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24 June 2025
Omak Man Who Shot at a Person on the Colville Reservation Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that William Luquin Xhurape, 34, of Omak, Washington, was sentenced after pleading guilty to a charge of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 57 months in prison to be followed 3 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on April 1, 2024, Xhurape, who is a convicted felon and not allowed to possess firearms, pulled out a .22 caliber handgun and fired six shots into the ground outside the front door of a trailer on the Colville Reservation. Xhurape then pointed the firearm at the head of a person inside the trailer and fired two shots. The person quickly moved to avoid the shots.
“I am grateful for the excellent partnership between the FBI, Tribal Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office on this case,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney, Rich Barker. When we share information and work together, we can achieve so much in our efforts toward public safety within Eastern Washington’s incredible Native American nations and communities.
“As a convicted felon, Mr. Xhurape was well aware of the consequences of possessing a firearm,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “His reckless use of a weapon nearly ended in tragedy, and I am thankful no one was injured. The FBI and our partners continue to strive together towards making our state’s tribal lands a safer place.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Colville Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Ellis.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to More Than 8.5 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm ConvictionsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Youngstown, Ohio, has been sentenced in federal court to 106 months in prison on his conviction of armed drug trafficking, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Antoine Tate, 44, who previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and oxycodone and possession of a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime. Judge Bissoon also ordered that Tate serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
According to information presented to the Court, on October 31, 2020, in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Tate recklessly attempted to flee police officers by vehicle, and was apprehended in possession of a loaded pistol and quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and oxycodone that he intended to distribute, as well as over $2,000 in cash.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Union Township Police Department, New Castle Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Tate.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Violating the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on June 18, 2025, JENARD WALTON aka Janard Walton (“WALTON”), age 41, of New Orleans, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to 37 months imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. Following imprisonment, walton will be placed on supervised release for three (3) years.
According to court records, on March 19, 2024, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at WALTON’s residence. During the search, agents found a Springfield, nine-millimeter caliber semi-automatic pistol, in a kitchen cabinet wrapped in a towel. In the kitchen, they also found approximately one and a half pounds of marijuana. Additionally, the agents located a hidden compartment under a set of stairs leading to the second story. In this hidden compartment, they found a Smith and Wesson, .40 caliber pistol, and approximately $37,941 of U.S. currency. The Smith & Wesson firearm was confirmed to have been stolen. A records check showed that WALTON was a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms. Court records confirmed that WALTON had at least five felony convictions, including a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
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 Slidell Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit.
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New Orleans Man Indicted for Cares Act Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that IRVIN C. FRANCOIS, III (“FRANCOIS”), age 53, of New Orleans, was indicted on June 20, 2025 for making false statements, and money laundering, related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. One of the primary sources of funding for small businesses was the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to the charging documents, or about March 24, 2021, FRANCOIS, on behalf of a business that he owned, made false statements to an approved lender to obtain approximately $144,790 for a PPP loan. FRANCOIS then committed money laundering by using these ill-gotten funds to buy an automobile from a dealership in Kenner, Louisiana.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. If found guilty, FRANCOIS faces up to five years in prison for the false statement count and up to ten years in prison for the money laundering count. All of the counts include up to $250,000 in fines, up to three years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by an agent assigned to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to serve the American public by promoting transparency and facilitating coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 21 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. The PRAC Fraud Task Force brings together agents from 15 Inspectors General to investigate fraud involving a variety of programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program. Task force agents who are detailed to the PRAC receive expanded authority to investigate pandemic fraud as well as tools and training to support their investigations.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General (a member of the PRAC) and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Britain Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HENRY MENESES JR., 32, of New Britain, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to a fentanyl trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a Drug Enforcement Administration Hartford Task Force investigation revealed that Meneses was selling large quantities of fentanyl in the Hartford area. On January 6, 2025, Meneses distributed 6,000 dose bags of fentanyl to an individual who had driven from Vermont to pick up the drugs. On February 25, 2025, investigators made a controlled purchase of 3,000 dose bags of fentanyl from Meneses on Franklin Avenue in Hartford.
Meneses was arrested on March 25, 2025. On that date, searches of his residence and vehicle revealed two handguns, five gun magazines, ammunition, and more than $6,000 in cash.
Meneses pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for September 16.
Meneses is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has assisted the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham 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.
Nation’s Largest Property Management Company to Pay over $1.4M for Unlawful Charges on Military ServicemembersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department announced today that Greystar Management Services LLC will pay over $1.4 million to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) when it imposed illegal fees on military servicemembers who terminated their leases after receiving military relocation orders.
The Department alleged that Greystar, the nation’s largest property management company with over 800,000 housing units under management, relied on software that it knew would automatically impose early termination charges on SCRA-protected servicemembers.
Greystar will set aside $1.35 million to pay affected military members and their co-tenants and will pay a $77,370 civil penalty. Greystar will pay triple damages to the servicemembers who paid the early termination charges. The company will also make changes to its policies and training, including adopting SCRA-compliant software and forms at all its properties.
“We honor the service and sacrifices of our military by defending their rights under the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are aggressively enforcing all laws, including the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, to protect our military servicemembers and veterans.”
“America’s servicemembers devote their lives to defending our nation and must be able to do so without undue burdens,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act protects our military families from unfair hardships such as penalties for terminating a housing lease to fulfill military orders. We will continue to defend and support those who keep our country safe.”
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $483 million in monetary relief for over 148,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.
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Nation’s Largest Property Management Company to Pay over $1.4M for Unlawful Charges on Military ServicemembersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Greystar Management Services LLC will pay over $1.4 million to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) when it imposed illegal fees on military servicemembers who terminated their leases after receiving military relocation orders.
The Department alleged that Greystar, the nation’s largest property management company with over 800,000 housing units under management, relied on software that it knew would automatically impose early termination charges on SCRA-protected servicemembers.
Greystar will set aside $1.35 million to pay affected military members and their co-tenants and will pay a $77,370 civil penalty. Greystar will pay triple damages to the servicemembers who paid the early termination charges. The company will also make changes to its policies and training, including adopting SCRA-compliant software and forms at all its properties.
“We honor the service and sacrifices of our military by defending their rights under the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are aggressively enforcing all laws, including the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, to protect our military servicemembers and veterans.”
“America’s servicemembers devote their lives to defending our nation and must be able to do so without undue burdens,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act protects our military families from unfair hardships such as penalties for terminating a housing lease to fulfill military orders. We will continue to defend and support those who keep our country safe.”
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $483 million in monetary relief for over 148,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.
Monaca Resident Sentenced to Two Decades in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Obstructing JusticeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Monaca, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 20 years of incarceration, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, on his convictions for sexual exploitation of a minor and obstructing justice, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Nicholas Sittig, 28, on June 23, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around August 2023 until in and around April 2024, Sittig induced a minor, who resided in California, to produce a visual depiction of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct for Sittig’s sexual gratification. In and around December 2023, when Sittig became aware that federal law enforcement officers were investigating him, Sittig induced the minor to aid him in destroying records and documents related to his sexual offenses against the minor—namely, his contact information in the minor’s cellular telephone and social media messages between himself and the minor—with the intent to impede, obstruct, and influence the investigation. The Court was further advised that agents with Homeland Security Investigations had identified a second minor, residing in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, whom Sittig similarly exploited online from December 2023 through March 2024.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Stickman acknowledged the seriousness of Sittig’s offenses and the harm Sittig caused his minor victims.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended Homeland Security Investigations—Pittsburgh, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (San Francisco and Pittsburgh), the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and the Monaca Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Sittig.
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.justice.gov/psc.
Missouri Man Admits Trying to Meet Teen for SexRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Jefferson County, Missouri on Tuesday admitted trying to meet a 16-year-old to engage in sexual activity.
Anthony Justin Snelson, 39, of Arnold, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted receipt of child pornography. He admitted engaging in an inappropriate conversation via TikTok with a teen. After the victim’s mother discovered the conversation, she took it over and began impersonating the victim. She later had her daughter call Snelson, who requested a nude photo and asked if the victim wanted to meet and “mess around,” Snelson’s plea says. The mother called the St. Louis County Police Department on Aug. 12, 2024, after a meeting had been arranged, and officers arrested Snelson when he arrived. He admitted in an interview with police that the reason he met with the teen was “to maybe mess around,” his plea says.
Snelson is scheduled to be sentenced on September 30. The charge carries a mandatory minimum prison term of five years, and a maximum of 20 years.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Michigan Man Sentenced to 204 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Justin Jack Miller, 30 years old, of Escanaba, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to production and attempted production of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Miller was sentenced to 204 months in prison and ordered to serve life on supervised release.According to documents in the case, between August 2022 and September 2022, Miller misrepresented himself as a 14-year-old male using a the social media application to knowingly persuade and entice, and attempt to persuade and entice a minor under the age of twelve to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Valparaiso Police Department, the Indiana State Police, the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Michigan State Police, and the Escanaba Department of Public Safety. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nadia D. Wardrip.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Michigan City Man Sentenced to 84 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Davon Jaqurious Coleman, 21 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Coleman was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.According to documents in the case, police conducted a traffic stop in Michigan City and found Coleman in possession of a stolen loaded firearm with an extended magazine. Coleman has prior felony convictions for robbery, and as such, he is prohibited from possessing the firearm in this case.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Michigan City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.
