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23 June 2025
Justice Department Sues Washington State over its new anti-Catholic law, Senate Bill 5375Read the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it filed legal action for a complaint in intervention against the State of Washington over its a new state law, Senate Bill 5375, which violates the free exercise of religion for all Catholics, and requires Catholic priests to violate the confidentiality seal of Confession.
Senate Bill 5375 requires Catholic priests to violate their vows to uphold the confidentiality seal that accompanies the sacred rite of Confession, subjecting them to immediate excommunication from the Catholic Church.
As the Justice Department’s lawsuit explains, the violations imposed by this new law on all practicing members of the Catholic Church, including Catholic priests administering the sacrament and Catholic penitents participating in the rite, include deprivations of the Free Exercise of Religion under the First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
“Laws that explicitly target religious practices such as the Sacrament of Confession in the Catholic Church have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Senate Bill 5375 unconstitutionally forces Catholic priests in Washington to choose between their obligations to the Catholic Church and their penitents or face criminal consequences, while treating the priest-penitent privilege differently than other well-settled privileges. The Justice Department will not sit idly by when States mount attacks on the free exercise of religion.”
The Department’s motion to intervene in Etienne v. Ferguson is pending before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Juniata County Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Larry L. Grove, Jr., age 36, of Mifflintown, Pennsylvania, was indicted on June 18, 2025, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment brought forward a total of eight counts. Six of the counts allege Grove distributed cocaine and methamphetamine on separate occasions between December 2024 and May 2025. It is further alleged that on May 20, 2025, Grove possessed with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and additional quantities of marijuana. Lastly, the indictment alleged Grove possessed firearms after he was convicted of a felony.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police Troop G VICE Unit, and the Mifflin County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Dukes is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious offense alleged in the indictment is 40 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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June Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the June Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Alejandro Aldave. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (Counts 1 and 2); Possession of 3,4-Dichloro-N-[2-(dimethylamino)cyclohexyl]-N-methylbenzamide (U47700”) with Intent to Distribute (Count 3); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 4); Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 5) (superseding). Aldave, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with two counts of possessing more than 500 grams of cocaine and one count of possessing 3,4-Dichloro-N-[2-(dimethylamino)cyclohexyl]-N-methylbenzamide (U47700”) with intent to distribute. He is additionally charged with maintaining a residence to distribute cocaine and 3,4-Dichloro-N-[2-(dimethylamino)cyclohexyl]-N-methylbenzamide (U47700”). Lastly, Aldave knowingly possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam D. McConney is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-173
Roman Ramos Chacon. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Chacon, 27, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Oct. 2023. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Scaife is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-206
Jesus Reyes Chi. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of Firearms. Reyes Chi, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing firearms knowing he was an alien unlawfully living in the United States. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-207
Jose Guadalupe Peralez Diaz. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Peralez Diaz, 43, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Apr. 2022. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Whipple is prosecuting the case.
25-CR-208Brandon Eugene Fanning. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Fanning, 47, of Wyandotte, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema Onias is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-219
Cruz De Jesus Garcia-Dimas. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Garcia-Dimas, 34, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Mar. 2012. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case.
25-CR-209Jason Dewayne Glass; Justin Monrow Wilson. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country (Count 1); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Counts 2 through 4); Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Count 5); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 6); Carrying and Using a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 7) Maintaining a Durg-Involved Premises (Count 8) Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition (Counts 9 & 10). Glass, 41, of Locust Grove, is charged with engaging in a sexual act by force and threat. He is charged with intentionally assaulting a victim with a firearm, a propane torch, a knife, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Wilson, 49, of Locust Grove, and Glass are jointly charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking, and maintaining a drug house. Additionally, Glass and Willson are charged with possessing numerous firearms and ammunition, knowing they had previously been convicted of several felonies. The FBI, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd is prosecuting the case.
25-CR-220Kiaona Richelle Hill. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Hill, 43, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing she was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara Heign and Eric O. Johnston are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-211
Bradley Justin Kelley. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Eluding Police Officers in Indian Country. Kelley, 35, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies, and possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. Kelley is further charged with maintaining a residence for drug distribution and possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Additionally, Kelley is charged with failing to bring his vehicle to a stop after being directed by a peace officer in an official vehicle with a red light and siren. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nasar is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-203
Jorge Luis Garcia-Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Garcia-Lopez, 27, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2021. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Flynn is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-210
Arturo Hidalgo Luna. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Luna, 59, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Feb. 2003. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-212
Jason Allen Lynn. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Lynn, 31, a transient and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is charged with intending to kill Alan Underwood without premeditation and deliberation, but with intent to do serious bodily harm. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-204
Cale Michael Mitchell Persinger. Assault of a Spouse by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Persinger, 25, of Tulsa and a member of the Osage Nation, is charged with assaulting his spouse by strangling her. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-221
Austin Dewayne Nation. Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing, and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony; Attempted Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Felon in Possession of Firearms; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Nation, 29, of Kellyville, is charged with attempting to possess and distribute methamphetamine received through the mail. He is further charged with attempting to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Additionally, Nation is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies and possessing a firearm while attempting to traffic drugs. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the USPS-OIG are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-213
Bryan Omar Orozxo-Cahuex. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Orozxo-Cahuex, 30, a Guatemalan national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Dec. 2017. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-214
Jose Pacheco-Quezada. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Pacheco-Quezada, 24, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Apr. 2019. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case.
25-CR-215Silvia Nicole Ramos-Ramos. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ramos-Ramos, 23, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jun. 2023. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-216
Marissa Ayde Ruiz. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Carrying a Firearm in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime. Ruiz, 33, of Amarillo, Texas, is charged with knowingly possessing more than 500 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute and carrying a firearm while drug trafficking. The Homeland Security Investigations and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-205
Allan Segovia. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Segovia, 42, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Attila Bogdan is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-222
Jefferson Parish Resident Indicted for Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JELISSA LACOUR (“LACOUR”), age 36, a resident of Jefferson Parish, was indicted on June 20, 2025 with two counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
One wire fraud count alleged that LACOUR obtained numerous Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans using falsified tax forms. The other wire fraud count alleged that LACOUR obtained Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds in the names of numerous purported renters. According to the indictment, in some instances, the PPP and ERAP applications were for accomplices who sought to benefit from the fraudulent applications, while in other instances, LACOUR misused others’ identities to obtain payments in their names. The aggravated identity theft charges relate to the use of other persons’ identities.
If convicted, LACOUR faces up to 20 years of imprisonment, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release for each wire fraud count, and two years of imprisonment, to be followed by up to one year of supervised release for each aggravated identity theft count. Each count is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon of the of the Public Integrity Unit.
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Jacksonville Property Management Company to Pay Compensation and Penalties for Imposing Unlawful Charges on U.S. Military ServicemembersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department resolved an enforcement matter against JWB Real Estate Management for violating the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) when it imposed illegal early termination charges on military servicemembers who terminated their leases after receiving military relocation orders.
JWB Property Management, a property management company based in Jacksonville, Florida, imposed early termination fees on at least six members of the U.S. military after they attempted to terminate their leases in accordance with the SCRA.
As a result of the Department’s enforcement, JWB will be required to pay over $39,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers, as well as a $25,000 civil penalty. The company will also make changes to its policies and training to ensure that it complies with the SCRA in the future.
“Our military families already shoulder the burden of military-ordered moves and deployments,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will not allow them to be penalized by landlords for answering the call of duty for service.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida is committed to protecting the rights of all our servicemembers,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Our servicemembers make tremendous sacrifices to protect the rights and freedoms of our citizens and we will combat all forms of discrimination against them to help ensure that they are able to fulfill their military obligations.”
This case was handled by Middle District of Florida Assistant United States Attorneys Alexandra Karahalios and Deputy Chief of the Civil Division Yohance A. Pettis.
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. 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.
Jacksonville Property Management Company to Pay Compensation and Penalties for Imposing Unlawful Charges on U.S. Military ServicemembersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department resolved an enforcement matter against JWB Real Estate Management for violating the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) when it imposed illegal early termination charges on military servicemembers who terminated their leases after receiving military relocation orders.
JWB Property Management, a property management company based in Jacksonville, Florida, imposed early termination fees on at least six members of the U.S. military after they attempted to terminate their leases in accordance with the SCRA.
As a result of the Department’s enforcement, JWB will be required to pay over $39,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers, as well as a $25,000 civil penalty. The company will also make changes to its policies and training to ensure that it complies with the SCRA in the future.
“Our military families already shoulder the burden of military-ordered moves and deployments,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will not allow them to be penalized by landlords for answering the call of duty for service.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida is committed to protecting the rights of all our servicemembers,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Our servicemembers make tremendous sacrifices to protect the rights and freedoms of our citizens and we will combat all forms of discrimination against them to help ensure that they are able to fulfill their military obligations.”
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. 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.
Indianapolis Man Sentenced After Being Caught with Three Firearms and Two Machine Gun Conversion Devices While Out on BondRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— Q’Tez Laquan Ginn, 19, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 61 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of a machine gun.
Machine gun conversion devices, sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears,” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns. Machine gun conversion devices are themselves considered machine guns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal for individuals to possess or sell.
According to court documents, in August of 2024, Ginn was seen carrying an AR style pistol in a parking lot where suspected narcotics trafficking was taking place. Later that day, IMPD officers found Ginn in a vehicle with marijuana and a pistol. Ginn was charged with felony dealing marijuana and taken into custody. At the time of this arrest, Ginn was out on bond for a felony Resisting Law Enforcement charge in Marion County.
