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Friday 11 April 2025
North Platte Man Sentenced to 235 Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Brian Titman, 46, of North Platte, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 10, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Titman to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Titman’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. Titman was also sentenced to an additional 15 months in prison on a separate case, stemming from the fact he was on supervised release at the time of he committed his new offense. That 15-month sentence will run consecutive to the 235-month sentence.
Titman had previously been sentenced in January of 2017 to 60 months in the Bureau of Prisons as a result of a separate federal conviction for distributing 50 grams or more of meth mixture. At the conclusion of his custodial sentence in that case, Titman was sentenced to a term of supervised release, which he violated. A warrant was issued for his arrest in March of 2023, and over the next year, Titman and law enforcement in west-central Nebraska played a game of cat and mouse, with Titman taking steps to conceal his identity and law enforcement actively working to arrest him. On at least two occasions, Titman fled law enforcement at high speeds, pursuits that were eventually terminated because of the risk to the public.
On March 15, 2024, a citizen reported to law enforcement the vehicle Titman was driving and where he was headed. Law enforcement again moved to contact Titman on a traffic stop, and Titman, driving the vehicle with two passengers, again took off.
During the pursuit occupants of the vehicle threw out multiple baggies of meth, personal belongings including phones, and ammunition. The recovered items included a Walmart bag containing 9mm ammunition and multiple baggies containing a total of 6.3 ounces of meth. Additional meth was located in the vehicle.
The vehicle eventually became high centered in a pasture in Lincoln County and all occupants fled into a nearby tree line. Officers were able to call all occupants out and take Titman and the passengers into custody.
The following day, the owner of the pasture called law enforcement and turned over approximately 11.5 ounces of methamphetamine, Narcan, and several personal items. The owner indicated he had found the items in the pasture and on the county road used to access it. The methamphetamine he turned over was packaged the same as the items located in the vehicle and during the pursuit. Law enforcement also located additional meth when they re-searched the field. In total, more 600 grams of methamphetamine were located.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the CODE Task Force.
New York man sentenced to prison for money laundering crimes related to nearly half million dollars stolen from local business through computer malwareRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A New York man was sentenced in federal court here today to 46 months in prison for crimes related to laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Columbus strength training equipment manufacturer.
Alex Bogomolny, 53, of Brooklyn, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to conspiring to commit and committing money laundering.
According to court documents, in 2021, a malicious banking Trojan had infected a computer of an employee of Rogue Fitness, which is headquartered in Columbus. The specific Trojan is known by the FBI to steal banking credentials and usually targets corporate victims. As a result of the Trojan, the company lost nearly half a million dollars.
The stolen money was transferred to 22 different card numbers, including to Bogomolny’s Bank of America card.
Further investigation of Bogomolny’s bank account revealed that between December 2019 and July 2021, he laundered more than $247,000 in additional criminal proceeds through his account.
While executing a search warrant at the defendant’s Brooklyn residence, agents found documents that included more than 341,000 unique identifiers like names, addresses, dates of birth and Social Security numbers. The search also discovered images of driver’s licenses, U.S. passports and full lists of full credit card numbers.
Bogomolny also used the online gambling site FanDuel to conspire to launder money. He and others would steal a victim’s identity and use it to create a FanDuel account. Then criminal proceeds were deposited into the account and later withdrawn. In total, Bogomolny and others used this scheme to deposit nearly $572,000 and withdraw more than $485,000 of the criminal proceeds.
Finally, Bogomolny’s plea documents detail that, in 2023, the defendant met with undercover FBI agents and agreed to launder $20,000 for a six percent fee. The funds were represented as proceeds of illegal drug activities.
Between November 2023 and March 2024, Bogomolny sent $18,800 of the original $20,000 back to the undercover FBI agents through multiple ACH transactions.
Bogomolny later agreed to accept another $50,000 from the undercover agents. He met up with the agents in April 2024 and accepted the money, after which he was arrested.
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 sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.
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New York Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Role in KidnappingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Queens, New York man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in a Paterson, New Jersey, kidnapping, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Reginald Law, 39, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to an indictment charging him with kidnapping and Hobbs Act robbery.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On October 8, 2020, Law and his conspirator, Maurice Cottman, entered a retail store in Paterson, where they accosted the victim, who was working in the store. Law and Cottman physically removed the victim from the store, then transported him in the back of a U-Haul truck from Paterson to New York. Law admitted that during the kidnapping, he and Cottman called the victim’s family and demanded ransom for his return. Law and Cottman also forced the victim to give them his debit card and pin number, which they used to withdraw money from his bank accounts.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Padin sentenced Law to five years of supervised release.
Cottman previously pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to an Information charging him with one count of kidnapping. On March 29, 2022, Judge Chesler sentenced Cottman to 15 years in prison with five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence. He also thanked the FBI New York Field Office and the Paterson Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the Economic Crimes Unit.
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Defense counsel: Christopher L. Patella Esq., Bayonne, New Jersey
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty of Federal Drug and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on April 10, 2025, DJOHN BRYANT (“BRYANT”), age 32, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D) and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
According to court documents, on or about February 4, 2024, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers observed BRYANT conducting drug transactions. Upon arresting him, officers found that BRYANT possessed cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, tapentadol, marijuana, and a Glock Model 27, .40 caliber handgun and ammunition.
As to the drug trafficking charges, BRYANT faces up to twenty years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life in prison, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
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 case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney James Ollinger of the Violent Crime Unit.
Mother Sentenced to Prison Term for Throwing Her Three-Month-Old Baby on PavementRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Shanta Watson, 34, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today, to 60 months in prison for throwing her three-month-old baby onto the pavement, in Washington DC, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Watson pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree cruelty to children, in November 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
According to the government’s evidence, Watson is the biological mother of a son, who was a three-month-old infant in September of 2024. On September 5, 2024, Watson had an argument with her former romantic partner, the father of her infant son. When he left her apartment, Watson walked after him holding her baby in her arms and stood outside of her apartment complex. Watson proceeded to walk after her former romantic partner on the sidewalk, and when she got to the end of the sidewalk, to the parking lot, Watson yelled at him and intentionally threw her infant son onto the pavement. Watson then casually picked up the baby, like nothing happened, and attempted to walk back to her apartment building. Surveillance footage from the apartment complex captured Watson deliberately throwing her infant son.
As a result of the defendant’s conduct, her infant son was transported to the hospital, in the NICU unit. The baby suffered multiple skull fractures, multiple points of bleeding in the brain, swelling to the back of his head, and elevated liver enzymes. The baby’s injuries were consistent with Non-Accidental Trauma.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly K. Smith and Patricia-Joy Walker, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Missouri Gang Member Indicted for Murder in Aid of Racketeering and Other Crimes Including Three MurdersRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Missouri returned an indictment on Wednesday charging Travis Santel Jones, 21, of St. Louis, Missouri, with one count of murder in aid of racketeering, RICO conspiracy, using a firearm during a crime of violence, and causing death with a firearm, all related to Jones’s alleged part in the Cochran Crips, a violent street gang based in St. Louis. Two victims were gunned down in the street and one victim was killed at his own home.
“There is no place in our communities for groups that terrorize their neighbors,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This indictment alleges violent criminal acts and the tragic loss of three lives, all at the hands of a dangerous gang member. The Department of Justice’s Criminal Division will continue to pursue justice for these victims and for the people of St. Louis.”
“The alleged activity here is exactly the type of case that the Violent Crime Initiative was designed to tackle — complex criminal conspiracies involving drugs and years of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri. “There are severe federal consequences for anyone who is tempted to kill and maim to peddle poison.”
“For years, FBI St. Louis has been investigating violent crimes and drug trafficking by Cochran Crips gang members. In 2020, our office surged resources to assist the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department after two innocent Saint Louis University students were gunned down simply because their vehicle was misidentified by the gang,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not stop until we bring all those involved in the murders to justice.”
“Violence has no place in our community, and this indictment sends a clear message: we will always be a voice for victims, and we will not stop pursuing justice until there is accountability,” said St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert J. Tracy. “I am proud of the dedication by our investigators on this case, and we will continue to work with our federal law enforcement partners to keep our neighborhoods safe and take dangerous criminals off our streets.”
According to court documents, Jones conspired with other Cochran Crips members to commit multiple acts of murder and multiple drug trafficking offenses. Specifically, it is alleged in July 2020, Jones and other members were driving the streets of St. Louis, armed with multiple firearms, looking for “get backs” (retaliation) against a rival gang. While searching for rival gang members, Jones and others allegedly killed two innocent people whom they mistakenly believed to be rivals. After allegedly shooting and killing the victims, Jones and other Cochran Crips allegedly sped away, fleeing the scene and endangering other motorists on the road. Just a day after the murders, it is alleged that Cochran Crips gang members glorified the murders in a rap song.
In 2022, Jones allegedly murdered another Cochran Crips member when the gang believed that the victim had disrespected a fellow gang member. The gang members are alleged to have obtained a car, armed themselves with multiple firearms, drove to the victim’s home, and murdered him.
If convicted of murder in aid of racketeering, Jones faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison or the death penalty. All other charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The FBI and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Jared A. Hernandez and Matthew Mattis of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj for the Eastern District of Missouri are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in St. Louis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Missouri and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and their associates in St. Louis.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mississippi Man Guilty of Attempted Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – AVERY FREEL (“FREEL”), age 23, of Ocean Springs, MS, pled guilty on April 10, 2025, before United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, to Attempted Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
FREEL faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years, up to a maximum of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00. In addition, FREEL faces a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life, after his release from prison, as well as a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Hammond Police Department, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Mineral County Woman Admits to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Sara L. Jackson, age 48, of Keyser, West Virginia, has admitted to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine hydrochloride.
According to court documents, Jackson was working with another defendant to sell large amounts of fentanyl, some pressed into pills, as well as methamphetamine in Mineral County. A search warrant executed at an apartment resulted in the seizure of 1300 grams of fentanyl and 788 grams of methamphetamine.
Jackson is facing up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Mexican National Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Federal Prison for Smuggling and Labor Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARIA DEL CARMEN SANCHEZ POTRERO, also known as Maria Carmela Sanchez, 71, a citizen of Mexico last residing in Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 51 months of imprisonment for her involvement in a scheme to smuggle aliens into the U.S., harbor them at Hartford area residences, force them to work, and threaten to harm them in various ways if they failed to pay exorbitant fees, interest, and other living expenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in September 2022, the FBI and Hartford Police interviewed several Mexican nationals who disclosed that they were smuggled from Mexico into the U.S. and transported to Hartford. The investigation revealed that victims typically arranged with Sanchez and others in Connecticut and Mexico to cross the border into the U.S. in exchange for a fee of between $15,000 and $20,000 that each would need to pay once they were in the U.S. In most cases, the victims were required to turn over a property deed as collateral before leaving Mexico. They were then smuggled across the border and transported to Hartford area residences, including Sanchez’s residence on Madison Street in Hartford, often at a substantial risk of bodily injury or death.
