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30 May 2025
Founder of Granite Recovery Centers Indicted for Scheme to Harass and Intimidate Journalists and Their FamiliesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The founder and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a for-profit drug and alcohol treatment company, Granite Recover Centers (GRC) in New Hampshire, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly orchestrating a conspiracy to stalk journalists employed by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) in retaliation for unfavorable reporting.
Eric Spofford, 40, of Salem, N.H. and Miami, Fla., was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and using a facility of interstate commerce; one count of stalking using a facility of interstate commerce; and two counts of stalking through interstate travel. Spofford was arrested this afternoon and will appear in federal court in Boston at 3:30 p.m. on June 2, 2025.
Spofford was the founder and former CEO of GRC, a for-profit drug and alcohol treatment company founded in New Hampshire in 2008. According to court documents, in March 2022, NHPR published an article on its website that detailed multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, abusive leadership and retaliation by Spofford during his time as CEO of GRC. The article garnered significant local and national media attention. Spofford publicly denied the allegations and later sued NHP, claiming defamation. A New Hampshire judge dismissed Spofford’s lawsuit in 2023.
Beginning in or about March 2022 and continuing through at least May 2022, Spofford allegedly devised a scheme to harass and terrorize the journalist who authored the article, the journalist’s immediate family members, as well as a senior editor at NHPR in response to, and in retaliation for, NHPR’s reporting. It is alleged that the scheme involved vandalizing the victims’ homes at night with large rocks and bricks, and by spray painting the homes with lewd and threatening language.
Spofford allegedly hired his close friend, Eric Labarge, to carry out the scheme. Among other things, Spofford allegedly provided Labarge with the victims’ addresses, gave Labarge specific instructions on how to harass and stalk the victims and paid Labarge $20,000 in cash. Labarge, in turn, obtained assistance from Tucker Cockerline, Keenan Saniatan and Michael Waselchuck to carry out the stalking campaign.
Labarge, Cockerline, Saniatan and Waselchuck were previously charged for their involvement in the harassment campaign and have since been convicted. In November 2024, Labarge was sentenced to 46 months in prison; in August 2024, Cockerline was sentenced to 27 months in prison; in December 2024, Saniatan was sentenced to 30 months in prison and; in September 2024, Waselchuck was sentenced to 21 months in prison.
Each count of the Indictment provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Concord, Hampstead and Hanover, New Hampshire Police Departments; the Melrose, Massachusetts Police Department; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and Torey B. Cummings of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 195 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE–Yesterday, Jamic C. Johnson, 50 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after his guilty plea to possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Johnson was sentenced to a total of 195 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Johnson had been selling methamphetamine in 2020, and law enforcement located multiple ounces of methamphetamine in his Fort Wayne residence during the service of a search warrant in October of 2020. Officers also found firearms in Johnson’s home that Johnson was using to facilitate and protect his drug trafficking activity. Johnson was previously convicted of dealing in cocaine or narcotic drug and carrying a handgun without a license, meaning that he was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Also assisting in this investigation was the Drug Enforcement Administration’s North Central Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.
This case was also 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.
Fort Collins Man Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Isaac Meraz, age 21, of Fort Collins, has been charged with one count of bank robbery with forced accompaniment.
According to the criminal complaint, at approximately 2:00 p.m. on May 27, 2025, Meraz entered the Ent Credit Union on Drake Road in Fort Collins and robbed the credit union. Wearing a full rubber mask with attached fake hair, Meraz approached several employees and told them he was there to “audit” the bank. Meraz then used what appeared to be a handgun to force three employees to accompany him to the bank’s vault. Meraz pointed the apparent handgun at a one of the employees and, out of fear and intimidation, that employee provided Meraz with money out of the vault. As he fled the credit union, Meraz dropped a portion of the money and the apparent firearm used in the commission of the robbery. The firearm was later determined to be a realistic-looking BB gun. Meraz was arrested shortly after the robbery outside of the credit union.
On May 30, 2025, Meraz made his initial appearance in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Cyrus Y. Chung.
The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations Denver Field Office and Fort Collins Police Services. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn.
Case Number: 25-mj-00105-CYC
Former Senior Vice President of Private Banking Sentenced for Fraud and Ordered to Repay More than $5.3 MillionRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced William Shane Garrow, 49, of Tulsa, for Bank Fraud and Willfully Making and Subscribing a False Federal Income Tax Return. Judge Frizzell ordered Garrow to serve 71 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Garrow was further ordered to pay $3,863,527.94 in restitution to the Bank of Oklahoma and $1,519,158 to the IRS.
“Garrow deceived people for over 12 years, and his actions wreaked havoc on banking personnel who were tasked with correcting his wrongs,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This was not a simple banking error or an accident, but rather a criminal scheme. Garrow abused the trust given to him by the bank and its customers.”
Garrow worked for a subsidiary of BOK Financial Corporation from 2007 through 2024. As the Senior Vice President of Private Banking, Garrow provided investment and other banking services to wealthy clients. Beginning in 2012 and continuing until caught in 2024, Garrow devised a scheme by lying to clients and colleagues and directing fraudulent wire transfers and cashier’s checks from at least 16 client accounts, without their knowledge. The funds were transferred to entities and bank accounts that Garrow controlled. If a client inquired about the odd transaction, Garrow continued the lie, claiming it was a banking error, and attempted to cover his tracks. He would then return the funds stolen or transfer money from another unsuspecting victim's account.
While maintaining his scheme, Garrow falsified his tax returns by underreporting his increase in earnings to the IRS. He admitted to stealing over $4.2 million from at least 16 client accounts and was further ordered to forfeit more than $700,000 in previously seized currency and two real estate properties.
Previously released on bond, Garrow was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons on July 9, 2025.
The U.S. Secret Service, the IRS Criminal Investigations, and the FDIC-OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Whipple prosecuted the case.
Former Member of Pagan’s Motorcycle Club Pleads Guilty for Involvement in Theft of Firearm from Rival Club MemberRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays for his involvement in the armed theft of a firearm from a member of a rival motorcycle club.
Michael R. Browell, also known as “Dirtbag,” 35, of Savannah, Mo., pleaded guilty today to one count of aiding and abetting in the possession of a stolen firearm.
On April 25, 2023, a member of the Border Saints Motorcycle Gang was chased down and confronted by Pagan’s Saint Joseph Chapter President Jeremiah Z. Hahn, a/k/a “Pass Out,” and former Pagan’s St. Joseph Chapter Sergeant at Arms Michael Browell, in Saint Joseph, Mo. The Border Saints member (“victim”) had previously been requested by Hahn and other Pagan’s members to set up a meeting with the Outlaws Motorcycle Gang over their possible presence in the Saint Joseph area. The Border Saints were a support club for the Outlaws and the victim was deemed responsible by the Pagan’s for arranging the meeting. After the victim said that he had failed to do so, Hahn and Browell told the victim to remove his Outlaws support shirt. The victim refused. Browell then got an axe handle from his motorcycle and threatened the victim with it. As the victim was giving up his support shirt, Hahn took the victim’s firearm from him. The firearm was a Smith & Wesson, model M&P Shield, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun. Thereafter, Hahn and Browell left with the firearm and support shirt. Hahn was later found in possession of the firearm when arrested by the Missouri State Highway Patrol on May 3, 2023.
On May 20, 2025, Hahn pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of the firearm, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and one count of attempting to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering.
Under federal statutes, Browell is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former Key West Firefighter Charged with Possession of a Destructive Device and a Short-Barreled RifleRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A former Key West firefighter made his initial appearance in federal court today to face an indictment charging him with the possession of a destructive device and possession of a short-barreled rifle.
According to the indictment, on March 14, Vincent Michael Vega, 38, was in possession of a combination of parts used in converting a device into a destructive device, i.e. an explosive bomb or similar device. Vega was also in possession of a modified semi-automatic rifle, which had a barrel of less than 16 inches. The firearms were not registered to Vega in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Gordon Mallory of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, made the announcement.
ATF Miami is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hannah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-10023.
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Former Gastonia Police Officer Charged with Straw Purchasing A Firearm Appears in Federal Court After ArrestRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Charlotte charging Xana Dayanae Dove, a former Gastonia police officer, with straw purchasing a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Dove, 28, of Charlotte, was arrested on Thursday, and was released on bond following her initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler.
James C. Barnacle, Jr., Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the indictment, on May 25, 2023, Dove knowingly made a false and fictitious written statement to Shooters Express, a licensed firearms dealer in Belmont, North Carolina, in connection with the acquisition of a Springfield Hellcat Pro, 9mm pistol. The indictment alleges that Dove falsely stated on ATF’s Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 that she was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm when the defendant knew this statement was false and fictitious.
Dove is charged with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm and causing a false report during a firearm purchase. If convicted, Dove faces a combined maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI and ATF for their work on the investigation, and thanked Homeland Security Investigations, the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction’s Community Supervision, and the Gastonia Police Department for their assistance with Dove’s apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Washington with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Former Fort Belvoir soldier pleads guilty to assaulting and permanently injuring a newborn child, sexually abusing an adultRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former U.S. Army private pled guilty today to two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of sexual abuse.
According to court documents, from October 2010 to September 2013, Austin Blair Johnson, while he was an active duty soldier, resided on Fort Belvoir. On June 25, 2012, Johnson was watching an infant, identified as Minor Victim 1 (MV1), who was born prematurely only 16 days earlier. MV1 was crying, so Johnson picked her up and carried her, but she continued to cry. While holding MV1 in front of him with one hand under each of her arms, Johnson rapidly and forcefully shook MV1 multiple times before letting go of her, causing her to flip and land on her head.
Johnson then picked up MV1 and ran with her upstairs to a bedroom where he woke MV1’s mother, identified as Adult Victim 1 (AV1). Johnson falsely told AV1 that he had accidentally dropped MV1 and that he had successfully broken her fall with his foot. AV1 and Johnson took MV1 to the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital emergency room where she presented with a fever, bruising on her head and shoulder, and blood coming out of her mouth. A CT scan conducted there revealed that MV1’s skull had been fractured. MV1 was transferred later to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Walter Reed Medical Center. MV1 was diagnosed with extensive injuries and remained hospitalized at Walter Reed for the next 10 days.
The day she was discharged, MV1 was left in Johnson’s care while AV1 was out. Johnson again rapidly and forcefully shook MV1 and dropped her. MV1 was 26 days old. The following morning, AV1 took MV1 to a previously scheduled follow-up appointment with a pediatrician at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. At the appointment, MV1 began having seizures and was sent directly to the emergency room. MV1 was transferred later to the PICU at Children’s National Medical Center, where doctors discovered myriad injuries, including a second skull fracture, and identified extensive brain damage.
When she was finally discharged on July 20, 2012, MV1 was placed in the custody of Child Protective Services, where she remained for approximately 14 months until she was returned to the custody of Johnson and AV1. On June 22, 2015, MV1 was forced to undergo a hemispherectomy during which the entire left hemisphere of her brain was removed in an effort to control her irrepressible seizures.
