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28 May 2025
Two Brownfield residents guilty of transporting aliensRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two Texas residents have admitted to conspiring to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
On March 22, authorities observed a Ford Expedition circumventing a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Laredo. Mac Quese Howard, 20, was driving, and De Richardson Miller, 18, 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.
Howard expected to receive a total of $5,000 to split with Miller after delivering the illegal aliens.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, both face up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Howard has been and will remain in custody, while Miller was released on bond pending that hearing.
BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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).
Tahlequah Resident Sentenced for Arson AttemptRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sheena Grasshopper, age 41, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for one count of Attempted Arson of a Dwelling in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On January 14, 2025, Grasshopper pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 31, 2023, Grasshopper attempted to set fire to a Tahlequah home and placed the occupant’s life in jeopardy. The crime occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Eric F. Melgren, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Grasshopper 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. Attorneys Patrick M. Flanigan and Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Sussex County Woman and Texas Man Admit to Exploiting a Child and Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Sussex County, New Jersey woman and a Texas man admitted to exploiting a child and producing child pornography, as well as to other child pornography offenses, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Dominique Saczawa, 34, of Sparta, New Jersey, and Russell Lynn Davis, Jr., 47, of Heller, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel in Camden federal court. Saczawa pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, advertisement of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Davis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography.
According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in Court:
Saczawa admitted to sexually exploiting a then-four-year-old by engaging in sexual contact and then producing images and videos of that sexual contact. Saczawa also admitted to sharing these videos and/or images with others, including Davis. Davis admitted to conspiring with Saczawa to sexually exploit the victim, including instructing Saczawa in a video message to perform oral sex on the victim.
Saczawa also admitted to running a group chat within an online messaging application in which participants discussed and shared content and/or images of child pornography. As an administrator of this group, Saczawa solicited participants to share such content. The images Saczawa shared included images of toddlers potentially as young as one year old being sexually assaulted.
Davis had previously been convicted in Texas of indecent contact with a child.
“Protecting small children, the most vulnerable of our community, is among the most important work that we can do. Every child deserves to be in a home free of sexual exploitation, and we will prosecute those that threaten this right. When predators target children, we are committed to unmasking and holding them accountable.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
"There are truly no words to describe how grotesque the behavior in this case is. A woman admitting to using a prepubescent child to create child sexual assault material is beyond the bounds of any acceptable human behavior – and it always will be. Our FBI Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, alongside our partner agencies, do the work of superheroes each and every day, saving children from monsters and preventing evil from harming more victims," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, with the investigation.
The charge of production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, or in the case of a defendant who has previously been convicted of a sex offense, a mandatory minimum penalty of 25 years and a maximum potential penalty of 50 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, or in the case of a defendant who has previously been convicted of a sex offense, a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of advertisement of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Saczawa and Davis are both scheduled for sentencing on September 22, 2025.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel for Saczawa: Stephen Natoli, Esq.
Defense counsel for Davis: Anthony Iacullo, Esq.
saczawa.information.pdf davis.indictment.pdfSouth Carolina Man Charged in Maryland for Multi-Million-Dollar Medicare Fraud and Ponzi SchemesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland unsealed two indictments. The indictments charged a South Carolina man with defrauding Medicare through a laboratory test scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic and with defrauding customers of his private charter jet company.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Greg Thompson, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG).
As alleged in the first indictment, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Patrick Britton-Harr, 41, of Charleston, South Carolina, and formerly of Annapolis, Maryland, offered COVID-19 screening tests to nursing home patients across the country. Britton-Harr then allegedly fraudulently billed Medicare, through his company Provista Health, for expensive respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) tests for these patients. The RPP tests were medically unnecessary, never ordered by a treating physician as required, and many were never actually performed, including tests for patients who were already deceased. Through Provista Health, Britton-Harr caused the submission of more than $15 million in fraudulent claims for RPP tests to Medicare. Medicare eventually paid out more than $5 million.
According to the second indictment, Britton-Harr owned and controlled AeroVanti, Inc. and its affiliated entities. Through AeroVanti, a private air club offering members a la carte access to private jets, Britton-Harr encouraged “Top Gun” members to pay $150,000 upfront to secure block flight hours. In return, Britton-Harr promised to use their money to purchase specific aircraft, in which Top Gun members would have a securitized interest.
Britton-Harr recruited nearly 100 Top Gun members, who collectively paid approximately $15 million in upfront payments, to purchase five aircraft. Instead of buying the aircraft, Britton-Harr allegedly misappropriated members’ money for his own personal benefit, including paying for yachts and jewelry, his living expenses, and to rent a property near Tampa, Florida. Then Britton-Harr attempted to conceal his fraud by obtaining a $1.5-million loan to purchase one of the aircraft he already claimed that he purchased with Top Gun funds by withholding material information from the lender to obtain the loan.
“It is unconscionable for someone to defraud the government and others for personal gain, especially as we faced a global health crisis,” Hayes said. “Britton-Harr showed a total disregard for those who depend on our Medicare system for health care services and for the individuals he scammed through his private-jet company. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our federal law-enforcement partners to bring those to justice who break the law and take advantage of others.”
“The defendant allegedly perpetrated two fraud schemes, first exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud Medicare out of millions of dollars and then stealing millions more from customers of his aviation company, all for his personal benefit,” Galeotti said. “These indictments demonstrate the Criminal Division’s commitment to rooting out bad actors who steal from taxpayer-supported health care programs and defraud American consumers.”
“Patrick Britton-Harr’s repeated crimes reveal a man with no moral compass motivated by pure greed. His deceit and scheming resulted in a staggering amount of loss to American taxpayers and the public,” DelBagno said. “He tried to fleece the U.S. government out of millions by taking advantage of a national crisis. After his laboratory testing business failed, Britton-Harr again turned to deception. Time and again, he chose to lie, steal, and deceive. No more. This investigation holds Britton-Harr accountable for his crimes and sends a clear message that the FBI and our partners will not allow such despicable behavior to go unchecked.”
“Individuals who steal from Medicare waste taxpayer dollars and create incisions in the fabric that holds our health care system together. HHS-OIG will continue the pursuit of upholding the integrity, trust, and confidence in federal health care programs, which benefits the people they serve,” Dixon said. “HHS-OIG, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continuously investigate alleged attempts to defraud these programs.”
“The scope of the alleged fraud is staggering and underscores the extraordinary lengths to which individuals will go to deceive and exploit others under the guise of legitimate business, including private aviation services," Thompson said. "The DOT-OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working in coordination with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to pursue those who engage in egregious schemes designed solely for personal enrichment.”
Britton-Harr is charged with five counts of health care fraud and one count of money laundering in the indictment related to his RPP scheme. Additionally, Britton-Harr is charged with six counts of wire fraud in the indictment connected to the AeroVanti scheme.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count and 10 years in prison for each health care fraud and money laundering count. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, HHS-OIG, and DOT-OIG for their work in investigating these cases. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ari D. Evans and Matthew P. Phelps and Trial Attorneys David Peters and Chris Wenger, Criminal Division’s Fraud Section who are prosecuting these cases.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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South Carolina Man Charged for Multimillion-Dollar Medicare Fraud and Ponzi SchemesRead the Press Release
Two indictments were unsealed today charging a South Carolina man with defrauding Medicare through a laboratory test scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic and with defrauding customers of his private charter jet company, AeroVanti Inc.
As alleged in the first indictment, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Patrick Britton-Harr, 41, of Charleston, South Carolina, formerly of Annapolis, Maryland, offered COVID-19 screening tests to nursing home patients across the country. Britton-Harr then allegedly fraudulently billed Medicare, through his company Provista Health, for expensive respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) tests for these patients. As alleged, these RPP tests were medically unnecessary, were never ordered by a treating physician as required, and many were never actually performed, including for patients who had died. Through Provista Health, Britton-Harr allegedly caused more than $15 million in fraudulent claims for RPP tests to be submitted to Medicare, for which Medicare paid more than $5 million.
