Claims Act violations.
According to OHM’s admissions in the global resolution of criminal charges and civil claims, the pharmacy dispensed Evzio, one of several naloxone products on the market indicated for use on an emergent basis in the case of opioid overdose. Due to Evzio’s high price, insurers (including Medicare Part D plans) frequently required that health care providers submit prior authorization requests before they approved coverage. OHM completed prior authorization forms in place of prescribing physicians, and in some instances OHM personnel signed the prior authorization forms without the physician’s authorization and submitted information to insurers that made it appear as though a physician, and not OHM, was submitting the information. Moreover, OHM also submitted prior authorization requests to insurers, including Medicare Part D plans, that contained false information. For example, OHM staff filled out and submitted dozens of Evzio prior authorization request forms that falsely asserted that patients had previously tried and failed to successfully use Narcan or naloxone.
In connection with the resolution, Benzer entered into an integrity agreement (IA) with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). The IA requires, among other things, that Benzer implement measures to ensure that its submission of claims for pharmaceutical products complies with applicable law relating to prior authorizations.
The civil settlement concludes the government’s resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by a former employee of kaleo Inc., Evzio’s manufacturer. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Socol v. Benzer Pharmacy Holding, LLC, et al., No. 18-cv-10050-RGS (D. Mass.). As part of the civil resolution, the whistleblower will receive $285,040 of the civil settlement amount.
In 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced settlements with kaléo Inc. for $12.7 million and with other pharmacies for $1 million relating to their submission of false claims for Evzio. In 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced a $1.31 million deferred prosecution agreement and civil settlement with another pharmacy.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kim Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; the Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Office of Personnel Management, Office of Inspector General; and the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General made the announcement.
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abraham R. George, Chief of the Civil Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin, Chief of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren A. Graber, Deputy Chief of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit.
Florida Ophthalmology Practice Agrees to Pay $615,000 to Resolve Allegations of Fraudulent Claims to Medicare and Medicaid for Cranial UltrasoundsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Pinellas Eye Care, P.A. d/b/a Gulfcoast Eye Care (“Gulfcoast Eye”), an ophthalmology practice with offices in Pinellas Park, Palm Harbor, and St. Petersburg, Florida, has agreed to pay $615,000 to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act and an analogous Florida statute arising from its billing for trans-cranial doppler ultrasounds (“TCDs”) provided through a kickback arrangement with a third party. Gulfcoast Eye has agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s ongoing investigations of other participants in the alleged scheme.
The settlement resolves allegations that Gulfcoast Eye knowingly submitted, and caused the submission of, false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for medically unnecessary TCDs. Gulfcoast Eye and a third-party provider of TCD services performed TCDs on thousands of patients and billed Medicare and Medicaid hundreds of dollars per test. Before the patients received the results of the test, Gulfcoast Eye and the third-party provider identified the patients as having received a serious diagnosis—most commonly of occlusion and stenosis of their cerebral arteries—that could qualify the patient for reimbursement of a TCD by Medicare or Medicaid. However, nearly all patients who received TCDs never had occlusion and stenosis of cerebral arteries, and that diagnosis was accordingly not reflected in the patient’s medical history or in the TCD results. Gulfcoast Eye paid the third-party TCD provider based on the volume or value of tests ordered and referred the patients to the TCD provider’s preferred radiology group for the TCD’s professional component.
The United States alleged that, as a result of this scheme, Gulfcoast Eye submitted, or caused the submission of, false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for TCDs that were medically unnecessary, that were premised on false diagnoses, and that resulted from violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law. Of the $615,000 total settlement amount, $602,046 is to be paid to the United States, and $12,953 is to be paid to the State of Florida for its share of Medicaid, which is a jointly funded federal and state program.
“Patients trust their healthcare providers to administer reliable and competent care consistent with their medical needs and ethical standards,” said U.S. Attorney Kehoe. “When this relationship is exploited for personal gain or greed, the integrity of our healthcare system is compromised. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect patients from potential harm and maintain the integrity of our federal programs.”
“Kickback schemes will always be an investigative priority for the FBI,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor. “Our mission is to protect the American people which includes safeguarding them from deceitful actions threatening our nation’s federal healthcare system.”
“Kickback arrangements can corrupt legitimate medical decision-making and undermine the integrity of federal healthcare programs,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan P. Lynch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, working with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate improper billing and kickback schemes to protect both Medicare and Medicaid as well as those served by these programs.”
The civil settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the Government’s recovery. The qui tam was filed by a whistleblower who will receive $116,850 in connection with the settlement.
The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from HHS-OIG and the FBI. The United States previously resolved allegations that another ophthalmology practice in Florida engaged in a similar scheme with the same third-party TCD provider.
The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Trial Attorney Nelson Wagner in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Mamie Wise for the Middle District of Florida handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Fifth Resident from Pierre, South Dakota, Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Pierre, South Dakota woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on May 14, 2025.
Heather Stahlhoefer, age 38, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $1000 fine, as well as a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Stahlhoefer was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. She pleaded guilty on March 10, 2025.
This conviction stemmed from a drug distribution conspiracy beginning in June 2023 and continuing until September 2024. Heather Stahlhoefer and co-defendant Misty Stahlhoefer were the source of supply to several other individuals in the Pierre area. The Stahlhoefers would acquire up to 1 pound of methamphetamine per trip to be further distributed by themselves and others including Whitney Marrowbone, Wendy Mealer, Brent Larvie, and David Rinehart. The conspiracy involved between 10,000 and 30,000 kilograms of converted drug weight, including 550 grams of pure methamphetamine that was recovered during a traffic stop of Heather Stahlhoefer.
Misty Stahlhoefer is scheduled to be sentenced July 14, 2025. Marrowbone, Mealer, Larvie and Reinhart were previously sentenced on May 5, 2025. Marrowbone was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison; Mealer was sentenced to six years in federal prison; Larvie was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison; and Rinehart was sentenced to two years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, the Chamberlain Police Department, and the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meghan Dilges.