After the victims arrived in Connecticut, they were told that they would have to pay approximately $30,000, with interest, and that they would have to pay Sanchez and her co-coconspirators for rent, food, gas and utilities. Sanchez and her co-conspirators created false documents for the victims, including Permanent Residence cards and Social Security cards, and helped the victims find employment in the Hartford area. In addition to their own jobs, some victims were required to perform housework and yardwork without compensation and without having their debt reduced.
Victims were rarely provided with an accounting of their debt. If victims failed to make regular payments, or in amounts that Sanchez and her co-conspirators expected, they were sometimes threatened, including with threats to harm family members in Mexico, to take property in Mexico that had been secured as collateral, to reveal victims’ immigration status to U.S. authorities, and to raise their interest payments.
To date, investigators have identified 19 victims of this scheme. Multiple victims were minors, and at least two were smuggled into the U.S. unaccompanied by a relative or legal guardian.
Sanchez has been detained since her arrest on March 1, 2023. On October 24, 2024, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to encourage and induce, bring in, transport, and harbor aliens.
Judge Dooley ordered Sanchez to pay restitution of $574,608.
Sanchez faces immigration when she completes her prison term.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hartford Police Department, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel Krull and Shan Patel.
Mexican National and Florida Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Carlos Antonio Leon (29, Plant City) and Luis Fernando Aguirre Marin (29, Mexico) with drug trafficking conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. If convicted on all counts, Leon and Aguirre Marin each face a minimum of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Leon and Aguirre Marin that the United States intends to forfeit the firearm and ammunition alleged to be involved in, or used to facilitate, the offense.
According to the indictment, beginning not later than March 2025, Leon and Aguirre Marin conspired to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The indictment specifically alleges that, on March 21, 2025, they possessed with intent to distribute more than 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. Further, it is alleged that they possessed a firearm in furtherance of those offenses.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Plant City Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.
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).
Medina man charged with possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Kyle Stack, 39, of Medina, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of child sexual abuse material involving prepubescent minors, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in December 2019, Adobe Systems Inc. reported that four images containing child sexual abuse material were uploaded to Adobe’s servers from screen/username “Kyle Stack.” Subsequent investigation traced the uploads to the defendant. In July 2020, the New York State Police executed a search warrant at Stack’s Bates Road residence, seizing six electronic devices, two of which were later found to contain child sexual abuse material. A forensic review of Stack’s cell phone recovered a total of 4,822 images and 32 videos of child sexual abuse material, as well as 2,319 images and four videos of child erotica, and 25 animated child sexual abuse material. A review of his laptop recovered 3,476 images, eight animated images, 16 images of child bestiality and bondage, 5,930 videos, three animated videos, and 43 child bestiality and bondage videos.
Stack made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Mechanicville Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison Following Trial Convictions for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Charles Brennan, age 45, of Mechanicville, New York was sentenced yesterday to 97 months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distributing methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Brennan was convicted in September 2024 following a four-day jury trial.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Saratoga County Sheriff Michael H. Zurlo.
The evidence at trial established that between July and September 2022, Brennan was a member of a drug conspiracy that involved the distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The jury concluded that during that time, Brennan distributed methamphetamine on two occasions from his residence in Mechanicville. During the execution of a search warrant at Brennan’s residence, Brennan was found in possession of 9 grams of pure methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, ammunition, and eight firearms, including a pistol with an altered serial number. The jury also concluded that Brennan possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Jurors voted to acquit Brennan on two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also imposed a four-year term of supervised release to begin after Brennan is released from prison.
This case was investigated by members of the ATF and Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Ashlyn Miranda, Joseph S. Hartunian and Allen J. Vickey prosecuted this case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
McKeesport Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Ammunition Recovered from Apartment Complex Shooting Involving Two FatalitiesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on April 10, 2025, to a charge of violating a federal firearms law, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Desmond Dontae Lee, also known as Desmond Donte Lee Belton, 46, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer to a one-count Indictment charging Lee with possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on March 1, 2023, Lee and his son were both part of a group of individuals congregating outside of an apartment in a McKeesport apartment complex. When the resident of the apartment confronted the group and asked them to leave, one of the group members approached the resident and struck him with a closed fist, which led to the resident shooting and killing his attacker. Lee entered and proceeded through the apartment next to the resident’s, exiting that apartment from the rear, and then approached the rear of the resident’s apartment, firing five rounds from a 9mm semi-automatic pistol into the apartment before fleeing the scene. At that time, Lee’s son shot back at and killed the resident at the front of the apartment. The firearm used by Lee was never recovered, but investigators with the Allegheny County Police Department Homicide Unit collected the shell casings fired from Lee’s gun. Lee was previously convicted on state drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Fischer scheduled Lee’s sentencing for July 15, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Allegheny County Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Lee.
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.
Massachusetts State Representative Arrested and Charged in Alleged Fraud and Cover-Up SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Massachusetts State Representative for the First Barnstable District has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly orchestrating a multi-faceted scheme that defrauded a local trade association of tens of thousands of dollars to fund personal and political expenses, and falsifying records to conceal his alleged conduct.
Christopher Flanagan, 37, of Dennis, Mass. was indicted on five counts of wire fraud and one count of falsification of records. Flanagan was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 2:30 p.m. today.
“Today’s charges against Massachusetts State Representative Christopher Flanagan reveal an appalling breach of public trust. According to the indictment, Mr. Flanagan defrauded the very organization he was supposed to serve – allegedly funneling tens of thousands of dollars into his own pockets to pay off personal bills, buy luxury items and bankroll his political campaign. He allegedly stole money and then went to extraordinary lengths to cover it up, going so far as fabricating fake personas to mislead those who questioned his conduct. This alleged scheme was calculated on every level,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “No one is entitled to power by way of fraud, and the people of Massachusetts deserve better.”
“Today’s arrest of Massachusetts State Representative, Christopher Flanagan, demonstrates that postal inspectors will not permit elected officials to commit fraud and play by different rules. Flanagan’s egregious betrayal to his positions of trust and his deplorable actions of lining his own pockets for personal or political reasons are unacceptable. The people of Massachusetts deserve better. I want to thank the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their dedication to make this arrest happen. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to serve the public and take action against those who take part in this type of atrocious behavior,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division.
“The indictment of Christopher Flanagan demonstrates IRS – Criminal Investigations commitment to rooting out public corruption, at all levels of government,” said Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Flanagan not only stole from his employer to enrich himself, but also to fill the coffers of his campaign in an effort to become an elected official. Flanagan failed his constituents, who trusted in him to uphold the law, by using embezzled funds to become a State Representative and then actively obstructing the investigation into his scheme.”
Flanagan is currently the Massachusetts State Representative for the First Barnstable District, which includes the towns of Dennis, Yarmouth and Brewster on Cape Cod. Prior to being elected to his first two-year term to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 2022, Flanagan served two consecutive three-year terms as a member of the Town of Dennis Select Board. Flanagan received an annual compensation of approximately $97,546 and $100,945 in 2023 and 2024, respectively, from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
From approximately early 2019 to mid-2024, Flanagan also served as the Executive Officer of a Home Builders Association in Cape Cod (HBA) – a professional trade association that represented the Cape Cod building industry comprised of over 300 members. As HBA Executive Officer, Flanagan reported to a Board of Directors and had signatory authority over HBA bank accounts. Flanagan received annual salary and benefits ranging approximately from $65,800 to $81,600 from 2019 to 2024 from the HBA.
It is alleged that, beginning in at least as early as October 2021, Flanagan was facing personal financial difficulty, with thousands of dollars in outstanding credit card debt, missing mortgage payments and hundreds of dollars in bank overdraft fees. According to the indictment, from in or about November 2021 to January 2023, Flanagan stole a total of $36,000 in HBA funds from the association’s bank account via wire transfers:
Approx. Date
Amount
Transaction
Nov. 18, 2021$8,000Transfer via PayPal to FLANAGAN BOA Acct.Nov. 22, 2021$8,000Official Check deposit to FLANAGAN BOA Acct.Nov. 3, 2022 $1,500Transfer via PayPal to FLANAGAN PayPal Acct.Dec. 19, 2022 $8,500Official Check deposit to FLANAGAN BOA Acct.Jan 28, 2023 $10,000Official Check deposit to FLANAGAN BOA Acct. Total$36,000Flanagan allegedly used the majority of the stolen funds to pay personal mortgage bills, to pay down thousands of dollars in credit card debt and to make other personal expenditures. In one instance, in January 2023, Flanagan allegedly stole $10,000 from HBA in order to fund his campaign account for State Representative. It is further alleged that, in addition to stealing HBA funds via official checks and PayPal transfers, Flanagan also stole hundreds of dollars via direct debit transactions from the association’s bank account funds to pay for personal psychic services in July 2022.
According to the indictment, on or about May 5, 2024, Flanagan concealed the stolen funds from the HBA Board by logging onto HBA’s accounting/bookkeeping software using another employee’s account, entering backdated transactions to account for the stolen funds and entering false transaction codes (e.g., “office supplies,” “travel” and “bank charges”) for the withdrawals.
As part of his concealment, it is alleged that Flanagan told the HBA Board that he withdrew funds to reimburse himself for HBA-related expenses that he had paid for out-of-pocket with his personal funds. When the HBA Board requested proof, Flanagan allegedly provided two phony expense reports:
On the first expense report, Flanagan allegedly claimed he had spent $159.36 on “Technology Expenses” at Best Buy on March 4, 2022 and $537.26 on “Office Supplies” at 4Imprint on April 18, 2022. Records of the actual purchases, however, allegedly showed that the Best Buy purchase was for a portable Bluetooth speaker and that the 4Imprint purchase was for t-shirts supporting Flanagan’s State Representative campaign:
Additionally, in the second expense report, Flanagan allegedly claimed to have spent a total of $3,784.84 on “Office Supplies.” Records of the actual purchases, however, allegedly showed that $2,118.10 of this amount was actually used for Flanagan’s personal expenses. Specifically: $613.70 and $361.24 Best Buy purchases were allegedly for an electric dryer and an air conditioner, both delivered to Flanagan’s home; a $1,050.30 Macy’s purchase allegedly for men’s ties, dress shirts, slacks and sports coats; and a $92.86 purchase at Target allegedly for children’s clothes and toys.
According to the indictment, in or about December 2022, the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) opened an investigation regarding a campaign mailer that was distributed during Flanagan’s 2022 campaign for State Representative, purportedly a group called “Conservatives for Dennis.”
It is alleged that Flanagan obstructed the OCPF investigation by attributing the source of the mailer to a false persona he created named, “Jeanne Louise,” whom Flanagan claimed was a member of an independent conservative group that had endorsed his candidacy. It is further alleged that Flanagan created and sent phony emails to OCPF purporting to be on behalf of vendors responsible for creating and distributing the mailer.
