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Wednesday 14 May 2025
Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in a cocaine distribution conspiracy.
Hector Torres, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Aug. 26, 2025. Torres was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023.
In or about June 2022, a package sent from Puerto Rico to Worcester found to contain approximately 6.5 kilograms of cocaine was intercepted. On June 21, 2022, law enforcement executed a controlled delivery of the package. While accepting the delivered package, Torres apologized for not being there earlier, took the package, and set it on the ground in order to sign for delivery. When law enforcement attempted to arrest Torres, he fled on foot and was subsequently apprehended.
The charges of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and conspiracy to do the same each provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. 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; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Waterbury Man Sentenced to More Than 8 Years in Federal Prison for Violent Carjacking, Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS CRUZ, also known as “Goldo,” 27, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 97 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in both a violent carjacking and a Waterbury-based narcotics trafficking ring.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning hours of June 18, 2023, two all-terrain vehicles (“ATVs”) were stolen from a Waterbury residence. After the theft, Cruz posted on Facebook offering $5,000 to anyone providing information about the location of the stolen vehicles. Cruz and others then mistakenly identified an individual (“Victim 1”), who they incorrectly believed was involved in the theft. Later that night, Victim 1’s friend, (“Victim 2”), picked up Victim 1 from work and drove him home. As they arrived at Victim 1’s residence, three vehicles followed them and surrounded the victims. Cruz and his associates, one of whom carried an assault-style rifle, exited the vehicles and approached the victims. Cruz and his associates demanded the return of the stolen ATVs, threatened to kill the victims, and physically assaulted them. Cruz, who was recovering from a leg injury, used a crutch to repeatedly strike one of the victims.
Cruz and his associates then stole Victim 2’s vehicle, which was owned by Victim 2’s relative, and other items and cash belonging to the victims.
Also, Cruz was one of 17 individuals charged with federal offenses as a result of an investigation into two drug trafficking organizations based in the city of Waterbury. One organization operated in the area of William Street and the other operated in the area of Maple Avenue. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, video surveillance, GPS tracking of vehicles, and numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that the two organizations distributed cocaine, crack, and fentanyl through a network of sellers. The organizations shared sources of supply and worked together to further their operations.
During the investigation, Cruz, who was involved in the William Street organization, was intercepted multiple times over a wiretap discussing the distribution of narcotics. Cruz distributed cocaine, and also stored narcotics for the organization at various hotels.
Cruz and several codefendants were arrested on November 29, 2023. In association with the arrests, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized approximately 700 grams of crack cocaine, more than 900 vials (“caps”) of crack, approximately 200 grams of loose fentanyl, more than 1,600 dose bags of fentanyl/heroin, two stolen firearms, numerous rounds of ammunition, and more than $39,000 in cash.
On September 10, 2024, Cruz pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Cruz has been detained since his arrest.
These investigations were led by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force, and the Waterbury Police Department. The carjacking case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan J. Guevremont and David T. Huang, and the narcotics trafficking case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and Shan Patel through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Wagoner Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Kent Leondis Honeycutt, age 44, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and 84 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. The sentences were ordered to be served concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations.
On November 5, 2024, Honeycutt pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on January 24, 2024, Sequoyah County deputies conducting a traffic stop discovered Honeycutt in possession of 436 grams of methamphetamine, scales, baggies, a ledger, a semi-automatic pistol, and 56 rounds ammunition. At the time of the stop, Honeycutt had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Honeycutt will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Waco Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jay Gilmore, 40, of Waco, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 8, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for Distribution of Child Pornography. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Gilmore to 200 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Gilmore’s release from prison, he will begin a 20-year term of supervised release. Gilmore was also ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution.
After receiving information indicating Gilmore was in possession of an unapproved electronic device, United States Probation officers conducted a search of the defendant’s residence. A total of 25 unapproved devices were collected by Probation.
The electronics were turned over to the Lincoln Police Department for forensic evaluation. That evaluation revealed 165 images of child pornography. There was also evidence Gilmore visited various websites which are indicative of child pornography and incest.
At the time Gilmore received the child pornography, he had been previously convicted in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska of receipt and distribution of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2252A(a)(2) at case number 4:11CR3000.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department.
Vallejo Man Convicted of Being a Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
After a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins, a jury found Jeffrey Caldwell, 36, of Vallejo, guilty of being a felon in possession of ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to evidence presented at trial, law enforcement officers responded to the Super 8 Motel on 2070 Solano Avenue in Vallejo after multiple callers reported hearing gunshots from inside the building. By the time the officers arrived, Caldwell had barricaded himself in his hotel room and refused commands to surrender. A multi-hour standoff ensued, which ended when Caldwell finally left the room and attempted to flee. A subsequent search of the room discovered a privately manufactured firearm containing one round of ammunition. Caldwell is prohibited from possessing ammunition due to more than 10 prior felony convictions in California and Arizona, including for assault, burglary, and stalking.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Vallejo Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Campbell and Alexander Cárdenas are prosecuting the case.
Caldwell is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Coggins on Aug. 22, 2025. Caldwell faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Forfeits $736,040 Associated with DoorDash ScamRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, and Paul J. Ferencek, State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Stamford/Norwalk today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has forfeited $736,040 associated with a DoorDash scam.
As alleged in the forfeiture complaint, on January 5, 2023, Stamford Police responded to a Stamford apartment for a domestic violence incident. David Smith was taken into custody and a victim was transported to the hospital. Later that day, investigators searching the apartment for a firearm found a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine, and also found multiple safes containing a total of $736,040 in cash, and 118 credit and debit cards, almost all of which were in the names of other individuals. The investigation revealed that Smith was operating a scam in which he used multiple phones to place DoorDash orders for delivery. After the order was picked up, he would contact the drivers using a spoofed number and, using social engineering, convince the drivers to hand over their DoorDash account information. Using this information, Smith would steal the victim’s delivery money that had been pooled in their account. The cash that was seized and forfeited represents the proceeds from this scheme.
Smith, who was being prosecuted by the State of Connecticut, was murdered in New York on January 6, 2025.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture complaint against the seized money and, on April 30, 2025, the U.S. District Court granted the government’s motion for a Decree of Forfeiture.
Generally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office first forfeits the money, then returns it to the crime victims, so that the crime victims have clear title to the property without risk of further litigation.
If you believe that you were a victim of this scheme, please visit this web page or this FBI New Haven Facebook post. There, victims of this particular scheme will find the instructions to make a petition for remission. Should the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering Asset Recovery Unit approve your petition for remission, you may recoup some or all of your losses.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Nelson.
Two Philadelphia Men Charged with Boarding a SEPTA Bus with Machine GunsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Kysem Humphrey, 19, and Jayquan Jett, 18, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were arrested and charged by indictment with possession of a machine gun.
The indictment alleges that on December 17, 2024, officers with the Philadelphia Police Department recovered personally manufactured firearms, modified to be fully automatic weapons, that the defendants had hidden under their clothing when they boarded a SEPTA bus.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department, SEPTA Transit Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Meagan Gordon.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Two Foreign Nationals Plead Guilty to Illegal Entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 9, 2025, Adrian Santos-Miranda, 31, and Yanela Guerra-Matamoros, 36, citizens of Cuba, pleaded guilty to a criminal complaint charging them with illegally entering the United States at a time or place other than designated for entering the country by immigration authorities.
According to court records, on May 8, 2025, at approximately 3:40 p.m., U.S. Border Patrol received an image of two individuals, later identified as the defendants, walking south from the Canadian Border in the area of Mud Creek, approximately two miles east of the village of North Troy, VT. Border Patrol agents responded to the area, followed foot signs through the woods and mud, and at approximately 7:00 p.m., located the two defendants, who fled further into the woods when approached. The agents apprehended the two defendants, who appeared to be the same individuals in the image they had received. The agents then conducted an immigration inspection. Neither defendant was able to provide Border Patrol with the necessary documents that would allow them to stay or remain in the U.S. legally. Both defendants were placed under arrest. Border Patrol conducted further record checks, which identified the defendants as citizens of Cuba with no current legal status in the United States.
