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6 June 2025
Tonawanda woman going to prison for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employerRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Erin Martin, 53, of Tonawanda, NY, who was convicted of wire fraud, was sentenced to serve 12 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. Martin has also been ordered to pay full restitution to the Victim in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno, who handled the case, stated that between April 2022, and June 10, 2024, Martin defrauded a business (Victim), located in Amherst, NY, which employed her as a Senior Staff Accountant. Martin reported to the Chief Financial Officer and was responsible for, among other things, ensuring that the Victim’s vendor invoices were paid timely. In furtherance of her scheme, Martin created fraudulent vendor invoices addressed to the Victim. Martin would then make unauthorized electronic funds transfers from the Victim’s bank account directly into her personal bank account, purportedly as payments on the fraudulent invoices she had created. In total, Martin caused 95 electronic funds transfers totaling $440,395.00. Martin used these funds to pay her own personal and family members expenses.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm.
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Three Sentenced for Pandemic-Related Unemployment Fraud, ID TheftRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Friday sentenced a man who ran a scheme that falsely obtained COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits and stole dozens of identities and credit cards to 65 months in prison and ordered him to pay restitution of $116,587.
Daryl Jones Jr., 46, fraudulently obtained $84,592 in COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania between June 22, 2020, and July 15, 2020. Jones obtained those benefits on debit cards fraudulently issued to him and four others. Four additional debit cards were issued using more stolen identities, but no unemployment benefits were deposited upon those cards.
Jones obtained some of the personal identifying information to set up the accounts from his girlfriend, Cheryl Johnson, who had supervised them at various St. Louis area businesses.
On June 3, 2021, Jones submitted counterfeit pay stubs from a fake business associated with Johnson to obtain a $31,700 vehicle loan. He and Johnson submitted counterfeit insurance identification cards to accept delivery of the vehicle.
Jones and Johnson were using the St. Louis County home of James Whitiker to commit their crimes. On June 25, 2021, investigators performed a court-approved search of the home and found a notebook containing the names, Social Security numbers and birthdates of about 35 individuals. They also found two more pieces of paper with the identifying information of 18 other people, three stolen identification documents, nine Pennsylvania unemployment insurance benefit debit cards and stolen credit and debit cards.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others in order to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims, including the multiple individual consumer and business victims in this investigation,” said Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office.
Jones pleaded guilty in February in U.S. District Court to three felonies: conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and wire fraud.
Johnson, 44, pleaded guilty February 20 to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and wire fraud. She was sentenced May 22 to 55 months in prison and ordered to repay $116,587. Whitiker, 44, pleaded guilty in July to a conspiracy charge and was sentenced in October to three years of prison. He admitted using two debit cards during the conspiracy and admitted knowing that Jones and Johnson were using his home to commit the unemployment fraud.
The U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry prosecuted the case.
Staten Island, New York Man Sentenced to 42 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on June 2, 2025, Xavier Parker, 31, of Staten Island, New York was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 18 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Parker previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and admitted that in February and March 2024 he worked with a co-conspirator to distribute fentanyl in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Judge Sessions also sentenced Parker to 24 months’ incarceration, to run consecutively to the 18-month sentence, for a related supervised release violation.
According to court records, the offense involved multiple controlled purchases and additional drugs quantities found hidden on Parker at his arrest, totaling approximately 12.1 grams of cocaine base, 2.2 grams of fentanyl, 0.67 grams of heroin, and 5.6 grams of cocaine. Critically, Parker committed this offense while on federal supervised release following his 2020 conviction in U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont for conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base. Parker began his supervised release in August 2022, and not even two years later, he was selling drugs again.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the Vermont State Police.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Cate and Michelle Arra. Parker was represented by Chandler Matson, Esq.
Southern California Nurse Indicted for Multi-Million Dollar Hospice Fraud in Fresno and Kern CountiesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment charging Jessa Zayas, 34, of Santa Clarita, with health care fraud and aggravated identity theft for submitting millions of dollars in of fraudulent claims for hospice care to Medicare, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today.
Hospice is a type of care and support for terminally ill patients. Medicare is a federal health insurance program that covers certain hospice expenses. Generally, a patient must be certified as being terminally ill to qualify for hospice care payments under Medicare.
According to court records, Zayas was the CEO and owner of Healing Hands Hospice and Humane Love Hospice, which are based in Van Nuys, while also working another full-time job. Zayas caused Healing Hands and Humane Love to fraudulently bill Medicare for hospice care supposedly provided to over 100 people who were not in fact terminally ill. Zayas knew these individuals were not terminally ill as was represented to Medicare, and that they therefore were ineligible for the Medicare hospice payments. The total amount of fraudulent Medicare billings caused by Zayas from June 2023 through May 2025 was at least $2,500,000.
Zayas and others obtained personal Medicare information for the supposed hospice patients by going to retirement homes in Fresno and Kern Counties. To avoid detection, they made these visits after hours when most of the retirement residences’ managers were gone for the day. Zayas and others knocked on the patients’ doors and asked them for their information so that they could enroll them in hospice. Zayas then caused the Medicare claims to be submitted with false representations about terminal illness and submitted forged doctor’s certifications when Medicare asked for supporting documentation. The Medicare payments were deposited into banks accounts that Zayas controlled.
The FBI and HHS OIG arrested Zayas and executed a search warrant at her home last week. Among other evidence, the FBI seized $77,000 in cash that Zayas had hidden in boxes underneath her bed.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI and HHS OIG. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph Barton and Brittany Gunter are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Zayas faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the health care fraud charge. She also faces an additional mandatory two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charge, consecutive to any other sentence. 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. Zayas is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Shiprock Man Charged with Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man was charged by indictment with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, in the morning hours of May 15, 2025, Jay Ray Kelly, 39, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was seen walking in Shiprock, firing a handgun into the air. Concerned citizens called police. Later that morning, police arrested Kelly with a handgun and 155 rounds of ammunition in a backpack.
Kelly is charged federally with unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition. In 2006, Kelly was convicted in the District of New Mexico for possessing a firearm in a school zone. Because of this 2006 federal felony conviction, Kelly was prohibited from possessing all firearms and ammunition.
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 Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment (Kelly).pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sanostee Man Pleads Guilty to Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Sanostee man pleaded guilty to a violent assault that left a woman seriously injured.
According to court records, Nathan Mescale, 36, and enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, admitted that on December 2 and December 3, 2023, he assaulted Jane Doe, and the assault caused her serious bodily injury.
At sentencing, Mescale faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Mescale will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
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 Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mia Ulibarri-Rubin is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Mescale).pdfSan Antonio Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking FirearmsRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 151 months in prison for firearms trafficking.
According to court documents, Joel Alejandro Martinez aka Bo Jackson, 26, was identified by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as being a frequent seller of stolen firearms in online chat groups. On Jan. 10, 2024, Martinez posted two pistols for sale and agreed to sell them at a location in San Antonio. He stated that he did not have a car but his mother, codefendant Margarita Hernandez Martinez, would drive him. On Feb. 28, 2024, at the agreed upon time, Martinez arrived at the location, driven by his mother, and unloaded a black rifle case from the truck, placed it in the backseat of the purchaser’s vehicle, and got in the front seat of the purchaser’s car. The purchaser gave Martinez $1,100 in cash for the .308 caliber rifle.
Later that day, Martinez contacted the purchaser to ask what else they might be interested in purchasing. The purchaser, an undercover ATF agent, indicated that they purchase all sorts of firearms but also deal in “cheap throwaways stolen.” Martinez responded to the undercover agent, “I got you,” and indicated that he could supply AR-style rifles and pistols. He later told the undercover that he purchased stolen or crime-involved guns in large batches and agreed to sell four pistols to the undercover for $1,600. In another conversation, the agent told Martinez that he, “buys them for cheap and will move them to Mexico.”
The undercover agent met with Martinez—driven by his mother—three more times between March 5, 2024 and April 11, 2024, to conduct sales of firearms, at least one of which Martinez knew and had reasonable cause to believe was stolen.
Martinez’s mother, Hernandez Martinez, was sentenced on April 25 to 40 months in prison for aiding and abetting.
Federal District Court Judge Jason K. Pulliam sentenced both defendants.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zack Parsons prosecuted the case.
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Rhode Island Man Sentenced for Setting Fires Around the Exterior of a Church and Assaulting Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
Kevin Colantonio, 36, pleaded guilty in February 2025 to malicious damage by means of fire, obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs, and two counts of assault on a federal officer. He was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr., to more than six years in federal prison. He intentionally set multiple fires around the exterior of a predominantly black church in North Providence, RI, in February 2024, and assaulted two federal correctional officers while detained at a federal detention center following his arrest.
“This defendant acted with disdain against people of faith and complete disregard for law enforcement officers,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigorously prosecute anti-Christian bias in the United States and ensure Americans are free to worship without fear.”
Colantonio previously admitted to a federal judge that on Feb. 11, 2024, he used gasoline and a lighter he purchased minutes earlier at a gas station within walking distance of Shiloh Gospel Temple Ministries, to ignite five fires around the exterior of the church. The fires were quickly extinguished by North Providence officers, but not before the church sustained some damage.
