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30 May 2025
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending May 30, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 51 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 9 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 79 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 13 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for drug possession and firearms offenses.
In one significant case, Moustafa Mahmoud Abdelnabi Salem, a citizen of Egypt who was lawfully in the U.S., was charged by criminal complaint with being an alien in possession of a firearm after he pulled a firearm out of his vehicle at a gas station and pointed it at a homeless man who was not threatening him.
In another case, Valerie Perez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for operating an alien stash house. Family members of the aliens contacted authorities after Perez demanded additional payment to release the aliens. The aliens were also threatened with physical harm if additional payments were not received. At the time of her arrest, Perez was on supervised release for a prior alien smuggling conviction.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. 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 District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton Announces Selection of White Plains Division ChiefsRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the selection of Jeff C. Coffman and Benjamin Klein as Chiefs of the Office’s White Plains Division, as well as the retirement of Perry Carbone, Chief of the Office’s Criminal Division, who previously served with distinction as Chief of the White Plains Division.
Mr. Coffman joined the Office as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division in 2018, following five years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of New York and one year as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia. Prior to becoming a prosecutor, Mr. Coffman worked at the law firm of Trout Cacheris, PLLC and co-founded and managed a small law firm in Washington, D.C. Mr. Coffman received Bachelor of Science degrees from Virginia Tech and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. After graduating from law school, he clerked for the Hon. James C. Cacheris of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Mr. Klein joined the Office as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division in 2021. Before becoming a prosecutor, Mr. Klein worked at the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Mr. Klein received a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University, and a J.D. from the Yale Law School, where he served as an editor of The Yale Law Journal. After graduating, Mr. Klein clerked for the Honorable Thomas M. Hardiman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
“I am pleased to announce the selection of Jeff Coffman and Ben Klein as co-chiefs of the Office’s White Plains division,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Jeff and Ben will bring a wealth of prosecutorial talent and experience to lead the critically impactful work of the division. Together with our agency partners, they will drive our commitment to safety and fairness for millions of New Yorkers. On behalf of the hundreds of women and men of the Southern District who have benefited from working with Perry Carbone, I say thank you, Perry, for your commitment to justice and your devotion to the Office and your colleagues. Perry has been a consummate prosecutor for decades and has admirably spent his career as a selfless advocate for public safety. We all thank Perry for doing so much good for so many. I am also especially grateful to Margery Feinzig, Deputy Chief of our Criminal Division, who stepped in as Acting Chief of the White Plains Division during this transition. Her steady leadership, professionalism, and tireless commitment ensured that the White Plains Division continued to function at the highest level. We are fortunate to have had her at the helm.”
Two St. Thomian Men Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Acting U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that two St. Thomian men, Romeo Walter, 42, and Kenan Thomas, 38, were both sentenced on Thursday, May 29, 2025, by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy to 15 years imprisonment for illegally possessing four firearms on April 8, 2020. The sentences follow a 4-day jury trial after which a federal jury found both men guilty of possessing firearms as felons, in violation of federal law, and unauthorized possession of a firearm by a felon, in violation of territorial law.
According to court documents, on April 8, 2020, at around 2:00 p.m., Virgin Islands Police
Department (VIPD) officers were patrolling the Hospital Ground neighborhood in St. Thomas due to recent shootings, including a homicide near the area earlier the same day. VIPD officers entered the Jah Yard area and pursued a group of individuals that included Walter and Thomas, after the group ran as officers approached. Surveillance video captured a group of four males, including
Walter and Thomas, climbing over a railing and onto the patio of a neighborhood home with two black bags. The surveillance video showed Thomas passing a handgun from his waist to codefendant
Akeem Julien, who then placed the gun into a black duffle bag. The surveillance video further showed defendant Thomas leaving the patio with two bags, heading in one direction, while
Julien and Walter left in the opposite direction. A fourth co-defendant, Nijontea Walker, left shortly after the other three. VIPD officers chased Thomas to a small house in Jah Yard. Thomas was arrested and the two bags were seized. One bag contained an AK-47 firearm with an obliterated serial number; a Glock 20, 10 mm handgun; and a Glock 21, .45 caliber handgun. A black backpack contained an AR-15 firearm. VIPD officers also seized over 250 rounds of ammunition from the bags. Each firearm was loaded with numerous rounds of ammunition. Walter, Julien, and Walker were all identified by the surveillance video.
Judge Malloy sentenced Romeo Walter to 71 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, on the federal conviction, and 15 years in prison on the territorial conviction, to be served concurrently.
Judge Malloy sentenced Kenan Thomas to 120 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release on the federal conviction, and 15 years in prison on the territorial conviction, to be served concurrently.
Co-defendant Akeem Julien pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number and was sentenced to 30 months in prison on November 21, 2024.
Co-defendant Nijontea Walker pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number and was sentenced to 30 months in prison on September 19, 2023.
The investigation was conducted by the VIPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and
Explosives (ATF), with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys
Kyle Payne and Natasha Baker prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands.
This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Two Mexican Nationals Plead Guilty to Illegally Reentering the U.S. after Multiple DeportationsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. —Two illegal aliens have pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after deportation. They are Alejandro Mejia Rios, who used the aliases Rigoberto Bonilla-Mejia, and Juan Carlos Espinoza-Bonilla, 45, an illegal alien residing in North Charleston, and Cesar Santana Salazar, who used the aliases Miguel Santana-Hernandez, and Cesar Santana, 43, an illegal alien residing in Florida.
Evidence from the investigation presented during the guilty plea showed that Mejia Rios is a citizen of Mexico who has been removed or deported from the United States six times, beginning in 2006 and continuing through 2019. He was convicted of illegal reentry and served prison sentences before being deported each time.
He illegally reentered and was arrested in Beaufort for driving under the influence and failure to stop for a blue light on Oct.1, 2023. He was released on bond before an immigration detainer could be lodged. He was again arrested, on March 18, 2024, for open container, driving without a license and driving under suspension in Jasper County. He was again released on bond before an immigration detainer could be lodged. On Feb.10, he was arrested for assault and battery 3rd degree in Jasper County.
Santana Salazar was arrested by City of Beaufort Police officers on Jan. 25, for driving without a license and driving under the influence. He has prior federal convictions for illegal reentry and has been removed from the United States six times between 2007 and 2021.
United States District Judge David C. Norton accepted the three guilty pleas and will sentence each defendant after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. Mejia Rios faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He will be deported after serving his sentence. Santana Salazar faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and will also be deported after serving his sentence.
These cases were a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
These cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Kittrell is prosecuting the cases.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Veronica Hill, Public Affairs Specialist, U.S. Attorney’s Office, [email protected], (803) 929-3000
Two Foreign Nationals Indicted for Plot to Silence U.S. Dissident and Smuggle U.S. Military Technology to ChinaRead the Press Release
Federal grand juries in Milwaukee and Los Angeles each returned indictments charging two foreign nationals, Cui Guanghai, 43, of China, and John Miller, 63, of the United Kingdom and a U.S. lawful permanent resident, with interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit interstate stalking (Los Angeles) and conspiracy, smuggling, and violations of the Arms Export Control Act (Milwaukee).
“As alleged, the defendants targeted a U.S. resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and conspired to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This is a blatant assault on both our national security and our democratic values. This Justice Department will not tolerate foreign repression on U.S. soil, nor will we allow hostile nations to infiltrate or exploit our defense systems. We will act decisively to expose and dismantle these threats wherever they emerge.”
“The defendants allegedly plotted to harass and interfere with an individual who criticized the actions of the People’s Republic of China while exercising their constitutionally protected free speech rights within the United States of America,” said FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. “The same individuals also are charged with trying to obtain and export sensitive U.S. military technology to China. I want to commend the good work of the FBI and our partners in the U.S and overseas in putting a stop to these illegal activities.”
Allegations in the Central District of California
According to court documents, beginning in October 2023, Cui and Miller enlisted two individuals (Individual 1 and Individual 2) inside the United States to carry out a plot to prevent the Victim from protesting President Xi’s appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November 2023. The victim had previously made public statements in opposition to the policies and actions of the PRC government and President Xi.
“The indictment alleges that Chinese foreign actors targeted a victim in our nation because he criticized the Chinese government and its president,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “My office will continue to use all legal methods available to hold accountable foreign nationals engaging in criminal activity on our soil.”
Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 1 and Individual 2 were affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.
In the weeks leading up to the APEC summit, Cui and Miller directed and coordinated an interstate scheme to surveil the victim, to install a tracking device on the victim’s car, to slash the tires on the victim’s car, and to purchase and destroy a pair of artistic statues created by the victim depicting President Xi and President Xi’s wife.
A similar scheme took place in the spring of 2025, after the victim announced that he planned to make public an online video feed depicting two new artistic statues of President Xi and his wife. In connection with these plots, Cui and Miller paid two other individuals (Individual 3 and Individual 4), approximately $36,500 to convince the victim to desist from the online display of the statues. Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 3 and Individual 4 were also affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.