In or about October 2023, after Flanagan admitted to OCPF that Jeanne Louise was fake and that he himself was the source of the mailer, OCPF expanded its investigation into Flanagan’s campaign finance activity. Specifically, OCPF requested Flanagan produce evidence that the $10,000 deposited into his campaign account in January 2023 had indeed come from his personal funds.
However, it is alleged that Flanagan’s bank statements from the time of the deposit in January 2023 would reflect that he could not have issued the $10,000 campaign check without his theft of HBA money – showing a beginning balance of approximately $42.28 just one week before depositing the stolen funds. In response, Flanagan allegedly provided OCPF with falsified expense reports that claimed that: the $10,000 check from HBA constituted legitimate HBA-reimbursed expenses; that HBA had a practice of allowing Flanagan to withdraw large sums of money for the purpose of expense reimbursement; and therefore, the $10,000 campaign check was a legitimate donation of Flanagan’s own personal funds.
The charges of wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of falsification of records provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Foley; USPIS INC Larco-Ward; IRS Acting SAC Demeo made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Chao, Chief of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit, and Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Who Threatened High School Prom Murders Pleads Guilty in Miami Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A 21-year-old Miami man who used social media messaging to threaten to “kill everyone” attending a high school junior prom in New Jersey pled guilty this week to transmitting threats through interstate communications, a felony offense.
During his change of plea hearing, Onil Compres Rodriguez admitted that on April 30, 2024, he sent a series of direct messages to social media accounts, including accounts belonging to schools in New Jersey. He wrote:
“I will kill everyone,”
“they should never have hurt me,”
“See you on May 2 at the junior prom . . . I will be charged for the damage they did to me,”
“They don’t know who they messed with,” and
“Wear your bulletproof vests there will be a lot of blood hahaha.”
Compres Rodriguez sent two photographs with the messages: one of an invitation to a New Jersey high school prom on May 2, 2024, the other of three firearms and ammunition.
The threats were reported to law enforcement, whose investigation led them to Compres Rodriguez in Miami. On May 2, 2024 (the date of the New Jersey prom) they learned that Compres Rodriguez had just booked a flight at Miami International Airport headed for Newark, New Jersey. When the flight landed in Newark, law enforcement was there, waiting for him. They arrested Compres Rodriguez, who never made it to prom.
Senior U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno will sentence Compres Rodriguez in Miami on June 25. He faces up to five years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami announced the guilty plea.
FBI Miami investigated the case, with collaboration from FBI Newark, Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, and Clifton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hannah is prosecuting it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20490.
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Man Sentenced to over Nine Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Two Montgomery Convenience StoresRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Ala. – On April 10, 2025, a federal judge ordered that Jalen Lamarcus Gunn, a 21-year-old man from Montgomery, Alabama, serve 111 months in prison after pleading guilty to robbery and firearm charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. Following his prison sentence, Gunn will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to his plea agreement and other court records, on April 27, 2024, Gunn entered a convenience store on Wares Ferry Road in Montgomery and leapt over the counter. Gunn then pointed a firearm at the clerk and demanded money from the register be placed in a plastic bag. Gunn then fled the store with approximately $3,000. Just two days later, on April 29th, Gunn robbed a convenience store on Perry Hill Road in a similar fashion, again pointing a handgun at the clerk and demanding money. This time, Gunn made away with $2,500 and multiple packs of cigarettes. During his November 8, 2024, plea hearing, Gunn pleaded guilty to two counts of interference with interstate commerce by robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a federal crime of violence.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Middle District of Alabama’s Violent Offender Intervention and Deterrence (VOID) program. Launched by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in March 2024, VOID aims to reduce violent crime by enhancing coordination, communication, and collaboration with law enforcement partners. The program focuses on working directly with local agencies—as well as traditional federal partners—to prosecute violent offenders and armed felons, dismantle drug trafficking organizations, and build proactive cases targeting gangs and repeat violent offenders. At its core, VOID prioritizes the most serious violent crime cases and fosters close working relationships with state and local prosecutors and law enforcement throughout the Montgomery River Region.
“Prosecuting individuals who endanger innocent lives through armed robbery and other violent crimes is the very reason my office started the VOID program,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson. “Jalen Gunn traumatized his victims by threatening them with a gun pointed at their heads, an act of pure intimidation and violence. This prosecution should send a clear warning: if you choose to terrorize our communities with guns, you will be held accountable. I am grateful to our VOID partners for their unwavering commitment and collaboration in bringing this defendant to justice.”
“This type of behavior has to stop and the men and women of the FBI, along with our partners in law enforcement, are dedicated to tracking down the individuals who continuously victimize their own communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Rachel A. Byrd. “This sentence should send a clear message to those who refuse to obey the law.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Montgomery Police Department investigated this case, with Assistant United States Attorney Christopher P. Moore prosecuting.
Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Clifford Frederic Lind, 40, pleaded guilty in federal court this week to attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor and attempting to entice a minor. Lind, who used the online alias “it is what it is,” admitted to engaging in sexually explicit communications with someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl.
In connection with his guilty plea, Lind admitted that between May 29 and June 4, 2024, he communicated with a person he believed was an underage girl, via a social media application and text messages. During the exchanges, Lind sent sexually explicit images and videos of himself and requested sexual images in return. Lind also discussed plans to meet the supposed 13-year-old in person to engage in sexual activity, including details about picking her up and where they would stay. The communications, which took place while Lind was in the Southern District of Florida, involved the use of a smartphone and the internet, with the illicit materials traveling through interstate commerce.
Sentencing is set for July 9, at 10:00 a.m., in Key West before United States District Court Judge Darrin P. Gayles. Lind faces up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement.
FBI Miami, Key West Resident Agency investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Maultasch is prosecuting the case. Assistant United States Attorney Sara Klco is handling asset forfeiture.
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 Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Anyone with information relating to child sexual exploitation or abuse is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-10008.
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Louisville, Kentucky Man Found Guilty of Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – This week, following a three-day trial, a federal jury convicted a Louisville, Kentucky man of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on April 17, 2023, Terry Masden, 51, distributed approximately 6 pounds of methamphetamine to the co-defendant, Dominique Kemp, 43, of Louisville. The Jury also found that Masden had previously been convicted of the following serious drug felony.
On August 24, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Masden was convicted of the offense of possession with the intent to distribute oxycodone.
Masden is scheduled for sentencing on July 15, 2025, before a United States District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. Masden was ordered detained in federal custody pending sentencing. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The judge will determine the sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kemp was previously convicted and sentenced to 5 years and 3 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for this charge.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The DEA and LMPD investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Dahl and Joshua Porter are prosecuting the case with assistance from paralegal specialist Aaron Cooper.
This conviction is a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Los Angeles Man Sentenced for Conspiring with Lee County Man to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Through the U.S. MailRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Esdras Joel Garcia De La Rosa (28, Los Angeles, CA) to nine years in federal prison for conspiracy with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. De La Rosa pleaded guilty on November 20, 2024.
According to court documents, De La Rosa conspired with Durand Dijoun Demetiu Colbert (35, Lee County) to distribute various controlled substances including methamphetamine and fentanyl. De La Rosa resided in California and supplied Colbert, a Florida resident, with controlled substances that would later be distributed to others. The controlled substances were sent by De La Rosa to Colbert through the U.S. mail or other packaging carriers.
On November 17, 2023, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Colbert’s residence. At that time, Colbert had roughly 1,700 fentanyl pills at his residence, which investigators determined had been sent by De La Rosa.
Colbert previously pleaded guilty for his role in this case. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 2025.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
Leader of Detroit Gang Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A 34-year-old Shelby Township man, Martaze Davis, was sentenced to 20 years in prison today for trafficking methamphetamine and laundering drug proceeds, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced.
Beck was joined in the announcement by Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration, Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Charles E. Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Detroit Field Divisions.
Davis was a leader in a Detroit gang, 42 Hustle Boys. The 42 Hustle Boys and a rival gang, the Seven Mile Bloods, engaged in a longstanding and deadly feud. This investigation and prosecution, which began in 2023, focused on Davis’s leadership of a drug conspiracy that sent members to California to purchase methamphetamine brought into the United States from Mexico and transport it across the United States for distribution in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Tennessee.
On October 24, 2023, Davis and codefendant Alexander Polanco, 28, conspired to load a rental car occupied by codefendants Taneeya Richard, 25, and Dejon Howard-Henderson, 24, with 38.9 kilograms of methamphetamine. The following day, officers stopped the rental car in Texas and seized the methamphetamine. Davis also laundered drug proceeds through his personal and business bank accounts intending to conceal the nature and source of the proceeds.
“Our office vigorously pursues drug traffickers, including gang leaders and members, who push dangerous drugs like methamphetamine into our communities with indifference to the tragedy it inflicts. Thanks to the outstanding teamwork among the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. Attorney’s Office, a dangerous drug trafficker and money launderer has been removed from our streets,” stated Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck.
"Bringing members of violent street gangs to justice is one of our top operational priorities in the DEA Detroit Division. Mr. Davis and his 42 Hustle Boys co-conspirators are responsible for fueling untold suffering by funneling massive amounts of methamphetamine into areas already hard-hit by the opioid crisis. Today's sentence sends another clear message to drug trafficking organizations that their criminal behavior will not be tolerated and will be met with consequences," said Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration.
“Today’s sentencing of Martaze Davis represents a significant victory in our ongoing fight against organized crime and drug trafficking in Detroit,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “This case underscores the powerful collaboration between the FBI, DEA, and Detroit’s IRS Criminal Division. Together, we remain steadfast in our mission to disrupt criminal networks, dismantle money laundering operations, and protect our communities. The removal of Mr. Davis, a dangerous Detroit gang leader, from the streets is a pivotal step in safeguarding Michigan and ensuring the safety of all its residents. Our combined efforts reflect our unwavering commitment to keeping Detroit and the surrounding areas free from criminal activity.”
“The laundering of illegal drug profits is as important and essential to drug traffickers as the very distribution of their illegal drugs. Without these ill-gotten gains, the traffickers could not finance their organizations,” said Charles Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “We will continue to be relentless in our mission to dismantle drug trafficking organizations and bring the criminals who run them to justice.”
The Honorable Sean F. Cox sentenced Davis to 20 years in prison.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by AUSA Paul Kuebler.
Lancaster Man Who Fled Mid-Trial Found Guilty in Absentia of Producing, Enticing, and Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Antelope Valley man has been found guilty in absentia of producing and receiving sexually explicit images of a teenage girl whom he had enticed to engage in criminal sexual activity, the Justice Department announced today.
Gregory Cole Jr., 30, of Lancaster, was found guilty late Thursday of one count of production of child pornography, one count of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and one count of receipt of child pornography.