During a Feb. 15, 2024, court-authorized search of Colantonio’s residence, an accelerant detection canine indicated a positive reaction on several items of seized clothing. These items matched the clothing Colantonio was wearing on the night of the arson, based upon surveillance footage. Colantonio admitted to setting the fires and assaulting the corrections officers.
Acting U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom for the District of Rhode Island and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter I. Roklan for the District of Rhode Island and Taylor Payne of the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
The fires set at the Shiloh Gospel Temple Ministries were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with members of the North Providence, RI, Police Department and the Rhode Island State Fire Marshal’s Office. The assault of the federal officers was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Repeat Offender Unlawfully Residing in Oregon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland area drug trafficker was sentenced to federal prison Thursday for repeatedly possessing and distributing fentanyl.
Bexon Javier Calix-Rivera, 21, a Honduran national unlawfully residing in Portland, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, in January 2023, Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers first arrested Calix-Rivera after he arrived at a prearranged drug deal in Portland. Officers searched Calix-Rivera’s car and seized thousands of fentanyl pills along with significant quantities of fentanyl powder and heroin for redistribution. Calix-Rivera was booked in the Multnomah County Jail on state charges and released the next day.
On May 24, 2024, PPB officers contacted Calix-Rivera in downtown Portland after reports of a person threatening another individual with a firearm. Officers detained Calix-Rivera and seized several hundred fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and $1,492 in cash. PPB officers again arrested Calix-Rivera and booked him in the Multnomah County Jail, where he was released on his own recognizance.
On June 4, 2024, PPB officers recognized Calix-Rivera from the encounter ten days prior. Officers observed Calix-Rivera carrying a hatchet and engaged in hand-to-hand drug transactions in downtown Portland. Officers attempted to detain Calix-Rivera, but he fled on foot. When officers apprehended Calix-Rivera, they seized fentanyl powder, a firearm, and $755 in cash. PPB officers booked Calix-Rivera in the Multnomah County Jail, and he was released the same day.
On June 11, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a six-count indictment charging Calix-Rivera with possession of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
On March 12, 2025, Calix-Rivera pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Cassady A. Adams, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 3-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.
Red Bluff Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Ricardo Gutierrez, 28, of Red Bluff, pleaded guilty today to one count of sexual exploitation of a child, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, in April 2024, Gutierrez used four prepubescent children, including one toddler, to create two videos of the children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Gutierrez screen recorded himself and the child victims on video through Facebook Messenger.
Law enforcement was alerted of Gutierrez when a woman he met on the Tinder dating app contacted law enforcement. Gutierrez had sent the woman an unsolicited photograph that depicted a clothed minor female approximately 6-8 years old looking away from the camera accompanied by three face with hand over mouth iMessage emojis. Gutierrez then asked the woman, “You have little neighbors…Little girls neighbor…Pretty.” Gutierrez continued, “I need a girl…Young girl…You have neighbors?... You have nieces?” Gutierrez also sent the woman an unsolicited 17-second video that depicted an adult male engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a minor female approximately 5-8 years old.
Between November 2023 and July 2024, Gutierrez distributed several child sexual abuse images and videos to others through his Telegram and WhatsApp accounts, and iMessage. This included the distribution of a video that depicted an adult male engaged in sexually explicit conduct with an infant. Gutierrez also possessed more than 4,800 files depicting the sexual abuse of children on his phone. The files included images of children engaged in sexual acts with adults and other children.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins is prosecuting the case.
Gutierrez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins on Sept. 12, 2025. Gutierrez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, restitution and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Leading a Methamphetamine Conspiracy within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and Rapid City AreaRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Guillermo Calderon, a/k/a “Memo,” age 38, was sentenced on June 6, 2025, to 25 years in federal prison, five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
“Methamphetamine is ravaging communities throughout South Dakota, leaving a trail of heartbreaking addiction in its path,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Calderon played a significant role in perpetuating this problem by trafficking methamphetamine into Rapid City and within the Pine Ridge Reservation. Thanks to our skilled federal and tribal law enforcement partners, Calderon will now spend serious time in federal prison.”
“Calderon led a dangerous operation that funneled large amounts of methamphetamine into Pine Ridge and Rapid City, bringing violence and addiction into vulnerable communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Today’s sentencing reaffirms that those who bring cartel-linked drugs into our communities will be brought to justice. The FBI will continue to work with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners to disrupt drug trafficking networks and protect our communities from the devastating impact of cartel-sourced narcotics.”
Calderon was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024, and pleaded guilty on March 26, 2025. The investigation showed that Calderon and others distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine in Pine Ridge and Rapid City. Calderon was the leader of the conspiracy, trafficking significant amounts of methamphetamine into the community from Mexican cartel operatives. Calderon utilized firearms and threats of violence throughout his drug distribution scheme. In January 2024, Iowa law enforcement arrested Calderon while he was driving approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine to South Dakota.
In sentencing Calderon, Judge Schreier denounced how Calderon’s actions severely damaged the South Dakota community, and found he was the most culpable and violent member of the drug conspiracy. Judge Schreier also noted the drugs Calderon distributed constituted 100% pure methamphetamine and came from a Mexican cartel.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Calderon was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following sentencing.
Prince George’s County Man Pleads Guilty to Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, Zebedee Alexander Johnson, 35, of Clinton, Maryland, pled guilty to the armed robbery of a Clinton convenience store.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Malik Aziz, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to the guilty plea, on April 29, 2022, Johnson and four others traveled to a Clinton convenience store, where they pointed a firearm at a store employee and ordered him to lie down. They then used a circular saw to break open the store’s ATM and take trays containing approximately $35,020 in U.S. currency. At the time of the armed robbery, Johnson was on federal supervised release in connection with a 2018 conviction for a drug-distribution offense. Johnson admitted that he violated the supervised-release terms, which prohibits committing any new crimes, by committing the armed robbery.
Johnson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years and a maximum of life in federal prison, followed by up to five years of supervised release, for this offense. He also faces a maximum sentence of two years for violating his supervised release. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang scheduled sentencing for September 4, at 9:30 a.m.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and William Moomau who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Pennsylvania man sentenced to 15 years in prison for abducting a Virginia woman and transporting her to another stateRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for kidnapping a Virginia woman.
According to court documents, on March 17, 2022, Troy Edwin Leitner, 61, of Scranton, abducted a victim, identified as Jane Doe, from a residence in Norfolk, transported her to various locations, and eventually left her at a hospital in Manning, South Carolina, two days later.
Jane Doe was renting a room inside a residence in Norfolk and was struggling with an addiction to heroin. Leitner went to a neighboring residence, presented a photograph of Jane Doe to the neighbor, and claimed that he had an arrest warrant for Jane Doe. Leitner also presented what appeared to be valid credentials and was wearing tactical clothing, a jacket marked "Fugitive Recovery Agent," a badge, and a pistol in a holster. Believing Leitner to be affiliated with law enforcement, the neighbor agreed to assist him.
Though Jane Doe wasn’t home at the time, the neighbor called Leitner later that afternoon and informed him that the residents were back. Leitner returned, entered the residence, and abducted Jane Doe. Leitner placed handcuffs on Jane Doe and told her that she was under arrest. Leitner told Jane Doe that he was taking her somewhere to ask her questions and would bring her back to her residence. Jane Doe believed Leitner was affiliated with law enforcement and complied with his directions.
Leitner took Jane Doe to the Ocean View Inn, handcuffed Jane Doe to a table, and told her he would shoot her if she ran. Leitner and Jane Doe stayed for approximately an hour before leaving. Leitner told Jane Doe that they were going to his office, which he claimed was located in Richmond.
Leitner then transported Jane Doe to Richmond where she consumed heroin. Leitner then took Jane Doe southbound and Leitner rented several hotel rooms from Richmond to South Carolina. When Leitner and Jane Doe got out of his vehicle, Leitner would tell Jane Doe to stay close to him and pretend she was his girlfriend so that he would not have to embarrass her by putting her in handcuffs. Jane Doe feared Leitner and complied with his directions. At some point during the trip, Leitner called Jane Doe's mother on the telephone and falsely claimed that he was taking Jane Doe to a rehabilitation center in Florida.
While Leitner and Jane Doe were at a hotel in Hamer, South Carolina, on March 18, 2022, Leitner received a call from a law enforcement officer. Leitner falsely claimed that his "office" in Washington had received information about drug and prostitution activity at Jane Doe's residence and that Jane Doe had agreed to assist in the apprehension of a drug dealer. He also falsely claimed that he was taking Jane Doe to rehabilitation and that he was part of “Federal Fugitive Recovery.” Leitner and Jane Doe left the hotel and drove for approximately one to two hours before stopping again.
On March 19, 2022, when Jane Doe began to feel very sick, Leitner left her at a hospital in Manning. A security guard at the facility observed Leitner pull his vehicle into the ambulance bay of the hospital. Leitner was “jittery" and "nervous," and told security his name was "Agent Leitner " and that he was a bounty hunter. Leitner falsely claimed that he had picked up Jane Doe on the side of the road and that she was on drugs. The security guard became suspicious and photographed Leitner's Pennsylvania license plate.
Leitner was later arrested in Pennsylvania.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan M. Montoya and Anthony C. Marek 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-57.