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.
Michigan City Man Sentenced to 100 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Last week, Sergio Gamez, 33 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon on his plea of guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Gamez was sentenced to 100 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.According to documents in the case, Gamez was in possession of a firearm. At that time, Gamez knew he had multiple prior felony convictions that prohibited him from possessing the firearm.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, the Hammond Police Department and the Highland Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin M. Padula.
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.
Miami Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for $2.3 Million COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced David Godin, 34, of Miami, Florida, aka “James St Patrick,” “David Wetty,” and “Vic Pro,” to 78 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Godin pled guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to defraud the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) and California Employment Development Department (CA-EDD). Judge Maddox also ordered Godin to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $1,087,345.66 and restitution of $1,137,894.56.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to the plea agreement, from June 2020 through November 2023, Godin engaged in a sophisticated scheme to defraud the MD-DOL and CA-EDD by using the personal identifiable information of identity theft victims, anonymous email addresses, virtual private networks, and proxy servers. This enabled Godin to file numerous fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims with multiple states from a single location; aggregate UI information in discrete accounts; and avoid fraud safeguards put in place by state UI insurance programs.
Godin submitted and caused the submission of at least 140 fraudulent UI claims to MD-DOL, CA-EDD, and other state workforce agencies, resulting in more than $2.3 million in UI benefits. He obtained well over $1 million through the fraud scheme. As the United States set forth in its sentencing submission, Godin used the money to buy nice things and live a life of luxury. Godin then recorded himself with the spoils of his fraud, including stacks of cash, expensive watches, and sports cars.
The District of Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information about the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bijon A. Mostoufi and Jared Murphy, who prosecuted the case, and recognized Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for her assistance and legal support.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Mexico, Missouri Man Sentenced to 160 months for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Mexico, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Jordan Shelton, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 160 months in federal prison without parole for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. The Court also sentenced Shelton to four years of supervised release following incarceration.
On Jan. 21, 2025, Shelton pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
On Aug. 10, 2022, members of the Columbia Police Department and Mexico Police Department served a search warrant at Shelton’s residence in Mexico, Mo., after he was identified as a supplier of fentanyl capsules. During the search, 47 capsules containing fentanyl were recovered, as well as fentanyl powder.
This case was prosecuted by AUSA, Jim Lynn. It was investigated by Columbia Police Department, Mexico Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Mexican national sentenced to federal prison for immigration violationRead the Press Release
A Mexican national has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
David Sanchez-Mares, 32, a Mexican national illegally living in Longview, pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on June 23, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on April 4, 2024, Sanchez-Mares was arrested in Longview for an unrelated state violation. Further investigation revealed Sanchez-Mares had been previously convicted in the Southern District of Texas for illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported in 2018.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Longview Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.
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Mexican Drug Trafficker Caught with 84 Pounds of Methamphetamine and Thousands of Fentanyl Pills Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker announced that Jose Bautista Andrade, age 46, of Mexico, was sentenced after pleading guilty to fentanyl trafficking charges. Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian imposed a sentence of 132 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) developed information that Andrade was working for drug dealer based in Mexico. Andrade would make regular trips to pick up dugs in California, store the drugs at his home and storage units in the Yakima area, then deliver the drugs to customers in Western Washington and accept payment from customers.
In October and November 2023, the FBI conducted two controlled purchases for total of four pounds of methamphetamine from Andrade. Both purchases took place at the Tacoma mall.
On February 6, 2024, law enforcement agents executed search warrants at Andrade’s home and a storage unit. In total, agents located nearly 5 pounds of fentanyl pills, approximately 84 pounds of methamphetamine, and four firearms.
At the sentencing hearing Chief Judge Bastian noted the large amount of drugs in this case and that Andrade was a major player in the drug trafficking operation.
“Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Seal did an outstanding job bringing this case to a successful resolution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard R. Barker. “His meticulous preparation and tenacious advocacy ensured that a major fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficker was held accountable. Prosecuting cases like this—where the scale of drug trafficking threatens the health and safety of entire communities—is essential to our mission, and AUSA Seal’s work exemplifies the dedication and excellence we strive for in the Eastern District of Washington.”
“Even in small quantities, fentanyl and other dangerous drugs can kill, destroying lives and devastating communities. However, Mr. Bautista Andrade was found to possess not small quantities but several dozen pounds of methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl pills,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “By removing this drug trafficker and his supplies from the streets, our investigators have undoubtedly made Yakima a safer place. I am grateful to them for their diligent work on this case and continued dedication to removing this toxin from our neighborhoods.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin D. Seal.
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Maryland Man Convicted of Two Convenience Store Robberies and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
A man who was previously convicted of robbing the Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust on Council Street in Cedar Rapids on January 3, 2024, pled guilty to additional charges today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Andrew Philip Derr, age 22, from Fredrick, Maryland, was convicted of Two Convenience Store Robberies and Money Laundering.
In a plea agreement, Derr admitted that after being discharged from the military for misconduct in 2023, he moved to Iowa City and conducted a series of robberies in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, area. Derr admitted that on December 27, 2023, he robbed the Casey’s General Store in Robins, Iowa, and obtained over $7,000 in cash. Derr admitted that on January 1, 2024, he robbed the Kum & Go store on Four Oaks Drive in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Derr was previously convicted and sentenced for robbing the Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust branch on Council Street in Cedar Rapids on January 3, 2024, in which he obtained over $16,000 in cash. Derr admitted that after each robbery he laundered the stolen funds by making multiple deposits into his Maryland Bank account to disguise the nature, source of ownership of the funds. Ultimately on January 3, 2024, Derr flew to Maryland, and subsequently made two deposits of robbery proceeds totaling more than $4,800. When the United States Marshals Service tried to arrest Derr at his Iowa City, Iowa, apartment, they found a note stating, “Catch me if you can.” On January 12, 2024, Derr turned himself into Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Derr remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Derr faces a possible maximum sentence of 60 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. Additionally, Derr must forfeit the stolen funds from the convenience store robberies and the money that he laundered and will be required to pay restitution to the victims of his crimes.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the United States Marshals Service’s Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Robins Police Department, Linn County Attorney’s Office, the University of Iowa Police Department and the Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-00105
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Man Convicted of Carjacking Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On Friday, June 20, 2025, a federal jury convicted Joseph Payne-Pabón for carjacking resulting in death of an 82-year-old woman on January 7, 2020, in the municipality of San Juan.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on January 7, 2020, Joseph Payne-Pabón, a 34-year-old homeless man, entered the home of Eulalia Combas Sancho during the blackout resulting from the earthquakes, violently killed her and took her Hyundai Sonata. The evidence showed that Mr. Payne Pabón used a cement block to hit the victim in the back of the head causing a fracture to her skull and trauma to her brain that resulted in her death. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 10, 2025, at 10:30 am before United States District Court Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colón.
“This verdict is a direct result of the tireless efforts and outstanding work of agents and officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and federal prosecutors and professional staff from the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. “I commend their exceptional efforts and dedication from the beginning of the investigation of the carjacking and murder of the victim to the guilty verdict at trial.”
“This verdict reflects our community’s intolerance for senseless acts of violence, and our commitment to bring violent offenders who endanger innocent persons to justice,” said Gordon Mallory, Acting Special Agent in Charge of ATF Miami Field Division. “In partnership with the US Attorney’s Office in San Juan, the Puerto Rico Police Department, and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, Mr. Payne-Pabón is being held accountable for his violent, and life-altering actions. It is our hope that this conviction can bring some closure to the victim’s family.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with the assistance of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeanette M. Collazo-Ortiz and César Rivera-Díaz prosecuted the case.
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Mexican Woman Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Griselda Vazquez-Duran, 46, of the country of Mexico was sentenced yesterday to six months in prison after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
According to court records, Vazquez-Duran was discovered to be illegally in the United States after she was encountered in Leon County, Florida, and arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol for operating a motor vehicle without a valid license. Upon being booked into the Leon County Jail, Vazquez-Duran was fingerprinted. Based on her fingerprints, law enforcement determined that she was a Mexican national who had been previously deported or removed from the United States in June 2013. Vazquez-Duran had not applied for nor obtained permission from the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General to reenter the United States.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have made enforcing our nation’s immigration laws a top priority, and my office will continue to aggressively pursue these cases to deter future illegal reentries. I want to thank our federal, state, and local partners for their hard work as we fight to keep our communities safe.”
“This sentence underscores the critical importance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement important role in upholding the rule of law, maintaining the integrity of our legal system, and protecting the fabric of American society,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “When individuals blatantly ignore our laws, it erodes public trust and puts our community’s safety at risk.”
