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17 June 2025
Guatemalan man pleads guilty, sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Wilson Oswaldo Galvan-Lopez, 25, a citizen of Guatemala, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Meredith A. Vacca to illegal reentry. He was sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that Galvan-Lopez is an alien without any legal status in the United States. In May 2023, he was physically removed from the United States to Guatemala. At some point after, Galvan-Lopez illegally reentered the United States without the proper permission. On March 24, 2025, he was found in a vehicle on Orange Street in Rochester, during a traffic stop.
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.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
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Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in New Bedford pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Manuel Ruiz Luis, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Sept. 18, 2025. In May 2025, Ruiz Luis was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Ruiz Luis was first deported from the United States to Guatemala in April 1996 and reentered the United States illegally sometime thereafter. Ruiz Luis was removed from the United States a second time on March 28, 2012. Sometime after his March 2012 removal, Ruiz Luis illegally reentered the United States without permission.
Prior to his 2012 removal, Ruiz Luis had multiple criminal convictions including one charge of operating under the influence and four separate charges of operating a motor vehicle without a license.
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 Alexandra W. Amrhein of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Guatemalan man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally re-entering the United States after he was previously deported.
Selvin Mejia-Ramos, 32, was charged in a one-count indictment with illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. The indictment, which replaces a criminal complaint filed on May 29, 2025, charges that Mejia-Ramos had previously been removed from the United States at least once, on April 15, 2020.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney and was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations.
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).
Gloucester man sentenced to over four years in prison for trafficking drugs and firearmsRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Gloucester man was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison for dealing firearms without a license and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on Jan. 16, 2024, Daniel Shaun Smith, 37, brokered a transaction in which another individual delivered a stolen handgun to a buyer in Smith’s presence. At the same time, Smith also delivered a shotgun to the buyer. On Jan. 18, 2024, during a controlled purchase conducted at Smith’s residence, Smith sold the buyer another shotgun and ammunition. During this transaction, Smith asked if the buyer wanted to use methamphetamine with him, but the buyer declined.
On Feb. 8, 2024, during another controlled purchase at Smith’s residence, Smith sold the buyer a sawed-off shotgun, a handgun, 1,971 rounds of assorted ammunition, four rifle scopes, a Tactacam scope, and 1.62 grams of methamphetamine. Another individual present during the transaction provided the buyer 3,000 rounds of ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives recovered the firearms and ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Heath prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the 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.
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. 4:24-cr-57.
Franklin Soccer Coach Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation and Immigration OffensesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Camilo Campos-Hurtado, 65, of Franklin, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of receiving visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, one count of using or possessing fraudulent immigration documents, and one count of possessing an identification document or authentication feature which was stolen or produced without lawful authority, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“Campos preyed on children in our community for years, using his position to gain the trust of his victims only to betray them by sexually abusing them,” said Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Protecting children in our community and holding child sex offenders to maximum accountability is among the highest priorities of our office and of the Department of Justice. At sentencing we will seek to guarantee that Campos does not have any chance to hurt another child.”
When law enforcement officers executed multiple search warrants, they discovered child pornography and numerous counterfeit identification and immigration documents. Campos possessed a cell phone and multiple other electronic devices that contained countless images of child sexual abuse material that he received, downloaded and produced between 2017 and 2021.
When he is sentenced on October 29, 2025, Campos-Hurtado faces a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Campos does not have legal status in the United States, and he will be deported to Mexico after he serves his federal and state sentences.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Franklin Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica R. Morrison and Kathryn Risinger are prosecuting the case.
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Four Leaders of Notorious Nuestra Familia Prison Gang Sentenced for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Four top leaders of the Nuestra Familia (NF) prison gang were sentenced today to federal prison terms ranging from 120 months to 175 months following their convictions at trial for racketeering conspiracy. David Cervantes, aka “DC,” was sentenced to 120 months; James Perez, aka “Conejo,” was sentenced to 120 months; Guillermo Solorio, aka “Capone,” aka “Caps,” was sentenced to 175 months; and George Franco, aka “Puppet,” was sentenced to 175 months. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers handed down the sentences.
The sentences follow a three-month trial in 2024, which established that the four defendants—Cervantes, 76; Perez, 70; Solorio, 45; and Franco, 59—were senior members of the NF prison gang, serving on the General Council, the primary decision-making body for the gang. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, all four defendants held a leadership role in a lucrative and violent criminal enterprise that engaged in murder conspiracies, attempted murder, drug distribution, and money laundering:
- Cervantes was one of three “Generals” who sat atop the NF organizational structure, specifically the “General Advocates Office,” and made final decisions on serious matters involving governance of the enterprise. As the sole member of the General Advocates Office, Cervantes oversaw member discipline, a role that included deciding when members should be attacked or killed for violating gang rules.
- Perez was another General of the prison gang, specifically, the “General of Prisons.” In this role, Perez was responsible for maintaining authority over all NF regiments and NF criminal activity within the California prison system.
- Franco was a member of the NF’s “Inner Council” and was Regimental Commander of San Joaquin County. As a member of the Inner Council, Franco was an advisor to the three NF Generals (two of whom were Cervantes and Perez) and was part of the General Council that, in addition to member discipline, made other significant decisions in conducting the affairs of the NF.
- Solorio was likewise part of the NF “Inner Council” and was an advisor to the NF Generals. Solorio also was the Regimental Commander over the Monterey County Street Regiment, overseeing criminal activity, including largescale drug trafficking, by subservient Norteno street gangs.
“The brutal violence and drug trafficking that this criminal enterprise ran from within state prisons touched every county in the Bay Area. With these sentences, 40 gang leaders and associates have now been convicted and brought to justice for the violence they caused inside and outside prison walls, and the community is now safer as a result,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “These convictions would not have been possible without the dedicated work of our law enforcement partners across multiple agencies and jurisdictions and the talented lawyers and staff from within our office.”
“The sentencing of these four top Nuestra Familia gang leaders marks the final chapter in the successful dismantling of one of the most violent and entrenched prison gangs operating in California. Through sustained, coordinated efforts with our law enforcement partners, we have brought to justice 40 members and associates of this dangerous gang who spread violence and fear inside prison walls and outside throughout our communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “This case demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to rooting out organized criminal enterprises and protecting the public from those who use intimidation and brutality to maintain power.”
The sentencings of these four defendants mark the successful completion of the prosecution of NF leadership in the Northern District of California. Forty Nuestra Familia members and associates, including defendants both on the streets and in California state prisons, have now been convicted and sentenced. This includes all seven members of the NF’s General Council, its entire senior leadership team, as detailed in the table below:
Defendant
Convictions
Sentence Imposed
David Cervantes aka “DC”18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering conspiracy, with special findings for three attempted murders and two murder conspiracies120 months
James Perez aka “Conejo”18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering conspiracy, with special findings for two attempted murders and two murder conspiracies120 months
Antonio Guillen aka “Chuco”18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering conspiracy, with special findings for two murder conspiracies and one attempted murder175 months
George Franco aka “Puppet”18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering conspiracy, with special findings for one attempted murder and one murder conspiracy175 months
Guillermo Solorio aka “Capone”18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering conspiracy, with a special finding for attempted murder175 months
Trinidad Martinez aka “Trino”18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering conspiracy, with special findings for one attempted murder144 months
Samuel Luna aka “Sammy”18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering conspiracy, with special findings for four murder conspiracies and one attempted murder175 months
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mari Overbeck, Leif Dautch, and Aseem Padukone of the Violent Crime Strike Force prosecuted this case, with the assistance of Veronica Hernandez and Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI (San Francisco, Sacramento, and Phoenix Divisions, and Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit), the DEA, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshal Service, with the assistance of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, and the San Jose Police Department, and with support from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, Antioch Police Department, Campbell Police Department, Fremont Police Department, King’s County Sheriff’s Office, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain View Police Department, Sacramento Police Department, Salinas Police Department, Menlo Park Police Department, Santa Clara County Parole Department, Santa Clara County Probation Department, Santa Clara Police Department, Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, Modesto Police Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, San Francisco Police Department, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department, and Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety.
This investigation and prosecution was part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, which 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.
Four ICE Detainees Charged with Escaping Detention Facility at Delaney Hall in NewarkRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Four individuals being detained at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility were each charged by separate complaint for escaping from ICE custody, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Franklin Norberto Bautista Reyes, 20, of Honduras, Joan Sebastian Castaneda Lozada, 18, of Colombia, Andres Felipe Pineda Mogollon, 25, of Colombia, and Joel Enrrique Sandoval-Lopez, 22, of Honduras, were charged by four separate complaints with escape from the custody of an institution or officer.
According to documents filed in this case, each defendant was detained at Delaney Hall, a privately owned detention center in Newark, New Jersey, pending immigration removal proceedings. On or about June 12, 2025, the defendants fled the facility by breaking through an aluminum second-story wall, dropping mattresses through the opening in the wall to provide a landing place on which to jump, and utilizing bed sheets to cover barbed wire in order to climb over the fence.
Castaneda Lozada, Sandoval-Lopez, and Bautista Reyes have been apprehended. Castaneda Lozada and Sandoval-Lopez appeared in Court yesterday, and Bautista Reyes appeared in Court today, all before the Honorable Cathy L. Waldor, United States Magistrate Judge. Pineda Mogollon remains at large.
Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of one year imprisonment and a $100,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; officers of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, under the direction of Acting Director Todd M. Lyons; and officers of Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Hardin of the Public Protection Task Force in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Linda Foster, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender for Castaneda Lozada;
Patrick Joyce, Esq. for Sandoval-Lopez;
Stacy Biancamano, Esq. for Bautista Reyes
Former executive pleads guilty in embezzlement schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The former president of a local pipe and tubing company has pleaded guilty to tax evasion and bankruptcy fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
John Philip Tharp served as president of Bendco, a Pasadena-based company that specialized in bending pipes, tubes and other metal materials for oil and structural applications. The company filed for bankruptcy in February 2018.
Tharp admitted to embezzling funds by diverting and cashing customer payments at local businesses. He also directed Bendco to issue fraudulent checks payable to cash, fictitious vendors or companies with no legitimate business ties. To conceal the theft, Tharp altered the company’s financial records, including by deleting invoices.