MV1 is now legally blind, non-verbal, and the entire right side of her body is paralyzed. Cognitively, MV1 functions at the level of a mature infant.
In addition to his assaults on MV1, in 2013, at their residence on Fort Belvoir, after AV1 had rebuffed Johnson’s requests to be intimate with her, Johnson proceeded without her consent. AV1 protested and tried to hit Johnson to get him to stop, which he did.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 22, 2025. He faces up to life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Emily Odom, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; and Jake Cameron, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Blanchard is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-151.
Former Child Abuse and Neglect Investigator Sentenced for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Sapulpa man and former child abuse and neglect investigator was sentenced today for Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Joseph Allen Dale Koss, 45, to 108 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Koss will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, Koss knowingly possessed hundreds of videos and images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Some of those files contained pre-pubescent children being sexually abused and images of sadistic conduct.
When arrested, Koss was working as a child abuse and neglect investigator with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Sapulpa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Robert and Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Former CEO of Silver State Health Services and Real Estate Investor Indicted for Embezzling over $2 Million Dollars in Federal Grant MoneyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – The former Chief Executive Officer of Silver State Health Services, LLC, a not-for-profit federally qualified health center, made his court appearance today for allegedly embezzling over $2 million of federal grant money intended for the health care center to provide health care items, benefits, and services to indigent persons in Las Vegas.
According to allegations contained in the superseding indictment, from June 2019 and continuing through April 2022, David Ryan Linden, 36, who served as the Chief Executive Officer of Silver State Health Services (SSHS), and Rich Kiran Saga, 53, a real estate investor who affiliated himself with SSHS, conspired to engage in a scheme to steal money belonging to SSHS, including federal grant money earmarked for employee salaries, by funneling grant money belonging to SSHS into bank accounts controlled by the defendants. They then used the stolen grant money to purchase commercial real estate properties.
SSHS was a Nevada corporation operating as a Federally Qualified Community Health Center; and SSHS received federal grant money from the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
A federal grand jury returned the 13-count superseding indictment on May 13, 2025, charging Linden and Saga each with one count of conspiracy to commit offense against the United States; six counts of federal program theft; one count of conspiracy to violate Sections 1956 and 1957; two counts of money laundering; two counts of money transactions in criminally derived property; and one count of false document.
Saga was arrested on May 14, 2025, and arraigned on the charges on May 15, 2025.
A jury trial is set to begin on December 2, 2025, before United States District Judge Jennifer Dorsey.
If convicted, Linden and Saga each face the maximum statutory penalty of 121 months in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
This case was a joint investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Steven Myhre and Justin Washburne are prosecuting the case.
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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Former Army Soldier Convicted of Sexually Abusing Two ChildrenRead the Press Release
Defendant faces a minimum of 30 years imprisonment
SAVANNAH, GA: A jury convicted a local man previously stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, at trial for victimizing two children.
Austin Michael Burak, 32, Oak Harbor, WA, was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child, or Attempt and Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child, or Attempt following jury trial in the Southern District of Georgia, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker presided over the four-day trial.
“We are committed to protecting our most vulnerable citizens,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we will strive to keep our children and our communities safe.”
As described in courtroom testimony, in August of 2017, Burak sexually abused a minor by fondling the child’s genitals when the child was merely nine years old. On the same night in 2017, Burak anally raped another child who was only thirteen years old. The trial was held on May 12-15, 2025.
Burak awaits sentencing upon the U.S. Probation Services completing a presentence investigation.
“This sends a clear message: Army CID and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate these heinous acts,” said Special Agent in Charge Michele Starostka of the Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Western Field Office. “We are committed to aggressively investigating all crimes, establishing the facts, and supporting the legal process against those responsible.”
“No child should have to experience this heinous abuse. The FBI is committed to tracking down and holding accountable people like Burak who prey on children,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “We will ensure that criminals engaged in this depraved conduct are held accountable in a court of law.”
The case was investigated by the Army Criminal Investigation Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, and Federal Bureau of Investigations and prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia Assistant United States Attorneys Sherri A. Stephan and Michael Z. Spitulnik.
Foreign National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Yosselin Ibanez-Diaz, 28, of Guatemala, has been charged by criminal complaint with unlawful re-entry following prior removal from the United States.
Court records indicate that Ibanez-Diaz was convicted in federal court in New Mexico in 2019 of entering the United States illegally and, following that conviction, she was removed from the United States. Because of that history, and because she had failed to reapply for admission to the United States, her presence here constitutes a new offense.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Ibanez-Diaz is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Ibanez-Diaz faces up to two years’ incarceration if convicted. 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement–Enforcement & Removal Operations.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Arra. Ibanez-Diaz is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
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).
Florissant Man Charged with Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Florissant, Mo., man appeared in court today on an indictment alleging that he possessed firearms after a prior felony conviction.
Jerald Cortez Harris, Jr., 27, was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms in an indictment returned on May 13, 2025, by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo. The indictment, which was unsealed upon Harris’s arrest and appearance in court, alleges that between March 14, 2025, and March 27, 2025, Harris possessed two firearms: a Glock, model 30, .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun, and a Beretta, model APX A1 Compact, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. Harris has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Columbia, Mo. Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Florida Man Sentenced to 42 Months for Multimillion-Dollar Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ALAN SWISS was sentenced to 42 months in prison for participating in a multimillion-dollar conspiracy to defraud Medicare. SWISS pled guilty on January 22, 2025, before U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl, who imposed today’s sentence.
“Swiss defrauded Medicare through creating, purchasing, and selling millions of dollars’ of false prescriptions for medical equipment,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Fraud of this kind not only wastes taxpayer dollars, but also drives up the cost of healthcare for all. Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: individuals who cheat Medicare will face justice.”
According to statements made in court and publicly filed documents in this case:
From approximately 2016 through April 2019, SWISS operated a call center named Tropical Medical Marketing, Inc., which cold-called Medicare beneficiaries and used their personal and medical information without the beneficiaries’ knowledge or consent, to prepare prescriptions for durable medical equipment (“DME”). SWISS then sold these DME prescriptions to co-conspirators who illegally obtained purported signatures or “authorizations” of health care providers, so that fraudulent claims could be submitted to Medicare for reimbursement.
From approximately 2017 through April 2019, SWISS also operated two DME supply companies: Modern Medical Equipment, Inc., which SWISS used primarily to bill Medicare directly under Medicare Part B, and A&E Medical, Inc., which SWISS used primarily to bill private insurance companies under Medicare Part C, also known as “Medicare Advantage.” To obtain the DME prescriptions that SWISS used to support his unlawful claims to Medicare, SWISS used two unlawful methods: purchasing such prescriptions outright and using patient information that SWISS had generated through his call center and purchasing the purported signatures or authorizations of health care providers. SWISS caused the two DME supply companies that he controlled to submit claims to Medicare for more than $18 million—through the billing company operated by his co-defendants, ERIN FOLEY and TED ALBIN—on which Medicare paid out nearly $6 million.
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In addition to the prison term, SWISS, 52, of West Palm Beach County, Florida, was sentenced to three years of supervised released. SWISS was also ordered to forfeit $6,650,929.76 and pay Medicare restitution in the amount of $6,650,929.76.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rushmi Bhaskaran, Jackie Delligatti, Brandon Thompson, and William Kinder are in charge of the prosecution.
Final Two Men Sentenced for Conspiracy that Seized 29 Kilos of FentanylRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Javaris Latrey Johnson, 37, and Thomas Anthony Perry, 33, both of York County, were sentenced to more than 12 years and eight years in federal prison, respectively, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Evidence presented to the court showed that in August 2022, a codefendant sold approximately 5,000 pills to a confidential informant. Following the purchase and further investigation, agents focused on a property in York County which they suspected was being used to manufacture illicit fentanyl pills. On Oct. 19, 2022, agents executed a search warrant at a trailer on the property and found Johnson and Perry and two codefendants inside the trailer. Law enforcement immediately determined the trailer was being used as a clandestine lab. After clearing the trailer and rendering it safe to search, agents found multiple bags of powder and multiple containers containing over 150,000 pills, totaling over 29 kilograms of fentanyl, approximately 1,890 grams of cocaine, 690 grams of methamphetamine, and 1,500 grams of heroin. In addition to the drugs, agents found several pill press machines, a large amount of cash, and various drug paraphernalia.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Johnson to 151 months imprisonment and sentenced Perry to 97 months imprisonment both to be followed by a term of supervised release. The co-defendants were sentenced in April. There is no parole in the federal system.
This investigation 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major is prosecuting the case.
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Father and son indicted for providing material support to Mexican cartel engaged in terrorismRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Two family members with ties to South Texas have been charged with allegedly conspiring to materially support a Mexican cartel previously designated as a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to commit money laundering and related smuggling charges, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The superseding indictment, returned May 22, alleges Maxwell Sterling Jensen, 25, Draper, Utah, and James Lael Jensen, 68, Sandy, Utah, conspired to provide material support to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) in the form of U.S. currency. The Secretary of State designated CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization Feb. 20.
“This case underscores the more aggressive and innovative approach the Southern District of Texas is taking towards combatting the scourge of drug cartels,” said Ganjei. “This strategy focuses not just on the traffickers and trigger-pullers directly employed by the cartels, but also targeting their confederates and enablers. Whether you are handing the cartel a gun, providing a car or safehouse for smugglers, or putting money in the cartel’s pocket, you will be held to account.”
The Jensens allegedly operated Arroyo Terminals, an enterprise based in Rio Hondo.
Both are also charged with allegedly conspiring to conduct financial transactions to conceal and disguise the nature and source of the proceeds of illegally smuggled goods, crude oil. They also aided and abetted the fraudulent entry of approximately 2,881 shipments of the oil in violation of the Tariff Act, according to the charges.
“Cases like this highlight the often-dangerous relationships between alleged unscrupulous U.S. businesses and terrorist organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) San Antonio. “Through strong collaborations and relentless investigative work, we and our partners exposed a possible large-scale operation that allegedly attempted to move millions in illicit crude oil and launder the proceeds. HSI remains committed to protecting our economy and holding offenders accountable.”
“What began as a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) drug trafficking investigation evolved into a multifaceted case involving an alleged complex criminal operation generating millions of dollars from crude oil – the largest funding source for Mexican drug cartels,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell of DEA - Houston. “Given the charges have profound implications for both the United States and Mexico, we will continue to explore all leads and identify any believed to be involved. The collaboration with federal law enforcement, prosecutors, and state agencies proved critical to unraveling these alleged crimes and will continue until such operations are destroyed.”
“It is a top priority of the FBI to eliminate foreign terrorist organizations by depriving them of the funding they need to operate and by seizing their most valued assets,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the San Antonio Field Office. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will use every resource and capability at our disposal to ensure violent cartels and anyone who corruptly facilitates their operations are held accountable to the American people and unable to establish a foothold in our communities."