Allegations in the Eastern District of Wisconsin
According to court documents, beginning in November 2023, Miller and Cui solicited the procurement of U.S. defense articles, including missiles, air defense radar, drones, and cryptographic devices with associated crypto ignition keys for unlawful export from the United States to the People’s Republic of China from two individuals (Individual 5 and Individual 6).
In connection with the scheme, Cui and Miller discussed with Individuals 5 and 6 ways to export a cryptographic device from the United States to the People’s Republic of China, including concealing the device in a blender, small electronics, or motor starter, and shipping the device first to Hong Kong. Cui and Miller paid approximately $10,000 as a deposit for the cryptographic device via a courier in the United States and a wire transfer to a U.S. bank account.
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If convicted, Cui and Miller face the following maximum penalties: five years in prison for conspiracy; five years in prison for interstate stalking; 20 years in prison for violation of the Arms Export Control Act; and 10 years in prison for smuggling.
The FBI is investigating the case. The United States is coordinating with Serbian authorities regarding the pending extraditions of Cui and Miller from Serbia.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Ryan and Amanda B. Elbogen for the Central District of California, Benjamin Taibleson for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Trial Attorneys Leslie Esbrook and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the cases, with valuable assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Foreign Nationals Indicted for Directing Interstate Stalking and Harassment Scheme and Conspiring to Procure Sensitive U.S. Military TechnologyRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Bilal Essayli, United States Attorney for the Central District of California announced that federal grand juries in Milwaukee, WI and Los Angeles, CA each returned indictments charging two foreign nationals, Cui Guanghai, 43, of China, and John Miller, 63, of the United Kingdom and a U.S. lawful permanent resident, with interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit interstate stalking (Los Angeles) and conspiracy, smuggling, and violations of the Arms Export Control Act (Milwaukee).
“As alleged, the defendants targeted a U.S. resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and conspired to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This is a blatant assault on both our national security and our democratic values. This Justice Department will not tolerate foreign repression on U.S. soil, nor will we allow hostile nations to infiltrate or exploit our defense systems. We will act decisively to expose and dismantle these threats wherever they emerge.”
“The defendants allegedly plotted to harass and interfere with an individual who criticized the actions of the People’s Republic of China while exercising their constitutionally protected free speech rights within the United States of America,” said FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. “The same individuals also are charged with trying to obtain and export sensitive U.S. military technology to China. I want to commend the good work of the FBI and our partners in the U.S and overseas in putting a stop to these illegal activities.”
Allegations in the Eastern District of Wisconsin
According to court documents, beginning in November 2023, Miller and Cui solicited the procurement of U.S. defense articles, including missiles, air defense radar, drones, and cryptographic devices with associated crypto ignition keys for unlawful export from the United States to the People’s Republic of China from two individuals (Individual 5 and Individual 6).
In connection with the scheme, Cui and Miller discussed with Individuals 5 and 6 ways to export a cryptographic device from the United States to the People’s Republic of China, including concealing the device in a blender, small electronics, or motor starter, and shipping the device first to Hong Kong. Cui and Miller paid approximately $10,000 as a deposit for the cryptographic device via a courier in the United States and a wire transfer to a U.S. bank account.
Allegations in the Central District of California
According to court documents, beginning in October 2023, Cui and Miller enlisted two individuals (Individual 1 and Individual 2) inside the United States to carry out a plot to prevent the Victim from protesting President Xi’s appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November 2023. The Victim had previously made public statements in opposition to the policies and actions of the PRC government and President Xi.
“The indictment alleges that Chinese foreign actors targeted a victim in our nation because he criticized the Chinese government and its president,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “My office will continue to use all legal methods available to hold accountable foreign nationals engaging in criminal activity on our soil.”
Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 1 and Individual 2 were affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.
In the weeks leading up to the APEC summit, Cui and Miller directed and coordinated an interstate scheme to surveil the Victim, to install a tracking device on the Victim’s car, to slash the tires on the Victim’s car, and to purchase and destroy a pair of artistic statues created by the Victim depicting President Xi and President Xi’s wife.
A similar scheme took place in the spring of 2025, after the Victim announced that he planned to make public an online video feed depicting two new artistic statues of President Xi and his wife. In connection with these plots, Cui and Miller paid two other individuals (Individual 3 and Individual 4), approximately $36,500 to convince the Victim to desist from the online display of the statues. Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 3 and Individual 4 were also affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.
If convicted, Cui and Miller face the following maximum penalties: five years for conspiracy; five years for interstate stalking; twenty years for violation of the Arms Export Control Act; ten years for smuggling.
The FBI is investigating the case. The United States is coordinating with Serbian authorities regarding the pending extraditions of Cui and Miller in Serbia.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Taibleson for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and David Ryan and Amanda B. Elbogen for the Central District of California, along with Trial Attorneys Leslie Esbrook and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the cases, with valuable assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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414-297-1700
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Transient Man Sentenced for Three Counts of Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A transient man was sentenced today for three counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Christian Douglas Cook, 36, to serve 120 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in October 2022, the victim was walking his dog outside a hotel when Cook approached him. Court records show that Cook appeared to be under the influence and struck the victim on the hand with a bottle for no reason, causing him to bleed. The hotel manager witnessed the incident. The victim returned to his hotel room, grabbed a baseball bat, and confronted Cook. Cook produced a knife and lunged at the victim and his girlfriend. Both told responding officers that they believed Cook was trying to stab them.
Police arrested Cook and transported him to the hospital for medical treatment. Cook made continuous threatening comments about killing the victim once released from jail. He also referred to the victim's race in a derogatory manner. Officers noted that Cook threatened to head butt the police officers and “take that charge.” He further stated that he stabs people and gets away with it.
In February 2023, during a second assault, Cook went into a bar, causing trouble, and was asked to leave the property. Instead of leaving, Cook pulled a knife from his backpack and approached a customer. That customer hit Cook’s arm, causing Cook to release the knife. Cook then pulled a second knife and stabbed another customer in the right shoulder blade. Cook called 911, stating he had injuries from stabbing the victim. Court records show that while being booked at the jail, Cook said to officers, “Do you know the stand my ground law? I should have killed all of them. I have done it before and gotten away with it.”
During a third assault in December 2023, the victim was in the parking lot of his girlfriend's apartment. Cook approached the car and began banging on the windows, asking for money or cigarettes. The victim stepped out of the car, and Cook started to hit the victim in the head several times. The victim realized he was bleeding and drove himself to the hospital. At the hospital, the victim learned that he was stabbed multiple times throughout his body, including the head, neck, back and upper torso. The victim and his girlfriend identified Cook in a photo lineup. When Tulsa Police officers found and arrested Cook, he possessed several knives.
Cook is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Dunn and Emily Dewhurst prosecuted the case.
Title Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Jonathan Yasko (46, Winter Springs) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Yasko faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the court documents, Yasko owned or controlled various title companies that conducted real estate settlement services and issued title insurance policies on behalf of title insurance underwriters. Each of Yasko’s title companies was required to deposit the funds it received from the lenders, buyers, and homeowners into an escrow account to segregate these monies from its own funds. The title companies were also legally required to disburse the lender’s funds in the manner specified in the instructions sent by the financial institutions. Yasko’s title companies also had a fiduciary duty to the financial institutions and were required to act in the best interests of the party providing the funds, rather than using these funds for its own self-interest.
From January 2021 through August 2023, Yasko engaged in a scheme to defraud financial institutions using interstate wires. As part of his scheme, Yasko promised to keep the financial institution’s funds segregated in escrow accounts prior to closing in according with Florida law. He also promised to disburse the financial institution’s funds that were sent via interstate wire transfers in accordance with the financial institution’s closing instructions. Yasko initiated fraudulent interstate wire transfers of the lender funds from the segregated escrow accounts to other escrow accounts that had insufficient funds to conduct separate closings and initiated fraudulent interstate wire transfers of lender funds from the segregated escrow accounts to Yasko’s title company operating accounts for illicit purposes such as paying off personal credit cards, home renovation expenses, and payments to personal credit cards. Yasko embezzled the mortgage lenders funds, which prevented the real estate settlement from taking place. As a result, the title insurance underwriter paid out settlements to the victim financial institutions. Several of the botched real estate closings involved mortgage loans purchased or owned by Freddie Mac.
In exchange for his role in the scheme, Yasko also received ill-gotten title insurance premiums. Yasko has agreed to forfeit $201,004.57, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Three Defendants Sentenced and Another Pleads Guilty for Roles in Transnational Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Three individuals from Pennsylvania, Washington, and Arizona were sentenced, and another individual from Ohio pleaded guilty, in federal court on May 28, 2025, on charges of violating federal narcotics and money laundering laws in relation to a transnational drug trafficking organization (DTO), Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The defendants were among 35 individuals charged through a Second Superseding Indictment unsealed in January 2024 for their participation in a domestic and international narcotics and money laundering conspiracy involving substantial quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine.