North Dakota Man and Woman Sentenced to Lengthy Terms in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a North Park, North Dakota, man and a Bismarck, North Dakota, woman who were convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencings took place on June 2, 2025.
Richard Rasmusson, age 44 , was sentenced to ten years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Leslie Apple, age 40, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. She was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Rasmusson and Apple were indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024. Rasmusson pleaded guilty on November 4, 2024. Apple pleaded guilty on November 18, 2024.
These convictions stemmed from drug distribution activity that occurred between January 2024 and April 2024. During that time period, Rasmusson and Apple took methamphetamine from North Dakota to distribute in the Mobridge, South Dakota, area. On April 5, 2024, Rasmusson and Apple were arrested in Mobridge while possessing 104 grams of pure methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the FBI Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Mobridge Police Department, and the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
Both Rasmusson and Apple were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
North Chesterfield man pleads guilty to stealing mail from a local post officeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A North Chesterfield man pled guilty today to burglary of a post office.
According to court documents, on June 7, 2024, officers with the Chesterfield County Police Department responded to a reported break in at a U.S. Post Office in North Chesterfield. When officers arrived, they observed Elijah Holmes, 25, wearing a ski mask and rubber gloves. Holmes was carrying three duffle bags full of mail he had just stolen, including letters, envelopes, and other mail matter addressed to more than 700 individuals.
Holmes is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 21 and faces up to five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Summer L. Speight accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Day is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-49.
Nigerian Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years for Hacking, Fraud, and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that KINGSLEY UCHELUE UTULU was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe to 63 months in prison for his role in a broad hacking, fraud, and identity theft scheme targeting U.S.-based businesses and individuals. UTULU previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
“Kingsley Uchelue Utulu took part in a scheme to hack into U.S. tax preparation businesses, trade in the stolen personal identifying information, and defraud the IRS and other governmental bodies,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Offshore scammers like Utulu and his co-conspirators may think they can target hard-working Americans with their hacking and fraud schemes and avoid prosecution. The message from the Department and the FBI is clear, they cannot. We are committed to protecting Americans from criminals operating offshore.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “Kingsley Utulu, a Nigerian national, was part of a scheme that targeted and infiltrated electronic systems of U.S.-based companies to steal more than two million dollars through fraudulent tax returns. Along with his co-conspirators, this defendant’s scheme reached across the globe to exploit sensitive information for financial gain. The FBI will never exempt any individual who seeks to unlawfully profit through deceitful practices, regardless of where they are located.”
According to the Indictment, public court filings, and statements made in court:
Beginning in at least in or about 2019, UTULU and other Nigeria-based conspirators took part in a scheme to hack into U.S-based tax preparation businesses. The conspirators utilized spearphishing emails to obtain access to these business’s electronic systems. Once they had obtained access, the conspirators stole the tax and other identifying information of the business’ customers. The conspirators hacked into several U.S.-based tax businesses, located in New York, Texas, and other states.
The conspirators obtained the stolen identity information of thousands of individuals. They used this information to file fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service and state tax authorities. The conspirators sought fraudulent refunds of at least approximately $8.4 million, of which they successfully obtained at least approximately $2.5 million.
In addition to filing fraudulent tax returns, the conspirators used the stolen identities to file fraudulent claims with the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. The conspirators were able to obtain at least an additional approximately $819,000 in fraudulent payouts.
UTULU was arrested for his involvement in this scheme while being present in the United Kingdom and was thereafter extradited to the U.S. to be prosecuted.
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In addition to the prison term, UTULU, 38, of Nigeria, was ordered to pay restitution in an amount of $3,683,029.39 and forfeiture in the amount of $290,250.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Nessim is in charge of the prosecution.
Naugatuck Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possessing Child Sex Abuse Material While on State ProbationRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TRAVIS TILLEY, 41, of Naugatuck, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for possessing child sex abuse material while on state probation for prior child exploitation offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2019, Tilley was convicted in state court of risk of injury to a child, which involved his sexual abuse of a five-year-old victim, and possession of child pornography. In August 2022, he was released from state custody and began serving a 15-year term of probation.
On March 9, 2023, state probation officers conducted an unannounced visit to Tilley’s residence and seized his laptop and a flash drive. Analysis of the seized items revealed that Tilley had utilized prohibited software and had accessed sites that provide sexually explicit material; that he was using encrypted email and messenger services; that he had used an operating system that is configured to leave no digital footprint; and that he was a member of internet chat rooms that focused on child pornography and AI-generated child pornography. The analysis also revealed two videos depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children, approximately 60 images of AI-generated child pornography, and sexually explicit chat room messages sent by the laptop user.
Tilley has been detained since his state arrest on March 28, 2023. On March 6, 2025, he pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of child pornography.
This investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Connecticut Court Support Services Division – Adult Probation Services and the Westport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings with the assistance of the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Waterbury.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that DaQurius Razjoune Johnson, aka Daquarius Razjoune Johnson, age 33, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.00.
The Indictment charged Johnson with knowingly possessing thirty-five rounds of ammunition on July 24, 2024, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Johnson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Monroe Michigan Man Arrested for Calling-In Hoax Bomb Threat for a Flight at Detroit Metro AirportRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Monroe, Michigan, resident was arrested on a criminal complaint for calling Spirit Airlines and reporting a fake bomb threat for a flight departing from Detroit Metropolitan Airport yesterday, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
Charged was John Charles Robinson, 23.
According to the affidavit, on June 5, 2025, at approximately 6:25 am, an individual later identified as Robinson, used a cellphone to call into Spirit Airlines and conveyed false information about a bomb threat to Flight 2145 departing from Detroit Metro bound for Los Angeles. During the call, Robinson stated in part, “I was calling about 2145… because I have information about that flight,” and “there’s gonna be someone who’s gonna try to blow up the airport,” and “there’s gonna be someone that’s gonna try to blow up that flight, 2145.” After giving a description of an individual, he then stated: “they’re going to be carrying a bomb through the TSA,” and “they’re still threatening to do it, they’re still attempted to do it, they said it’s not going to be able to be detected. Please don’t let that flight board.” The flight was immediately canceled, and the flight’s passengers and crew were deplaned. Bomb sniffing dogs and FBI agents were deployed to sweep the airplane. No bomb or explosives were found.
Agents soon learned that Robinson was booked on Flight 2145 but missed the flight and was told at the gate that he needed to rebook. FBI agents subsequently arrested Robinson when he returned to the airport to depart on another flight bound for Los Angeles.
U.S. Attorney Gorgon said, “No American wants to hear the words ‘bomb’ and ‘airplane’ in the same sentence. Making this kind of threat undermines our collective sense of security and wastes valuable law enforcement resources.”
“Anyone who threatens to bomb an aircraft and endanger public safety will be swiftly investigated and brought to justice,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The alleged bomb threat prompted a coordinated response by our FBI Detroit Joint Terrorism Task Force, in partnership with the Wayne County Airport Authority Police Department and the U.S. Federal Air Marshal Service, leading to the arrest of John Robinson as he attempted to board another flight at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. We remain committed to protecting the public and confronting those who seek to spread fear in our communities.”
Robinson appeared in federal court in Detroit this afternoon and was released on bond. His next court appearance will be June 27 for a preliminary examination.
The charges in a complaint are merely allegations. A defendant remains innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by special agents from the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hank Moon and Douglas Salzenstein are prosecuting the case.
Michigan City Fentanyl Trafficking Conspirators SentencedRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Four men have been sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to various fentanyl drug and gun related charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Tyler Wood, 23 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana was sentenced to 160 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, and illegal use of a communications facility.
Clinton Rouse, 24 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced to 188 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl.
Justin Hervey, 27 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced to 125 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Raquan Perry, 23 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to documents in the case, Wood, Rouse, Hervey, and Perry worked together to distribute fentanyl pills throughout Michigan City over a period of approximately 10 months, between October 2023 and July 2024. During the spring of 2024, Wood and Rouse lived with a supplier from Michigan who obtained tens of thousands of pills from the Detroit area that were transported to Michigan City to be sold to buyers with the assistance of sub-distributors such as Hervey and Perry. Law enforcement seized approximately 10,000 of these fentanyl pills during its investigation.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Michigan City Police Department, the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office, the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office, and the DEA North Central Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lydia T. Lucius and Katelan McKenzie Doyle.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was 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.
Mexican National and California Man Charged Following Seizure of over 45 Kilograms of Fentanyl Pills and PowderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jose Angel Gonzalez-Carrillo, 46, of Modesto, California, and Ethyel Aldahyr Ontiveros-Flores, 25, of Mazatlan, Mexico, were arrested on the evening of June 2, 2025, and charged by criminal complaint for conspiring to distribute over 36 kilograms of fentanyl pills, and over 9 kilograms of fentanyl powder.
On June 2, 2025, Gonzalez-Carrillo coordinated the sale of approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills to a purported third party in Phoenix, Arizona. Ontiveros-Flores delivered the initial batch of pills, as well as a second delivery of over 90,000 pills later that same day, which was also coordinated by Gonzalez-Carrillo. After the second delivery, law enforcement officers arrested both Gonzalez-Carrillo and Ontiveros-Flores. During a subsequent search of property belonging to Ontiveros-Flores, law enforcement officers discovered over 200,000 additional fentanyl pills, as well as nine packages containing fentanyl powder, each weighing approximately one kilogram.