Cole, who removed the location-monitoring unit from his ankle mid-trial and stopped appearing in court, is believed to be a fugitive. United States District Judge Percy Anderson issued a bench warrant and revoked Cole’s bond.
According to evidence presented at a three-day trial, in March and April of 2024, Cole enticed the victim – a 16-year-old girl – to send him sexually explicit images of herself via direct messages on Instagram.
Law enforcement searched Cole’s Instagram account and discovered he enticed the victim to create and send him CSAM. Cole demanded CSAM from the victim and sent her pornography of adult women in poses he wanted the victim to photograph herself in for him, which the victim did.
Cole deleted his Instagram account after the victim’s mother discovered his messages with her daughter.
Cole faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys J’me K. Forrest and Derek R. Flores of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Konawa Resident Sentenced to 97 Months for Sexual Abuse of A MinorRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Coty Layne Hayes, age 26, of Konawa, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 97 months in prison for one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police, the Konawa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On September 19, 2024, Hayes pleaded guilty to the charge. As part of that plea, Hayes admitted that between June 9, 2023, and continuing until September 22, 2023, he sexually abused a child who had attained the age of 12 years but not yet attained the age of 16 years, and who was more than four years younger than him.
The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Hayes 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 Morgan A. Muzljakovich represented the United States.
Key West Man Pleads Guilty in D.C. to Smuggling Firearms from Florida to HaitiRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jean Wiltene Eugene, 57, of Key West, Florida, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of smuggling for his role in a gun running operation that illegally exported firearms to Haiti.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Justin Fleck of the Miami Field Office. Sentencing is scheduled for July 22.
According to court documents, Eugene is a U.S. citizen who was born in Haiti and resides in Key West, Florida. On or about September 23, 2021, Eugene knowingly exported more than two firearms from the United States to Haiti without having first obtained the required license from the Bureau of Industry and Security, located in the District of Columbia. Any person who exports a firearm without proper authorization may be fined up to $1 million and imprisoned for up to 20 years.
According to court records, Eugene arranged to ship vehicles to Haiti through a Florida-based export company. Eugene signed the company’s terms and conditions of shipments, which required the shipper to affirm that the vehicles did not contain any firearms or ammunition. In a subsequent interview with law enforcement, Eugene admitted that, in 2020 and 2021, he shipped two vehicles to Haiti with firearms hidden inside. Eugene stated that he placed food and other items around the bins holding the firearms so border authorities would not find the weapons.
In a later interview with federal agents Eugene stated that nine firearms he purchased in Key West under his name were currently located at his gas station in Haiti and that none of those firearms remained in the United States. He admitted that he knew it was illegal to ship weapons to Haiti when confronted by the federal agents.
Pursuant to an active arrest warrant, Eugene was arrested at a traffic stop on May 4, 2024, in Key West.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Miami Field Office with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall and Trial Attorney Beau Barnes of the National Security Division.
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Justice Department Surpasses $12 Billion in Compensation to Crime Victims Since 2000Read the Press Release
To commemorate the 2025 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, the Department of Justice reaffirms its steadfast commitment to compensate crime victims with federally forfeited assets. The Justice Department’s Asset Forfeiture Program has surpassed $12 billion in compensation to crime victims.
In fiscal year 2024 and the beginning of fiscal year 2025 alone, more than $735.3 million has been returned to victims of human trafficking; romance, investment, and healthcare fraud; business email compromise and government imposter schemes; drug diversion; and cryptocurrency-related thefts and frauds.
“This extraordinary milestone demonstrates the effectiveness of the Asset Forfeiture Program in taking the profit out of crime and compensating victims,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “While the Criminal Division is deeply proud of these efforts, we recognize that crime victims often lose much more than money. We hope that victims, from exploited children to older Americans targeted by sophisticated criminal schemes, can move forward in their recovery through this compensation. This milestone was made possible by the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, which manages the Asset Forfeiture Program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and the many federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies that have dedicated their time and resources to these investigations.”
Recent cases in which victims were compensated for their losses with forfeited assets in 2024 or 2025 include:
$4.3 Billion to Victims of Bernie Madoff
United States v. Bernard L. Madoff (Southern District of New York)
In December 2024, the Justice Department announced that the Madoff Victim Fund (MVF) would make its 10th and final distribution of over $131.4 million to victims of the Bernard L. Madoff fraud scheme. These funds were forfeited by the U.S. government in connection with the Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (BLMIS) fraud scheme. Through its 10 distributions, MVF paid over $4.3 billion from forfeited funds to 40,930 victims in 127 countries for losses they suffered from the collapse of BLMIS, bringing recovery for victims to nearly 94% of their fraud loss. According to court documents and information presented in related proceedings, for decades, Madoff used his position as chairman of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, the investment advisory business he founded in 1960, to steal billions from his clients. On March 12, 2009, Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 federal felonies, admitting that he had turned his wealth management business into the world’s largest Ponzi scheme, benefitting himself, his family, and select members of his inner circle.
$420 Million to Victims of Fraud Schemes Facilitated by Western Union
United States v. The Western Union Company (Middle District of Pennsylvania)
In 2017, Western Union entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the United States. Pursuant to the DPA, Western Union acknowledged responsibility for its criminal conduct, which included violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and aiding and abetting wire fraud. Western Union agreed to forfeit $586 million, which has been made available to compensate victims of the international consumer fraud scheme through the remission process. Western Union simultaneously resolved a parallel civil investigation with the Federal Trade Commission. To date, the Criminal Division has disbursed more than $420 million to approximately 175,000 victims.
$8 Million Returned to Victims of Email Business Compromise Scams
United States v. Olalekan Jacob Ponle (Northern District of Illinois)
Olalekan Jacob Ponle worked with co-schemers to engage in numerous business email compromise schemes. The co-schemers used phishing links to gain unauthorized access to email accounts and then created false instructions directing employees of the victim companies to wire money to bank accounts opened by money mules at Ponle’s direction. After unwitting employees wired money, in some cases millions of dollars, to the bank accounts, Ponle instructed the money mules to convert the proceeds to Bitcoin and send them to him. As a result of Ponle’s scheme, victim companies suffered more than $8.03 million in actual losses. The government seized the Bitcoin, obtained a final order of forfeiture, liquidated the cryptocurrency, and used the proceeds to compensate the victims of Ponle’s fraud.
$5.6 Million to the Small Business Administration
United States v. Aydin Kalantarov, et al. (Northern District of Ohio)
According to court documents, from May 2020 through October 2020, Aydin Kalantarov, along with his two brothers, Zaur Kalantarli and Ali Kalantarli, conspired to defraud the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) of nearly $7 million in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). As part of the scheme the brothers created 70 fictious Ohio corporations with agriculture sounding names. Once the fictitious corporations were created, the brothers submitted fraudulent EIDL loan applications to the SBA claiming that their business was adversely affected by the pandemic. The SBA funded 47 of the applications for a total of approximately $7 million. $5.6 million in forfeited funds was transferred to the clerk of the court for payment to the SBA.
$2.28 Million Returned to Victims of Two Business Email Compromise Schemes
United States v. Contents of TD Bank Account, Account Ending 7684, Held in the Name of O’Shane K. Malcolm, et al. (District of Connecticut)
United States v. Contents of Truist Bank Account Ending 5792, Held in The Name of Quest Freight LLC (District of Connecticut)
In the first scam, criminal actors compromised an email account associated with a member of the management team of a city’s Board of Education. In June 2023, these actors created a fake email account that mimicked the email of a bus company that held a contract with the Board of Education for bussing. Using the fake bus company email address, the criminal actors then were able to change the bus company’s payment information from the real bus company to an account held by the criminal actors, and the city sent approximately $5.9 million dollars to the account. The government successfully seized and forfeited approximately $1,187,691 of the stolen money, which was returned to the city through remission.
The second forfeiture action involved a healthcare company that was a victim of a business email compromise (BEC) attack. In April 2023, the company’s yearly medical malpractice insurance payment was set to be paid. Shortly before the due date, the company received a fraudulent email, purportedly from its malpractice insurance company, with new wire instructions. The company sent approximately $1,652,254 via a wire transfer using the newly provided instructions. The government successfully seized and forfeited approximately $1,100,694 remaining in the account, which was returned to the healthcare company through remissions.
$328,500 to an Elderly Victim of a Computer Support Scam
United States v. Discovery Bank Account Ending in 2237 (District of Connecticut)
According to court documents, in February 2024, an elderly woman who was tricked by a computer support scheme that mimicked Microsoft customer support transferred approximately $550,000 to the scammers in two wire transfers. Within two days of the transfers, the victim and a family member reported the incident to a local police department, who then partnered with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to investigate the crime. Fortunately, one of the wire transfers, in the amount of $221,000, was reversed by the bank and returned to the victim. HSI traced the remaining money, totaling approximately $328,573, and seized it. The U.S. Attorney’s Office then filed a civil asset forfeiture action to forfeit the money to the government, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and HSI then worked with the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section to return the money to the victim.
$6.4 Million to the Internal Revenue Service
United States v. Michael Little (Middle District of Florida)
From 2019 to 2021, Michael Little filed a series of false tax returns claiming massive, bogus fuel tax credits. He filed the false returns in his own name and in the names of co-conspirators and identity theft victims. As a result of this scheme, Little and his co-conspirators obtained at least $12.3 million in fraudulent tax refunds and attempted to obtain at least $27 million more. Little and his co-conspirators also conspired to launder their ill-gotten gains and used significant portions of the fraudulent tax refunds to purchase real estate and other assets. Over $6.4 million in forfeited funds were transferred to the clerk of court for payment to the IRS.
$52,000 to a Survivor of Human Trafficking
United States v. Thuy Tien Luong (Western District of North Carolina)
Thuy Tien Luong was convicted of forced labor and ordered to serve 15 years in prison for compelling the labor of one of her nail technicians at a salon she owned and operated. From October 2016 to June 2018, Luong forced the survivor’s labor by, among other things, physically assaulting the survivor, threatening to ruin the survivor’s reputation with her family, and falsely claiming that the survivor owed Luong a fictitious debt. In addition to resulting in the return of funds seized from Luong to the Clerk of Court to pay the survivor, the case also resulted in the return to the survivor of a seized bracelet that Luong had held as “payment” towards the survivor’s fictitious debt.
$6.3 Million Returned to Estate Victims of an Embezzlement Scheme
United States v. Richard J. Sherwood, et al. (Northern District of New York)
Starting in 2006, Richard J. Sherwood and Thomas K. Lagan provided estate planning and related legal services to Capital Region philanthropists Warren and Pauline Bruggeman, and to Pauline’s sister, Anne Urban, all of Niskayuna, New York. They were advising the Bruggemans when, in 2006, the Bruggemans signed wills directing that all their assets go to churches, civic organizations, a local hospital, and a local university scholarship fund, aside from bequests to Urban and Julia Rentz, Pauline’s sisters.