“Our commitment to taking down drug cartels and organized crime leverages IRS Criminal Investigation’s (CI) specialty in forensic accounting that identifies the alleged money trail and shuts down the flow of cash, just like we did in this case,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan, of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “Some of our best special agents are using their law enforcement expertise to build unshakeable cases to ensure criminals are taken off the streets and their ill-gotten gains are returned to the American people.”
At the time of the initial arrests, authorities seized four tank barges containing crude oil, three commercial tanker trucks, an Arroyo Terminal pickup truck and one personal vehicle. The Arroyo Terminal property in Rio Hondo, crude oil contained Arroyo Terminal storage tanks and additional real properties are also sought for forfeiture. The superseding indictment also contains notice that the United States will seek a $300 million money judgment upon conviction.
The conspiracies to provide material support and to commit money laundering both carry a possible prison term of up to 20 years. If convicted of aiding and abetting the smuggling of goods into the United States and doing so by means of false statements, both men could also face up to 10 and five years, respectively. James Jensen also faces one count of money laundering spending which carries an additional 10 years in prison, upon conviction.
With the exception of the money laundering charge which has the possibility of up to a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved, the remaining counts carry a maximum $250,000 potential fine.
The investigation was a joint effort among many law enforcement partners to include FBI, ICE-HSI and DEA with substantial assistance of IRS CI along with Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service and Texas Department of Public Safety.
Operation Liquid Death involved the combined efforts of DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI and IRS CI and others and is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) James Sturgis and Laura Garcia are prosecuting the case. AUSAs Mary Ellen Smyth and Tyler Foster are handling seizure and forfeiture matters.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Elizabeth Man Charged with Making Antisemitic Threat to Injure Local Public OfficialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Edward Arthur Owens Jr., 29, a resident of Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with making a threat to injure a local public official, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Owens was arrested on the criminal complaint this morning by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to the complaint, on May 20, 2025, Owens knowingly and willfully transmitted via a social media messaging app the following threat to injure a local public official: “We’re coming for you [emoji of person raising right hand] [German flag emoji] be afraid. Go back to Israel or better yet, exterminate yourself and save us the trouble. 109 countries for a reason. We will not stop until your kind is nonexistent.” The complaint explains that the reference to “109 countries,” according to the Anti-Defamation League, is an antisemitic assertion that Jews have been expelled from 109 different countries; it is used by antisemites to call for the expulsion of Jews from other countries and otherwise to promote hatred. The recipient of the message is a local official who regularly engages with the public.
The United States has filed a request for detention of the defendant pending trial, asserting that he is a danger to the community and should be held without bail. A hearing on the government’s motion will be held June 5, 2025, at 10 a.m.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the criminal complaint against Owens.
A criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
El Paso Woman Sentenced for Hostage-Taking, Extortion in Smuggling Stash House CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An El Paso woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her role in a hostage-taking conspiracy involving the forcible detention and extortion of the victims. The defendant was involved in the hostage-taking conspiracy while serving a term of federal supervised release for a prior alien smuggling conviction.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on April 4, 2024, agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol responded to a tip from the Otero County Sheriff’s Department regarding individuals being held against their will at an alien smuggling stash house in Chaparral, New Mexico. The joint investigation led law enforcement to the residence where ten undocumented aliens, including three juveniles, were discovered being detained under inhumane conditions, without sufficient food and water.
During the subsequent investigation, agents determined that Valerie Perez, 22, and her coconspirator, Diana Perez, were responsible for detaining the victims. The victims were threatened with physical harm and told they were not allowed to leave. Family members of the victims were contacted and coerced into sending money for the victims’ release.
Valerie Perez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit hostage taking, admitting that she participated in detaining undocumented individuals, threatening them with harm, and extorting money from their families and friends in exchange for their release. At the time of this offense, Perez was on supervised release following a prior conviction for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, for which she had been sentenced to one year and one day in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
Upon her release from prison, Valerie Perez will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Diana Perez remains in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector made the announcement today.
The Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol investigated this case with assistance from the Otero County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson Hehr is prosecuting this case.
Eight defendants charged with narcotics offensesRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that eight defendants were charged by indictment or criminal complaint for their roles in a narcotics conspiracy operating in the Rochester, NY, area, and other related offenses.
Named in two separate indictments and charged with narcotics conspiracy are:
• Carlos Serrano, Jr.
• Sam Sierra, Jr.
• Carlos Melendez, Jr.
• Eban Sterina
If convicted, the indicted defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $10,000,000.
In addition:
- Juan Sosa is charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum of life.
- Jose Laviena and Giovanni Serrano are charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum of life.
- Dusty Phakousonh is charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum of 40 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas T. Cooper, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictments and complaints against the nine defendants, who are all from Rochester, investigators executed 20 search warrants on 14 residences and six vehicles, seizing:
- Approximately 2,678 grams of fentanyl
- Approximately 692 grams of cocaine
- Approximately 22 grams of crack cocaine
- Approximately 31 pounds of marijuana
- Approximately 168 grams of hash
- Approximately 441 grams of K2 (synthetic cannabinoid)
- Approximately 108 grams of suboxone
- Six firearms
- Drug paraphernalia
- Approximately $100,000 in cash
- Approximately $100,000 in jewelry
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The indictments and complaints are the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff David Cirencione, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Acting Field Office Director Steven Kurzdorfer.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 110 Months for Smuggling Fentanyl from California to the DMVRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON— Lamin Sesay, 28, of Alexandria, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 110 months in federal prison for participating in a wide-spread narcotics trafficking conspiracy that distributed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills purchased in Southern California to destinations throughout the United States, including the District of Columbia.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Sesay was one of 24 co-defendants arrested during 2023 in the District, Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Los Angeles and charged in the conspiracy.
On Feb. 7, 2025, Sesay pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Sesay to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Sesay entered into the conspiracy after he was introduced to a Los Angeles-based drug trafficker, co-defendant Hector David Valdez, who was a distributor of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills. Sesay was introduced to Valdez by an unindicted co-conspirator, Mathias Tsegaye, a D.C.-based fentanyl trafficker who died in January 2023 from the combined toxic effects of codeine, fentanyl, and oxycodone. At the time of Tsegaye’s death, a shipping box containing several thousand fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills was discovered in his residence.
Sesay’s role was to have fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills shipped by Valdez to the District of Columbia. Sesay then conspired with one or more D.C.-area-based co-conspirators to redistribute the pills. Sesay also communicated with Valdez about Tsegaye flying to Los Angles to obtain pills for Tsegaye and Sesay to resell in D.C.
The impetus for the investigation was the overdose death of Diamond Lynch, a young mother in Southeast D.C. In addition to investigating and prosecuting the death resulting case, law enforcement followed the evidence and uncovered a vast network of traffickers who transported fentanyl from Mexico to Los Angeles to the District of Columbia. Since then, investigators have seized more than 450,000 fentanyl pills, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 30 firearms.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.
The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division and the USPIS Washington Division in partnership with MPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Offices, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland, Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Solomon S. Eppel, and Iris McCranie, of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section.
DEFENDANT
AGE
LOCATION
CHARGES/SENTENCE
Hector David Valdez,
aka “Curl”
27
Santa Fe Springs, CaliforniaConspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
Craig Eastman
21
Washington, D.C.Sentenced Feb. 6, 2025, to 165 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.Charles Jeffrey Taylor21
Washington, D.C.Pleaded guilty Feb. 28, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Raymond Nava, Jr.21
Bell Gardens,
California
Sentenced Sept. 17, 2024, to 14 years for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Ulises Aldaz28
Bell Gardens,
California
Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 95 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Max Alexander Carias Torres27
Bell Gardens,
California
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit international money laundering.Teron Deandre McNeil, aka “Wild Boy”35
Washington, D.C.Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; Conspiracy to commit wire fraud.Marvin Anthony Bussie,
aka “Money Marr”
22
Washington, D.C.Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Marcus Orlando Brown29
Washington, D.C.Sentenced Oct. 3, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Columbian Thomas, aka "Cruddy Murda”27
Washington, D.C.Sentenced Oct. 22, 2024, to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Wayne Rodell Carr-Maiden35
Washington, D.C.Sentenced April 29, 2024, to 45 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Andre Malik Edmond,
aka “Draco”
23
Temple Hills, MarylandSentenced July 22, 2024, to 130 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Treyveon James Johnson,
aka “Treyski”
21
Alexandria, VirginiaSentenced Sept. 5, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Karon Olufemi Blalock,
aka “Fat Bags”
30
Alexandria, VirginiaConspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering.Ronte Ricardo Greene,
aka “Cardiddy”
29
Washington, D.C.Pleaded guilty Feb. 27, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., aka “21”39
Washington, D.C.Pleaded guilty Dec. 18, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Darius Quincy Hodges,
aka “Brick”
34
Glen Allen, VirginiaConspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Lamin Sesay,
aka “Rock Star”
28
Alexandria, VirginiaSentenced May 30, 2025, to 110 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Paul Alejandro Felix26
Glendale,
California
Sentenced Nov. 12, 2024, to 164 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Omar Arana,
aka “Frogs”
27
Cudahy,
California
Sentenced May 2, 2025, to 93 months, for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Edgar Balderas, Jr., aka “Nano”27
San Diego,
California
Sentenced May 8, 2025, to 148 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Raul Pacheco Ramirez31
Long Beach,
California
Sentenced Nov. 26, 2024, to 95 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Giovani Alejandro Briones31
Victorville, CaliforniaSentenced Feb. 20, 2025, to 90 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Alfredo Rodriguez Gonzalez26
Rosarito, MexicoConspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
23cr73
District of Arizona Charges 257 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from May 24, 2025, through May 30, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 257 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 125 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 124 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 7 cases against 8 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Hugo Antonio Martinez-Lopez: On May 24, 2025, an Integrated Fixed Tower operator observed an individual come out of the brush and enter a truck, driven by Hugo Antonio Martinez-Lopez, on Federal Route 19 near mile marker 1 in Newfield, Arizona, on the Tohono O'odham Nation. BPAs located the truck and attempted a stop, but Martinez-Lopez failed to yield. While BPAs were pursuing the truck, Martinez-Lopez abruptly stopped on the right shoulder of the road and an individual exited the passenger's side of the vehicle and ran into the brush. Martinez-Lopez then fled at a high rate of speed. After a foot chase, BPAs apprehended the individual who had run into the bush and determined that they were a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Other BPAs continued to pursue Martinez-Lopez and successfully deployed a vehicle immobilization device (VID), which punctured one of the truck's tires. The truck then came to a stop and Martinez-Lopez fled from the vehicle. BPAs also apprehended Martinez-Lopez after a short foot pursuit. Martinez-Lopez was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: MJ-25-2029]
United States v. Jesus Fernando Jimenez Rodriguez: On May 28, 2025, Mesa Police Department executed a search warrant on a residence in Mesa, Arizona. Jesus Fernando Jimenez Rodriguez, a citizen of Mexico, was one of the occupants of the residence. Inside the residence, readily visible in the living room and stacked against the wall, law enforcement found 10,000 rounds of PMC 5.56 ammunition and 25,000 rounds of Wolf .223 ammunition. Jimenez Rodriguez was charged by complaint with one count of Alien in Possession of Ammunition and Illegal Re-entry. [Case Number: MJ-25-9221]
United States v. Nicholas Anthony Lawrence: On May 28, 2025, Nicholas Anthony Lawrence, a citizen of Jamaica and illegal alien, was charged by indictment with Aggravated Identity Theft, Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and Other Documents, Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, and Reentry of Removed Alien. Lawrence was previously convicted on or about December 4, 2017, of Attempt to Commit Molestation of Child, and Attempt to Commit Sexual Conduct with Minor, both felony offenses, in the Superior Court of Arizona, County of Maricopa. Lawrence was sentenced to seven years in prison, and lifetime probation, respectively. Lawrence was previously removed from the United States in November 2022. [Case Number: CR-25-00817-PHX-GMS]
Criminal complaints and indictments are methods by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raise no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-087_May 30 Immigration Enforcement
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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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.District Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Deadly Drive-by Shooting in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Martinez Raynor, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 16 years in prison today for his part in a 2018 drive-by shooting of a man in front of a convenience store in Southeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Raynor pleaded guilty to second degree murder while armed on October 4, 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Today, the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan sentenced the defendant to 16 years in prison.