The sentences imposed by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan were:
Defendant
AgeResidence
Sentence
James Pinkston34New Kensington, Pennsylvania220 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised releaseAlicia Parks26Kent, Washington84 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised releaseMarco Armenta24Phoenix, Arizona12 months and one day in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised releaseAccording to information presented to the Court, on various dates from in and around August 2021 to in and around June 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Pinkston and Parks conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine. Similarly, from in and around August 2022 to January 2023, Armenta conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl. The defendants were intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that they distributed to others. Additionally, the Court was advised that, in and around March 2023, Pinkston possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of cocaine, and, from in and around April 2022 to March 2023, conspired to commit money laundering by using a payments app to receive and initiate payments for drug transactions.
The Second Superseding Indictment alleges that the operation imported from Mexico millions of fentanyl pills, kilograms of fentanyl powder, hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, and dozens of kilograms of cocaine that then were distributed and sold throughout the United States. Pinkston served as the western Pennsylvania connection to the Phoenix DTO responsible for importing the drugs from Mexico.
In addition to the sentencings, another defendant in the case—Diamond Williams-Dorsey, 32, of Cleveland, Ohio—pleaded guilty before Judge Ranjan to Count One of the Second Superseding Indictment. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around July 2022 to August 2022, Williams-Dorsey conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl. Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for November 4, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
With this week’s three sentencings and guilty plea, 20 of the 35 defendants charged in the Second Superseding Indictment have now pleaded guilty in the case, with nine having been sentenced thus far.
Assistant United States Attorneys Arnold P. Bernard Jr. and Tonya S. Goodman prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of the defendants. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, 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).
Three Defendants Plead Guilty to Participating in Cross-State Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Three individuals from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey pleaded guilty in federal court this week to charges of violating federal narcotics laws in connection with a cross-state drug trafficking ring, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The defendants were among 27 individuals charged through a Superseding Indictment unsealed in March 2023 for their participation in a cross-state narcotics conspiracy involving substantial quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, crack, and heroin.
Pleading guilty this week before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan were:
Plea DateDefendantAgeResidenceMay 28Robert Hurst46North Royalton, OhioMay 28Melissa Frain36Indiana, PennsylvaniaMay 29Kevin Thomas48Newark, New JerseyIn connection with the guilty pleas, the Court was advised that, in and around October 2022 to March 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Hurst conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl, and a quantity of a mixture of crack. Similarly, from in and around September 2021 to January 2022, Frain conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute quantities of mixtures of cocaine, fentanyl, and crack. From in and around October 2022 to March 2023, Thomas conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of cocaine and a quantity of a mixture of crack. The defendants were intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that they distributed to others.
Hurst was one of the managers of the New Kensington-based drug trafficking group. Hurst primarily resided in Cleveland, Ohio, but maintained a premises in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, which served as a distribution point for the organization. Hurst exercised decision-making authority on behalf of the organization and dictated who could be supplied with the group’s drugs.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencings for September 17, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense(s) and the prior criminal history, if any, of each defendant.
With this week’s guilty pleas, 22 of the 27 defendants charged in the Superseding Indictment have now pleaded guilty in the case, with 14 defendants having been sentenced thus far. Included in those sentencings is Misti Durante, 40, of Indiana, Pennsylvania, who Judge Horan sentenced this week to time served for her role in the conspiracy.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of the defendants. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Three Charged with Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three Kansas City, Mo. individuals have been charged for their role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Kajuan M. Jackson, 40, Christopher D. Baird, 40, and Skyler B. Sledd, 26, were charged in a criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Wed., May 28. The complaint was unsealed and made public following their arrests and initial court appearance.
The complaint alleges that Jackson, Baird, and Sledd sold tablets labeled “M30”, which contain fentanyl, to an undercover investigator between June 1, 2024, and May 22, 2025.
Sledd is currently on state felony supervision through Missouri Probation and Parole for possession of a controlled substance.
Jackson faces additional charges for possessing firearms and machineguns in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of firearms.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Jackson has prior felony convictions for identity theft; possession of an opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant; criminal possession of a weapon by a felon; two counts of possession of a controlled substance; and tampering with a motor vehicle.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Under federal statutes, conspiracy to distribute fentanyl carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years’ imprisonment in federal prison without parole.
Possession of machineguns in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in federal prison without parole.
The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri Western Interdiction Drug Task Force, and the United States Postal Service.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Three Admit to Roles in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three people have admitted to working in a large-scale drug operation in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.
Juan Carlos Suarez-Lugo, age 55, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, and Alexis Alvarado, age 38, of Ranson, West Virginia, each pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Mauricio Antonio Alvarado-Flores, age 38, a citizen of El Salvador, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and illegal reentry.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Suarez-Lugo, Alvarado, and Alvarado-Flores were working together and with others to sell drugs for the drug trafficking organization.
Suarez-Lugo, Alvarado, and Alvarado-Flores each face at least five years and up to 40 years in federal prison for the drug charge. Alvarado-Flores faces up to two years in prison for the illegal reentry charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government.
The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force was the lead investigative unit. Other investigative agencies that assisted include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, including the Pittsburgh, San Francisco, San Juan, and Philadelphia Field Offices; United States Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; United States Postal Service; Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisville and Chicago Divisions; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Martinsburg Police Department; Ranson Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; Berkeley County Sheriff's Office; Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; West Virginia Air National Guard; Mineral County Sheriff's Office; Grant County Sheriff's Office; Hampshire County Sheriff's Department; Keyser Police Department; Northwest Regional Drug Task Force, Virginia; Pennsylvania State Police; Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Pennsylvania; Winchester Police Department, Virginia; Frederick County Sheriff's Office, Virginia; Virginia State Police; Sunnyvale Police Department, California.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
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).
Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Temple Terrace RobberyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Kavar Young (32, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to one count of robbery, one count of conspiracy to commit that robbery, and brandishing a firearm during the robbery. Young faces up to 20 years in prison on both the robbery and conspiracy counts. For the firearms count, he faces a minimum sentence of seven years, up to life, imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence. A date for sentencing has not yet been set. One of Young’s co-defendants, Leanna Bryant (28, Tampa), previously pleaded guilty.
According to court documents and proceedings, in August 2023, Young conspired with others to commit robbery. Specifically, on August 12, 2023, Young robbed a Temple Terrace convenience store, during which he brandished a firearm, pointing it at the victim’s head while demanding money from the register. Young also pointed the firearm at a second employee of the store and a store customer.
Young’s DNA was found on a potato chip bag inside the store that he had touched. His DNA was also found on a firearm located during the investigation that is visually consistent with the firearm used in the robbery.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, the Temple Terrace Police Department, the Lakeland Police Department, and the North Port Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
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.
Stolen Identity, Bank Fraud, and Armed Drug Distribution Net Defendant 60 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Deangelo Lorenzo Lewis, 28, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 60 months in prison after being found guilty of defrauding banks by doctoring and depositing stolen checks, distributing marijuana, and illegally possessing a firearm.
At the time of his arrest, Lewis was using a stolen identity to rent an apartment in the Kalorama neighborhood, paying for it with funds from a stolen checking account, and using the apartment to distribute marijuana and operate his fraud scheme, all while armed with a semi-automatic assault pistol modeled after an AK47.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, and Acting U.S. Marshal Ron Carter of the District Court for the District of Columbia.
Lewis was found guilty by a federal jury on Feb. 28, 2025, of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Loren L. AliKhan ordered Lewis to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on October 3, 2023, Deputy United States Marshals and FBI agents executed an arrest warrant for Lewis at an apartment building on the 2400 block of 17th Street NW. Law enforcement breached the front door of the apartment with a battering ram and took Lewis into custody. During a security sweep the officers observed evidence of fraud in plain view.
The Marshals obtained a search warrant and recovered a Maryland driver’s license, three Visa debit cards, and numerous bank checks issued to persons other than Lewis. They also recovered stolen U.S. Postal Service uniforms in Lewis’ bedroom. In addition, the Marshals recovered two laptop computers, three different types of printers, check paper, check writing software, 24 ounces of marijuana, small mylar bags, a digital scale, two loaded 9mm handgun magazines, and a Century Arms Micro Draco 7.62 x 39mm semi-automatic assault pistol loaded 25 rounds of ammunition. As a previously convicted felon, Lewis is prohibited from possessing firearms.
The Marshals also obtained a search warrant for Lewis’ electronic devices and Instagram account. The United States’ trial evidence included photos and videos of Lewis holding firearms, including a Micro Draco assault pistol, pictures of stolen checks, pictures of marijuana advertised for sale, and numerous conversations related to marijuana distribution and bank fraud. According to the court documents, more than 10 individuals were victims of Lewis’s stolen check scheme, which involved the theft of checks worth more than $275,000.
Lewis has trials pending in D.C. Superior Court, the District Court for Prince George’s County, Maryland, and the United States District Court for the District of Maryland for similar conduct.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force, the FBI Washington Field Office, and Arlington County Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson.