While in custody, Ginn made phone calls to family members, directing them to move and store his firearms and controlled substances at a home known to the family. Ginn continued to exert control over the items while he was incarcerated.
In September of 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a judicially authorized search at the home and located a black duffel bag that contained a Glock handgun, two AR-style pistols, and multiple magazines, including two loaded high-capacity drum-style magazines. The Glock handgun and one of the AR-style pistols were found with machine gun conversion devices installed on them.
“Machine gun conversion devices only exacerbate the already dire situation of individuals using firearms for violent purposes. In a city already overwhelmed by gun violence, these devices contribute to further instability for community members and law enforcement,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I commend the IMPD and ATF for their steadfast dedication to addressing gun violence in our community."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela Domash, who prosecuted this case.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Edward Kent Stephens, also known as “Squirrel,” 36, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least May 2024 to in and around June 2024, Stephens conspired with another individual to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Stephens admitted to conducting distributions of fentanyl in the Huntington area on the individual’s behalf. Stephens further admitted that customers would sometimes contact the other individual, who would direct them to Stephens to arrange and conduct the transaction, and on other occasions customers would contact Stephens directly.
Stephens also admitted to relevant criminal conduct as part of this guilty plea. On three occasions between May 24 and June 27, 2024, Stephens distributed a total of approximately 61 grams of fentanyl. Each transaction was with a confidential informant.
Stephens is scheduled to be sentenced on October 6, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney L. Finney and Joseph F. Adams are prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-46.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Deangelo Lamont Tell, also known as “Lil D,” 36, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 31, 2023, Tell sold approximately 27.34 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant near the 1800 block of Marshall Avenue in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Tell admitted to the transaction and to arranging it beforehand.
Tell further admitted to selling approximately 48.85 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on February 3, 2023, and to arranging for another individual to sell approximately 55.75 grams of methamphetamine to the confidential informant on February 6, 2023, with both transactions occurring in Huntington.
Tell is scheduled to be sentenced on October 6, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-16.
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Honduran Man Sentenced After Unlawfully Using Identification DocumentsRead the Press Release
A Honduran man who unlawfully used fraudulent identification documents was sentenced today to 102 days in prison.
Ramon Calderon-Rivera, age 37, a citizen of Honduras, received the prison term after an April 24, 2025, guilty plea to unlawful use of identification documents.
At the guilty plea, Calderon-Rivera admitted he used a fraudulent Social Security card and a fraudulent California driver’s license to prove his authorization to work in the United States when he completed employment and tax forms in November 2023 at a business in Iowa. The number on the Social Security card was assigned to someone else. Social Security cards and driver’s licenses are documents prescribed by statute or regulation for entry into or as evidence of authorized stay or employment in the United States.
Calderon-Rivera was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Calderon-Rivera was sentenced to 102 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 25-CR-1014. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Hillsborough County High School Teacher Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Firearms to Trinidad-Based Transnational Criminal OrganizationRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Shannon Lee Samlalsingh (46, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to making false statements to a firearms dealer on June 20, 2025. Samlalsingh faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in 2020 and 2021, Samlalsingh purchased several firearms and firearms components from federally licensed firearms dealers in Hillsborough County and Miami-Dade County where she falsely stated on ATF 4473 forms that she was the actual transferee or buyer of said firearms. In reality, Samlalsingh had received money via international wire transfers from members of a Trinidadian transnational criminal organization with instructions to purchase specific model firearms and firearms components, then transfer them to other members of the transnational criminal organization already in Florida, to smuggle them back to Trinidad. Samlalsingh kept a percentage of the wire transfer funds as compensation. The firearms were smuggled back to Trinidad and Tobago by concealing them in a large wireless speaker and punching bags.
On or about April 21, 2021, authorities at the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad and Tobago seized a shipment from the United States containing two punching bags and other goods. Concealed within the two punching bags were approximately eleven 9mm pistols, two .38 caliber special revolvers, a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun, three AR-15 barrel foregrips, 19 lower pistol grip assemblies, 11 forearm bolt assemblies, three AR-15-style barrels with forearm grips, 32 AR-15 magazines, one AR-15 drum magazine, 470 rounds of AR-15 ammunition, 34 9mm magazines, three 9mm drum magazines, 284 9mm rounds, fifteen .38 caliber rounds, 36 shells, six magazine couplers, and two shotgun chokes. Specifically, Samlalsingh purchased a SAR-9 9mm pistol, a Ruger-9 9mm pistol, a Taurus G3 9mm pistol, a Taurus G2C 9mm pistol which were all traced to the April 21, 2021, seizure in Trinidad and Tobago.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of National Security (Transnational Organized Crime Unit) and Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (Special Investigations Unit), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Adam W. McCall.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Halloween getaway driver sentenced to seven yearsRead the Press Release
VICTORIA, Texas - A 28-year-old Houston man has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions for armed robbery and felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for less than two hours following a three-day trial before finding Jordan Javon Ashton guilty Feb. 20.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now handed Ashton a total 84-month-term of imprisonment to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard from the robbery victim who described being afraid to work in public and to having nightmares, poor appetite and anxiety. The owner of the stolen truck used in the robbery also provided testimony about how his family is frightened as a result of the theft and that his son was sad because his toys were stolen.
Oct. 31, 2023, Latrayveon McNeal and Jerrell Potts robbed the Morelos Supermercardos in Victoria using a stolen vehicle, gun and license plates. Wearing masks and armed with firearms, they entered the store, threatened employees at the Barri money services counter and stole U.S. currency and cashed checks.
The men fled in a stolen white truck and met up with Ashton, who was armed and waiting. Ashton drove them from the scene, leaving the truck idling in the middle of the road.
The jury saw numerous exhibits to include several photographs and surveillance video from the supermarket, the weapons used in the crime and heard excerpts of 911 calls made on that day.
They also heard that Ashton had previously been convicted of a felony and was on parole during the commission of this crime.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that he withdrew from the conspiracy. They did not believe those claims and found Ashton guilty as charged.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
McNeal, 27, and Potts, 25, both of Houston, previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the crime. Both received 87 months in federal prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Victoria Police Department, Victoria County Sheriff’s Office and Victoria County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth prosecuted the case.
Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rocael Lopez-Lopez, age 32, a Guatemalan National residing in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on June 18, 2025, by a federal grand jury on one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Lopez-Lopez was previously removed from the United States on December 21, 2012, via Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona. The indictment also alleges that on April 28, 2025, Lopez-Lopez was encountered in Franklin County, Pennsylvania without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This matter was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is up to two years of imprisonment, plus a fine and a term of supervised release. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Greer Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison, Ordered to Pay $2M in RestitutionRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Jennifer L. Bengston Cook, 56, of Greer, was sentenced to three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud. She was also ordered to pay $2.2 million in restitution.
According to statements made in court, Cook was a part-time bookkeeper for a small business in Duncan for more than a decade. During her employment she wrote checks to herself from the company’s bank accounts without permission and deposited them into her personal bank account. To disguise her theft, in the business’ ledger she listed the checks as void, and in QuickBooks she listed the checks as either void, paid to other employees, or paid to vendors. On the memo line of some of the checks, she wrote it was for payroll and listed the payroll dates. In some instances, she paid herself three payroll checks for the same pay period. On some checks, she wrote on the memo line that it was a reimbursement. Cook also used the company's bank account to pay her personal credit card bills.
The criminal conduct was discovered when Cook was on vacation and her supervisor needed to find a record of a vendor payment. After the discovery, Cook's employment was terminated, and law enforcement was notified. She was charged with multiple counts of wire fraud in federal court.
U.S. District Judge Jacquelin D. Austin presided over the case and sentenced Cook to 36 months in federal prison and ordered her to pay $2,276,830.09 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Watkins handled this prosecution.
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Gloucester County Man Convicted of Distributing Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Gloucester County man was found guilty by a jury on June 11, 2025, for distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Ian Dudley, 39, of Williamstown, New Jersey, was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, contrary to 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a) and (b)(1)(C), in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846; and with six counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and/or fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and (b)(1)(C); before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn in Camden federal court. Sentencing is scheduled for October 22, 2025.
According to the evidence presented at trial:
From June 2023 through October 2023, Dudley conspired with Joseph Watson and others to distribute crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl in Camden County and Gloucester County. During the course of the conspiracy, Dudley sold approximately 17.5 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and approximately one ounce of fentanyl to an undercover federal agent.
The counts of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and two of the counts of distribution of methamphetamine carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Four of the counts for distribution of methamphetamine and/or fentanyl carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of L.C. Cheeks, Jr., with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph McFarlane and Josephine Park in Camden.
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Gang Members Charged with KidnappingRead the Press Release
BOSTON –Two alleged members of the Trinitarios gang have been charged with a May 2024 kidnapping in Andover, Mass.. During the alleged kidnapping, the suspects wore law enforcement jackets and held the victim at a location for multiple days.
Isiah Medina, a/k/a “Ice”, 25 and Rodderith Peralta, a/k/a “Mago”, 26, both of Lawrence were charged by criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Both defendants are in custody on unrelated state charges and are alleged to be members of the Lawrence Chapter of the Trinitarios gang. The defendants will appear in U.S. District Court next week.
According to charging documents, Medina and Peralta allegedly burst into the victim’s apartment in Andover on May 5, 2024, and forced him into a vehicle. Nearby residents called 911 and reported the incident and that the victim was screaming for help as men wearing law enforcement raid jackets put the victim into an SUV. The victim was allegedly held for multiple days, until he was released in Lowell, Mass. The victim made numerous statements to police concerning the kidnapping and the circumstances that allegedly aligned with the 911 caller information and physical evidence.