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol and the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Harley Ferguson and Justin M. Keen.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Meridian Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison for Possession of FentanylRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Meridian, Mississippi man was sentenced on June 17th to 188 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court documents and statements made in open court, Timothy Lavelle Cole, 47, was sentenced to 188 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. In April 2024, the East Mississippi Drug Task Force conducted two controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Cole at his residence in Meridian, Mississippi. After two controlled purchases, agents executed a search warrant at Cole’s residence where the transactions occurred. During the search, agents discovered several controlled substances, items related to the distribution of controlled substances, and a firearm. Of the controlled substances recovered in the residence was 101.4 grams of fentanyl. Cole had been previously convicted of two prior controlled substance offenses and was determined to be a career offender under the sentencing guidelines. Cole pleaded guilty to the charged conduct on February 11, 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson made the announcement.
The ATF and the East Mississippi Drug Task Force investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Goff prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the Mississippi Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total liminateon 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).
Leaders and Members of YBMG Gang Sentenced for Murder for Hire Conspiracy, Attempted Murder, Racketeering, Narcotics, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today the sentencing of SHPENDIM HAXHAJ, a/k/a “White Mike,” the last of seven defendants to be sentenced in a case involving members of a street gang known as the Young Bronx Money Getters, or “YBMG,” that operated in the Bronx, Long Island, Upstate New York, and Connecticut. HAXHAJ was sentenced to 35 years in prison for crimes relating to his membership in YBMG, including a conspiracy to commit murder for hire that resulted in the August 16, 2019, murder of Isael Lagares in the Bronx. HAXHAJ previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit murder for hire, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and participating in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on August 7, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who imposed today’s sentence. HAXHAJ was the last of the seven defendants in the YBMG case before Judge Failla to have been convicted and sentenced.
“For more than a decade, the YBMG gang terrorized communities in the Bronx, Long Island, Upstate New York, and Connecticut with drugs, guns, and senseless violence,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Among YBMG’s many victims was Isael Lagares, who was gunned down after Haxhaj and other gang members paid a hitman to end his life. The seven members of this incredibly violent gang have now been convicted and sentenced for their crimes. The women and men of the Southern District will continue to vigorously pursue those who bring illegal drugs and violence into our communities.”
According to the Superseding Indictment, public court filings, evidence introduced at the trial of Yeltsin Beltran, a/k/a “Yells,” and statements made in court:
From at least in or about 2006 to in or about 2021, YBMG was a criminal enterprise centered in the Bronx. In order to make money for the gang, protect the gang’s territory, and promote the gang’s standing, members of YBMG engaged in, among other things, narcotics trafficking and violence, including murder. To that end, YBMG members sold heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, promoted their gang affiliation on social media, possessed firearms, and engaged in shootings as part of their gang membership and narcotics trafficking.
On or about August 16, 2019, HAXHAJ and BORIS BELTRAN hired a man to murder a rival gang member. That same day, the hired hitman then shot and killed Lagares, who was socializing with a group of people on a residential street in the Bronx.
YBMG members also participated in a conspiracy to distribute narcotics in New York and elsewhere. HAXHAJ, YELTSIN BELTRAN, BORIS BELTRAN, JEREMY CEDENO, FRANCISCO ORTEGA, and IVIS PERDOMO participated in a conspiracy with other individuals to distribute heroin, cocaine, and marijuana from at least in or about 2006 up to and including 2021 and carried, brandished, and discharged firearms that were possessed in furtherance of their narcotics trafficking.
On or about December 23, 2019, PERDOMO shot two people non-fatally in a nightclub in the Bronx.
On or about June 7, 2019, CEDENO shot at a member of an opposing gang in New York, New York.
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A chart containing the names of the defendants, the charges they were convicted of, and the sentences they received is set forth below.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New York City Police Department.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit and White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Brumwell, Benjamin Gianforti, Brandon D. Harper, Frank Balsamello, and Mathew Andrews are in charge of the prosecution.
Defendant
Age
Conviction
Sentence
SHPENDIM HAXHAJ, a/k/a “White Mike”33Murder for Hire Conspiracy; Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering; Narcotics Conspiracy35 yearsYELTSIN BELTRAN, a/k/a “Yells”33Racketeering Conspiracy; Narcotics Conspiracy; Use, Brandishing, and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Narcotics Conspiracy;380 monthsBORIS BELTRAN, a/k/a “Bebe”27Murder for Hire Conspiracy and Narcotics Conspiracy20 yearsJEREMY CEDENO, a/k/a “Jerm”39Narcotics Conspiracy135 MonthsIVIS PERDOMO, a/k/a “Lite”43Narcotics Conspiracy188 MonthsFRANCISCO ORTEGA, a/k/a “Fresh”36Narcotics Conspiracy140 MonthsDRILON HAXHAJ29Narcotics Conspiracy32 MonthsLeader of Jackson Gang Sentenced to over 17 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic Unique Form of FentanylRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Houston, Texas resident and leader of the violent Jackson street gang the “Thorough Bread Family,” Tamarious “Poogi” Faulkner, was sentenced to 210 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced today.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Detroit Field Division, Colonel James F. Grady, II, Michigan State Police, Director Elmer J. Hitt, Jackson Police and Fire Services, and Sheriff Gary Schuette, Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.
Tamarious Faulkner, 28, of Houston, Texas, was the leader of the Thorough Bread Family (TBF), a violent street gang that primarily operates in Jackson, Michigan. Faulkner and his co-conspirators distributed large amounts of fentanyl in Jackson. According to court documents, the fentanyl sold by the gang had a unique texture and coloring. Unlike most fentanyl, typically sold in powder form, TBF’s fentanyl was sold in a rock-like crystalline form, and was often colored yellow, purple, or green, rather than the usual white.
As this new type of fentanyl pushed by Tamarious Faulkner and the TBF gang appeared on the streets, Jackson Police witnessed a spike in overdoses and violence. The mother of one of those fatal overdose victims, who described her daughter as “a beautiful soul,” wrote, “Under his leadership, this gang has taken lives, destroyed families, and devastated an entire community.”
After the arrest and prosecution of many TBF members, including Tamarious Faulkner, Jackson Chief of Police Christopher A. Simpson noted that the Jackson community, “almost immediately rebounded . . . violent crime was cut in half . . . overdoses decreased, as well as the associated crimes with it.”
Six other co-conspirators have already been sentenced as follows:
- Demond Johns, age 27 of Jackson: 128 months’ prison
- Dominque Faulkner, age 33 of Jackson: 126 months’ prison
- Zaire Faulkner, age 26 of Jackson: 10 years’ prison
- Demarquan Smith, age 23 of Jackson: 10 years’ prison
- Tommy Owens, age 33 of Jackson: 87 months’ prison
- Mario Murguia, age 24 of Jackson: 5 years’ prison
“Gangs bring drugs and death to our communities. We are grateful that we can work alongside our federal, state, and local partners in the fight against this scourge,” U.S. Attorney Gorgon said.
“With Today’s sentencing, Jackson, Michigan, is a safer place to live,” said James Deir, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Detroit Field Division. “Dominique Faulkner and the Thorough Bred gang chose guns, drugs, and violence—and now they are all where they belong: FEDERAL PRISON. Their reign of fear and terror in our community is over. There is no place in the great state of Michigan for cowards who choose greed and gun violence to profit from armed drug dealing. The people of Jackson deserve better; certainly, not thugs who think they’re above the law.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the Michigan State Police, Jackson Police Department, and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew R. Picek, Matthew Roth, and Craig Welkener.
- Jury Convicts Taos Man in 2019 Double Homicide
Jimcy McGirt Pleads Guilty to Sex Offender Registry ViolationRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jimcy McGirt, age 76, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The Indictment alleged that on May 2, 2024, McGirt was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma and that from August 25, 2024, until August 31, 2024, McGirt knowingly failed to register that he was residing in a home, either temporarily or permanently, within a two-thousand foot radius of any playground or park.
The charge arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service.
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.
McGirt will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah McAmis and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Jefferson County woman sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for child exploitation violationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Port Arthur woman has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Sasha Sheree Abshire, 36, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale on June 24, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in July 2024, law enforcement authorities received information that sexually explicit photos of a pre-school age child were being offered for distribution online by an individual with a screen name associated with Abshire. Abshire subsequently sent images of child pornography to another person from a cell phone that was later determined to belong to Abshire who was living at an address in Port Arthur. Some of the sexually explicit images contained an adult woman’s face. Social media accounts belonging to Abshire confirmed the woman in some of the photos was in fact Abshire. Federal agents arrested Abshire at her Port Arthur home and confirmed that she was the woman who produced the child pornography.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
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Jamestown man going to prison for assisting in the burial of a murder victimRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Matthew Rudy, 43, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of accessory after the fact, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Adler and Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that on May 27, 2014, Anthony Neubauer kidnapped Joseph Anthony and traveled from Jamestown to property in Pennsylvania owned by Matthew Rudy. Neubauer tricked Anthony into traveling by offering him cocaine. After arriving in Pennsylvania, Neubauer and Rudy told Anthony they did not have any cocaine, before shooting and killing him, and then burying him on Rudy’s property. Neubauer and Rudy took Anthony to Pennsylvania because they believed he was a cooperator.