According to court documents, on October 20, 2018, Raynor and two other men drove into the parking lot of Holiday Market and Liquor Store located at 3509 Wheeler Road SE at 1:56 p.m. Once there, they opened fire on a group of men standing in front of the store. In the hail of gunfire, the victim, Malik McCloud, was struck in the back by a bullet, and he fell to the ground paralyzed. The defendant then fled on foot while the other two shooters drove off. Shortly after the initial shooting, the shooters returned to the area and opened fire on the group of men again, this time fatally striking Mr. McCloud in the chest as he laid helplessly on the ground.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the work of those who provided valuable assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office including, Paralegal Specialists LaShone Samuels and Lisa Speight, and Victim Assistant Jennifer Allen. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zach Horton and Joshua Hall, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Firearm While on Court-Ordered SupervisionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – LaPrince Stephens, 46, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 27 months in federal prison for being in illegal possession of a firearm while on court-ordered supervision.
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 Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Stephens was found guilty by a federal jury on Jan. 29, 2025, of illegal possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss ordered Stephens to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on January 6, 2019, MPD officers responded to reports that two men were tampering with a dark BMW in front of an apartment complex on the 2200 block of Savannah Terrace SE. Officers arrived and encountered two men walking away from the vehicle. One of the windows of the BMW was smashed and the ignition had been punched. After conducting an initial investigation and releasing Stephens officers later found a loaded black Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol at the scene. DNA testing linked Stephens to the firearm.
On August 24, 2023, officers apprehended Stephens on a valid arrest warrant outside of the same apartment complex where the prior offense took place. In Stephens’ waistband, police recovered a loaded Smith and Wesson SD40 VE handgun.
Stephens has multiple prior convictions for drug offenses, robbery, threats, assaults, and firearms.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department with valuable assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Martin and Cameron Tepfer.
23cr265
Denver Man Sentenced to 110 Months in Federal Prison for Fentanyl, Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Derris Mayberry, 37, of Denver, was sentenced to 110 months in federal prison after being convicted by federal juries in two trials of one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
According to the facts established at the trials, on the evening of March 22, 2024, a woman approached an officer conducting surveillance for an undercover operation and offered the officer “dope.” She then told the officer that she knew someone who could get “blues,” meaning fentanyl pills. The woman ultimately led undercover police officers to an alley near the Colorado State Capitol where Mayberry was waiting. An audio recording captured the undercover officer negotiating the price and amount of fentanyl pills. The officers then observed the woman make a hand-to-hand exchange with Mayberry, immediately after which the woman handed four fentanyl pills to the undercover officer in exchange for $20. Law enforcement contacted Mayberry shortly thereafter at a bus stop only feet away from where the deal had taken place. During a pat down, law enforcement found a loaded .22 caliber revolver in his shorts pocket. Mayberry had previously been convicted of multiple felonies and, therefore, was prohibited from possessing the loaded revolver. During a search incident to his arrest, law enforcement found additional fentanyl pills and the $20 used by the undercover officer to purchase the drugs.
“Illicit fentanyl destroys lives,” said Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell. “Our office will continue to prioritize putting fentanyl traffickers behind bars.”
“Felons illegally possessing firearms and distributing deadly drugs like fentanyl pose a serious and immediate threat to public safety,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Ashbridge. “We are grateful for our local and federal partners who are unified in our commitment to pursue these violent criminals and hold them accountable for their actions.”
“What began as great, proactive police work ended with an armed dealer of dangerous narcotics being sentenced to prison to a lengthy term,” said Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas. “The Denver Police Department, in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and U.S. Attorney’s Office, remain committed to stopping the availability of dangerous drugs in Denver.”
United States District Judge Daniel D. Domenico presided over the sentencing. The Denver Police Department VICE unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore O’Brien and Celeste Rangel handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 24-cr-00110-DDD
Collin County physician agrees to pay $3.5 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations of billing false claims to the COVID-19 Uninsured Program for evaluation & management services not renderedRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Frisco physician has agreed to pay $3.5 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Samad Khan, M.D. has agreed to pay the United States $3.5 million to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting or causing the submission of false claims to the Health Resources & Services Administration COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care Providers and Facilities for Testing, Treatment, and Vaccine Administration for the Uninsured Program (the “Uninsured Program”) for evaluation and management services that were not performed.
Between approximately May 2020 and April 2022, the Uninsured Program reimbursed eligible providers for COVID-19 tests, testing-related items and services, treatment, and vaccines performed on uninsured individuals. Khan is a physician who owns SK Primary Care, PLLC (“SK Primary Care”), a medical clinic in Frisco. During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (“PHE”), SK Primary Care provided healthcare services, including specimen collection for COVID-19 tests. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that from April 2020 through October 2021, Khan knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims to the Uninsured Program by billing evaluation and management services (E/M Services) that were not performed.
As alleged by the United States, claims for E/M Services, sometimes referred to as “office visits,” are submitted under Current Procedural Terminology (“CPT”) Codes, and vary in level of complexity. Higher level codes reflect increased complexity, such as a higher level of decision-making, more detailed history, or longer duration of time. E/M Services levels 2 through 5 (e.g. CPT Codes 99202 through 99205, and 99212 through 99215) (“Higher Level E/M Services”) can only be performed by physicians or other qualified health care professionals (“QHPs”). These professionals are distinct from clinical staff, such as medical assistants. A level 1 E/M Service, under CPT Code 99211, may not require the presence of a physician or other QHP. During the PHE, CMS approved the use of CPT Code 99211 for COVID-19 test specimen collection. Physicians and non-physician practitioners, such as nurse practitioners (NPs) were required to use CPT Code 99211 to bill for COVID-19 specimen collection billed by clinical staff incident to their services.
The United States contends that during the PHE, SK Primary Care provided services at dozens of COVID-19 testing sites in Texas, operated by SK Primary Care and its management company, the majority of which were walk up or drive through testing sites (the “COVID test sites”). Patients could register to receive a test at the COVID test sites by registering online through a website called “GoGetTested.Com.” The United States alleges that the COVID test sites were staffed with medical assistants who performed specimen collection services through nasal swabs on patients for COVID-19 tests. Khan knew that the appropriate CPT Codes for the services provided at the COVID test sites were specimen collection codes, including CPT Code 99211, but instead submitted claims under CPT Codes for Higher Level E/M Services. The United States contends that patients who went to the COVID test sites were never seen by Khan or any other QHP, and at no time was Khan or any other QHP providing any E/M Services to patients at the COVID test sites either in person or by audiovisual means. From April 2020 through October 2021, for the services provided at the COVID test sites, Khan submitted or caused the submission of approximately 400,000 claims by SK Primary Care to the Uninsured Program for Higher Level E/M Services, the majority of which were level 2 and 3 E/M services. Khan is the only rendering provider listed on SK Primary Care’s claims.
The United States further alleges that Khan, in conjunction with and at the direction of SK Primary Care’s management company, coded the COVID specimen collection services as Higher Level E/M Services. Reimbursements for E/M Services were substantially higher than reimbursements for specimen collection. Moreover, in conjunction with and at the direction of SK Primary Care’s management company, SK Primary Care and Khan often submitted two claims for E/M Services for COVID-19 test specimen collection—the first “encounter” for the test, and a second “encounter” for providing results. The second “encounter” of providing results was not Khan providing E/M Services. Instead, an employee or contractor of SK Primary Care or SK Primary Care’s management company, such as nurse practitioners (NPs) and medical assistants, would provide tests results via telephone based on a courtesy call script. NPs were not providing medical services, did not have any audiovisual connection to patients, and in many instances never even spoke to the patients to provide results, which were emailed or sent by text message. As a result of these false claims for payment for E/M Services that were not performed, Khan received payments from the Uninsured Program to which he was not entitled.
“The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic required both beneficiaries and the government to place their trust in front-line healthcare providers, even more than usual,” said Jay R. Combs, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas. “Unfortunately, some of those providers abused that trust and instead took advantage of the crisis to artificially inflate profits. It is these individuals that the Eastern District of Texas will hold accountable for their greed.”
“When health care professionals receive payments for false claims they submit to federal health care programs, they erode public trust and divert taxpayer-funded resources away from those who truly need them,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This settlement demonstrates our steadfast commitment to safeguarding taxpayer funds and working with our law enforcement partners to use all tools in our arsenal to hold accountable those who steal from the American public.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas with assistance from HHS-OIG. This matter was handled by Civil Division Fraud Section Trial Attorney Elizabeth J. Kappakas and by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham and Kevin McClendon.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Cape Coral Man Arraigned on Charge of Threatening to Assassinate the PresidentRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Christopher Davies (31, Cape Coral) was arraigned in federal court on an indictment charging him with one count of making threats against the President of the United States. If convicted, Davies faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Davies wrote and delivered a letter to an official at the Charlotte Correctional Institute stating in substance that he intended to kill President Donald Trump.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
IndictmentBuffalo man going to prison for making purchases on illicit online marketplace and cocaine chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Corey Robert Dodge a/k/a Cakesbaylor, 43, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possessing 15 or more unauthorized access devices with intent to defraud and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, was sentenced to serve 41 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. In addition, Dodge was ordered to forfeit $27,000, which represented proceeds of his criminal activities.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who handled the case, stated that since August 2018, the FBI has been investigating an illicit online marketplace known as Genesis Market, whose operators compile stolen data, such as computer and mobile device identifiers, email addresses, usernames, and passwords, from malware-infected computers around the globe and package it for sale on the market. Purchases made through Genesis Market are conducted using virtual currency, such as bitcoin.
Between March 26, 2020, and May 30, 2021, Dodge purchased 14 packages on Genesis Market, that included stolen account credentials. The stolen credentials included accounts for Paypal, Tracfone, eBay, Amazon, FedEx, Etsy, Walmart, Chase, Venmo, and eTrade. In addition, on April 3, 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at Dodge’s residence to search for evidence related to his use of Genesis Marketplace. During the search, the FBI also found and seized quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, MDMA, ketamine, and drug paraphernalia.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alphonso Wright.