Warren Bruggeman died in April 2009, and Pauline died in August 2011. In each pleading guilty, Sherwood and Lagan admitted that they conspired to steal, and did steal, millions of dollars from Pauline Bruggeman’s estate as well as from the estate of Urban, who died in 2013. The co-conspirators admitted that they stole $11,831,563 and Sherwood also admitted that he transferred to himself the Bruggeman family camp located on Galway Lake, in Saratoga County.
For additional information about the Department of Justice’s victim compensation program, please visit: Criminal Division | Victims.
Justice Department Implements Critical National Security Program to Protect Americans’ Sensitive Data from Foreign AdversariesRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department took significant steps to move forward with implementing a critical program to prevent China, Russia, Iran, and other foreign adversaries from using commercial activities to access and exploit U.S. government-related data and Americans’ sensitive personal data to commit espionage and economic espionage, conduct surveillance and counterintelligence activities, develop AI and military capabilities, and otherwise undermine our national security.
The Data Security Program implemented by the National Security Division (NSD) under Executive Order 14117 addresses this “unusual and extraordinary threat…to the national security and foreign policy of the United States” that has been repeatedly recognized across political parties and by all three branches of government.
The Justice Department’s continued prioritization of the Data Security Program delivers on promises made by President Trump in his America First Investment Policy and NSPM-2 on Imposing Maximum Pressure on Iran, addresses threats identified in the 2025 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community and President Trump’s 2017 National Security Strategy, and responds to the national emergency President Trump declared in Executive Order 13873.
“If you’re a foreign adversary, why would you go through the trouble of complicated cyber intrusions and theft to get Americans’ data when you can just buy it on the open market or force a company under your jurisdiction to give you access?” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Data Security Program makes getting that data a lot harder.”
To address this urgent threat, the Data Security Program establishes what are effectively export controls that prevent foreign adversaries, and those subject to their control, jurisdiction, ownership, and direction, from accessing U.S. government-related data and bulk genomic, geolocation, biometric, health, financial, and other sensitive personal data. To assist the public in coming into compliance with the Data Security Program, NSD has issued a Compliance Guide, an initial list of over 100 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and an Implementation and Enforcement Policy for the first 90 days. NSD will be taking additional steps over the coming weeks and months to implement the Data Security Program, including publishing an initial Covered Persons List that identifies and designates persons subject to the control and direction of foreign adversaries. The Data Security Program went into effect on April 8, 2025.
Newly Issued Guidance and FAQs
The Data Security Program Compliance Guide identifies and describes best practices for complying with the Data Security Program, thereby mitigating the unacceptable national security risk of enabling countries of concern to access and exploit Americans’ sensitive personal data. The document provides guidance on key definitions, prohibited and restricted transactions, and the requirements for building a robust data compliance program. The Compliance Guide also provides model contractual language and suggests best practices for complying with the Data Security Program’s audit and recordkeeping requirements. It is crucial that U.S. persons familiarize themselves and become prepared to comply with the Data Security Program’s prohibitions and restrictions once they became effective on April 8, 2025.
The Data Security Program FAQs address high-level clarifications about Executive Order 14117 and provides valuable information about the Data Security Program, its scope, and accompanying processes for requesting licenses and advisory opinions, making disclosures of Data Security Program violations, and reporting rejected prohibited transactions. The FAQs reflect some of the comprehensive feedback and common issues the Department received and addressed through the rulemaking process, both as public comments in response to the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, as well as questions delivered during dozens of engagements with individuals, businesses, trade groups, and other stakeholders that were potentially interested in or impacted by the Data Security Program. NSD will update these FAQs as necessary and appropriate to address additional questions raised by the public.
NSD’s primary mission with respect to the implementation and enforcement of the Data Security Program is to protect U.S. national security from countries of concern that may seek to collect and weaponize Americans’ most sensitive personal data and government-related data. U.S. persons should “know their data” and the front-line role they play in mitigating these risks. As further explained in the Compliance Guide, individuals and entities subject to U.S. jurisdiction, as well as foreign individuals and entities conducting business in or with the United States or with U.S. persons, must comply with the Data Security Program.
The Compliance Guide and FAQs are explanatory and intended to provide general guidance to regulated parties about compliance with the Data Security Program. Nothing in these documents supplements, modifies, or supersedes the requirements set forth in the Data Security Program. NSD intends to update the FAQs on an ongoing basis as NSD identifies additional questions and responses that should be made public to aid the regulated community in compliance.
Newly Issued Enforcement Policy for the First 90 Days
The Data Security Program went into effect on April 8, 2025. Starting April 8, 2025, entities and individuals were required to comply with the Data Security Program’s prohibitions and restrictions on engaging in covered data transactions. To provide additional time for entities and individuals to come into compliance, the Data Security Program delays certain affirmative due-diligence obligations, which do not go into effect until Oct. 6, 2025.
NSD recognizes that individuals and companies may need to take a number of steps to determine whether the Data Security Program’s prohibitions and restrictions apply to their activities, and to implement changes to their existing policies or to implement new policies and processes to comply.
To allow the private sector to focus its resources and efforts on promptly coming into compliance and to allow NSD to prioritize its resources on facilitating compliance, NSD will target its enforcement efforts during the first 90 days to allow U.S. persons (e.g., individuals and companies) additional time to implement the changes required by the Data Security Program, provide additional opportunities for the public to engage with NSD, and to minimize potential disruptions for businesses. As explained in NSD’s Data Security Program Implementation and Enforcement Policy Through July 8, 2025, NSD will not prioritize civil enforcement actions against any person for violations of the Data Security Program that occur from April 8 through July 8, 2025, so long as the person is engaging in good faith efforts to comply with or come into compliance with the Data Security Program during that time. These efforts include engaging in compliance activities described in that policy, such as amending or renegotiating existing contracts, conducting internal reviews of data flows, deploying the CISA security requirements, and so on.
At the end of this 90-day period, individuals, and entities should be in full compliance with the DSP. This policy does not limit NSD’s lawful authority and discretion to pursue civil enforcement if entities and individuals did not engage in good faith efforts to comply with, or come into compliance with, the Data Security Program.
During this 90-day period, NSD encourages the public to contact NSD at [email protected] with informal inquires or information about the DSP and the guidance NSD has released. Although NSD may not be able to respond to every inquiry, NSD will use its best efforts to respond consistent with available resources, and any inquiries or information submitted may be used to develop and refine future guidance. Correspondingly, NSD discourages the submission of any formal requests for specific licenses or advisory opinions during this 90-day period. Although requests for specific licenses or advisory opinions during this 90-day period can be submitted, NSD will not review or adjudicate those submissions during the 90-day period (absent an emergency or imminent threat to public safety or national security).
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in New York in Support of Muslim Community’s Land Use ClaimRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a statement of interest today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York supporting a claim by a religious Islamic organization that the Town of Oyster Bay violated its rights under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) when it denied the organization’s site plan application to expand its current facility into a mosque that would meet the religious needs of its congregation.
The lawsuit alleges that Muslims on Long Island (MOLI) have worshipped at a mosque in Bethpage, Long Island, since 1998, but that it has grown and now needs additional space for prayer, religious education, ritual washing and religious counseling. In its complaint and motion for a preliminary injunction, MOLI claims that the Town’s recently revised zoning code imposes more onerous parking requirements on houses of worship than on comparable nonreligious places of assembly like theaters, museums and libraries. MOLI alleges that the Town denied its application to expand its house of worship, relying on the Town’s revised parking code. The Department’s statement of interest supports MOLI’s argument that the zoning code treats religious uses less favorably than non-religious uses, in violation of RLUIPA’s equal terms provision, and that the Town has failed to justify this unequal treatment.
“RLUIPA prohibits local governments from imposing more onerous requirements on religious assemblies than comparable nonreligious assemblies,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Zoning codes violate RLUIPA when they single out religious uses for tougher restrictions than comparable secular uses. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigilantly enforce RLUIPA’s protections and ensure that religious groups have equal access to places to worship.”
“Zoning regulations that unfairly restrict assemblies by faith-based groups violate federal law,” said United States Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York. “Municipalities cannot impose tougher parking or other land use standards on houses of worship than comparable secular assemblies. The Justice Department and my Office will vigorously protect the right of religious institutions to receive equal treatment under the law.”
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects persons and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the department’s efforts to enforce it can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage.
The department distributed a letter to state, county, and municipal leaders throughout the country to remind them of their obligations under RLUIPA, including its requirement that land use regulations treat religious assemblies and institutions at least as well as nonreligious assemblies and institutions.
This matter is being handled by the Office’s Civil Division, Civil Rights Chief Michael J. Goldberger with Trial Attorneys Noah Sacks and Beth Pepper of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section at (718) 254-7000 or the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the RLUIPA complaint portal. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php.
moli_brief_filed.pdf
E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 25-CV-428 (SJB)Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in New York in Support of Religious Muslim Community’s Land Use ClaimRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a statement of interest today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York supporting a claim by a religious Islamic organization that the Town of Oyster Bay violated its rights under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) when it denied the organization’s site plan application to expand its current facility into a mosque that would meet the religious needs of its congregation.
The lawsuit alleges that Muslims on Long Island (MOLI) have worshipped at a mosque in Bethpage, Long Island, since 1998, but that it has grown and now needs additional space for prayer, religious education, ritual washing and religious counseling. In its complaint and motion for a preliminary injunction, MOLI claims that the Town’s recently revised zoning code imposes more onerous parking requirements on houses of worship than on comparable nonreligious places of assembly like theaters, museums and libraries. MOLI alleges that the Town denied its application to expand its house of worship, relying on the Town’s recently revised parking code. The Department’s statement of interest supports MOLI’s argument that the zoning code treats religious uses less favorably than non-religious uses, in violation of RLUIPA’s equal terms provision, and that the Town has failed to justify this unequal treatment.
“RLUIPA prohibits local governments from imposing more onerous requirements on religious assemblies than comparable nonreligious assemblies,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Zoning codes violate RLUIPA when they single out religious uses for tougher restrictions than comparable secular uses. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigilantly enforce RLUIPA’s protections and ensure that religious groups have equal access to places to worship.”
“Zoning regulations that unfairly restrict assemblies by faith-based groups violate federal law,” said United States Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York. “Municipalities cannot impose tougher parking or other land use standards on houses of worship than comparable secular assemblies. The Justice Department and my Office will vigorously protect the right of religious institutions to receive equal treatment under the law.”
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects persons and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the department’s efforts to enforce it can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage.
As part of this initiative, the department distributed a letter to state, county, and municipal leaders throughout the country to remind them of their obligations under RLUIPA, including its requirement that land use regulations treat religious assemblies and institutions at least as well as nonreligious assemblies and institutions.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section at (718) 254-7000 or the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the RLUIPA complaint portal. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php.