A conviction for possessing 400 grams or more of fentanyl for distribution carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least five years, up to life.
A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The DEA is conducting the investigation in this case, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, the City of Goodyear Police Department, Arizona Department of Public Safety, and the Arizona State University Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-8318-JZB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-089_Carrillo, et al.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Mexican National Unlawfully Residing in Oregon Found Guilty of Illegally Reentering the United States After RemovalRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal jury in Portland found Nelson Pablo-Morales, 32, a Mexican national unlawfully residing in Beaverton, Oregon, guilty Thursday for illegally reentering the United States.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2015, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers learned of Pablo-Morales’ unlawful presence in Oregon after he was arrested by local authorities for reckless driving and driving under the influence of intoxicants in Beaverton. In May 2017, Pablo-Morales was removed from the United States by order of an immigration judge. In February 2025, Pablo-Morales was arrested again by ICE officers in Washington County, Oregon.
On March 12, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a one-count indictment charging Pablo-Morales with illegal reentry.
Pablo-Morales faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release. He will be sentenced on June 9, 2025, before a U.S. District Judge.
The case was investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
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.
Mexican Man Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mexican man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Ausencio Flores Salazar, 34, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Flores Salazar is currently in immigration custody and will be arraigned in federal court in Boston on June 11, 2025.
According to the charging document Flores Salazar was deported to Mexico in 2019. It is alleged that, sometime after his removal, Flores Salazar unlawfully reentered the United States. He was allegedly encountered on or about May 12, 2025.
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 Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Marathon County Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Leading Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Joshua L. Lake, 32, Stratford, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 11 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a felon. This prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Lake pleaded guilty to these charges on February 26, 2025.
In early 2024, investigators with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force began investigating a group of individuals, led by Lake, who were distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in the Marathon County area.
On February 26, 2024, Lake sold 118 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at Lake’s residence in Stratford, Wisconsin. Other co-defendants completed additional controlled purchases of methamphetamine in March and April 2024. On April 15, 2024, Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force officers executed a search warrant at Lake’s residence. Officers found approximately 2 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of cocaine, 2 rifles, over $25,000 in cash, drug ledgers, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia during the search.
Further investigation revealed that between January 22, 2024, and April 15, 2024, Lake distributed approximately 23 kilograms of methamphetamine and 6 kilograms of cocaine. Lake also delivered a firearm to a drug cartel contact in exchange for drugs. Lake admitted receiving the firearm in exchange for methamphetamine. Lake is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions.
At sentencing, Judge Conley described Lake’s conduct, including his drug trafficking and involvement with firearms, as egregious and said the quantity of almost pure methamphetamine found at his residence was stunning.
Three others were charged in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Mercadys Perkins was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to 6 years in federal prison on April 17, 2025. Dustin Brunker was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to 7 years in federal prison on April 24, 2025. Jessica Colby was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and sentenced to 2 ½ years in federal prison on May 1, 2025.
The charges against Lake were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Man Sentenced for Series of Armed Robberies Targeting Construction Workers in Trinidad NeighborhoodRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Franco Rawlings Jr., 24, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for a series of armed robberies committed in the Trinidad neighborhood of Northeast Washington, D.C., between May and June 2023. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Rawlings pleaded guilty on August 30, 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to two counts of armed robbery, one count of robbery, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. The prison term was announced today by Superior Court Judge Errol Arthur. Following his term of incarceration, Rawlings will serve a period of three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Rawlings conspired with a co-conspirator to identify residential construction sites in the Trinidad neighborhood staffed by Hispanic workers—whom Rawlings and his co-conspirator referred to as “Migos” through text communication—to rob those workers at gunpoint.
On April 18, 2023, a victim working as a welder at a home in the 1400 block of Montello Avenue, NE, was approached in an alleyway by Rawlings, who pointed a gun at him and demanded money. Rawlings took the victim’s wallet, which contained $700 in cash.
On May 30, 2023, two victims were installing a deck at a home in the 1300 block of Montello Avenue, NE, when Rawlings and his co-conspirator entered through a rear gate. The armed men forced the victims into the basement, then to the ground at gunpoint. Once inside, the victims were robbed at gunpoint.
On June 27, 2023, three workers remodeling a home in the 1100 block of Owen Place, NE, were confronted by Rawlings and his co-conspirator. Rawlings pointed a firearm at the victims, ordered them to raise their hands, and, with his co-conspirator, stole U.S. currency before fleeing.
On June 28, 2023, MPD officers executed a search warrant at Rawlings’ residence in the Trinidad neighborhood and recovered a loaded Glock 19 handgun, along with clothing matching the clothing depicted in surveillance footage from various robberies. Rawlings was arrested the same day and has remained in custody since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emmanuel Hampton and Wes Faulkner, who prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced for Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud and Making a False Statement to the GovernmentRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Paul M. Hughes, 37, formerly of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on June 4, 2025 in federal court in Omaha for obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and making a false statement to the government. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Hughes to 48 months’ imprisonment for the drug charge and 54 months’ imprisonment for the false statement. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Hughes’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
Between March 2020 and May 2021 Hughes used his personal information and the alter egos “The Hughes and Company Foundation USA Coalition Company” and “The Hughes and Company Foundation USA Coalition- Virtual Infirmary” for the purposes of submitting false and fictitious information to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to obtain National Provider Identification (NPI) numbers.
Specifically, on March 21, 2020, Hughes prepared and submitted an electronic NPI Application that contained false information. CMS relied on the information to make its decision on issuing the NPI numbers. The NPI Application fraudulently represented that Hughes was a physician and Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner. Hughes was issued an NPI number by CMS temporarily. Hughes used the NPI number to submit fake prescriptions to various pharmacies.
Between March 17, 2021, and March 19, 2021, Hughes, listing a real doctor as the prescriber, electronically submitted a fraudulent prescription to a local pharmacy requesting at least one Schedule III Controlled Substance. When interviewed by law enforcement, Hughes admitted he submitted the fraudulent prescription to the pharmacy using the doctor’s name.
“Fraudulently obtaining and prescribing prescription medications under false pretenses shows a reckless disregard for public health and safety,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Wade Moon, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office. “We remain committed to pursuing and bringing to justice those who attempt to knowingly misrepresent themselves as health care professionals to unsuspecting consumers and the government.”
“When individuals pretend to be legitimate health care providers to commit fraud, they undermine the public’s trust in our medical system and compromise the integrity of federal health care programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Kansas City Regional Office. “HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who commit such fraud schemes are held fully accountable.”
“Today’s sentencing is the result of multiple state, local and federal components working together to remove an individual who committed egregious crimes,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Rafael Mattei. “Paul Hughes falsified information, misled members of the community, and endangered lives. This investigation shows that no matter the length of time necessary, justice will be served for those who inflict harm in our communities.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Nebraska State Patrol.
Madison Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Arminius D. Jones, 49, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 87 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl and possessing 40 grams or more of fentanyl intended for distribution. Jones pleaded guilty to these charges on March 21, 2025.
Between May 15, 2024, and July 1, 2024, Jones sold fentanyl pills to an undercover police officer in Madison, Wisconsin, on three occasions. On July 9, 2024, police searched his home in Madison and found approximately 7,000 fentanyl pills, money from Jones’s sales to the undercover officer, over $2,000 in additional cash, and multiple digital scales and drug ledgers. Police also found a handgun, a loaded extended magazine, and multiple boxes of ammunition within arm’s reach of the drugs.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson found that the level of drug dealing Jones engaged in surpassed supporting a substance abuse habit. He also found the gap in Jones’s criminal history exposed his vulnerability to returning to crime even after a long time. Judge Peterson was also very concerned about the dangers posed from dealing fentanyl in terms of its potential for addiction and overdose, and he expressed disappointment in the way Jones fed on the illnesses of others. Jones’s possession of a gun was an aggravating factor and showed he was aware of the potential for violence and that violence is a natural corollary when a gun is present.
The charges against Jones were the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, City of Madison Police Department, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
Louisville Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced on June 3, 2025, to 20 years in federal prison for numerous child exploitation offenses.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, made the announcement.
According to court documents Robert Razor, 57, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for one count of attempted online enticement of a minor, one count of online enticement of a minor, one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
“We must and we will do everything we can to protect children of this Commonwealth from heinous acts of sexual exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Bumgarner. “Sexual predators should take note: under this Administration, we will bring the full force of the federal government against you when we learn that you have preyed upon our children.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by HSI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Yannelli prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Oregon Elections Case Concerning States’ Obligations Under the National Voter Registration ActRead the Press Release
Note: View statement of interest here.
The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a Statement of Interest in Judicial Watch v. Reed, No. 6:24-cv-1783 (D. Ore.) regarding the requirements under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) for states to maintain and make available for public inspection records concerning list maintenance to ensure the accuracy of the official list of eligible voters.
The lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch alleges that the State of Oregon failed to comply with the state’s obligations under the NVRA to conduct a list maintenance program and to make the records concerning list maintenance publicly available. Advancing President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order to preserve and protect the integrity of American elections, the Attorney General of the United States, through the Civil Rights Division, enforces NVRA mandates.