Santos-Miranda and Guerra-Matamoros had their initial court appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on May 9, 2025, where they pleaded guilty and received a time-served sentence. Santos-Miranda and Guerra-Matamoros had faced up to 6 months’ imprisonment.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Gilman. Santos-Miranda is represented by Mark D. Oettinger, Esq. and Guerra-Matamoros is represented by Jason J. Sawyer, Esq.
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).
Twelve Years in Prison for Suburban Chicago Man Who Trafficked Fentanyl and Illegally Possessed HandgunRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man who trafficked fentanyl and cocaine and illegally possessed a loaded handgun has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.
WILLIAM FILLYAW possessed the drugs and gun on Oct. 28, 2022, in the parking lot of his apartment complex in Gurnee, Ill. Fillyaw carried a backpack that contained the cocaine packaged in quarter-ounce quantities, the fentanyl wrapped in three square bricks, and the handgun. Fillyaw intended to sell the fentanyl and cocaine on the streets, and he acknowledged possessing the gun in connection with his drug trafficking activities. The firearm had no serial number and had been assembled from a gun kit, making it an untraceable “ghost gun.”
Fillyaw, 47, pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal drug and firearm charges. U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly imposed the 12-year prison sentence during a hearing on Friday in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Michael E. Hensle, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Milwaukee, Wis., Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Milwaukee Police Department, Cudahy, Wis. Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol.
“Narcotics distribution and firearm offenses are serious crimes that adversely impact the people who live and work in the Northern District of Illinois,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirsten Moran and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The increased presence of ghost guns in Chicago, and the country in general, is troubling, as they are often used in crimes and are difficult to trace.”
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Tulsa Resident Sentenced for Leaving the Scene of A Fatal AccidentRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Gary Wayne Fraser, age 54, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Weleetka Police Department.
On September 9, 2024, Fraser pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 15, 2023, Fraser caused a collision resulting in death, failed to render reasonable aid, and fled the scene of the accident in order to avoid prosecution. While driving a pickup truck outside Weleetka, Oklahoma, Fraser crossed over the center line and struck a pedestrian walking in the oncoming lane. Law enforcement investigating a possible collision found the victim laying on the side of the road with visible injuries and Fraser’s empty truck stranded in a ditch with noticeable damage to the front end. The crime occurred in Okfuskee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Fraser will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan W. Howanitz represented the United States.
Tulsa Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Demarrio Lee Hannah, aka Demario Hannah, aka Mario Hannah, age 36, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on June 22, 2024, Hannah knowingly possessed a semi-automatic pistol and ammunition, despite having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Truck driver receives maximum sentence for smuggling 36 illegal aliens in trailerRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 34-year-old Alamo resident has been ordered to prison for smuggling people into the United States from multiple countries, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Eusebio Cavazos pleaded guilty Feb. 13.
U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered Cavazos to serve the statutory maximum of 60 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding numerous sentencing enhancements applied in the case. These included transporting over 25 aliens, recklessness for locking the aliens in the back of a cold trailer with no means of escape, transporting a minor and using his skills as a truck driver to commit the crime. In handing down the sentence, Judge Morales noted he would have sentenced Cavazos to a higher sentence if not for the statutory maximum of 60 months.
On Dec. 13, 2024, Cavazos drove a tractor-trailer into the primary inspection lane at the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Sarita. Upon initial inspection, a K-9 alerted to the possible presence of humans in the trailer.
Authorities referred him to secondary inspection where they discovered 36 illegal aliens in the back of the trailer and nothing else. It was 54 degrees inside and the doors were locked and sealed with no means of escape.
A total of 15 were from Guatemala, 10 from Honduras, eight from Mexico and three from El Salvador. All were illegally present in the United States, five of whom had allegedly been previously removed and have pending charges for illegal reentry.
Cavazos admitted someone had hired him to drive all 36 illegal aliens from a point near Donna to Houston.
He expected to receive $1,000 per alien he was transporting.
“Human smuggling is a dangerous, and sometimes deadly, practice, and those that choose to engage in it deserve the maximum punishment available,” said Ganjei. “All it would have taken here is a car accident or a cooling malfunction for these people to have lost their lives.”
Cavazos has been and 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 and BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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.
Texas Company Charged with Aiding and Abetting Fraudulent Transactions Related to False Ethanol SalesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –Today, Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced the filing of a bill of information charging Plano, Texas-based MUREX MANAGEMENT, INC. (“MMI”), with aiding and abetting transactions that defrauded financial institutions, including the failed New Orleans-based First NBC Bank.
According to the bill of information, MMI was the management company of an affiliate that engaged in ethanol marketing and logistics services. Additionally, Company A was the U.S.-based subsidiary of a foreign, publicly traded, company that operated ethanol production plants.
According to the bill of information, beginning in 2013, Company A and its parent companies began to experience financial stress. In order to ameliorate cash flow issues and to manufacture additional financing for its debts, Company A initiated a strategy called “buy/sells” and targeted MMI to assist in this strategy. Company A’s plan called for both companies to create fictitious invoices purporting to be sales of ethanol between the two companies, which could then be sold as accounts receivable to unwitting buyers via a New Orleans-based online marketplace. This would provide cash flow for Company A and a profit to MMI. The unwitting buyers of these accounts receivable included financial institutions like First NBC Bank.
The bill of information alleges that, between October 28, 2013 and September 18, 2015, Company A and MMI conducted approximately $1.2 billion in fraudulent “buy/sell” transactions, with MMI making a profit of approximately $6,073,049. Company A eventually defaulted on paying financial institutions for the accounts receivable that had been posted for auction by MMI. The defaulted auctions caused a loss of approximately $73,073,683.05 to First NBC Bank, and a loss of approximately $8,330,427.02 to a North Carolina bank.
If convicted, MMI faces a maximum fine of $1,000,000.00, or twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss to any victim. It also will be required to pay restitution and a mandatory special assessment fee of $400.00.
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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the FDIC Office of Inspector General, Dallas Field Office, and the Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, Houston Resident Office, that investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew R. Payne of the Financial Crimes Unit and Nicholas D. Moses, Health Care Fraud Coordinator, handled this prosecution.
Tahlequah Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Trae Allen Cordell, age 31, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 262 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and 60 months for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm. The sentences were ordered to be served concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
On November 6, 2024, Cordell pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on April 3, 2024, law enforcement serving a search warrant on Cordell’s residence seized two large bags containing smaller baggies amounting to 1,257 grams of methamphetamine, as well as two loaded semi-automatic pistols. At the time of the arrest, Cordell had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Cordell will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys T. Cameron McEwen and Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.
Statement by U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley Regarding Attempts to Obstruct ICE OperationsRead the Press Release
“The interference with ICE operations around Massachusetts has been disturbing, to say the least. This conduct poses significant public and officer safety risks. It is conduct that should be vilified rather than glorified. I will not stand idly by if any public official, public safety officer, organization or private citizen acts in a manner that criminally obstructs or impedes ICE operations. The United States Attorney’s Office, along with our federal partners, will investigate any violations of federal law and pursue charges that are warranted by such activity.”
Stanislaus County Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Cristian Ceja, 28, of Turlock, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge John A. Mendez to 15 years and eight months in prison for transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, between Aug. 27, 2023, and Jan. 3, 2024, Ceja transported a minor victim from the Eastern District of California to Idaho with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Ceja met the minor victim when Ceja was working as a delivery driver and delivered food to the minor’s house. Ceja thereafter used the minor victim’s phone number to track her down on social media and communicate with her. Ceja began a lengthy sexual relationship with the minor victim who, at that time, was 15. During the course of their sexual relationship, Ceja would sneak into the minor victim’s bedroom to have sex with her without being detected by her parents. On at least two occasions, Ceja video recorded himself engaging in sexual contact with the minor victim. Ceja kept used condoms and used feminine hygiene products in his storage unit as souvenirs of his relationship with the minor victim.