“Bankruptcy exists to shield those that find themselves in dire financial straits, and to give people fresh starts,” said Ganjei. “When somebody commits bankruptcy fraud, they’re abusing this legal protection, and cheating those that lent them money, goods, or services. Here, through his duplicitous acts, the defendant unfortunately turned a messy financial situation into a criminal matter.”
“When you cash checks intended for your business, put it in your personal account and hide the evidence, it’s fraud. When you declare bankruptcy and fail to report the checks, it’s bankruptcy fraud. When you fail to file your tax returns and try to conceal how much you would owe, it’s tax evasion,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “These financial laws are pretty simple to understand, which makes it easier for our special agents to prove your criminal intent. You know you’re breaking the law and we know we’ll catch you.”
According to court documents, Tharp carried out the scheme while Bendco was in bankruptcy proceedings. As part of that process, the company was required to deposit all incoming funds into a Debtor in Possession (DIP) account. Tharp admitted he caused Bendco to file false monthly operating reports to the bankruptcy court, falsely stating that all funds had been deposited into the DIP account.
He acknowledged his embezzlement resulted in a loss of $413,480.
Tharp also admitted he failed to file a 2018 tax return and willfully evaded payment of $126,430 owed to the IRS.
U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen will impose sentencing Sept. 22. Both counts of bankruptcy fraud and tax evasion carry a sentence of up to five years in prison. Tharp also agreed to pay $413,480 in restitution to Bendco and $126,430 to the IRS.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shirin Hakimzadeh and Brad Gray are prosecuting the case.
Former SBA Employee from South Florida Headed to Federal Prison After Defrauding COVID-19 Relief ProgramsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A former Small Business Administration (SBA) employee who fraudulently obtained COVID-19 relief money to spend on luxury items was sentenced on June 13.
United States District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz II sentenced Malaina Chapman, 38, to 54 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Ruiz further ordered Chapman to pay $1,297,178 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Chapman was employed as a Disaster Relief Specialist with the SBA from September 28, 2020 through March 18, 2021. While employed by the SBA, Chapman became involved in multiple schemes to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, as well as local credit unions and local and state programs designed to assist those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On February 10, 2021, Chapman submitted an online loan application in the name of Upscale Credit Lounge, LLC to a lender. In support of her application, Chapman submitted a false and fraudulent Schedule C (Form 1040) that reported gross revenues of $103,674 and a tentative profit of $81,860 for 2020. The lender relied upon the representations in Chapman’s application to approve a loan in the amount of $17,052.50.
On February 19, 2021, Chapman submitted an online PPP loan application with the lender on behalf of DA TRAP, LLC. In her application, Chapman claimed that she had four employees and an average monthly payroll of $14,191. In support of her application, Chapman submitted a false and fraudulent Employers Quarterly Tax Return (Form 941), which purportedly documented the wages paid by DA TRAP. Relying on the representations in the application, the lender approved a loan in the amount of $35,477.50.
In total, Chapman received $230,246 for the loan applications she submitted on her own behalf.
Chapman also conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent PPP loan applications on their behalf. Six defendants were charged under case number 24-cr-20079. For that conspiracy, Chapman was held accountable for losses of $837,716.
In addition to defrauding the PPP program, Chapman also took advantage of the State of Florida and the City of Miami’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs.
Chapman spent the money on luxury items from Louis Vuitton, Nordstrom, Goyard, Chanel, Fendi, as well as a designer teacup puppy. Chapman also spent over $7,500 on a stay at a Key Largo luxury resort.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG); Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Investigations Division’s Eastern Region; and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Southeast Region, made the announcement.
This case was investigated by USPS-OIG, SBA-OIG, and DOL-OIG.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bernstein prosecuted the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide EIDLs to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred. EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20321.
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Former Postal worker indicted for mail fraud aimed at duping thousands with mass mailingsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A San Jose, California resident was arrested today on an indictment from the Western District of Washington for his scheme to steal from thousands of businesses and charities with scam letters that appeared to be from state agencies, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Johnny Q. Nguyen, 49, is charged in an eleven-count indictment with multiple counts of mail fraud and money laundering. Nguyen was indicted May 28, 2025, and will appear in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California today.
According to the indictment, in the fall of 2024, Nguyen allegedly sent mass mailings on fake government letterhead to thousands of entities. The mailings were fraudulent billing statements directing the recipients to send checks to a post office box Nguyen had rented in Olympia, Washington. The letters instructed recipients to pay registration and filing fees for their businesses. Nguyen created a limited liability company called “Business Entities” and induced the victims to make their checks payable to that entity.
Thousands of Washington and California victims sent checks, cashier’s checks, and money orders. Nguyen deposited some 350 from Washington victims totaling $82,210. He cashed 60 from California victims totaling $8,640. Investigators were able to seize an additional 1,711 pieces of mail that contained checks and money orders totaling $395,295.
Nguyen is charged with three different types of money laundering: concealment because he deposited the checks and money orders into accounts he controlled, transactions designed to conceal the source of the money; Promotion – because the deposits were to promote his mail fraud scheme; and spending because of his transfers of the money out for his personal use.
The indictment calls for Nguyen to forfeit $90,851 that he profited from the scheme.
Mail fraud and money laundering are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Nguyen is scheduled to appear in the Western District of Washington on July 1, 2025.
As a helpful reminder, if you receive a communication in any form purporting to be from a government agency, the best way to verify the source is to call the agency directly using a publicly available phone number on the agency’s website.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jehiel Baer.
nguyen_j_indicted.pdfFormer Hotel Manager Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
A former Texas hotel manager pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Derek T. Gilliland to filing a false income-tax return.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2014 to 2022, Hieu Duc Tran embezzled more than $1 million from the Hewitt, Texas hotel where he was a manager. To accomplish this, Tran would charge hotel guests’ credit cards using a payment processing system that he controlled, instead of the hotel’s own system, and keep the funds for himself. He would also deposit checks hotel guests wrote to pay for their stays into his own bank account. Though Tran knew that the money he embezzled was taxable income, he did not report any of that income on the tax returns he filed for 2014 through 2021.
In total, Tran caused a tax loss to the IRS of over $200,000.
Tran will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Curtis J. Weidler of the Tax Division is prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.
Former Hoboken Director of Health and Human Services Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Embezzlement, Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Pantaleo “Leo” Pellegrini, the former Hoboken Director of Health and Human Services and Director of the Department of Environmental Services, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for embezzling money from the City of Hoboken and filing a false tax return, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced
Pellegrini previously pleaded guilty to embezzlement and filing a false tax return before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
While working for the City of Hoboken, Pellegrini embezzled money from the City of Hoboken by diverting approximately $223,500 in payments intended for the City of Hoboken to bank accounts he controlled. Pellegrini also embezzled money from the City of Hoboken by submitting approximately $234,432.60 in his personal expenses, which the City of Hoboken unknowingly paid. Additionally, Pellegrini did not report the embezzled money on his personal tax returns, and thereby made and subscribed a false personal tax return and avoided approximately $119,972.60 in taxes due.
Pellegrini’s oversight responsibilities related to certain public recreational facilities, including soccer fields that could be reserved by both Hoboken and non-Hoboken residents for a fee paid to the City of Hoboken. Through this arrangement, the City of Hoboken Department of Parks, Recreation & Public Works sponsored a non-profit recreation soccer league open to Hoboken youth (the “Youth Soccer League”), which was funded by the City of Hoboken and participant fees. Also during the charged time period, an adult soccer league open to Hoboken and non-Hoboken residents (the “Adult Soccer League”) was in operation, which was funded from participant fees.
Pellegrini developed a scheme to divert the Adult Soccer League’s participant fee payments intended for the City of Hoboken to a business account on which he was a signatory which was registered to a soccer-related entity linked to him.
During the relevant time period, Pellegrini was also the Owner and President of a private travel soccer club. Pellegrini also submitted or caused the submission to the City of Hoboken invoices associated with his private soccer club, which Pellegrini falsely or fraudulently represented to the City of Hoboken as invoices eligible for reimbursement by the City of Hoboken. As a result, the City of Hoboken—at Pellegrini’s direction—unknowingly paid tens of thousands of dollars to the Pellegrini’s private soccer club vendors for its expenses, and also unknowingly paid tens of thousands of dollars directly to Pellegrini through his private soccer club.
Pellegrini used the embezzled funds on personal expenses including meals, entertainment, and gambling, allowing him to live far beyond his means. Moreover, Pellegrini intentionally did not disclose and report the income from the above-described embezzlement scheme, thereby causing his tax returns to understate a substantial amount of the income he received.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Farbiarz ordered restitution of $439,972.60 to the City of Hoboken, restitution of $119,464 to the Internal Revenue Service, and forfeiture of $439,972.60. Judge Farbiarz also ordered a term of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark J. McCarren and Matthew Specht of the Special Prosecutions Division.
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Defense Counsel:
John D. Lynch, Esq., Union City, NJ
Former Glastonbury Postal Carrier Admits Stealing U.S. Treasury Check from the MailRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ERNESTO RODRIGUEZ, JR., 31, formerly of East Hartford and currently residing in Tampa, Florida, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to a charge related to his theft of a U.S. Treasury check from the mail while working for the U.S. Postal Service.
According to court documents, in 2021, Rodriguez, while employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a mail carrier in Glastonbury, was asked by an acquaintance to intercept federal tax refund checks that would be mailed to addresses on his mail carrier route. After taking the checks, he would deliver them to an unknown individual in New York and be paid approximately $100 for each check. Rodriguez gave his acquaintance information about his route so that refund checks could be sent to those addresses, and was subsequently provided with approximately 10 names and addresses for checks he was supposed to take from the mail.
In October 2021, Rodriguez stole a U.S. Treasury tax refund check in the amount of $4,943.17 from the mail before it was delivered to an address on his route. On October 23, 2021, he deposited the check into his wife’s bank account. On October 25, 2021, he transferred $4,500 from his wife’s account to his own bank account, and subsequently spent the money for personal use.
Rodriguez resigned from the U.S. Postal Service on October 23, 2021. He told law enforcement that he only stole one check as part of this scheme.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty to theft of public money, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford on September 24, 2025.