“Accurate voter registration rolls are critical to ensure that elections in Oregon are conducted fairly, accurately, and without fraud,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “States have specific obligations under the list maintenance provisions of the NVRA, and the Department of Justice will vigorously enforce those requirements.”
More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-
Jury Finds Man Guilty of Viciously Assaulting a Man Inside His HomeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jaime Robles-Vasquez, 33, of Riverdale, MD was found guilty today by a Superior Court jury for assaulting a man in his home in October 2019, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Robles-Vasquez was found guilty of aggravated assault while armed and related charges, following a five-day trial. Superior Court Judge Andrea Hertzfeld scheduled sentencing for August 22, 2025.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 1:30 a.m., on October 9, 2019, Robles-Vasquez went to the victim’s home in the 600 block of 4th Place, SW, grabbed a shovel from outside, and proceeded to smash the double pane glass door of the victim’s home. Once inside of the victim’s home, the defendant repeatedly struck the victim on his head and body with the shovel and bit the victim’s thumb. This interaction was all captured on a 911 call the victim made when he first saw the defendant in his backyard in the middle of the night. As a result of being struck on the head with a shovel, the victim sustained multiple injuries, including bleeding in his brain, which required emergency surgery to evacuate the blood. The victim’s wife was also home during this incident, and upon hearing the glass door of her home breaking, she locked herself in the bathroom and called 911.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Katerina Qesari and Negar Kordestani.
Jamaican Woman Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Jamaican woman was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Tanya James, 53, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. James is currently in immigration custody and will be arraigned in federal court in Boston on June 11, 2025.
According to the charging document, on or about May 12, 2025, James was found to have unlawfully reentered the United States after previously being deported in 2004.
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 Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Illegal Aliens Face Federal Charges in Cobb County Methamphetamine Lab BustRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Juan Perez-Maldonado and Francisco Garcia Gomez, both illegal aliens from Mexico, appeared in federal court on June 4, 2025, following their arrests on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Garcia Gomez and a third illegal alien from Mexico, Filemon Hernandez-Jijon, were also charged with possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully present in the United States.
“Our law enforcement partners worked swiftly to disrupt a suburban drug lab, seize numerous firearms, and arrest two illegal aliens allegedly responsible for manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Criminals who traffic illegal drugs in our communities will be identified, found, and prosecuted with deliberate speed.”
“DEA remains focused on keeping America safe and protecting the homeland from by removing dangerous drugs from our communities and bringing criminals to justice,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Division. “Keeping our communities safe is our highest priority.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On June 3, 2025, DEA agents saw Filemon Hernandez-Jijon allegedly supply two kilograms of methamphetamine to a drug customer in the Smyrna, Georgia area. Law enforcement later observed Hernandez-Jijon traveling to and from a mobile home located in Marietta, Georgia.
Hours later, DEA agents executed a federal search warrant at the mobile home and encountered Juan Perez-Maldonado and Francisco Garcia Gomez there. A third person fled the scene. Inside the mobile home, agents discovered an active laboratory used to convert liquid methamphetamine into a crystal-like form, as well as at least 13 kilograms of what appeared to be the finished drug product. In addition, agents located two handguns, including one hidden in the tank of a toilet, and money remitter receipts bearing Garcia Gomez’s and Hernandez-Jijon’s names. Outside the home, agents recovered acetone, several empty coolers, and other materials commonly used to produce crystalized methamphetamine.
In connection with this investigation, agents executed another federal search warrant at an apartment in Smyrna. In a baby’s crib, agents located a bag containing a loaded Glock pistol, two additional loaded firearm magazines, and identification for Perez-Maldonado. Elsewhere in the apartment, agents found a Springfield XD firearm and a mechanical press used to press powder into kilogram bricks.
The investigation further revealed that Perez-Maldonado and Hernandez-Jijon had been previously deported and removed from the United States.
Hernandez-Jijon is currently a fugitive. If you have any information on the whereabouts of Hernandez-Jijon, please contact your local law enforcement agency.
Members of the public are reminded that the complaint only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with valuable assistance provided from the Marietta-Cobb-Smyrna Narcotics Unit and the DeKalb County Police Department – HIDTA Task Force.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Schwarzl and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebeca M. Ojeda are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6000. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Carlos Mendoza-Padilla, aka Marvin Antino, aka Carlos Ivan Mendoza-Padilla, aka Carlos Ivan Mendoza, a Honduran national unlawfully present in Carter County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by up two years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Carter County Sheriff’s Office.
The Indictment alleged that on May 4, 2025, Mendoza-Padilla, an alien, was found in the United States after having been previously removed on two separate occasions without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Mendoza-Padilla will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.
Homestead Felon Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Possession of Machinegun and Other Firearm and Drug Trafficking Offenses While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Homestead, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 35 years of imprisonment, to be followed by six years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal firearms and narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Erik Addison, 29, on June 5, 2025.
“Erik Addison’s blatant disregard for the law and the safety of the community—evidenced by shooting at a police officer and engaging in a shootout in broad daylight, all while on federal supervised release for a prior conviction—demonstrates the need to have dangerous criminals like Addison off of our streets,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rivetti. “This sentence is a testament to the dedication of our law enforcement partners in helping to bring violent traffickers such as Addison to justice. It also serves as a reminder that our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day in service to our communities.”
“Stopping criminals like Erik Addison from endangering our communities is a top ATF priority,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “Armed with a pistol with a machinegun conversion device, and carrying fentanyl and heroin, he seriously endangered his neighborhood. Working with our local partners and the United States Attorney’s Office, we are making our communities safer every day.”
According to information presented to the Court, on May 8, 2023, investigators attempted to conduct a traffic stop of a vehicle Addison was driving. When the lights and sirens of one of the law enforcement vehicles were activated, Addison reversed his car and struck at least one of the law enforcement vehicles behind him, then accelerated forward, striking another police vehicle and nearly hitting a detective who was on foot, and then drove away, hitting at least one civilian vehicle as he fled.
Across a bridge, Addison and his passenger both exited and fled the vehicle by foot, with Addison grabbing his firearm from the rear of the vehicle before running. A Homestead Borough police officer spotted Addison fleeing and followed the defendant in his marked police vehicle, observing that Addison had a firearm and repeatedly ordering Addison to drop the gun. Each time, Addison defied the officer’s order to drop the gun and eventually, rather than complying, fired at the officer. Judge Ranjan, as part of the sentencing proceedings, determined that Addison had the specific intent to kill the officer when firing at him.
After shooting at the officer, Addison continued to flee with his firearm, turning the firearm toward another police officer before that officer struck Addison with his vehicle and pinned him against the wall of a building. Addison only then dropped the firearm, which was determined to be Glock semiautomatic pistol with a machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a Glock switch, installed on the rear of the slide. A search of Addison’s vehicle located a black bag in the rear passenger footwell, which contained approximately 28 bricks of heroin and fentanyl, as well as a loaded 9mm extended magazine.
Following his arrest for the offenses, Addison was incarcerated at the Allegheny County Jail. On several occasions, officials at the jail found the defendant in possession of synthetic cannabinoids, which is prison contraband.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Douglas C. Maloney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the numerous law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Addison. The agencies include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police Department, Homestead Police Department, West Homestead Police Department, and Edgewood Township Police Department. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti also commended the work of the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office in this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhood (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.
Henryetta Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joshua Devn Page, age 34, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to fifteen years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment charged Page with knowingly possessing two firearms on December 18, 2024, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Henryetta Police Department, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Page will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan national residing in Waltham has been indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Mynor Lopez-Lopez, a/k/a Mynor Alexander Lopez, 37, was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Lopez was arrested by immigration authorities on May 7, 2025. He will appear in federal court in Boston on June 26, 2025.
According to the indictment, Lopez was deported from the United States on March 24, 2009. It is alleged that, sometime after his 2009 removal, Lopez illegally reentered the United States without permission.
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 Jennifer Zacks of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Guatemalan Citizen Indicted for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Wilson Cesar Velasquez-Escalante, age 33, a Citizen of Guatemala, was indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally reentering the United States.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about November 4, 2024, Velasquez-Escalante was encountered in Franklin County after previously being removed from the United States. The indictment also alleges that Velasquez-Escalante had been removed from the United States on December 4, 2017, through Brownsville, Texas, and reentered without first obtaining legal permission to do so.
This case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for the charged offense is two years imprisonment, one year of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Georgia Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing Machinegun at HospitalRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Henry County resident who had a stolen Glock 9mm handgun with a loaded 30-round extended magazine capable of converting to a fully automatic weapon while at the Labor and Delivery unit of a hospital was sentenced to serve more than five years in prison—above federal sentencing guidelines—for his crime.
Terrell Monquez Searcy, 21, of McDonough, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 66 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self on June 4. Searcy previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a machinegun on March 21, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Holding people found in possession of machineguns and with illegal conversion devices accountable for breaking federal law remains a top priority in the Middle District of Georgia,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “This case exemplifies how law enforcement and prosecutors work together to effectively remove illegal firearms and other dangerous destructive devices from the streets in order to make our communities safer.”
“Machinegun conversion devices are fueling a deadly uptick in gun violence, turning routine firearms into weapons of war," said ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Thomas Crawford of the Atlanta Field Division. "This case is yet another example of why ATF is committed to aggressively identifying and removing these illegal devices from our communities."