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Spokane Dermatologist Agrees to Pay $1.4 Million to Resolve Claims of Fraudulently Obtaining COVID-19 FundsRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – The United States Attorney’s Office announced William Philip Werschler, age 66, of Spokane, Washington, along with his businesses Spokane Dermatology Clinic, Premier Clinical Research L.L.C., and 3rd and Sherman Plaza L.L.C., have agreed to pay $1,400,000 to resolve claims under the False Claims Act related to alleged mis-spending of funds intended to benefit struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One such program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low interest loans that could be deferred until the conclusion of the pandemic to provide “bridge” funding for small businesses to maintain their operations during shutdowns and other economic circumstances caused by the pandemic. EIDL funds were to be used solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury to a business caused by the COVID-19 disaster, such as paying payroll, health insurance premiums, rent, utilities, and fixed debt payments. EIDL funds were not to be used for personal purposes or to obtain real property or to refinance indebtedness which was incurred prior to the disaster event is a prohibited use of EIDL funding.
According to the settlement agreement, beginning no later than April 2020 and continuing until at least July 2022, Werschler applied for EIDL loans for his businesses: Spokane Dermatology Clinic, Premier Clinical Research, and 3rd and Sherman Plaza L.L.C.
Shortly after receiving EIDL funds, Werschler made personal purchases of a 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 and a 1997 Porsche Carrera for a total of $252,375.00. Werschler also used $553,143 to purchase two properties across from his Spokane Dermatology Clinic. The purchase of personal automobiles and real property are both contrary to the proper use of EIDL funds. The global resolution entered into by Werschler and his companies also resolved related criminal charges.
This case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigations, the FBI, and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General.
The settlement agreement can be viewed at the link below.
settlement_agreement.pdfShooter Gets 21 Year Prison Term for 2022 Murder of Woman Crossing Street in Broad DaylightRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Johnwann Elliott, 31, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on May, 30, 2025, to a total of 21 years in prison for the 2022 murder of Nikia Young, 37, in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
On December 16, 2024, Elliott pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed and attempted assault with a dangerous weapon. In addition to the 21-year prison sentence, the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan of the D.C. Superior Court ordered Elliott to serve five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 11:59 a.m., on March 15, 2022, Elliott exited a Metro bus at Minnesota Avenue and White Place Southeast and walked southwest toward the intersection of Minnesota Avenue and 23rd Street Southeast. At the same time, Nikia Young and an individual with initials T.G. were walking northeast on Minnesota Avenue toward the same intersection. As Ms. Young and T.G. crossed 23rd Street, Elliott walked up to them in the crosswalk and, in broad daylight, used a 380-caliber handgun to shoot Ms. Young from a close distance. Elliott fired seven times and struck Ms. Young five times—once in her face, three times in the chest, and once in the right hip. Elliott then fled the scene on foot, running and catching the same Metro bus that he had exited approximately two minutes earlier.
At the time Elliott committed these offenses, he was on release pending trial in D.C. Superior Court for the unauthorized use of a vehicle and was on supervised release after serving a prison sentence for a robbery conviction in the same court. Elliott was arrested on May 19, 2022, inside of a hotel in Northeast Washington, D.C. and has been in custody since.
This case was investigated by the Homicide Branch of the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles R. Jones. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Lindhorst investigated and indicted the case.
Roanoke Man Sentenced to 188 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Yesterday, William Edwards, 37 years old, of Roanoke, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady, after pleading guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Edwards was sentenced to 188 months in prison followed by 7 years of supervised release. Restitution will be imposed at a later date.According to documents in the case, on or about October 18, 2023, Edwards distributed child sexual abuse material.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Indiana State Police, the Fort Wayne Police Department, the Lagrange Police Department, and the Roanoke Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Rhode Island Man Charged with Assaulting Border Patrol Agents by Discharging Machine GunRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on May 29, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Brenden Sackal, 32, of Rockville, Rhode Island, with assaulting federal officers with a deadly weapon, possessing and discharging a machine gun in furtherance of the assault on federal officers, possessing an unregistered machine gun, and possessing a machine gun lacking an identification number as required by the National Firearms Act. Sackal’s federal arraignment date has not yet been set. Sackal also faces charges related to the shooting in Caledonia Superior Court.
According to court records, Sackal is alleged to have assaulted five U.S. Border Patrol agents with a deadly weapon by discharging a privately manufactured 5.56 caliber AR-type pistol, on July 14, 2024. This AR-type pistol is alleged to have been a machine gun, which the National Firearms Act requires to be registered and bear a serial number. Sackal’s weapon was not registered and did not bear a serial number.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Sackal is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted of all counts in the superseding indictment, Sackal faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years, and up to imprisonment for life. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Vermont State Police. Acting United States Attorney Drescher stated “Anyone who discharges a firearm at a federal law enforcement officer will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I commend the U.S. Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection, the Vermont State Police, and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department personnel who pursued and apprehended Sackal on July 14, 2024.”
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. Sackal is represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Pittsburgh Woman Indicted for Fraudulent Receipt of Supplemental Security Income BenefitsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of Supplemental Security Income fraud and theft of government property, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Dana Nicole Johnson, 54, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from in and around May 2021 until in and around June 2023, Johnson concealed and failed to disclose events with the intent to fraudulently obtain Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. SSI is a monthly, needs-based payment benefit that is afforded to people with disabilities and the elderly who have little or no income. Applicants are required to report their wages, assets, and living arrangements, as those matters are considered by the Social Security Administration when determining eligibility for SSI. The Indictment alleges that Johnson failed to disclose income from her employment with a home health care service and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Indictment further alleges that Johnson stole and converted to her own use SSI payment benefits.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Social Security Administration–Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Veterans Affairs–Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulent Refund SchemeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Louis Perpignan, 33, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 27, 2025, by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 42 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Perpignan was also ordered to pay more than $2.6 million in restitution. Perpignan previously pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud.
Between May 2016 and May 2021, Perpignan operated an online refund scheme called the “Members Only Refund Service,” through which he charged individuals a fee to “return” purchased items, ranging from televisions to handbags, from a variety of retailers across the country. To accomplish the scheme, Perpignan would pose as the customer and use various methods to trick the retailer into issuing a refund without returning the product. For example, Perpignan would convince the retailer that the item either never arrived or had already been returned. The customer would then be refunded the full purchase price but keep the item. Perpignan, in turn, received a fee of up to 25% of the item’s purchase price from the customer.
Perpignan admitted to defrauding at least 31 retailers out of more than $2.6 million through the scheme. With his portion of the funds, Perpignan supported his extravagant lifestyle and purchased at least eight vehicles, including a $176,000 Lamborghini Huracan.
This case was investigated by the Darknet Marketplace and Digital Currency Task Force, with specific contribution from the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01398-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-085_Perpignan# # #
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.Orlando Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Jaquisha Durant (31, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to bank fraud. Durant faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in April 2024, Durant and other scheme participants stole mail from United States Postal Service mailboxes, located debit cards belonging to others in the stolen mail, and activated the stolen debit cards. On April 22 and 23, 2024, Durant used the stolen debit cards to make multiple cash withdrawals from a federal credit union ATM located in Ocoee. She also used the stolen debit cards to make purchases at various retail stores.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.
Ocala Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing A MachinegunRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Sean Rayvon Hubbard, Jr. (19, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun. Hubbard faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on July 28, 2024, officers from the Ocala Police Department approached Hubbard to place him under arrest for outstanding warrants. Hubbard fled from the officers on foot but was ultimately apprehended. On August 7, 2024, officers received a call from an apartment complex about a firearm that had been discovered along the path where Hubbard had been running. The firearm, a black handgun with a tan extended ammunition magazine, had been modified with a “switch” that allowed it to fire more than one round of ammunition with a single pull of the trigger. Officers obtained a search warrant for Hubbard’s cellphone and recovered a video that Hubbard had filmed of himself handling the same modified handgun prior to his arrest on July 28, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ocala Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 5 Years of Probation for Cares Act Fraud, Money Laundering and False Tax FilingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that CLIFTON C. JAMES (“JAMES”), age 50, of New Orleans, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche-Milazzo to 5 years of probation for making false statements, theft of government funds, and money laundering related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), as well as making a false tax filing with the Internal Revenue Service.
On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The two primary sources of funding for small businesses were the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program.
According to the charging documents, or about April 30, 2020, JAMES, on behalf of a business that he owned, made false statements to an approved lender to obtain a $86,800 PPP loan. On or about July 13, 2020, JAMES stole $149,900 from the SBA by using a false application in the name of Crescent City Tax Services, LLC. JAMES then committed money laundering by using these ill-gotten funds to buy an automobile from a dealership in California. Lastly, JAMES filed a false document with the Internal Revenue Service wherein he claimed to have earned $1.00 in a 2019 tax return.
In addition to probation, JAMES was ordered to perform 50 hours of community service and to pay restitution in the amount of $551,973.00 to the SBA along with restitution to the IRS in the total amount of $233,645.65. There is also a mandatory $400 special assessment fee.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by an agent assigned to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to serve the American public by promoting transparency and facilitating coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 21 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. The PRAC Fraud Task Force brings together agents from 15 Inspectors General to investigate fraud involving a variety of programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program. Task force agents who are detailed to the PRAC receive expanded authority to investigate pandemic fraud as well as tools and training to support their investigations.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General (a member of the PRAC) and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
New Mexico Man Indicted in El Paso for Drug, Firearm and Murder ChargesRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A New Mexico man is in federal custody after being indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso in 2021 and expelled to the U.S. by Mexican authorities earlier this week.