Medina was arrested on an unrelated in case in April 2025, and his phone was searched pursuant to a search warrant. In the cell phone, investigators located videos and photographs allegedly taken while the victim was held captive that depict victim in handcuffs in a basement. During one video, Peralta’s hand, identified by a tattoo, can allegedly be seen interacting with the victim’s face.
The charge of conspiracy to commit a kidnapping provides for a maximum penalty of up to life in prison, and up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Andover Police Chief Patrick Keefe made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lowell Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
1-1_complaint_affidavit.pdf
- Gang Member Sentenced to 28 Years in Prison for Racketeering
Fresno Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
Lakota Tehya Wakley, 21, of Clovis, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff to eight years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, between Nov. 18, 2024, and Dec. 9, 2024, Wakley conspired with others to distribute fentanyl. The investigation began after a 24-year-old Fresno man overdosed on fentanyl and died. Wakley referred fentanyl users, like the victim, to his co-defendant who would in turn sell fentanyl pills and send Wakley a cut of the profits. At sentencing, Judge Sherriff found that Wakley directly caused the victim’s death.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team (FORT), a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin Lee and Arin C. Heinz are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Fourth Defendant Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Bribe Feeding Our Future JurorRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Abdiaziz Farah, who was convicted of fraud after the first Feeding Our Future trial, has pleaded guilty to his role in providing a cash bribe to a juror in that same trial, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
On April 22, 2024, seven defendants went to trial before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel for their roles in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. During the trial, Abdiaziz Farah, 36, of Savage, MN, conspired with his co-defendants, Abdimajid Nur and Said Farah, also well as with two other people, Abdulkarim Farah and Ladan Ali, to provide a cash bribe to one of the jurors in exchange for returning a not guilty verdict in the trial.
“The attempted bribery of a Feeding Our Future juror sent shockwaves throughout Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Abdiaziz Farah did what few criminal defendants have ever had the audacity to do—he and his co-conspirators tried to buy a not guilty verdict. They were thwarted by Juror 52, who could not be bought, and by the excellent work of law enforcement. Farah and all involved in this despicable scheme will be held to account.”
“Juror bribery is an attack on the integrity of our justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Farah’s actions directly undermined the rule of law. In partnership with our law enforcement colleagues, the FBI is unwavering in our pledge to safeguard the incorruptibility of our judicial process and ensure those who threaten that process must answer for their actions.”
According to court documents, after the conspirators identified and decided to bribe Juror 52, at least one of Farah’s co-conspirators conducted surveillance of Juror 52 at Juror 52’s house. At or around the same time, Ladan Ali was recruited to deliver the bribe money to Juror 52. Farah worked with his co-conspirators to gather the funds necessary for the bribe. In the early morning of June 2, 2024, in furtherance of that effort, Farah sent a message to his brother and co-defendant Said Farah using an encrypted messaging app. Abdiaziz Farah told Said Farah to “[p]lease have the money ready by 10 please. It’s very important for everything we have.”
Later on June 2, 2024, Farah instructed his co-defendant Abdimajid Nur to meet him at Said Farah’s business, Bushra Wholesalers, to pick up the bribe money. Abdimajid Nur did so. However, Farah and Said Farah did not fully trust Ladan Ali, and they remained concerned that Juror 52 would not follow through with an acquittal. As such, a co-conspirator directed Abdulkarim Farah to drive Ladan Ali to Juror 52’s house and record a video of her delivery of the bribe money.
After meeting Ladan Ali not far from Juror 52’s house, Abdulkarim Farah and Ladan Ali drove to a nearby Target store where Abdulkarim Farah purchased a screwdriver to remove the license plate from Ladan Ali’s rental car prior to delivering the bribe to Juror 52 in an effort to avoid detection.
At approximately 8:50 p.m. on June 2, 2024, Abdulkarim Farah drove Ladan Ali to Juror 52’s house to deliver the bribe. Abdulkarim Farah took a video recording as Ladan Ali approached Juror 52’s house with a gift bag containing the bribe money. Ladan Ali handed the gift bag to a relative of Juror 52 and explained there would be more money if Juror 52 voted to acquit the defendants.
After Ladan Ali delivered the bribe, Abdulkarim Farah sent the video he had taken to his brother, Abdiaziz Farah. Abdiaziz Farah then forwarded that video to the third Farah brother, Said, in a message that said, “watch and delete.”
On June 3, 2024, Farah was present in court when prosecutors announced law enforcement’s discovery of the bribe attempt. Minutes later, after being ordered by Judge Nancy Brasel to surrender his phone to law enforcement, Farah conducted a factory reset of his iPhone in order to delete the messages, video, and other evidence of the bribe attempt from his phone.
Abdiaziz Farah pleaded guilty on June 17, 2025, in U.S. District Court before Judge David S. Doty to one count of bribery of a juror. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI with assistance from IRS – Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Harry M. Jacobs, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case.
Founder of Lender Service Provider Convicted for Role in Multimillion-Dollar PPP Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted Stephanie Hockridge, a founder of the lender service provider Blueacorn, on Friday in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Hockridge, also known as Stephanie Reis, 42, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and previously of Arizona, conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent PPP loan applications, including by fabricating documents that falsified income and payroll in order to receive loan funds for which they were not eligible.
“This defendant exploited a national emergency to personally profit from a taxpayer-funded program intended to support vulnerable individuals and small businesses,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This conviction demonstrates the Department’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for defrauding the government and wasting taxpayer money.”
“During a time of crisis in our country, this defendant abused the generosity of the American people by stealing money dedicated to the survival of small businesses to fraudulently enrich herself,” said Acting U. S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson for the Northern District of Texas. “We are proud of the diligent work of our law enforcement partners to hold her accountable and bring her to justice. Make no mistake, our efforts to bring such fraudsters to justice are ongoing.”
“Hockridge’s conviction demonstrates the FBI's continued commitment to protecting taxpayer-funded programs from fraud and abuse,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “This program was designed to provide critical funds to those struggling during a national crisis, not line the pockets of people seeking to exploit government assistance. The FBI remains committed to pursuing anyone who abuses the public trust for personal gain.”
“Ms. Hockridge defrauded the federal government of millions of dollars in pandemic relief funds for her own personal gain and has been brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Jon Ellwanger of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Western Region. “We are proud to have worked with our federal law enforcement partners to hold Ms. Hockridge accountable.”
“Exploiting the Small Business Administration’s pandemic relief programs for personal gain is an egregious theft of taxpayer funds,” said Deputy Inspector General Sheldon Shoemaker of the SBA Office of Inspector General. “SBA OIG will aggressively root out fraud to protect the integrity of SBA’s programs, which are intended to provide vital assistance to the nation’s small businesses. I want to thank the U. S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”
“This verdict is a victory for justice, accountability, and the American public,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office. “In a time of crisis, the Paycheck Protection Program was created as a lifeline to keep small businesses afloat and families fed. Ms. Hockridge saw it as an opportunity to enrich herself. Driven by greed, she used her business to steal millions of dollars intended for those in need. The women and men of IRS-CI will continue to protect what’s right and stand firmly with the honest business owners who play by the rules.”
As proven at trial, Hockridge co-founded Blueacorn in April 2020, purportedly to assist small businesses and individuals in obtaining PPP loans. To get larger loans for certain PPP applicants, Hockridge and her co-conspirators fabricated documents, including payroll records, tax documentation, and bank statements. Hockridge and her co-conspirators charged borrowers kickbacks based on a percentage of the funds received.
As part of the scheme, Hockridge and others offered a personalized service to their clients called “VIPPP” to help potential borrowers complete PPP loan applications. Hockridge recruited co-conspirators to work as VIPPP referral agents and coach borrowers on how to submit false PPP loan applications. To get more kickbacks from borrowers and a higher percentage of lender fees from the SBA, Hockridge and her co-conspirators submitted PPP loan applications that they knew contained materially false information. In total, Hockridge and her coconspirators processed tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent PPP loans. Hockridge was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and acquitted of four counts of wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 10 and faces up to 20 years in prison.
The FBI, IRS-CI, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board-CFPB Office of Inspector General, and SBA OIG investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and Assistant U. S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www. justice. gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/cares-act-fraud
MLARS’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers, and employees, whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www. justice. gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Founder of Lender Service Provider Convicted for Role in Multimillion-Dollar PPP Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted Stephanie Hockridge, a founder of the lender service provider Blueacorn, on Friday in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Hockridge, also known as Stephanie Reis, 42, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and previously of Arizona, conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent PPP loan applications, including by fabricating documents that falsified income and payroll in order to receive loan funds for which they were not eligible.
“This defendant exploited a national emergency to personally profit from a taxpayer-funded program intended to support vulnerable individuals and small businesses,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This conviction demonstrates the Department’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for defrauding the government and wasting taxpayer money.”
“During a time of crisis in our country, this defendant abused the generosity of the American people by stealing money dedicated to the survival of small businesses to fraudulently enrich herself,” said Acting U. S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson for the Northern District of Texas. “We are proud of the diligent work of our law enforcement partners to hold her accountable and bring her to justice. Make no mistake, our efforts to bring such fraudsters to justice are ongoing.”
“Hockridge’s conviction demonstrates the FBI's continued commitment to protecting taxpayer-funded programs from fraud and abuse,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “This program was designed to provide critical funds to those struggling during a national crisis, not line the pockets of people seeking to exploit government assistance. The FBI remains committed to pursuing anyone who abuses the public trust for personal gain.”