Anthony Neubauer was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm. Additional assistance was provided by the Warren County, PA, District Attorney’s Office.
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Indictments Charge Seven Individuals in Drug Trafficking and Firearms InvestigationsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE - Seven individuals have been charged by way indictments unsealed in U.S. District Court in Providence related to a year-long Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation into firearm and drug trafficking in Rhode Island, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Court documents reflect that between September 11, 2024, and April 30, 2025, Jose Rodriguez Morales, aka Bam Bam, 28, of Providence, allegedly arranged for the sale and delivery of at least 700 grams of fentanyl pills; 104 grams of fentanyl powder; 96 grams of cocaine; and seven firearms, to include an AR-15, two semi-automatic handguns, three handguns, and a Glock switch. Some of the deliveries were allegedly made by associates of Jose Rodriquez Morales, including two of his brothers. The deliveries were surveilled by members of law enforcement and the items trafficked were quickly seized.
The investigation included the execution of multiple search warrants in Providence and Central Falls by the FBI Safe Street Task Force and a multitude of law enforcement partners on June 12, 2025.
A 13-count indictment returned on June 11, 2025, and unsealed today charges
- Jose Rodriguez Morales, aka Bam Bam, 28, of Providence, with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, unlawful possession of a machinegun, unlawful possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and unlawful dealing in firearms. The defendant was arrested on June 12, 2025, and ordered detained in federal custody.
- Iven Rodriguez Morales, 30, of Central Falls, with conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, unlawful possession of a machinegun, and unlawful possession of a firearm. The defendant was arrested on June 16, 2025, and ordered detained in federal custody.
- Bryan Pacheco Morales, 23, of Central Falls, with conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, distribution of40 grams or more of fentanyl, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The defendant was arrested on June 12, 2025, and released on June 23, 2025, on unsecured bond.
- Edgar Aviles Cruz, 33, of Central Falls, with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The defendant was arrested on June 12, 2025, and was released on an unsecured bond.
- Jashua Encarnacion, 25, of Central Falls , with conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The defendant was arrested on June 12, 2025, and released on an unsecured bond.
- Carlos Figuereo, 24, of Providence, with conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The defendant was arrested today and was ordered detained in federal custody.
Additionally, the investigation led to the return of an indictment charging Christian Carrion, 32, of Pawtucket, with distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl. According to information presented to the court, it is alleged that, on at least two occasions, Carrion sold fentanyl-laced pills to another person. It is alleged that the total weight of fentanyl pills sold by Carrion totaled 60 grams. Carrion was arraigned before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on June 12, 2025, and was ordered detained.
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julianne Klein and Peter I. Roklan.
The ongoing investigation is led by the FBI’s Rhode Island Safe Streets Task Force, with valuable assistance provided by Rhode Island State Police, United States Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Pawtucket and Central Falls Police Departments.
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Illegal alien with prior murder conviction sentenced to 69 months in federal prisonRead the Press Release
An illegal alien with a prior murder conviction was sentenced to 69 months in federal prison for illegal reentry after removal from the United States, announced Nancy E. Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
Francisco Alan Martinez Camara, a 36-year-old national of Mexico, pled guilty in March 2025 to illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported. Court documents show that this was Martinez Camara’s second conviction for illegally reentering the United States. He was first convicted in March 2022 in the Western District of Texas and was sentenced to six months in federal prison. According to court records, in April 2013, Martinez Camara pled guilty to the state offense of murder in Webb County, Texas. After serving his sentence for that offense, he was deported from the United States in 2016.
On Monday, June 16, United States Chief District Judge David C. Godbey sentenced Martinez Camara to 69 months’ imprisonment for his second conviction for illegally reentering the United States. During the sentencing hearing, Judge Godbey admonished Martinez Camara that the penalties for any future immigration violations, including illegal reentry into the United States, would likely increase if he again reentered the United States without authorization.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marissa Aulbaugh prosecuted the case.
Illegal alien sentenced for trafficking over $1 million in cocaineRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 40-year-old Mexican national illegally in the United States has been ordered to prison for possessing narcotics with the intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei.
Miguel Angel Reyes-Sanchez pleaded guilty Aug. 2, 2024.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered him to serve 57 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described Reyes-Sanchez’s role in the drug trafficking organization and that he was involved in multiple transactions.
The investigation revealed that on April 2, 2024, Reyes-Sanchez placed a white cardboard box into a silver Buick that Cesar Gonzales was driving. Authorities conducted a traffic stop which lead to the discovery of 3.5 kilograms of cocaine inside the vehicle. Gonzales attempted to flee on foot, but law enforcement was able to apprehend him.
A month later, law enforcement observed Reyes-Sanchez in another drug transaction which resulted in the discovery of an additional 49.2 kilograms of cocaine.
He admitted he knew he was transporting the drugs on that date and to providing the cocaine to Gonzales.
The drugs from both instances had an estimated street value of $1.2 million.
Reyes-Sanchez will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Gonzales, 24, McAllen, had also pleaded guilty and was previously sentenced to 24 months in federal prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.
Illegal alien pleads guilty to unlawfully reentering the countryRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 49-year-old man from El Trapiche, Guerrero, Mexico, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Angel Zavaleta-Rodriguez was previously removed from the United States in August 2000 and had previously returned illegally. Authorities removed him Nov. 13, 2023, but encountered him again March 25 in Harlingen. Zavaleta-Rodriguez had been residing in Sebastian illegally.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera will impose sentencing Sept. 7. At that time, Zavaleta-Rodriguez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.
Zavaleta-Rodriguez has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation along with the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Coronado is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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.
Illegal alien imprisoned for 180 months for transporting thousands of videos and images of child sexual abuse material into U.S.Read the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas - A 42-year-old Mexican citizen with a B1/B2 visa has been sentenced to federal prison for attempting to enter the United States with child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Martin Alonso Diaz-Lopez pleaded guilty July 9, 2024, to transportation of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now sentenced Diaz-Lopez to 180 months in federal prison. In handing down the prison term, the court held him accountable for 66,489 images and noted that Diaz-Lopez wasn’t just possessing these images but sharing them online and bringing them into the United States. Diaz-Lopez was further ordered to pay $44,148 in restitution to the victims in the images he possessed and brought to the country. Not a U.S. citizen, Diaz-Lopez is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. He will also have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet and will be ordered to register as a sex offender. The court noted that many of the images and videos he possessed were of very young children and toddlers being raped.
The investigation began when authorities identified his email as one of many internet users in Tijuana, Mexico, sharing child pornography online. Diaz-Lopez had applied for a visa in 2023 and listed the same email address uncovered during the investigation. Law enforcement then put an alert on his name.
On March 22, 2024, Diaz-Lopez arrived at the Lincoln-Juarez Port of Entry in Laredo and applied for admission into the United States. Authorities referred him to secondary inspection because of the alert.
At that time, Diaz-Lopez consented to a search of his phones which revealed approximately 20 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
A forensic examination ultimately uncovered a total of 1,484 child pornography files - 883 videos and 264 pictures.
Diaz-Lopez admitted he began viewing CSAM in 2022 while living and working in Pennsylvania and continued after returning to his home in Mexico. He also acknowledged belonging to group chats on various social media platforms where he and others exchanged CSAM. He further admitted he shared material in those chats to receive more in return.
“The defendant not only chose to break our country’s immigration laws, but also decided to bring in thousands of images of children being sexually abused. Neither defendant, nor his sick proclivities, are welcome in America,” said Ganjei. “Diaz-Lopez earned each and every day of his 180-month sentence, and an equally severe punishment awaits him if he ever tries to return.”
“Today's sentencing shows that anyone trying to exploit and harm children, no matter where they're from, will face serious consequences. This case, involving a Mexican citizen who tried to enter the U.S. with child pornography, highlights our dedication to protecting our homeland and our neighborhoods. HSI, along with our law enforcement partners, will keep working hard to bring those who exploit our children to justice and protect the most vulnerable among us,” said Laredo Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Mauro Lopez from Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI).
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
ICE-HSI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Makens 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 link on that page.
Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry of Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that CARLOS RENE MEDINA-AYALA (“MEDINA-AYALA”), age 48, a native of Honduras, was indicted on June 20, 2025 for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, on June 2, 2025, MEDINA-AYALA was found to have reentered the United States after being previously deported on or about November 7, 2013. For this offense, MEDINA-AYALA faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
Acting United States Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting United States Attorney Simpson praised the work of United States Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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High-ranking Tren de Aragua members charged with terrorism and international drug distributionRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A five-count superseding indictment has been unsealed charging two Venezuelan nationals and alleged high-ranking members of the designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua (TdA), announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano aka “El Viejo,” 37, and Jose Enrique Martinez Flores aka “Chuqui,” 24, are charged with conspiring to provide and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization as well as conspiracy and distribution of cocaine in Colombia intended for distribution in the United States.