On Aug. 26, 2023, the minor victim’s mother contacted law enforcement because she found provocative photographs of the minor victim in her bedroom and was concerned her daughter was having a sexual relationship with an adult. In the early morning hours of Aug. 27, 2023, Ceja took the minor victim and fled to avoid detection and to continue the sexual relationship. While on the run, Ceja attempted to evade detection by placing stolen license plates on his vehicle, obliterating the VIN from his vehicle’s dashboard, spray painting the vehicle a different color, and adopting a false name. In order to avoid detection, Ceja discarded his cellphone while in flight and used a “burner” phone.
Ceja first took the minor victim to Nevada where they lived in his vehicle for approximately one week. Ceja then took the minor victim to a rural part of Idaho where they lived for several months in a small camper trailer without running water or heat. Law enforcement found the minor victim after she contacted a family member via social media to let her family know that she wanted to come home but could not leave on her own. On Jan. 3, 2024, law enforcement officers arrived at the camper trailer, rescued the minor victim, and arrested Ceja
This case was the product of an investigation by the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
St. Louis man sentenced to prison for unarmed bank robberiesRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district court judge sentenced a St. Louis man to 87 months in federal prison after he admitted to robbing four banks in less than three weeks in 2023.
Tyrone Leslie, 40, pleaded guilty in January to four counts of bank robbery. One count was charged in the Southern District of Illinois, and the other three were charged in the Eastern District of Missouri. The Missouri cases were transferred to southern Illinois to be prosecuted simultaneously.
“Bank robbers like Tyrone Leslie threaten the safety of the community, even when they are not carrying guns,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “It is no defense that Leslie used threatening notes instead of more violent means.”
According to court documents, Leslie robbed the U.S. Bank on Tesson Ferry Road in St. Louis of $2,740 on Nov. 14, 2023. On Nov. 17, he robbed the People’s National Bank on Hampton Avenue in St. Louis of $964. Leslie robbed the PNC Bank in St. Louis on Manchester Road of $5,050 on Dec. 2. He tried to take $4,125 from the FCB Bank in Caseyville, Illinois, on Dec. 4.
Following the FCB Bank robbery in Caseyville, Leslie led police on a high-speed chase.
The Caseyville Police Department led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ali Burns and Laura Reppert prosecuted the case.
Springfield Man Pleaded Guilty to Burglary of a United States Post Office and Theft of Mail MatterRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to burglarizing a local post office building and stealing mail from this facility.
Zachary M. Walker, 38, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie Epps, Jr., to a federal information charging him with one count of burglary of a post office building and one count of theft of mail matter.
Walker, a former United States Postal Service employee, used his knowledge of building security to gain unauthorized access to a local post office, stealing mail matter and selling those items over the internet.
According to the plea agreement, Walker was observed on secretly installed video cameras within a local post office building. Walker was able to burglarize the post office because he had previously worked at that facility and knew the authorization codes that allowed him to circumvent building security. While in the United States Post Office building, Walker would examine letters and mail matter, stealing those items that he could easily sell.
Under federal statutes, Walker is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Springfield, Missouri, Police Department
South Los Angeles Man and Woman Arrested on Federal Charge for Impeding Federal Agents Engaged in Immigration EnforcementRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two South Los Angeles residents were arrested today on a federal criminal complaint alleging they caused a car chase earlier this year in which they deliberately blocked and impeded immigration agents during the performance of their official duties.
Gustavo Torres, 28, and Kiara Jaime-Flores, 34, are charged with conspiracy to impede or injure officer.
The defendants are scheduled to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“These defendants are charged with knowingly and recklessly putting federal agents’ lives in danger,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Anyone who deliberately gets in the way of immigration officers doing their job will face criminal prosecution and the prospect of doing time in a federal prison cell.”
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, on the morning of February 28, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and United States Border Patrol agents executed four search warrants at separate residences in Los Angeles, one of them occurring at an address in South Los Angeles. A small crowd began to concentrate outside the residence and some bystanders in the crowd directed hostile remarks at the agents, who later got in their government vehicles and left the area.
At the intersection of 61st Street and Broadway in South Los Angeles, Torres and Flores – driving a Honda Fit – allegedly pulled in front of one of the government vehicles and blocked its pathway at the intersection. The defendants also drove westbound on 61st Street in an opposing lane, passing another two government vehicles. The defendants allegedly pulled in front of one of the vehicles and slammed on the brakes, which the agents believed was an attempt to cause a collision.
Torres and Flores aggressively followed one of the government vehicles for two miles, attempting to cross multiple lanes of traffic as it followed it and the other cars.
A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Torres and Flores would face a statutory maximum sentence of six years in federal prison.
HSI is investigating this matter. The investigation was conducted by the HSI-led El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, a multi-agency task force that includes federal and state investigators who are focused on financial crimes in Southern California.
Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Tako of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Somerset Man Charged with Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TRENTON N.J. – A Somerset man was charged with receipt and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Elliott Souder, 51, was charged by complaint and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah L. Singh in Trenton federal court on May 6, 2025.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From at least September 20, 2021 through November 16, 2021, Souder, via his home computer, connected to an Internet-based peer-to-peer network and requested three videos depicting child sexual abuse. When members of law enforcement executed a search warrant at Souder’s Somerset residence in March 2022, they found over 1,000 images and videos of child pornography on Souder’s computer’s hard drive, including two of the aforementioned videos previously requested over the peer-to-peer network. Some of the images and videos depicted prepubescent children, toddlers and infants, and sadomasochism on children.
The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, specifically the Violent Crimes Against Children Unit, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, with the investigation. This investigation was conducted under FBI’s Operation Restore Justice.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Steven D. Altman, Esq., New Brunswick, NJ
souder.complaint.pdfSeminole Resident Sentenced for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lucas Wayne Cullum, aka Lucus Wayne Cullum, age 26, of Seminole, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On July 17, 2024, Cullum pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on November 23, 2022, Cullum failed to devote attention to driving, causing the death of a passenger. While driving at a high rate of speed, Cullum crossed the opposing lane of traffic on State Highway 59 and left the roadway. Cullum abruptly swerved the vehicle back to the right, crossed both lanes of traffic, exited the roadway, and struck a tree. As Cullum fled the scene of the crash on foot, the car caught fire with two occupants inside. One passenger was seriously injured but was able to escape the vehicle. The other passenger was unable to escape and died from injuries sustained in the crash and the resulting fire.
The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Cullum will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
Second Former High-Ranking FDNY Official Sentenced to Prison for Role in Bribery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ANTHONY SACCAVINO was sentenced to 36 months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to solicit and receive bribes in his role as the Chief of the New York City Fire Department (“FDNY”) Bureau of Fire Prevention (“BFP”). SACCAVINO previously pled guilty on January 29, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman, who also imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “Anthony Saccavino undermined the New York City Fire Department, an institution he swore to serve. Chief Saccavino led a pay-to-play bribery scheme that would offend the sensibilities of every hard-working New Yorker. Public officials who violate the public trust for financial gain will be pursued vigorously by our Office and our law enforcement partners.”
According to the Indictment, plea agreement, and statements made in court:
From 2021 to 2023, SACCAVINO was the leader of a conspiracy to solicit and receive $190,000 in total bribe payments from a former FDNY firefighter named Henry Santiago, Jr. In exchange for those bribe payments, SACCAVINO and another high-ranking official at the FDNY, Brian Cordasco, used their authority within the BFP to improperly “expedite” BFP inspections and plan reviews for Santiago’s customers. SACCAVINO personally profited $57,000 as part of this scheme. To carry out this conspiracy, SACCAVINO lied to his BFP subordinates to justify otherwise improper expediting requests. SACCAVINO also lied to law enforcement when interviewed about his involvement in the scheme.