Stahlhoefer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling More Than $64,000 Worth of FentanylRead the Press Release
A fentanyl dealer was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for his role in distributing over $64,000 worth of fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
On May 15, 2025, Donald Derrell Slay, Jr., 31, of Richardson, Texas, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Brantley Starr for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Court filings reveal that, in late 2022 into early 2023, Slay and two others, Hakeem Aziz Wiley and Richard Daniel Gomez, sold several quantities of fentanyl to undercover officers on multiple occasions in the Dallas area. One delivery involved 6,000 fentanyl pills in exchange for $15,000.00.
Slay, Wiley, and Gomez each pled guilty to a conspiracy count after indictment. Hakeem Aziz Wiley, 26, of Frisco, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison by Judge Starr in January 2025. Richard Daniel Gomez, 24, of Carrollton, Texas, received a sentence of 37 months in federal prison from Judge Starr in February this year.
Fentanyl pills have an approximate street value of $10 per pill. The potential street value of the fentanyl pills seized in this case is approximately $64,690.00.
The case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney George Leal prosecuted the case.
Felon Sentenced to 49 Years in Prison for Multiple Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man who has prior felony convictions was sentenced today by United States District Judge Miranda M. Du to 49 years in prison for committing multiple armed robberies of businesses in Las Vegas.
According to evidence presented at trial and court documents, from January 19, 2022, to January 25, 2022, George Perez committed seven store robberies. At all seven robberies, Perez approached the cashiers with store merchandise, pretending he was going to purchase it. At six of the seven robberies, he pointed a Taurus G2 9mm firearm at the cashiers and demanded money. Perez stole money by threatened force, physical violence, and fear of injury.
Perez has prior convictions including attempt possession of controlled substance with intent to sell; two burglaries; and possession of credit or debit card without cardholder’s consent, all in Clark County, Nevada, and he is prohibited by law to possess a firearm.
In February 2025, following a five-day trial, a jury convicted Perez of seven counts of interference with commerce by robbery, seven counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorneys David Kiebler and Lauren Ibanez prosecuted the case.
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Federal jury convicts Virginia man and Maryland woman for conspiracy to defraud a non-profit corporation through payments for work that wasn’t performedRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Virginia man and Maryland woman yesterday on charges of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering for their parts in defrauding a non-profit corporation dedicated to global public health.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from Dec. 1, 2014, to Aug. 21, 2020, Abiodun A. Ogunwale, 46, of Haymarket, served as Director of Business Development for the non-profit. Ogunwale exercised substantial control over the hiring and paying of consultants for the non-profit’s Business Development department as well as the payment of department expenses.
In August 2016, Ogunwale hired Abimbola Ajayi, 41, of Rockville, Maryland, as a business development consultant for the non-profit. Ajayi purportedly served as a business development consultant for the non-profit through May 2020. Ogunwale created invoices and work descriptions for Ajayi to use to bill the non-profit and drafted emails for Ajayi to send to the non-profit to make it appear that Ajayi performed work on specific proposals she had not performed. Three different witnesses who did work in business development had never met Ajayi. Ogunwale used his personal email account to send the invoices he created for Ajayi along with instructions for Ajayi to email them to the non-profit, and Ogunwale then approved the fraudulent invoices. Ogunwale also conspired with Ajayi to submit fraudulent receipts claiming false business expenses for which her company, AbbiFabDynamics, LLC, was paid.
During the scheme, Ajayi would kick back and launder the funds to Ogunwale by a variety of means, including depositing cash into the account of his company, Compass Management Services and Solutions, LLC, and by paying his credit card bills.
In addition to conspiring with Ajayi, Ogunwale hired a family member as another consultant. He also used this family member to submit false expense reports. Ogunwale embezzled funds by submitting false expense reports claiming Compass Management was entitled to payment.
The jury also convicted Ogunwale for mail fraud.
Ogunwale and Ajayi face up to 20 years in prison for each count when sentenced on Aug. 7. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Nyema Morais, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Inspector General; and Sean Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly M. Shartar and Kathleen E. Robeson are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-165.
Federal Jury Convicts Nampa Man of Attempting to Produce Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BOISE – After a three-day trial, a federal jury sitting in Boise found William Walls, 52, of Nampa, guilty of three counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill presided over the trial, which began on May 12, and concluded with guilty verdicts on May 14.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Walls used his cellphone to surreptitiously record three female children in the bathroom of his apartment. Walls was babysitting the victims at the time. The video captured one of the children showering and the other two children changing their clothes.
The charge of attempted sexual exploitation of a child carries a minimum of fifteen years and up to life in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and at least five years and up to lifetime of supervised release. Walls will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction.
Sentencing is set for July 31, 2025, before Judge Winmill at the federal courthouse in Boise.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the Nampa Police Department for a thorough and professional investigation, which led to the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Kassandra McGrady and Erin Blackadar 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. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal 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.justice.gov/psc.
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Federal Grand Juries in Bowling Green and Paducah, Kentucky Indict 5 Foreign Nationals from China, Guatemala, and Mexico for Immigration and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green and Paducah, KY – Federal grand juries in Bowling Green and Paducah, Kentucky, returned indictments on May 13 and 14, 2025, charging 5 individuals with immigration and firearms offenses.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, and Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement made the announcement.
According to the indictments:
Artemio Ruiz-Medina, age 45, a citizen of Mexico, was charged in Bowling Green with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about April 13, 2025, Ruiz-Medina was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about July 3, 2003, September 29, 2006, April 2, 2010, June 28, 2018, and July 28, 2023. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI, ICE ERO.
Santos Pastor-Juarez, age 52, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged in Paducah with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about April 28, 2025, Pastor-Juarez was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about on March 6, 1998. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI, ICE ERO.
Zhouchen Yan, age 29, a citizen of China, was charged in Bowling Green with 3 counts of making false written statements intended to deceive a licensed firearms dealer, on a Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Form 4473, Firearms Transaction Record. On the form, Yan falsely stated he was not an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States, when in fact, as the defendant then knew, he was an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States. These crimes occurred between October 23, 2023, and December13, 2024 in Warren County. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. This case is being investigated by ATF.
Ulises Macario Gonzaga-Guillen, age 32, a citizen of Mexico, was charged in Paducah with 4 counts of making false written statements intended to deceive a licensed firearms dealer, on a Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Form 4473, Firearms Transaction Record. On the form, Gonzaga-Guillen falsely stated he was not an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States, when in fact, as the defendant then knew, he was an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States. He was also charged with falsely claiming to be a United Sates citizen while being an illegal alien in possession of firearms on 2 occasions. These crimes occurred between January 1, 2025, and April 21, 2025, in McCracken and Marshall counties. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 73 years in prison. This case is being investigated by ATF, HSI, and ICE ERO.