Rodriguez is released on a $15,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
Former Fulton County Jail Sergeant Charged with Federal Civil Rights Violations and Falsifying ReportsRead the Press Release
A six-count indictment was unsealed today in the Northern District of Georgia charging former Fulton County Jail Sergeant, Khadijah Solomon, 47, with using excessive force by repeatedly deploying tasers against compliant, non-resisting pretrial detainees on three separate occasions in January 2025 and writing false reports about each of the incidents.
“The Civil Rights Division has zero tolerance for law enforcement officers who abuse public trust through excessive force and concealing their misconduct,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will vigorously safeguard the constitutional rights of all individuals, including those in custody, and ensure accountability in this case.”
“Law enforcement officers in this district perform their duties professionally and honorably, but those who abuse their power will be held accountable for their unlawful conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “On three occasions, Khadijah Solomon allegedly tased Fulton County Jail detainees without a legitimate purpose, causing each of them pain and injury. Abuses of power of this kind are unconstitutional, erode our community’s trust, and will be prosecuted.”
Solomon faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each federal civil rights violation, and 20 years in prison for each false report. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia and Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Atlanta Field Office is investigating the case based on a referral from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret Hobson and Brent Gray for the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Briana M. Clark of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Fulton County Deputy Sheriff Charged with Excessively Tasing Three Detainees and Obstructing JusticeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Khadijah Solomon, a former deputy with the Fulton County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office, was arraigned today on charges of using unreasonable force by repeatedly tasing three detainees without legal justification and obstructing of justice by lying in official reports to cover up her unlawful conduct.
“Law enforcement officers in this district perform their duties professionally and honorably, but those who abuse their power will be held accountable for their unlawful conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “On three occasions, Khadijah Solomon allegedly tased Fulton County Jail detainees without a legitimate purpose, causing each of them pain and injury. Abuses of power of this kind are unconstitutional, erode our community’s trust, and will be prosecuted.”
“The Civil Rights Division has zero tolerance for law enforcement officers who abuse public trust through excessive force and concealing their misconduct,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will vigorously safeguard the constitutional rights of all individuals, including those in custody, and ensure accountability in this case.”
“The FBI is committed to protecting the civil rights of all individuals, including those in custody,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “When a law enforcement officer betrays the badge by using unlawful force and attempting to cover it up, it not only harms the victim—it undermines the integrity of our entire justice system. We will continue to work with our partners to investigate and hold accountable those who abuse their authority.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the indictment, information provided in court, and other publicly available information: The use-of-force policy implemented by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) directs officers to use force that is objectively reasonable. To determine whether force is objectively reasonable, officers are required to consider the severity of the crime, the immediate threat posed by the subject, and whether the subject is actively resisting. Consistent with the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the FCSO’s policy forbids deploying a taser as a form of punishment.
In violation of this policy, Solomon, a former jail supervisor with the FCSO, allegedly fired her county-issued Taser to repeatedly shock and stun three male detainees without legal justification. Each incident was recorded by Solomon’s body worn camera. The evidence showed that each of the detainees, one of whom was handcuffed at the time, was compliant and non-threatening when Solomon repeatedly tased him. Following each incident, Solomon prepared reports about the incidents that allegedly contained materially false information about the detainee’s conduct and lies about her use of force.
Khadijah Solomon, 47, of Fairburn, Georgia, was arraigned today before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard. She was indicted by a federal grand jury seated in the Northern District of Georgia on June 10, 2025.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brent Alan Gray and Bret R. Hobson and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Briana M. Clark are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former Finance Director of a District Non-Profit Sentenced for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jarrett Robert Lewis, 44, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for his role in an embezzlement scheme that bilked a District non-profit advocacy organization of nearly $320,000.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office.
Lewis pleaded guilty Feb. 13, 2025, to one count of wire fraud. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge John D. Bates ordered Lewis to serve three years of supervised release, to pay restitution of $318,000, and to reimburse the victim organization’s attorney fees of $53,335.
Lewis was employed by the victim agency between June 2021 and October 2022. According to the statement of facts, while serving as Director of Finance for the non-profit, Lewis perpetrated a scheme to defraud his employer. Lewis was one of three employees at Victim 1 with access to the non-profit’s bank account. It was part of Lewis’s duties to pay bills on behalf of the organization. Lewis was also provided with a VISA card for an account belonging to Victim 1 and was authorized to use the VISA card to incur expenses on behalf of Victim 1 for goods and services related to its operations.
On 32 occasions, Lewis took advantage of his position by accessing Victim 1’s account and causing funds to be transferred to his personal account and for his own personal benefit. Lewis also used the non-profit’s VISA to book and pay for personal travel for himself, his family, and friends.
Lewis was arrested on September 5, 2024.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Truscott with the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Florida Man Facing Federal Interstate Communication Harassment ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland unsealed an indictment, charging Jackson Traylor, 26, of Dania Beach, Florida, with one count of utilizing a telecommunications device without disclosing his identity with the intent to abuse, threaten, or harass.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
According to public filings, between July 9, 2024, and April 10, 2025, Traylor — using a series of different phone numbers — sent more than 10 Antisemitic and harassing messages to a Jewish individual who is originally from Maryland.
Messages included, “Go burn in an oven like your ancestors”, “Burn in a god damn oven . . . . Stupid jew”, and “Hey Jew, been a while since we spoke. Let me burn you alive like your ancestors. Hail Hitler.”
If convicted, Traylor faces a maximum sentence of two years in federal prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its investigative efforts. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Sarma who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Final defendant pleads guilty in Southeast Alaska drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The final defendant in a Southeast Alaska drug trafficking conspiracy pleaded guilty today to conspiring to traffic drugs and launder money connected to a transnational drug trafficking enterprise.
According to court documents, on Aug. 24, 2022, U.S. Postal Inspectors seized a suspicious package addressed to Patricia Seal-Uttke, 32, of Ketchikan, and discovered nearly 500 grams of heroin and over 430 grams of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officials conducted a controlled delivery of the package and co-conspirator Larry Marsden picked up the package before being stopped by those officials.
Seal-Uttke’s actions were only a small part of the scheme. Other court documents in this case explain that Seal-Uttke’s co-conspirator Karly Fuller recruited individuals to work for the drug trafficking enterprise and managed their operations. It is alleged that the drug trafficking enterprise was ultimately directed by an inmate in a California prison.
Other co-conspirators shipped parcels containing controlled substances from California and other parts of Alaska to various places in Southeast Alaska, mainly Sitka and Ketchikan, for distribution on behalf of the drug trafficking enterprise. On various occasions, law enforcement officials seized parcels containing hundreds to thousands of illegal fentanyl pills and hundreds of grams of methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine. According to related court documents, Fuller, Seal-Uttke, Marsden and other co-conspirators in this case were responsible for trafficking over 2.1 kilograms of fentanyl, over 2.2 kilograms of methamphetamine, over 500 grams of heroin and over 55 grams of cocaine through the mail to Southeast Alaska in the course of a single month in 2022.
Court documents further explain that between June 2022 and July 2023, Fuller, Seal-Uttke, Marsden, and co-conspirators Julia Brusell and Stormy Cleveland attempted to launder over $150,000 in drug proceeds. The laundering involved money orders, wire transfers, digital money transferring applications and physically mailing parcels containing drug proceeds from Alaska to co-conspirators in California and Mexico.
Seal-Uttke is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine her sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-defendants in this case are as follows:
- Karly Fuller, 31, of Sitka, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy on April 23, 2025. Fuller is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Larry Marsden, 43, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy on Dec. 9, 2024. On March 12, 2025, Marsden was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment and will serve three years on supervised release after her release from prison.
- Stormy Cleveland, 39, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy on Nov. 15, 2024. On March 25, 2025, Cleveland was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment and will serve five years on supervised release after her release from prison.
- Mario Klanott, 38, of Sitka, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 13, 2025. Klanott is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Douglas Vanmeter, 34, of Sitka, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on May 8, 2025. Vanmeter is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 6, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Sara Orr, 34, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 6, 2025. Orr is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Julia Brusell, 43, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy on Nov. 15, 2024. On March 17, 2025, Brusell was sentenced to time served and will serve two years on supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney William Narus of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska has been recused from this case with the exception of certain personnel. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. Clymer from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York has been appointed as Special Attorney to the United States Attorney General to assist with this and other recused cases. He reports to and acts under the direction of the Deputy Attorney General, or his delegee, or Acting U.S. Attorney Narus in these cases. Special Attorney Clymer supervises personnel from the District of Alaska who have been exempted from the recusal.
The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division and Anchorage District Office, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division and Anchorage Domicile, FBI Anchorage Field Office and Alaska State Troopers, with significant law enforcement support from the U.S. Marshals Service, are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alana Weber, Stephan Collins and Chris Schroeder from the District of Alaska are prosecuting the case.
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Federal Jury Convicts Two Biddeford Men of Robbery, Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Using Firearms in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: Two Biddeford men were found guilty today of interfering with commerce by robbery; conspiring to traffic cocaine, cocaine base, and fentanyl; using a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking; and illegally possessing a firearm. The verdict came following a six-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Portland.
According to court records and testimony at trial, Nathaniel Ashwood, 37, and Lloyd Lyttle, 35, distributed narcotics in the Biddeford area and defended their narcotics distribution interests with violence and threats of violence. Witnesses at trial testified that during the evening of July 28, 2023, Ashwood and Lyttle robbed and assaulted a rival drug dealer and two other individuals in the area of Cutts Street in Biddeford using firearms and physical force to intimidate local residents and establish their control of the local drug market. At the time Lyttle and Ashwood committed these assaults they had both been convicted of felony offenses that prohibited them from possessing firearms.
Ashwood faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum sentence of life. Lyttle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 years with a maximum sentence of life. Both men will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Biddeford Police Department investigated the case, with the assistance of the Springfield, Vermont Police Department.
Eight Individuals Indicted and Arrested for Mail, Wire, and Bank Fraud Conspiracy, and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On June 12, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment charging eight individuals with conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The following agencies partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate the case and execute the arrests today: U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Social Security Administration (SSA), Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), Guaynabo Municipal Police, San Juan Municipal Police, and Bayamón Municipal Police.