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If you believe you have information related to bribery, fraud, or any other illegal conduct by FDNY or BFP employees, please contact [email protected] or (212) 825-2402. If you were involved in such conduct, please consider self-disclosing through the SDNY Whistleblower Pilot Program at [email protected].
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In addition to the prison term, SACCAVINO, 61, of New York, New York, was sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay forfeiture of $57,000 and a fine of $150,000.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Department of Investigation.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Greenwood, Matthew King, and Daniel H. Wolf are in charge of the prosecution.
San Jose Chiropractor Pleads Guilty to Aiding and Assisting in Filing of False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Tae Hyun Lee pleaded guilty in federal court today to aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of a false tax return for the year 2019.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Lee, 62, of San Jose, a self-employed chiropractor and the sole owner and operator of a business called Gentle Chiropractic Care, hid income generated by his chiropractic practice from the individual who prepared his income tax returns and from the IRS.
In 2018, 2019, and 2020, Lee cashed more than $1.4 million in checks payable to his chiropractic practice at a check cashing business rather than depositing them into the practice’s bank account, and also deposited checks and electronic payments into his personal bank accounts. Lee then told the individual who prepared his income tax returns for those three years that all of the practice’s income had been deposited into the practice’s bank account, which was not true. Lee’s tax return preparer prepared income tax returns reporting only the income deposited into the practice’s bank account. This resulted in the taxable income and tax due reported on Lee’s income tax returns for 2018, 2019, and 2020 to be materially underreported. Specifically, Lee caused the majority of Gentle Chiropractic Care’s income during these years to be unreported on his income tax returns.
In total, Lee caused a tax loss to the IRS of at least $439,028.
Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge of the Oakland Field Office Linda Nguyen made the announcement.
Under the plea agreement, Lee pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(2), which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24, 2025, before U.S. District Judge P. Casey Pitts. Any sentence will be imposed by the Court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. Pitman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Sahib Kaur. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by IRS-CI.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Prison for Leadership Role in a Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and for Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Michael Garcia, 36, of Sacramento County, was sentenced Tuesday to 17 years and six months in prison for conspiring to possess and distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Michael Garcia conspired with his wife Nancy Garcia, his father Gonzalo Garcia, Tyler Combs (all co-defendant in this case), and others to sell methamphetamine and heroin in Sacramento and Solano Counties. Michael Garcia began this conspiracy while he was serving a state sentence for narcotics offenses at the Tulare County Jail.
Michael Garcia worked with his wife, father, and other coconspirators to sell a confidential informant a total of five pounds of methamphetamine and a quarter pound of heroin over five separate occasions, and he personally sold the CI a total of 4 pounds of methamphetamine. During the initial transactions, Nancy Garcia began to negotiate a firearms sale with the confidential informant and was present at the illegal firearms sale described below.
Once out of state custody, Michael Garcia continued the conspiracy to sell methamphetamine and heroin. He also set up a deal with Tylor Combs to sell firearms to the confidential informant. Nancy Garcia, Michael Garcia, and Tyler Combs were present at this illegal firearms deal, which involved 10 firearms, including an unserialized machine gun.
Screenshot of video Michael Garcia sent to confidential informant bragging about his drug proceeds, saying “Sac money is good money.”
The 10 firearms that Garcia and Combs sold to the confidential informant.
Michael Garcia and his wife also admitted that they bought a home in Arizona with drug proceeds. The United States is in the process of the forfeiture of this home.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.
Gonzalo Garcia passed away while in pretrial custody for this case. Tylor Combs has since pleaded guilty both to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and to being a felon in possession of firearms. On November 12, 2021, he was sentenced to six years and six months in prison. Nancy Garcia pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. On September 10, 2024, she was sentenced to five years in prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Russian National Charged with Smuggling Biological Material into BostonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Russian national has been arrested and charged for allegedly attempting to smuggle clawed frog embryos and embryonic samples into the United States.
Kseniia Petrova, 31, a Russian citizen, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of smuggling goods into the United States. Petrova was taken into immigration custody on Feb. 16, 2025. She was arrested earlier today on the criminal charge.
According to the charging documents, on Feb. 16, 2025, Petrova arrived at Logan International Airport in Boston via an inbound flight from Paris. Upon her arrival, Petrova was stopped by Customs & Border Protection agents after a law enforcement canine allegedly alerted its handler to the defendant’s checked duffel bag on the baggage carousel. Per protocol, law enforcement removed the bag from the carousel and brought it to an agricultural secondary inspection area for further screening. There, an officer inspected the contents of the bag and allegedly discovered the biological items: a foam box containing clawed frog embryos in microcentrifuges, as well as embryonic samples in paraffin well stages and on mounted dyed slides. All biological products require a permit for entry and require the individual to make a declaration to Customs & Border Protection at the port of first arrival.
It is alleged that, when approached by law enforcement, Petrova initially denied carrying any biological material in her checked baggage. However, when asked again, Petrova allegedly admitted that she was carrying biological material.
During an interview under oath, Petrova allegedly claimed to be unsure that she was required to declare biological material when entering the United States.
According to the charging documents, however, Petrova’s phone revealed text messages from an individual identified as one of Petrova’s colleagues informing Petrova that she was required to declare the biological material:
- “if you bring samples or antibody back, make sure you get the permission etc. Like that link I sent to leon-/group chat about frog embryos because TSA went through my bags at customs in Boston;” and
- “What is your plan to pass the American Customs with samples? This is the most delicate place of the trajectory.”
It is alleged that in another text message conversation with an individual identified as her principal investigator, Petrova was asked how she planned to get through customs with the biological samples, to which she replied: “No plan yet. I won’t be able to swallow them.”
Petrova was thereafter advised that she was ineligible for entry to the United States. It is alleged that, when asked if she wished to willingly withdraw her application for admission, Petrova responded in the affirmative before being taken into custody by immigration officials.
According to the charging documents, the defendant was recently employed by the Institute of Genetic Biology in Moscow from 2023 to 2024 and previously served as a bioinformatician of genetic disorders at the Moscow Center for Genetics from 2016 to 2023.
The charge of smuggling goods into the United States provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a term of up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office; and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshals Service in Louisiana. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadine Pellegrini, Chief of the National Security 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.
Pryor man sentenced to 2 years in prison for strangulation and assaultRead the Press Release
BILINGS – A Pryor man who admitted strangling and assaulting his dating partner was sentenced today to two years in prison to be followed by three of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Thomas Larson Medicinehorse III, 19, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to strangulation and assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a dating or intimate partner.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on February 5, 2024, Medicinehorse and the victim, referred to here as Jane Doe, got into an argument. The altercation turned physical, and Medicinehorse strangled Doe by placing his hands around her throat. Doe’s vision went dark and she could not breathe.
The next day, February 6, 2024, Medicinehorse and Doe got into another argument. Medicinehorse struck Doe on the face, arms, and legs, causing bruising and swelling to her right eye and various bruises on her arms and legs.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, BIA, and Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Preston County Man Admits to Federal Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Steven David Seeger, 46, of Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, has admitted to the coercion and enticement of a minor for sex and production of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Seeger was communicating with minor girls online. During those communications, he persuaded multiple victims to produce and send him sexually explicit images and videos.
Seeger faces 10 years to life in federal prison for the enticement charge and faces 15 to 30 years for the production of child pornography charge. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine the appropriate sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the West Virginia State Police, and the Preston County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Philadelphia Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to 15 Counts of Assisting in the Preparation of False Tax Returns, Three Counts of Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that James J. Sirleaf, 65, of Darby, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today before United States District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond to engaging in a multi-year scheme to assist clients with filing false income tax returns to fraudulently increase their refund amounts, as well as to filing false personal income tax returns for himself.