Jaime Renteria-Fernandez, 31, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is charged in a superseding indictment with nine counts related to alleged offenses committed in support of the Barraza Drug Trafficking Organization. Co-conspirator Alex Barraza was the leader of the DTO and was sentenced to life in federal prison Oct. 24, 2024.
Renteria-Fernandez made his initial appearance in federal court Thursday. The indictment includes multiple counts related to drug possession and trafficking, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, as well as discharging firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking and murder resulting from the use and carrying of firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years, with a maximum of life in federal prison, and possibly the death penalty. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations El Paso is investigating the case with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Texas Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Johnston, Andres Ortega and Susanna Martinez are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Nancy E. Larson Named Acting United States Attorney, Becoming Chief Federal Prosecutor for the Northern District of TexasRead the Press Release
Nancy E. Larson was named as the Acting United States Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas following her appointment on May 29, 2025, by President Donald J. Trump.
Ms. Larson is now the top-ranking law enforcement official in the Northern District of Texas. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in a district encompassing 96,000 square miles and serving a population of approximately eight million, including those in Dallas, Fort Worth, Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene, San Angelo, Wichita Falls and surrounding areas. Ms. Larson will oversee more than 80 Assistant United States Attorneys.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to lead the office where I have spent my career representing the United States,” said Acting United States Attorney Nancy Larson. “As our district’s chief federal prosecutor, I will work relentlessly to implement the priorities of the President and the Attorney General and to protect our communities from criminals.”
Ms. Larson has served as an Assistant United States Attorney for more than 30 years. She began her career with the Department of Justice in the District of Columbia, serving as a federal prosecutor in the D.C. United States Attorney’s Office. There, she led successful prosecutions involving homicide, narcotics, violent crime, fraud, and other offenses.
In 1999, Ms. Larson joined the Northern District of Texas as the lead prosecutor for the Housing Fraud Initiative. After serving in the Criminal Division, Ms. Larson was named the Chief of the Appellate Division. She served in that role for over a decade and regularly appeared before the Fifth Circuit on behalf of the United States. Ms. Larson also has served as the district’s Executive Assistant United States Attorney and its Professional Responsibility Officer. Ms. Larson is an accomplished trial lawyer, having represented the United States in more than two dozen criminal trials. During her career, Ms. Larson received numerous awards for her service and leadership.
Ms. Larson is a native of New York and received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. Ms. Larson’s father, whose father and grandfather served on the NYPD, was a career Special Agent in IRS Criminal Investigations. Her family’s legacy in law enforcement instilled in her a devotion to public service and the cause of justice.
Murder in Broad Daylight Outside a Northeast Gas Station Leads to Guilty PleaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Damon McQuarters, 45, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of second-degree murder for the 2024 shooting murder of Michael Simpson, on the sidewalk in front of the Citgo gas station at 3820 Minnesota Ave. NE, Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder in Superior Court. The Honorable Danya Dayson scheduled sentencing on August 22, 2025. At sentencing, he faces between 21 and 25 years of incarceration, followed by five years of supervised release.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, at approximately 5:35 p.m., on August 24, 2024, McQuarters approached Mr. Simpson, who was sitting in a tree box in front of the Citgo gas station socializing with friends. McQuarters retrieved a handgun from his pocket and shot Mr. Simpson a single time in the head. The defendant placed the handgun back into his pocket and walked away. Mr. Simpson was transported from the scene of the shooting to an area hospital where he died the following day.
McQuarters has been in custody since his arrest on September 26, 2024.
This case was investigated by Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Coronado.
Mobile Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Distribution and Maintaining a Drug PremisesRead the Press Release
Montgomery, AL - On May 29, 2025, a federal judge sentenced 41-year-old Corey Jeremaine Burroughs of Mobile, Alabama, to 195 months in prison following his convictions for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as maintaining a drug premises. Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and DEA New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer made the announcement today. The judge also ordered Burroughs to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, law enforcement began investigating the trafficking of contraband into multiple Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) facilities prior to 2023. Agents identified Burroughs—a former ADOC inmate—as a suspect.
On April 18, 2023, law enforcement stopped Burroughs shortly after he left a Montgomery residence. Officers found marijuana and “flakka,” an illegal controlled substance commonly smuggled into prisons. On April 19, 2023, law enforcement officers obtained and executed a search warrant at the Montgomery residence associated with Burroughs. Inside the residence, agents discovered multiple illegal controlled substances, including marijuana and methamphetamine located in a box on the kitchen counter, and vacuum-sealed bags containing methamphetamine and fentanyl. In total, investigators seized over a pound of methamphetamine.
The search also uncovered drug distribution tools, including a digital scale, a hydraulic compress, and vacuum sealing equipment. Other common prison contraband items such as wireless headphones and cell phones were also recovered. The residence appeared uninhabited and was being used solely for the storage and packaging of illegal narcotics and contraband for distribution.
“This case reflects our office’s continued commitment to disrupting the flow of dangerous drugs like methamphetamine and fentanyl into our communities and correctional facilities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson. “Mr. Burroughs exploited his knowledge of the prison system to further his criminal activity, and now he is being held accountable. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to target those who jeopardize public safety through drug trafficking.”
“Thanks to the diligent work of our dedicated agents and partners, we’ve removed a significant number of illicit narcotics and dangerous contraband that was destined for Alabama prisons,” said Special Agent in Charge Hofer. “We will continue to identify, investigate, and bring to justice those who profit from illicit drug activity.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Alabama Department of Corrections Law Enforcement Services Division, and Montgomery Police Department investigated this case, with Assistant United States Attorneys J. Patrick Lamb and Mark E. Andreu prosecuting.
Mission Woman Sentenced to over Two Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting Another Person within the Rosebud ReservationRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Dating Partner. The sentencing took place on May 27, 2025.
Korilyn M. Whipple-Wright, age 25, was sentenced to two years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Whipple-Wright was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2024. She pleaded guilty on February 26, 2025.
On February 16, 2024, Whipple-Wright assaulted her former girlfriend in Rosebud, South Dakota, which lies within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. The women had recently broken up after dating for approximately six years. Whipple-Wright wrapped her arm around the woman’s neck and choked her, causing her to temporarily lose consciousness. Whipple-Wright also pushed the woman’s face into a wall and punched her. The woman incurred bruising to her forehead, a black eye, and a cut to her head in the assault.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Whipple-Wright was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mexico City-Based Attorney Pleads Guilty in $52 Million Dollar Sinaloa Cartel Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Hector Alejandro Paez Garcia, a Mexico City-based attorney, has pleaded guilty in federal court, admitting that he and others conspired to transport, transmit, and transfer tens of millions of dollars in drug trafficking proceeds from the United States to Mexico.
Paez’s plea is part of a long-term FBI investigation targeting a Mexico-based money laundering organization (MLO) that is believed to have laundered at least $52.7 million for the Sinaloa Cartel before the organization’s leaders were arrested.
According to court documents, the MLO utilized a network of shell companies in San Diego to launder tens of millions of dollars in bulk cash from across the country generated through the Sinaloa Cartel’s drug importation and distribution operations. MLO employees travelled to dozens of U.S. cities to pick up this bulk cash in amounts up to $200,000. The money was then funneled through the San Diego-based shell companies and delivered to money laundering accounts in Mexico controlled by Paez, who in his plea agreement admitted serving a managerial role in the MLO’s operations.
During the investigation, FBI agents seized 66 money laundering bank accounts throughout the United States. As the FBI began to target and seize the MLO’s assets, Paez turned to the use of cryptocurrency in an attempt to shield those assets from law enforcement. But the FBI was able to infiltrate and take down the MLO’s cryptocurrency laundering network.
To date, the investigation has resulted in the arrests of 11 people on money laundering charges and the seizure of more than $3.1 million in illicit assets. A related DEA investigation led to 24 additional arrests and asset seizures totaling $450,000.
In March 2025, six individuals and seven entities, including several of Paez’s co-conspirators, were the target of sanctions imposed by the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Treasury Sanctions Criminal Operators and Money Launderers for the Notorious Sinaloa Cartel | U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Paez is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2025.
To date, in addition to Paez, additional participants in the scheme have been charged, including the following:
- Miguel Angel Encinas Gomez of Mexicali, México, leader of a Mexicali-based cell of MLO. Encinas pleaded guilty to laundering $35 million in bulk cash narcotics proceeds in July 2023.
- Hugo Andres Velasquez Pantza, a Colombian national who allegedly assisted the MLO in the implementation of cryptocurrency into their operations. Velasquez was subsequently targeted in an undercover FBI operation and arrested in Rome, Italy in January 2025. Velasquez was extradited to the United States in April 2025 and awaits trial.
- James Harmon Yarbrough of Apopka, Florida, who worked in partnership with Cevallos to receive $326,000 in illicit proceeds in a scheme to converting the funds to cryptocurrency. Yarbrough pleaded guilty in July 2023.