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British and Chinese Nationals Indicted for Alleged Plot to Silence U.S. Dissident and Smuggle U.S. Military Technology to ChinaRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal grand juries in Los Angeles and Milwaukee each have 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), the Justice Department announced today.
“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.”
- Central District of California (Los Angeles)
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.”
“The FBI will not tolerate transnational repression targeting those in the United States who express dissenting opinions about foreign leaders,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Both defendants face serious stalking charges in Los Angeles and my office intends to hold them accountable for bullying a victim, a critic of the PRC, and targeting him with violence.”
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.
- Eastern District of Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
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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Complaints and indictments contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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 United States Attorneys David Ryan, Chief of the National Security Division and Amanda B. Elbogen of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, both of the Central District of California, Benjamin Taibleson of 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.
Brazilian National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national, residing in Framingham, has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Rafael De Jesus-Ribeiro, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing on June 9, 2025. In February 2025, De Jesus-Ribeiro was indicted by a federal grand jury.
According to the indictment, De Jesus-Ribeiro was deported from the United States on July 17, 2019, after illegally crossing the border in Texas and being stopped by Border Patrol, to whom he initially provided false documentation. Sometime after his July 2019 removal, De Jesus-Ribeiro illegally reentered the United States without permission.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of an imposed sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric L. Hawkins of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Blanchard Man Sentenced to Serve More Than Three Years in Federal Prison for Bank Fraud after Diverting Company Loan Proceeds to Pay for Construction of Personal HomeRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – JERRY WAYNE NOLES, 61, of Blanchard, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to serve 40 months in federal prison for conspiring to commit bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On September 9, 2024, Noles was charged by Amended Information with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. According to public record, in January 2015, Noles was the managing partner of Coil Chem LLC, a chemical manufacturing company based in Washington, Oklahoma. The Amended Information alleged that on January 27, 2015, Noles opened a $690,000 revolving line of credit through First National Bank (FNB) for the bank-authorized purpose of funding Coil Chem’s operating expenses. Noles later caused the advance of $250,000 from the company’s credit line into another account under Noles’ control, then directed a coconspirator to immediately withdraw and deposit the funds into the account of a local home builder to help pay for the construction of a new home for Noles. The Amended Information further alleged that Noles then sought and obtained a $1,200,000 home construction loan from FNB, despite the fact he had already paid a portion of the home’s construction costs with the money fraudulently obtained from Coil Chem’s credit line.
On September 10, 2024, Noles pleaded guilty to the Amended Information, and admitted he conspired to divert $250,000 from Coil Chem’s revolving line of credit to fund construction of his personal home in Blanchard, Oklahoma.
At the sentencing hearing on May 28, 2025, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Noles to serve 40 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered Noles to pay $50,498.62 in restitution. In announcing her sentence, Judge Dishman noted the need to prevent others from committing similar crimes. Judge Dishman also noted the nature, circumstances, and seriousness of the offense, including that Noles was motivated by greed and deception and personally benefitted from the fraud.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Bergen County Man Sentenced to Twenty Months in Prison for COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK N.J. – A New Jersey man was sentenced to 20 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining approximately $149,900 in federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”) loans, U.S. Alina Habba announced.
George Leguen, 51, of Paramus, New Jersey, previously plead guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with wire fraud and money laundering. Judge Arleo imposed the sentence in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From August 2020 through January 2021, Leguen participated in a scheme to defraud and receive COVID-19 emergency relief funds meant for distressed small businesses under the EIDL program. Leguen applied to the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) on behalf of a business he owned and controlled. He falsified information that he submitted in support of that application, including the number of employees, annual gross revenue figures, and fraudulent federal tax returns. Based on this false information, Leguen was approved for and received an EIDL loan in the amount of $149,900. After receiving the EIDL funds, he diverted the proceeds for his personal gain.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Leguen to 3 years of supervised release, forfeiture was ordered in the amount of $149,900, and restitution in the amount of $174,426.37.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz of the New Jersey Field Division; special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron Hatley, Newark Field Office; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, Northeast Region, with the investigation.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Defense counsel: Jeffrey Lichtman, Esq. and Matthew Cohan, Esq.
Beaumont convenience store robbers sentenced for killing clerk with firearmRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – Two men who robbed a Beaumont convenience store and killed the clerk have been sentenced to over 30 years in federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Keandre Marquis Robinson, 20, of Beaumont, pleaded guilty to possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death and was sentenced to 405 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on May 30, 2025. Larry Nathaniel Hagan, 28, of Houston, also pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison by Judge Crone.
According to information presented in court, on December 29, 2023, Robinson and Hagan were wearing masks and brandishing semi-automatic pistols when they entered the Kris Food Mart located on Gulf Street in Beaumont. Robinson quickly forced the clerk behind the counter and demanded cash while Hagan guarded the front door. Seconds later, Robinson shot the clerk two times in the chest, killing him. Robinson grabbed cigarettes from behind the counter and fled with Hagan. No cash was taken.
Later that night, the Beaumont Police Department posted images from the robbery to social media and a tip identified Robinson. Police detained Robinson about three hours after the robbery as he was leaving his residence just a few blocks from the store. Robinson later confessed to his role in the robbery and killing but would not identify Hagan.
Detectives searched Robinson’s phone and discovered text messages with Hagan related to the robbery. The texts began on December 28 at 10:15 a.m. and ended a few minutes after the robbery. During the conversation, Robinson and Hagan planned to rob the store to “[g]et some money.” In one text, Robinson told Hagan that he would “knock [the clerk’s] top” [to eliminate any] “lose [sic] ends…”. The conversation ended on December 29 at 10:07 p.m. (approximately 4 minutes after the shooting). In that text, Hagan told Robinson to “[s]tay in the house for some days”.
“The despicable killing committed by Robinson and Hagan has caused unimaginable pain and loss to the victim’s loved ones and damaged the fabric of our society,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “We can never undue the pain that the victim’s loved ones have endured, but we hope this outcome provides them with some measure of closure. The lengthy sentences that were meted out today reflect the gravity of the brazen and senseless crime committed by Robinson and Hagan.”
“This case shows the importance of collaboration between our officers, our federal partners, and the community that helped us identify the suspect so quickly,” said Beaumont Police Chief Tim Ocnaschek. “The shooter had already committed an aggravated robbery a year before and was back on the streets just weeks before this murder. The second suspect came to our city with a violent past. While no sentence can bring back the innocent life that was lost, taking these dangerous criminals off the streets for decades makes our community safer and sends a strong message about consequences.”
“Keandre Robinson’s text messages with Larry Hagan, plotting the slaughter of an unsuspecting store clerk, leave no doubt their only ‘plan’ was to kill,” said Douglas Williams, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Houston. “This was not a robbery gone wrong; it was a cold-blooded, premeditated execution. Thanks to the exceptional partnership between FBI Beaumont and the Beaumont Police Department, these savage criminals will now endure the full consequences of murdering an innocent man.”
Robinson was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 7, 2024. Hagan, who was at large until April 24, 2024 when he was arrested in New Orleans by the U.S. Marshals Service, was added to the indictment by the grand jury on May 1, 2024.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.
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Arizona Fentanyl Distributor Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute controlled substances by mailing packages with methamphetamine and fentanyl from Arizona to Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted by a jury on May 29, 2025, after a four-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Daniel Alan Van Gorp, age 43, who was living in Arizona at the time, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, both fentanyl and methamphetamine. The jury also found that the fentanyl Van Gorp conspired to distribute resulted in a serious bodily injury to a victim in Iowa. The verdict was returned following about five hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that Van Gorp mailed multiple packages with fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and “ice” methamphetamine to Alexander Chapman in Dubuque, Iowa. Chapman then re-distributed the controlled substances to others in the Dubuque area. The evidence at trial also showed that on May 15, 2023, the fentanyl powder that was mailed by Van Gorp was used by a victim and the victim suffered a serious bodily injury.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Van Gorp remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Van Gorp faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, the United States Postal Inspection, and the Phoenix Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-1003.
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413 New Immigration Cases This Week in the Western District of TexasRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 413 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from May 23 through May 29.
Among the new cases, Salvadoran national Jaqueline Del Carmen Aleman-Aguilar was charged with one count of illegal re-entry in San Antonio. According to a criminal complaint, Aleman-Aguilar was convicted for transportation of aliens in June 2015 and sentenced to six months in federal prison. She was then removed from the United States to Mexico in July 2015.
Christian Ruben Corea-Benavides, a Nicaraguan national, was charged in El Paso with attempting to transport illegal aliens. U.S. Border Patrol agents allegedly observed Corea-Benavides pick up five illegal aliens just over four miles west of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry. A criminal complaint alleges that during a traffic stop, the investigating USBP agent observed a female passenger in the front seat of the vehicle, and four additional passengers lying on top of one another in the backseat—all appearing to be wet and muddy.
Mexican national Sabino Renteria-Alvarado was arrested May 28 at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry after he attempted to enter through the pedestrian entrance and allegedly presented the Customs and Border Protection officer (CBPO) with a false claim that he had been a Legal Permanent Resident, but that police in Nevada possessed his LPR card. The CBPO referred Renteria-Alvarado to Passport Control Secondary, where records revealed he had been previously removed in January 2024 through Nogales, Arizona. His criminal record includes a 15-year prison sentence for a sexual assault of a minor conviction in 2017. Renteria-Alvarado is currently charged with one count of illegal re-entry.
Two U.S. citizens were arrested in the Del Rio area as the result of separate human smuggling attempts, as alleged in criminal complaints. Nancy Anna Gwyn, of Houston, was encountered during a May 22 traffic stop near Carrizo Springs. USBP agents allegedly uncovered three passengers in her vehicle who were identified to be citizens of foreign countries and illegally present in the U.S. On May 24, an immigration checkpoint inspection near Eagle Pass allegedly revealed that Anastasia Lee Daneill Godfrey, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was attempting to transport two illegal aliens to San Antonio in the trunk of a sedan.
Honduran national Walter Alonso Martinez-Chandias is charged with illegal re-entry. He has one prior removal—in June 2013 through Alexandria, Louisiana—and a lengthy criminal record that includes convictions in Birmingham, Alabama for drug trafficking and homicide, for which he was sentenced in 2018 to five years and 20 years in prison, respectively. In 2017, he was convicted in Birmingham for unlawful transport of firearms and sentenced to 81 months in prison. A criminal complaint alleges that when he was arrested on May 25, Martinez-Chandias refused to comply with Border Patrol agents’ commands and resisted attempts to be placed in custody and handcuffs by running and kicking.