“Ms. Hockridge defrauded the federal government of millions of dollars in pandemic relief funds for her own personal gain and has been brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Jon Ellwanger of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Western Region. “We are proud to have worked with our federal law enforcement partners to hold Ms. Hockridge accountable.”
“Exploiting the Small Business Administration’s pandemic relief programs for personal gain is an egregious theft of taxpayer funds,” said Deputy Inspector General Sheldon Shoemaker of the SBA Office of Inspector General. “SBA OIG will aggressively root out fraud to protect the integrity of SBA’s programs, which are intended to provide vital assistance to the nation’s small businesses. I want to thank the U. S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”
“This verdict is a victory for justice, accountability, and the American public,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office. “In a time of crisis, the Paycheck Protection Program was created as a lifeline to keep small businesses afloat and families fed. Ms. Hockridge saw it as an opportunity to enrich herself. Driven by greed, she used her business to steal millions of dollars intended for those in need. The women and men of IRS-CI will continue to protect what’s right and stand firmly with the honest business owners who play by the rules.”
As proven at trial, Hockridge co-founded Blueacorn in April 2020, purportedly to assist small businesses and individuals in obtaining PPP loans. To get larger loans for certain PPP applicants, Hockridge and her co-conspirators fabricated documents, including payroll records, tax documentation, and bank statements. Hockridge and her co-conspirators charged borrowers kickbacks based on a percentage of the funds received.
As part of the scheme, Hockridge and others offered a personalized service to their clients called “VIPPP” to help potential borrowers complete PPP loan applications. Hockridge recruited co-conspirators to work as VIPPP referral agents and coach borrowers on how to submit false PPP loan applications. To get more kickbacks from borrowers and a higher percentage of lender fees from the SBA, Hockridge and her co-conspirators submitted PPP loan applications that they knew contained materially false information. In total, Hockridge and her coconspirators processed tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent PPP loans. Hockridge was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and acquitted of four counts of wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 10 and faces up to 20 years in prison.
The FBI, IRS-CI, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board-CFPB Office of Inspector General, and SBA OIG investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and Assistant U. S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www. justice. gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/cares-act-fraud
MLARS’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers, and employees, whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www. justice. gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Fort Mill Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Cederick Dion Dixon, 38, of Fort Mill, has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on Jan. 15, 2023, a South Carolina Highway Patrol state trooper initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for a defective equipment violation. He identified the driver and sole occupant as Dixon. Dixon admitted that his license was suspended and a records check revealed that his driver’s license was suspended as a habitual traffic offender. Dixon was arrested and a search of the vehicle uncovered a small baggie of marijuana in the driver’s side door handle along with an open bottle of liquor in the backseat. Inside of a backpack in the front seat, troopers found a firearm along with 9mm ammunition, and an assortment of narcotics.
Dixon is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition due to prior convictions for attempted armed robbery, unlawful carrying of a weapon, distribution of crack cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Dixon to 87 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the South Carolina Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.
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Former U.S. Postal Service Employee Sentenced for Theft of Postal Money OrdersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for embezzling over $18,000.
Christine Hedges, 47, of Brockton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to three years of probation. Hedges was also ordered to pay $18,939.58 in restitution and forfeiture. In March 2025, Hedges pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money. In March 2025, Hedges was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Hedges began working for USPS around 2020 and worked for the last year of her tenure as a Lead Sales & Service Associate in Brockton. From approximately October 2021 to August 2023, Hedges engaged in a scheme to steal USPS funds for her personal use. As part of this scheme, Hedges generated, for her own use, no-fee money orders without a customer physically present at her customer window and which a customer did not request. Hedges also stole cash from her USPS workstation and often attempted to conceal her theft by replacing the cash with the fraudulent money orders. During the relevant period, Hedges generated approximately 64 fraudulent no-fee money orders. Of those no-fee money orders, 11 were made out to her boyfriend or a family member. From on or about Aug. 1, 2023 to on or about Aug. 14, 2023, video surveillance from above Hedges’ workstation showed Hedges on at least one occasion removing cash from her assigned drawer and putting it in her pocket. In all, Hedges stole approximately $18,939 in postal funds.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.
Former Chairman and CEO of Publicly Traded Health Care Company Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Insider TradingRead the Press Release
The former CEO and chairman of the board of directors of Ontrak Inc., a Miami-based publicly traded health care company, was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for engaging in an insider trading scheme using Rule 10b5-1 stock trading plans to avoid losses of more than $12.5 million.
Terren Scott Peizer, 65, a resident of Puerto Rico and Santa Monica, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer, who also ordered him to pay a fine of $5.25 million and forfeit more than $12.7 million in ill-gotten gains.
“Terren Peizer betrayed the trust of Ontrak’s investors, trading on inside information to offload company stock before a substantial price decline,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s just sentence reflects the Criminal Division’s hard work and commitment to prosecuting frauds that harm American investors. The Criminal Division will use the tools at its disposal to combat sophisticated frauds that exploit our securities markets.”
“Insiders must not be allowed to put their thumbs on the scales of the stock market,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “Individuals who impugn the integrity of our markets can and will face prison time for their crimes.”
In May 2021, Peizer entered into his first 10b5-1 trading plan shortly after learning that the relationship between Ontrak and its largest customer was deteriorating, and that the customer had expressed serious reservations about continuing its contract with Ontrak. Peizer later learned that the customer informed Ontrak of its intent to terminate the contract. In August 2021, Peizer entered into his second 10b5-1 trading plan minutes after Ontrak’s chief negotiator for the contract told Peizer that the contract likely would be terminated.
In establishing his 10b5-1 plans, Peizer refused to engage in any “cooling-off” period — the time between when he entered into the plan and when he sold stock — despite warnings from two brokers, a senior Ontrak executive, and attorneys. Instead, Peizer began selling shares of Ontrak on the next trading day after establishing each plan. On Aug. 19, 2021, just six days after Peizer adopted his 10b5-1 plan, Ontrak announced that the customer had terminated its contract and Ontrak’s stock price declined by more than 44%.
In June 2024, Peizer was found guilty after a 10 day jury trial of one count of securities fraud and two counts of insider trading. The case is part of a data-driven initiative led by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section to identify executive abuses of 10b5-1 trading plans.
The FBI investigated the case. The Justice Department appreciates the substantial assistance of FINRA’s Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group.
Trial Attorney Matthew Reilly of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Galatzan for the Central District of California assisted with the forfeiture proceedings.
Former CEO and Chairman of Florida-Based Publicly Traded Health Care Company Sentenced to over 3 Years in Prison for Insider TradingRead the Press Release
First Insider Trading Prosecution Based Exclusively
on Use of Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plans
LOS ANGELES – The former CEO and chairman of the board of directors of Ontrak Inc., a Miami, Florida-based publicly traded health care company, was sentenced today to 42 months in federal prison for engaging in an insider trading scheme – using Rule 10b5-1 stock trading plans – to avoid losses of more than $12.5 million.
Terren Scott Peizer, 65, a resident of Puerto Rico and Santa Monica, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer, who also ordered him to pay a $5.2 million fine and forfeit $12.7 million in ill-gotten gains.
At the conclusion of a 10-day trial in June 2024, a jury found Peizer guilty of one count of securities fraud and two counts of insider trading.
“Terren Peizer betrayed the trust of Ontrak’s investors, trading on inside information to offload company stock before a substantial price decline,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s just sentence reflects the Criminal Division’s hard work and commitment to prosecuting frauds that harm American investors. The Criminal Division will use the tools at its disposal to combat sophisticated frauds that exploit our securities markets.”
“Insiders must not be allowed to put their thumbs on the scales of the stock market,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Individuals who impugn the integrity of our markets can and will face prison time for their crimes.”
The case is part of a data-driven initiative led by the Justice Department’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section to identify executive abuses of 10b5-1 trading plans. Rule 10b5-1 trading plans can offer an executive a defense to insider trading charges. However, the defense is unavailable if the executive is in possession of material, non-public information at the time he or she enters into the 10b5-1 trading plan. Additionally, a plan does not protect an executive if the trading plan was not entered into in good faith or was entered into as part of an effort or scheme to evade the prohibitions of Rule 10b5-1.
Peizer avoided losses of approximately $12.5 million by entering into two Rule 10b5-1 trading plans while in possession of material, non-public information concerning the serious risk that Ontrak’s then-largest customer would terminate its contract.
In May 2021, Peizer entered into his first 10b5-1 trading plan shortly after learning that the relationship between Ontrak and the customer was deteriorating, and that the customer had expressed serious reservations about continuing its contract with Ontrak. Peizer later learned that the customer informed Ontrak of its intent to terminate the contract. Then, in August 2021, Peizer entered into his second 10b5-1 trading plan approximately one hour after Ontrak’s chief negotiator for the contract confirmed to Peizer that the contract likely would be terminated.
In establishing his 10b5-1 plans, Peizer refused to engage in any “cooling-off” period – the time between when he entered into the plan and when he sold stock – despite warnings from two brokers, a senior Ontrak executive, and attorneys. Instead, Peizer began selling shares of Ontrak on the next trading day after establishing each plan. On August 19, 2021, just six days after Peizer adopted his August 10b5-1 plan, Ontrak announced that the customer had terminated its contract and Ontrak’s stock price declined by more than 44%.
The FBI investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s (FINRA) Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group.
The U.S. Attorneys Office and Matthew Reilly of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan S. Galatzan of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section handled the forfeiture proceedings.
Florida Nonprofit Founder and Accountant Charged with Stealing over $100M from Special Needs VictimsRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging two Florida men in connection with a fraudulent scheme to steal over $100 million from a nonprofit organization that managed funds for people with special needs and disabilities.