As alleged in the second indictment, Britton-Harr owned and controlled AeroVanti and its affiliated entities. AeroVanti was a private air club that offered members a la carte access to private jets. Britton-Harr allegedly encouraged “Top Gun” members to pay $150,000 upfront to secure block flight hours. In return, Britton-Harr allegedly promised to use their money to purchase specific aircraft, in which the Top Gun members would have a securitized interest. Britton-Harr allegedly recruited nearly 100 Top Gun members, who collectively paid nearly $15 million in upfront payments, to purchase five aircraft. Instead of buying those aircraft, Britton-Harr allegedly misappropriated members’ money for his own personal benefit, including to purchase yachts and jewelry, to pay his living expenses, and to rent a property near Tampa, Florida. As alleged, Britton-Harr then attempted to conceal his fraud by obtaining a $1.5 million loan to purchase one of the aircraft he had already claimed to have purchased with Top Gun member funds by withholding material information from the lender to obtain the loan.
“The defendant allegedly perpetrated two fraud schemes, first exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud Medicare out of millions of dollars and then stealing millions more from customers of his aviation company, all for his personal benefit,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These indictments demonstrate the Criminal Division’s commitment to rooting out bad actors who steal from taxpayer-supported health care programs and defraud American consumers.”
“It is unconscionable for someone to defraud the government and others for personal gain, especially as we faced a global health crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Britton-Harr showed a total disregard for those who depend on our Medicare system for health care services and for the individuals he scammed through his private-jet company. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our federal law enforcement partners to bring those to justice who break the law and take advantage of others.”
“Patrick Britton-Harr’s repeated crimes reveal a man with no moral compass motivated by pure greed. His deceit and scheming resulted in a staggering amount of loss to American taxpayers and the public,” says Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “He tried to fleece the U.S. government out of millions by taking advantage of a national crisis. After his laboratory testing business failed, Britton-Harr again turned to deception. Time and again, he chose to lie, steal, and deceive. No more. This investigation holds Britton-Harr accountable for his crimes and sends a clear message that the FBI and our partners will not allow such despicable behavior to go unchecked.”
“Individuals who steal from Medicare waste taxpayer dollars and create incisions in the fabric that holds our health care system together,” stated Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue the pursuit of upholding the integrity, trust, and confidence in federal health care programs, which benefits the people they serve. HHS-OIG, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continuously investigate alleged attempts to defraud these programs.”
“The scope of the alleged fraud is staggering and underscores the extraordinary lengths to which individuals will go to deceive and exploit others under the guise of legitimate business, including private aviation services,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Thompson of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), Mid-Atlantic Region. “The DOT-OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working in coordination with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to pursue those who engage in egregious schemes designed solely for personal enrichment.”
Britton-Harr is charged with five counts of health care fraud and one count of money laundering in the indictment related to his RPP scheme. Additionally, Britton-Harr is charged with six counts of wire fraud in the indictment related to his AeroVanti scheme. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each wire fraud count and 10 years in prison on each health care fraud and money laundering count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, HHS-OIG, and DOT-OIG are investigating the cases.
Trial Attorneys David Peters and Chris Wenger of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Phelps and Ari D. Evans for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Selma Man Sentenced for Possession of MachinegunRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Selma man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for unlawful possession of machine gun conversion devices, commonly known as “Glock-switches.”
According to court documents, Mark Anthony Wallace, 26, was sentenced today for possession of two machinegun conversion devices. On February 2, 2024, Wallace was pulled over by Dallas County Sheriff Deputies for a traffic violation and observed a firearm with a machinegun conversion device attached with a high-capacity magazine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was notified and continued the investigation leading to Wallace’s federal indictment. On October 13, 2024, Wallace was pulled over for speeding by law enforcement and a background check showed an outstanding arrest warrant from the Southern District of Alabama. When taken into custody, Wallace was found to be possession of another machinegun conversion device attached to a firearm with a high-capacity magazine.
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 Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
Dallas County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew D. Arrington prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
San Francisco Man Sentenced to Seven-And-A-Half Years in Federal Prison for Tenderloin Carjacking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Lafayette Davenport was sentenced today to 90 months in federal prison for carjacking a San Francisco AIDS Foundation vehicle in the Tenderloin in August 2023, unlawfully possessing a firearm, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup handed down the sentence.
Davenport, 30, of San Francisco, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 17, 2024, on charges of carjacking in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2119(1), brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1), and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). Davenport pleaded guilty on Feb. 11, 2025, to all three counts.
According to the plea agreement and court documents, on the morning of Aug. 24, 2023, Davenport saw an employee of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation driving in the Tenderloin neighborhood in a vehicle marked with the nonprofit organization’s logos. As the victim driver completed a pickup of discarded needles and returned to the car, Davenport, wearing a ski mask, ran up to the victim and pointed a pistol at him, saying “Don’t make me shoot you” and “I swear I’ll shoot you right here.” Davenport stole the victim’s watch and car keys and drove the San Francisco AIDS Foundation vehicle several feet before fleeing on foot to a nearby apartment building.
On Feb. 22, 2024, San Francisco Police Department officers arrested Davenport in the Tenderloin neighborhood. Officers found Davenport with the ski mask and the loaded pistol that he had used during the carjacking. At the time of his arrest, Davenport was on probation and had been convicted of prior felonies, including second-degree burglary of automobiles while on parole.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Alsup also sentenced the defendant to a five-year period of supervised release and ordered $500 in restitution.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara E. Henderson prosecuted the case with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop, Alycee Lane, and Janice Pagsanjan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and San Francisco Police Department.
Sajah Konateh Pleads Guilty to Illegal Entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 27, 2025, Sajah Konateh, 51, born in Sierra Leone and a citizen of The Gambia, pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him with illegally entering the United States at a time or place other than designated for entering the country by immigration authorities.
According to court records, on May 19, 2025, at approximately 11:45 p.m., the United States Border Patrol received an image of three individuals, including Konateh, walking south toward the bike path on North Derby Road in Derby, Vermont. This area is less than a tenth of a mile south of the United States/Canada border. Investigators believed that the three individuals had just entered the United States illegally from Canada. Border Patrol agents responded to the area, and found the three individuals, who appeared to be the same people in the image they had received, hiding in thick vegetation. The three defendants, including Konateh, were placed under arrest. Border Patrol conducted records checks, which indicated that Konateh had no current legal status in the United States.
Konateh appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on May 27, 2025, where he pleaded guilty and received a time-served sentence. The two other individuals, Belvie Ikiela Lecka, 32, a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ayse Gul Sakiner, 49, a citizen of Türkiye, pleaded guilty on May 20, 2025, to the same charges.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Stendig. Konateh is represented by Assistant Federal Defender Sara Puls.
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).
Romanian national pleads guilty to bank fraud crime related to ATM skimmingRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Romanian national who was convicted in Michigan of illegally reentering the United States pleaded guilty in federal court in Cincinnati today to a federal crime related to ATM skimming.
According to court documents, Danut Valentin Urseiu, 32, conspired with others to commit bank fraud in the Southern District of Ohio in January and February 2023.
Urseiu’s plea agreement, which recommends a sentence of one year and one day in prison, details that he conspired with others to place skimming devices onto a financial institution’s ATMs in the greater Cincinnati area, including in Cincinnati, Green Township and Liberty Township.
Co-conspirators used the fraudulent access devices to steal information from cardholders and defraud financial institutions.
The financial institution reported that multiple ATM locations were victimized during the timeframe Urseiu and his co-conspirators were operating in the Southern District of Ohio.
Fingerprints on cameras placed with the skimming devices in Ohio matched Urseiu’s prints from arrests in New York in Michigan.
Urseiu’s cell phones contained photos of ATM skimming devices, recording devices and large amounts of cash.
The Court will determine Urseiu’s sentence at a future hearing.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is representing the United States in this case.
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Restaurant management company settles False Claims Act allegations involving Paycheck Protection loanRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Both Management Services, Inc., located in Virginia Beach, has agreed to pay $750,000 to settle False Claims Act allegations that it certified that it was eligible to receive first and second draw loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for which it was not eligible.
The PPP offered loans to eligible small businesses for economic relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. Only businesses with fewer than 500 employees (or fewer than an industry-based size standard, if applicable) were eligible for PPP loans. Under the Small Business Administration’s “affiliation rules,” businesses under common ownership or control were required to add their employee counts together when determining their size for purposes of eligibility. The PPP allowed certain eligible borrowers that previously received a PPP loan to apply for a second draw PPP loan with the same general loan terms as their first draw PPP loan.