Luis Alberto Olivarez-Hernandez, of Mexico, was arrested May 27 near Eagle Pass for illegal re-entry. He has two prior removals, the last one being Feb. 25 through Laredo, five days after a felony conviction for unlawfully carrying a weapon in prohibited places. Additionally, Olivarez-Hernandez was convicted in 2010 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Armando Vazquez-Ruiz, also a Mexican national, is charged with illegal re-entry after being found near Eagle Pass less than two weeks after his most recent removal. Vazquez-Ruiz had been convicted in Georgetown May 7 for assault causing bodily injury and was deported May 8 through Laredo.
In Austin, Mexican national Basilio Luna-Luna was encountered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Travis County Jail May 24, where he was detained for what would be his seventh DWI, if convicted. Luna-Luna was previously removed from the U.S. in November 2014 and voluntarily returned to Mexico twice—once in 1998 and once in 2009.
Juan Alberto Zarate-Salgado, also of Mexico, was encountered at the Travis County Jail as well and is charged with illegal re-entry. Zarate-Salgado has two prior removals and multiple convictions for assault of a family/household member and assault causing bodily injury to a family member.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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282 charged in new cases related to SDTX’s continuing efforts to secure southern borderRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – In support of Operation Take Back America, the Southern District of Texas has filed another 281 cases in immigration and border security-related matters from May 23-29, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Among those are 105 people who face charges of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 163 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while seven cases allege various instances of human smuggling with the remainder involving other immigration crimes, child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and firearms.
One such person charged this week is Carlos Enrique Gonzalez-Pena, an alien present in the United States with a work visa who was allegedly found in possession of CSAM. The charges allege he had visited the darknet where he viewed child pornography sites. A forensic examination of his computer allegedly resulted in the discovery of two video files involving a female child approximately four to six years of age, one of which showed her being sexually assaulted. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Another one of the cases involves Humberto Vasquez - a Mexican male who allegedly attempted to exit the United States via the Donna Port of Entry. Upon inspection, law enforcement discovered four pistols belonging to him as well as 870 rounds of assorted ammunition, according to the charges. The complaint alleges he did not possess an export license that would authorize him to transport such items into Mexico and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of illegal exportation of firearms.
Authorities also found three Mexican nationals near Mission this week with no legal permission to be in the United States, according to the complaints against them. Victor Manuel Ornelas-Ochoa, Alfredo Samuel Gallegos-Esquivel and Exequiel Solano had allegedly been previously removed from the country and have felonies to include possession with intent to deliver marijuana, human smuggling and aggravated sexual assault of a child, respectively. They are all charged with illegal reentry and could receive up to 20 years in prison. Another man who faces the same charges and penalty is Julio Sanchez-Lorenzo. He is a Mexican male who had just been removed from the United States via Brownsville May 21 with no permission to return, according to the charges. However, authorities allegedly found him just six days later near Roma.
In addition to the new cases, a federal jury in Houston convicted a Mexican citizen for illegally reentering the United States under an assumed identity. On June 11, 2024, authorities found Jose Martin Valdez-Galvan in Laredo. At that time, he provided a false name and claimed to be a U.S. citizen. Testimony revealed Valdez-Galvan originally stole the person’s identity to avoid previous charges for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Valdez-Galvan was an illegal alien who had been previously removed but returned to the United States without permission. He had assumed the other person’s identity in 2015 after his second removal. He faces up to a 20-year prison sentence.
“Both public safety and basic common sense require us to know who is entering and residing in our country. Those that adopt false or stolen personas to hide their identities pose an increased criminal risk to our community,” said Ganjei. “Theft of an American citizen’s identity by a foreign national will not be tolerated, and those that engage in such criminality will be charged, punished, and, if appropriate, deported.”
In Corpus Christi, an intoxicated driver admitted he was an alien illegally in possession of firearm. Honduran national Josias Eliseo Ulloa-Pavon had been driving under the influence of alcohol before crashing Feb. 18. Upon arrival at the scene, authorities found him pinned inside the fully overturned vehicle. He had red bloodshot eyes, appeared unsteady on his feet and had a strong odor of alcohol. A search revealed a magazine containing six rounds of ammunition in his pocket and a Bersa Model Thunder .380 caliber pistol in his car.
Two men from Brownfield admitted to conspiring to transport illegal aliens in Laredo federal court this week. On March 22, authorities observed a Ford Expedition circumventing a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Laredo. Mac Quese Howard was driving, and De Richardson Miller was in the front passenger seat providing directions. Authorities conducted a traffic stop and found three illegal aliens hidden in the back seat. Miller and Howard admitted they had travelled to Laredo for the sole purpose of picking up the aliens and transporting them to San Antonio for payment.
Also announced was the sentencing of a Mexican national with a felony criminal history and multiple prior removals for illegally reentering the country again. Juan Humberto Lara Molina’s has a lengthy drug, weapons and immigration criminal history including two other illegal reentry convictions. He was also convicted of dealing cocaine in Indiana and unlawful sale of firearms in Illinois and was previously ordered removed from the United States on multiple occasions, most recently in November 2021. However, law enforcement discovered him at the Falfurrias BP checkpoint Dec. 12, 2024. He was one of seven individuals being transported farther north by human smugglers in a tractor-trailer. He was ordered to serve 24 months in federal prison.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
29 May 2025
Woman guilty of bank fraud conspiracy involving millionsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 71-year-old woman has admitted to acting as a loan borrower on millions of dollars in fraudulent loans as part of a large-scale bank fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jennifer Williams admitted that from 2016 to 2021, she conspired with others in a bank fraud scheme involving dozens of loans totaling at least $10 million in fraudulent proceeds.
As part of the plea, Williams acknowledged submitting loan applications with false income information along with fraudulent tax returns and financial statements. She also admitted using proceeds from the scheme to buy a home in the Houston area.
Williams and others accomplished the bank fraud by preparing loan applications that contained false and fraudulent information and documents, including fake equipment sales invoices, income tax returns and financial and bank statements.
U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison will impose sentencing Aug. 14. At that time, Williams faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine or twice the amount involved in the transaction.
She was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
Another Houston resident charged in the case - Hugo Villanueva, 70, - is considered a fugitive, and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General (OIG), IRS Criminal Investigation, FBI and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek is prosecuting the case.
Woman Bound for Dubai Arrested at Airport and Indicted in Feeding Our Future SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – The 71st defendant in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme has been indicted with two counts of wire fraud following her failed attempt to leave the country for Dubai, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, Hibo Daar, 50, owned and operated an entity called Northside Wellness Center. In 2020, Daar applied to use Northside Wellness Center as a food distribution site in the federal child nutrition program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Using Northside Wellness, Daar purportedly served thousands and thousands of meals to children from a small business park on Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis. At times, Daar completed and signed meal count forms on which she claimed to be serving 40,000 meals to children from the Northside Wellness site each week. Court documents explain that those meal counts were inflated, and that Daar used false invoices and false attendance rosters to bolster those inflated claims. Daar’s Northside Wellness site submitted over $2.4 million in reimbursement claims. A bank account Daar controlled received more than $1.7 million in taxpayer dollars from those claims. Financial records indicate that Daar used only a tiny portion of those dollars to purchase food and instead transferred most of that money to family, associates, and to herself. Court documents further describe that Daar paid $72,000 in bribes to a Feeding Our Future employee to ensure processing of Daar’s fraudulent reimbursement claims.
Federal agents apprehended Daar at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport this week before she could board a flight booked to Dubai. Daar is currently in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for May 30.
“As we have said, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is not stopping. We will continue to investigate and charge defendants who defrauded the government in the Feeding Our Future case—the largest COVID fraud scheme in the country and the single largest case charged in the history of this office,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Our work is not done.”
“Fraud against the government takes money out of taxpayers’ pockets,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Criminals who exploit government programs for personal gain will face the full weight of justice. The FBI and our law enforcement partners condemn these actions and will continue to work to protect the public from these damaging schemes.”
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Matthew S. Ebert, Harry M. Jacobs and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Whitestown Man Sentenced to 12.5 Years in Federal Prison for Sharing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— Kyle Vincent Rogers, 32, of Whitestown, Indiana, has been sentenced to 12.5 years in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of child sexual abuse material. Rogers has also been ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution.
According to court documents, between March 2023 and October 2023, Rogers knowingly distributed and received child sexual abuse material using uTorrent, a peer-to-peer file-sharing software that he had downloaded to his laptop.
On November 9, 2023, investigators located at least 600 images and videos of child sexual abuse on Rogers’ laptop. The images involved sadistic or masochistic conduct and sexual abuse of prepubescent minors, including toddlers and infants. Rogers’ collection included not only images of children being sexually abused, but graphic videos of very young children forced to engage in sex acts with adults, including intercourse, bondage and bestiality.
“The children in these images and videos will be revictimized for years to come because the defendant possessed and recirculated the material, allowing an unknown number of additional predators to gain unrestricted access,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Our office is committed to leveraging law enforcement partnerships and tools to secure justice for the most vulnerable. Today’s sentence should send a clear message that there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that those who trade in the exploitation of children will face serious consequences. Behind every image and video is a real child who has endured unimaginable harm that will haunt them the rest of their lives,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy O’Malley. “The FBI will continue to relentlessly work to identify and track down those who commit such heinous crimes and ensure they can never victimize another innocent child.”
The FBI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon. Rogers must also register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Haney and Meredith Wood, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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.
If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood
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West Virginia Man Sentenced for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – David Laquan McGowan, 41, of Huntington, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 92 months in federal prison for the possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that McGowan, also known as “Drip,” was traveling from Huntington to Elkins to sell fentanyl and methamphetamine in Randolph County. During a traffic stop, a search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of fentanyl hidden in the ceiling of McGowan’s car.
McGowan will serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
West Columbia Man Indicted for Directing the Sex Abuse of Children in Brazil by Livestream, Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Florence has returned a 13-count indictment charging Stephen Todd Greene, 55, of West Columbia, with conspiracy to produce child sexual abuse material, two counts of production of child sexual abuse material, four counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material, three counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material, possession of child sexual abuse material, and two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor into illegal sexual conduct.
The indictment alleges that from June 2023 through September 2024, Greene worked with a woman in Brazil, referred to in the indictment as C0-Conspirator 1, to sexually exploit her nieces, who are 3 years old and 9 years old as of the date of the indictment. Co-Conspirator 1 abused the children in person and Greene abused the children virtually, including by livestreaming their sex abuse to his home in West Columbia and by directing Co-Conspirator 1 to engage in certain abuse over livestream, according to the indictment.
Greene and Co-Conspirator 1 used Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram, and FaceTime to facilitate the scheme, as well as a series of cameras installed in Greene’s home and in Co-Conspirator 1’s home in Brazil, which allowed a livestream from both locations. According to the indictment, Greene produced, received, distributed, and possessed child sexual abuse material, and he engaged in sexually explicit conduct on video and caused the minor victims to watch. During the scheme, Greene travelled twice to Brazil, where he gained direct access to the children, and he transferred money during the scheme to Co-Conspirator 1 through a wire service, according to the indictment.
Agents with the FBI Columbia field office arrested Greene and he was arraigned in federal court earlier this afternoon. He was ordered detained pending a bond hearing.