Rodrigo Waldemarr Caal-Caal, age 22, a citizen of Guatemala, and Rodolfo Ruiz-Hernandez, age 27, a citizen of Mexico, were both charged in Paducah with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Caal-Caal and Ruiz-Hernandez admitted to possessing a firearm to Mayfield Police Department investigators during a death investigation. If convicted, both face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. This case is being investigated by ATF, HSI, ICE ERO, and the Mayfield Police Department.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Nicholas Rabold and Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, and Seth Hancock and Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, are prosecuting the cases.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Detainee Admits Role in Conspiracy to Smuggle Contraband into the Wyatt Detention CenterRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE - A detainee at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Center admitted to a federal judge on Thursday that he participated in a conspiracy to smuggle contraband into the detention center, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Shawn D. Hart, 46, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and obtaining or attempting to obtain prohibited objects as an inmate. He admitted that, in late 2023, he and others, inside and outside of the Wyatt Detention Center, conspired to obtain and smuggle papers soaked with K2, a synthetic marijuana, into the facility.
According to information presented to the court, on December 1, 2023, sheets of paper that an FBI testing lab later confirmed had been treated with Schedule I controlled substances were provided to an associate of Hart for her to smuggle into the facility and to deliver to Hart. That person, Theresa Marie DiJoseph, 51, with whom Hart had a personal relationship, used her status as an attorney to regularly arrange for “contact” visits with Hart, so they could meet without a plexiglass screen between them. Wyatt correctional officers seized the tainted papers from DiJoseph as she attempted to enter the facility.
Hart is scheduled to be sentenced on November 18, 2025.
DiJoseph, who pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025, to one count each of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance analogue, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and providing a prohibited object to an inmate, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12, 2025.
The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julianne Klein and Peter I. Roklan.
The matter was investigated by FBI and the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Center Professional Standards Unit.
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Elkins Man Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Richard Emery Delphey, 52, of Elkins, West Virginia, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for the distribution of methamphetamine.
According to the court documents, Delphey was selling methamphetamine in Randolph County. Delphey has prior convictions involving drugs and theft.
Delphey will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
East Hartford Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDON SPENCE, also known as “Spun,” 37, of East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 56 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl and cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 5, 2019, Spence was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 24 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon. He was released from federal prison in February 2020. On December 7, 2020, Hartford Police surveillance cameras captured Spence and another individual engaged in a dispute. Spence pulled out a firearm, shot the individual in the leg, and then stole the victim’s vehicle. On May 28, 2021, Spence was sentenced to an additional 24 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his federal supervised release.
In March and April 2024, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force made controlled purchases of fentanyl and crack cocaine from Spence. Spence was arrested on April 3, 2024. On that date, a court-authorized search of his residence and vehicles revealed distribution quantities of fentanyl, crack cocaine, and marijuana.
On January 28, 2025, Spence pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine and fentanyl. He has been detained since his arrest.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shan Patel.
- Eagle Butte Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine
Dominican National Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national, residing in Lawrence, was sentenced on May 13, 2025 in federal court in Boston for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Juan Anibal Patrone Gonzalez, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The defendant is also subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In February 2025, Patrone Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute four hundred grams or more of fentanyl.
Co-defendant San Geronimo Santana Amador, a Dominican national who does not have legal status in the United States, was released on conditions following his arrest. He subsequently failed to appear and remains a wanted fugitive.
In 2018, Patrone Gonzalez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl in the District of Massachusetts. In May 2019, Patrone Gonzalez was sentenced to 12 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Patrone Gonzalez was in federal prison in Miami, Fla., serving his federal sentence at the time that he committed this offense.
On or about Dec. 21, 2022, a cooperating witness (CW) communicated with Patrone Gonzalez’s alleged co-conspirator Santana Amador to discuss supplying the CW with narcotics. During conversations between Santana Amador and the CW, Santana Amador allegedly stated that his source of supply was “detained” and provided a phone number for his supplier. Santana Amador’s supplier was later identified as Patrone Gonzalez who, using a contraband telephone while incarcerated, coordinated the sale of one kilogram of fentanyl to the CW. Recorded calls captured Patrone Gonzalez discussing the price of the fentanyl, among other things, with the CW. On Dec. 29, 2022, Santana Amador met with the CW and provided them with the kilogram of fentanyl on partial credit. Following this purchase, additional payments were made to Santana Amador on various dates for the kilogram of fentanyl, including dates in January and February 2023. In 2023, the contraband phone that Patrone Gonzalez used to communicate with the CW was found in his jail cell.United States Attorney Leah Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey Noble of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office; and the Waltham, Watertown, Reading, Peabody, Hudson and Concord Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Mackenzie Duane and Samuel Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dominican National Sentenced Under Alien Registration ActRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A Dominican national residing in New Castle County, Delaware was sentenced on May 13, 2025, to 30 days’ probation for failing to notify the U.S. government of his change of address, in violation of the Alien Registration Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Shannon T. Hanson. The Honorable Laura D. Hatcher, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of Delaware, pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents and information provided in open court, Wagner Rivera-Campusano, 27, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) in 2023 and was given bail. He provided ICE an address in New York City. Mr. Rivera did not appear for his immigration proceedings and was ordered removed from the U.S. in absentia. In approximately September 2024, Mr. Rivera moved to Delaware without informing the federal government of his new address.
In April 2025, Mr. Rivera was convicted of a drug felony in the Superior Court of Delaware. He was released to ICE custody and charged federally with failure to notify the U.S. government of his address change. As Mr. Rivera was informed in open court, he will almost certainly be deported. Should he return to the U.S., Mr. Rivera will face significantly enhanced penalties because of his Delaware state drug conviction.
To date, in support of Operation Take Back America, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware has filed a total of 58 immigration and border security-related cases between January 20, 2025, and May 13, 2025, an 800% increase over those charged with illegally re-entering the country during the same timeframe in 2024.
This announcement is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware.