The settlement began with a lawsuit involving Both Management Services, Inc.’s second draw PPP loan, United States ex rel. Verity Investigation, LLC v. Both Management Services, Inc., , which was filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act.
The settlement resolves allegations that Both Management Services, Inc. obtained two PPP loans by falsely representing the total number of its employees and/or its affiliates’ employees. The United States alleged that Both Management Services, Inc. falsely certified it was eligible, on the date of both applications, to receive PPP loans and forgiveness.
This resolution was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Small Business Administration.
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Beerbower.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Case records may be found on PACER under case number 2:24-cv-474.
The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Repeat drug trafficker, caught twice with kilos of drugs and firearms, sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 38-year-old Mexican citizen who previously resided in Kent, Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison for drug trafficking, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Ramon Duarte Garcia was arrested in June 2024, following a drug investigation lasting nearly four years. Between 2020 and June 2024 investigators seized more than 32 kilograms of cocaine, 14 kilograms of methamphetamine, 83,000 fentanyl-laced pills, 3 kilograms of heroin, and 1 kilogram of fentanyl powder.
“You showed no respect for the law. Getting involved in drug dealing when you entered the country,” said U.S. District Judge Tana Lin.
“In this investigation, federal and state investigators worked from the streets of Seattle to drug suppliers in Mexico and Colombia,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “Repeat stops by law enforcement did not stop this defendant as he brought large loads of narcotics to our community. Significant prison time is needed to stop his trafficking.”
“This cooperative effort is a win for the good guys and a tremendous example of the truly international cooperation needed to tackle this immense threat,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “I appreciate the extensive cooperation between the DEA, Seattle Police Department, Internal Revenue Service, and the Colombian National Police to create a top-to-bottom success by indicting Mexican cartel members, Colombian drug producers, and American distributors.”
According to records filed in the case, Duarte Garcia’s drug trafficking activity continued unabated following law enforcement stops in July 2023 and December 2023―during which methamphetamine, cocaine, and two firearms were seized from his vehicle. When Duarte Garcia’s car was searched on December 4, 2023, law enforcement seized 13 kilograms of cocaine, a loaded Sig Sauer 9mm semiautomatic pistol, pistol magazines and ammunition, a shell casing, $1,716 in cash drug proceeds, a knife, and a drug ledger. Investigators also recovered suspected bullet fragments from the vehicle’s side paneling. Duarte Garcia was trafficking large amounts of drugs even though he had been stopped on July 14, 2023, and charged in California with drug trafficking for the 12 pounds of meth, the Glock handgun and the $10,000 seized from his car.
In asking for a twelve-year prison sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “Duarte Garcia made a conscious and repeated choice to put his needs above those of the community. Indeed, every time that he decided to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, or heroin, he put lives in danger. That Duarte Garcia transported drugs while armed―as evidenced by two separate traffic stops―only underscores the seriousness of Duarte Garcia’s conduct.”
Duarte Garcia had overstayed his visa to be in the U.S. and will likely be deported following his prison term. Should he remain in the U.S. he will be on three years of supervised release following prison.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The investigation was led by the DEA and Seattle Police Department. The IRS Criminal Investigation and OCDETF Auditor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office are conducting the financial investigation that is focused on the money launderers responsible for the transfer of significant sums of drug trafficking proceeds to sources of supply in Mexico and Colombia. Additional assistance was provided by Renton Police Department, Centralia Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General (HUD OIG), Washington State Patrol, Pierce County and Valley SWAT teams.
The Colombian National Police (CNP) and Colombian Prosecutor’s Office (Fiscalia General) partnered with U.S. law enforcement on this investigation. The Justice Department’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá provided critical assistance.
The cases from this investigation are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joe Silvio and C. Andrew Colasurdo in the Western District of Washington.
Recidivist investment fraudster sentenced to six years in prison for oil-and-gas scamRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A South Carolina man was sentenced today to six years in prison for wire fraud in connection with an oil drilling investment scheme.
According to court documents, in 2016, Charles Eli Colburn III, 70, of Pawley’s Island, held himself out as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Geo Reserve Corporation, also known as Geo Reserve Group (GEO RESERVE). GEO RESERVE ostensibly was in the business of securing leases on land that had been deemed unproductive for oil production and using its employees’ and affiliates’ expertise in the oil and gas industry to drill and produce oil profitably.
At times, Colburn or his associates represented that GEO RESERVE had secured, or was imminently going to secure, millions of dollars in financing from individuals in the professional sports world; that GEO RESERVE had a current partnership with Ralph E. Davis Associates, a long-standing oil and gas engineering and consulting firm; and that GEO RESERVE had already acquired leases to hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of acres of land in Montana, New Mexico, Texas, and Wyoming. They also represented that GEO RESERVE was an active, ongoing concern with revenue from oil production and substantial assets in the form of land and/or mineral rights holdings, and that GEO RESERVE was imminently planning to begin public trading of its stock, which was expected to appreciate quickly.
Investors’ money, they claimed, would be used to purchase additional leases and cover expenses and supplies associated with developed land for oil drilling. Instead, Colburn used investor money for personal expenses, such as lavish rental properties, a Hummer SUV, a golf cart, and home furnishings.
For example, in 2020, Colburn was introduced to an individual identified as S.G. Colburn and an associate told S.G. that Geo Reserve owned two wells in Montana, that Geo Reserve needed money to purchase equipment to reconstruct the wells to make them productive, that work was already being done on the wells, and that Geo Reserve would use money made from those wells to expand and purchase additional land and wells. Based on those statements and promotional materials supplied by Colburn and his associate, S.G. invested $250,000 in a wire transfer from S.G.’s account to an account held in the name of GEO RESERVE, that Colburn controlled and that previously held a $0 balance.
The following day, Colburn deposited a $50,000 check, drawn on S.G.’s investment, into Colburn’s personal checking account. Colburn used the money for personal expenses. In the weeks that followed, Colburn used more than $ 100,000 of S.G.’s investment toward the purchase of a family home.
Altogether, Colburn swindled more than 45 investors out of more than $1.6 million. The Court ordered Colburn to pay full restitution and to forfeit nearly $1.56 million.
During tax years 2017-2021, Colburn never filed any personal or business income tax returns. He failed to report and pay over any taxes due and owing on GEO RESERVE investment funds he and family members used for personal expenses.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Emily Odom, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine E. Rumbaugh and Russell L. Carlberg prosecuted 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-121.
Recidivist felon sentenced again for illegally possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to three years and eight months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on Aug. 12, 2023, Richmond Police (RPD) officers responded to a 911 call reporting that Trevon Barfield, 28, had a gun and was pointing it at his ex-girlfriend. Barfield also had an outstanding arrest warrant.
When the officers arrived at the apartment complex, they found Barfield sitting atop a stairwell. The officers approached Barfield and notified him of the arrest warrant. One of the officers observed a bulge in Barfield’s left front pants pocket that he believed was a firearm, and Barfield reached for the object. After a brief struggle, the officers detained Barfield and recovered a handgun, which was loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition. Officers also found cocaine in Barfield’s pocket.
At the time of the arrest, Barfield had been convicted previously for, among other crimes, possession of cocaine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a weapon in a correctional facility. As a previously convicted felon, Barfield cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Colette Wallace McEachin, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-160.
Pharmacist Sentenced to Prison for False Medicaid ClaimsRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Georgetown, Ky., man, Justin Bell, 40, was sentenced to 4 months in prison and 4 months home detention by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove, for submitting criminal false claims to Kentucky Medicaid.
According to his plea agreement, Bell was a pharmacist who owned and operated Georgetown Pharmacy. The pharmacy dispensed a variety of prescription medications to retail customers, including medicated pads that manage and prevent scars from burns and other traumatic skin injuries. These scar pads were expensive: Kentucky Medicaid reimbursed pharmacies over $14,000 for a box of twelve. In March and April of 2020, Bell solicited unwitting Kentucky Medicaid patients to receive the scar pads, even though the patients did not have a medical need for them. In some instances, patients received the pads without discussing them with their providers or using the pads. Bell’s pharmacy submitted eight claims for reimbursement to Kentucky Medicaid for the scar pads and caused Medicaid to pay a total of $118,621.28 for medically unnecessary prescriptions.