“As alleged, for over 15 years, the defendants conspired to use the funds of special needs clients as a personal piggy bank, stealing $100 million dollars meant for the most vulnerable members of our society to enrich themselves,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s charges reflect the Criminal Division’s ongoing commitment to prosecuting sophisticated fraudsters who abuse the trust of their victims. Thanks to the relentless efforts of our multiagency partners, we will continue to aggressively pursue accountability for perpetrators who exploit Americans out of greed.”
“Protecting the most vulnerable members of our society is a priority of the U. S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “The fraud alleged in this nationwide scheme is unfathomable. Due to the diligence and interagency collaboration by our dedicated law enforcement partners, these crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The subjects charged are accused of creating a slush fund to divert millions of dollars away from a nonprofit organization helping people with special needs,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Not only were the organization’s resources drained, but the accused subjects betrayed the trust of the community and ultimately bankrupted a lifeline for vulnerable families. The FBI will not tolerate the exploitation of charitable missions for personal enrichment.”
“The scale and audacity of the alleged fraud in this case are deeply troubling,” said Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco of the IRS. “Stealing funds intended to protect and support people with special needs is as cruel as it is criminal. IRS-CI special agents are dedicated to uncovering complex financial schemes, especially those that prey on the most vulnerable in our society.”
“The defendant disrupted access to critical services for individuals with disabilities and defrauded federal health care programs with the sole purpose of financing a life of extravagance,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold those whose illicit actions seek to assail enrollees and the nation’s federal health care programs fully accountable.”
According to court documents, Leo Joseph Govoni, 67, of Clearwater, Florida, co-founded the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration (CSNT) in or around 2000 and John Leo Witeck, 60, of Tampa, Florida, worked at CSNT as an accountant. CSNT allegedly was a nonprofit that managed money for people with disabilities and other special needs, including those who received court awards, settlements, and other payments. CSNT grew to be one of the largest administrators of special needs trusts in the country, with beneficiaries located in almost every state. As of February 2024, the indictment alleges, CSNT managed over 2,100 special needs trusts containing approximately $200 million.
As alleged in the indictment, from June 2009 through May 2025, Govoni, Witeck, and their co-conspirators solicited, stole, and misappropriated CSNT client-beneficiary funds — which they treated as a slush fund to enrich themselves and others — and concealed their illegal activities through complex financial transactions and deceit, including sending fraudulent account statements with false balances to disabled victims. Govoni allegedly used stolen money to purchase real estate, travel via private jet, fund a brewery, make deposits into his personal bank accounts, and pay personal debts. In 2024, CSNT filed for bankruptcy and disclosed that more than $100 million in client-beneficiary funds were missing from its trust accounts. Govoni is alleged to have made false declarations to the bankruptcy court related to the CSNT bankruptcy proceedings.
Separately, Govoni is also alleged to have committed bank fraud related to a $3 million mortgage refinance loan and to have laundered $205,054 of the proceeds to pay off a home equity line of credit on his residence.
Govoni and Witeck were both charged with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering conspiracy. Govoni was additionally charged with bank fraud, illegal monetary transactions, and false bankruptcy declarations.
If convicted, both defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and money laundering conspiracy charges. If convicted, Govoni faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on the bank fraud charge, 10 years in prison on the illegal monetary transactions charge, and five years in prison on the false bankruptcy declaration charge.
The FBI, IRS-CI, HHS-OIG, and SSA-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Lyndie Freeman of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U. S. Attorneys Jennifer Peresie and Michael Gordon for the Middle District of Florida are handling the prosecution.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida Non-Profit Founder and Accountant Charged with Stealing over $100 Million from Special Needs VictimsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Leo Joseph Govoni (67, Clearwater) and John Leo Witeck (60, Tampa) in connection with a fraud scheme that involved stealing more than $100 million from, and ultimately bankrupting, a non-profit organization in Clearwater that managed funds for vulnerable individuals with special needs and disabilities.
Govoni and Witeck are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, three counts of mail fraud, six counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Govoni is also charged separately with one count of bank fraud, one count of illegal monetary transaction, and one count of making a false bankruptcy declaration. The bank fraud offense carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Each count of wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and the money laundering conspiracy offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment. The illegal monetary transaction count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and the false bankruptcy declaration carries a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment.
According to the indictment and court documents, around the year 2000, Govoni co-founded the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration (CSNT), a non-profit that managed funds for individuals with disabilities and other special needs, including those who received settlements, court awards, and other payments. CSNT grew to be one of the largest administrators of special needs trusts in the country, with beneficiaries located in Florida and nationwide. As of February 2024, CSNT managed more than 2,100 special needs trusts containing approximately $200 million in assets.
As alleged in the indictment, from June 2009 through May 2025, Govoni, Witeck, and their co-conspirators solicited, stole, and misappropriated CSNT client-beneficiary funds—which they treated as a slush fund to enrich themselves and others—and concealed their illegal activities through complex financial transactions and deceit, including sending fraudulent account statements with false balances to disabled victims and their families. Govoni allegedly used stolen money to purchase real estate, travel via private jet, fund a brewery, make deposits in his personal bank accounts, and pay debts. In February 2024, CSNT filed for bankruptcy and disclosed that more than $100 million in client-beneficiary funds was missing from its trust accounts.
Govoni is also charged with bank fraud related to a $3 million mortgage refinance loan and the alleged laundering of $205,054 of the fraud proceeds to pay off a home equity line of credit on his residence. Govoni is further alleged to have made false declarations to the bankruptcy court related to the CSNT bankruptcy proceedings.
“Protecting the most vulnerable members of our society is a priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U. S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “The fraud alleged in this nationwide scheme is unfathomable. Due to the diligence and interagency collaboration by our dedicated law enforcement partners, these crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The subjects charged are accused of creating a slush fund to divert millions of dollars away from a nonprofit organization helping people with special needs,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Not only were the organization’s resources drained, but the accused subjects betrayed the trust of the community and ultimately bankrupted a lifeline for vulnerable families. The FBI will not tolerate the exploitation of charitable missions for personal enrichment.”
“The scale and audacity of the alleged fraud in this case are deeply troubling,” said Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco of the IRS. “Stealing funds intended to protect and support people with special needs is as cruel as it is criminal. IRS-CI special agents are dedicated to uncovering complex financial schemes, especially those that prey on the most vulnerable in our society.”
“The defendant disrupted access to critical services for individuals with disabilities and defrauded federal health care programs with the sole purpose of financing a life of extravagance,” stated Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold those who’s illicit actions seek to assail enrollees and the nation’s federal health care programs fully accountable.”
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Peresie and Michael Gordon and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Lyndie Freeman of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Federal Charges Filed Against Pensacola Man for Serial Armed Robbery OffensesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Deshawn I. Donson, 21, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on charges related to eighteen armed robberies of gas stations and convenience stores in Escambia County. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Donson is scheduled for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Hope Thai Cannon at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida on June 24, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.
The Indictment charges Donson with Interference with Commerce by Threats or Violence, Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon for eighteen armed robberies between 2022 - 2025.
Court documents reflect that Donson was captured by law enforcement after an armed robbery on May 18, 2025, which resulted in a high-speed vehicle chase and a vehicle immobilization technique utilized by sheriff’s deputies to stop and apprehend Donson.
If convicted, Donson faces up to life imprisonment.
The case is jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Pensacola Police Department; and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jennifer H. Callahan.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
El Salvadoran Man Convicted of Fentanyl Trafficking, Firearms Offenses, and Illegal EntryRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An El Salvadoran national has been found guilty in federal court of trafficking fentanyl, illegally possessing firearms, and unlawful entry to the United States.
Jose Navarrete-Hernandez, 42, was found guilty of one count each of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, possessing a firearm as an illegal alien, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and illegal entry into the United States. United States District Judge M. Douglas Harpool issued a verdict Monday, June 23, 2025, following a one-day bench trial on May 12, 2025.
On May 11, 2023, officers with the Carthage, Mo., Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a gray Ford F-250 with an expired Texas license plate driven by Navarrete-Hernandez. After confirming that Navarrete-Hernandez did not have a valid driver’s license, the officers searched Navarrete-Hernandez and the F-250.
Officers found in the truck a black backpack containing two drug scales, two glass pipes with white powdery residue, approximately 145 fentanyl pills, a Heritage Rough Rider revolver, ammunition, and a forged social security card. Officers also found a Raven P-25 pistol with an obliterated serial number in the truck. At the time, Navarrete-Hernandez was not a citizen or national of the United States and had entered the United States at a place other than a designated port of entry.
Under federal statutes, Navarrete-Hernandez is subject to a sentence of up to Life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Clark and Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Missouri State Highway Patrol; and the Carthage, Mo., Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
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).
Ecuadorian National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Ecuadorian national unlawfully residing in Lawrence has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after deportation. The defendant attempted to enter the U.S. six times and was arrested in Lawrence, Mass., in November 2021 on state charges of assault and battery for which he received a suspended sentence and was released from state custody without notice to immigration authorities.
Carlos Guaico-Bano, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for September 15, 2025. Rios-Nolasco was arrested in May 2025.
On Feb. 4, 2020, Feb. 10, 2020, Feb. 19, 2020 and March 3, 2020, Guaico-Bano was encountered by Border Patrol in Brackettville, Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas. In each of these four instances, Border Patrol determined that Guaico-Bano had no lawful right to be present in the United States and returned him to the Mexican side of the border.