Dominican National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national has been indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Keilyn Adolfo Rivera, 45, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
According to the charging documents, on or about Feb. 2, 2025, Rivera was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States to the Dominican Republic on or about March 6, 2015.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District of Arizona Charges 310 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from May 10, 2025, through May 16, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 310 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 125 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 170 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States charged 15 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Angelica Ramos-Lopez: On May 10, 2025, Angelica Ramos-Lopez, a United States citizen, was charged with Conspiracy to Transport an Illegal Alien, Birth Certificate Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft. On May 9, 2025, Ramos-Lopez approached the State Route 85 immigration checkpoint near Gila Bend in a vehicle with a child lying down in the backseat, covered by a blanket from head to toe. Ramos-Lopez presented a birth certificate and United States passport for the child with a birth year of 2017 that listed Ramos -Lopez as the mother. However, the child who was in the vehicle provided a different name than the one found on the birth certificate and stated that the driver was his stepmother. In a post-Miranda interview, Ramos-Lopez admitted that she did not know who the child was, but that she knew the child was undocumented. Ramos-Lopez told officers that she was getting paid to transport the child from Mexico to Phoenix, Arizona. Ramos-Lopez stated that the birth certificate was real, but it belonged to her biological son, not the child passenger. [Case Number: MJ-25-6234]
United States v. Yolanda Mendivil-Diaz: On May 13, 2025, Yolanda Mendivil-Diaz was charged with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mendivil-Diaz was previously removed from the United States in 2014 after being convicted for Conspiracy to Sell or Transfer Narcotic Drugs, a felony offense, in the Superior Court of Arizona. [Case Number: MJ-25-3192]
United States v. Jose Herrera Daniel: On May 14, 2025, Jose Herrera Daniel was charged by criminal complaint for attempting to illegally export ammunition from the United States into Mexico. The complaint alleges that United States Customs and Border Protection officers searched Daniel’s car at the Douglas Port of Entry and found 6,399 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition hidden in the vehicle. [Case Number: MJ-25-9008]
A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-078_May 16 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
District Man Sentenced to 15 Year Prison Term for Two Shootings in Starburst PlazaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Renard Levenberry, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a total of 180 months in prison for multiple convictions stemming from two different shootings at Starburst Plaza during the summer of 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Mr. Levenberry pleaded guilty February 24th in D.C. Superior Court to one count of aggravated assault while armed and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in relation to a June 13, 2024, shooting, and to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in relation to an August 20, 2024, shooting.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 13, 2024, Levenberry was at Starburst Plaza—an often-crowded public plaza located at 1501 Maryland Avenue, NE. Levenberry robbed an individual during an attempted drug transaction. When the victim pursued Levenberry, the Defendant shot the victim in the leg before escaping.
On August 20, 2024, Levenberry was again in Starburst Plaza when an unknown individual entered the area on a moped. Upon seeing that person and without provocation, Levenberry pulled out a black semiautomatic pistol and began firing at the moped driver. The moped driver appeared to fire one shot back at Levenberry. One of the shots Levenberry fired struck a bystander who was waiting at a nearby bus stop.
Both shootings were captured on video and the government’s investigation was supported by DNA and ballistics evidence.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Helfand and Kraig Ahalt, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
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Department of Justice Announces Settlement of Litigation Between the Federal Government and Rare Breed TriggersRead the Press Release
Today, in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order Protecting Second Amendment Rights, as well as the Attorney General’s Second Amendment Enforcement Task Force, the Department of Justice announced the settlement of litigation between the federal government and Rare Breed Triggers.
“This Department of Justice believes that the 2nd Amendment is not a second-class right,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “And we are glad to end a needless cycle of litigation with a settlement that will enhance public safety.”
In June 2024, in Cargill v. Garland, the Supreme Court held that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) exceeded its statutory authority by issuing a rule classifying a bump stock as a “machinegun.” In July 2024, the Northern District of Texas applied Cargill v. Garland to a device called a “forced-reset trigger” (FRT) and concluded that FRTs also cannot be classified as a “machinegun.”
The Department’s agreement with Rare Breed Triggers avoids the need for continued appeals in United States v. Rare Breed Triggers and continued litigation in other, related cases concerning the same issue. The settlement includes agreed-upon conditions that significantly advance public safety with respect to FRTs, including that Rare Breed will not develop or design FRTs for use in any pistol and will enforce its patents to prevent infringement that could threaten public safety. Rare Breed also agrees to promote the safe and responsible use of its products.
The cases that will be resolved under the settlement agreement are:
- NAGR v. Garland, 23-cv-830-O (N.D. Tex.), on appeal 24-10707 (5th Cir.).
- United States v. Rare Breed Triggers LLC, No. 23-cv-369 (E.D.N.Y), on appeal 23-7276 (2d Cir.).
- United States v. Miscellaneous Firearms and Related Parts and Equipment Listed in Exhibit A, 23-cv-17 (D. Utah).
Defendant Sentenced to Prison in Domestic Violence CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce man was sentenced to 24 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon following a violent domestic incident.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on November 16, 2021, Jicarilla Apache Police responded to a report of domestic violence at a residence within the Jicarilla Apache Nation. Upon arrival, officers found an adult female victim visibly distressed and injured. Officers observed fresh abrasions and other signs of physical harm.
The investigation revealed that an argument between Orlyn Vigil, 49, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the victim escalated into violence. Vigil physically assaulted the victim, including strangling, dragging, and throwing her to the ground. As the victim attempted to leave the area, Vigil struck her with a vehicle, causing further injury.
Vigil pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon. Upon his release from prison, Vigil will be subject to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Jicarilla Apache Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Mia Ulibarri-Rubin and Nicholas J. Marshall are prosecuting the case.
Connecticut Physiatrist and Practice Pay $427k to Settle False Claims, Improper Billing AllegationsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), today announced that PAIN MANAGEMENT, LLC, and its owner, HALINA SNOWBALL, M.D., have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal government and have paid $427,129.11 to resolve allegations that they submitted false claims to, and received overpayments from, the Medicare program.
Snowball is a physiatrist licensed to practice medicine and sole owner of her pain management practice, Pain Management, LLC in Stamford. The allegations against Snowball and Pain Management arise out of improper billing for office visits, also known as evaluation and management (“E&M”) services.