In April 2023, Sirleaf was charged by indictment with 15 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns and three counts of filing false personal income tax returns, and he pleaded guilty to all charges.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, at the time of the charged conduct, Sirleaf was the was the sole owner and operator of Metro Financial Services Inc., a tax preparation business in Philadelphia. Sirleaf prepared false and fraudulent Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Forms 1040, or U.S. Individual Tax Returns, for client taxpayers for at least tax years 2016 through 2019.
Sirleaf included falsities on the tax returns — including false deductions, fabricated business expenses, and/or false dependent information — resulting in tax calculations lower than what the clients actually owed.
In addition, Sirleaf filed false returns for himself for tax years 2017 through 2019, failing to fully report his income, which resulted in an additional tax loss to the IRS.
In total, Sirleaf’s scheme caused a tax loss to the IRS of $219,622.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3, 2025, and faces a maximum possible term of 54 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Castilla Geiger.
Pediatric Physician Sentenced to 25 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Overland Park, Ks., pediatric physician was sentenced in federal court today for producing child pornography and possession of child pornography.
Brian Aalbers, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian C. Wimes to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Aalbers to serve supervised release for Life following his incarceration.
Aalbers, a pediatric neurologist at Overland Park Regional Hospital in Overland Park, Ks., had pleaded guilty to using concealed video cameras to secretly record 13 child victims for the purpose of producing child pornography over a three-year period. Aalbers also had admitted that he was in possession of child pornography.
Concerns were received by both the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office regarding the potential victimization of patients of Aalbers’s pediatric practice. During the investigation, it was determined there was no evidence to indicate any current or former patients were victimized by Aalbers. To protect and maintain the privacy of Aalbers’s victims, no additional information regarding the victims will be released.
According to the plea agreement, Kansas City, Mo., police officers investigated a report regarding concealed video cameras that had been found on Oct. 28, 2023. A witness later contacted officers to report that Aalbers was sending suicidal text messages. Lenexa, Ks., police officers located Aalbers and transported him to a local hospital to obtain voluntary mental health treatment. The hospital took possession of two laptop computers, two iPad tablets, and a cell phone that were inside a backpack Aalbers brought with him when he entered the facility.
Investigators obtained search warrants for those devices, as well as other cameras and electronic devices owned by Aalbers. Investigators found more than 50,000 video files associated with the hidden video cameras used by Aalbers, including more than 1,000 videos that contained pornographic depictions of the 13 child victims.
Investigators also obtained a search warrant for Aalbers’s iCloud account, which contained 1,000 additional images and 163 additional videos of child pornography, which included videos of the identified child victims that had been produced by Aalbers.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, and Lenexa, Kansas Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Okmulgee Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Richard Tyrone Dawson, age 35, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for one count of Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute, and to 41 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The sentences were ordered to be served concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police.
On October 8, 2024, Dawson pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on October 16, 2023, officers conducting a traffic stop on Dawson’s vehicle discovered an outstanding warrant for his arrest through the Muscogee Nation. Law enforcement subsequently seized 29 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded .40 caliber pistol from the vehicle. At the time of the arrest, Dawson had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Dawson will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.
Okmulgee Resident Pleads Guilty to StalkingRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Garrick Davaughn McCrary, age 29, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Stalking, punishable by up to five years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.00.
The Indictment alleged that beginning in April 2023 until January 16, 2025, intending to injure, harass, intimidate, or place a person under surveillance, McCrary used facilities of interstate or foreign commerce, including social media and internet websites, to engage in a course of conduct that caused substantial emotional distress to the victim and placed the victim in reasonable fear of serious bodily injury.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Okmulgee Police Department, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
McCrary will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Oakton doctor sentenced to 13 years in prison for running urgent care center as opioid pill millRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Oakton doctor was sentenced today to 13 years in prison for conspiring to distribute oxycodone and amphetamines, maintaining drug premises, and false statements relating to health care matters.
According to court documents, David Allingham, 65, was the owner of and sole medically licensed practitioner at Oakton Primacy Care Center (OPCC), an urgent care center. His practice advertised on his website that Allingham specialized as an “Addiction Medicine Family Doctor” with “special training and skill in preventing, diagnosing, and treating patients with addiction.”
Between at least April 2019 and January 2024, Allingham wrote prescriptions for opioids and amphetamines for numerous patients without properly assessing the individual needs of those patients, which was outside the usual course of professional practice and regulations and without legitimate medical purpose. During that time, Virginia pharmacies filled approximately 7,330 prescriptions for oxycodone prescribed by Allingham, totaling approximately 405,164 pills.
All of Allingham’s patients were instructed to pay out of pocket for office visits at Allingham’s practice, which cost $300-$550 per patient, typically paid via cash, credit card, or Venmo. An extra $700 was required if the patient wanted a doctor’s letter. Allingham required his chronic pain patients to pay for an office visit at least every 21 days, though he allowed a significant number of these “office visits” to be conducted via a phone call to employees who were not medically trained. Allingham authorized renewals of opioid medication without physically examining patients or without medical indication other than the uncorroborated information the patients provided.
Multiple pharmacies investigated Allingham’s opioid prescribing practices and thereafter refused to fill prescriptions for controlled substances issued by Allingham. After a national pharmacy chain informed Allingham that its stores would no longer fill prescriptions written by him, Allingham instructed his employees to phase out all brand pharmacies in favor of “mom and pop” pharmacies to avoid further scrutiny of his patients and so he could continue to prescribe high-dose opioids for them.
Allingham typically required a urine drug screen (UDS) at each in office appointment but failed to act on them in a medically appropriate way. Allingham consistently excused or ignored failed UDSs, which were then withheld from patient files or falsely documented in his medical records. One patient failed 40 drug tests between 2019 and 2023. Allingham’s medical record falsely documented that the patient had tested positive for cocaine in his urine merely from handling currency contaminated with cocaine residue. Allingham nevertheless continued to prescribe oxycodone to the patient.
Allingham also prescribed amphetamines to multiple chronic pain patients to assist them in weight loss in contravention of regulations. Allingham prescribed amphetamines for weight loss purposes regardless of whether the patient was obese. During the conspiracy, Allingham distributed at least 527 prescriptions for amphetamines for this purpose, totaling over 13,500 pills.
Allingham also unlawfully used and directed his employees to use another doctor’s identity without authorization to prescribe medications for himself and his family. Allingham instructed his employees to provide the OPCC phone number for prescriptions purportedly written by that doctor and directed them how to respond if pharmacists called inquiring about the prescriptions, because at that time the doctor was not an employee of OPCC.
Multiple of Allingham’s patients died of drug overdoses within hours, days, or weeks of receiving an oxycodone prescription from Allingham.
In July 2023, law enforcement conducted a search of Allingham’s residence and medical practice. When interviewed by law enforcement, Allingham made false statements regarding his prescribing practices and directed at least one of his employees to delete records of her text message communications with him.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and Col. Matt Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.
The Fairfax County Police Department provided valuable assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Call prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-2.
Norfolk Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Alexzandra Blanco, 24, of Norfolk, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 14, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury and conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Blanco to 240 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Blanco is released from prison, she will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Blanco will also forfeit $4,200.00 in United States currency and a 2019 Dodge Ram truck to the United States as drug proceeds.
On March 17, 2023, Blanco and her boyfriend, co-defendant Tremain Monroe, were out celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. After the bars closed, at approximately 2:00 a.m., several people gathered at an apartment in Norfolk. Blanco was involved in providing fentanyl to a victim who overdosed but was revived by Narcan. Law enforcement then purchased M-30 fentanyl pills from Monroe on three separate occasions in April 2023.