During his March 3, 2020 encounter with Border Patrol, Guaico-Bano was served with a Notice to Appear at removal proceedings on March 10, 2020. However, instead of appearing for removal proceedings as directed, Guaico-Bano attempted to enter the U.S. without permission for a fifth time. Guaico-Bano was immediately placed into custody and processed for removal back to Ecuador. He was ordered removed from the United States the same day.
In September 2020, Guaico-Bano was caught attempting to illegally enter the United States for a sixth time and was removed back to Ecuador.
On Nov. 23, 2021, immigration authorities became aware that Guaico-Bano had illegally reentered the United States following his arrest on Nov. 17, 2021, in Lawrence, for assault and battery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He was later convicted of these charges and received an 18-month suspended sentence. However, Guaico-Bano was released from custody before immigration authorities could take action.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Dubuque Man Sentenced to 42 Years for Sexually Exploiting ChildRead the Press Release
A man who sexually exploited a child and distributed child pornography was sentenced today to 42 years in federal prison. John James Dixon, age 41, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 22, 2025 guilty plea to sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child pornography.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that between August 2023 and May 2024, on multiple occasions, John Dixon and his co-conspirator, Justin James Paisley, committed sexual acts with a prepubescent child. They photographed and videotaped the child engaging in sexual conduct and sent those images to each other via text message. Paisley also photographed a second prepubescent child engaged in sexually explicit conduct and sent the photograph to Dixon.
Dixon was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Dixon was sentenced to 504 months’ imprisonment, must pay $6,000 in special assessments, and must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Dixon is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-1032.
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Dozens Charged in South Florida with Federal Firearms and Drug Trafficking Crimes, 80 Firearms and Multiple Kilos of Fentanyl, Other Dangerous Drugs SeizedRead the Press Release
MIAMI - U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Gordon Mallory of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Miami Field Division announced today the results of a two-month, multi-agency effort targeting repeat offenders in South Florida during a press conference.
In April, the ATF launched “Operation Showdown,” an enhanced enforcement initiative focused on combating violent crime and the illegal possession and trafficking of firearms in South Florida. As part of this initiative, ATF personnel from around the country were deployed to work alongside federal and local law enforcement agencies, bringing with them a broad range of expertise—including tactical operations, technical support, and undercover capabilities.
So far, the ATF-led initiative has resulted in federal charges and arrests of 31 Miami-Dade and Broward County residents with firearms and narcotics trafficking offenses. In total, 80 firearms were seized along with 900 rounds of ammunition. The seized firearms include automatic and semiautomatic weapons, rifles, handguns, and machine gun conversion devices. Additionally, approximately 10 kilograms of illegal narcotics were confiscated, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, crack, oxycodone, and others.
“Drugs and guns continue to fuel the violence that threatens the safety of our community,” said U.S. Attorney O’Byrne. “By prosecuting violent offenders, in close collaboration with ATF and other federal and local law enforcement agencies, we send a clear and unified message that South Florida will not be defined by fear but by safety and justice. I commend the agents and officers that made Operation Showdown a success.”
“This Enhanced Enforcement Initiative in Southern Florida has resulted in long term results,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Mallory. “ATF will continue to prioritize keeping violent offenders, those who traffic, possess, and utilize firearms illegally, and narcotics traffickers, out of our communities, because it is a critical component of keeping our communities safe. This targeted program could not have been possible without the support and collaboration from our local and federal partners. ATF strives to foster and maintain these relationships to ensure that we safeguard the public that we serve.”
U.S. Attorney O’Byrne and acting ATF Miami Special Agent in Charge Mallory acknowledged and commended the investigative support and assistance from the United States Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Broward Sheriff’s Office, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, and The Fort Lauderdale Police Department.
The federal cases are being coordinated by Deputy Chief Sharad Motiani of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.
United States v. Bethel, Case No. 25-cr-20256, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Montes.
United States v. Breedlove, Case No. 25-mj-06411, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gerarde.
United States v. Doe, Case No. 25-mj-06390, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Carre.
United States v. Downing, Case No. 25-mj-06403, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Killoran.
United States v. Ferdinand, Case No. 25-mj-06409, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Mahoney.
United States v. Graham, Case No. 25-cr-60143, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Mahoney.
United States v. Harris, Case No. 25-cr-20264, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey Pence Tomanelli.
United States v. Holmes, Case No. 25-cr-60136, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Koffsky.
United States v. James et al., Case No. 25-cr-20212, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kseniya Smychkouskaya.
United States v. Jefferson, Case No. 25-cr-20206, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Koffsky.
United States v. McIntyre, Case No. 25-cr-20113, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Fugate.
United States v. Memnon et al., Case No. 25-mj-06406, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gerarde.
United States v. Moultry, Case No. 25-cr-60131, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Thompson.
United States v. Rodriguez, Case No. 25-cr-20246, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brianna Coakley.
United States v. Roxton, Case No. 25-mj-06404, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Mahoney.
United States v. Washington et al., Case No. 25-mj-03196, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elena Smukler.
United States v. Williams, Case No. 25-mj-06402, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Killoran.
United States v. Williams, Case No. 25-cr-20112, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Fugate.
United States v. Worthy, Case No. 25-cr-60139, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kseniya Smychkouskaya.
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 charges contained in indictments and complaints are not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Note: images on display during the press conference can be viewed here.
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Corinth Man Sentenced in Armed Carjacking CaseRead the Press Release
Aberdeen, MS – A Corinth man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for armed carjacking.
According to court documents, Talinn Loveless, 24, previously pled guilty to taking a motor vehicle from the presence of another through force, violence, and intimidation, as well as brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory seven years imprisonment consecutive to any sentence imposed for any other count of conviction.
Senior U.S. District Judge Glen H. Davidson sentenced Loveless to a total term of imprisonment of 144 months, which included 60 months for carjacking and an additional 84 months for brandishing a firearm during the commission of the offense. Upon release from prison, Loveless will be on supervision for a period of three years. Loveless was also ordered to pay $5,000.00 in restitution to the victim. He was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal following sentencing.
“Violent criminals belong in jail, and the sentence imposed today by Judge Davidson has ensured accountability for the actions of this defendant,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “The Corinth Police Department and the FBI conducted an outstanding investigation that ensured serious consequences for the inherently dangerous crime of armed carjacking.”
“The Corinth Police Department would like to thank the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their hard work and assistance in this matter,” said Corinth Police Chief Landon Tucker. “This defendant was rightfully brought to justice. We will continue to prioritize the safety of our community and ensure that those who threaten public safety are held responsible.”
“Depriving innocent victims of their hard-earned property will not be tolerated,” Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff. “Mr. Loveless’ conviction and sentencing sends a clear message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to work together to pursue violent offenders relentlessly and work tirelessly to restore safety and justice to our neighborhoods."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Corinth Police Department, and the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Mims prosecuted the case.
Co-Defendants Plead Guilty in two Carjackings from December 2024 and January 2025Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Erick Alvarenga, 19, and Malik Kearney, 20, both of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today to carjacking and firearms offenses stemming from two separate carjackings in December 2024 and January 2025, in Northeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Both defendants pleaded guilty in D.C. Superior Court to two counts of carjacking and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The Honorable Judge Andrea Hertzfeld scheduled a sentencing hearing for August 29, 2025.
According to the proffer of facts, on December 28, 2024, around 4:45 a.m., the first victim was in a Jeep SUV that was parked in the 6100 block of Eastern Avenue, Northeast, when the defendants approached, one of whom was armed with a black handgun. Alvarenga and Kearney told the victim to get out of the car and give them the keys. The victim complied with the demand and exited the vehicle. The defendants then drove away from the scene.
The second offense occurred days later, on January 3, 2025, around 3:00 p.m. when the second victim was at a gas station in the 4200 block of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, Northeast. As the victim finished putting gas in his Dodge sedan, Alvarenga used the Jeep which had been stolen on December 28, 2024, to block in the second victim’s car. Kearney then approached the second victim with a handgun. The victim was ordered out of his car. Kearney got behind the wheel of the Dodge, and both vehicles fled in the same direction.
Alvarenga and Kearney were arrested around 9:00 p.m. after the second victim’s Dodge had been seen traveling on the interstate before coming to a stop in the 6400 block of Eastern Avenue. Both defendants fled into the basement of a nearby home where they were detained by the police. Officers recovered two firearms from the location where the defendants were detained. One of the weapons had the serial number removed and the other was a PMF ghost gun.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Randle Wilson and Amanda Hoover.
Citizen of Mexico Indicted on Illegal Reentry ChargeRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG, The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced Fernando Hernandez-Garfias, age 42, a Mexican Citizen, was indicted on June 18, 2025, by a federal grand jury on a charge of Illegal Reentry.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about May 7, 2025, Hernandez-Garfias was found in York County, Pennsylvania, after previously having been removed from the United States. The indictment also alleges that Hernandez-Garfias had been removed from the United States on November 23, 2016, through Brownsville, Texas, and reentered without first obtaining legal permission to do so.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 2 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Cincinnati father & son each sentenced to more than a dozen years in prison for running drug ringRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A father and son who lived an extravagant lifestyle from proceeds of their drug trafficking organization were sentenced in U.S. District Court to 180 months and 150 months in prison respectively.
Stephen Wheeler, 49, was sentenced on June 20 and his son Romello Wheeler, 30, was sentenced on April 17.
According to court documents, between July 2022 and February 2023, the Wheelers operated a multi-kilogram drug trafficking organization involving fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana.