The government contends that, between April 2017 and November 2019, Snowball and Pain Management submitted or caused to be submitted improper claims to Medicare for E&M services by adding Modifier 25 to E&M claims when providing pain injections when, in fact, no significant, separately identifiable E&M services were provided. On November 20, 2019, Snowball and Pain Management were notified of their improper use of Modifier 25 and were assessed an overpayment. Despite this notice, Snowball and Pain Management continued to submit improper claims to Medicare for E&M services until August 2023.
To resolve their liability, Snowball and Pain Management have paid $427,129.11.
This investigation was conducted by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Gruber.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Catholic Health agrees to pay nearly $3.3 million to resolve alleged False Claims Act violationsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Catholic Health System, Inc. (CHS) has agreed to pay $3,293,122.66 to resolve allegations arising under the False Claims Act that CHS knowingly submitted or caused to be submitted false claims to the Medicare program that were the result of violations of the Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law.
Generally, the Stark Law prohibits healthcare entities, such as hospitals, from obtaining reimbursement from Medicare for certain health services when those services were referred by a physician who have a financial relationship the healthcare entity. In this case, the Government alleges that CHS and its affiliated hospitals had financial relationships with non-employee physicians. These non-employee physicians then referred health services, such as laboratory testing, hospital services, or medical supplies, to CHS and its affiliated hospitals. CHS and its affiliated hospital then billed Medicare for the referred services. Although the Stark Law contains exceptions, here the government believes the compensation arrangements, failed to meet any of the exceptions because they were not commercially reasonable, or the compensation received by the physicians exceeded fair market value for the administrative services they provided.
“The Stark Law is designed to protect Medicare by ensuring that physician referrals are not influenced by financial interest,” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “This office is committed to holding health care providers accountable who engage in such conduct.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Gary Tucker. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Tucker v. Catholic Health System, Inc., 20-cv-1482 (W.D.N.Y.). Mr. Tucker will receive a share of the settlement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Coriell and Investigator Margaret McFarland of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York handled the matter, along with assistance for the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Clinton Township Sex Offender Sentenced to 40 YearsRead the Press Release
DETROIT — Stephen Lewis Gentry, 35, of Clinton Township, Michigan, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for creating images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, announced U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In addition to the 40-year sentence, United States District Court Judge Terrence G. Berg sentenced Gentry to a lifetime of supervised release upon his release from prison.
Gentry’s recent crimes came to light after the FBI learned that he was distributing images of child sexually abusive material that he created over a clandestine network. When the FBI searched Gentry’s house, they found evidence that Gentry had produced child sexually abusive material depicting numerous minor victims.
Gentry pleaded guilty on February 12, 2025, to sexual exploitation of children. At the time he was charged in this case, Gentry was already a registered sex offender, having three prior convictions relating to the sexual abuse or exploitation of children.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah Alsaden, Tara Hindelang, and Christopher Rawsthorne.
CEO of Financial Firm Sentenced to Prison for Running a Multimillion Dollar FraudRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Carlos Manuel da Silva Santos, the founder and chief executive officer of San Diego-based Ethos Asset Management, Inc., which offered financing to domestic and international businesses, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for tricking borrowers into paying him more than $17 million in up-front loan fees for nothing in return – conduct that U.S. District Judge Robert S. Huie described as “reprehensible.”
Santos pleaded guilty in January 2025 to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft in connection with his advance-fee loan scam through his company, Ethos.
Santos, a Portuguese national, has been in custody since his arrest on November 13, 2023, in Newark, New Jersey, after arriving in the United States from abroad.
According to his plea agreement, Santos admitted he and co-conspirators held Ethos out to the public as a “full-service project financing” company that offered loans to prospective borrowers in exchange for an upfront fee as collateral for Ethos to use. However, on many occasions when a borrower gave Ethos the upfront fee as collateral, Ethos’ funding never materialized.
To induce prospective borrowers to send Ethos an upfront fee as collateral and enter into loan agreements, Santos and his co-conspirators lied about Ethos’ history of funding projects, the source of Ethos’ money, the amount of capital available to disburse loans, and how Ethos used the collateral upfront fees. For instance, Santos admitted that he used money from the upfront collateral fees to release collateral deposited by other borrowers and to disburse loans to other borrowers.
Santos also admitted that he and others altered otherwise legitimate financial account statements to inflate the amount of money Ethos appeared to have at its disposal to finance projects for the purpose of luring prospective borrowers to provide collateral and financial institutions to lend money. For example, in August 2021, Santos successfully induced a borrower to wire money as a collateral upfront fee by sending a bank statement that falsely represented Ethos having $100,304,447.46 when, in fact, it did not.
In February and May 2023, Santos again induced borrowers to provide collateral upfront fees by emailing a copy of Ethos’ annual financial statements reflecting falsely that Ethos had over $2.2 billion in total assets and that an accounting firm had audited the statements. Indeed, Santos admitted that he knowingly forged the signature of an employee at a bookkeeping firm on Ethos’s 2022 annual financial statement to falsely indicate that the firm had audited the statement. In each noted example, Ethos fraudulently obtained upfront fees and failed to disburse loan payments as promised.
Santos further admitted Ethos’ project financing scheme was international in nature, with a presence in the United States, Brazil, Turkey, and elsewhere. Santos admitted his scheme resulted in $17,125,000 in losses to certain U.S.-based victims. The plea agreement also explains that the parties will request a restitution hearing allowing the United States to offer evidence that Santos owes significantly more money to various other victims.
According to the plea agreement, Santos also forged the signature of an employee at an accounting firm to make it appear that the firm had audited Ethos’ annual financial reports.
“Fraud like this is a calculated abuse of trust,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “It strips people of their money under false promises. The impact is real, measurable, and lasting—and it calls for real consequences.”
“Businesses, large or small are the backbone of our economy yet one wrong or ill advised financial move can result in significant losses or even complete ruin,” said Shawn Gibson, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. “HSI and our partner agencies are committed to preventing greedy scammers from victimizing and profiting from legitimate businesses. Our country relies on these businesses and law enforcement will continue to protect them from criminals.”
A restitution hearing will be held at a later date.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys E. Christopher Beeler and Carl F. Brooker, IV.