According to court documents, defendants
- Enrique K. Falcón-López, a.k.a. “Gordo/Náutica”
- Luis Pagán-Torres, a.k.a. “Luiso”
- Francisco Martínez-Mendoza, a.k.a. “Pito”
- Dennis H. Ditran, a.k.a. “Dennis H. Ditran Phillips/Dennis Ditren”
- Tomás Bermúdez-Monroig
- Iván González-Costa
- Jesús M. Cruz-Martínez, a.k.a. “Chobi” and
- Karelys Olmo-Rodríguez
conspired to unjustly enrich themselves by stealing means of identification of other people and using it to defraud the home improvement retailer Home Depot and Bank A.
To execute the fraudulent scheme, the defendants stole identifying information from unsuspecting victims, created hundreds of fraudulent Puerto Rico drivers’ licenses that contained some combination of stolen means of identifications including names, dates of birth, and drivers’ license numbers, along with photographs of the faces of members of the conspiracy. The defendants used the fraudulent licenses to open accounts at Home Depot and purchased thousands of dollars in merchandise, to then sell it.
“Financial fraud is one of the largest challenges facing American citizens and businesses today. Prevention and prosecution of crimes of this nature will remain a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said United States Attorney, W. Stephen Muldrow. “The defendants took advantage of the victims to steal their credit, fraudulently purchase merchandise, and then sell it to enrich themselves. We understand there may be more victims, so if you suspect you could be one, please contact HSI at (787) 729-6969.”
The defendants will make their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Héctor Ramos-Vega of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Olinghouse and Manuel Muñiz-Lorenzi, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service Special Assistant United States Attorney Edwin Caban Jr. are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Drug Trafficking Organization Faces Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney, announced a federal indictment charging 21 individuals from Indianapolis to Phoenix, Arizona for their alleged roles in an Indianapolis-based drug trafficking organization led by Eric Robinson.
On Friday, June 13, 2025, a multiple-agency operation consisting of 19 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies served search and arrest warrants at 21 locations in Indianapolis and Phoenix, Arizona, ultimately leading to the arrest of 19 individuals. During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized approximately 56 firearms, $12,000 in currency, 75 pounds of methamphetamine, eight kilograms of cocaine, two pounds of fentanyl, 100 suspected fentanyl pills, one-half pound of heroin, 2 ounces of crack cocaine, and one-half pound of hallucinogenic mushrooms.
The following individuals were apprehended and charged on Friday:
DefendantCharge(s)Eric L. Robinson, 55- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
According to the indictment, Eric Robinson was the alleged leader of a drug trafficking organization that operated in Indianapolis. Robinson received methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and Xanax from primary sources of supply in Texas and Arizona and alternative sources of supply in Indianapolis. Robinson then delivered the controlled substances to numerous other individuals in the Indianapolis area for redistribution.
The following investigative agencies collaborated to make this investigation and recent warrant execution possible:
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Internal Revenue Service
- Indianapolis Metropolitan Drug Task Force
- Hamilton Boone Drug Task Force
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
- Department of Homeland Security
- U.S. Marshal Service
- Indiana State Police
- Beech Grove Police
- Lawrence Police
- Brownsburg Police
- Fishers Police
- Carmel Police
- Greenfield Police
- Plainfield Police
- Whitestown Police
- Zionsville Police
- Morgan County Sheriff’s Office
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley A. Blackington and Matt Barloh, who are prosecuting this case.
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America. 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 operation is part of the Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program.
An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Dominican National Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Lawrence, Mass. was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for selling heroin in 2014. Following his conviction, the defendant evaded facing justice for a decade by removing his location monitoring equipment and assuming a false identity.
Ranyel Reyes, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On Oct. 16, 2014, Reyes was arrested and charged by criminal complaint and was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2014. In August 2015, he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.
On three occasions in 2014, Reyes sold or directed the sale of heroin to a confidential source. On the date of the first sale, Reyes was on probation related to a 2012 state court conviction for possession of cocaine. Subsequently, it was confirmed that the defendant sold 74.6 grams of heroin to the confidential source in 2014.
Following his arrest in 2014, Reyes was released on a bond with pretrial conditions. In 2015, he was detained in immigration custody for a short period of time before being released again on bond with pre-trial conditions. On Aug. 13, 2015, following his plea hearing, Reyes was released on the same conditions, awaiting sentencing. He was scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 2, 2015.
On Nov. 29, 2015, days before his scheduled sentencing, the defendant removed his location monitoring equipment and absconded from pretrial supervision. A warrant was immediately issued for his arrest.
The defendant’s whereabouts were unknown to law enforcement until 2025, when it was discovered that the defendant had been living in Lawrence under the name “Eric Yavier Rivera Velasquez” to evade capture. On March 28, 2025, Reyes was arrested pursuant to the warrant issued in 2015.
Reyes’ prior criminal record includes an arrest for assault and battery, as well as convictions for cocaine distribution and shoplifting.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna of the Narcotics & Money Laundering 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.
Dominican National Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Misusing Identity of United States CitizenRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Dorchester, Mass. was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally using the personal identifying information of a United States citizen for nearly a decade, using the stolen identity to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license and apply for a United States passport.
Luis Alison Roa Lara, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 27 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In March 2025, Luis Alison Roa Lara pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement in a U.S. passport application, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of misuse of a Social Security number. The defendant was arrested and charged in August 2024.
For nearly a decade, Luis Alison Roa Lara has been using the personal identifying information of a Puerto Rican citizen. Luis Alison Roa Lara used the misappropriated identifying information to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license and attempted to use it to obtain a United States passport.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, Detroit Resident Office; the United States Postal Inspection Service; and the Lorain (Ohio) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Lawrence, Mass. pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Santo Beato Aybar-Aybar, 49, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled sentencing for Sept. 11, 2025. Aybar-Aybar was indicted in April 2025.
Aybar-Aybar was previously deported from the United States three times, the last time on or about Sept. 21, 2021. Sometime after his September 2021 removal, Aybar-Aybar illegally reentered the United States without permission.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric L. Hawkins of the Major Crime Unit is prosecuting the case.
Dallas Business Owner Convicted of Failing to Pay over $3 Million in Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Dallas business owner Friday of failing to pay over employment taxes withheld from her employees, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.
Heaven Marie Diaz, 57, of Dallas, Texas, was indicted in 2023. Following a four-day trial and less than an hour of deliberation, the jury found her guilty on all five counts of failing to pay over trust fund taxes.
According to evidence presented at trial, Diaz was the owner and CEO of Pursuit of Excellence, a staffing company based in Dallas. From 2015 to 2017, she withheld payroll taxes from her employees’ paychecks but failed to remit more than $3 million to the IRS as required by law.
Former employees and Diaz’s former accountant testified that they repeatedly warned her about her obligation to pay employment taxes. Despite those warnings, Diaz continued to withhold the taxes and kept the funds in her company’s bank accounts. Evidence showed she used those funds to cover personal expenses, including international travel, luxury goods, and $10,000 monthly rent on a home in Dallas’s Preston Hollow neighborhood. Diaz took the stand and attempted to convince the jury that these items were business expenditures, including her rent payment, which she claimed qualified as a business expense because she occasionally threw “murder mystery” parties as an opportunity to network.
“This defendant defrauded taxpayers and stole from her employees, so that she could live lavishly,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “She is now rightly held accountable for her actions. In the end, her extravagance was her undoing. The diligent work of the investigative agents assigned to this case unearthed her fraudulent scheme and put a stop to it.”
“Heaven Marie Diaz abused her power and lived the highlife with trust fund/employment taxes due to the IRS,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office. “The jury’s guilty verdict is a stark reminder that anyone who betrays the trust of employees and their responsibilities to the IRS will face the full weight of accountability.”
Diaz is scheduled to be sentenced in September 2025, before United States Chief District Judge David C. Godbey, who presided over the trial. Diaz faces up to five years in federal prison on each count.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan P. Niedermair and Joshua D. Detzky are prosecuting the case. Appellate Division Assistant U.S. Attorney Elise Aldendifer and Assistant U.S. Attorneys (fmr.) Marcus Busch and Jenna Rudoff also contributed to the prosecution.
Convicted Sex Offender Illegally Present in the Country Assaults Federal Officer During Immigration ArrestRead the Press Release
St. Paul, Minn. – Roberto Carlos Munoz-Guatemala, 39, a citizen of Mexico, has been charged federally with assault on a federal officer with a dangerous or deadly weapon and resulting in bodily injury, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
According to court documents, in December 2022, Munoz was charged with repeatedly sexually abusing a minor victim. He was ultimately convicted of Fourth-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct, a felony offense.
On June 17, 2025, multiple federal agencies attempted to effectuate an administrative warrant for Munoz’s arrest due to lack of legal status in the United States. Officers and agents—clearly identified as “POLICE”—pulled Munoz over for a traffic stop. Munoz repeatedly refused to comply with commands from law enforcement officers to lower the windows and open the door. Officers told Munoz they would break a window if Munoz continued to refuse. When Munoz refused to comply, the victim in this case, an ERO Officer, used a spring-loaded window punch to break the rear window of the car and then reached into Munoz’s car to attempt to unlock the door.
While the ERO Officer’s arm was inside the car, Munoz put the vehicle in drive. Munoz drove up onto the curb and accelerated at a high rate of speed. The ERO Officer’s arm was caught in the car. As Munoz drove, the ERO Officer was dragged in the moving vehicle. The ERO Officer twice fired his taser at Munoz to get him to stop. Munoz was undeterred. He continued driving away as the ERO Officer screamed.
With the ERO Officer’s arm caught in the broken window and the ERO Officer being dragged along the road, Munoz began weaving back and forth, in an apparent attempt to shake the ERO Officer from the car. Munoz drove back and forth, driving up on the curb and weaving past a vehicle, all while dragging the ERO Officer. When Munoz got off the curb and reentered the street, the force knocked the ERO Officer free from the car. Munoz continued his flight. In total, Munoz dragged the ERO Officer approximately 100 yards down the street.
The ERO Officer was transported to the hospital, where he received treatment for injuries sustained from being dragged by Munoz. The ERO Officer suffered a significant cut to his right arm that required 20 stitches to close. He suffered a significant cut to his left hand that required 13 stitches. The ERO Officer also suffered abrasions to his left knee, elbows, and face.