The two men shared a luxury apartment downtown Cincinnati for more than $4,000 per month in rent. They rented a separate house for approximately $1,000 to use as a drug premises. Throughout the eight-month investigation, the defendants drove nine different high-end vehicles, traveled extensively throughout the United States and internationally, and purchased front-row tickets with field passes for the Halftime Show for the Super Bowl in Los Angeles. When they and their residences were searched by law enforcement, they had approximately 1,317.9 grams of fentanyl, 1,678.3 grams of 95% pure crystal methamphetamine (or “Ice”), 962.5 grams of cocaine, $190,000 in bulk cash, and more than $395,000 worth of assorted jewelry, along with a loaded armor-piercing pistol.
The defendants pled guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine.
A third co-defendant, Mikelle D. Hill, was convicted and sentenced to four months in prison for her role in helping the drug trafficking organization, which included a truck and storage unit registered to her name.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), announced the sentences imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney David P. Dornette, Criminal Chief Christy L. Muncy, and Deputy Criminal Chief Frederic Shadley are representing the United States in this case.
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Chicago Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Edmund Omar Johnson, also known as “Chicago” and “Polo,” 45, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced today to eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2024, Johnson sold approximately 865 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a Fourth Avenue residence in Huntington. Johnson admitted to the transaction and to arranging it with the confidential informant beforehand.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney L. Finney and Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-184.
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Charlotte Woman Sentenced to Prison for Bank Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Unlawful Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jessica Bailey Sowell, 32, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 57 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unlawful possession of a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Sowell was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $47,190.25.
Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to court records, from March 2023 to February 2024, Sowell devised and executed an identity theft and bank fraud scheme using stolen personal identifying information (PII) of multiple identity theft victims obtained through stolen mail, the internet, and other sources. Sowell created fraudulent identification documents with the stolen PII, which she used at banks, hotels, and retail stores to obtain money and merchandise, and to rent hotel rooms and cars. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement found letters, bank cards, and checks in Sowell’s possession that belonged to at least 26 victims of identity theft.
According to court records, a federal search warrant was executed at a hotel room where Sowell was staying, where investigators seized one suitcase containing hundreds of pieces of mail with various names and addresses; a second suitcase packed with store tagged merchandise; two handwritten journals with the names and credit information of multiple persons; and 23 driver’s licenses from different states with Sowell’s photograph and the PII of identity theft victims. Investigators also searched a rental vehicle Sowell was using and seized a credit card in the name of an ID theft victim; receipts for merchandise purchased with the victim’s credit card; an identity card printer; multiple blank identity cards; and holographic stickers, among other items.
During the search of Sowell’s hotel room, investigators also found a Taurus G3 9mm handgun, bedazzled with sequins on the barrel. Sowell has a 2021 federal aggravated identity theft conviction and a 2015 state felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute MDA/MDMA and she is prohibited from possessing firearms.
On August 5, 2024, Sowell pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aiding and abetting, aggravated identity theft and aiding and abetting, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. She is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The Secret Service and CMPD investigated the case, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Savage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crime and Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jason Lorel Minter, 44, of Charleston, was sentenced today to 12 years and three months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and for violating supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 10, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Minter’s residence and seized 126.8 grams of fentanyl, 312.7 grams of methamphetamine, 490 grams of marijuana, a loaded Taurus model G3 9mm pistol, a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P .40-caliber pistol, and $1,522. Minter admitted to possessing the seized controlled substances.
At the time of this offense, Minter was serving a term of supervised release resulting from his convictions for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of cocaine base, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on January 28, 2004. Today’s sentence includes five years in prison for committing a crime while on supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-196.
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Carlisle Man Indicted for ArsonRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Petonyak, age 46, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was charged on June 18, 2025, by a federal grand jury with two counts of arson.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on August 11, 2021, Petonyak maliciously set fire to materials associated with two buildings in Carlisle: The Gingerbread Man, located on S. Court House Avenue; and the Faye’s Kitchen, located on S. Hanover Street.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Carlisle Police Department; and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford is prosecuting the case.
Petonyak faces a maximum penalty of 40 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Campaign treasurer pleads guilty to embezzling over $840,000Read the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria woman pled guilty today to embezzling campaign contributions from three federal candidates for political office and committing tax evasion.
According to court documents, Katherine Margaret Buchanan, 59, worked as a political campaign compliance consultant for more than 20 years for various political campaigns and political action committees (PACs). Typically, she held the title of “Treasurer” of the campaign or PAC. Beginning in 2020 and continuing to 2024, Buchanan used the access she had as treasurer to embezzle contributed funds from her clients and converted that money to her own personal use. Buchanan used campaign or PAC funds to make payments to her personal credit cards, used official campaign or PAC credit cards to make personal purchases, used campaign or PAC funds to pay third parties for her own personal enrichment, and transferred funds from campaign or PAC bank accounts into her personal bank accounts.
Buchanan used the embezzled funds for such personal expenses as dining, landscaping, aesthetic services, a Peloton exercise bike, clothing, airline tickets to Italy, concert tickets and suites, landscaping, chartered yacht tours, and legal fees. Altogether, Buchanan misappropriated at least $840,006.98 in contributed funds from the various campaign committees and PACs for whom she served as treasurer.
Buchanan also under-reported the income she received from 2017 through 2022 to the Internal Revenue Service to avoid paying taxes on it. This resulted in a total loss of unpaid federal taxes of $671,200.
Buchanan is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 8 and faces up to five years in prison for each charge. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Emily Odom, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-150.
California Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Laundering Proceeds of $16M Hospice Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A California man pleaded guilty today to laundering more than $4.6 million in connection with a years-long scheme to defraud Medicare of nearly $16 million through sham hospice companies.
According to court documents, Mihran Panosyan, 46, of Winnetka, worked with others to launder the proceeds of a massive Medicare fraud scheme, transferring the fraudulently obtained funds between multiple accounts before spending them. The scheme comprised three parts. First, three of Panosyan’s co-defendants used the identities of foreign nationals no longer in the United States to operate several sham hospice companies. Panosyan and his co-defendants maintained fraudulent identification documents, bank accounts, checkbooks, and credit and debit cards in the names of purported foreign owners. Second, the co-defendants caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for hospice services for patients who were not terminally ill and who never requested nor received hospice services. As a result, Medicare paid the sham hospices nearly $16 million. Third, Panosyan and his co-defendants laundered the proceeds of the scheme to conceal the source of the funds and their control over them. Panosyan transferred proceeds of the Medicare fraud between accounts in the names of the purported foreign owners, the sham hospices, and other shell corporations, laundering more than $4.6 million in fraudulently obtained funds that he used to purchase real estate, pay for private school for his minor child, and pay for other personal expenses.
Panosyan pleaded guilty to money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 8. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Panosyan’s co-defendant, Petros Fichidzhyan, previously pleaded guilty to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. Last month, Fichidzhyan was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Trial against the other three defendants in this case is scheduled to begin July 29.
The guilty plea today is the most recent conviction in the Justice Department’s ongoing effort to combat hospice fraud in the greater Los Angeles area. Last year, a doctor was convicted at trial for his role in a scheme to bill Medicare for hospice services patients did not need, and two other defendants were sentenced for their roles in a hospice fraud scheme.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Michael Bacharach, Sarah E. Edwards, and Allison L. McGuire of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara B. Vavere of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California is handling asset forfeiture.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Boston Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for a drug distribution offense involving fentanyl. The defendant is currently awaiting trial on murder charges in Massachusetts state court.
Csean Skerritt, a/k/a “Shizz Grimmy,” a/k/a “Black,” 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 68 months federal prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. In March 2025, Skerritt pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl. In March 2025, Skerritt was indicted by a federal grand jury.
As part of a drug trafficking investigation, on Feb. 1, 2023, Skerritt agreed to sell 50 grams of fentanyl to an individual in exchange for $1,500. Following a series of communications, Skerritt met the individual at a pre-arranged location. There, Skerritt entered the individual’s car and provided approximately 52.3 grams of fentanyl in exchange for the agreed-upon amount.
On March 9, 2023, Skerritt was indicted for murder in the Massachusetts Superior Court and is awaiting trial.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Billings Doctor Pleads Guilty to Charge Related to ProstitutionRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A Billings man accused of using a cell phone to arrange for commercial sex admitted to a charge today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Usman Hanif Khan, 52, pleaded guilty to use of a facility of interstate commerce to aid in racketeering. He faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided, and District Court Judge Susan P. Watters will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set at a later time. Khan was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that prior to April 9, 2023, Khan met a woman on a social media website for those interested in a commercial sex relationship. Then, on or about April 9, 2023, Khan communicated with the woman for the purpose of arranging a commercial sex date with Jane Doe, a minor. Khan and the woman communicated via text messenger and utilized cell phones to arrange the date and discussed, among other items, the particulars of the commercial sex date. On the evening of April 9, 2023, the woman transported Jane Doe to Khan’s residence for the purpose of a commercial sex date. Khan and Jane Doe engaged in a sex act, after which Khan contacted the woman to arrange transportation of Jane Doe and provided Jane Doe with money for the encounter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus is prosecuting the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Cocaine Following a Wiretap InvestigationRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Travis Sentell Howell, 46, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to distributing 80 kilograms of cocaine.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division.
According to the guilty plea, beginning in fall 2022, the FBI and DEA investigated a drug trafficking conspiracy involving several individuals distributing cocaine in the Baltimore area, including Howell. During the investigation, investigators obtained court-authorized wiretaps for Howell’s phones. Investigators intercepted telephone calls during which Howell and co-conspirators used coded language to discuss distributing cocaine, arranging meetings, and obtaining cash proceeds from the conspiracy. Based on wiretaps and surveillance work, law enforcement observed Howell and co-conspirators conducting suspected drug transactions in various locations in Baltimore.