- Victoria Johanna Lopez, Jose Jesus Lopez, Jose Mayorga Martinez, and Gerardo Vasquez Jr. who allegedly worked as bulk cash couriers who handled and deposited bulk cash for the MLO. Victoria Lopez, Jose Lopez, Mayorga have pleaded guilty. Vazquez’s case is set for trial in September 2024.
- Jhonatan Suarez Florez of Auburndale, Florida, who used accounts associated with his Florida-based construction and door manufacturing businesses to receive and transmit funds belonging to the criminal organization. Suarez Florez pleaded guilty in December 2024.
- Alberto David Benguait Jimenez, an alleged leader of the MLO, remains a fugitive at this time. If anyone has information related to this individual, please contact the FBI at 858-320-1800.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Benjamin and Robert Miller. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Owen Roth contributed significantly to the case. The FBI worked in close partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Imperial County District Office, as well as Panamanian authorities, to seize the MLO’s assets and arrest multiple participants in the scheme.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Italy to secure the arrest and extradition of Velasquez Pantza.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr0446
Hector Alejandro Paez Garcia Age: 43 Mexico City, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
International Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h), and 1956(a)(2)(B)(i)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case 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. [use if applicable] Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
Mexican National Sentenced to Two Years’ Imprisonment for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara today sentenced Jaime Palma Jimenez (45, Mexico) to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry by a deported alien. Palma Jimenez pled guilty on February 3, 2025.
According to court documents, Palma Jimenez is a native and citizen of Mexico. He was removed from the United States on March 5, 2015, April 20, 2015, June 22, 2017, and August 28, 2020. Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office officials then arrested him for illegal specialty contracting in October 2024, in the wake of Hurricane Milton. PCSO officers notified federal immigration authorities of Palma Jimenez’s presence in the United States.
This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Buchanan.
Mexican National Sentenced to 20 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Gumersindo Gonzalez-Montoya (31) to one year and eight months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. Gonzalez-Montoya pleaded guilty on February 26, 2025.
According to court documents, Gonzalez-Montoya is a citizen and national of Mexico. He was previously removed from the United States on May 8, 2024, and was found back in the United States approximately two months later, on July 14, 2024, when he was arrested in Marion County for a new state criminal offense. Gonzalez-Montoya has never applied for or received permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reenter the United States.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Mescalero Man Sentenced in Strangulation Assault CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man was sentenced to 71 months in prison for assault by strangulation.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, between May 5 and May 11, 2022, Kevin El Cavazone, 42, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Tribe, assaulted Jane Doe by strangling her.
Upon his release from prison, El Cavazone will be subject to 3 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 Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Alyson Hehr is prosecuting the case.
Marion County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Kyle Burbank (32, Belleview) to 15 years in federal prison for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Burbank pleaded guilty on October 21, 2024.
According to court documents, between January 5 and 17, 2024, Burbank received five video files depicting CSAM over the internet from a 12-year-old child in another state. During a review of Burbank’s social media accounts, investigators identified a second victim, a 13-year-old child, who also was living in a different state. Burbank received CSAM from the second victim on September 26, 2023.
“The sentencing of this predator represents the grave nature of his crimes in exploiting children online,” said Homeland Security Investigation Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “Protecting our children is the highest priority for HSI and our law enforcement partners. We vow to remain vigilant ensuring those who prey on children face swift and decisive justice.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Clinton County (Indiana) Sheriff’s Office and the Rossville (Indiana) Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Manager at Long Island Company Indicted for Stealing $1.6 Million from Customer Credit AccountsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Tony Ream was arraigned on an indictment charging him with wire fraud and money laundering in connection with his employment at a Long Island company (the Company). Ream was a credit supervisor for the Company, which was a worldwide distributor of medical and dental supplies with its principal place of business in Melville, New York. Over the course of four years, Ream sent wire transfers totaling approximately $1.6 million from the Company’s bank account to a bank account that he controlled. The arraignment was held before Magistrate Judge Steven I. Locke.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arraignment.
“As alleged, Ream is a thief who abused his authority and betrayed his employer to fund his lifestyle, including paying for the renovations of a restaurant he opened, footing the bill for his own wedding, and traveling around the world, all on the company’s dime,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Embezzling company funds is a serious crime and my Office will vigorously prosecute this case to ensure Ream is held accountable for his brazen scheme.”
“Tony Ream allegedly embezzled over one million dollars from his former company by diverting corporate funds to his personal account and deceiving his subordinates into perpetuating this theft,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “Ream allegedly abused his position and stole from his former company to fund his extravagant expenses. The FBI remains committed to investigating any individual who orchestrates a scheme to exploit their company to finance personal wish lists.”
As set forth in court filings and statements made in court, Ream was hired by the Company in 2019 to work in their credit department. Starting in 2020 as a credit supervisor, Ream stole corporate funds from customer refund accounts and diverted the funds to his own accounts. Additionally, while in his role as supervisor, Ream deceived employees whom he supervised into taking steps that assisted him in carrying out his fraudulent scheme. Ream spent tens of thousands of dollars of the proceeds of his fraud on his wedding, hundreds of thousands on a failed restaurant venture in South Carolina, and tens of thousands on luxury international vacations.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Ream faces up to 20 years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Charles P. Kelly is charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroder.
The Defendant:
TONY REAM (also known as “Tony Ream-Hendley” and “Tony Moul Ream”)
Age: 33
Greenville, South CarolinaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-179 (SJB)
ream.indictment.pdfMajor drug redistributor for ring connected to Aryan prison gang sentenced to 10+ years in prisonRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A major redistributor for a South Sound-based drug trafficking ring that was connected to Aryan prison gangs was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 126 months in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. 46-year-old Joseph Hempel, of Burien, Washington, was a high-volume drug redistributor for Jesse James Bailey, the leader of one of three branches the drug distribution organization. On March 29, 2024, Hempel pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and being a felon in possession of a firearm. At sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “The quantities you were involved in distributing were unimaginable…. It’s pretty amazing the amount of drugs we’re talking about.”
“At various times on the wiretap law enforcement heard Mr. Hempel order as much as 25 pounds of methamphetamine and 20,000 fentanyl pills,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “Distributing such large loads of narcotics meant that both the reach and the damage from Mr. Hempel’s drug activity was widespread in our community.”
The three interconnected drug trafficking rings in this case were identified over an 18-month wiretap investigation. The three distribution cells were working together as the Aryan Family/Omerta Drug Trafficking Organization, one of which was led by Hempel’s co-defendant Jesse Bailey. Bailey has pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on June 13.
On March 22, 2023, Law enforcement made two dozen arrests on federal charges. The coordinated takedown involved ten swat teams and more than 350 law enforcement officers. On that day, law enforcement seized 177 firearms, more than ten kilos of methamphetamine, 11 kilos of fentanyl pills and more than a kilo of fentanyl powder, three kilos of heroin, and over $330,000 in cash from eighteen locations in Washington and Arizona. Earlier in the investigation, law enforcement seized 830,000 fentanyl pills, 5.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, 223 pounds of methamphetamine, 3.5 pounds of heroin, 5 pounds of cocaine, $388,000 in cash, and 48 firearms.
At the time of the takedown, Hempel’s residence contained 1,003 fentanyl pills 1.6 kilograms of heroin, three kilograms of marijuana, 11 drug scales, a drug ledger, and $14,799 of drug proceeds. Near the drugs, law enforcement found body armor, ammunition, and the following firearms: a 12-gauge Iver Johnson shotgun with an obliterated serial number, a Harrington Richardson Model 088 Rifle, a Halsan Escort Shotgun, and a Marlin Firearms Glenfield 60 Rifle. Hempel has prior convictions for car theft and possession of stolen property that make him ineligible to possess firearms.
In asking the court for the 126-month prison term prosecutors noted the impact such drug trafficking has on the community and community safety. “Hempel ordered and distributed large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin, for the purpose of redistributing it throughout the community. These drugs have a devastating impact. Users of these drugs frequently resort to stealing—from family members, friends, and complete strangers—to feed their addictions. No doubt, drug users are responsible for a large percentage of these crimes, as well as the violent crimes, in our communities,” prosecutors wrote to the court.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This investigation was led by the FBI with critical investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Department of Corrections and significant local assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout this investigation the following agencies assisted the primary investigators: Washington State Patrol, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon, Max Shiner, and Jehiel Baer.
MS-13 Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to conspiracy to participating in a racketeering enterprise, more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy.
William Pineda Portillo, a/k/a “Humilde,” 31, of Everett, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to conduct racketeering affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity. Senior U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2025. In September 2024, Pineda Portillo was charged by a second superseding indictment along with co-defendant Jose Vasquez, who pleaded guilty last week to one count of violent crime in aid of racketeering.
MS-13 is a transnational criminal organization with tens of thousands of members located in the United States, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and elsewhere. MS-13 branches, or “cliques,” operate throughout the United States, including in Massachusetts. In furtherance of its mission, MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence, specifically against rival gang members; kill informants; and support and defend fellow MS-13 members in attacks. MS-13 members maintain and enhance their status in the gang and the overall reputation of the gang by participating in such violent acts.