Jury Returns Guilty Verdict in Federal Firearms CaseRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – A federal jury that was seated in Monroe this week returned a guilty verdict last night against Maurice Mitchell, 42, of Monroe, for illegally possessing a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty presided over the trial.
According to evidence presented at trial, deputies with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a mini storage facility in West Monroe on January 8, 2023, to follow up on a complaint received about a possible burglary in progress at that location. Deputies arrived on the scene in less than a minute after receiving the call and upon their arrival, immediately located two individuals near the storage units. Mitchell was one of the individuals they encountered and when he saw deputies, he immediately fled the scene riding a bicycle. Deputies ordered Mitchell to stop and as he was riding away, drove his bicycle into a culvert area and fell over, but Mitchell got up and began running. After a short pursuit, deputies were able to take Mitchell into custody.
Deputies conducted a search of Mitchell and found a small bag tied to the front end of the bicycle which contained a loaded .38 caliber revolver with five rounds of ammunition in the cylinder. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) testified at trial that the firearm seized from Mitchell was test fired and found to be a working firearm which had traveled in interstate commerce. Mitchell was charged in an indictment on August 7, 2024, with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Mitchell has a lengthy criminal history including prior felony convictions for attempting to disarm a peace officer (2017), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of oxycodone, cocaine and marijuana and resisting an office by flight on foot (2015), and possession of cocaine (2008).
After deliberating for nearly five hours, the jury returned the guilty verdict against Mitchell for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He now faces a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Sentencing has been set for July 31, 2025.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Catherine Semmes and Assistant United States Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy.
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Jury Finds Pine Ridge Man Guilty of Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Frank Long Black Cat, age 31, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on April 9, 2025.
The conviction carries a maximum penalty of ten years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Long Black Cat was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2025.
Evidence at trial established that Long Black Cat used a knife to repeatedly stab another person in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Schroeder and Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has been set for July 14, 2025.
Jury Finds Drug Trafficker Guilty in Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that a jury found Leonardo Medina of Denver guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit methamphetamine; one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; two counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine.
According to evidence presented at the five-day trial, Medina operated a large-scale drug-trafficking organization in Colorado. Medina supplied bulk methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine to subordinate dealers in Denver and Colorado Springs throughout 2021 and 2022. In July 2022, the Defendant coordinated the delivery of more than 40 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico for his drug-trafficking organization. That load of methamphetamine was seized by law enforcement in Texas at the request of investigators in Colorado.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Denver Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Dustin Andre-Vandenberg and Sonia Dave.
Case Number: 23-cr-00049-PAB
Jury Convicts Pasco Drug TraffickerRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Pierre Marquis Fowler (36, Tarpon Springs), a/k/a “Durk,” guilty of conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 500 grams or more of cocaine; possessing with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 500 grams or more of cocaine; possessing a machinegun in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes; and two counts of illegal monetary transactions. Fowler faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Pierre Marquis Fowler and his brother, Marcus Jamar Fowler, a/k/a “Drastic,” conspired with each other and others to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. The Fowlers used a stash location in Tarpon Springs as a place to distribute narcotics. Between 2020 and 2022 one witness estimated that Pierre Fowler had provided them with at least 75 kilograms of fentanyl, hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, and multiple kilograms of cocaine.
Firearms recovered from safe at stash location
Evidence from search warrants included eight firearms, including two machineguns, 989.1 grams of fentanyl, 715 grams of methamphetamine, and 781 grams of cocaine at the stash location. In addition, seven parcels had been shipped from California to the Middle District of Florida, in the span of one week, which contained 3,981 grams of fentanyl and 4,458 grams of methamphetamine.
Contents of two boxes bound for a residence in Pasco County
Evidence also showed that Pierre Fowler had used proceeds of drug trafficking to make purchases of more than $10,000, including a piece of real property in Holiday. Certain assets being forfeited by the government include property located in Holiday and $10,409 in cash seized from Pierre Fowler during a search warrant on February 8, 2023.
Marcus Jamar Fowler previously pleaded guilty for his role in this case. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 16, 2025.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Tarpon Springs Police Department, and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha E. Beckman. The forfeiture is being handled by AUSA James Muench.
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.
Jury Convicts Lake George Man of Defrauding Investors, Failing to File Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael E. Conner, age 56, of Lake George, New York, was found guilty yesterday of defrauding investors and failing to file tax returns.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Harry Chavis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement.
The jury voted to convict Conner of 22 counts of wire fraud and two counts of failing to file tax returns, following an 8-day trial presided over by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.
The trial evidence proved that Conner was an inventor of household products and held patents on his inventions, such as a paint bucket (called the Paint Caddy), a knife with a heated blade, and a rotatable refrigerator shelf. Starting in about 2008, as a resident of Virginia, Conner convinced other people to invest in his patents and loan him money that he said would help him market and sell his patents.
The trial evidence proved that in 2020 and 2021, as a resident of Warren County, New York, Conner fraudulently sought and obtained loans from people who believed they were loaning money to Conner for business purposes, including to complete the sale of his patents, to pay the IRS, and to pay attorney’s fees and accountant’s fees associated with anticipated patent sales and IRS filings. But Conner did not use the loaned funds for business purposes, and instead used the money for personal expenses and to fund his lifestyle; his expenditures included many outings to high-end restaurants in Saratoga Springs, cases of expensive French wine, and concert tickets.
Since 2008, Conner has received, from investors and lenders, approximately $6 million; he has never sold a patent nor earned revenue from any of his inventions. Conner’s victims included residents of Virginia, North Carolina and Warren County.
The jury also voted to convict Conner of failing to file personal income tax returns for tax years 2020 and 2021. The trial evidence proved that Conner, while living in Warren County, held himself out as a successful businessman, while receiving more than $136,000 in loans in 2020 and more than $257,000 in loans in 2021. During this time Conner had no savings and no job. The jury found that Conner had no intention of repaying the loans and treated them as his income and, as such, willfully failed to file tax returns with the IRS that would have reported the income.
The jury voted to acquit Conner on one count of wire fraud and two counts of failing to file tax returns (for tax years 2018 and 2019).
Conner was remanded to custody following the jury’s verdict. At sentencing on August 14, 2025, on the wire fraud convictions, Conner faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years. On the tax convictions, which are misdemeanors, Conner faces up to 1 year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
IRS-CI investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Barnett and Mikayla Espinosa are prosecuting this case.
Judge Hands Down 18 Year Sentence for the 2021 Fatal Shooting of a Man in Southeast, Washington, DCRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kirk Spencer, 30, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on April 9, 2025, to 18 years in prison for the February 2021 shooting death of Marcus Covington, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein sentenced Spencer to the upper middle of the guideline period of incarceration, 18 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
Spencer pleaded guilty on October 11, 2024, to one count of second-degree murder while armed with a firearm.
At approximately 1:35 p.m., on February 23, 2021, Spencer and the decedent, Mr. Marcus Covington, were on the Anacostia Metro platform, located in the 1100 block of Howard Road in Southeast, Washington, DC. Video surveillance footage captured Spencer descend the escalator to the platform where he approached the victim, Marcus Covington. He greeted the victim with a half-hug and the two engaged in a brief conversation. At the end of the conversation, the defendant half-hugged Mr. Covington and as Mr. Covington was turning to head back to the bench area on the platform, Spencer pulled a handgun from his pocket, held it to the side of Mr. Covington’s head and shot him twice. Mr. Covington fell to the ground and as he laid there, Spencer fired again and fled the station. Mr. Covington was transported to Medstar Washington Hospital Center where he was pronounced dead early the next morning.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marybeth Manfreda and Ryan Sellinger of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Individuals arraigned on immigration chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – Two individuals accused of harboring and re-entry appeared this week for arraignment, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
- Kristin Louise Mitchell, aka Kristin Louise Short, 41, of Shelby pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging her with attempted harboring of illegal aliens. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, Mitchell faces five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
- Carlos Alexis Ponce-Lopez, 33, of Honduras, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with re-entry of removed alien. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, Ponce-Lopez faces two years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John Johnston presided. Mitchell was released on conditions, and Ponce-Lopez was detained pending further proceedings.
Count 1 of the indictment alleges that on March 4, 2025, near Shelby, Mitchell attempted to conceal, harbor and shield from detection three illegal aliens and took a substantial step toward the commission of that offense. Ponce-Lopez is charged in count 2 of the indictment with illegal reentry of a removed alien near Billings on February 21, 2025. The indictment alleges Ponce-Lopez is a citizen of Honduras, was removed from the United States in August 2014, and reentered the country without the permission of the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Border Patrol, Montana Highway Patrol, and Toole County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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 charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. 25-34.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Honduran Man Extradited for Role in International Drug Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Extensive coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Honduran law enforcement authorities resulted in the extradition of a Honduran national for his alleged role in a conspiracy to smuggle drugs from Honduras to the United States.
According to court documents, Olvin Javier Velasquez Maldonado, 39, conspired with others to bring approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine from Honduras to the United States aboard a vessel attempting to bring 23 Honduran aliens illegally into the United States. In February 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard interdicted the M/V Pop, a 65’ sportfishing vessel, approximately 75 miles off the coast of Louisiana after it developed engine trouble and lost power. The U.S. Coast Guard responded, found the aliens and cocaine, and towed the vessel to shore. The M/V Pop departed from Utila, Honduras, and was destined for Cocodrie, Louisiana. Velasquez Maldonado was allegedly responsible for bringing the cocaine on board the M/V Pop and ensuring its safe delivery. When he was apprehended, according to court documents, Velasquez Maldonado posed as an alien intending to remain in the United States so he could avoid prosecution.
Velasquez Maldonado is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Velasquez Maldonado made his initial court appearance today in the Eastern District of Louisiana. He was detained and will have his detention hearing on Monday. If convicted, Velasquez Maldonado faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-defendants Carl Allison, 47, Darrel Martinez, 41, and Josue Flores-Villeda, 37, previously pleaded guilty in 2023 to conspiracy to unlawfully bring aliens to the United States for financial gain and conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride. Lenord Cooper, 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to aid and assist aliens to enter the United States unlawfully and attempting to bring aliens to the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain. Two co-defendants, Hennessy Devon Cooper Zelaya, 29, and Rudy Jackson Hernandez, 38, were convicted after trial of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully bring aliens to the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain and two counts of attempting to bring aliens to the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana and Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans Field Office made the announcement.
The investigation and extradition of Velasquez Maldonado was coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) Program. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders.
JTFA is currently comprised of detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 325 U.S. convictions; more than 270 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
The ECT program is a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI and focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT also coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
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.
The HSI Houma, Louisiana Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the HSI Pittsburgh Field Office, HSI Atlanta Field Office, and Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. The HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations, Louisiana State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, North Huntington Township Police and Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office also provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training in Honduras also provided assistance.