“Law enforcement officers deserve our respect, our gratitude, and our protection,” said Acting
U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Defendant Munoz—a convicted sex offender illegally present in the country—violently assaulted a federal officer who was just trying to do his job. The injuries the officer sustained were severe but could have been so much worse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has no tolerance for violence against law enforcement officers.”
“Munoz had no legal right to be in this country—and certainly not free in the community after a conviction for sexually abusing a minor,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Instead of complying with a lawful immigration arrest, he chose to violently resist — dragging a deportation officer with his vehicle and putting that officer’s life at risk. The FBI takes any assault on a federal officer with the utmost seriousness, and we are committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure this individual is held fully accountable. There is no tolerance for this kind of violence—not against federal agents, not against local officers, not against anyone who wears a badge.”
“This was a brazen and cowardly act by a criminal illegal alien who has complete disregard for the laws of our country and clearly places himself above the lives of others,” said Peter Berg, ICE ERO Field Office Director for St. Paul. “The deportation officer involved in this incident— someone who has dedicated his life to upholding the law and protecting this nation—was severely wounded by a fleeing suspect who should have never been in the United States in the first place.”
These cases are a result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, ERO, and HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raphael B. Coburn is prosecuting the case.
An earlier version of this press release noted that defendant Munoz-Guatemala is a citizen of Guatemala. He is in fact a citizen of Mexico.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Convicted Felon Who Attempted to Sell Assault Rifle Sentenced to 92 Months in Federal Prison for Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Timothy Demetrius Jeffrey, aka “Boo,” 44, of Antioch, Calif., was sentenced today to 92 months in federal prison, following his conviction on March 12, 2025, by a federal jury on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Senior U.S. District Judge William H. Alsup handed down the sentence. Judge Alsup also sentenced Jeffrey to concurrent 24-month terms for violating the terms of his supervised release in two other federal cases.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on April 25, 2023, Jeffrey drove into a shopping plaza parking lot in Pittsburg, Calif., parked, and fled on foot from a pursuing police officer. Jeffrey threw a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine and 19 rounds of ammunition over a fence behind the shopping plaza before he was arrested.
Jeffrey posted bond after his arrest but absconded soon thereafter. Following an investigation by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service, law enforcement officers located Jeffrey at a relative’s home in Antioch on March 27, 2024. After U.S. Marshals arrested Jeffrey, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the residence, where deputies located and seized an Aero Precision AR-style rifle with a magazine and 25 rounds of ammunition from under a couch in the living room. They also seized a cell phone that had been used by Jeffrey. The phone contained multiple text messages in which Jeffrey attempted to sell the AR rifle and sent a photo of it.
At the time of his April 2023 and March 2024 arrests, Jeffrey was on federal supervised release following past felony convictions for being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, escape from custody, and conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Judge Alsup also found that enhancements were appropriate under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines (i) due to Jeffrey’s obstruction of justice resulting from perjury during his trial testimony; and (ii) because one of the guns Jeffrey possessed had previously been stolen.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Buenaventura made the announcement.
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 of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aseem Padukone prosecuted this case with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop, Nina Burney, and Yenni Weinberg. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF, the United States Marshals Service, the Pittsburg Police Department, and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office.
Clairton Resident Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Violating Federal Narcotics LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Clairton, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to a 48-month term of imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotic laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Mark Cook, 58.
According to information presented to the Court, from July 2022 through June 2023, Cook provided codefendants with cocaine and crack cocaine for resale in the Hill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Stickman stated that the defendant’s actions were serious and that, through those actions, he victimized the families and citizens of the Hill District.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Cook.
This prosecution 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.
Chesapeake cocaine trafficker sentenced to 18 years in prisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on Feb. 10, 2024, Chesapeake Police officers were attempting to serve arrest warrants for assault and battery of a family or household member and destruction of property on Abdul-Wakeel Khabeer Qaabid, aka Kenneth Andrew Jordan, 39. Qaabid fled during a traffic stop, but crashed his vehicle and fled on foot. From Qaabid’s vehicle, investigators recovered two loaded handguns, five ounces of cocaine base, 43 grams of marijuana, $25,020, and three cellular devices. During a search of Qaabid’s residence, investigators recovered over six kilograms of cocaine, packaging materials, .45 caliber ammunition, and $26,900 in drug proceeds.
Qaabid was arrested on March 13, 2024, at a residence in Chesapeake. During a search of that residence, CPD recovered an additional $11,850 in drug proceeds.
Qaabid previously had been convicted for attempted capital murder, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and felony assault and battery. As a previously convicted felon, Qaabid cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin G. Bird prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the 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.
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. 2:24-cr-68.
Central Ohio woman sentenced to more than 5 years in prison for $2.8 million pandemic relief fraud schemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Westerville woman who claimed affiliation with Dayton-area pizza restaurants to obtain nearly $1.9 million in COVD-19 relief funds was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 70 months in prison.
Lorie A. Schaefer, 63, also assisted a co-defendant in fraudulently receiving more than $980,000 pandemic relief loans in exchange for payment, causing a total of $2.8 million in fraud.
According to court documents, Schaefer opened new bank accounts in December 2020 prior to registering a fictitious business name with the State of Ohio in March 2021.
Schaefer fraudulently claimed affiliation with the Flying Pizza restaurants in Dayton, Centerville and Fairborn. When notified that a Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan for nearly $1.9 million had been filed in the name of Flying Pizza, individuals at the family-owned business said their restaurants could not justify such a large loan.
Schaefer claimed to have 98 employees and submitted altered bank records as part of her application. Schaefer also claimed the business was established in March 2021, even though the original Flying Pizza was established in 1984. Additionally, she claimed not to be under indictment despite having pending theft charges in Meigs County. Schaefer attached multiple fraudulent documents to her PPP application, including a bank statement, tax records, and a letter from the IRS.
Bank records indicate Schaefer improperly used PPP funds for personal expenses, for example, nearly $26,000 on liposuction, a $10,000 check for a “newborn baby gift,” and more than $900,000 to purchase and renovate a home in Westerville. Schaefer also made purchases at Wayfair, Lamps Plus, Kroger, KFC, Burger King, Arby’s, McDonald’s and Olive Garden. Evidence also suggests Schaefer used the fraud proceeds to purchase vehicles in Ohio and property in Australia.
After being charged in this case, Schaefer committed new offenses and violated her pre-trial release multiple times, leading to the revocation of her bond.
She pleaded guilty in July 2024 and twice attempted to withdraw her guilty plea.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Anthony Licari, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Region; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case.
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Cell Phone Service Provider Agrees to Pay $500,000 for Imposing Unlawful Charges on Military ServicemembersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Teleguam Holdings, LLC (GTA) has agreed to pay $500,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by imposing fees on over 1,300 military servicemembers who terminated their cell phone service contracts because they had received military relocation orders.
“Servicemembers will not be penalized because of their patriotic service to our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will vigorously prosecute companies that refuse to abide by federal law that protects our great men and women in uniform who actively serve to protect our Nation.”
GTA will pay $450,000 in compensation to servicemembers, including double damages to servicemembers who paid GTA’s early termination charges, and a $50,000 civil penalty; and GTA will revise its policies to ensure that eligible military servicemembers can end their cell phone service contracts without illegal early termination charges.
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $482 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.
Camden County Felon Admits to Conspiring to Distribute Cocaine and Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man admitted to conspiring to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Rasheed Amin, 46, of Voorhees, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and one count of a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On multiple occasions in 2024, Amin flew from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to cities in the western United States to obtain cocaine for further distribution. Amin then mailed parcels containing the cocaine to his Voorhees residence and other addresses in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. On October 29, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Amin’s Voorhees residence and recovered several kilograms of cocaine, as well as a loaded firearm. Amin—a previously-convicted felon—admitted to possessing the cocaine and the firearm recovered from his residence.
The cocaine conspiracy count carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. The illegal possession of a firearm count carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for November 13, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited inspectors and task force officers of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. She also credited the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabriel Rodriguez, and the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of Chief John Ostermueller, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Defense counsel: Ikram Ally, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender
amin.information.pdfBrothers-in-Law Indicted for Bank Takeover Scheme and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
A 17-count indictment was unsealed today charging Ayman Alaaraj, 48, of Sacramento, and Ahmad Nassar, 38, of Elk Grove, with operating a scheme to defraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
The indictment charges the defendants with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft and also charges Nassar with access device fraud. In 2019, Nassar was convicted of unlawfully possessing 15 or more access devices, aggravated ID theft; and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He served time in prison and was released on March 4, 2021. He is currently in custody after being arrested on Feb. 7, 2024, for allegedly violating the terms of his supervised release. Alaaraj was ordered to self-surrender on Wednesday morning.
According to court documents, in May 2023, Nassar took over multiple bank accounts belonging to two elderly victims at two separate banks. Nassar employed sophisticated techniques to take over the victims’ accounts such as porting over the phone number belonging to one victim. This allowed him to gain access to the accounts and defeat the banks’ dual-factor authentication protections.
Once Nassar established control over the victims’ bank accounts, he — occasionally assisted by Alaaraj — drained the accounts and ran up unpaid credit card debits that, in total, resulted in more than $794,000 in losses to the victims. The defendants funneled the stolen money through pass-through accounts Nassar created in the victims’ names. The defendants also funneled more than $100,000 through Alaaraj’s businesses, Balance Bookkeeping, Tax and Notary and Atheer Investments. They then ultimately disbursed the money to themselves using ATM cash withdrawals, personal checks, Western Union transactions, Zelle transactions, payments to credit cards, online gambling, and towards the purchase of a Mercedes.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice – Bureau of Gambling Control. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot C. Wong is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Nassar and Alaaraj face a maximum statutory penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for each count of bank fraud, and a mandatory term of two years in prison and a statutory maximum fine of up to $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or gross loss for the aggravated identity theft count. Nassar also faces 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of access device fraud. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Brazilian National Pleads Guilty to Multi-State Conspiracy to Obtain Driver’s Licenses for Ineligible ApplicantsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national illegally residing in Waterbury, Conn. pleaded guilty on June 13, 2025 to conspiring to obtain driver’s licenses for ineligible applicants, principally illegal aliens.