Bell paid restitution to Kentucky Medicaid for the offense and was ordered to pay a fine of $20,000. Under federal law, Bell must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for two years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Olivia Olson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, and Russell Coleman, Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Kentucky Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Smith and Andy Smith prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Oshkosh Sex Offender Indicted on Obscenity and Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 28, 2025, a five-count federal indictment was issued alleging that David E. Dejanovich (age: 52) of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, engaged in the Receipt of Obscene Visual Depictions of the Sexual Abuse of Children in April 2024, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1466A. The indictment further alleges that he did so as an individual required to register as a sexual offender under state and federal law, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2260A. He is also charged with a single count of Receipt of Child Pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(2)(A).
The obscenity and child pornography charges carry a mandatory 15 years of imprisonment and up to 40 years’ imprisonment as to each count. Dejanovich faces an additional 10 years of mandatory imprisonment consecutive to the obscenity charges if the government proves his status as a sex offender. He may also be fined up to $250,000 as to each count and would continue to be required to register as a sexual offender under state and federal law.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Oshkosh Police Department with the assistance of the United States Office of Probation and Parole located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Orlando U.S. Postal Employee Sentenced in "Fenta-Pill" ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton today sentenced Orlando Rosa Rodriguez (59, Orlando) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and money laundering. The court also ordered Rosa Rodriguez to forfeit two vehicles, both of which were traceable proceeds of the offense. Rosa Rodriguez pleaded guilty on February 24, 2025.
According to court documents, co-defendants Jayson Perez-Quinones (48, Orlando) and Jovan Rivera Rodriguez (36, Kissimmee) arranged to receive shipments of thousands of pills that were pressed to look like pharmaceuticals but contained fentanyl – (so-called “fenta-pills”). At their home in Orlando, Perez-Quinones and co-defendant Karen AltaGracia Perez (44, Orlando) packaged those pills into individual pill bags (pictured below) for street delivery.
Perez-Quinones and Perez then distributed those bags to mid-level distributors such as Rosa Rodriguez for resale. Rosa Rodriguez distributed those pills to customers, including in the parking of his workplace at the U.S. Postal Service. Rosa Rodriguez earned more than $300,000 in one 20-month period on top of his salary from the U.S. Postal Service and VA disability benefits. He used those proceeds to purchase sports cars, including a Corvette worth approximately $80,000, a Porsche 911 Carrera Coup worth approximately $92,000, and a Porsche 718 Cayman Coup worth approximately $120,000.
On June 13, 2023, AltaGracia Perez was sentenced to five years and six months in federal prison for her role in the conspiracy. On August 8, 2023, Perez-Quinones and Rivera Rodriguez were sentenced to 15 years’ and 5 years’ imprisonment, respectively, for their roles in the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting Child He Met OnlineRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced an Ohio man to 30 years in prison for sexually exploiting a Chicago-area girl with whom he communicated on social media.
ANDREW BOLTZ began communicating with the then-16-year-old girl in 2020 on the social media application Omegle. Boltz continued communicating with the girl via text messaging and the social media application Snapchat. During these communications, Boltz enticed the victim into sending him sexually explicit images of herself. Boltz instructed the girl on what type of sexually explicit conduct should be portrayed in the images.
A federal jury in 2023 convicted Boltz, 27, of Kenton, Ohio, on exploitation and child pornography charges. The victim bravely testified at trial about being manipulated and degraded by Boltz.
U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey imposed the 30-year prison sentence during a hearing on Friday in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Peru, Ill. Police Department, LaSalle County, Ill. State’s Attorney’s Office, Wilmington, Ill. Police Department, Will County, Ill. State’s Attorney’s Office, Will County, Ill. Children's Advocacy Center, DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, Norwalk, Ohio Police Department, and the Cleveland, Ohio Field Office of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward A. Liva, Jr., Elly Moheb, and Kavitha Babu represented the government.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, while also providing critical services to victims.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to https://www.missingkids.org/ or calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Bronx, Ny., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to bank fraud involving a scheme to obtain fraudulent automobile loans using stolen identities.
Theo D. Cooke, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to one count of bank fraud.
According to court documents, Cooke submitted applications online for automobile loans from local financial institutions. To complete the loan applications, Cooke used the personal information of an identity theft victim, which included the identity theft victim’s name, date of birth, and social security number. Cooke also submitted false and fraudulent supporting documentation with the loan application which consisted of a fake Certificate of Title for the automobile purportedly being purchased, a fake pay stub in the name of the identity theft victim, and a fraudulent Missouri-Proof of Auto Insurance Card in the name of the identity theft victim.
After the loan application was approved, Cooke visited a bank branch location where he signed a security agreement and/or a promissory note in the name of the identity theft victim. Cooke also presented a fraudulent driver’s license with his picture, but the information of the identity theft victim to bank personnel to finalize the loan. Through this scheme, which occurred from approximately January through May 2023, Cooke victimized multiple banks in Missouri and the victim banks paid out at least $199,000 based on Cooke’s fraudulent automobile loans.
Under federal statutes, Cooke is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Cooper. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Moore Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Charles Daniel Tow, age 35, of Moore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, and 87 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. The terms were ordered to be served concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the District 27 Drug Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On December 10, 2024, Tow pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on June 6, 2024, law enforcement conducting a traffic stop discovered Tow in possession of 290 grams of fentanyl intended for distribution, a semi-automatic pistol, and eight rounds of ammunition. At the time of the stop, Tow had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
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 Eric F. Melgren, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for Kansas, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Tow 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 Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Monroe County Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy and Providing Contraband to a Federal PrisonerRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Vredenburgh, Alabama woman was sentenced today to 6 months on house arrest followed by 3 years on probation for conspiring to and providing contraband to a federal inmate.
According to court documents, Beverly Castophney, 38, plead guilty to conspiring with a jail guard, Reginald Thames, and federal inmate, Vincent Lambert, to introduce contraband to the Monroe County jail. Castophney was in a romantic relationship with Lambert. While Lambert was incarcerated, he and Castophney discussed leaving a package of contraband on Thames’ car in exchange for money. On January 19, 2023, Castophney was observed placing a package on a vehicle in the parking lot. Thames walked out to his vehicle and was intercepted by deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. The package contained contraband cell phones, chargers, cigarettes and Adderall pills.
Earlier this year, Vincent Lambert was sentenced to 12 months to serve for Conspiracy and Possessing Prison Contraband. Reginald Thames was sentenced to 6 months to serve for Conspiracy and Providing Prison Contraband to a Federal Prisoner.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama the announcement.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Mobile Woman Sentenced to a Year and a Day for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Kenneshia Davis of Mobile, Alabama, was sentenced today to serve a year and a day in federal prison for filing fraudulent tax returns.
According to court documents, Davis, 41, operated Davis Tax Service with her cousin, Brandy Lynn Davis, at three locations in Mobile. Internal Revenue Service records show that Davis underreported her income by over $2 Million between 2015 and 2017. Judge Jeffrey Beaverstock sentenced Davis to serve a year and a day and ordered her to pay $67,975 in restitution. At the conclusion of her sentence, Davis will serve one year of supervised release.
“Kenneshia Davis avoided paying her fair share of taxes by concealing income from the IRS, which is a crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are committed to fostering confidence in the tax system with the law by investigating and bringing to justice those who evade their federal income tax responsibilities.”
Brandy Lynn Davis, who has also pleaded guilty to filing fraudulent tax returns, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasee Heisterhagen prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry of an Alien after RemovalRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Julian Mesino Calletano, 54, an illegal alien residing in Hardeeville, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry of an alien after removal, following a conviction of an aggravated felony.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on an unknown date Calletano, a native and citizen of Mexico, illegally entered the United States at an unknown location. On June 7, 2010, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers encountered Calletano while he was incarcerated in Georgia, serving a 70-month sentence for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute at least 5 kilograms of cocaine. ICE officers determined Calletano was in the U.S. without being inspected, paroled, or admitted by an immigration officer and he was deported in November 2013 after serving his sentence.