Deputy Chief Rami Badawy of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter Guice of the General Crimes Unit for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Honduran Man Extradited for Role in International Drug Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Extensive coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Honduran law enforcement authorities resulted in the extradition of a Honduran national for his alleged role in a conspiracy to smuggle drugs from Honduras to the United States.
According to court documents, Olvin Javier Velasquez Maldonado, 39, conspired with others to bring approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine from Honduras to the United States aboard a vessel attempting to bring 23 Honduran aliens illegally into the United States. In February 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard interdicted the M/V Pop, a 65’ sportfishing vessel, approximately 75 miles off the coast of Louisiana after it developed engine trouble and lost power. The U.S. Coast Guard responded, found the aliens and cocaine, and towed the vessel to shore. The M/V Pop departed from Utila, Honduras, and was destined for Cocodrie, Louisiana. Velasquez Maldonado was allegedly responsible for bringing the cocaine on board the M/V Pop and ensuring its safe delivery. When he was apprehended, according to court documents, Velasquez Maldonado posed as an alien intending to remain in the United States so he could avoid prosecution.
Velasquez Maldonado is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Velasquez Maldonado made his initial court appearance today in the Eastern District of Louisiana. He was detained and will have his detention hearing on Monday. If convicted, Velasquez Maldonado faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-defendants Carl Allison, 47, Darrel Martinez, 41, and Josue Flores-Villeda, 37, previously pleaded guilty in 2023 to conspiracy to unlawfully bring aliens to the United States for financial gain and conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride. Lenord Cooper, 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to aid and assist aliens to enter the United States unlawfully and attempting to bring aliens to the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain. Two co-defendants, Hennessy Devon Cooper Zelaya, 29, and Rudy Jackson Hernandez, 38, were convicted after trial of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully bring aliens to the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain and two counts of attempting to bring aliens to the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana and Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans Field Office made the announcement.
The investigation and extradition of Velasquez Maldonado was coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) Program. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA is currently comprised of detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 325 U.S. convictions; more than 270 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
The ECT program is a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI and focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT also coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
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.
The HSI Houma, Louisiana Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the HSI Pittsburgh Field Office, HSI Atlanta Field Office, and Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. The HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations, Louisiana State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, North Huntington Township Police and Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office also provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training in Honduras also provided assistance.
Deputy Chief Rami Badawy of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter Guice of the General Crimes Unit for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Hartford, Vermont Man Charged with Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Matthew Isaacs, 33, of Hartford, Vermont, has been charged by criminal complaint with producing child sexual abuse materials (previously referred to as child pornography).
Isaacs’ initial appearance in court is scheduled for today at 2pm before United States District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford in Burlington.
According to court records, Isaacs repeatedly sexually assaulted a five-year-old girl who lived on the same floor of his apartment building in Hartford. During the sexual abuse, Isaacs took photographs of the child’s genitalia. Isaacs thereafter modified the images of the child’s genitalia by adding words (including the first name of the child victim and a slang word for vagina), and images (including an erect penis pointed at the child’s vaginal area). Some of the images depict Isaacs actively abusing the child, with his hand down her pants. Isaacs is identifiable by a distinctive tattoo on his arm. Isaacs had been previously charged in Vermont Superior Court with Lewd and Lascivious Conduct with a Child, and was on conditions of release at the time of his federal arrest.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Isaacs is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Isaacs faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years of imprisonment, and up to thirty years of imprisonment, if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Hartford, Vermont Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. Isaacs is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Guatemalan National Sentenced to Eight Years for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Guatemalan national with a history of serious crimes and multiple deportations, has been sentenced to 100 months in prison following his latest encounter with U.S. authorities.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, Darwin Yuvini Escobar-Lopez a.k.a Carlos Antonio Aguilar-Garcia, a 40-year-old Guatemalan national, was encountered in New Mexico by U.S. Border Patrol agents on July 23, 2024. Escobar-Lopez criminal history includes a conviction in California in 2005 for "Lewd or Lascivious Acts with a Child Under 14," classified as an aggravated felony, for which he served a three-year prison sentence. Following his conviction, Escobar-Lopez had been deported from the United States four times, with the most recent removal occurring in April 2024.
On December 9, 2024, Escobar-Lopez pleaded guilty to reentry of a removed alien. Upon his release from prison, Escobar-Lopez will be subject to deportation proceedings.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector, made the announcement today.
The U.S. Border Patrol investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson Hehr prosecuted this case as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. [use if applicable] Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to the Unlawful Transportation of Aliens and Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Timoteo Son-Gonzalez (40), a Guatemalan national, has pleaded guilty to unlawful transportation of an illegal alien for the purpose of financial gain and illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. Son-Gonzalez faces a maximum penalty of 12 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, in February 2025, agents from the U.S. Border Patrol stopped a car driven by Son-Gonzalez. The car contained six passengers, all of whom were illegal aliens. After interviewing the passengers, agents determined that Son-Gonzalez was transporting illegal aliens for financial gain. Son-Gonzalez was also found to be unlawfully present in the United States, after having been removed in June 2024.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney.
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).
Fort Myers Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for $3.4 Million COVID Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas J. Barber has sentenced Timothy Craig Jolloff (48, Fort Myers) and Lisa Ann Jolloff (58, Fort Myers) to eight years and one month, and three years, respectively, in federal prison for wire fraud, bank fraud and illegal monetary transactions. The Court also ordered the Jolloffs to pay $3.4 million in restitution to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and to forfeit $3.4 million which was the proceeds of the offense. The Jolloffs entered guilty pleas on April 24, 2024.
According to the indictment and other court documents, between April and March 2021, Timothy Jolloff and his wife, Lisa Jolloff, submitted false and fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications to the SBA, as well as PPP approved lenders. In PPP loan applications, the Jolloffs falsely represented the number of employees and average monthly payroll for the applicant businesses. The Jolloffs also falsely represented and certified that PPP funds would be used to retain workers and maintain payroll or make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments.
In EIDL applications, Timothy Jolloff misrepresented the gross revenue and cost of goods sold for the applicant businesses for which he sought EIDL funds. Timothy Jolloff also misrepresented the number of employees the EIDL applicant businesses had. Moreover, in loan documents signed and submitted by Timothy Jolloff for EIDL loans, he mispresented that EIDL proceeds would be used solely for working capital and to alleviate economic injury.
The Jolloffs’ false and fraudulent representations caused the SBA and PPP lenders to approve and fund eleven EIDLs and eight PPP loans, as well as EIDL Advances, totaling approximately $3,403,265. The Jolloffs then used the funds to purchase three pontoon boats totaling more than $300,000, real estate in Fort Myers, Florida and Angola, Indiana, home furnishings, outdoor kitchens for their homes, a 2019 GMC truck, a 2020 Polaris UTV, as well as jewelry, and two dogs. The Jolloffs also fraudulently used more than $600,000 in EIDL funds to purchase a furniture business in Indiana and a landscaping business in Sarasota, Florida, which had no connection to the businesses for which the Jolloffs obtained COVID relief money.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted March 2020. It is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if the business spends the proceeds on these expenses within a set time-period and uses at least a certain percentage of the loan toward payroll expenses.
The EIDL program is designed to provide economic relief to small businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. EIDL proceeds can be used to cover a wide array of working capital and normal operating expenses, such as continuation of health care benefits, rent, utilities, and fixed debt payments. If an applicant also obtains a loan under the PPP, the EIDL funds cannot be used for the same purpose as the PPP funds.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. The case was prosecuted by Chief Assistant United States Attorney Jesus M. Casas.
Former Bureau of Prisons Officer Sentenced for Violating Inmate’s Civil RightsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A former lieutenant at the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) was sentenced today to two years of probation for conspiring to violate the civil rights of inmates at Butner Correctional Institute. On December 23, 2024, Daniel Mitchell, 42, pled guilty to the charge.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Mitchell was a lieutenant supervising the special housing unit (SHU) at the Federal Correctional Institute Butner Medium II. Victim K.G. was an inmate housed in the SHU under Mitchell’s supervision. On the morning of December 8, 2021, a female officer reported to Mitchell that inmate K.G. exposed himself to her and engaged in a sexual act within her view. The BOP disciplinary policy for such behavior is a formal write-up of the misconduct. Instead, Mitchell directed another officer to take inmate K.G. to a holding cell and teach him a lesson by “tuning him up.” There, the inmate was physically assaulted by the officer. In later interviews, Mitchell and the officer both admitted to meeting in Mitchell’s office where they agreed that the officer would assault K.G. as punishment.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The DOJ Office of the Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Eric Peffley prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-0332-BO.
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Former Accounting Chief at Now-Defunct Girardi Keese Law Firm Sentenced to over 10 Years in Prison for Defrauding Firm and ClientsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The former longtime head of the accounting department at the now-shuttered downtown Los Angeles plaintiffs’ personal injury law firm Girardi Keese was sentenced today to 121 months in federal prison for enabling the embezzlement of millions of dollars from the firm’s injured clients and for embezzling money from the law firm itself.
Christopher Kazuo Kamon, 51, formerly of Encino and Palos Verdes and who was residing in The Bahamas at the time of his November 2022 arrest, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton. Judge Staton also ordered Kamon to pay $8,903,324 in restitution.
At today’s hearing, Judge Staton remarked on Kamon’s assistance with the ongoing fraud against Girardi Keese clients, noting he helped build a “web of deceit and manipulation.”
Kamon pleaded guilty in October 2024 to two counts of wire fraud.
“This defendant played a key role in a long-running scheme led by Tom Girardi,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “For nearly 20 years, Kamon enabled Girardi’s scheme to defraud vulnerable clients of the law firm. Ironically, it was Kamon’s own lies that accelerated the law firm’s demise. We hope the sentence imposed today brings a measure of justice to his victims.”
“Mr. Kamon was a willful participant in defrauding Girardi Keese clients out of their rightful lawsuit awards,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “Not only did he participate in a scheme to embezzle from clients, but Mr. Kamon also embezzled from the firm itself for his own personal use, including to purchase a multimillion-dollar home in the Bahamas. Unfortunately for Mr. Kamon, money leaves a trail, and IRS Criminal Investigation is the best in the world at finding and following those trails, and now Mr. Kamon will feel the consequences of his actions.”
“Mr. Kamon ran the law firm’s bank account like a Ponzi scheme and profited handsomely for many years,” said Amir Ehsaei, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI will continue to investigate corruption in the legal profession and will seek to make victims whole.”
From 2004 until December 2020, Kamon was the head of the accounting department at Girardi Keese, a plaintiffs’ personal injury law firm based in downtown Los Angeles. In this position, Kamon worked closely with co-defendant Thomas Vincent Girardi, 85, formerly a resident of Pasadena but who now resides in Seal Beach, as well as other senior lawyers at the law firm.