On May 3, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Monroe and Blanco’s residence. Law enforcement seized 221 fentanyl pills, drug paraphernalia, more than 5 pounds of methamphetamine, and $4,200.00 in United States currency.
Blanco was convicted after a jury trial in February 2025. Monroe pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced by Judge Buescher to 210 months’ imprisonment on October 23, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Overdose Drug Task Force, which is comprised of law enforcement from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Omaha Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Nixa Woman Pleaded Guilty to Making False and Fictitious Claims Against the United States and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Nixa, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to making false and fictitious claims against the United States and wire fraud.
Tina Louise Yager, 66, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie Epps, Jr., to a federal information charging her with one count of wire fraud and one count of making false, fictitious and fraudulent claims against the United States.
Yager, a tax preparer, utilized information from her clients to present false tax return documents to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from November 2023 through March of 2024.
According to the plea agreement, Yager was entrusted with the personal information of her clients. Yager submitted tax return documents to the IRS in the name of her clients without their knowledge or approval. Yager also included unapproved tax deductions on tax return documents for her clients to fraudulently inflate her clients tax returns and then pocketed these falsely obtained monies. Yager would have debit cards issued that contained her clients tax return monies. Yager would then embezzle those monies and spent it for her personal benefit. The intended losses amounted to $48,481.00, but Yager was able to embezzle only $16,850.00 of those monies for her personal use. As part of her plea agreement, Yager must pay restitution of at least $14,447.00 to the IRS, the exact amount will be determined at her sentencing hearing and agreed to the Court entering a forfeiture money judgment of $16,850.00.
Under federal statutes, Yager is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the IRS – Criminal Investigation.
New Orleans Man Caught on Video Firing Gun and Driving Stolen Car Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Machinegun and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RENARD SANTIAGO (“SANTIAGO”), age 19, was sentenced on May 13, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to fifteen (15) years in prison, followed by four (4) years of supervised release, along with a mandatory $400 special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy, and possession with the intent to distribute, marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, in 2024, SANTIAGO was wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the New Orleans Police Department. Specifically, an arrest warrant had been issued for SANTIAGO for an armed robbery committed on October 10, 2023. On December 25, 2023,he was captured on surveillance video firing a handgun with a drum magazine attached and then driving away in a stolen SUV. During their investigation into his whereabouts, law enforcement officers saw stories on SANTIAGO’s social media account showing SANTIAGO in possession of a handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device, posing with large amounts of cash, and advertising the sale of marijuana. The next day, officers executed a search warrant at SANTIAGO’s residence. SANTIAGO hid in the attic for four hours before he was finally forced out of the house. Inside the attic, officers found SANTIAGO’s handgun, with the machinegun conversion device still attached, a distributable quantity of marijuana, and over $400 in cash.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
National Police Week Honors the Service and Sacrifice of Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: In honor of National Police Week 2025, observed this year from May 11 to May 17, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement.
“On Tuesday of this week I was privileged to attend the annual observance at the Maine Law Enforcement Officers Memorial,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Craig M. Wolff. “The names of two additional officers were added to the wall, bringing to 90 the number of officers whose names are etched on the wall to honor their sacrifice protecting the people of Maine. The service was a poignant reminder of the risks that law enforcement officers willingly embrace each day.”
According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 147 federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2024. The number of law enforcement professionals nationwide who died in the line of duty in 2024 increased 25% compared to 2023, according to preliminary data provided by the NLEOMF. The names of 345 fallen officers were added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial in Washington, D.C., including the officers who were killed in 2024.
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
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Mission real estate agent indicted for fraud schemeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 45-year-old Mission man has made an appearance in McAllen federal court on wire fraud charges, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
According to the four-count indictment, Sergio Efrain Zamora Jr. sold multiple homes by forging signatures on the documents and transferring titles to his business.
The charges allege, beginning in June 2021, Zamora orchestrated a real estate fraud scheme by selling multiple homes without the homeowners’ authorization. He allegedly forged signatures on documents and transferred property titles to his business.
The victims-some of whom were his own family and friends-were unaware their homes were being sold, according to the charges. Zamora allegedly created fraudulent documents, including warranty deeds and contracts of sale, to make the transactions appear legitimate.
According to the indictment, he forged paperwork as part of the scheme. He allegedly profited illegally by using the proceeds to pay off debts and, in some cases, by receiving funds directly from the fraudulent closings.
The charges allege the scheme caused a total loss of $655,000 to the victims and the title company.
If convicted, Zamora faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty to Harboring FugitiveRead the Press Release
A Minnesota man who harbored and concealed a fugitive in 2022 pled guilty on May 13, 2025, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Jay Anthony Tapper, age 56, from Rosemount, Minnesota, was convicted of one count of harboring a fugitive.
At the plea hearing, Tapper admitted that, in August and September 2022, he knew there was a federal warrant outstanding for the arrest of Mary Kate Nguyen. Tapper harbored and concealed Nguyen during those two months. Tapper intended to prevent Nguyen’s discovery and arrest on then-pending felony charges. U.S. Marshals ultimately arrested Nguyen, and she was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment on fraud and contempt charges in January 2025.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Tapper remains free on bond pending sentencing. Tapper faces a possible maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation-Special Enforcement Operations Bureau. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Woodbury (Minnesota) Police Department, U.S. Marshal’s Service, Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement, and Iowa Division of Intelligence assisted in the investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 25-CR-4024 (Tapper) and 21-CR-3037 (Nguyen).
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Michigan Man Arrested and Charged with Attempting to Attack Military Base on Behalf of ISISRead the Press Release
A Melvindale man – and former member of the Michigan Army National Guard – was arrested today after he attempted to carry out a plan to conduct a mass-shooting at a U.S. military base in Warren, Michigan, on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization.
Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, 19, is charged in a criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device.
“This defendant is charged with planning a deadly attack on a U.S. military base here at home for ISIS,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement, we foiled the attack before lives were lost. We will not hesitate to bring the full force of the Department to find and prosecute those who seek to harm our men and women in the military and to protect all Americans.”
“ISIS is a brutal terrorist organization which seeks to kill Americans. Helping ISIS or any other terrorist organization prepare or carry out acts of violence is not only a reprehensible crime – it is a threat to our entire nation and way of life,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan. “Our office will not tolerate such crimes or threats, and we will use the full weight of the law against anyone who engages in terrorism.”
“The defendant allegedly tried to carry out an attack on a military facility in support of ISIS, which was disrupted thanks to the good work of the FBI and our partners,” said Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “The FBI is steadfast in our commitment to detect and stop terrorist plans aimed at the American homeland or at U.S. interests overseas.”
“The arrest of this former soldier is a sobering reminder of the importance of our counterintelligence efforts to identify and disrupt those who would seek to harm our nation,” said Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command. “I commend the tireless work of our special agents and FBI partners who worked together to investigate and apprehend this individual. We will continue to collaborate with our partners to prevent similar incidents in the future. We urge all soldiers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to their chain of command, as the safety and security of our Army and our nation depends on our collective efforts to prevent insider threats.”
According to the complaint, Said informed two undercover law enforcement officers of a plan he had devised and formulated to conduct a mass-shooting at the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) facility at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan. In April 2025, the two undercover officers indicated they intended to carry out Said’s plan at the direction of ISIS. In response, Said provided material assistance to the attack plan, including providing armor-piercing ammunition and magazines for the attack, flying his drone over TACOM to conduct operational reconnaissance, training the undercover employees on firearms and the construction of Molotov cocktails for use during the attack, and planning numerous details of the attack including how to enter TACOM and which building to target.
On May 13 – the scheduled day of the attack – Said was arrested after he traveled to an area near TACOM and launched his drone in support of the attack plan. He will make his initial court appearance today in the Eastern District of Michigan. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will be asking the court to hold Said in pretrial detention because of his danger to the community and the risk that he will flee.