Following his deportation, Calletano illegally entered the United States again, at an unknown location. He was again discovered by ICE officers, this time in the Jasper County Detention Center in Ridgeland, South Carolina in 2024. Calletano was also convicted in 2023 on a drug charge in Butte County, California.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Calletano to 24 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Calletano will be ordered to be deported after serving his sentence.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor is prosecuting the case.
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Mexican National Allegedly Attempted to Smuggle over 135 Pounds of Illicit Drugs Through Eagle Pass, Indicted for 12 CountsRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A federal grand jury in Del Rio returned an indictment today charging a Mexican national with 12 counts for allegedly attempting to transport more than 95 pounds of cocaine, 26 pounds of methamphetamine and 14 pounds of heroin into the United States.
According to court documents, Wara America Castanon Campos, 39, attempted to enter the U.S. through the Eagle Pass Port of Entry on May 1. She was referred during a Customs and Border Protection inspection to an x-ray scan, during which officers allegedly discovered anomalies in the rear of the vehicle. Further inspection allegedly revealed a total of 56 packages concealed in hidden compartments in the rear floorboard area, the vehicle’s rear quarter panels, and the spare tire of the vehicle. The packages allegedly contained three separate substances that tested positive for heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine. Castanon Campos was arrested and initially charged with importing a controlled substance.
Castanon Campos is now charged in an indictment with four counts related to cocaine trafficking, four counts related to heroin trafficking, and four counts related to meth trafficking. She made her initial court appearance May 2 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Cordova of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, she faces 10 years to life in prison for each count, a maximum fine of $10 million and at least five years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Kass is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron today sentenced Robert Donoso (33, Orlando) to seven years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Donoso pleaded guilty on February 26, 2025.
According to court documents, Donoso engaged in importing and distributing methamphetamine for a year leading up to his arrest in April 2024. In April 2023, Donoso received a vehicle shipped from California that contained approximately 15 kilograms of methamphetamine and 10 pounds of marijuana that was concealed inside a hidden “trap.” On April 8, 2024, Donoso received a delivery of 11 kilograms of methamphetamine from Pherai Bogeajis and was detained by law enforcement. The next day, Bogeajis’s home was searched and agents located another 50 kilograms of methamphetamine and more than $700,000.
Bogeajis (35, Orlando) previously pleaded guilty for his role in the case and was sentenced in November 2024 to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department, and the Oviedo Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
Mercer County Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Witness Tampering Conspiracy in Sex Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Terry Leon Blankenship, 56, of Bluefield, was sentenced on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, to 12 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for obstruction of justice related to a sex trafficking prosecution.
On January 18, 2024, a federal jury found Blankenship guilty of interfering with the enforcement of federal sex trafficking laws and attempted witness tampering and found Blankenship and his wife, Laurel Blankenship, guilty of conspiracy to commit witness tampering following a one-day trial. Evidence at trial proved that from on or about April 4, 2023 through at least July 25, 2023, the couple conspired to influence the testimony of a witness in a federal sex trafficking case against Terry Leon Blankenship.
The witness was a 12-year-old girl who alleged that Terry Leon Blankenship had paid her for sexual activity with vapes and other items. Based upon those allegations, Terry Leon Blankenship was indicted on a charge of sex trafficking of a minor under the age of 14. Later, the minor victim recanted the allegation during the course of a West Virginia Child Protective Services (CPS) investigation that could have resulted in her being placed into foster care. In multiple recorded audio and video jail calls while Terry Leon Blankenship was incarcerated pending trial in the sex trafficking case, he and his wife had numerous conversations about ensuring that the minor witness maintained the recantation she had allegedly made to CPS. The recorded conversations included discussions about bribing the minor witness with an iPhone to ensure she stood by her recantation.
Citing evidence presented at an earlier hearing, the Court concluded at sentencing that Terry Leon Blankenship engaged in sex acts with the minor female, that her initial disclosure of his sexual abuse was credible, and that the later recantation was not. The Court also found that Terry Leon Blankenship obstructed justice by testifying falsely at the earlier hearing.
At the time of this offense conduct, Terry Leon Blankenship was a registered sex offender after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on December 5, 2008. Terry Leon Blankenship was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison in that case, and was serving a lifetime term of supervised release at the time of the alleged sex trafficking offense and subsequent attempts at witness tampering.
“The evidence showed that Terry Leon Blankenship was a registered sex offender on supervised release for possessing child pornography when he repeatedly sexually abused a minor female over several months,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “He preyed on her and then conspired to escape accountability for his crimes by attempting to corruptly persuade the minor to recant her initial allegations.”
Laurel Blankenship, 58, of Bluefield, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2025. Terry Leon Blankenship is scheduled for a revocation hearing on his alleged violations of supervised release on June 10, 2025.
Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-97.
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Man Sentenced to Seven-And-A-Half Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of Victim in Marin HeadlandsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Esbin Ramirez-Garcia was sentenced today to 90 months in federal prison for committing aggravated sexual abuse while on federal land. Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup handed down the sentence.
Ramirez-Garcia, 28, a national of Mexico, pleaded guilty on Feb. 25, 2025, to one count of aggravated sexual abuse in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2241(a). According to the plea agreement, Ramirez-Garcia admitted that late in the evening on Aug. 2, 2024, while giving the victim, with whom he had a prior relationship, a ride from her workplace in his truck, he asked her to get back together with him. The victim refused to resume their relationship and asked to be let out of the vehicle, but Ramirez-Garcia grabbed her with his hand and continued driving, forcing her to accompany him.
Ramirez-Garcia deviated from the route to the victim’s home and drove his truck to a parking lot in the Marin Headlands, which is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Ramirez-Garcia forcibly placed his body on top of the victim’s body while she sat in the passenger seat and sexually assaulted her.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and National Park Service Investigative Services Branch Acting Special Agent in Charge Betsy Smith made the announcement.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Alsup also sentenced the defendant to a 10-year period of supervised release and ordered that he participate in a sex offense-specific treatment program, among other conditions. The defendant was immediately remanded into custody.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Chen and Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Wistar Wilson prosecuted the case with the assistance of Sara Slattery, Maureen French, and Fernanda Gonzalez. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch.
Man Convicted of 2012 Drug-Related Murder in HartfordRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a federal jury in New Haven today found MELKUAN SCOTT, also known as “Mel,” “Young God,” “Young,” and “YG,” 34, guilty of the drug-related murder of Serafin Velez, 27, in Hartford on February 16, 2012.
According to the evidence introduced during the trial, the murder was in retaliation for a failed marijuana transaction that cost Scott and others tens of thousands of dollars. Velez and an associate had brokered the marijuana deal with individuals in New York. After receiving the cash, the New York individuals gave Scott and his associates fake marijuana. After the failed transaction, Scott forced Velez into a vehicle and ultimately drove him to Waverly Street, where Scott and an associate shot and killed Velez.
The jury found Scott guilty of kidnapping resulting in Velez’s death, and with causing the death of Velez through the use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Scott faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.
Scott, formerly of Hartford, has been detained in federal custody since April 2014 and recently completed a 13-year federal sentence for another offense.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reed Durham, Robert S. Ruff, and Christopher J. Lembo.
Latimer County Resident Pleads Guilty to Second Degree Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Willard Leroy Robbins, Jr., aka Bub, age 41, of Wilburton, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information charging him with one count of Murder in Indian Country - Second Degree, punishable by up to life in prison.
The Information alleged that on April 10, 2024, Robbins unlawfully killed the victim with malice aforethought.
The crime occurred in Latimer County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Latimer County Sheriff’s Office, and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Robbins will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 7 ½ Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Toudeng Thao, 59, La Crosse, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 90 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine for distribution. Thao pleaded guilty to these charges on March 3, 2025.