Greene faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. He also faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years on the conspiracy to produce child sexual abuse material and the production of child sexual abuse material charges, a mandatory minimum of 10 years on the coercion and enticement charges, and a mandatory minimum of five years on the receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material charges. Greene also faces up to a $250,000 fine, restitution payable to the minor victims for damages incurred as a result of the conduct, a special assessment of $5,000, lifetime supervision by the U.S. Probation Office following any term of incarceration, and potential sex offender registry requirements.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia field office and the Brazilian Federal Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case.
The FBI’s Columbia field office is seeking any information regarding additional potential victims in this investigation. Tips can be provided at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.
U.S. Attorney Bryan P. Stirling stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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* The term “pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child. The Associated Press Stylebook also discourages the use of the phrase “child pornography.”
Websites selling hacking tools to cybercriminals seizedRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A coordinated effort involving an international disruption of an online software crypting syndicate which provides services to cybercriminals to assist them with keeping their malicious software (malware) from being detected has resulted in the seizure of four domains and their associated server, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Crypting is the process of using software to make malware difficult for antivirus programs to detect. The seized domains offered services to cybercriminals, including counter-antivirus (CAV) tools. When used together, CAV and crypting services allow criminals to obfuscate malware, making it undetectable and enabling unauthorized access to computer systems.
According to the affidavit filed in support of these seizures, authorities made undercover purchases from seized websites and analyzed the services, confirming they were designed for cybercrime. Court documents also allege authorities reviewed linked email addresses and other data connecting the services to known ransomware groups that have targeted victims both in the United States and abroad, including in the Houston area.
“Modern criminal threats require modern law enforcement solutions,” said Ganjei. “As cybercriminals have become more sophisticated in their schemes, they have likewise become more advanced in their efforts to avoid detection. As such, our law enforcement efforts must involve striking not just at the individual fraudster or hacker, but the enablers of these cybercriminals as well. This investigation did exactly that. With this syndicate shut down, there is one less provider of malicious tools for cybercriminals out there.”
“Cybercriminals don’t just create malware; they perfect it for maximum destruction,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “By leveraging counter antivirus services, malicious actors refine their weapons against the world’s toughest security systems to better slip past firewalls, evade forensic analysis, and wreak havoc across victims’ systems. As part of a decisive international operation, FBI Houston helped cripple a global cyber syndicate, seize their most lethal tools, and neutralize the threat they posed to millions around the world.”
The seizures occurred May 27 in coordination with Finnish and Dutch national police as part of Operation Endgame, a multinational law enforcement initiative targeting the dismantling of malware cybercriminal services. Participating countries include the United States, The Netherlands, France, Germany and Denmark with additional support from Ukraine and Portugal.
The FBI Houston Field Office is conducting the investigation with the cooperation and significant assistance of law enforcement partners in The Netherlands and Finland and U.S. Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Shirin Hakimzadeh and Rodolfo Ramirez are prosecuting the case. AUSA Kristine Rollinson is handling the seizure aspects of the case.
Wagoner County Resident Sentenced for Distributing Child Sexual Exploitation MaterialRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sovana Xiong, age 32, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 188 months in prison and a 10 year term of supervised release to follow for one count of Distribution of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Tulsa Police Department — Special Investigations Division.
On December 9, 2024, Xiong pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, from October 15, 2023, until April 11, 2024, Xiong knowingly distributed visual depictions on the internet of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement. You can file a report through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-843-5678 or online at www.cybertipline.com, through the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or through Homeland Security Investigations at 1-877-4-HSI TIP.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Xiong will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.
Upper Marlboro Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drive-Thru Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Zachary Alexander Kinnell, 23, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Kinnell is guilty of interference with interstate commerce by robbery and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Chief Marc Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
According to the guilty plea, beginning July 28, 2022, and continuing through August 3, Kinnell and co-conspirator Brian Thornel Elzey, traveled through Maryland and Virginia robbing fast-food restaurants.
The co-conspirators robbed 11 fast-food restaurants for a total of $3,555.01.
During the robbery spree, the co-conspirators approached the victim businesses’ drive-thru window as if they were conducting a legitimate transaction. Typically, the co-conspirators pulled into the drive-thru, then Kinnell exited the vehicle and approached the window on foot. Then Kinnell initiated a transaction with the victim employee before forcibly removing cash.
Beginning on August 1, and continuing August 3, the robberies escalated to armed robberies. On these dates, Kinnell brandished a firearm while robbing four fast-food restaurants.
Then in the early morning hours of August 4, MCPD officers stopped a stolen Chevrolet Cruze near Wheaton, Maryland. Law enforcement searched the vehicle, finding a Taurus, Model G2C, 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol in the rear passenger compartment; a restaurant cash drawer in the footwell of the front passenger seat; and another restaurant cash drawer in the trunk. Officers also seized Kinnell and Elzey’s cell phones along with $427.01.
Law enforcement discovered that during the same robbery spree, Kinnell and Elzey attempted to rob six additional fast-food restaurants.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, MCPD, Howard County Police Department, Baltimore County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department, Calvert County Sherriff’s Office, Loudon County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax, Virginia Police Department, and Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas F. Potter and Timothy J. Hagan who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
USDA Employee and Five Others Charged in Multimillion-Dollar Food Stamp Fraud and Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
Perry Carbone, Attorney for the United States, Acting under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515; Charmeka Parker, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (“USDA-OIG”); and Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of a Superseding Indictment charging six individuals in connection with a sprawling fraud and bribery scheme that generated over $66 million in unauthorized transactions under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”)—colloquially known as food stamps. This is one of the largest food stamp frauds in U.S. history. The defendants—MICHAEL KEHOE, MOHAMAD NAWAFLEH, OMAR ALRAWASHDEH, GAMAL OBAID, EMAD ALRAWASHDEH, and ARLASA DAVIS—are charged with conspiracy to steal government funds and to misappropriate U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) benefits, among other charges. DAVIS, a USDA employee, is additionally charged with bribery and honest services fraud. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.
“Michael Kehoe and his co-conspirators misappropriated tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds meant to help low-income families put food on the table,” said U.S. Attorney Perry Carbone. “This fraud was made possible when USDA employee Arlasa Davis betrayed the public trust by selling confidential government information to the very criminals she was supposed to catch. Their actions undermined a program that vulnerable New Yorkers depend on for basic nutrition. These charges should be a reminder that those who exploit anti-poverty programs for personal gain will be held accountable for their crimes.”
USDA-OIG Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker said: “We appreciate the collaboration with our law enforcement partners in pursuing allegations regarding government employees, who use their positions to participate in schemes that exploit taxpayer funded programs.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “Arlasa Davis, a USDA employee, is alleged to have abused her position and privileged access to confidential government databases to assist her co-conspirators in exploiting the SNAP program, driving tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent transactions. This alleged scheme benefited the defendants while undermining critical safeguards designed to ensure that SNAP assistance reaches only eligible families in need. The FBI will never tolerate any individual who exploits federal financial assistance for personal reward.”
According to the Indictment, statements made in public court proceedings and filings, and the evidence at trial: [1]
The SNAP program uses federal tax dollars to help low-income households purchase food. SNAP recipients use Electronic Benefit Transfer (“EBT”) cards—similar to debit cards—to buy food at participating stores. Those stores, which get license numbers from the USDA, use special EBT terminals to swipe the EBT cards. When a SNAP recipient swipes their EBT card, the system verifies the transaction and electronically deducts the purchase amount from the recipient’s account. The corresponding federal funds are then transferred to the store’s bank account.
Starting in 2019, KEHOE orchestrated a network that supplied approximately 160 unauthorized EBT terminals to stores across the New York area to illegally process more than $30 million in EBT transactions. Working with his codefendants NAWAFLEH, OMAR ALRAWASHDEH, OBAID, and EMAD ALRAWASHDEH, KEHOE submitted approximately 200 fraudulent USDA applications, misappropriating USDA license numbers and, in some cases, doctoring application documents, to obtain EBT terminals for unauthorized stores—including smoke shops and other ineligible businesses.
Critical to the scheme was ARLASA DAVIS, a longtime USDA employee who worked within the very division of the USDA responsible for identifying SNAP fraud. DAVIS abused her privileged access to federal systems to sell hundreds of EBT license numbers enabling over $36 million in fraudulent SNAP redemptions at unauthorized stores. DAVIS photographed handwritten lists of license numbers intended for qualifying stores with her personal cellphone and funneled them to an intermediary who sold them to co-conspirators, including NAWAFLEH, OMAR ALRAWASHDEH, EMAD ALRAWASHDEH, and OBAID, who then used those license numbers to fraudulently obtain EBT terminals for stores that were not authorized by the USDA to process SNAP transactions. In return, DAVIS received substantial bribes that were disguised in communications as, among other things, “birthday gifts” and “flowers.”
* * *
KEHOE, 46, of Long Island, New York; NAWAFLEH, 34, of the Bronx, New York; OMAR ALRAWASHDEH, 37, of the Bronx, New York; OBAID, 39, of the Bronx, New York; EMAD ALRAWASHDEH, 37, of the Bronx, New York; and DAVIS, 56, of Gardiner, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to steal government funds and misappropriate USDA benefits, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, one count of theft of government funds, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and one count of misappropriation of USDA benefits, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. DAVIS is additionally charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, one count of bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. NAWAFLEH is additionally charged with one count of failure to appear, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Carbone praised the outstanding work of the USDA and FBI, which is also assisting in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Georgia V. Kostopoulos and Joe Zabel are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
kehoe_et_al_superseding_indictment.pdf
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.
U.S. government employee arrested for attempting to provide classified information to foreign governmentRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An IT specialist employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was arrested today for attempting to transmit national defense information to an officer or agent of a foreign government.
Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 28, of Alexandria, was arrested in northern Virginia and will make his initial court appearance tomorrow.
According to court documents, Laatsch became a civilian employee of the DIA in 2019, where he works with the Insider Threat Division and holds a Top Secret security clearance. In March, the FBI commenced an operation after receiving a tip that an individual - now known to be Laatsch - offered to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government. In that email, the sender wrote that he did not “agree or align with the values of this administration” and was therefore “willing to share classified information” to which he had access, including “completed intelligence products, some unprocessed intelligence, and other assorted classified documentation.”
After multiple communications with an FBI agent - who Laatsch allegedly believed to be an official of the foreign government - Laatsch began transcribing classified information to a notepad at his desk and, over the course of approximately three days, repeatedly exfiltrated the information from his workspace. Laatsch subsequently confirmed to the FBI agent that he was prepared to transmit the information.
The FBI implemented an operation at a public park in northern Virgina where Laatsch believed he would deposit the classified information for the foreign government to retrieve. On May 1, FBI surveillance observed Laatsch proceed to the specified location and deposit an item. Following Laatsch’s departure, the FBI retrieved the item, which was a thumb drive later found to contain a message from Laatsch and multiple typed documents, each containing information that was portion-marked up to the Secret or Top Secret levels. The message from Laatsch indicated that he had chosen to include “a decent sample size” of classified information to “decently demonstrate the range of types of products” to which he had access.