According to court documents, the stipulation of facts and other statements made in Court, Monroe Police Department officers were dispatched to Piedmont Walton Hospital on Aug. 17, 2023, after a nurse observed Searcy in a Labor and Delivery room with a handgun, which is prohibited in the hospital. When hospital security came to the room, Searcy admitted he did have a handgun and that he put it under the couch cushion. He gave the firearm—a Glock Model 17 9mm handgun with a loaded 30-round extended magazine—to security and remained in the room. Hospital security noticed that a full auto sear pin appeared to have been attached to the rear of the slide, making the firearm a machinegun, prompting the call by hospital security to police. Police ran the serial number on the firearm and found out it was reported stolen from Walton County, Georgia. Searcy was taken into custody.
ATF agents tested the firearm and confirmed it did function as a machinegun. Further investigation revealed that Searcy, a rapper known as Quez 2RR, had showcased a pistol with what appeared to be a machinegun conversion device in music videos on a YouTube channel. In a music video titled “Traffic,” Searcy rapped, “I pop out a switch on the back of my Glock” and “I put a switch on the back of my Glock, just to clean up the street when it’s time for that action.” At one point in the video, Searcy’s holding a pistol in his waistband with what appears to be a machinegun conversion device attached to the back.
Following the federal indictment charging Searcy with possessing a machine gun in August 2024, agents located Instagram messages between Searcy and a female law enforcement officer with the Clayton County Police Department. Between January and March 2023, Searcy asked the police officer to run his information to see if there were any warrants for his arrest. The police officer also provided information to Searcy regarding an active homicide investigation. During an interview with Clayton County Police Department detectives, the officer admitted to providing Searcy with information on an active homicide investigation and advising Searcy when she located active warrants for his arrest.
On Feb. 11, 2025, members of the ATF, McDonough Police Department and Henry County Sheriff’s Office executed a federal search warrant at Searcy’s residence in McDonough, Georgia. Searcy and two other men were in the home along with several firearms. The defendant told agents that he had been living at the residence for a couple of months, that he slept with a Draco firearm under his bed and that the Glock 17 found in the living room belonged to him. ATF agents submitted test fires from both firearms to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to determine if either firearm had been used in other crimes. The Micro Draco recovered from Searcy’s bedroom returned with several NIBIN leads, including two from the DeKalb County Police Department. Both DeKalb County incidents indicated that the Micro Draco was used in a drive-by shooting in DeKalb County where four people, including two juveniles, were shot inside their homes. Each shooting occurred within just days of Searcy receiving information from the Clayton County police officer on the active Clayton County homicide where his friend was shot and killed.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case, with assistance from the City of Monroe Police Department, Clayton County Police Department, McDonough Police Department, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, the Dekalb County Police Department and the Piedmont Walton Hospital Security Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach prosecuted the case for the Government.
Gang Member Convicted by Jury for his Part in MurderRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Following a one-week trial, a federal jury in Memphis convicted a member of the Unknown Vice Lords (UVL) — a violent street gang in Memphis — for his involvement in a gang-related murder, after deliberating for less than an hour.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Vincent Grant, also known as “V-Slash,” 41, of Memphis, was a high-ranking member of UVL, also known as The Ghost Mob — a criminal enterprise that controlled territory throughout the entire city of Memphis and beyond to Arkansas and Mississippi. Members of UVL committed murders, burglaries, assaults, human trafficking, and drug trafficking on behalf of the enterprise. When the gang’s Supreme Elite Chief, the leader for the entire state of Tennessee, was murdered, the gang sought retaliation against anyone thought to be involved.
As proven at trial, on Jan. 10, 2019, the gang’s Supreme Elite Chief and his girlfriend were murdered in a residential neighborhood in broad daylight. The gang sought retaliation that same night against a rival gang, the Traveling Vice Lords (TVL) whom they initially believed to have been responsible. Multiple UVL members drove to a known TVL hangout and engaged in a gun battle with the other gang. During the next few days, UVL conducted its own internal investigation and were informed that a fellow member was thought to be responsible for their Chief’s murder.
Five days after the Chief was murdered, on Jan. 15, 2019, the implicated member, the victim for this trial, was murdered at the hands of Grant and other UVL members. On Jan. 14, 2019, Grant, as a keeper of guns for the gang, provided guns to multiple gang members for the purpose of going on a “demo,” which is the gang’s term for committing violent acts. Then early the next morning at around 1:00 a.m., Grant and three other gang members drove the victim to an apartment complex, where two of them executed the victim with the guns Grant provided.
“This violent gang brutally executed one of their own and left the body on display as a warning that betrayal would not be tolerated,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their blatant disregard for human life — carrying out shootings in broad daylight and in residential neighborhoods—underscores the urgent need to confront and dismantle this threat to public safety. The Justice Department and the ATF turned this case from a cold case into a conviction, and we remain committed to working closely with law enforcement to tackle even the most challenging cases. Our warning to street gangs is clear: their violence will not be tolerated.”
“Gang violence is never isolated — it endangers entire communities,” said Acting Director Daniel Driscoll of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “This gang’s brutal executions, carried out openly in residential neighborhoods in broad daylight, sent a chilling message of intimidation; but ATF and our law enforcement partners sent an even stronger one back: violence and fear will not prevail. We remained dedicated to protecting the community and unraveled this deadly conspiracy to ensure justice was done. We remain relentless in our commitment to dismantle gangs that threaten public safety, and we’ll continue to hold accountable, those who inflict violence in our communities.”
The jury convicted Grant of causing death by use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, that being murder in aid of racketeering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 19 and faces up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Memphis Police Department, and United States Secret Service assisted in the investigation.
Trial Attorneys Lisa Thelwell and Christopher Usher of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Memphis, Tennessee. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute the violent offenders and prevent further violence.
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Press Release Number: 25-586
Fresno Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Throwing Methamphetamine into Federal Prison YardRead the Press Release
Garrett Scott Wheelen, 33, of Fresno, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Dena M. Coggins to 12 years and seven months in prison for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
“Garrett Wheelen brazenly attempted to throw packages containing tobacco and methamphetamine into the prison yard of Federal Correctional Institution, Mendota,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “Federal prisons are tightly controlled, and the FBI works closely with its local, state, and federal partners to ensure anyone attempting to introduce contraband into a prison is held accountable for their actions.”
According to court documents, on May 1, 2024, Wheelen arrived at the Federal Correctional Institution Mendota wearing a facemask, baseball cap, and hoodie to conceal his identity. In broad daylight, Wheelen ran to the prison fence and tossed four packages into the prison’s recreation yard. He was quickly apprehended after attempting to flee. The packages contained more than 3 pounds of methamphetamine. Wheelen was on supervised release from a prior federal felony charge at the time.
Initially, Wheelen’s plan was to stuff the narcotics inside red squirrel pelts to avoid detection by prison staff. In text messages, he discussed purchasing the pelts and sewing up the narcotics inside. Wheelen, however, abandoned this plan and ultimately tossed the narcotics over the fence without any such effort to disguise their nature.
Wheelen was also sentenced to a term of 2 years in prison for his violation of supervised release terms, to run concurrently to his sentence for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mendota Police Department, and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Dhruv M. Sharma are prosecuting the case.
Fraudulent Billing Scheme Targeted in False Claims Act Complaint Against Physical Therapy PracticeRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA - The United States has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act (“FCA”) against Absolute Physical & Aquatic Therapy, LLC; Chipley Physical Therapy, LLC; Ruben Laurel; and Lorrie Laurel, announced U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for Northern District of Florida, alleges that the Defendants billed the Government for services that Defendant Lorrie Laurel, a physical therapist, performed while she was abroad.
Defendant Chipley Physical Therapy, LLC (“CPT”) provides outpatient physical and aquatic therapy services across the Florida panhandle in Chipley, Marianna, and Bonifay, and is owned and operated by Defendants Ruben and Lorrie Laurel. Defendant Absolute Physical & Aquatic Therapy (“APAT”) is a physical therapy billing company owned and operated by Defendant Ruben Laurel.
The government’s complaint alleges Defendants knowingly submitted false claims for payment in violation of the FCA by billing the government for services while Defendant Lorrie Laurel was out of the country and on cruises in Mexico, Jamaica, Aruba, and the Bahamas between July 2019 and March 2024. More specifically, the complaint alleges Defendants submitted 613 claims for payment to the United States for services Defendant Lorrie Laurel allegedly performed at CPT while she was abroad.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This lawsuit demonstrates our firm commitment to hold healthcare providers accountable for fraudulent billing and fulfills the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to aggressively root out fraud, waste, and abuse. Healthcare providers who are fraudulently charging the federal government for medical services not rendered will be vigorously pursued by our office.”
The lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. Ariel Bowen v. Absolute Physical & Aquatic Therapy, LLC, et al., Case No. 5:21-cv-236-TKW-MJF (N.D. Fla.), and is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Ann Couch and Marie Moyle for the Northern District of Florida.