Based on the charges in the complaint, Said faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count if convicted.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Salzenstein for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorneys John Cella and Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexican national sentenced to 70 months for possession of sexually explicit images and videos of childrenRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 47-year-old Mexican man has been sentenced for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Felix Raymundo Mora-Gonzalez pleaded guilty Feb. 20.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now sentenced Mora-Gonzalez to 70 months in federal prison. He was further ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution to the known victims and will serve 25 years on supervised release following the 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. Mora-Gonzalez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Mora-Gonzalez was arrested Feb. 21, 2023, in connection with his involvement in an alien smuggling investigation. Mora-Gonzalez was originally arrested for harboring illegal aliens. However, the investigation uncovered a cell phone at the stash house that belonged him. A forensic examination of the cell phone revealed Mora-Gonzalez knowingly possessed 29 videos and nine images of CSAM.
He also pleaded guilty to the alien smuggling charges and was previously sentenced to 15 months.
Mora-Gonzalez 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 and Border Patrol conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ana C. Cano, Israel Cano and Joe Esquivel prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Melvindale Man Arrested and Charged with Attempting to Attack a Military Base on Behalf of ISISRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Melvindale man – and former member of the Michigan Army National Guard – was arrested after he attempted to carry out a plan to conduct a mass-shooting at a U.S. military base in Warren, Michigan, on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization. He is charged in a criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Sue J. Bai, Chief of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, Commanding General of Army Counterintelligence Command.
Charged was Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, 19.
According to the complaint, Said informed two undercover law enforcement officers of a plan he had devised and formulated to conduct a mass-shooting at the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (“TACOM”) facility at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan. In April, 2025, the two undercover officers indicated they intended to carry out Said’s plan at the direction of ISIS. In response, Said provided material assistance to the attack plan, including providing armor-piercing ammunition and magazines for the attack, flying his drone over TACOM to conduct operational reconnaissance, training the undercover employees on firearms and the construction of Molotov cocktails for use during the attack, and planning numerous details of the attack including how to enter TACOM and which building to target.
Yesterday – which was the scheduled day of the attack -- Said was arrested after he traveled to an area near TACOM and launched his drone in support of the attack plan. He will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court this afternoon. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will be asking the Court to hold Said in pretrial detention because of his danger to the community and the risk that he will flee.
“ISIS is a brutal terrorist organization which seeks to kill Americans. Helping ISIS or any other terrorist organization prepare or carry out acts of violence is not only a reprehensible crime – it is a threat to our entire nation and way of life. Our office will not tolerate such crimes or threats, and we will use the full weight of the law against anyone who engages in terrorism,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“This defendant is charged with planning a deadly attack on a U.S. military base here at home for ISIS,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement, we foiled the attack before lives were lost. We will not hesitate to bring the full force of the Department to find and prosecute those who seek to harm our men and women in the military and to protect all Americans.”
“The FBI in Michigan is unwavering in our mission to safeguard the American people, particularly our brave service members who risk their lives to defend this nation,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “In strong partnership with the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force will relentlessly identify, disrupt, and bring to justice anyone who attempts to carry out violent attacks against the United States and its territories.”
"The arrest of this former Soldier is a sobering reminder of the importance of our counterintelligence efforts to identify and disrupt those who would seek to harm our nation," said Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command. "I commend the tireless work of our special agents and FBI partners who worked together to investigate and apprehend this individual. We will continue to collaborate with our partners to prevent similar incidents in the future. We urge all Soldiers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to their chain of command, as the safety and security of our Army and our nation depends on our collective efforts to prevent insider threats."
Based on the charges in the complaint, Said faces up to 20 years in prison for each count if convicted.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Salzenstein, and John Cella and Charles Kovats, Trial Attorneys, Counterterrorism Section, United States Department of Justice.
McCurtain County Resident Sentenced for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Herman Will Sanders, Jr., age 40, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
On November 18, 2024, Sanders pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 5, 2023, Sanders knowingly and intentionally distributed approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Sanders will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Maryland Man Previously Arrested for Coercing 18-Year-Old to Travel Interstate for Commercial Sex Charged in Superseding Indictment with Massachusetts Man for Conspiring to Sex Traffic MinorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A superseding indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Boston charging two men with conspiring to engage in the sex trafficking of a minor victim.
On April 16, 2025, David Kaufman, 44, was arrested on an indictment charging him with one count of knowingly persuading, inducing, enticing and coercing an individual to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution and aiding and abetting.
The superseding indictment adds Darren Zaldivar, 19, of Ludlow, Mass., charging him with transporting an individual with intent the individual engage in prostitution. Both defendants are also charged with conspiring to engage in sex trafficking of a minor. The superseding indictment also adds the charge of sex trafficking of a minor against Kaufman.
Zaldivar will appear in federal court in Boston later today. Kaufman remains detained in federal custody.
According to the detention brief previously filed, Kaufman had allegedly been victimizing minor males and young adults ranging in ages from 14–20 by paying the minors for Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and coercing and enticing some of them to travel to his penthouse condominium at the Four Seasons in Baltimore, and elsewhere, to engage in sex acts with him, which he video recorded. Zaldivar is alleged to have conspired with Kaufman in the sex trafficking of a minor victim in 2024. Zaldivar is also alleged to have transported the minor victim with the intent that the victim engage in commercial sex.
According to court filings, Kaufman coerced an 18-year-old victim to travel from Massachusetts on two occasions to visit his penthouse condominium at the Four Seasons in Baltimore, paying for the plane tickets. While there, Kaufman allegedly provided the victim with alcohol and drugs, including cocaine, until the victim was intoxicated. It is alleged that Kaufman would then persuade the victim to engage in sex acts, which Kaufman videotaped so that he could watch them later in order to get pleasure for himself. In exchange for the sex acts, it is alleged that Kaufman paid the victim with cash, electronic money transfers and gifts. For example, after he engaged in sex acts in February 2024, Kaufman allegedly bought the victim a Louis Vuitton bag.
If you have information or questions about this investigation, or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking or child exploitation, please contact [email protected].
The charge of coercing a person to travel for purposes of prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of sex trafficking a minor provides for a sentence of up to life, up to life and no less than five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.The charge of transporting an individual with intent the individual engage in prostitution provides for up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.The charge of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor provides for a sentence of up to life, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Maryland; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and the Baltimore Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings and Craig E. Estes of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Macon Mafia Member Sent Back to Prison for Illegally Possessing AR-Style RifleRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A convicted felon and confirmed member of the Macon Mafia criminal organization who was serving supervised release for a prior federal conviction in West Virginia when a gang-related fatal shooting occurred at a Macon gas station in 2024 was sentenced to federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
Nekoase Antwan Vinson, 41, of Macon, was sentenced to serve a total of 107 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on May 12. Vinson previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Feb. 20 in Case No. 5:24-CR-64-001 (sentence of 71 months imprisonment). In addition, Vinson’s supervised release was revoked in Case No. 3:09-CR-99-002 from the Southern District of West Virgina, for which he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base (sentence of 36 months imprisonment). There is no parole in the federal system.
“A man lost his life as a result of a gang-related shooting where convicted felons illegally possessed rapid-fire guns capable of killing many people," said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office will use every federal resource available to lawfully hold repeat felons accountable for illegally arming themselves and endangering our community."
“This case is a tragic example of the mayhem that results when criminal gang members with illegally possessed firearms try to settle scores in public,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. “We can be grateful that for almost nine years Nekoase Vinson will not be able to spew violence which might harm law abiding citizens.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, Vinson and Joshua Teone Curry were present at the Marathon gas station on Napier Avenue in Macon on July 20, 2024, when gang-related violence broke out. Video surveillance showed Curry exchanged fire with unknown individuals using a fully automatic pistol, and Vinson brandished an AR-style rifle. Vinson and Curry left together in Vinson’s black Cadillac Escalade. Vinson wore a large “M4L” (Mafia 4 Life) medallion. That night, RaQuavian Smith, an associate of Vinson and Curry’s who was present at the Marathon, died from gunshot wounds sustained in the violence.