After receiving confirmation that the thumb drive had been received, on May 7, Laatsch allegedly sent a message to the FBI agent, which indicated Laatsch was seeking something from the foreign government in return for continuing to provide classified information. The next day, Laatsch specified that he was interested in “citizenship for your country” because he did not “expect[] things here to improve in the long term.” Although he said he was “not opposed to other compensation,” he was not in a position where he needed to seek “material compensation.”
On May 14, the FBI agent advised Laatsch that it was prepared to receive additional classified information. Between May 15 and May 27, Laatsch again repeatedly transcribed multiple pages of notes while logged into his classified workstation, folded the notes, and exfiltrated the classified information in his clothing.
On May 29, Laatsch arrived at a prearranged location in northern Virginia, where Laatsch again allegedly attempted to transmit multiple classified documents to the foreign country. Laatsch was arrested upon the FBI’s receipt of the documents.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Roman Rozhavsky, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division; Steven J. Jensen, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office; and Lee M. Russ, Executive Director of Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) Office of Special Projects, made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Air Force OSI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Christina Clark and Mark Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
U.S. Government Employee Arrested for Attempting to Provide Classified Information to Foreign GovernmentRead the Press Release
An IT specialist employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was arrested today for attempting to transmit national defense information to an officer or agent of a foreign government.
Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 28, of Alexandria, Virginia, was arrested today in northern Virginia, and will make his initial court appearance in the Eastern District of Virginia tomorrow.
“The conduct alleged in this case is a profound betrayal of the American people and a direct threat to our national security,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “When someone entrusted with access to classified information attempts to provide it to a foreign government, it jeopardizes our intelligence capabilities, our military advantage, and the safety of our nation. The National Security Division is committed to using every tool available to uncover, disrupt, and hold accountable those who seek to harm the United States.”
According to court documents, Laatsch became a civilian employee of the DIA in 2019, where he works with the Insider Threat Division and holds a Top Secret security clearance. In March 2025, the FBI commenced an operation after receiving a tip that an individual — now known to be Laatsch — offered to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government. In that email, the sender wrote that he did not “agree or align with the values of this administration” and was therefore “willing to share classified information” that he had access to, including “completed intelligence products, some unprocessed intelligence, and other assorted classified documentation.”
After multiple communications with an FBI agent — who Laatsch allegedly believed to be an official of the foreign government — Laatsch began transcribing classified information to a notepad at his desk and, over the course of approximately three days, repeatedly exfiltrated the information from his workspace. Laatsch subsequently confirmed to the FBI agent that he was prepared to transmit the information.
Thereafter, the FBI implemented an operation at a public park in northern Virginia, where Laatsch believed he would deposit the classified information for the foreign government to retrieve. On or about May 1, 2025, FBI surveillance observed Laatsch proceed to the specified location and deposit an item. Following Laatsch’s departure, the FBI retrieved the item, which was a thumb drive later found to contain a message from Laatsch and multiple typed documents, each containing information that was portion-marked up to the Secret or Top Secret levels. The message from Laatsch indicated that he had chosen to include “a decent sample size” of classified information to “decently demonstrate the range of types of products” to which he had access.
After receiving confirmation that the thumb drive had been received, on May 7, Laatsch allegedly sent a message to the FBI agent, which indicated Laatsch was seeking something from the foreign government in return for continuing to provide classified information. The next day, Laatsch specified that he was interested in “citizenship for your country” because he did not “expect[] things here to improve in the long term.” Although he said he was “not opposed to other compensation,” he was not in a position where he needed to seek “material compensation.”
On May 14, the FBI agent advised Laatsch that it was prepared to receive additional classified information. Between May 15 and May 27, Laatsch again repeatedly transcribed multiple pages of notes while logged into his classified workstation, folded the notes, and exfiltrated the classified information in his clothing.
On May 29, Laatsch arrived at a prearranged location in northern Virginia, where Laatsch again allegedly attempted to transmit multiple classified documents to the foreign country. Laatsch was arrested upon the FBI’s receipt of the documents.
Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, and Executive Director Lee M. Russ of Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) Office of Special Projects made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Air Force OSI and with thanks to the Defense Intelligence Agency for its cooperation.
Trial Attorneys Christina Clark and Mark Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two People Sentenced for Stealing Nearly $300,000 in COVID-19 Relief MoneyRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R Barker announced that David Kurt Schneider, of Kennewick, Washington and Kelly Jo Driver, of South Carolina, were sentenced after pleading guilty to COVID-19 relief fraud. Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Schneider to 12 months in prison and Driver to 5 years of probation. Chief Judge Bastian also ordered restitution of $121,762.
Co-defendant, Leif Gerald Larsen, of Pasco, Washington, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and will be sentenced July 30, 2025, in Yakima.
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 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), provided government-backed funding to small businesses which could be forgiven so long as the proceeds were used for payroll and other eligible expenses. Another 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. The PPP and EIDL programs have provided billions of dollars in aid, the vast majority of which have not been paid back, including hundreds of millions of dollars disbursed within Eastern Washington.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Schneider, Driver, and Larsen submitted funding applications in the name of Larsen Firearms, owned by Larsen, and Solar Mobility LLC, RealNZ Water LLC, and Tempest Tactical Solutions, LLC, all owned by Schneider. Driver created fraudulent payroll and tax forms that were submitted in support of the applications, and that, for her part in the scheme, Driver received 10% of the funds disbursed by the SBA and participating lenders.
In total, Schneider, Driver, and Larsen fraudulently obtained at least $292,000 in CARES Act funding through the PPP and EIDL programs and submitted fraudulent applications seeking at least an additional $560,000 in CARES Act funding that were ultimately not approved.
“Pandemic relief programs were created to support workers, small businesses, and communities struggling through an unprecedented crisis – not to enrich fraudsters,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rich Barker. “By stealing nearly $300,000 intended for legitimate businesses, these defendants diverted critical resources at a time when many businesses were fighting to survive. The SBA, FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to hold accountable those who exploit government aid for personal gain.”
“Those who exploited SBA’s pandemic relief programs for personal gain will be held accountable,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Tim Larson. “SBA OIG continues to prioritize fraud investigations involving pandemic-era programs, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer funds and uphold the integrity of federal relief efforts.”
This case was investigated by the Eastern District of Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force and by FBI and SBA OIG. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy J. Kelley and Frieda K. Zimmerman.
4:24-cr-06004-SAB
Two Men Sentenced for their Involvement in the April 2023 Fentanyl Mass Poisoning in KalamazooRead the Press Release
LANSING – Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Byerly Birge today announced that James Smith, 42, and Patrick Donald Martin, 27, both of Kalamazoo County, were sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in the distribution of controlled substances in April 2023 that resulted in numerous fentanyl poisonings in Kalamazoo County, at least seven fatal, and numerous others non-fatal. Smith was sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death, and Martin was sentenced to 4 years in prison for use of a communication facility to commit conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death.
“The distribution of fentanyl continues to take lives and destroy our communities and families,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Birge. “The sentences imposed on the defendants in this case reflect the seriousness of their crimes. Our office will continue to support these investigations and prosecute these cases to seek accountability and justice for the victims.”
According to court records, on April 12 and continuing into April 13, 2023, law enforcement responded to numerous drug poisonings in the Kalamazoo area, which resulted in multiple hospital admissions and fatalities. Investigators traced the deadly substance back to Martin, and ultimately, to Smith, both of whom thought they were selling cocaine, when they were in fact selling a substance that contained fentanyl.
During sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou remarked that drug dealing is inherently dangerous regardless of what the dealer thinks he is selling, especially today, when most drugs “have fentanyl in it—it’s just that prevalent.” In sentencing Smith, Judge Jarbou found it “inexplicable” that Smith continued to sell drugs months after he became aware of the mass poisoning in April 2023 that was caused, at least in part, by his drug dealing. “That tells me the consequences of your actions did not deter you,” said Judge Jarbou before imposing the 20-year sentence on Smith.
“April 13, 2023, was a sad day in Kalamazoo County,” said Captain Mike Ferguson, Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team/Crime Reduction Team. “We extend our condolences to the families who were deeply affected by this tragedy. Hopefully, these sentences will allow some closure to those involved. Additionally, this should send a message to drug dealers who continue to peddle deadly drugs in our community.”
“While these sentences cannot undo the tragic loss of life we witnessed in Kalamazoo in 2023, it sends a message that we will employ every resource to make sure those responsible for drug-related deaths face the consequences for their actions,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Detroit Field Division Andrew Lawton.
The following services are available for people experiencing substance use disorder, or for their friends or loved ones:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, www.samhsa.gov/find-support/in-crisis
Cope Network (providing free Naloxone and other harm reduction services in Barry, Berrien, Branch, Cass, Calhoun, St. Joseph, and Van Buren Counties), 269-580-8290, www.copenetwork.org
The Grand Rapid Red Project (providing free Naloxone and other harm reduction services in Kent and Muskegon Counties), 616-456-9063 (Kent County), 231-563-6865 (Muskegon County), www.redproject.org
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has a webpage that identifies county-by-county services.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, the Portage Department of Public Safety, and the Michigan State Police.
Texas Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeffrey Wayne Thompson, age 49, of Fort Worth, Texas, was sentenced to time served and three years of Supervise Release for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On November 7, 2024, Thompson pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on February 21, 2023, deputies conducting a traffic stop discovered Thompson in possession of a handgun and six rounds of ammunition. At the time of the stop, Thompson had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael E. Robinson and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping a ToddlerRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Texas man has pleaded guilty to conspiring to kidnap a toddler, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco adjudged Steven Andrew Holguin, 42, of El Paso, Texas, guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
According to the plea agreement, on November 4, 2021, a police officer with the Birmingham Police Department responded to a call at a residence in Birmingham regarding the kidnapping of a three-year-old female from the residence. Holguin and his co-conspirator, Elis Salgado-Galindo, kidnapped the toddler with the intent of taking her to her father, who lives in Mexico. With Holguin’s assistance, Salgado-Galindo grabbed the toddler and fled the residence. An Amber Alert was issued and law enforcement along the Alabama/Mississippi state line were provided the description of the vehicle, toddler, and suspects. That same evening, deputies with the Rankin County, Mississippi Sheriff’s Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle matching the description of Holguin’s vehicle. Deputies instructed Holguin, who was the driver of the vehicle, to exit the vehicle and walk back to the officer’s vehicle. Deputies then removed the other individuals from the vehicle, including the toddler. A deputy recognized the toddler from the Amber Alert and sent a picture of her to a detective with the Birmingham Police Department. The detective showed the picture to the toddler’s mother, who confirmed that it was her daughter. Both men were taken into custody.
Holguin was convicted in 2020 in the United States District Court in the Western District of Texas for conspiracy to transport aliens. He was sentenced to six months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.
Salgado-Galindo, a citizen of Mexico, was unlawfully present in the United States. On December 14, 2021, Salgado-Galindo was turned over to ICE custody.
Homeland Security Investigations, Birmingham, investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Pearl Mississippi Police Department, and the Rankin County Mississippi Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.