If you believe you are a victim of Carlos Santos and his company Ethos Asset Management, Inc., contact Homeland Security Investigations at [email protected].
DEFENDANT
Carlos Manuel da Silva Santos Age: 30 Portugal
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $250,000 fine
Aggravated Identity Theft – Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1028A
Maximum penalty: Mandatory two years in prison consecutive to the term for the underlying felony
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Homeland Security Investigations
Brentwood Man Found Guilty of Cyberstalking New Jersey JudgeRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A man from the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles has been found guilty by a jury of a federal felony for sending dozens of emails to a New Jersey state court judge that threatened violence and death against the victim, the Justice Department announced today.
Jonathan Lipman, 36, was found guilty late Thursday of one count of stalking. He has been in federal custody since September 2023.
According to evidence presented at a three-day trial, from February 2023 to September 2023, Lipman sent dozens of emails to the victim, a New Jersey Superior Court judge, intending to harass, intimidate, and terrorize the victim.
In addition to voluminous threatening emails to the victim, Lipman also tracked down the victim’s home address and called the victim’s neighbor to stoke fear in the victim. Lipman also left numerous voicemails at the New Jersey courthouse directed at the victim.
Lipman continued his course of conduct despite a warning from law enforcement regarding his illegal conduct. Over time, Lipman’s communications became increasingly graphic and explicit. For example, in July 2023, Lipman sent the victim multiple emails detailing his graphic depictions of the jurist’s death.
United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha scheduled an October 3 sentencing hearing, at which time Lipman will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Clifford D. Mpare of the General Crimes Section and Daniel H. Weiner of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Amherst man going to prison on fentanyl chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Dewayne Vass, 43, of Amherst, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 188 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that on July 12, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a Moselle Avenue residence associated with Vass, as well as at Vass’s Sunshine Drive residence, and on his vehicle. Investigators recovered large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, approximately $127,000 in cash, a pistol, and drug paraphernalia.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
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Albanian National Convicted of Running Vast International Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DETROIT – After a trial that took parts of twelve weeks in federal court, a federal jury convicted Ylli Didani, 43, an Albanian national, of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to distribute cocaine on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced today.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Lawton, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Division; Marty Raybon, Director of Fields Operation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations and Chief John Piggott, Farmington Hills Police Department.
Evidence at trial proved Didani was a leader of an international drug trafficking organization with ties to the United States, South America, and Europe. Didani and other unindicted co-conspirators planned and financed the distribution of cocaine from several locations including the Eastern District of Michigan. Didani arranged the distribution of enormous shipments of cocaine from South America to Europe, where the cocaine was seized by law enforcement. As a result of this investigation, in 2019 and 2020, law enforcement seized over 3400 kilograms of cocaine Didani’s organization loaded onto five different freighters that were bound for international ports. The seized cocaine has a street value of over $100,000,000.00.
The evidence at trial proved Didani and other members of his organization planned the design of an underwater drone that would be utilized to transport large quantities of cocaine to Europe. The drone, which was going to be equipped with an underwater modem and GPS antenna, would transport the cocaine while attached to the bottom of a commercial containership. The drone would then be remotely released from the containership off the shore of Europe. The drone and cocaine would then be picked up by a fishing boat controlled by Didani’s organization.
Didani faces up to life in prison as a result of today’s convictions.
The case was investigated by the DEA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Group 6 consisting of both DEA Special Agents and Task Force Officers from Farmington Hills PD, Sterling Heights PD, Troy PD, Novi PD, Dearborn Heights PD, and Northfield Township PD, IRS-CI, and US Customs and Border Protection.
Alabama Man Sentenced to 14 Months in Connection with Securities and Exchange Commission X Hack that Spiked Bitcoin PricesRead the Press Release
An Alabama man was sentenced today to 14 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in the unauthorized takeover of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) social media account on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Eric Council Jr., 26, of Huntsville, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft and access device fraud in February. According to court documents, Council conspired with others to take control of the SEC’s X account and falsely announce that the SEC approved Bitcoin (BTC) Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), a decision highly anticipated by the market. Immediately following the false announcement, the price of BTC increased by more than $1,000 per BTC. Following the correction, the value of BTC decreased by more than $2,000 per BTC.
The conspirators gained control of the SEC’s X account through an unauthorized Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) swap carried out by Council. A SIM swap is a form of sophisticated fraud where a criminal actor fraudulently induces a cellular phone carrier to reassign a cellular phone number from a victim’s SIM card to a SIM card controlled by the criminal actor, in order to access a victim’s social media or virtual currency accounts. As part of the scheme, Council used an identification card printer to create a fraudulent identification card with a victim’s personally identifiable information obtained from co-conspirators. Council used the identification card to impersonate the victim and gain access to the victim’s phone number for the purpose of accessing the SEC’s X account. Council’s co-conspirators then posted in the name of the SEC Chairman, falsely announcing the BTC ETF approval. Council received payment in BTC from co-conspirators for his role.
“Council and his co-conspirators used sophisticated cyber means to compromise the SEC’s X account and posted a false announcement that distorted important financial markets,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Prosecuting those who seek to enrich themselves by threatening the integrity of digital assets through fraud is critical to protecting U.S. interests. The Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable individuals who commit cyber fraud and harm investors.”
“Schemes of this nature threaten the health and integrity of our market system,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for the District of Columbia. “SIM swap schemes threaten the financial security of average citizens, financial institutions, and government agencies. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can’t be caught. You will be caught, prosecuted, and will pay the price for the damage your actions create.”
“The deliberate takeover of a federal agency’s official communications platform was a calculated criminal act meant to deceive the public and manipulate financial markets,” said FBI Criminal Investigative Division Acting Assistant Director Darren Cox. “By spreading false information to influence the markets, Council attempted to erode public trust and exploit the financial system. Today’s sentencing makes clear that anyone who abuses public platforms for criminal gain will be held accountable.”
“Today’s sentencing exemplifies SEC OIG’s commitment to holding bad actors accountable and maintaining the integrity of SEC programs and operations through thorough investigative oversight,” said Securities and Exchange Commission Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Amanda James. “We are committed to working with the SEC and other law enforcement partners to help the SEC effectively and efficiently deliver on its critical mission.”
The FBI Washington Field Office and SEC Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Ashley Pungello of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Trial Attorney Lauren Archer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. Substantial assistance was provided by Cyber Fellow Paul M. Zebb III.