Cesar Agusto Martin Reis, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully produce and possess with intent to transfer identification documents, and one count of possession with intent to use or transfer unlawfully identification documents. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Sept. 10, 2025. In December 2024, Cesar Agusto Martin Reis was charged along with four co-conspirators.
From in or about November 2020 through in or about September 2024, Cesar Agusto Martin Reis and his alleged co-conspirators fraudulently procured driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who resided in states that prohibited illegal aliens from obtaining driver’s licenses. Prior to July 2023, illegal aliens residing in Massachusetts were not permitted to obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses. Beginning in 2019, illegal aliens residing in New York became eligible to obtain New York driver’s licenses. Cesar Agusto Martin Reis and his alleged co-conspirators conspired to fraudulently obtain New York driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who did not reside in New York, including Massachusetts residents, and after July 2023 to fraudulently obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who did not reside in Massachusetts. In exchange for fraudulently obtaining the driver’s licenses, Cesar Agusto Martin Reis and his alleged co-conspirators typically charged approximately $1,400 per customer.
In New York, before obtaining a driver’s license, applicants were required to pass a written permit test and complete driver’s education coursework from a New York driving school. Online permit test-takers were required by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (NY DMV) to take a picture of themselves with a web camera during the test. This was to ensure that the test-taker was indeed the applicant and that there was not a person sitting with and helping the applicant with the test.To avoid the customers having to take the permit tests, Cesar Agusto Martin Reis and his alleged co-conspirators obtained several pictures of the customers sitting down, making it look as if the customers were taking the tests. Cesar Agusto Martin Reis conspired with his alleged co-conspirators to complete the permit tests for the customers online and, when prompted by the NY DMV to take pictures during the tests, and to upload the pictures that the customers previously provided – purporting to show that it was the customers who were taking the tests, not the defendants. The defendants also allegedly created fraudulent driver’s education certificates of completion, purportedly from New York driving schools, forged the signatures of driving school staff on the fake certificates and gave these documents to the customers to provide to the NY DMV.
The NY DMV also required that applicants appear at a NY DMV location and provide documents to prove their identity and residence in New York. Cesar Agusto Martin Reis conspired with his alleged co-conspirators to meet Massachusetts-based customers at locations in Massachusetts – typically several customers at a time – and drive them to NY DMV branch locations. When they arrived at the NY DMV locations, the defendants allegedly gave the customers fraudulent documents falsely purporting to demonstrate that the customers resided in New York. The customers provided these fake records to the NY DMV staff, and the NY DMV relied on the misrepresentations to issue New York driving permits to the customers. Cesar Agusto Martin Reis conspired with his alleged co-conspirators to arrange for the NY DMV to mail the permits to locations in New York that were controlled by the defendants and provided the permits to the customers in-person. Additionally, the defendants allegedly conspired to schedule road driving license tests for the customers with the NY DMV and, again, drive the customers to New York for them to take the road tests. If the customers passed the tests, the NY DMV sent the driver’s licenses to mailing addresses in New York that the defendants allegedly controlled, and the defendants then provided the licenses to the customers.
The defendants allegedly conspired to obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses for out-of-state residents, in generally the same manner as they allegedly obtained the New York licenses for Massachusetts residents. In Massachusetts, the defendants allegedly conspired to fraudulently obtain purported foreign passports to provide to the customers to use as proof of identity with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles in support of customer driver’s license applications.
Collectively, Cesar Agusto Martin Reis and his alleged co-conspirators fraudulently applied for licenses for more than 1,000 customers, obtained licenses for more than 600 of the customers, and collected at least hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The charge of conspiracy to unlawfully produce and possess with intent to transfer identification documents carries up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000; and the charge of possession with intent to use or transfer unlawfully identification documents, carries up to 15 years in prison, supervised release of up to 3 years, 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; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Kelly Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the NY DMV Division of Field Investigation; the Boston, Danbury (Conn.) and Waterbury (Conn.) Police Departments; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut; and the New York State Inspector General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bethel Park Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation and Prison Contraband ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation of minors and possession of contraband in prison, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Seth Hollerich, 30, pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Hollerich distributed material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors on two occasions—in March 2021 and September 2021. Further, in November 2024, while in prison for these crimes, Hollerich was found to be in possession of a prohibited object intended to be used as a weapon. Specifically, Hollerich possessed an 8.5-inch shank with a 3-inch sharpened plastic tip, and two additional 4-inch shanks with sharpened foil tips.
Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for October 14, 2025. As to the child sexual exploitation crimes, the law provides for a total sentence of not less than five (5) years and not more than twenty (20) years in prison, a fine of $250,000.00, or both. As to the contraband matter, the law provides for a total sentence of not more than five (5) years, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, Hollerich remains detained.
Assistant United States Attorneys Heidi M. Grogan and Kelly M. Locher are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security, United States Marshals Service, and Butler County Prison conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Hollerich.
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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Bergen County Man Admits to Committing over $600,000 COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey man admitted to fraudulently obtaining approximately $617,991 in federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”) and Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Malak Faltawws, aka “Mark Andrews,” 47, of Rutherford, New Jersey, plead guilty on June 10, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to two-counts of an Indictment charging wire fraud and money laundering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From March 2020 through November 2021, Faltawws fraudulently obtained approximately $617,991 of COVID-19 emergency relief funds, which included loans and cash advances meant for distressed small businesses under the EIDL and PPP programs, by submitting false and fraudulent applications, inflating his businesses’ revenue, payroll expenses, and number of employees. After receiving the fraudulent funds, he diverted the proceeds for his personal gain.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and the money laundering charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Each charge also carries a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for October 22, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan and investigators of the New Jersey Motor Vehicles Commission under the direction of Chief Administrator Latrecia Littles-Floyd with the investigation.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of the five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aja Espinosa of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Defense counsel: Areeb Salim, Esq. and Shaiba Rather, Esq.
faltawws.indictment.pdfArrest Warrants Issued for Father of Missing Union City ChildRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Arrest warrants have been issued for Jose Inocencio Fraire Chavez, 39. The warrants are related to incidents which occurred in Obion County, Tennessee. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the issuance of the arrest warrants today.
Chavez has been charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm; willful failure to comply with removal procedures in violation of Title 8 U.S.C. § 1253(b); and flight to avoid prosecution.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement are working together in coordination with the Union City Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to safely locate Chavez and his child, who have not been seen in the Union City area since May 2, 2025.
“Since issuing a statewide Endangered Child Alert on May 5th, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has remained committed to working alongside our local, state, and federal partners to bring Tah Yah Yona Chavez home safely,” said TBI Director David Rausch. “At the heart of this investigation is an innocent child who deserves to be safely reunited with her family in West Tennessee. We are truly grateful for the invaluable teamwork of our law enforcement partners in these efforts.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hillary Lawler Parham.
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of the factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Arkansas man sentenced for transporting illegal aliens in wheel well and fuel tankRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 48-year-old man from Jonesboro, Arkansas, has been ordered to federal prison for unlawfully transporting four illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes following a less than two-day trial before finding Noel Mercado guilty on two counts of alien smuggling March 11.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Mercado to serve 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered evidence showing that two individuals had been bolted inside a pickup truck’s wheel well. In handing down the sentence, the court called the offense circumstance egregious and said the smuggled individuals had been “treated like trash.”
On the evening of Jan. 5, Mercado approached the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint in a Ford F-350 and nearly drove past it. Authorities noticed his jaw shaking and a stuttered response to questions. A K-9 alerted to the vehicle which prompted a referral to secondary inspection, where an x-ray scan revealed two individuals hidden in bolted wheel well compartments and two more inside the auxiliary fuel tank.
All four were illegal aliens from the countries of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala with no authority to be in the United States.
At trial, Mercado claimed he had travelled to the Rio Grande Valley to trade baseball cards and other collectibles. He testified he had no idea any of the four individuals were concealed inside the truck he was driving. The jury did not believe his claims and found him guilty as charged.
“As we continue our successful campaign to secure the border, human smugglers are going to get increasingly desperate,” said Ganjei. “No matter how creative they think they are in their methods, our law enforcement partners are always one step ahead.”
Mercado will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Lamont and Ashley Pruitt prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
2025 World Elder Abuse Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Month, the Department of Justice announced that it has reinvigorated efforts to protect American seniors from transnational schemes that cost seniors billions of dollars, often stealing their life savings. In the past few weeks alone, Department prosecutors have arrested and filed cases against foreign fraudsters and domestic actors who have knowingly facilitated foreign-based crimes.
“Cases involving elder fraud are among the most heartbreaking cases our law enforcement partners investigate and that we prosecute. This office and federal, state, and local law enforcement are committed to working together to hold accountable those who prey on some of our most vulnerable citizens and strip them of their hard-earned savings,” commented Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. “We urge our seniors and their families to remain vigilant and to utilize the many resources available to them, such as those described below, to detect, report and avoid falling victims to these frauds.”
The Department is highlighting a number of actions, including in the District of Rhode Island, taken to protect American seniors. These include cases against those who engage in, and knowingly facilitate, romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud, and grandparent scams. Romance fraud is a confidence scheme where a perpetrator feigns romantic interest with a victim only to later extract money or property under false pretenses. Lottery fraud schemes trick victims into believing they have won a non-existent lottery or sweepstakes prize in order to extract fake fees, taxes, or other fabricated charges from the victim. Tech support fraud scams involve perpetrators tricking victims into believing that their computer or phone has a problem, often through fake pop-up messages, and to later seek funds from the victims in order to “fix” the “problem.” Grandparent scams, another type of confidence scheme, involve scammers impersonating a grandchild or close family member who experiences a fictitious emergency and needs money from the victim as soon as possible.
On June 12, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island announced the conviction of a British national from Northern Ireland who participated in a multi-state construction and money laundering fraud scheme targeting seniors. Members of the conspiracy falsely represented their experiences, skills, and business experiences while misrepresenting to property owners’ construction needs or repairs required on their properties. The conspiracy defrauded victims in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New York, and netted more than a million dollars. See here for the full USAO press release.