Pineda Portillo was a member of the Trece Locos Salvatrucha, or TLS, clique of MS-13, which operated in Somerville. Pineda Portillo personally participated in racketeering activity and acts of violence on behalf of MS-13.
Specifically, Pineda Portillo and Vasquez conspired with others to murder a 28-year-old man on Dec. 18, 2010, in Chelsea, Mass. That evening, law enforcement responded to a 911 call in the vicinity of the Fifth Street on-ramp to Route 1 in Chelsea. There, law enforcement found the victim with approximately 10 stab wounds to his chest and back, along with injuries to his head. The victim was transported to the hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. A recent reexamination of evidence collected during the initial investigation identified members of MS-13, including Vasquez, as having committed the murder.
In the week leading up to the incident, Vasquez and other MS-13 members conspired to murder the victim because they believed the victim belonged to a rival gang. Evidence revealed that on the day of the murder, Pineda Portillo picked up Vasquez, other MS-13 members and the victim in Allston. Driving a green SUV registered to his father, Pineda Portillo took the MS-13 members and the victim to Chelsea where Vasquez and the other gang members led the victim to an area under the Fifth Street on-ramp to Route 1. Once in the secluded area under the highway, an MS-13 member hit the victim in the head with a rock and another MS-13 member stabbed the victim with a machete. During the attack, Vasquez stabbed the victim with a knife. Vasquez’s palm print was identified on the handle of a silver kitchen knife recovered from the murder scene. The victim’s blood also was found on the knife.
Pineda Portillo fled to El Salvador before investigators could interview him about his role in the murder. On or about April 29, 2015, after Pineda Portillo returned to the United States, he arranged to sell a firearm loaded with eight rounds of ammunition to another MS-13 member, who was, in reality, a cooperating witness working with law enforcement, in exchange for money.
On or about June 1, 2015, Pineda Portillo conspired to murder an MS-13 member he incorrectly believed had been arrested and was cooperating with law enforcement. Specifically, in a conversation recorded by law enforcement, Pineda Portillo said, among other things: “I want that son of a bitch killed, man. . . . You will see, homeboy! We are going to do a complete thing to that son of a bitch, dude.”
Pineda Portillo originally was indicted in 2017. However, shortly before the indictment was returned, he was deported to El Salvador. Approximately five years later, on May 10, 2022, Pineda Portillo was arrested as he tried to return to the United States, illegally crossing the border into Texas from Mexico. According to court documents, after being arrested at the border, Pineda Portillo admitted that he was a member of MS-13. A fingerprint analysis indicated that there was a warrant for his arrest. Pineda Portillo was then returned to the District of Massachusetts where he remained in custody.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Geoffrey D. Noble, Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Chief Shumeane Benford of the Somerville Police Department; and Chief Keith Houghton of the Chelsea Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; United States Customs and Border Protection; United States Citizenship and Immigration Services; and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl, Brian A. Fogerty and Meghan C. Cleary of the Office’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
The charge of racketeering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Louisville Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fraud Conspiracy and Ordered to Pay RestitutionRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY - A Louisville couple was sentenced this week to federal prison for engaging in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud and disaster fraud.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Licari of the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), Midwestern Region, Special Agent in Charge Kelly J. Blackmon of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division made the announcement.
According to court documents, Yeniseis Saavedra, 35, was sentenced on May 28, 2025, to 3 years and 6 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of making a false statement, two counts of disaster fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Alien Saavedra, 36, was sentenced on May 20, 2025, to 1 day in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of disaster fraud.
Between 2019 and 2020, Yeniseis Saavedra and Alien Saavedra engaged in a conspiracy to defraud factoring (trucking loan) companies by submitting false bills of lading. Yeniseis Saavedra and Alien Saavedra also aided and abetted each other in committing disaster fraud by filing for lost wage assistance payments authorized by a Presidential Memorandum resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic with the Kentucky Office of Unemployment. The filing for lost wage assistance payments was on behalf of Alien Saavedra and failed to report that Alien Saavedra was receiving wages from the motor carrier industry.
In 2020, Yeniseis Saavedra made a false statement to the United States Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration when she falsely filed an application on behalf of another, C.S., claiming that C.S. was going to operate a trucking company. However, C.S. was not aware of the application filing, and Yeniseis Saavedra was operating the company.
Yeniseis Saavedra also filed for lost wage assistance payments authorized by a Presidential Memorandum resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic with the Kentucky Office of Unemployment on behalf of C.S. Again, C.S. was unaware of the filing, this time for lost wage assistance payments, and C.S. did not receive any of the lost wage payments. Instead, the lost wage payments were sent to a bank account controlled by Yeniseis Saavedra.
Lastly, Yeniseis Saavedra was sentenced for aggravated identity theft for using the identity and Social Security number of C.S. without C.S.’s authorization to obtain the lost wage assistance payments.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Alien Saavedra was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $111,143.78.
Yeniseis Saavedra was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $156,147.78
This case was investigated by the DOT-OIG, HHS-OIG, and USPIS.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ansari prosecuted the case.
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Lawrence County Man Sentenced to 300 years in Prison for Crimes Against ChildrenRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Lawrence County man has been sentenced for committing multiple child sexual exploitation crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced David Edward Collier, II, 47, of Moulton, Alabama, to a total of 3,600 months in prison. In January, Collier pleaded guilty to 13 charges of crimes against children, including four counts of sexual exploitation of children, eight counts of transportation of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, Collier produced, distributed, transported, and possessed child pornography. Collier corresponded with individuals online regarding his desires to expose and sexually exploit children. From January 2017 to August 2022, he used unknowing and unsuspecting children to produce child pornography. And between October 2022 and September 2023, Collier distributed the child pornography to multiple individuals using online social media platforms.
“My office and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners are committed to protecting children from the devastating and lifelong impacts caused by defendants like David Collier,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “Rest assured that if you commit crimes against children in the Northern District of Alabama, we will prosecute you and send you to federal prison.”
“This tremendous sentencing demonstrates the steadfast commitment of the FBI and our partners to investigate cases involving violent crimes against children, to include child pornography, and we work closely with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold them accountable,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge, Birmingham Division. “Let this be a warning to sexual predators that we will stop at nothing to protect every child from horrendous perpetrators like David Collier. We have now ensured one less predator is victimizing the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community.”
FBI North Alabama Violent Crime Task Force and Cybercrime Squad investigated the case along with the assistance of the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, Moulton Police Department, Alabama Bureau of Pardons & Paroles, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Huntsville Police Department, and Limestone County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys R. Leann White and John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Lafayette Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Jaylen Mouton, 24, of Lafayette, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to 240 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for production of child pornography.
According to information presented in court, in the spring of 2024, Mouton met a minor female on Instagram and began having sexual encounters with her and recording those sexual encounters. At the time, the minor female was 14 years old.
Mouton was indicted in October 2024 and pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography on February 21, 2025.
The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations, a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Louisiana Bureau of Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren L. Gardner.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678.
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Kansas City Man Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Christopher L. Curtner, 41, was charged with bank robbery in a federal criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
The complaint affidavit alleges Curtner robbed a financial institution on the morning of May 27, 2025. After speaking briefly with the bank teller, Curtner wrote a note saying: “give me the money this is a robbery.” The teller activated the bank’s duress code and provided Curtner with approximately $1,400 in cash, after which he fled the scene.
A Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) task force positively identified Curtner as the bank robber. Kansas City, Missouri Police Department (KCPD) officers located Curtner, who was on foot in the Kansas City metro area. The KCPD fugitive unit began physical surveillance on Curtner and took him into custody as he entered a second financial institution.
Under federal statutes, bank robbery carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Siegele. It was investigated by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, Kansas City Division and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.
Jamaican National Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic “Party Drugs”Read the Press Release
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – A Jamaican man residing in Cleveland has been sentenced to 100 months (8.3 years) in prison for his role in trafficking more than 150 pounds of a popular party drug.
Tonie Neno Mitchell, 34, previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. U.S. District Court Judge Benita Y. Pearson imposed the sentence on May 29.
According to court documents, in July 2024, investigators with the DEA executed a federal search warrant at Mitchell’s residence in Cleveland. The search warrant was based on a DEA money laundering investigation into Mitchell, and others, and had already resulted in the seizure of more than $350,000 in suspected drug cash.
Mitchell attempted to flee when investigators made entry to his house, but he was apprehended. In Mitchell’s living room closet, investigators found approximately 70 vacuum-sealed bags containing colored rock crystal substances that were later determined to be 70 kilograms of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). According to DEA.gov, MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly, is a “party drug” popular among adolescents and young adults because it is known to reduce inhibition. In Mitchell’s bedroom, investigators found a loaded 9mm handgun, ammunition, a ledger notebook listing drug prices and money owed for drugs, more than $50,000 in cash, and eight cellphones. Investigators determined that Mitchell was a Jamaican national present in the United States illegally, and that he had entered the country in approximately August 2023.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the DEA Cleveland District Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James P. Lewis for the Northern District of Ohio.