For more information on SIM swapping and how to prevent it, visit www.ic3.gov/PSA/2024/PSA240411.
Alabama Man Sentenced in Hack of SEC X Account that Spiked the Value of BitcoinRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eric Council Jr., 26 of Athens, Alabama, was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy that hacked into the X account of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and published fraudulent posts in the name of the then-SEC Chairman, all to manipulate the value of Bitcoin.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Matthew R. Galeotti, SEC Inspector General Deborah Jeffrey, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office.
According to court documents, from at least January 2024, Council conspired with others to carry out Subscriber Identity Model (SIM) attacks, commonly referred to as “SIM swaps,” in exchange for money.
On or about Jan. 9, 2024, Council, and others, executed a SIM swap of the mobile phone account associated with the @SECgov X account, the official account of the SEC. The purpose was to gain unauthorized access to this government account in order to make fraudulent posts.
Council used his portable ID card printer to create a physical ID which he used to impersonate the victim at an AT&T store in Huntsville, Alabama. Council provided false information to the AT&T store employee to explain why he needed a replacement SIM card. Council obtained the SIM card linked to the victim’s phone line and walked to a nearby Apple store where he purchased a new iPhone. He inserted the SIM card to activate the phone, received the @SECGov X password reset codes on this new phone linked to the victim’s SIM card and used his personal cell phone to take a photo of the @SECgov X account reset code to share with his co-conspirators. After passing along the password reset codes, Council returned the iPhone for cash.
A member of the conspiracy used the reset code to gain access to the @SECGov X account and issue a fraudulent post in the name of the then-SEC Chairman, falsely announcing SEC approval of Bitcoin (BTC) Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). The price of BTC increased by more than $1,000 following the post. Shortly after, the SEC regained control over their X account and confirmed that the announcement was unauthorized and the result of a security breach, which caused the value of BTC to decrease by more than $2,000.
“Schemes of this nature threaten the health and integrity of our market system,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “SIM swap schemes threaten the financial security of average citizens, financial institutions, and government agencies. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can’t be caught. You will be caught, prosecuted, and will pay the price for the damage your actions create.”
“Council and his co-conspirators used sophisticated cyber means to compromise the SEC’s X account and posted a false announcement that distorted important financial markets,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Prosecuting those who seek to enrich themselves by threatening the integrity of digital assets through fraud is critical to protecting U.S. interests. The Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable individuals who commit cyber fraud and harm investors.”
"Council brazenly used SIM-swapping and identity theft to manipulate the bitcoin market in an attempt to line his and his co-conspirators' pockets," said FBI Washington Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Jensen. "Today's sentencing shows that those who use the perceived anonymity of digital fraud to exploit public markets will be unmasked and brought to justice by the FBI."
“Today’s sentencing exemplifies SEC OIG’s commitment to holding bad actors accountable and maintaining the integrity of SEC programs and operations through thorough investigative oversight,” said SEC OIG Special Agent in Charge Amanda James. “We are committed to working with the SEC and other law enforcement partners to help the SEC effectively and efficiently deliver on its critical mission.”
Council admitted to attempting to perform additional SIM swaps in June 2024 in Alabama. In June 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at an Athens, Alabama, apartment where he resided. Agents recovered a fake identification card and a portable ID card printer. They also recovered a laptop computer.
Pursuant to the search warrant, agents searched the laptop and discovered templates for additional fake IDs along with internet searches for “SECGOV hack,” “telegram sim swap,” “how can I know for sure if I am being investigated by the FBI,” “What are the signs that you are under investigation by law enforcement or the FBI even if you have not been contacted by them,” “what are some signs that the FBI is after you,” “Verizon store list,” “federal identity theft statute,” and “how long does it take to delete telegram account.”
Council, aka “Ronin” and “Agiantschnauzer,” was arrested Oct. 17, 2024, and admitted to receiving about $50,000 to perform SIM swap. He pleaded guilty Feb. 10, 2025, in the District of Columbia to conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered forfeiture of $50,000 and three years of supervised release with the condition that he not use computers to access the dark web or commit further identity fraud.
A SIM card is a chip that stores information identifying and authenticating a cell phone subscriber and connects a physical cell phone to a mobile carrier’s cellular and data network. A SIM swap attack fraudulently induces a mobile carrier to reassign a mobile phone number from a victim’s SIM card to a SIM card and telephone controlled by a criminal actor attempting to access valuable information associated with the victim’s telephone. SIM swapping groups conduct SIM swaps for the purpose of defeating multifactor authentication and/or two-step verification security features for social media and virtual currency accounts.
After convincing a mobile carrier to reassign a phone number to a new SIM card, members of the conspiracy generated password reset security authentication codes for online accounts and those codes were in turn sent to the telephone in the control of the criminal actor. Members of the SIM swap groups shared the security reset codes with one another to unlawfully access a victim’s internet connected accounts and complete the fraud.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, the SEC-Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Fraud Section’s Market Integrity and Major Frauds Unit of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. Significant assistance was provided by the FBI’s Birmingham Field Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg, CCIPS Trial Attorney Ashley Pungello, and Fraud Section Trial Attorney Lauren Archer. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Hundscheid from the Northern District of Alabama. Substantial assistance was provided by Cyber Fellow Paul M. Zebb III.
For more information on SIM swapping, go to: https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2024/PSA240411
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295 New Immigration Cases in Western District of Texas This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 295 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from May 9 through May 15.
Among the new cases, Mexican nationals Juan Jose Medrano-Escobedo and Rosendo Dominguez-Morales were arrested after allegedly entering the U.S. illegally through the Texas National Defense Area (Tx-NDA) less than half a mile west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso. Medrano-Escobedo has been previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico twice, most recently July 30, 2024. He has been convicted of three felonies, including evading arrest in 2017 and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in November 2023. Dominguez-Morales was last removed on Aug. 20, 2024, following an Aug. 18, 2024 felony conviction for assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. Medrano-Escobedo and Dominguez-Morales are each charged with two counts related to violating defense property security regulation and one count of illegal re-entry.