On May 21, 2025, this office announced the indictment of eight individuals for their roles in orchestrating and executing elaborate transnational fraud and money laundering schemes targeting elderly citizens in the United States and Canada. According to court documents, pop-up messages on seniors’ computers making various false claims lured victims to call live agents, who informed the victims that their financial assets were at risk or could be garnished, among other false claims. Law enforcement identified approximately 300 individuals in at least 37 states who suffered known losses exceeding $5 million. See here for the full USAO press release.
On November 4, 2024, it was announced that the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island charged a Florida resident and a New York resident with allegedly perpetrating grandparent scams against seniors in multiple states, including Rhode Island and Massachusetts. It is alleged that collectively the defendants defrauded seniors in more than a dozen communities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts of at least $230,000. See here for the full USO press release.
Recovering Victim Loss
Victims face many challenges in financially recovering from fraud schemes—and that is even more true for elderly victims. Many retired seniors are no longer earning income and cannot count on market appreciation to grow their retirement savings. Perpetrators may have already spent or forwarded victim funds beyond the reach of United States law enforcement. Victims may not have the resources to pursue legal action or hire legal representation. These, and other reasons, make it critically important that the Department do whatever it takes to achieve substantial victim restitution in cases we investigate and prosecute.
National Elder Fraud Hotline 2025 WEAAD Campaign
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is a free, national resource for older adults and their loved ones experiencing financial fraud. Supported by the Office for Victims of Crime, the National Elder Fraud Hotline is staffed by professionals who have experience working with older adults. Staff are continuously updated on the latest scams, are trained to make referrals and warm hand-offs for resources and services in the older adult’s local area and can assist older adults in placing a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a report which has the potential to freeze funds (although freezing funds cannot be guaranteed).
The department urges individuals to be on the lookout for fraudulent lottery, prize notification, sweepstakes, and psychic scams. If you receive a phone call, letter or email promising a large prize in exchange for a fee, do not respond. Fraudsters often will use official-sounding names or the names of real lotteries or sweepstakes or pretend to be a government agent purportedly helping to secure a prize.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
The Department notes that for all cases discussed above, facts included in a Complaint, Information, or Indictment are only allegations, and all defendants are innocent until proven guilty by evidence beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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2025 World Elder Abuse Awareness Day AnnouncementRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced yesterday that it has reinvigorated efforts to protect American seniors from transnational schemes that cost seniors billions of dollars, often stealing their life savings. In the past few weeks alone, DOJ prosecutors have arrested and filed cases against foreign fraudsters and domestic actors who have knowingly facilitated foreign-based crimes.
“Our office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who would exploit our elderly friends, neighbors, and family members. We appreciate the efforts of our federal, state, local, and tribal partners to identify elder abuse in all its forms, physical, psychological, and financial. But we also need everyone’s help by checking on older adults, especially those with few family members close by, and watching for signs and abuse or unusual financial transactions. U.S. Attorney Alme said.
See the U.S. Attorney’s Office Public Service Announcement on Elder Fraud: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/video/district-montana-elder-fraud-psa-60-seconds.
The DOJ is highlighting a number of recent prosecutions, including one here in Montana, to protect American seniors. These include cases against those who engage in, and knowingly facilitate, romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud, and grandparent scams. Romance fraud is a confidence scheme where a perpetrator feigns romantic interest with a victim only to later extract money or property under false pretenses. Lottery fraud schemes trick victims into believing they have won a non-existent lottery or sweepstakes prize in order to extract fake fees, taxes, or other fabricated charges from the victim. Tech support fraud scams involve perpetrators tricking victims into believing that their computer or phone has a problem, often through fake pop-up messages, and to later seek funds from the victims in order to “fix” the “problem.” Grandparent scams, another type of confidence scheme, involve scammers impersonating a grandchild or close family member who experiences a fictitious emergency and needs money from the victim as soon as possible.
Recently in Montana, an FBI and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office investigation resulted in the arrested a man allegedly involved in an India-based scheme that claimed to be U.S. Marshals targeting the elderly and resulted in the theft of over $1 million from an elderly victim. https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/pr/india-based-amazon-scam-leads-almost-1-million-dollar-loss-elderly-victim-missoula
Recovering Victim Loss
Victims face many challenges in financially recovering from fraud schemes—and that is even more true for elderly victims. Many retired seniors are no longer earning income and cannot count on market appreciation to grow their retirement savings. Perpetrators may have already spent or forwarded victim funds beyond the reach of United States law enforcement. Victims may not have the resources to pursue legal action or hire legal representation. These, and other reasons, make it critically important that the DOJ work hard to achieve substantial victim restitution in cases we investigate and prosecute.
National Elder Fraud Hotline 2025 WEAAD Campaign
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is a free, national resource for older adults and their loved ones experiencing financial fraud. Supported by the DOJ Office for Victims of Crime, the National Elder Fraud Hotline is staffed by professionals who have experience working with older adults. Staff are continuously updated on the latest scams, are trained to make referrals and warm hand-offs for resources and services in the older adult’s local area and can assist older adults in placing a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a report which has the potential to freeze funds (although freezing funds cannot be guaranteed).
The DOJ urges individuals to be on the lookout for fraudulent lottery, prize notification, sweepstakes, and psychic scams. If you receive a phone call, letter or email promising a large prize in exchange for a fee, do not respond. Fraudsters often will use official-sounding names or the names of real lotteries or sweepstakes or pretend to be a government agent purportedly helping to secure a prize.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This DOJ hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the DOJ’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The DOJ provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
The DOJ notes that for all cases discussed above, facts included in a Complaint, Information, or Indictment are only allegations, and all defendants are innocent until proven guilty by evidence beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
16 June 2025
Venezuelan national and a U.S. citizen arrested for sanctions evasion and smuggling in scheme to supply Venezuela’s state-owned steel industryRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Two men have been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging them with violating U.S. sanctions related to Venezuela, illegally smuggling goods from the United States and money laundering.
Juan Carlos Cairo-Padron, 56, a Venezuelan national and lawful permanent resident of Huntsville, and Thomas Michael Fortinberry, 51, Decatur, Alabama, have made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan.
According to the criminal complaint, unsealed upon their appearances in court, Cairo and Fortinberry conspired for years to sell chemical catalysts, industrial equipment and associated services to Venezuelan state-owned steel mills and petrochemical companies that are subject to U.S. sanctions. Cairo and Fortinberry’s scheme allegedly involved the use of U.S. and overseas front companies that served as intermediaries on shipping documents, foreign bank accounts that moved money into and out of the United States and other activities designed to conceal the fact that the goods and services were destined for sanctioned entities.
The charges allege that from at least 2022 through the present, Cairo and Fortinberry — at times acting through companies they owned or controlled — sold millions of dollars’ worth of catalysts, industrial equipment and related services to the Venezuelan steel company Complejo Siderurgico de Guayana S.A. (COMSIGUA), which the Venezuelan government owns and is subject to U.S. sanctions. Cairo and Fortinberry allegedly used Chinese suppliers to ship the catalysts or industrial equipment directly from China to Venezuela, and in at least one instance, shipped the goods from the United States to Venezuela.
As part of their scheme, Cairo and Fortinberry also transferred millions of dollars between bank accounts in the United States, Spain and China — in transactions involving companies based in China, Germany and Spain — all for the purpose of continuing their sanctions evasion scheme and to conceal the true parties involved, according to the charges.
If convicted, both Cairo and Fortinberry face a maximum of 20 years in prison for the sanctions and money laundering violations and 10 years for smuggling.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Defense Criminal Investigative Service are conducting the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Mark McIntyre and John Marck are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Adam P. Barry, Yifei Zheng and Christopher Magnani of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Venezuelan National and U.S. Citizen Arrested for Sanctions Evasion and Smuggling in Scheme to Supply Venezuela’s State-Owned Steel IndustryRead the Press Release
Note: View the criminal complaint.
Juan Carlos Cairo-Padron, 56, of Huntsville, Texas, and Thomas Michael Fortinberry, 51, of Decatur, Alabama, were arrested on June 13, 2025 on a federal criminal complaint charging them with violating U.S. sanctions related to Venezuela, illegally smuggling goods from the United States, and money laundering. The defendants will make their initial court appearances in the Southern District of Texas today.
According to the complaint, Cairo, a Venezuelan national and U.S. lawful permanent resident, and Fortinberry, a U.S. citizen, conspired for years to sell chemical catalysts, industrial equipment, and associated services to Venezuelan state-owned steel mills and petrochemical companies that are subject to U.S. sanctions. Cairo and Fortinberry’s scheme involved the use of U.S. and overseas front companies that served as intermediaries on shipping documents, foreign bank accounts that moved money into and out of the United States, and other activities designed to conceal the fact that the goods and services were destined for sanctioned entities.
As alleged, from at least 2022 through the present, Cairo and Fortinberry — at times acting through companies that they owned or controlled such as DRI Reformers and Reformer Technologies — sold millions of dollars’ worth of catalysts, industrial equipment, and related services to the Venezuelan steel company Complejo Siderurgico de Guayana S.A. (COMSIGUA), which is owned by the Venezuelan government and is subject to U.S. sanctions. Cairo and Fortinberry used Chinese suppliers to ship the catalysts or industrial equipment directly from China to Venezuela, and in at least one instance, they shipped the goods from the United States to Venezuela. As part of their scheme, Cario and Fortinberry also transferred millions of dollars between bank accounts in the United States, Spain, and China — in transactions involving companies based in China, Germany, and Spain — all for the purpose of continuing their sanctions evasion scheme, and to conceal the true parties involved.
If convicted, both Cairo and Fortinberry face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the sanctions and money laundering violations, and 10 years in prison for the smuggling violation. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Adam P. Barry and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Mark McIntyre and John Marck for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Christopher Magnani provided substantial assistance.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Corporate Executives Sentenced in First-Ever Criminal Prosecution for Failure to Report Under Consumer Product Safety ActRead the Press Release
Two California businessmen were sentenced in Los Angeles, California, today for conspiracy and failing to report information related to defective dehumidifiers linked to multiple residential fires.