Both firearms seen on video were seized by law enforcement, together with an additional pistol, on August 23, 2024. On August 23, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Roy Street at a location controlled by Vinson and Curry, taking both men into custody. Law enforcement found two firearms beneath a mattress: a Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine containing 21 rounds of ammunition and a switch plus a Sig Sauer, Model P320, .45 caliber pistol with a magazine containing five rounds of ammunition. Officers recovered various Macon Mafia memorabilia, including t-shirts and hats. Hanging around Vinson’s neck was the M4L chain and medallion he wore during the July 20, 2024, shooting. Inside Curry’s vehicle, officers found a Del-Ton, Model DTI-15, AR-style caliber rifle.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
Criminal Chief Leah E. McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
Meridan Man Sentenced to over 41 Years in Prison for Role in Multi-State Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS - A Meridian, Mississippi man was sentenced to 500 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matt Reidell and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics Director Phillip Pope.
According to court documents, from June 2016 through May of 2018, Samuel Ykem Boler, 33, conspired with others to distribute kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from California and Tennessee into central Mississippi. This case is the result of an extensive investigation dubbed “Operation Highlife,” which targeted illegal methamphetamine distribute in central Mississippi.
This case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case is being prosecuted by Criminal Chief Erin Chalk.
Long-Time Fugitive Extradited to the United States to Face Charges for Orchestrating Mail Fraud Scheme Defrauding Elderly and Vulnerable Victims of over $10 MillionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A German man was extradited from Italy and arrested for orchestrating a massive mail fraud scheme targeting elderly and otherwise vulnerable victims with false and fraudulent psychic solicitations, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Georg Ingenbleek, 58, a citizen of Germany, was indicted in 2020 and has been a fugitive. He was apprehended in Bolzano, Italy in 2024 and returned yesterday via Newark International Airport to face an indictment charging him with two counts of mail fraud. Ingenbleek made his initial appearance and arraignment on May 9, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded without bail.
According to the Indictment and statements made in court:
From at least 2011 through 2016, Ingenbleek created numerous direct mail solicitations supposedly from world-renowned psychics, falsely and fraudulently claiming that the recipients were being contacted because they had been the subject of specific visions by the psychics, including visions that the recipients were going to receive large sums of money and good fortune. Many of the letters falsely promised that the psychic services being offered were free of charge. In fact, the letters were mass-produced using software and information provided by Ingenbleek to a direct mail marketing services company, Company-1, located in Piscataway, New Jersey, which Ingenbleek retained to print and mail the solicitations.
Ingenbleek directed a second company, Company-2, to send fraudulent billing notices to the same victims that stated that the victims owed money for psychic services, which in many cases had been offered free of charge. The fraudulent billing notices were labeled “collection notices” and “invoices,” falsely representing that the victims owed late payment fees, and falsely stating that a psychic or astrology organization would refer the victim to a “collection agency” and take legal action if the victim did not send a check, usually for $20 to $50. Through his fraudulent psychic mailing campaign, Ingenbleek obtained more than $10 million dollars from victims.
In September 2016, Ingenbleek directed representatives of Company-1 and Company-2 to destroy all materials related to his fraudulent psychic mailings in response to federal criminal investigations into his conduct and the conduct of other participants in the scheme. In one email, dated September 23, 2016, Ingenbleek told a representative of Company-2, “You cannot wait! I advise you urgently to get rid of the material! Use your own car, rent a truck, start today, work all weekend.”
The mail fraud charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen; special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; and special agents of HSI New York, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonzo, with the investigation leading to the charges, and HSI Rome and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for providing significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from Italy.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Fayer and Olta Bejleri of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Daniel Rashbaum, Esq., Miami, Florida.
ingenbleek.indictment.pdfLeFlore County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jessica Marie Campbell, age 43, of Spiro, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine, punishable by at least 5 years up to 40 years in prison and a fine of $5,000,000.00.
The Indictment alleged that on June 7, 2023, Campbell knowingly and intentionally distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the District 27 Violent Crime Task Force, and the District 16 Drug Task Force.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Campbell was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Kansas City Felon Sentenced to 11 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Devon D. Martin, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to eleven years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 14, 2024, Martin pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Martin admitted he was in possession of a Smith and Wesson, SD9 VE, 9mm pistol on June 19, 2024.
On June 19, 2024, detectives with the Independence, Mo. Police Department Street Crimes Unit and SWAT team were conducting surveillance to locate Martin, who had a felony warrant and a parole violation warrant. Officers located Martin and attempted to apprehend him. Martin fled from the officers on foot and the officers engaged in a pursuit. During the foot pursuit, Martin dropped the pistol, which investigators later determined was stolen. The pistol was loaded with twelve live rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one live round in the chamber. Martin also possessed approximately seven grams of methamphetamine and two grams of fentanyl powder.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Martin has three prior felony convictions for resisting an arrest by fleeing, two felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, two prior felony convictions for stealing, and prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle and distribution of an opiate, opium, narcotic, or certain stimulant, and unlawful tampering with electronic monitoring equipment.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Independence, Missouri Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Justice Department Releases New Resources to Protect Servicemembers’ RightsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has issued two fact sheets on the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). The first explains how servicemembers, recent veterans, and their spouses can exercise their right to the six percent interest rate benefit under the SCRA. The second generally summarizes some of the most common protections and benefits under the SCRA for the military community.
“Servicemembers make great sacrifices to protect and advance our nation’s safety,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that servicemembers are afforded their rights and benefits under the law.”
The SCRA was enacted to enable servicemembers to devote their entire energy to the defense needs of the nation. When our servicemembers cannot focus on their mission because they are distracted by financial issues, our national security suffers. These fact sheets seek to help the military community by enabling them to learn more about and affirmatively assert their rights under the SCRA. They cover a wide variety of topics including housing rights, lending rights, property rights, and the portability of professional licenses.
It is more imperative than ever that military families be able to access benefits that can ease their financial burdens. Today’s fact sheet on the six percent interest rate benefit will help more servicemembers, especially members of the Guard and Reserves, apply to their lenders for a successful reduction of their interest rates on eligible accounts.
The Servicemember and Veterans Initiative, housed in the Department’s Civil Rights Division, works to ensure that the rights of the brave men and women of our nation’s armed forces, and the veterans who have served in the past, are safeguarded from discrimination and unfair treatment.
Since 2011, the department has obtained over $481 million in monetary relief for over 147,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s enforcement efforts under the SCRA and other laws that protect the rights of servicemembers and their families, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.
Jefferson County Man Admits to Role in Drug Trafficking Operation in Eastern PanhandleRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Matthew David Viands, age 32, of Summit Point, West Virginia, has admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl and other illicit drugs in the Eastern Panhandle.
According to court documents, Viands was a distributor of fentanyl for the organization. Viands also admitted to failing to appear following his pretrial release in the case.
Viands faces up to 20 years in prison for the drug charge and faces up to 10 years for failing to appear. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Of the 82 defendants, 80 others have been convicted. Fifty-nine defendants have been sentenced. One defendant, Charles Delroy Singletary, age 44, of Baltimore, Maryland, remains a fugitive. More in a recent release here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/six-more-sentenced-eastern-panhandle-fentanyl-drug-trafficking-operation
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Kyle Kane are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Investigative agencies include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Pittsburgh Field Division and Baltimore Field Division); the Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the United States Marshals Service; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office; Ranson Police Department; Martinsburg Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; Stafford County Sheriff's Office (Virginia); Frederick County Sheriff's Office (Maryland); Frederick County Sheriff's Office (Virginia); Winchester Police Department; and the Clarke County Sheriff's Office (Virginia).
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).