A federal grand jury in Houston returned a superseding indictment April 8, which has now been unsealed in its entirety.
Colombian authorities arrested Martinez Flores March 31 in Colombia pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant the United States had requested. He remains in custody there pending further proceedings.
Mosquera Serrano remains a fugitive and is now on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List.
“Transnational criminal gangs and cartels have preyed upon Americans for far too long,” said Ganjei. “That ends now. The Southern District of Texas is committed to smashing these criminal terror groups and will use every available legal tool to do so. It doesn’t matter if you are hiding a continent away; if you hurt U.S. citizens, we will find you and bring you to justice. This is what Operation Take Back America looks like.”
According to the allegations, Mosquera Serrano and Martinez Flores are charged with one count of conspiring to provide material support to TdA in the form of personnel (including themselves) and services and one count of providing material support to TdA. The indictment also alleges one count of international drug distribution conspiracy based on their involvement in the distribution of five kilograms of cocaine or more and two substantive counts of international drug distribution.
The Department of State designated TdA as a foreign terrorist organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist Feb. 20.
According to information presented to the court, Mosquera Serrano is a senior TdA leader who oversees TdA criminal operations across Colombia, Central America and the United States, and Martinez Flores is a high-ranking TdA leader in Bogota, Colombia.
The charges allege Mosquera Serrano and Martinez Flores caused the delivery of approximately five kilograms or more of cocaine for international distribution, proceeds that were used to further TdA’s criminal goals.
If convicted, they face up to life in prison and a possible $10 million fine.
If you have any information concerning Mosquera Serrano, please contact the FBI via WhatsApp or Telegram at 281-787-9939. Those with information may also contact their local FBI office, nearest American Embassy or Consulate or can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
The Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $3 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Mosquera Serrano.
The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Colombian National Police and the Colombian Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalía General de la Nación). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, provided significant assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal J. Alaniz are prosecuting the case along with Deputy Director David C. Smith from the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV).
JTFV was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target TdA and is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include SDTX; Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Northern District of Ohio; Districts of New Jersey, Utah, Massachusetts, Nevada and Alaska; Eastern District of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Virginia; Southern District of California; and the District of Columbia, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI; DEA; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Forearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; and Federal Bureau of Prisons have been essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.
This case is also a 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.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Herkimer County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing and Intending to Distribute Cocaine and Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Michael Austin, age 46, of Frankfort, New York, pleaded guilty last week to possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possessing two firearms as a felon. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Austin admitted that between April 2024 and August 2024, he sold approximately 13 ounces of cocaine to one customer over the course of 7 transactions, and on August 15, 2024, possessed an additional 78 grams of cocaine at his residence, which he intended to distribute to others. Austin further admitted that on July 26, 2024, he illicitly sold two handguns to that same customer, from Austin’s residence in Frankfort. As Austin knew when he possessed and sold the firearms, in 2010 he had been convicted in federal court of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. He was sentenced to 67 months’ imprisonment for that offense.
U.S. Attorney Sarcone stated: “This conviction is a major win for public safety. The defendant was pumping deadly drugs and firearms into our streets which only fuels violence and destroys lives. Thanks to the relentless work of our law enforcement partners, we’ve shut down a serious threat to our community. Let this serve as a warning: if you traffic in drugs and guns, we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will bring you to justice.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Miller said: “The illegal possession of firearms by convicted felons, especially when paired with drug trafficking, is a dangerous combination that fuels violence and puts lives at risk. Bringing guns and poison into our communities creates fear and instability—and the consequences are real. We’re proud of ATF in Syracuse, NY and to work alongside our partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York State Police (NYSP), U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of New York, and the New Hartford Police Department.
At sentencing, currently scheduled for October 15, 2025, Austin faces a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment on the drug charge and 15 years’ imprisonment for the firearm offense, a fine of up to $2 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 6 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
ATF investigated the case, with assistance from DEA, NYSP Special Investigations Unit-Marcy, and the New Hartford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Haverhill Man Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Cocaine and Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Haverhill man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for trafficking cocaine and illegal firearms in and around the Boston area.
Cordell Miller, 29, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 42 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In February 2025, Miller pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, aiding and abetting and one count of trafficking in firearms and conspiracy to do so. Miller was arrested and charged in November 2023 along with co-conspirators Malcolm Desir and Alan Robinson.
Miller was identified as a firearms and ammunition trafficker in the metro Boston area. In August 2023, Miller arranged for the sale of distribution weight cocaine and several firearms to a cooperating witness. Prior to his arrest in November 2023, Miller and Robinson facilitated the sale of four separate firearms: an AR-15 “ghost gun” rifle; a Polymer 80 “ghost gun” pistol; a HIPOINT 9mm rifle; and a Ruger .38 caliber pistol.
In April 2025, Robinson was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Desir was sentenced on June 18, 2025 to seven years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, with the first year to be served in home detention.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Hanford Contractor, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), Agrees to Pay $6.5 Million to Resolve Allegations of FraudRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington – Today Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that federal contractor Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS), has paid $6,500,000to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) as part of a settlement agreement resolving allegations that WRPS fraudulently overcharged the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for millions of dollars in labor hours.
According to court documents, the False Claims Act claim arose from allegations that WRPS’ management was aware of and failed to prevent inflated labor hours being charged to DOE, including labor hours in which WRPS employees, paid for with federal funds, were not scheduled or assigned sufficient work to perform. Under the cost-plus-award-fee contract with DOE for the management and operation of the Hanford Site’s “Tank Farms,” which consist of 176 large underground storage tanks holding millions of gallons of mixed hazardous and radioactive waste, WRPS was able to receive reimbursement for its claimed allowable costs, including labor. According to the allegations filed in court, WRPS fraudulently inflated reimbursable costs by failing to provide its employees with work assignments sufficient to fill an entire shift and then directed those same employees to record their time as if they had worked the entire shift. This false recording of time resulted in WRPS knowingly submitting false claims for the payment of those labor hours.
Under the settlement agreement entered into with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, WRPS has now admitted that between October 1, 2017, and December 31, 2024, it sought and received reimbursement from DOE for labor hours made up of unallowable excessive idle time. WRPS has further admitted in the settlement agreement that it did not schedule or assign sufficient work to be performed by its personnel. WRPS has paid a total settlement amount of $6,500,000, of which $3,000,000 is restitution, meaning that WRPS has had to pay more than double the damage it caused to DOE and the taxpayers.
“This is unfortunately not the first time that WRPS has settled allegations of committing fraud on the Tank Farms Contract,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Barker, referring to a 2017 False Claims Act settlement with WRPS where it paid $5.275 million to resolve allegations that it knowingly submitted false claims to DOE for overtime and premium pay as well as that it had failed to comply with its internal audit requirements. “As a result of its past record, and its more recent conduct, WRPS has had to admit to that conduct and has been forced to pay more than twice as much as the money taken from DOE and the taxpayers. This is appropriate where the falsely charged labor hours were based, in part, on WRPS’ failure to assign and provide sufficient work to its employees, which were paid for with federal taxpayer money.”
In December 2022, a WRPS employee came forward with allegations of labor mischarging. This whistleblower, known as a “Relator,” filed a qui tam complaint under seal in the U.S. District Court (EDWA) under the False Claims Act. When a relator files a qui tam complaint, the False Claims Act requires the United States to investigate the allegations and elect whether to intervene and take over the action or to decline to intervene and allow the relator to go forward with the litigation on behalf of the United States. The relator is generally able to then share in any recovery. As part of the settlement agreement, the relator will receive $1,400,000 of the settlement amount and is entitled to have WRPS pay attorney fees.
“The relator-whistleblower in this case is to be commended,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Barker. “This individual came forward with serious and credible allegations of fraud that were then investigated for years. We are able to uncover fraud and hold fraudsters accountable only when good people come forward and report it to law enforcement, whether that’s through the filing of an under seal qui tam complaint or stepping forward as a witness,” continued Barker.
“The Office of Inspector General is committed to ensuring the integrity of Department contracts by detecting and holding accountable those who choose to engage in false claim schemes. This settlement is a result of our staff’s dedicated work to ensure public funds are used for the mission-related purposes for which they are intended,” stated Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Lewe Sessions. “We appreciate the efforts of the Department of Justice in pursuing this matter and will continue to work collaboratively with them to aggressively investigate those who seek to defraud Department programs.”
The settlement was the result of an investigation jointly conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) and the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General. The USAO’s investigation and prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Tyler H.L. Tornabene. The Relator was represented by the law firms of Mehri & Skalet PLLC, Teller & Associates, PLLC, and Smith & Lowney, PLLC.