On January 25, 2024, law enforcement arrested both Thao and codefendant Joua Thao during a traffic stop as they returned to La Crosse, Wisconsin, from Minnesota after picking up approximately 443 grams of methamphetamine for distribution. Thao and Joua Thao were previously married but were divorced at the time of the arrest. In the six months before his arrest, Thao distributed or possessed for distribution over 5 ½ kilograms of methamphetamine. Thao claimed to have received methamphetamine from multiple sources in Minnesota, California, Canada, and Mexico. He also claimed he supplied six drug distributors. Through a series of controlled purchases, Thao and Joua Thao sold a confidential informant a total of 203.9 grams of methamphetamine in La Crosse. Thao also possessed a firearm during one drug transaction and sought more firearms to traffic to his drug suppliers.
At sentencing, Judge Conley said he was struck by Thao’s statements rationalizing his turn to drug trafficking and found Thao’s minimal criminal history to be puzzling at best given his violent characteristics. Judge Conley noted Thao’s substantial drug dealing was serious enough on its own, but his involvement with firearms, threats of violence, and history of violence against his codefendant and family made him a serious risk to the community.
Joua Thao also pleaded guilty and on March 20, 2025, Judge Conley sentenced her to 5 years of probation for her role in assisting with the drug transactions.
The charges against Toudeng and Joua Thao were the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Drug Enforcement Administration, Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Prairie du Chien Police Department, La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, Campbell Police Department, La Crosse Police Department, Onalaska Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
Kansas Resident Charged with Assaulting Flight Attendant on Flight from Bradley International AirportRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that JULIUS JORDAN PRIESTER, 24, of Wichita, Kansas, has been arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint with a charge related to his assault of a crew member on a flight from Bradley International Airport last night.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on May 27, 2025, Priester was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 3359 that departed from Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, at approximately 9:30 p.m. bound for Chicago. Thirty minutes to an hour into the flight, Priester stood up, began to take off his shirt, then ran to the back of the plane yelling “Help me.” He then grabbed a flight attendant (“the victim”), who was seated, shouted “you’re coming with me,” and forcefully brought the victim to the ground. Priester then attempted to drag the victim up the aisle. With the assistance of intervening passengers, Priester was returned to his seat where he continued to act erratically and made incoherent statements. The captain declared an emergency and the flight was diverted back to Bradley Airport. After the plane landed safely at Bradley, Priester was removed by Connecticut State Police and taken by ambulance to a local hospital for evaluation.
Priester appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford. He is detained pending a bond hearing that is scheduled for May 30.
The complaint charges Priester with interference with flight crew members and attendants, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Fraud CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Donald A. Ennis, 43, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $513,072.28 in restitution for two counts of wire fraud. Ennis admitted that he filed false insurance claims to obtain $347,237.70 after setting fire to his residence and defrauded a volunteer fire department of $153,728 while serving as its finance and operations manager.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2018 Ennis purchased a residence on Ridgeview Way in St. Albans with assistance from a mortgage company that required him to insure the residence for loss. Ennis obtained a residential insurance policy with a maximum value of $161,100 for the dwelling and $120,825 for its contents. Ennis paid an annual premium of approximately $979.35 for the policy, which had effective dates from November 8, 2020, through November 8, 2021. The policy covered losses for multiple contingencies including fire, and explicitly excluded intentional acts of loss or damage by Ennis.
Ennis admitted that he intentionally set fire to his residence on February 15, 2021. The fire department responded but could not extinguish the fire, which consumed the residence and left it and its contents a total loss. Ennis falsely reported the fire to his Indiana-based insurance company as an accident later that day and began the process of filing a claim. Ennis admitted that he placed a series of claims electronically from February 21, 2021, to March 19, 2021, fraudulently claiming losses from the fire. Ennis further admitted that he obtained $347,237.70 from the insurance company as a result of this wire fraud scheme. The fraudulent insurance funds were deposited in Ennis’ bank account.
From at least 2009 through 2022, Ennis worked for a volunteer fire department serving the Tornado area of Kanawha County. As its finance and operations manager, Ennis had access to the fire department’s North Carolina-based bank debit card and regularly acted as its accountant. Ennis admitted that from some time prior to March 19, 2020 through about September 18, 2022, he fraudulently obtained $153,728 of the fire department’s funds through a series of ATM withdrawals and dozens of unauthorized online purchases with its debit card for his personal benefit.
“This prosecution sends an important and firm message that those who commit arson for financial gain will be prosecuted and brought to justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “The fire put others at risk – first responders as well as neighbors. The defendant also deprived the volunteer fire department of vital funds.”
Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner-Special Investigations Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-129.
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KC Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
James Paden, 63, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Tuesday, May 27, to 12 years in federal prison without parole. Paden was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior felony convictions.
On Nov. 18, 2024, Paden pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On Feb. 22, 2024, investigators of the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department executed a search warrant on Paden’s residence after a confidential informant purchased tablets labeled “M30”, which contain fentanyl, from Paden on three occasions. Investigators found a total of over 60 grams of fentanyl, 22 grams of cocaine, and 1 gram of methamphetamine. Investigators also found a Smith & Wesson, .38 caliber revolver, a Taurus, G2 Millenium, 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a privately manufactured 9mm semi-automatic pistol with no serial number, with a Louis Vuitton design, and $1,000 in cash.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the FBI.
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.
Intoxicated driver guilty of being alien illegally in possession of firearmRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 20-year-old Honduran national who illegally resided in Corpus Christi has been convicted of being an alien who unlawfully possessed a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Josias Eliseo Ulloa-Pavon had been driving under the influence of alcohol before crashing Feb. 18.
Upon arrival at the scene, authorities found Ulloa-Pavon pinned inside the fully overturned vehicle. No other cars were in the vicinity. Ulloa-Pavon had red bloodshot eyes, a strong odor of alcohol and appeared unsteady on his feet, swaying as he stood. They removed him from the vehicle and placed him under arrest.
A search revealed a magazine containing six rounds of ammunition in his pocket. Ulloa-Pavon admitted he had a Bersa Model Thunder .380 caliber pistol in his car which law enforcement located and seized.
Ulloa-Pavon had admitted during a previous interaction with law enforcement to being from Honduras and not lawfully in the United States.
U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing Aug. 27. At that time, Ulloa-Pavon faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bird prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Inmate Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Assault with a Deadly Weapon in U.S. Penitentiary AtwaterRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff sentenced Delonte Williams, 37, of Washington, D.C., Tuesday to 33 months in prison today for assault with a deadly weapon in the U.S. Penitentiary at Atwater, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, on April 28, 2024, Williams chased another inmate around a cell block while holding a knife-like, jail-made weapon. Williams, along with another inmate, used his jail-made knife to stab the victim, which wounded him and required him to seek medical attention.
Williams’ co-defendant, Jarvell Kent, is scheduled for sentencing before Judge Sherriff on June 23, 2025.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes prosecuted the case.
Independence Man Charged with Cocaine Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been charged in federal court with possessing over two kilograms of cocaine and illegally possessing three firearms.
Jacob N. Dodge, 26, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. on Tuesday, May 27. The complaint charges Dodge with participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The complaint alleges investigators attempted to arrest Dodge on May 23, 2025 after a controlled drug evidence purchase. Members of the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department Tactical Unit attempted to initiate a high-risk car stop utilizing a Vehicle Intervention Tactic, also known as a “VIT”. Dodge maneuvered his vehicle out of the VIT and fled at a high rate of speed. Three tactical vehicles attempted the VIT maneuver again, and Dodge purposely struck the occupied police vehicles with his vehicle. Police successfully disabled Dodge’s vehicle in the front yard of a residence and arrested Dodge. Investigators executed a federal search warrant on Dodge’s residence and searched Dodge and his vehicle after he was arrested.
Investigators found over 2 kilograms of cocaine, 290 kilograms of marijuana, 251 kilograms of THC wax, 852 kilograms of THC vapes, 125 kilograms of THC syrup, 44 kilograms of THC edibles, 24 kilograms of miscellaneous THC items, 35 kilograms of THC resin, 5 kilograms of psilocybin mushrooms, 250 kilograms of psilocybin mushroom bars, and 46 grams of LSD. Investigators also found $78,943 in cash and 6 firearms.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigations, the Independence, Missouri Police Department, and the Johnson County, Kansas Sheriff’s Office.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Illinois Woman Sentenced for Prescription Drug DiversionRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Colona, Illinois woman was sentenced today for diverting prescription drugs from nursing and senior living facilities where she was employed as an administrator.