Also in El Paso, two U.S. citizens are charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens after being arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Fabens. Jared Isai Ramirez and Jesus Alberto Soriano, driving separate vehicles, allegedly attempted to flee from USBP. A criminal complaint alleges Ramirez lost control of his vehicle and collided into a rock wall. He and four passengers allegedly exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot before being apprehended. The four passengers were determined to be illegal aliens and were transported with Ramirez to the Clint Border Patrol Station for further investigation. Soriano eventually stopped the vehicle he was driving and was also transported to the Clint Border Patrol Station. The criminal complaint alleges that Ramirez admitted that he would be paid $300 for each of the four illegal aliens he was transporting. Soriano allegedly stated that he had agreed to scout the area for law enforcement during the smuggling scheme.
A Mexican national was encountered at the Bastrop County Jail and charged with illegal re-entry in Austin. Elisandro Enriquez-Sanchez has been removed from the U.S. to Mexico four times in addition to a voluntary return. He had been arrested in Bastrop and charged with driving while intoxicated with an open alcohol container. Enriquez-Sanchez’s lengthy criminal record includes two convictions for illegal re-entry as well as taking a weapon from an officer, assault causing bodily injury to a family member, and three DWIs in a two-year span.
In Presidio County, Honduran national Angel Daniel Vasquez was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry. Vasquez has four prior removals, the last one being to Honduras May 27, 2024. He’s also a twice-convicted felon with a criminal record that includes assault causing bodily injury in Nashville, Tennessee in 2023 and a 2015 illegal re-entry conviction in Phoenix, Arizona. He was also convicted of a misdemeanor in Nashville for driving under the influence in April 2024.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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10-Time Convicted Felon Arrested on Federal Indictment Alleging He Caused Four Fatal Fentanyl ODs at Palmdale House Last YearRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A 10-time convicted felon from the Antelope Valley has been arrested on a 10-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he distributed fentanyl that resulted in the overdose deaths of four victims at a Palmdale house last year, the Justice Department announced today.
Damian Michael Evans, 46, of Palmdale, was arrested Thursday and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles.
He is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to the indictment returned on Wednesday, Evans on January 15, 2024, knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl, the use of which resulted in the deaths of four victims in Palmdale. Evans allegedly also possessed other illegal narcotics in late 2023 and early 2024, including after the four fatal fentanyl overdoses in Palmdale.
Evans also illegally possessed a revolver and ammunition in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. He is not legally permitted to possess them because his criminal history includes convictions dating from 1997 to 2016 in Los Angeles Superior Court for 10 felonies – nine of them drug-related convictions and most of them for drug dealing.
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, Evans would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. This case is part of the DEA’s Overdose Justice Program and LASD’s Overdose Response Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorney Brittney M. Harris of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
(Corrected Release) the Diamond Desk Corp. and PetersenLowe, LLC operators sentenced in multi-million dollar diamond investment fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Note: This press release was corrected to reflect the proper announcing officials.
MIAMI – On May 15, 2025, Adam Jonathan Lowe, 43, of West Pittston, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to over 6 years in federal prison by the Honorable David Leibowitz, stemming from his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349, wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, mail fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341, and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived proceeds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957. Upon release from custody, Lowe must serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution to the victims of his offense.
Previously, on May 13, 2025, co-defendant Murray Todd Petersen, 73, of Fair Oaks, California, was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison by the Honorable James I. Cohn stemming from his conviction after a seven-day jury trial in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349 and wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. Upon release from custody, Petersen must serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution to the victims of his offense.
On October 18, 2024, co-defendant Scott Schafer, 62, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, was sentenced to five years probation stemming from his stemming from his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349.
As outlined in court documents and trial testimony, Adam Jonathan Lowe, as the president of The Diamond Desk and as the manager of PetersenLowe, LLC., was the supplier of fancy-colored diamonds sourced worldwide. Murray Todd Petersen worked as a salesman for PetersenLowe, LLC., who induced investors to purchase Lowe’s fancy-colored diamonds using materially false and fraudulent representations concerning the safety and security of the investments, the value of the investments, the expected profits and rates of return, and the use of investors’ funds. After selling his victims expensive fancy-colored diamonds supplied with fraudulent overvalued appraisals from co-defendant Scott Schafer, Petersen instructed his clients to hold onto their investments often for one to two years prior to looking to liquidate. When trying to cover his investors cash out demands at the overpriced appraisal prices, Petersen and Lowe used another false representation of a China investment program, where they would purportedly invest the victims’ money into the Chinese diamond market with a purported guaranteed five to eight percent monthly dividend return on investment. Unbeknownst to their victims, this new investment program was really a Ponzi scheme in disguise designed to pay off his first round of investor clients. When customers began to complain about missing promised returns and highly inaccurate overvalued appraisals, the scheme pivoted again to a theft model, where investors prepaid for diamonds that were never delivered by either Lowe or Petersen. Petersen took approximately $850,000 in sales commissions from his victims, which he used to pay off his high IRS tax liens and cover his business operating expenses. In total, the scheme netted approximately $13 million and defrauded in excess of 100 victims.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc Anton and Latoya Brown prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-60225.
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Thursday 15 May 2025
York County Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Make False Statements to a BankRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Brandi McCoy, 48, of York County, has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for conspiracy to make false statements to a bank.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that McCoy operated a daycare in South Carolina. Between June 2020 and April 2022, McCoy and others conspired to make false statements to banks to secure loans under the Paycheck Protection Program and avoid repayment. After loan money was received, McCoy submitted more false statements to request forgiveness and avoid repayment of the money. These false statements included greatly inflated numbers related to the size of the staff employed at the daycare and the amount of salary paid by the daycare. McCoy also provided false statements concerning the amount of expenses paid by the daycare. As a result of the misstatements, over $1 million in loans were approved.
United States District Senior Court Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced Brandi to 15 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. McCoy was also ordered to pay restitution to the Small Business Administration.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Potterfield is prosecuting the case.
Vacaville Man Charged with Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Michael Keith Rubino, 39, of Vacaville, charging him with producing child sexual abuse material, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, in October and November of 2024, Rubino engaged in multiple sex acts with a 17-year-old female victim. Rubino exploited his minor victim at a residence in Vacaville where Rubino lived. Rubino recorded numerous instances of his sexual abuse of his minor victim using his iPhone.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Vacaville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Rubino faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.