The settlement agreement can be viewed at the link below:
fully_executed_wrps_0.pdfGuatemalan Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Reentry by a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
JACKSON, MS – A Guatemalan national, pleaded guilty on June 5, 2025, to Unlawful Reentry into the United States by a Deported or Removed Alien.
According to court documents, Juan Perez-Martin, age 31, of Guatemala was found illegally present in Madison County, Mississippi on March 19, 2025, after having been previously removed from the United States in 2019 and previously deported in 2022.
Perez-Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3, 2025 and faces a maximum penalty of 2 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi; and Field Office Director Mellisa B. Harper of Immigration and Customs (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) New Orleans, made the announcement.
This case was investigated by ICE ERO.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber Jones prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America 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).
Gillette man sentenced for defrauding U.S. GovernmentRead the Press Release
James M. Alexander, 63, of Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release for theft of government property (disability benefits) and filing a false income tax return. In addition, the court ordered restitution of $409,422.28 and a special assessment of $200. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on June 17 in Cheyenne. Judge Johnson ordered the Defendant to begin serving the 12-month sentence on August 4, 2025.
According to court records, as a result of an injury suffered on his job at BNSF Railway, the Defendant applied for and received total and permanent disability benefits from the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (“RRB”). The RRB administers disability benefits to railroad employees who were totally and permanently disabled and unable to work in any kind of regular job as a result of their work for the railroad. As a condition of receiving monthly disability benefits, the Defendant agreed to inform the RRB if he earned any income or his condition improved, as this would impact his ability to continue receiving monthly disability benefits.
From January 1, 2016, to December 2024, the Defendant failed to report to RRB that his disability did not prevent him from working and/or that he had received substantial income for construction/remodeling work he performed. For example, he failed to report to the RRB income he earned from a construction company from January 2016 to August 2023, totaling $330,830.
The defendant further admitted to filing false returns that underreported his true income, including the income he received from a construction company.
Acting United States Attorney Stephanie Sprecher said, “Our office remains steadfast in the pursuit of those who steal from federal programs and deprive the government of vital income for public programs. The defendant’s actions not only defrauded the RRB out of much needed revenue to assist those who are truly disabled, but he also cheated his fellow citizens who pay their fair share of taxes. Thanks to the excellent investigative work conducted by our federal partners, he was held accountable for his actions."
“This sentence shows our dedication to holding accountable those who defraud government programs and disregard their tax obligations,” said Amanda Prestegard, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI Denver Field Office. “As demonstrated, our agents will continue to partner with the U.S.Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners to diligently fight the abuses of government programs and hold those responsible for deliberately hiding their income.”The RRB-Office of Inspector General and IRS-Criminal Investigations investigated the crime.
Case No. 25-CR-00035
Ghostface Gangster Leader Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Mexico-Sourced Methamphetamine from a Georgia PrisonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A high-ranking member of the Ghostface Gangsters (GFG)—a criminal organization founded in the prison system—was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy that was funneling a large amount of Mexico-sourced drugs from behind bars.
Codefendant Donald Jason Miles, aka “Crash,” aka “Cocho,” 39, of Forsyth, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 360 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on June 24. Miles pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Nov. 13, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
Two co-conspirators were sentenced to prison on Feb. 28: Warren Frederick Courts, aka “Dirty,” 38, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 1, 2024; and Keeli Nycole Wallace, 34, of Covington, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 40 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 14, 2024.
Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner presided over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Prison gangs and drug cartels pose a direct threat to the safety of our citizens and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office is working with law enforcement at every level to identify and bring to justice the most dangerous criminal offenders.”
“The Ghostface Gangsters have systematically worked to flood the communities of Georgia with dangerous drugs,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The brazenness of these gang members to continue their criminal acts even behind bars must be met with decisive action to ensure justice and safety for our communities. This investigation shows that the GBI and our partners will work relentlessly to hold those who seek to poison our communities accountable.”
“This career criminal continued his drug trafficking activities despite being incarcerated, demonstrating his complete and wanton disregard for the safety of our community,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA’s efforts in bringing him to justice will ensure this gang member spends even more time in prison.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, undercover Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) agents conducted a drug bust at Motel 6 in Albany on Sept. 12, 2022, resulting from a larger investigation into drug trafficking from Georgia prisons. Agents learned Courts, a state prisoner, had arranged a drug transaction from behind bars and hired Wallace as a drug courier to move methamphetamine from a Mexico-based source located in metro Atlanta to Southwest Georgia. Agents arrested Wallace in the parking lot of Motel 6, finding approximately 1,400 grams of methamphetamine and her cell phones.
Investigators discovered that Miles had recruited Wallace as a drug courier several months before her arrest. Wallace admitted she had performed 10-15 deliveries of 250 grams or less of methamphetamine at Miles’s direction. Miles introduced Wallace to Courts; both Miles and Courts are members of the prison-based criminal organization Ghostface Gangsters. Courts is a subordinate of Miles, as demonstrated by Courts giving Miles a portion of the profits he made from selling narcotics. During one transaction, Courts instructed Wallace to obtain methamphetamine from a Mexico-based source of supply near Atlanta and take it to meet a buyer at a Walmart in Albany. The buyer did not show up, and Miles instructed Wallace to return to Atlanta. The next day, Courts told Wallace that the intended buyer was ready. She returned to Motel 6 in Albany, where she was subsequently arrested.
At the time, Miles was incarcerated at Valdosta State Prison, and Courts was incarcerated at Rutledge State Prison for separate drug trafficking offenses. Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) officers searched their prison cells and recovered contraband mobile phones on Sept. 16, 2022. Search warrants were executed on the phones, and investigators discovered detailed communications between Miles, Courts and Wallace related to the drug conspiracy, including communications involving the Mexico-based source of supply and the trafficking of large quantities of methamphetamine. The investigation revealed that Wallace was just one courier recruited by Miles and that Miles and Courts had funneled numerous redistributors to the Mexican source of supply near Atlanta, resulting in the distribution of at least 50 kilograms of methamphetamine in two months as a part of this conspiracy. Of the 50 kilograms distributed, Courts was directly responsible for facilitating the distribution of approximately 13 kilograms.
Both Miles and Courts have lengthy criminal histories, including multiple felony convictions for drug distribution and trafficking. At the time of this offense, Miles was serving state sentences for three separate cases: armed robbery, hijacking a motor vehicle, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, and trafficking methamphetamine in Fulton County, Georgia, Case No. 15-SC-132843; conspiracy to commit trafficking in methamphetamine and criminal gang activity in Gwinnett County, Georgia, Case No. 16-B-1793-5; and conspiracy to violate the controlled substances act, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in Chatham County, Georgia, Case No. CR16-1756. Courts was most recently convicted in the Superior Court of Cobb County, Georgia, on Oct. 1, 2021, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
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 other 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 Neighborhoods.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.
Georgian man sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl in East TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – An Atlanta man has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for his role in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Clarence Nero, 56, was convicted following a three-day trial of conspiring to traffic fentanyl and was sentenced to 264 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant on June 24, 2025.
According to information presented in court, Nero was the organizer of a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, that smuggled fentanyl across the United States border into Arizona, and then from Phoenix to New Orleans and the east coast.
On February 14, 2022, Quanita Brown, was the subject of a traffic stop on Highway 380 in Denton County, after she was found with 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl. The illegal drugs were hidden in a false compartment in the vehicle and was alerted on by a police K-9. An investigation into the source of the fentanyl revealed Nero as the principal supplier responsible for trafficking fentanyl in a conspiracy that spanned the southern United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Denton County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Anderson and Chris Rapp.
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Four people sentenced for kidnapping and stealing $7000 from 83-year-old veteranRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Four people have been sentenced to prison for kidnapping an 83-year-old Arlington man and taking $7,000 from him.
According to court documents, on Dec. 30, 2023, Phillip Anderson, 37, Anthony Brockington, 22, Damien Griffin, 23, and K’la Hargrove, 27, traveled to the victim’s home intending to rob him. Hargrove’s boyfriend, who was incarcerated, owed $4,000 to Anderson for drugs, and had performed yardwork and handiwork for the victim. Hargrove, who had previously met the victim through her boyfriend, contacted the victim and arrived at the residence first. After the victim allowed Hargrove into his home, some of her co-conspirators, all of whom were armed, forced their way inside the home, assaulted the victim, and held him at gunpoint while demanding he give them money.
When the victim explained he didn’t have enough cash in his home, the co-conspirators kidnapped the victim and took him to a “trap house” in Washington, where they physically restrained the victim and continued to assault him. The victim was forced to transfer $7,000 to the bank account of an associate of Griffin. While the victim was being held, Griffin used the victim’s credit card to make purchases from McDonalds, DoorDash, and a gas station, and attempted to purchase gift cards at a CVS Pharmacy. During the night of Dec. 31, 2023, Griffin and Brockington, at Anderson’s direction, returned to the victim’s home, broke into a locker, and stole firearms. They transferred the firearms to Anderson, who later sold them.