U.S. District Court Judge Dale S. Fischer sentenced Simon Chu, 70, of Pomona, California, and Charley Loh, 67, of Arcadia, California, to serve 38 and 40 months in prison respectively, plus three years of supervised release, for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and in failing to furnish information as required by the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA). The Court also ordered Chu and Loh to pay fines of $5,000 and $12,000, respectively, as part of their sentences. Chu and Loh were convicted on November 16, 2023, following trial in Los Angeles.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, Loh was part owner and chief executive officer of Gree USA Inc. (Gree USA), and another corporation in City of Industry, California, both of which imported and sold residential dehumidifiers that were made in China by Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai (Gree Zhuhai). Chu was part owner and chief administrative officer of the same two corporations.
The CPSA requires manufacturers, importers and distributors of consumer products to report “immediately” to the CPSC information that reasonably supports the conclusion that a product contains a defect that could create a substantial product hazard or creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death. This duty also applies to the individual directors, officers and agents of those companies. According to evidence presented in court, by September 2012, Chu, Loh and their companies had received multiple reports that their Chinese dehumidifiers were defective, dangerous and could catch fire. They also knew that they were required to report this product safety information to the CPSC immediately. Despite knowing about dehumidifier fires and tests showing defects in the dehumidifiers, Chu and Loh failed to disclose those defects and hazards for at least six months while they continued to sell their products.
“Federal law requires companies to report potentially dangerous products to the Consumer Product Safety Commission to help protect consumers from harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to investigate and bring to justice companies and individuals who willfully evade these requirements and put the public in danger.”
The defective dehumidifiers sold by Chu and Loh’s two corporations were included in multiple recalls of a larger number of defective dehumidifiers manufactured by Gree Zhuhai. According to the recall notices, more than 450 reported fires and millions of dollars in property damage were linked to the recalled Gree dehumidifiers.
The most recent recall announcements for the Gree dehumidifiers can be found here: www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2017/Gree-Reannounces-Dehumidifier-Recall-Following-450-Fires-and-19-Million-in-Property-Damage-0 and here:
www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2023/Gree-Recalls-1-56-Million-Dehumidifiers-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-Reports-of-At-Least-23-Fires.
The CPSC’s most recent warning about the recalled Gree dehumidifiers is here: www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/2023/CPSC-Warning-Stop-Using-Recalled-Gree-Dehumidifiers-Due-to-Fire-Hazard-4-Deaths-May-be-Tied-to-Recalled-Units.
“Corporate executives who choose to ignore the law will be held accountable – especially when death and serious injuries result,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “By putting profits over the safety of others, these defendants created serious risks to consumers, and we will continue to prosecute those who endanger the public.”
“These Chinese-made products were hazardous, and the defendants knew it,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Peter Feldman. “Today’s sentences are a clear message that the CPSC will take a hard line against executives who break American laws and endanger families. I commend the CPSC and Justice Department teams for their work to secure this outcome.”
Gree USA was sentenced in April 2023 to pay a $500,000 criminal fine after pleading guilty to failing to notify the CPSC about the problems with the dehumidifiers. The fine, along with provisions to pay restitution to victims, was part of a $91 million criminal resolution with Gree USA, Gree Zhuhai and another related Gree company, Hong Kong Gree Electric Appliances Sales Co. Ltd. This resolution is the first corporate criminal enforcement action ever brought under the CPSA.
Homeland Security Investigations of the Department of Homeland Security investigated the case.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Natalie Sanders, Speare Hodges, and Stephen Gripkey of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Mitchell of the Central District of California, with the assistance of Patricia Vieira of the CPSC’s Office of General Counsel.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, visit its website at www.justice.gov/usao-cdca.
Two Charged in Albuquerque Alien Harboring, Kidnapping CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two men face federal charges for harboring illegal aliens after a kidnapping and human smuggling investigation in Albuquerque.
According to court documents, on March 1, 2025, a complainant told the FBI their spouse had been kidnapped and held for ransom. The kidnappers demanded 90,000 quetzales (about $11,600) and threatened to turn the victim over to the Zeta Cartel if payment was not made. “Proof of life” videos were sent to the family.
Using phone data from the ransom calls, agents traced the location to a residence in southwest Albuquerque. On March 2, agents executed a search warrant and found 11 undocumented immigrants, including an unaccompanied minor and defendants Isaias David Jose and Tomas Mateo Gaspar. The house was sparsely furnished and contained over 20 cell phones and a ledger of smuggling activity.
Victims said they were locked in rooms, threatened with violence or being turned over to criminal organizations, and told not to talk to law enforcement. Both Jose and Gaspar were identified as running the stash house and making ransom videos.
Jose and Gaspar were indicted for harboring an illegal alien and aiding and abetting and will remain in custody pending trial, which is scheduled for August 11, 2025. If convicted of the current charges, Jose and Gaspar each face up to five years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec is prosecuting the case as 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.
View the Indictment (Jose and Gaspar).pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tampa Man Indicted for Attempted Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Johan Smith Pavon Mejia (Tampa, 41) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Mejia faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
According to the indictment and court records, in April 2025, Mejia communicated online with an undercover detective with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and arranged to meet a fictitious minor to engage in sexual activity. Mejia traveled to an agreed upon location to meet the fictitious minor and arrived with items requested by the undercover detective, including candy, iced tea, and money to pay for the arranged sexual acts.
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 FBI Tampa and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Slidell Man and Woman Indicted for Conspiracy, Wire Fraud, False Statements in Loan Applications, Money Laundering, and Federal Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JAMAR HOWARD (“HOWARD”), age 38, and CHARENYIA CARMOUCHE (“CARMOUCHE”), age 31 of Slidell, were charged in a recently unsealed twelve-count indictment on May 30, 2025 with conspiracy to commit offenses, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, False Statement in Loan Application, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1014, Money Laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957, and Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Carfentanil, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846.
According to the indictment, HOWARD and CARMOUCHE submitted loan applications to various lenders and other entities between 2023 and 2024. In support of the loan applications, HOWARD and CARMOUCHE submitted false tax documents. HOWARD submitted altered bank statements in support of loan applications in his name and in the name of his business, Marathon Expedited Trucking. Once HOWARD and CARMOUCHE obtained approval of the loan applications, the funds from various financial institutions were deposited into bank accounts held by HOWARD and CARMOUCHE. HOWARD and CARMOUCHE used the loan proceeds for their personal use and enrichment.
In addition, CARMOUCHE did knowingly engage and attempt to engage in monetary transactions in criminally derived property of a value greater than $10,000, such property having been derived from a specified unlawful activity.
Finally, according to court records, beginning on a date unknown, but at least by March 26, 2024, and continuing until the date of the indictment, in the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere, HOWARD knowingly and intentionally conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of carfentanil, a Schedule II controlled substance and fentanyl analogue.
If convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Offenses, HOWARD and CARMOUCHE face a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of Wire Fraud, HOWARD faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of False Statement in Loan Application, HOWARD and CARMOUCHE face a maximum term of imprisonment of thirty years, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of Money Laundering, CARMOUCHE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute carfentanil, HOWARD faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of ten years and up to a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The defendants also face payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Briana Williams of the Narcotics Unit.
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).
Sanford Man Sentenced for Possessing A MachinegunRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Timothy Aden-Alan Calhoun (27, Orlando) to 2 years and 10 months in federal prison for possession of a machinegun. The court also ordered Calhoun to forfeit the firearm he possessed. Calhoun pleaded guilty on February 25, 2025.
According to court documents, officers from the Maitland Police Department stopped Calhoun for a traffic violation while he was operating a stolen motorcycle. During a search incident to his arrest, an officer located a Glock 19 with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device installed. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was contacted and confirmed that the firearm was converted into a fully automatic weapon.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maitland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael P. Felicetta and Kaley Austin-Aronson.
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.
Rochester business owner sentenced for food stamp fraudRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Zina Amba Mbile Mbile, 46, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of food stamp fraud, was sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay $246,890.00 in restitution to the United States Department of Agriculture by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) uses federal tax dollars to help low-income individuals purchase food. Eligible individuals are provided with a debit card from which they can make food purchases at authorized food stores. Businesses authorized to accepts SNAP benefits, can only do so for the sale of eligible food products. It is unlawful to accept SNAP benefits for non-food items such as cigarettes, beer, or for cash. Between March 1, 2020, and July 23, 2024, Mbile, who operated the Beni Food convenience store on Dewey Avenue in Rochester, accepted SNAP benefits from customers in exchange for non-food items, such as cosmetic products. Mbile also exchanged cash for food stamp benefits, resulting in a profit for Mbile. In total, Mbile fraudulently caused $246,890.00 to be deposited into Beni Food’s bank accounts for food that was never purchased.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Charmeka Parker, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the Monroe County Department of Human Services, under the direction of Commissioner Thalia Wright.
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Rio Rancho Woman Faces Federal Charges for Trafficking over 120 Pounds of FentanylRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Rio Rancho woman faces federal drug trafficking charges after a significant seizure during a routine traffic stop on Interstate 40 within the Laguna Pueblo Reservation.
According to court documents, on June 11, 2025, a Bureau of Indian Affairs officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for excessive window tint within the Laguna Reservation. The officer detected the odor of marijuana and observed drug paraphernalia in plain view upon approaching the vehicle. The driver, Jordan Baldwin, 22, admitted to possessing marijuana and was asked to exit the vehicle. Baldwin also admitted to using a straw found in her possession to snort cocaine.
The officer conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle, locating additional drug paraphernalia and Xanax pills in the front passenger area. In the trunk, the officer discovered a large black duffle bag containing a substantial quantity of blue pills, which, based on his training and experience, he believed to be fentanyl. Field tests later confirmed the pills as fentanyl, with a gross weight of 122.22 pounds, equating to approximately 504,140 pills.
Black duffle bag containing fentanyl pills Fentanyl pills on a scaleBaldwin is charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 400 grams and more of fentanyl and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Baldwin faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Port Charlotte Man Indicted for Production and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Tyler Russell Kuhn (29, Port Charlotte) with one count of production and one count of distribution of child sexual abuse material. If convicted on all counts, Kuhn faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment and court records, in October 2019, Kuhn engaged in an online conversation with another individual. During the conversation, Kuhn produced a video and image of child sexual abuse material involving himself and a toddler. Kuhn distributed this video and image over the internet, to the individual to whom he was speaking.
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 – Tampa and Houston Field Offices. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.