According to public court documents, Cassandra Marie Strube, 40, obtained prescription pills from at least five healthcare facilities between at least September 2021 and November 2022. Strube obtained fentanyl patches, hydrocodone, morphine, and oxycodone by stealing them from the facility’s narcotics emergency kits and locked medication carts and rooms.
Strube received a three-year term of probation. Strube was also ordered to pay $1,975.61 in restitution, a fine of $5000, and a $200 special assessment.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing – Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (DIAL/MFCU) investigated this case.
Illinois Man Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Joseph Sanchez, 33, of Fairbury, Illinois, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation for participating in an immigration marriage fraud conspiracy.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in or around August 2021, Sanchez was living in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. A foreign national who worked at a convenience store near Sanchez’s residence offered to pay Sanchez if he found a woman willing to marry the foreign national so he could obtain lawful permanent resident status, commonly known as a Green Card. Sanchez ultimately agreed to the request in exchange for $10,000 in cash. The understanding was that $5,000 would be paid upon the marriage being final, and another $5,000 would be paid once the foreign national received his Green Card.
Sanchez arranged to have his sister-in-law marry the foreign national. Sanchez told his sister-in-law about the purpose of the arrangement and the financial benefits associated with it. The sister-in-law had only occasionally interacted with the foreign national, as a customer at his convenience store. The sister-in-law and Sanchez had no social connections to the foreign national beyond frequenting the convenience store.
In September 2021, Sanchez’s sister-in-law and the foreign national were married in White Sulphur Springs. In March 2023, Sanchez traveled with the sister-in-law and the foreign national to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The purpose of the trip was for the sister-in-law and the foreign national to attend an interview with U.S. immigration officials to trick those officials into believing the marriage was entered into in good faith and that the relationship between the sister-in-law and the foreign national was genuine. The scheme was unsuccessful, and the foreign national’s application was denied.
The foreign national, Aakash Prakash Makwana, pleaded guilty on May 14, 2025, to aggravated identity theft. Makwana, 29, a citizen of India unlawfully residing in Ronceverte, admitted that he included the name and signature of a residential property manager without the individual’s authorization when he falsified a lease agreement as part of the marriage fraud scheme. Makwana is scheduled to be sentenced on September 26, 2025.
The sister-in-law, Kalee Ann Huff, pleaded guilty on February 20, 2025, to marriage fraud and perjury. Huff, 28, now living in Fairbury, Illinois, admitted to her role in the marriage fraud scheme and to testifying falsely before a federal grand jury about material facts relating to the government’s investigation. Huff is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-198.
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Illinois Man Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Joseph Sanchez, 33, of Fairbury, Illinois, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation for participating in an immigration marriage fraud conspiracy.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in or around August 2021, Sanchez was living in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. A foreign national who worked at a convenience store near Sanchez’s residence offered to pay Sanchez if he found a woman willing to marry the foreign national so he could obtain lawful permanent resident status, commonly known as a Green Card. Sanchez ultimately agreed to the request in exchange for $10,000 in cash. The understanding was that $5,000 would be paid upon the marriage being final, and another $5,000 would be paid once the foreign national received his Green Card.
Sanchez arranged to have his sister-in-law marry the foreign national. Sanchez told his sister-in-law about the purpose of the arrangement and the financial benefits associated with it. The sister-in-law had only occasionally interacted with the foreign national, as a customer at his convenience store. The sister-in-law and Sanchez had no social connections to the foreign national beyond frequenting the convenience store.
In September 2021, Sanchez’s sister-in-law and the foreign national were married in White Sulphur Springs. In March 2023, Sanchez traveled with the sister-in-law and the foreign national to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The purpose of the trip was for the sister-in-law and the foreign national to attend an interview with U.S. immigration officials to trick those officials into believing the marriage was entered into in good faith and that the relationship between the sister-in-law and the foreign national was genuine. The scheme was unsuccessful, and the foreign national’s application was denied.
The foreign national, Aakash Prakash Makwana, pleaded guilty on May 14, 2025, to aggravated identity theft. Makwana, 29, a citizen of India unlawfully residing in Ronceverte, admitted that he included the name and signature of a residential property manager without the individual’s authorization when he falsified a lease agreement as part of the marriage fraud scheme. Makwana is scheduled to be sentenced on September 26, 2025.
The sister-in-law, Kalee Ann Huff, pleaded guilty on February 20, 2025, to marriage fraud and perjury. Huff, 28, now living in Fairbury, Illinois, admitted to her role in the marriage fraud scheme and to testifying falsely before a federal grand jury about material facts relating to the government’s investigation. Huff is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-198.
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Illegal alien serial felon sent to prison for third unlawful reentryRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 44-year-old Mexican national with a felony criminal history and multiple prior removals has been sentenced once again for illegally reentering the United States without permission, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Juan Humberto Lara Molina pleaded guilty Feb. 13.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Molina to serve 24 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is again expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In imposing the sentence, the court noted that his criminal history raises serious concerns, stating that if he kept coming back, he would be spending much more time in prison.
Molina has a lengthy drug, weapons and immigration criminal history including two other illegal reentry convictions, one in 2007 and another in 2015. He was also convicted of dealing cocaine in Indiana and unlawful sale of firearms in Illinois. He has also been previously ordered removed from the United States on multiple occasions.
Authorities removed Molina most recently in November 2021. However, law enforcement discovered him at the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint Dec. 12, 2024. He was one of seven individuals being transported farther north by human smugglers in a tractor-trailer.
Molina will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Young Min C. Burkett prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Victoriano Ponce-Garcia, age 53, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Coal County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Coalgate Police Department.
The Indictment alleged that on April 11, 2025, Ponce-Garcia, an alien, was found in the United States after having been previously removed on two separate occasions without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Ponce-Garcia will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.
Hugo Resident Sentenced for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cory Lamont Bostic, aka Cory L. Neal, age 48, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.
On January 8, 2025, Bostic pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on September 7, 2023, Bostic knowingly and intentionally distributed approximately 54 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The Honorable Eric F. Melgren, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Bostic 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 Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Heart Butte sex offender sentenced to over 20 years in prison for abusing multiple childrenRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Heart Butte man who sexually assaulted several minors while being required to register as a sex offender was sentenced today to 272 months in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Bradley Joseph Guardipee, 27, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of commission of a sex offense by a registered sex offender.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in July 2024, Jane Doe 3 disclosed she was sexually assaulted by Guardipee in 2022, when she was 11 years old. She said she was home sick from school and was left alone with Guardipee at a home in Heart Butte. She was taking a nap in another child’s bedroom while the other kids were at school. She woke up in pain to find her legs open and Guardipee on top of her penetrating her vagina with his penis. She reported she knew at least four other girls who were sexually abused by Guardipee. Forensic interviews followed and six girls disclosed some type of abusive touching by Guardipee.
Jane Doe 1 reported being sexually abused by Guardipee since she was about three years old. She recalled that on March 6, 2024, when she was 12 years old, she and Guardipee had taken his grandfather to dialysis in Browning. After they dropped his grandfather off, Guardipee told her she could drive and to sit on his lap. Guardipee grabbed Jane Doe by her arms and forced her onto his lap. Guardipee touched her on the breast and under her underwear, digitally penetrating her.
At the time of the March 2024 assault of Jane Doe 1, the defendant was required to register as a sex offender, though he never complied with that requirement. Guardipee was required to register after being convicted by a guilty plea on May 22, 2023, to sexual assault in Cascade County District Court.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Hassan Chokr Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearms after Antisemitic Tirade Against Parents and Preschoolers at Local SynagogueRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Hassan Chokr, a convicted felon and resident of Dearborn, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm after possessing multiple firearms inside a gun store, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced. Joining in the announcement was Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Chokr aggressively targeted Jewish parents and their preschool children at a local synagogue in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. After unleashing a menacing antisemitic tirade against them, he lied and attempted to buy to several firearms at a Dearborn gun store.