The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Four men sentenced for conspiracy to traffic counterfeit Adderall on darknet marketplace sitesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Three New York men and a New Jersey man have been sentenced to prison for conspiracy to create a counterfeit substance and distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Gregory Castillo-Rosario, 32, of Brooklyn, New York; Joseph James Vasquez, 33, of Brooklyn; Joshua William Vasquez, aka Fredrico Sanchez and Luis Santos, 32, of Jackson Township, New Jersey; and Rafael Antonio Roman, 35, of Brooklyn, manufactured and distributed thousands of counterfeit Adderall pills that contained meth. They distributed the pills through three identified darknet marketplace (DM) drug vendor aliases: MrJohnson, NuveoDeluxe, and AllStateRx.
The conspirators operated the vendor pages, posted listings for controlled substances, processed orders, packaged controlled substances using methods designed to evade law enforcement detection, and shipped the counterfeit pills to customers nationwide via the U.S. Postal Service. Payment from customers typically came in the form of cryptocurrency.
The counterfeit Adderall were round, orange pills, debossed with "b974" on one side and "30" on the other to appear to be generic Adderall. The pills did not contain the active ingredients of the pharmaceutically manufactured drug, however, and instead contained meth. The conspirators advertised the counterfeit pills as Adderall, and while the NuveoDeluxe vendor page explicitly advertised its pills as containing meth, the AllStateRx and MrJohnson pages did not.
The conspirators purchased meth over the darknet and used high-speed grinders to grind it into powder form. The conspirators also bought binding materials, mechanical pill presses, and pill press attachments to transform the meth into counterfeit Adderall pills.
After a series of controlled buys, on Feb. 21, 2024, law enforcement searched a commercial facility used by the conspiracy that was leased and operated by members of Roman's family as well as the residences of Joshua Vasquez and Roman. At the facility, investigators recovered two pill presses used to make the pills, three high-speed grinders used to grind bulk meth, and approximately 39,996 counterfeit pills.
At Joshua Vasquez’s residence, investigators found $298,108 in cash, and Vasquez had $15,726 on his person at the time of his arrest.
At Roman's residence, investigators recovered approximately 34,593 counterfeit pills, a handgun, three loaded ammunition magazines, and approximately $34,820.
Analysis of the vendor pages’ sales showed the three vendor pages were responsible for over 13,000 sales of counterfeit Adderall pills nationwide. When added to the pills seized as part of the investigation, analysis showed the conspiracy was responsible for at least 320 kilograms of counterfeit Adderall pills either manufactured for distribution or distributed across the United States.
Joshua Vasquez pled guilty on April 24, 2024. On July 25, 2024, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Joseph Vasquez pled guilty on April 15, 2024. On Aug. 8, 2024, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Roman pled guilty on May 30, 2024. On Nov. 14, 2024, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Castillo-Rosario pled guilty on Jan. 3, 2024. He was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in prison.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Emily Odom, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; George Scavdis, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office; and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Carter prosecuted the case.
The investigation was supported by the Justice Department’s Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) team’s Operation RapTor, a global initiative to disrupt the sale of illicit narcotics on the darknet.
The Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, Howell Township Police Department, Marlboro Township Police Department, Asbury Park Police Department, Freehold Borough Police Department, Middletown Police Department, Wall Township Police Department, Jackson Township Police Department, Lakewood Township Police Department, Orlando Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Arlington County Police Department, and New York Police Department provided significant assistance in the investigation.
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 Nos. 1:24-cr-76 (Joseph Vasquez), 1:24-cr-83 (Joshua Vasquez), 1:24-cr-114 (Roman), and 1:24-cr-276 (Castillo-Rosario).
Founder of O.C.-Based Non-Profit Charged in 15-Count Indictment Alleging He Bribed County Supervisor in $12 Million SchemeRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – The founder of a now-shuttered non-profit organization has been indicted on federal charges alleging he bribed then-Orange County Supervisor Andrew Hoang Do to obtain approximately $12 million in COVID-19 pandemic-related funds, pocketed the bulk of that money, then laundered it to avoid detection by law enforcement, the Justice Department announced today.
Peter Anh Pham, 65, of Garden Grove, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, six counts of wire fraud, six counts of concealment money laundering, and one count of bribery.
Also charged in the indictment is Thanh Huong Nguyen, 61, of Santa Ana, who is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of concealment money laundering.
Pham is considered to be a fugitive from justice. Nguyen’s initial appearance and arraignment are expected to occur on Monday in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana.
“These two defendants are charged with conspiring with a corrupt politician to pad their pockets while the nation suffered under the weight of COVID-19,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “My office and our law enforcement partners will continue our efforts to prosecute individuals who cashed in on government aid intended to help those impacted by the largest public health emergency in a century.”
“This conspiracy was a house of cards built on lies, betrayal, and insatiable greed,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “Today’s indictments are another critical step in ensuring accountability – and consequences – for those who conspired to use the County of Orange’s COVID-19 funds as their personal ATMs – and to return those stolen funds to their rightful owners – the community for which these funds were originally intended.”
According to the indictment that was returned on Wednesday and unsealed today, Pham was a friend and associate of Do, 62, of Santa Ana, who served on the Orange County Board of Supervisors from 2015 until his resignation in October 2024. In that role, Do was one of five supervisors on the Board, which is responsible for the county’s $9 billion annual budget.
Do pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, when he will face a sentence of up to five years in federal prison.
From June 2020 to October 2024, Do used his official position as a county supervisor to vote for millions of dollars in county funds to be allocated in his district, subject to disbursement at his sole discretion. Do then steered county contracts and grants to Pham and Nguyen, the indictment alleges.
For example, in June 2020, Do voted to approve an agenda item that, in part, allocated $5 million in federal COVID-19 pandemic-relief funding to a county nutrition program. As part of this agenda item, Do authorized himself a budget of $1 million to develop that nutrition program in his district, which he could distribute without further approval from the rest of the Board. Eight days after Do voted to approve the agenda item, Pham founded the Huntington Beach-based non-profit organization Viet America Society (VAS).
Pham, through VAS, and Nguyen, through a Garden Grove-based group called Hand-to-Hand Relief Organization Inc. (H2H), entered into contracts and beneficiary agreements with the county. In many of these contracts, VAS and H2H falsely represented that they would reimburse the county for any funds not spent for the contract’s intended purpose. In each of the beneficiary agreements, VAS and H2H falsely certified that all funds would be used solely for the grant’s intended purpose.
In exchange for Pham’s bribes in the form of payments to his two daughters, Do used his official position as a county supervisor to advocate for VAS and H2H so county employees would approve contracts and beneficiary agreements between the county and these organizations. Do and his staff – including his chief of staff – edited the terms of those contracts and agreements to make them more favorable to Pham and Nguyen. Through the influence of Do and his staff, the county wired funds to Pham and Nguyen.
After receiving county funds, Pham and Nguyen transferred most of the money to other entities they controlled. They then spent large portions of the funds to pay personal expenses such as rent and bills, to pay off debts owed by their other businesses, and to make personal investments such as purchasing commercial and residential real estate. Pham and Nguyen also used county funds to bribe Do through payments to his daughters.
Pham also used county money to pay the eventual wife of Do’s chief of staff, under the guise that she was providing consulting services to VAS. Do’s chief of staff then used his position in Orange County’s government to help VAS and H2H obtain county contracts, edited the contracts’ terms to make them more favorable to VAS and H2H, and helped those organizations fulfill reporting requirements and get paid.
When required to submit invoices to the county to account for how the money was being spent, Pham and Nguyen submitted false documents, claiming to have used all the funds – all solely for legitimate purposes and according to the contracts’ terms.
To disguise the funds’ source, Pham and an associate caused checks from county funds to be written to a Westminster-based company called D Air Conditioning Co. LLC. This company then issued checks from its corporate bank account to Pham, Pham’s associate, and one of Do’s daughters.
In total, Pham and Nguyen unlawfully acquired approximately $12 million in county funds through this conspiracy.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted of the charges, Pham and Nguyen would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the conspiracy count, each wire fraud count, and each money laundering count. Pham also would face up to 10 years in federal prison for the bribery count.
The FBI, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigation, and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Nandor F.R. Kiss and Rosalind Wang of the Orange County Office, Assistant United States Attorney Tara Vavere of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section, and Senior Deputy District Attorney Avery T. Harrison and Deputy District Attorney Anthony J. Schlehner of Orange County District Attorney’s Office are prosecuting this case.
Fort Scott man charged with trafficking methamphetamineRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Jeffery Michael Roark, 56, of Fort Scott is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is 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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Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Aaron StandsAndLooksBack, a/k/a Aaron Woodman, 42, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty June 4, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, StandsAndLooksBack admitted that between December 2020 and December 2023, he and others conspired to distribute at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine. Evidence also showed that StandsAndLooksBack obtained, by buying or stealing, methamphetamine to distribute to others. StandsAndLooksBack also admitted that he stole sizable amounts of methamphetamine from his mother and resold the methamphetamine to others in the Fort Dodge, Iowa area.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. StandsAndLooksBack remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. StandsAndLooksBack faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Fort Dodge Iowa Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3053. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Former Owner of Fuel Truck Supply Company Sentenced to Prison for Bid Rigging and Conspiracy to MonopolizeRead the Press Release
The former owner of fuel truck supply companies was sentenced today in Boise, Idaho, to 12 months in prison and a $20,000 fine for his leadership role in conspiracies to monopolize, rig bids, and allocate territories for fuel truck contracts that assist the U.S. Forest Service’s efforts to battle wildfires in Idaho and the mountain west. The conduct lasted at least eight years.