Investigators learned that, during the conspiracy, Howell obtained kilogram quantities of cocaine from the west coast. After the cocaine arrived, Howell redistributed it to customers in the Baltimore area. He paid for the cocaine by, among other things, traveling to the west coast and providing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to couriers.
On June 4, 2024, investigators executed federal search warrants on several residences associated with suspected members of the drug trafficking organization, including a residence associated with Howell. During the search, investigators recovered approximately $13,182 in cash, a money counter, gold Rolex watch, and other jewelry. At the locations associated with other members of the conspiracy, investigators recovered more than five kilograms of cocaine, a pill press and pill press parts, empty glassine wrappers, gas mask, Narcan, cutting agents, digital scales, and cash.
After the execution of the search warrant, Howell acknowledged that for multiple years he received multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine and redistributed it to other individuals in the Baltimore area. Howell stated that during the time of the investigation, he obtained approximately 80 kilograms of cocaine and redistributed it to other individuals. He also explained that during a trip to Los Angeles, the week before the search warrant, Howell transported $180,000 of U.S. Currency, which he provided as payment for cocaine to transport back to Baltimore for distribution. Howell admitted that he made multiple short trips to Los Angeles, which he explained was to provide payment for cocaine and that all payments were for at least $100,000 or more.
The parties agree that if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Howell will be sentenced to nine years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for August 18.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and DEA for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Simpkins who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Armed Robber Caught by Joint Law Enforcement Effort After Escaping CustodyRead the Press Release
DETROIT — Markiese King, 31, of Detroit, Michigan was charged this week, with a six-count indictment alleging three counts of Interference with Commerce by Robbery, two counts of Use and Carry of a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and one count of Prisoner Escape, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced today.
According to the indictment, King is alleged to have robbed a Dollar General store in the city of Detroit on May 20, 2025. After entering the store, King allegedly brandished a firearm and demanded money from the store’s employees.
The indictment also alleges that on May 23, 2025, King robbed an Advance Auto Parts in the city of Warren, Michigan. King threatened the store’s employees and demanded money.
Between the second and third robberies, King allegedly left the Cherry Health Residential Reentry Center, where he was in custody for a prior conviction, without permission. After escaping, on May 28, 2025, King allegedly robbed an AutoZone in Highland Park, Michigan again brandishing a pistol at employees.
The Detroit Police Department, Warren Police Department, Highland Park Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Macomb County Gang and Violent Crime Task Force, and Detroit Violent Crime Task Force, as well as the U.S. Marshal’s Service worked together to identify and locate King leading to his swift arrest on May 30, 2025. King has been in custody since that arrest.
An indictment is only a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Micah Wallace.
Alleged Sinaloa Cartel Drug Trafficker Extradited from ColombiaRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Alleged Sinaloa Cartel cell leader Brian Donaciano Olguin-Verdugo, aka Pitt, who is believed responsible for trafficking large amounts of cocaine into the United States from Mexico, appeared in federal court today following his extradition from Colombia.
Olguin-Verdugo was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of California in March 2021 for International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Conspiracy to Import Cocaine. Olguin-Verdugo was apprehended by Colombian authorities in April 2022 while visiting Cali, and Colombia granted the United States’ extradition request in May 2025.
At today’s hearing, Olguin-Verdugo was arraigned and entered a not-guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 20, 2025, for a motion hearing/trial setting in front of U.S. District Court Judge Todd W. Robinson.
“Those who export dangerous drugs to the United States and seek to evade justice will find no place to hide,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “The Department of Justice appreciates the cooperation of the Colombian authorities in this matter. The work of the Homeland Security Task Forces ensures that the extradition of high-level cartel targets will remain a top priority nationally, but especially in the Southern District of California.”
The Southern District of California prosecution in this case is part of a multi-year investigation that, in total, has resulted in charges against over 125 people and has had a significant impact on the worldwide operations of the Sinaloa Cartel. This investigation has also offered one of the most comprehensive views to date of the inner workings of one of the world’s most prolific, violent and powerful drug cartels. Cartel members and associates were targeted in this massive investigation involving multiple countries, numerous law enforcement agencies around the United States, a number of federal districts and over 250 court-authorized wiretaps in this district alone. The case is being prosecuted by this office’s Narcoterrorism Unit.
This case began in late 2011 as an investigation of what was at first believed to be a small-scale drug distribution cell in National City and Chula Vista. It became evident that the drugs were being supplied by the Sinaloa Cartel, and the case evolved into a massive multi-national, multi-state probe that resulted in scores of arrests and seizures of 1,397 kilograms of methamphetamine, 2,214 kilograms of cocaine, 17.2 tons of marijuana, 95.84 kilograms of heroin, and $27,892,706 in narcotics proceeds.
The Justice Department extends its gratitude to the Government of Colombia and its prosecutorial and law enforcement authorities for making the extradition possible. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia and the United States State Department provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Colombia. The U.S. Marshals Service assisted in bringing the defendant back to the United States. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Sutton.
DEFENDANT Case Number 21cr862-TWR
Brian Donaciano Olguin-Verdugo Age: 41 Culiacán, MX
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine for Purpose of Unlawful Importation, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 959, 960 and 963. Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine.
Conspiracy to Import Cocaine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 952, 960 and 963. Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine.
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations
Customs and Border Protection Office of Border Patrol
United States Marshals Service
Department of Justice, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces
Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations
Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs
Interpol
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California 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 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).
20 June 2025
Worcester Gang Associate Sentenced for Firearms Dealing, Possession of a Machinegun and Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Worcester resident with known ties to the Eastside gang in Worcester was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for firearms offenses and distributing cocaine.
Juan Otero, 23, a/k/a “Nene” or “Blockz,” of Franklin, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 72 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In February 2025, Otero pleaded guilty to one count of dealing in firearms without a license; one count of receiving a firearm while under indictment; one count of possession of a machinegun; and one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine. Otero was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024.
In late August 2023, a cooperating witness working with federal law enforcement made contact with Otero via Snapchat about purchasing cocaine from the defendant. Subsequently, Otero sold the cooperating witness a total of 14 grams of cocaine over two separate occasions, on Nov. 15, 2023 and Dec. 6, 2023. Prior to the second drug sale, on Nov. 27, 2023, Otero also sold the cooperating witness a Taurus 9 mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, ammunition and a 17- round magazine.
Then, over a 12-day period in January 2025, Otero sold four additional firearms to the cooperating witnesses: a Colt MK IV Series 80 .45 caliber pistol, ammunition and a large capacity .45 caliber magazine on Jan. 11, 2025; a Walther PPK 9mm Kurz caliber pistol, a Ruger Security Six .357 caliber revolver with a defaced serial number, ammunition and a magazine on Jan. 17, 2025; and a Glock 30S .45 caliber pistol with a machinegun conversion device attached to the back, a 40- round drum magazine and two additional magazines loaded with ammunition on Jan. 23, 2025.
In addition to the five pistols Otero sold, he offered to sell the cooperating witness additional firearms – including a different Glock pistol, a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber, a Walther .22 caliber, a different Taurus pistol and an AR-style rifle.
At the time of the offenses, Otero was on release pending trial for state firearm charges. Specifically, in 2022, Otero was indicted in Worcester Superior Court for multiple state crimes, including the unlawful possession of a large capacity weapon, unlawful possession of a loaded firearm, unlawful possession of a large capacity firearm and ammunition and attempted assault and battery.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Paul Saucier, Chief of the Worcester Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Franklin, Mansfield and Auburn Police Departments.
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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/PSN.
Wesley Chapel Woman Convicted of Stealing Almost $2 Million in Unemployment Insurance Benefits and Identity Theft of over 100 VictimsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Maria Morales (58, Wesley Chapel) guilty of trafficking in unauthorized access devices and aggravated identity theft. Maria Morales faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 19, 2025. Maria Morales was indicted on September 4, 2024.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Morales received over 100 debit cards issued by the state of Nevada for unemployment insurance benefits distributed during the COVID pandemic. Each of these debit cards was created using personal identifying information of unwitting individuals from all over the United States. The debit cards mailed to Morales had the names of those individuals on both the debit cards and the envelope in which the cards were mailed. Upon receipt, Morales traveled to various ATMs in the Middle District of Florida and withdrew thousands of dollars in unemployment insurance benefits. In less than one year, Morales received almost $2 million in unemployment insurance benefits to which she was never entitled. In so doing, she stole the identity of over 100 individuals.
This case was investigated by the Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.
Wakpala Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Federal Prison for Assault and Burglary of a Home within the Standing Rock ReservationRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of First Degree Burglary and two counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on June 16, 2025.
Francis Lee Dubray, age 35, was sentenced to five years and ten months months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Dubray was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2023. He was found guilty on October 24, 2024, following a three-day federal jury trial.
Shortly after nightfall on July 5, 2023, Dubray and two co-defendants went to a woman’s home in McLaughlin, South Dakota, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation, to assault a man they believed had inappropriately touched a girl. As the woman yelled at them to go away, one of the co-defendants kicked in her front door. Dubray’s co-defendants rushed into the house while Dubray stood on the stoop, hollering and chastising the woman for allowing the man to stay in her house. Although the man they came to find was passed out, Dubray’s co-defendants repeatedly kicked him in the face and struck him with a bar while the woman pleaded for them to stop. The victim incurred a broken nose and shattered orbital and sinus bones in the assault. He still struggles with his vision and headaches today. As Dubray’s co-defendants left the home, one of them knocked the woman to the floor. As she crawled toward the front door, Dubray kicked her in the face, then fled with his companions.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Dubray was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.