In December 2022, Chokr, 37, drove through the parking lot of a Jewish synagogue as parents walked their preschoolers into the building, yelling profanities and attacking their support for Israel. After being asked to leave, Chokr drove to a gun store in Dearborn. While there, he possessed a Landor Arms, 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun; a Del-ton, 5.56mm rifle; and a Glock, 9mm semi-automatic pistol. He held each firearm, and at times pointed it and pulled the trigger. After deciding to purchase the three firearms, Chokr lied about his eligibility to possess firearms by indicating that he had never been convicted of a felony offense when in fact, he had been convicted of a felony several years prior. While awaiting the results of the background check, Chokr indicated that he would “even the score” and use the guns for “God’s wrath.” He ultimately was denied the purchase of the firearms after the background check.
United States Attorney Gorgon stated: “The federal government must do everything in its power to stem the rising tide of antisemitism. Chokr’s attempt to purchase several deadly firearms in an apparent attempt to follow through on his menacing threats against parents and preschoolers as they walked into a place of worship represents every American’s worst nightmare. And we will not allow anyone to terrorize our Jewish neighbors. We are committed to protecting every American and their right to live and worship free of fear.”
Chokr will be sentenced by United States District Court Judge Jonathan J.C. Grey on September 24, 2025. He faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Carlson.
Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan national, illegally residing in New Bedford, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Mario Lopez, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for July 10, 2025. Lopez was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2025.Lopez was deported from the United States on Dec. 8, 2010 after an assault conviction in Maryland. In 2022, after his removal, Lopez attempted to return to the United States twice but was denied entry. Thereafter, Lopez unlawfully reentered the United States on an unknown date.
In November 2023, Lopez was arrested by local law enforcement in Westport on an open warrant. Lopez was later arrested in March 2024 in New Bedford for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, open and gross lewdness and an open container violation. He was arrested again in New Bedford, in December 2024 for operating under the influence of liquor, leaving the scene of property damage, negligent operation and other charges.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien in this case provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
Greece pawn shop owner pleads guilty for his role in retail theft ring involving hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stolen merchandiseRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Dominic Sprague, 41, of Greece, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce. According to the plea agreement, Sprague faces up to 72 months in prison when sentenced.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that between December 2021 and October 17, 2024, Sprague, who was the owner and operator of the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop in Greece, engaged in a conspiracy with larcenists, Amanda Reeves, Shabon Banks, Chad Lewis, Jr., and pawn shop manager James Civiletti, to buy and sell stolen goods.
As part of the scheme, Reeves, Banks, and Lewis stole new-in-box items from store shelves on a weekly and sometimes daily basis, both alone and in concert with one another. They then sold the stolen goods to the pawn shop, which was managed by Civiletti, for a fraction of their actual retail value. The pawn shop then resold the stolen merchandise on eBay at much higher prices, resulting in significant profits. In total, the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop purchased 37,936 stolen new-in-box items from Reeves, Banks, and Lewis on more than 670 occasions, for which they were paid $290,000.00, which was approximately 25% of the actual retail value of the stolen items. This resulted in actual losses to the victim-retailers of approximately $1,160,000.00.
Banks, Reeves, Lewis and Civiletti were previously convicted and are awaiting sentencing.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Harry Chavis.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 23, 2025, before Judge Wolford.
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Great Falls man sentenced to prison for strangulation and child abuseRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man who assaulted a woman and her child on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced yesterday to 31 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Lane Thomas Lamere, 37, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of strangulation and one count of felony child abuse.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on Friday, January 12, 2024, Lamere broke into the residence of Jane Doe 2, who was home with her three-year old daughter, Jane
Doe 1. Lamere dragged Jane Doe 2 to her back bedroom and choked her. Jane Doe 1 walked into the room while this was happening. When Lamere saw Jane Doe 1, he grabbed her head and put her into a headlock. Jane Doe 2 was able to get away, but Lamere would not let go of Jane Doe 1. When Jane Doe 2 could not get Lamere to let go of her daughter, she ran next door to get help from her neighbor, who called the police as they ran back to Jane Doe 2’s house.
When Jane Doe 2 and her neighbor returned to the house, Lamere was in the bathroom attached to the bedroom atop Jane Doe 1. The neighbor recalled seeing him bite Jane Doe 1 on her face. The neighbor also recalled Lamere squeezing Jane Doe 1, pulling her hair, and covering her nose and mouth. Both the neighbor and Jane Doe 2 tried to pull him off Jane Doe 1 and even struck him with a snow shovel, but he did not release Jane Doe 1.
Law enforcement bodycam footage shows the neighbor hysterically crying for help, but Lamere remained in the back bathroom on top of Jane Doe 1. When he refused to follow law enforcement orders to get off Jane Doe 1, an officer tased him. The officer then removed Jane Doe 1 from beneath Lamere. EMTs arrived and transported Jane Does 1 and 2 to Northern Montana Hospital. Jane Doe 1 was treated for various contusions to her body as well as bite marks to her arm and face.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Gary Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Using a Firearm to Commit MurderRead the Press Release
HAMMOND--Devonte Hodge, 29 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and using a firearm to commit murder following a 6-day jury trial, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Hodge was sentenced to life in prison for using a firearm to commit murder. He was also sentenced to 480 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin. Both sentences are to run concurrently.
According to documents in the case, in the summer of 2016, Hodge and others conspired to sell and sold cocaine and heroin from a residence located in Gary, Indiana. Additionally, on October 8, 2016, Hodge shot and killed a victim who was sitting in a car in Gary, believing the victim was cooperating with law enforcement about the drug conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the FBI/GRIT Task Force and ATF/HIDTA Task Force with the assistance of the Hobart Police, the Indiana State Police, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department and the Gary Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Nozick and Joel Mathur.
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.
Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Paycheck Protection Program Loan FraudRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Gurjeet Bath, 37, of Fresno, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of theft of government property, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Bath and other family members operated two trucking businesses: G.S. Bath Inc. and Complete Transportation Solutions (CTS), operating in Fresno County. In 2020 and 2021, Bath applied for and received three PPP loans totaling over $1 million. To obtain the loans, Bath knowingly falsified records to inflate his businesses’ employees and their wages. Bath then used approximately $600,000 of those funds to purchase two parcels of agricultural land in Fresno County.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is prosecuting the case.
Bath is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Oct. 6, 2025. Bath faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
A California man pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of children and distribution and receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents, Monico Erich Gastelo, 43, of Fresno, sexually exploited children using different methods. For example, in January 2019, Gastelo created a social media account where he claimed to be an 18-year-old boy. Gastelo then used the account to converse with at least one minor and request sexually explicit content from them.
“Today’s plea should serve as a reminder of the Justice Department’s commitment to securing justice for victims of online child sexual exploitation,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “I am grateful for the efforts of the investigators and prosecutors who continue to work tirelessly to investigate and prosecute those who harm children.”
“Not only did this defendant revictimize abused children depicted in the images, but attempted to victimize actual children within his orbit,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of child sexual predators.”
“Today's guilty plea represents our agents’ and analysts’ continued focus on targeting predators who exploit children online,” said Special Agent in Charge Tatum King of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco. “Through collaboration with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Fresno Police Department and the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, we will make every effort to identify, locate, and arrest these criminals to help prevent the harm that they cause to our children. We appreciate the prosecutorial work by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in furtherance of this investigation.”
Between Jan. 1, 2020, and March 23, 2020, Gastelo communicated with other individuals who were sexually attracted to children on Wickr, Snapchat, and Telegram. He sent and received multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on these platforms. Forensic review of Gastelo’s phones showed that he had over 1,500 images and videos of suspected CSAM.
Gastelo’s conduct escalated in May of 2020. A minor victim reported to law enforcement that he had been sexually exploited online and that an individual, who was later identified to be Gastelo, had added him on Snapchat. Gastelo sent over a dozen images of his penis to the minor victim and insisted that the minor victim send back CSAM of himself.
Gastelo pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution and receipt of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 8, 2025 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison up to 30 years in prison on the sexual exploitation count and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison up to 20 years in prison on the distribution and receipt count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Fresno County Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security investigated the case.
Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of CEOS and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
Fresno Man Indicted for Possessing Fentanyl Powder and FirearmsRead the Press Release
Henry Joseph Garcia, 49, of Fresno, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, on May 13, 2025, Garcia possessed more than 400 grams of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl with the intent to distribute it to another person. Garcia also possessed two loaded firearms, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Garcia faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.