On Jan. 1, 2024, the victim escaped from the trap house and returned to his home. A neighbor called 911 to report the kidnapping, and the victim was taken to a hospital for treatment. The kidnappers caused the victim to sustain fractures to his sternum and hands, broken ribs, and bruises and lacerations to his head and face.
On Oct. 30, 2024, Griffin pled guilty to conspiracy to kidnap. On Jan. 30, he was sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison.
Anderson pled guilty on Jan. 16, to conspiracy to kidnap and kidnapping. On May 1, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
On Jan. 30, Brockington pled guilty to kidnapping and aiding and abetting kidnapping. On May 1, he was sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison.
Hargrove pled guilty on March 13 to aiding and abetting kidnapping. She was sentenced today to six years in prison.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Emily Odom, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
The Arlington County Police Department provided valuable assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sehar F. Sabir and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Cristina Stam 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. 1:24-cr-196.
Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing A Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Court Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jordon Shanquial Brown (34, Fort Myers) to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Brown pled guilty on March 12, 2025.
According to court documents, on September 12, 2024, the Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD) conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Brown—a multi-time convicted felon—was the front-seat passenger. During a search of the vehicle, FMPD officers located a bag partially underneath the front passenger seat containing a loaded Smith & Wesson firearm, belonging to Brown. As a previously convicted felon, Brown is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
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.
Former Santa Cruz County Treasurer Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Stealing over $38 Million in County FundsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Elizabeth Gutfahr, 63 of Rio Rico, Arizona, was sentenced on June 23, 2025, by United States District Judge Rosemary C. Márquez to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Gutfahr previously pleaded guilty to Embezzlement by a Public Official, Money Laundering, and Tax Evasion. Gutfahr was also ordered to pay approximately $51.8 million in restitution to Santa Cruz County and the United States Treasury.
“The people of Santa Cruz County and all Arizonans have a right to expect their elected leaders to serve with integrity and in the best interest of their constituents,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Ms. Gutfahr stole more than money from the people of her county, she betrayed the confidence of the voters who elected her. This sentence shows that abuse of public trust will be punished.”
“Ms. Gutfahr will now be held accountable for using her official position for huge financial gain at the expense of the residents of Santa Cruz County,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke. “Each act of greed and dishonor negatively affected fundamental aspects of the county’s operations. The FBI continues to investigate public corruption cases, and we remain committed to identifying and pursuing those who violate the public’s trust.”
“Ms. Gutfahr violated her sworn duty by enriching herself with the public money she was entrusted to protect,” said Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick of the IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office. “Taxpayers deserve to know that their elected leaders are working in the community’s best interest — not just their own. IRS-CI remains committed to rooting out corruption at every level.”
According to court documents, Gutfahr, who served as Santa Cruz County Treasurer from 2012 through 2024, embezzled and laundered approximately $38.7 million by wiring public funds from Santa Cruz County’s account to accounts in the names of fake companies she had created that performed no legitimate business. Gutfahr then used the money to purchase real estate, to renovate her family ranch, to pay expenses for her cattle business, and to buy at least 20 vehicles.
Gutfahr’s 10-year scheme involved approximately 187 wire transfers, which she was able to complete by undermining the two-step approval process required for transfers. Gutfahr used the token of a subordinate Santa Cruz County employee so that she could both initiate and approve the wire transfers. To cover up the scheme, Gutfahr falsified accounting records, cash reconciliation records, and reports of the County’s investment accounts, thereby hiding the millions of dollars that she had stolen from Santa Cruz County. Gutfahr also failed to report any of the stolen funds as income for tax purposes.
The FBI and IRS-CI conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane L. Westby for the District of Arizona and Senior Litigation Counsel Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-08132-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-098_Gutfahr# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Former Foundation IT Manager Charged with Theft and Money Laundering of Nearly $1 Million from EmployerRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of wire fraud and money laundering, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The nine-count Indictment named Charles A. Richardson, 45, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, Richardson was employed as an information technology professional with the Pittsburgh-based philanthropic foundation The Heinz Endowments. Between 2016 and 2024, Richardson embezzled almost $1 million in funds from his employer through a shell corporation Richardson controlled and fraudulent invoices that billed the foundation for work not performed or performed by other vendors.
The law provides for a maximum sentence of up to 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain associated with the offense, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation resulting in the Indictment.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former District of Columbia Public Schools Official Found Guilty in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Dana Garnett, 61, a former contract specialist for the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), was found guilty today by a federal jury for her role in a conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud that illegally steered lucrative DCPS business to local vendors while also agreeing to defraud DCPS by accepting significantly fewer quantities of supplies than had been ordered by DCPS. In exchange, the local vendors paid kickbacks and bribes to Garnett for years. Garnett faces 15 years in prison as a result of the conviction.
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, during the course of at least five years, Garnett, of Hyattsville, Maryland, accepted payments from several vendors who supplied goods to DCPS. In exchange, Garnett steered business to the vendors. Some of the payments were generated from falsified orders awarded to the vendors that had been paid in full by DCPS.
Garnett and a DCPS co-conspirator who had pleaded guilty before trial coordinated with the vendors to deliver a lesser amount of goods than were listed on the orders. Based on false certifications made by or with the knowledge of Garnett, DCPS paid the full amount of the orders as if the orders had been fulfilled in full. The vendors then provided cash to Garnett and her co-conspirator in various locations in the D.C. and Maryland area, including in the parking lots of restaurants in strip malls. Evidence presented at trial showed that Garnett used the payments for gambling expenses and a major household appliance.
Three related defendants have accepted responsibility and pleaded guilty to their roles in the bribery conspiracy.
Patricia Bailey, a former administrative officer for DCPS’s Cardozo Education Campus, pleaded guilty on Oct. 12, 2023, to one count of bribery for her participation in the scheme.
Duane King, the owner of DCPS vendor American Business Supplies, pleaded to one count of bribery on Sept. 27, 2023. King additionally pleaded guilty to his role in a similar scheme in which King made bribe payments to District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Services Department (DC FEMS) employees Charity Keys and Louis Mitchell in return for the award of business by DC FEMS to King’s company and for the authorization of payments to King’s company for goods that were not actually delivered.
Donald McWhirter, the owner of DCPS vendor General Business Supplies Unlimited, also pleaded guilty to one count of bribery on July 18, 2024.
Sentencing is pending for each of the three defendants who have pleaded guilty.
Yelake Meseretu, 41, owner of U.S. Office Solutions, a supplier of goods to DCPS, is charged as a co-defendant with bribery and wire fraud in exchange for having Garnett direct business to Meseretu’s company. Meseretu’s trial is pending.
This case was investigated by FBI’s Washington Field Office and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher R. Howland and John Borchert of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.
Garnett and Meseretu: 24cr281
Bailey: 23cr336
King: 23cr319
McWhirter: 24cr280
Former Antioch Police Officer Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Civil Rights Violation, Falsification of Records, and Wire Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Former Antioch police officer Morteza Amiri was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison for violating the civil rights of an individual through excessive force, falsifying records related to that violation, and participating in a scheme to obtain pay raises from the Antioch Police Department for a university degree he paid someone else to obtain. The sentence was handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White, who presided over two trials that resulted in Amiri’s convictions for these crimes.
In August 2024, following a four-day trial, a jury found Amiri, 34, guilty of one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the fraudulently-obtained degree scheme. Thereafter, in March 2025, following eight-day trial, a jury found Amiri guilty of one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of falsification of records in connection with a July 2019 arrest. Amiri was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals on March 18, 2025, and has remained in federal custody since then.
“Amiri misused his police dog to inflict unnecessary and excessive force against a victim and cheated his way into a pay raise. These crimes are appalling in themselves, but even more so that they were committed by a police officer. With this sentence, Amiri is now being held to account for his multiple betrayals of the public trust,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian.
“Amiri betrayed the public’s trust, abused his authority, and violated the civil rights of a person he was sworn to protect. His actions undermine the integrity of law enforcement and erode public confidence. Today’s sentence sends a clear message: no badge is a shield from accountability. The FBI remains steadfast in its mission to protect the civil rights of all people and to hold those who abuse their power accountable under the law,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani.
Amiri was previously employed as a police officer with the Antioch Police Department. According to court documents and evidence presented at the trial in March 2025, Amiri, a K-9 handler, deployed his K-9 to bite even when it was not necessary. On July 24, 2019, Amiri pulled over and stopped a bicyclist identified as A.A., who, according to Amiri, did not have his bicycle light on. Amiri approached A.A., punched and took the victim to the ground, and then called for his K-9 to bite the victim. As a result, A.A. sustained injuries. At the time, Amiri was accompanied by a police officer with a neighboring agency as a ride-along, and that officer assisted with the deployment of the K-9. Afterwards, Amiri shared pictures of the victim’s wounds with other Antioch police officers. One officer responded, “Yeah buddy good boy,” referring to the K-9, and “Lol you bit [A.A.].” In response to a question from another officer about what cut the dog’s face, Amiri responded, “that’s a piece of the suspect’s flesh lol.”