Ike Tomlinson pleaded guilty in May 2024 to conspiring with Kris Bird, the owner of another fuel truck company to rig bids in each other’s favor. Both individuals pleaded guilty to the charges from the federal antitrust investigation into bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the fuel truck services industry.
“This sentence sends a message that bid rigging—particularly bid rigging affecting federal agencies—will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Defendant’s conspiracies struck at the heart of the competitive process. They damaged essential taxpayer-funded services critical to protecting the American public and its property from wildfires while profiting at the expense of American taxpayers. The Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will continue to ensure that individuals who cheat and deprive their communities of these essential services are incarcerated.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who manipulate markets and undermine fair competition will be held accountable,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division. “Antitrust violations harm consumers, distort markets and erode trust in our economy. The FBI remains committed to working with our partners to investigate and disrupt all forms of corporate fraud.”
“Competition is critical for fair and efficient federal contracting,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Jason Suffredini of the General Services Administration (GSA) Office of Inspector General (OIG). “GSA OIG special agents and our partners are committed to pursuing those who engage in any form of procurement fraud.”
According to court documents, the co-conspirators coordinated their bids to inflate prices and to determine who would have priority to receive business from the U.S. Forest Service and other federal agencies in the event of a wildfire in a specific geographic area. These bids gave the false impression of competition when, in fact, the co-conspirators had predetermined who would receive priority from the Forest Service. The co-conspirators further coordinated to exclude and punish potential competitors to further maintain the success of their conspiracy. Tomlinson participated in the conduct from 2015 through 2023.
The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency, and General Services Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant Chief Christopher J. Carlberg and Trial Attorneys Elena A. Goldstein, Daniel B. Twomey, and Matthew Chou of the Antitrust Division's San Francisco Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Mazorol for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.
In addition to today’s criminal sentence, on July 10, 2024, the United States, on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Small Business Administration, entered into a civil settlement with Ike Tomlinson and other related entities and individuals who agreed to pay $1.1 million to resolve civil claims related to allegations that they obtained government contracts through bid-rigging and the submission of false SAM Certifications, submitted false claims for helicopter operations support trailers, wrongly obtained a Paycheck Protection Program loan, and other conduct.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General investigated the civil case. Assistant United States Attorney Robert B. Firpo and Civil Chief James Schaefer are handling the case.
In November 2019, the Justice Department created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government—federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation can contact the PCSF at the link listed above.
Former Franklin County jail deputy pleads guilty to civil rights violationRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Franklin County sheriff’s deputy pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to depriving an inmate of his civil rights. Matthew Carey, 28, of Grove City, admitted to depriving an individual of their right to be free from a deputy’s deliberate indifference to a substantial risk of serious harm, while acting under color of law.
According to court documents, in March 2022, Carey intentionally disclosed a pretrial detainee’s pending charge of rape of a minor to Gmier McCall, another pretrial detainee. Carey knew that disclosing the victim’s charges created a substantial risk that he would be assaulted by others in the jail, and in fact inmates did assault the victim.
Carey faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. McCall previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to deprive the victim of his civil rights and also faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at future hearings.
Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office and Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin announced the plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Cameron A. Bell of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
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Former Franklin County Jail Deputy Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights ViolationRead the Press Release
A former Franklin County sheriff’s deputy pleaded guilty in federal court in Columbus, Ohio, today to depriving an inmate of his civil rights. Matthew Carey, 28, of Grove City, admitted to depriving an individual of their right to be free from a deputy’s deliberate indifference to a substantial risk of serious harm, while acting under color of law.
According to court documents, in March 2022, Carey intentionally disclosed a pretrial detainee’s pending charge of rape of a minor to Gmier McCall, another pretrial detainee. Carey knew that disclosing the victim’s charges created a substantial risk that he would be assaulted by others in the jail, and in fact inmates did assault the victim.
Carey faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. McCall previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to deprive the victim of his civil rights and also faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at future hearings.
Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office announced the plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Cameron A. Bell of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Former Chief Financial Officer Pleads Guilty to Theft in Connection with Health CareRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—The former Chief Financial Officer of Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) pleaded guilty Thursday for stealing money from PSMFC’s health benefit trust account.
Pamela J. Kahut, 67, of Wilsonville, Oregon, pleaded guilty to theft in connection with health care.
According to court documents, Kahut, as Chief Financial Officer of PSFMC, had access to and controlled PSMFC’s health benefit trust account that was created to pay benefits, fees, and other charges for PSFMC employees covered under its self-funded health care benefit program.
On September 21, 2020, Kahut wrote a check in the amount of $2,812.85 from the health benefit trust account to pay for her spouse’s participation in PSFMC’s long-term care insurance program.
In total, between October 2014 and September 2020, defendant stole approximately $211,083 from PSMFC’s health benefit trust account. Kahut used the funds to pay for her spouse’s long-term care annual premiums, pay off her pension loans, and to pay her credit card bills.
Theft in connection with health care fraud is punishable up to 10 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. The charge may also result in a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gains or losses resulting from the offense.
Kahut will be sentenced on September 3, 2025, before a U.S. District Judge.
This case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Robert Trisotto, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
First week of June sees more than 200 charged in SDTX cases in relation to enforcement efforts along southwest borderRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A total of 202 cases have been filed from May 30-June 5 in immigration and border security matters, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The filed cases include seven involving human smuggling. A total of 129 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while another 63 face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more. Other relevant cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes.
One such person charged this week is Luis Humberto Gonzalez-Sanchez who was arrested for allegedly harboring 16 illegal aliens in his home in Mercedes. The criminal complaint alleges he harbored over 100 aliens in the last six months for whom he was paid $150 each. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
Also facing new criminal charges are six Mexican nationals, all of whom had been previously convicted of illegal reentry into the United States and sentenced to terms ranging from 15-46 months in federal prison. However, their charges allege authorities had found them in the Rio Grande Valley after once again unlawfully returning without any permission to do so. Oscar Vicente Perez-Lopez, Juan Manuel De La Cruz-Mejia, Jose Luis Tostado-Flores, Jesus Morales-Vargas, Jose Patricio Rios-Rojas and Juan Manuel Alvarado-Gonzalez had allegedly been previously removed on varying dates between 2015-2023 and now face up to 20 years in prison, upon this conviction.
In addition to the new cases, an illegal alien from El Salvador was sentenced for assaulting law enforcement. Authorities conducted a traffic stop in November 2024 in Rio Grande City when Oscar Adilio Sanchez-Rivera notified them of his alien status. As a Border Patrol (BP) agent attempted to place him in a vehicle, Sanchez-Rivera attempted to evade arrest, punched the agent in the face and caused an additional injury that required surgery. He will now serve 36 months in prison.
“The defendant here managed to turn a simple removal case to a multi-year federal sentence,” said Ganjei. “Let this case be an example to others who may wish harm on police or federal agents; assaulting law enforcement will not be tolerated.”
Also announced was the sentencing in Houston of an illegal alien for stealing a U.S. citizen’s identity. In imposing the 40-month sentence, the court noted the seriousness of the offense and that Carlos Bedolla Sanchez’s previous penalties did not do enough good or make him repentant. The investigation revealed Sanchez began using the victim’s identity in approximately March 2009 to obtain state driver’s licenses and other U.S. identification, including a passport.
Following a two-day jury trial in Corpus Christi, a Houston trucker was convicted of transporting illegal aliens. A lawful permanent resident since 1989, Armando Balladares-Prado had pulled up to the BP checkpoint south of Falfurrias and seemed nervous. His vehicle was completely empty but had a seal and lock on it as if there was a full transport load in the back. Authorities soon found two individuals hidden underneath the bed of the sleeper compartment. Both were determined to be citizens of Guatemala illegally present in the United States. Balladares-Prado told the aliens to get under the bed and instructed them on what to say if law enforcement discovered them. He now faces a federal prison sentence and possible loss of his status in the United States.
In Laredo, two men also learned their fate for their roles in an extensive human smuggling conspiracy and operating stash houses in Laredo and Poteet. Manuel Capetillo and Michael Diaz are attributed with smuggling over 65 aliens, including adults and children as young as six, who came from multiple countries as far south as Guatemala. Over several months, Capetillo recruited drivers, scouts and caretakers to bring aliens in from countries in Central America and transport them throughout the southern and central areas of Texas. Capetillo received an 85-month-term of imprisonment, while Diaz was ordered to serve 70 months. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the inhumane conditions in which the aliens were transported and that Capetillo and Diaz had made a business out of smuggling aliens. “You thought of these people as cattle,” he said.
Another sentencing in McAllen saw an illegal alien heading to prison for 37 months for trafficking over $1 million in cocaine. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Rolando Banda-Lucero did not have status to be in the country and got involved in narcotics trafficking for money.
Also finalized this week was an adult male pretending to be a minor as he illegally entered the country. On Feb. 2, Elger Fabricio Cotto-Navarro claimed to be an unaccompanied minor so he could be housed in a special facility. The investigation revealed Cotto-Navarro was actually an adult posing as a minor. He was sentenced and now expected to face removal proceedings.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.