Jamaican National Indicted for Lottery Fraud Scheme Targeting the ElderlyRead the Press Release
Tucson, Ariz. – Deeno Jackson, 27, of Jamaica, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Tucson last week with Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud.
Charging documents filed in the case allege that Jackson and others engaged in a fraud scheme targeting elderly victims in Arizona and throughout the United States. As part of the scheme, Jackson and his co-conspirators contacted victims, at times pretending to be federal agents, and informed them that they had won prizes, including cash and vehicles, but that they would have to pay fees or taxes to receive their winnings. Jackson and his co-conspirators then kept the money paid to them by the victims. According to the complaint, one Arizona victim lost over $400,000 from the scheme.
Convictions for Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud each carry a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
An indictment 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.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-02403-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-086_Jackson# # #
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.
Investment Advisor Charged in Federal Court with Defrauding ClientRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An investment advisor has been charged in federal court with defrauding a suburban Chicago client out of approximately $500,000.
JORDAN ROMAN, 47, of Rancho Park, Calif., is charged with wire fraud in a criminal information filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Arraignment in federal court has not yet been scheduled.
According to the information, Roman operated Illinois-based Drumstick Timpani Fund L.P., through which he solicited and obtained funds from clients. Per the information, from 2012 to 2024, Roman fraudulently obtained funds from an investor in a Chicago suburb. He allegedly did so by misrepresenting the intended use of the investment and falsely boasting of the investment’s performance and value. In addition, Roman falsely told the victim that he would invest the money on the victim’s behalf, even though Roman knew some of the money would be used for Roman’s personal benefit, including paying utility and credit card bills, the information states.
Roman concealed his misappropriation by creating bogus account statements and tax forms that falsely represented the victim’s investment was greater than its actual value, the information states.
The information was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Hasten and Paige Nutini.
The public is reminded that an information is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
roman_information.pdfIllinois Man Admits Sexual Assault on Grounds of Gateway Arch National ParkRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Fairview Heights, Illinois on Friday admitted sexually assaulting a woman in Gateway Arch National Park in 2023.
Monte Derrell Boatman, 37, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of aggravated sexual abuse. He admitted assaulting the victim on Dec. 6, 2023, at about 5:30 p.m. Boatman took the Metro from Fairview Heights and exited at Laclede’s Landing at about 5:15 p.m. He was captured on video passing the victim near 4th Street and Washington Avenue at about 5:19 p.m. Roughly one minute later, Boatman turned and began following the victim.
Boatman later grabbed the victim from behind, wrapped his arms around her and then, with a razor to her neck, forced her into the bushes, where he assaulted her while threatening her life multiple times.
Boatman was arrested two days later by rangers with the National Park Service after a struggle that resulted in one ranger seeking medical treatment. At the time, Boatman had an active arrest warrant for violating his probation in a 2009 armed robbery case in the Southern District of Illinois.
Boatman is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12. The sexual abuse charge is punishable by up to life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. Both the U.S. Attorney’s office and Boatman’s lawyer have agreed to recommend a sentence of 28 years in prison to be followed by supervised release for life.
The case was investigated by the National Park Service and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
Hammond Woman Sentenced to Two Years for Cares Act FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that TRACIE L. MIXON (“MIXON”), age 43, of Hammond, LA, was sentenced on May 27, 2025 to two (2) years in prison by U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan, after previously pleading guilty to making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
On March 27, 2020, The CARES Act established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
According to court documents, MIXON made false statements on an SBA form to an approved lender on or about February 23, 2021, to fraudulently obtain a PPP loan. MIXON affirmed that she had not been previously convicted of federal program financial assistance fraud when, in truth, she pled guilty, in the Eastern District of Virginia, to conspiracy to commit federal student loan fraud and mail fraud in a scheme that involved stolen identities.
Additionally, MIXON was ordered to pay $31,000 in restitution to the lending institution and the SBA and faces three (3) years of supervised release and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
Guatemalan National Arrested for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material and Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Marlon Jefferson Fajardo-Paiz (33, Guatemala) with possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted on all counts, Fajardo-Paiz faces a maximum penalty of 22 years in federal prison—20 years for the CSAM offense and 2 years for the immigration offense. Fajardo-Paiz is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal case.
According to the indictment, on April 24, 2025, Fajardo-Paiz was in possession of CSAM depicting a prepubescent minor. Fajardo-Paiz is a citizen of Guatemala and had previously been removed from the United States on July 18, 2018. He never has received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
The 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).
Grand jury indicts Mexican national on charges of illegal reentry, drug trafficking, assaulting federal officerRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury charged a Mexican national with federal immigration and drug crimes, as well as assaulting a federal officer.
Jose Adin Benjume-Gutierrez, 45, is charged in a three-count indictment that was filed this morning.
According to the indictment, on Feb. 3, Benjume-Gutierrez intentionally and forcibly assaulted a special agent of the federal government. Specifically, the defendant assaulted an agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
It is further alleged that, in April, the defendant distributed cocaine.
Benjume-Gutierrez had been previously deported from the United States in 2011 and 2016.
If convicted as charged, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison for distributing cocaine and assaulting a federal officer, and up to two years in prison for illegally reentering the United States.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Robert Lynch, Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; and Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Tyler J. Aagard is representing the United States in this case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Southern District of Ohio Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Gainesville Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Meet A 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Jose Raul Andreu Rodriguez (22, Gainesville) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Rodriguez faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, for the enticement offense and a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment for the obscene material offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, an undercover agent from Homeland Security Investigations posted as a 13-year-old girl on an online social media platform. Rodriguez contacted the undercover agent’s account. On November 14, 2024, after learning the girl’s age, Rodriguez engaged in a sexually explicit conversation and sent multiple explicit videos of himself. Rodriguez arranged to meet the minor for sexual activity at a predetermined location in Marion County. When Rodriguez traveled to the location, he was arrested by law enforcement.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Franklin County Couple Admit Recording Sexual Abuse of ToddlerRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A couple from Franklin County, Missouri have admitted producing pictures and videos containing child sexual abuse material, including the sexual abuse of a one-year-old.
William Burns, 41, pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography, three counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. His wife, 34-year-old Rachel Burns, pleaded guilty on May 22 to the conspiracy count and two counts of production of child pornography.
On July 30, 2023, William and Rachel Burns were arrested by the University City Police Department with two small children in their car. They were charged in St. Louis County Circuit Court with attempted enticement of a child. Rachel Burns told investigators that her husband had child sexual abuse material on multiple electronic devices, leading to a court-approved search by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies found electronic devices, as well as whips, numerous sexual devices and a 3-foot-7-inch-tall silicone sex doll made to resemble a prepubescent female in their home, their plea agreements say.
Investigators also found 13,954 image and video files depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on a computer and digital storage devices. William Burns used a WhatsApp social media account to exchange CSAM with other WhatsApp users. Investigators then found a 2022 video showing the couple sexually abusing a one-year-old. They also found other videos and images from 2022 and 2023 showing that victim, the couple admitted in their plea agreements.
Rachel Burns is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25. The U.S. Attorney’s office has agreed to recommend no more than 35 years in prison. William Burns is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3. The U.S. Attorney’s office has agreed to recommend between 35 and 40 years for him.
The University City Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Four Defendants Plead Guilty to Two Murders and a Third Non-Fatal, Drive-By Shooting in Southeast, Washington D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Derrico Johnson, 21, Ronald Henderson, 19, Daveon Robinson, 18, and Demarco Robinson, 22, each pleaded guilty today in connection with three different day-time shootings that occurred in Southeast Washington, D.C. between April 2022 and January 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for September 12, 2025. Each of the four defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder or armed crime of violence, after admitting to their membership in a Henson Ridge based crew referred to by many names, including “Get Back Gang” and “the Z.” This crew is part of a broader group driving violence in Washington, D.C. over the past several years, known as “Fox 5 Gang.”
Additionally, Derrico Johnson pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed for the killing of Clayton Marshal and assault with a dangerous weapon for the shooting of a second person, in connection with a drive-by shooting at Shipley Market at approximately 12:20 p.m. on April 12, 2022. Neither Clayton Marshall nor the second victim appear to have been the intended target.
Derrico Johnson and Ronald Henderson also both pleaded guilty to second degree murder while armed for the May 26, 2022, killing of 16-year-old Justin Johnson, also known as “23 Rackz.” This shooting occurred at approximately 11:20 a.m. on May 26, 2022, in the Savannah Circle located in the 2200 block of Savannah Terrace SE.
Finally, Ronald Henderson and Daveon Robinson both pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with a third, non-fatal, drive-by shooting at Alabama Convenience Store, which injured two bystanders and occurred at approximately 4:48 p.m. on January 2, 2023.
These pleas, which are contingent upon the Court’s approval at sentencing, call for an agreed-upon sentence between 19.5 and 23 years for Derrico Johnson; an agreed-upon sentence between 18 and 23 years for Ronald Henderson; and an agreed-upon sentence between six and 10 years for Daveon Robinson, while Demarco Robinson will be sentenced to a concurrent sentence in relation to a federal firearms case he was previously sentenced for in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Case Number 23-cr-250.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Sellinger.