Amiri later wrote to the officer who accompanied him on the ride-along, “you got to see [the K-9] in action lol,” and stated that detectives got the victim “a 45 day violation and we are gonna leave it at that so i don’t go to court for the bite. Easy,” referring to the victim going into custody for a parole/probation violation. Amiri then falsified a police report of the incident, stating that one of the reasons he deployed his K-9 was because he was alone, when instead the ride-along police officer was with him at the time and had helped Amiri deploy the K-9.
Separately, the evidence presented at the trial in August 2024 showed that the City of Antioch and City of Pittsburg’s Police Departments offered reimbursements toward higher education tuition and expenses, along with pay raises and other financial incentives upon completion of a degree. Instead of completing higher education coursework on their own, Amiri and his co-conspirators hired someone to complete entire courses on their behalf at an online university to secure a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Amiri and his co-conspirators then represented they had taken those courses and earned the degrees from the university when requesting reimbursements and/or financial incentives from their police department employers. They were in turn paid additional financial incentives, calculated as percentages of their salaries, while they remained employed by their police departments.
In addition to the prison term, Judge White also sentenced Amiri to three years of supervised release and ordered Amiri to pay restitution in the amount of $3,180 to victim A.A. and $10,526 to the City of Antioch.
The case is being prosecuted by the National Security & Special Prosecutions Section and the Oakland Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
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These charges against Amiri were brought as part of an investigation into the Antioch and Pittsburgh police departments that resulted in multiple charges against 10 current and former officers and employees of these two police departments for various crimes ranging from the use of excessive force to fraud. The status of these cases, all of which are before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White, is below:
Case Name and NumberStatute(s)
Defendant
(Bold: multiple case numbers)
StatusFraud
23-cr-00264
18 U.S.C. §§ 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; 1343 (Wire Fraud)Patrick BerhanSentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 24-cr-157 on 9/5/24Morteza AmiriSentenced to 84 months custody, 3 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-269 on 6/24/25Amanda Theodosy a/k/a NashSentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release 11/15/24Samantha PetersonSentenced to time served, 3 years supervised release 4/24/24Ernesto Mejia-OrozcoSentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 9/19/24Brauli Jalapa RodriguezSentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 10/25/24Obstruction
23-cr-00267
18 U.S.C. §§ 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations); 1512(c)(2) (Obstruction of Official Proceedings); 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law)Timothy Manly WilliamsPleaded guilty 11/28/23, status conference 8/19/25Anabolic Steroid Distribution
23-cr-00268
21 U.S.C. §§ 846 (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids), 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids)Daniel HarrisPleaded guilty 9/17/24, status conference 8/19/2521 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids);
18 U.S.C.§ 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations)
Devon WengerConvicted at trial 4/30/25, sentencing pendingCivil Rights
23-cr-00269
18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law); § 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations)Morteza AmiriSentenced to 84 months custody, 3 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-264 on 6/24/2518 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law)Eric RomboughPleaded guilty 1/14/25, status conference 8/19/2518 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law)Devon WengerTrial 8/4/25Anabolic Steroid Distribution
24-cr-00157
21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids)Patrick BerhanSentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-264 on 9/5/24Bank Fraud
24-cr-00502
18 U.S.C. § 1344(1), (2) (Bank fraud)Daniel HarrisPleaded guilty 9/17/24, status conference 8/19/25Florida Man Convicted in Multimillion-Dollar Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today the conviction of TED ALBIN for his role in orchestrating a multimillion-dollar Medicare fraud scheme. ALBIN was convicted following a 12-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl.
“Ted Albin brazenly defrauded our Medicare system using fake and fraudulent prescriptions,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He cheated Medicare out of millions meant for real patients with every taxpayer footing the bill. Today’s verdict makes clear: if you cheat Medicare, you will be prosecuted.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial:
From approximately 2016 through April 2021, ALBIN operated Grapevine Professional Services (“Grapevine”), a medical billing company, which he used to submit fraudulent reimbursement claims for durable medical equipment (“DME”), including back braces, knee braces, wrist braces, and shoulder braces. ALBIN submitted thousands of fraudulent claims on behalf of DME supply companies that had engaged Grapevine for its billing services, including at least three DME supply companies owned and controlled by ALBIN and his sister, Erin Foley—Liberty Bell Medical, Skye Medical, and Priority Medical. ALBIN’s fraudulent claims were based on prescriptions for DME which he knew had been illegally bought with kickbacks paid by the DME supply companies. At least some of the kickback-tainted prescriptions billed by ALBIN were generated with forged doctor’s signatures and without regard to the medical need of the patients for whom braces had been prescribed. ALBIN knew of the fraudulent nature of the claims he submitted to Medicare and nonetheless continued to submit such claims, over and over, for years. In total, the DME companies that ALBIN submitted claims for billed Medicare for over $38 million, on which Medicare paid out over $12 million.
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ALBIN, 48, of Stuart, Florida, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years; one count of health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years; and one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, which carries a maximum sentence of five years. ALBIN is scheduled to be sentenced on December 10, 2025.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Kinder, Jackie Delligatti, Brandon Thompson, and Ryan Finkel are in charge of the prosecution.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to an Additional Five Years for Fatal Stabbing of Fellow InmateRead the Press Release
TERRE HAUTE— Otha Don Watkins III, 43, of Cairo, Illinois has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter and possessing contraband in prison.
According to court documents, in April of 2023, Otha Watkins was an inmate at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, serving a 23-year sentence for aiding and abetting armed bank robbery, possession of a stolen firearm, and conspiracy to commit robbery. While in prison, Watkins obtained a piece of metal, sharpened to a point on one end and wrapped with white cloth on the other. This object, commonly known as a “prison shank” is classified as prohibited because it is a weapon or designed or intended to be used as a weapon.
On April 14, 2023, Watkins was assigned to Unit D-2 of the USP. Inmate Carlos Shelton (“Shelton”) was assigned to the same unit. That day, Watkins and Shelton met on a tier in the unit and began fighting, both armed with improvised shanks. During the course of the fight, Watkins fatally stabbed Shelton in the chest, damaging arteries associated with the heart and lungs. The stab wound led to a massive hemothorax. Shelton died on April 14, 2023.
“Given Otha Watkins’ history of violent offenses, culminating in the brutal attack he carried out in the Terre Haute prison, it’s evident that he should never be allowed to live outside federal custody again,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I commend the FBI and our federal prosecutor for their tireless efforts to ensure this defendant faces justice. I hope that the conclusion of this case provides some sense of closure and peace to Mr. Shelton’s family.”
"Today's sentencing marks the conclusion of a senseless act of violence that took place within the walls of our correctional institution,” said a Bureau of Prisons Spokesperson. “Otha Watkins demonstrated an utter disregard for human life and the rule of law. The court's decision affirms that such actions carry severe consequences, and it sends a clear and resounding message: acts of violence in federal prison will be met with the full weight of the law."
“This brutal killing is a reminder that violence can occur anywhere, even within the confines of the most secure environments,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI and our partners are committed to protecting all individuals, regardless of their incarceration status, and we will continue to work to ensure those who commit violent acts while incarcerated, are held fully accountable.”
The FBI and Bureau of Prisons investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney II.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case.
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Elmwood Man Indicted for Felon in Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JAEQUAN BAILEY, (“BAILEY”), age 26, of Elmwood, Louisiana was charged on June 20, 2025, in a three-count indictment, announced Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Counts 1, 2, and 3 charged him with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to the indictment, BAILEY possessed firearms and ammunition on April 19, 2022, September 26, 2024, and November 26, 2024. BAILEY was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his prior felony conviction.
If convicted, BAILEY faces up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for each of Counts 1, 2, and 3. Additionally, BAILEY is required to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count.
Acting United States Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, 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 New Orleans Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crimes Unit.
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Dominican National Arrested for His Role in a Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Dominican Republic national was arrested yesterday, in connection with an enforcement action last week, for his role in a drug trafficking organization operating out of Massachusetts and distributing illegal narcotics in Manchester, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Cesar Joel Perez Mejia, age 30, a Dominican Republic national unlawfully residing in Hyde Park, Massachusetts, was arrested on one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. He will appear in federal court today at 4:30pm.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court, on June 23, 2025, the defendant facilitated a drug sale with an undercover officer. When the defendant arrived at the agreed upon location, law enforcement searched the defendant’s vehicle and found small individually wrapped bags containing approximately 57 grams of suspected fentanyl and 43 grams of suspected crack cocaine.
Possession with intent to distribute carries a maximum prison term of 20 years, a maximum fine of $1,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least three years and up to life.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Major Offender Task Force and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. DEA New England, HSI New England, and the Boston, Attleboro, Methuen, Lynn, and Providence Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Shannon and Heather Cherniske are prosecuting the case.
This effort 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 details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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