In December 2020, Girardi Keese’s creditors forced the once-prominent law firm into bankruptcy proceedings. The law firm dissolved in January 2021 and the State Bar of California disbarred Girardi in July 2022. On August 27, a federal jury in Los Angeles found Girardi guilty of four counts of wire fraud. Girardi’s sentencing hearing is expected to occur in the coming months.
In addition to supervising the law firm’s accounting department, Kamon oversaw facilitating payment of the law firm’s expenses. Kamon had a duty to keep accurate books and records of Girardi Keese, including accounting of money held in its attorney-client trust accounts. Typically, Girardi determined and directed which clients would be paid, how much they would be paid, when they would be paid, and signed all outgoing checks to clients. Kamon had signatory authority on additional Girardi Keese operating accounts.
From at least 2010 until December 2020, Girardi and Kamon schemed to defraud Girardi Keese clients out of their settlement money, using the misappropriated funds to pay the law firm’s payroll, the law firm’s credit card bills, and to pay Girardi and Kamon’s personal expenses.
Specifically, one Girardi Keese victim-client suffered severe burns all over his body when a natural gas pipeline exploded in San Bruno, California in September 2010. Girardi negotiated a $53 million settlement of the case without the client’s prior approval and told the client the case settled for just over $7 million. Per the terms of the settlement, $25 million was invested into an annuity. The remaining $28 million was wired into a Girardi Keese client trust account in January 2013. Girardi, aided and abetted by Kamon, misappropriated, and embezzled that client’s settlement money and used the funds to pay other Girardi Keese expenses and liabilities unrelated to this client, including payments to other law firm clients whose own settlement funds previously had been misappropriated by Girardi and others.
To prevent the victim from discovering Girardi’s embezzlement, Girardi lied to the client by saying the funds had been transferred into a separate interest-bearing account. In fact, no such transfers had been made and no such interest-bearing account containing these funds existed.
Girardi and Kamon sent lulling payments to the victim as “interest payments” deriving from the purported interest-bearing account. In July 2019, they sent the victim a $2.5 million check, purportedly as disbursement of the victim’s settlement funds. In fact, Girardi and Kamon knew these settlement proceeds belonged to other Girardi Keese clients. Girardi already had spent the victim’s settlement funds through disbursements unrelated to the victim’s case.
In a separate criminal case, Kamon admitted to running a years-long scheme in which he embezzled Girardi Keese funds for his personal enrichment. From at least 2013 to December 2020, Kamon utilized co-schemers to pose as “vendors” who were providing goods and services to the law firm. Kamon caused the supposed vendors to issue fraudulent invoices to Girardi Keese for goods and services that they purportedly provided to the law firm.
Kamon caused Girardi Keese to pay the amounts due on the fraudulent invoices. In fact, the law firm was paying the “vendors” for Kamon’s personal benefit, including for construction projects at his homes in Palos Verdes and Encino.
According to evidence presented at the recent trial of Tom Girardi, part of Kamon’s scheme involved payments to a female companion amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars, including a monthly stipend of $20,000, out of the Girardi Keese operating accounts despite the woman having no employment relationship with Girardi Keese.
Kamon – along with Girardi and David R. Lira, Girardi’s son-in-law and a former Girardi Keese lawyer – also faces federal fraud charges in Chicago. Trial in that case is scheduled for July 14.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Scott Paetty of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case. Assistant United States Attorney Tara Vavere of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling asset forfeiture matters in this effort.
Federal Prosecutors Charge This Week 21 Defendants with Being Illegal Aliens Found in the United States Following RemovalRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal prosecutors working alongside with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal law enforcement partners have filed charges against 21 defendants in the last week who allegedly were found in the U.S. following removal, the Justice Department announced today.
Many of the defendants charged were previously convicted of felony offenses prior to their removal from the United States, including alien smuggling, burglary, grand theft, and assault with a deadly weapon.
The crime of being found in the United States following removal carries a base sentence of up to two years in federal prison. Defendants who were removed after being convicted of a felony face a maximum 10-year sentence and defendants removed after being convicted of an aggravated felony face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.
Some of the recently filed cases are summarized below:
- David Casas-Herrera, 45, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal. Casas-Herrera was removed from the U.S. in 1997, 2001, twice in 2003, twice in 2004, 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2022. His criminal history includes convictions in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of California in 2006 and 2022 of alien smuggling, for which he was sentenced to 15 months and 21 months in federal prison, respectively. He also has two prior convictions for being an illegal alien found in the U.S. following removal: in Arizona federal court in 2003 and in San Diego federal court 2010 for which he was sentenced to terms of 60 days in prison each time. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Scally of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.
- Marta Stoican, 40, of Romania, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal. Stoican, who was removed from the U.S. in 2022, was charged after being arrested by the Baldwin Park Police Department on suspicion of burglary on April 5. Stoican has a criminal history that includes convictions in 2017 for grand theft, possession of shoplifting gear, and theft. Special Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Bisland of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
- Juan Solorzano Reyes, 40, of Mexico, who was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal. Reyes, who was removed from the U.S. in 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2013, and 2020, was charged after being convicted in Orange County Superior Court in 2011 of possession for sale of methamphetamine, for which he was sentenced to four years in California state prison, and in 2022 of assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats, and vandalism, for which he was sentenced to 180 days in California state prison. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Staples of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.
Criminal complaints contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating these matters.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Fairfax PCP trafficker sentenced to a decade in prison after fleeing justiceRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute Phencyclidine (PCP) and distribution of PCP after fleeing arrest and living under a fake name as a fugitive for nearly eight years.
According to court documents, Otis Chevalier, 46, was a kilogram-level dealer who shipped PCP through the mail from California to Virginia and elsewhere. To avoid detection, Chevalier sent PCP-laden packages to the residences of the mothers of his children, rather than his own residence. After retrieving the packages of PCP, he redistributed it. Chevalier utilized a storage unit in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, to store, prepare, and repackage PCP for redistribution. Chevalier used solvents, including starter fluid, to prepare the PCP for distribution, and used various paraphernalia, including liquid droppers and Mason-style glass jars, in the repackaging of PCP.
On June 6, 2015, U.S. Postal Inspectors responded to a report of a leaking parcel shipped from California to an apartment in Alexandria. The parcel contained multiple Mason-style jars containing approximately two gallons of PCP. On Dec. 11, 2015, Chevalier shipped three packages from California to Virginia and Maryland. On Dec. 18, 2015, U.S. Postal Inspectors seized one of the packages, which had been mailed to an address in Chantilly. The parcel contained approximately 6.5 kilograms of a mixture containing PCP.
On Feb. 18, 2016, law enforcement searched Chevalier's residence in Fairfax and located marijuana, syringe-style droppers with PCP residue, three starter fluid cans, multiple cellphones, and $27,704. On Jan. 4, 2017, law enforcement searched Chevalier's storage unit and seized multiple containers holding two to three gallons of PCP. Agents also seized material used to prepare and process PCP, including masks, pumps, and droppers.
On Jan. 5, 2017, a federal magistrate judge issued a warrant for Chevalier’s arrest. After Chevalier’s attorney notified him of the pending arrest warrant on federal charges, Chevalier fled to avoid prosecution, using the alias Delone Jones, and remained a fugitive until his arrest on Aug. 29, 2024.
Chevalier was previously convicted of a felony drug charge involving PCP. In that case, Chevalier was found to have caused a residential explosion in Bowie, Maryland.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and Fairfax County Police Department, Reston District, assisted in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Call 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-228.
Executive Director of In-Home Care Business Found Guilty of Failing to Pay Quarterly Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio - A federal jury has convicted Michael Roberts, 38, of Mentor, Ohio, of not paying required employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). After a two-day trial, Roberts was found guilty on two counts of failure to account for and pay over taxes.
According to court documents, Roberts was the executive director and co-owner of Progressive Alternatives, an in-home care business that served individuals with developmental disabilities throughout Lake and Ashtabula Counties. The business was initially purchased by Roberts’s spouse, Larry Keith Gildersleeve III, 43, also of Mentor, in February 2011. Within several years Roberts assumed responsibility for the business’s payroll and day-to-day financial operations, and he assumed the title of co-owner of the business beginning in 2014.
Businesses are required to comply with IRS statutes and regulations such as withholding amounts for Social Security, Medicare taxes, and federal income taxes from employees’ gross pay. Employers typically hold these amounts in trust until they submit payments each quarter as required by federal law by using Form 941, “Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return.”
Investigators found that Progressive Alternatives’ records showed that payroll checks issued by Roberts did reflect appropriate withholdings from employees’ wages. The withholdings were also reflected on W-2 forms that the employees received. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Progressive Alternatives never filed W-2 forms for employees, nor did they submit any Form 941 with quarterly payments.
In late 2017, an employee who was preparing to retire was informed by the Social Security Administration that Progressive Alternatives had not paid required payroll taxes over to the IRS. Although Roberts was made aware of this and taxes were withheld from employee paychecks, he did not submit payments to the IRS. At trial, the defendant was determined to be guilty of not paying taxes for quarters ending Dec. 31, 2017, in the amount of $112,616.50, and March 31, 2018, in the amount of $114,070.75.
Gildersleeve pleaded guilty Oct. 17, 2024, to eight counts of failure to account for and pay over taxes, including the two quarters for which Roberts was also found guilty of failing to pay. The remaining counts included the quarters ending June 30, 2018, in the amount of $114,070.75; Sept. 30, 2018, in the amount of $114,070.75; Dec. 31, 2018, in the amount of $114,070.75; March 31 2019, in the amount of $41,356.00; June 30, 2019, in the amount of $41,356.00; and Sept. 30, 2019, in the amount of $41,356.00.
Roberts’ sentencing is scheduled for July 17, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Gildersleeve’s sentencing is scheduled for April 22, 2025, and he faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
A federal district court judge will determine each defendant’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The IRS-Criminal Investigation Division investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erica D. Barnhill and Brett S. Hammond prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.
About the Northern District of Ohio
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio covers the 40 northern-most counties in the state of Ohio, which is home to nearly six million people. The office operates from its main headquarters in Cleveland, with additional branches in Akron, Toledo, and Youngstown. The U.S. Attorney serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer in the District and oversees the prosecution of federal crimes and protect victims’ rights.
Dunn County Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years for Trafficking Fentanyl and Crystal MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Dunn County man was sentenced Wednesday to more than 12 years (151 months) in prison for possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Zachary Antoine Williams aka “Fendi”, age 23, pled guilty to the offense on December 13, 2024.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Williams was stopped by law enforcement in Four Oaks, North Carolina on September 18, 2023. Law enforcement searched Williams’ car and found digital scales, fentanyl powder, and drug paraphernalia. In addition, between September 2023 and January 2024, law enforcement conducted five undercover purchases of crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl from Williams. The evidence also showed Williams sold $1,500 of heroin per week since at least January 2022. In January 2024, law enforcement searched William’s house and found two loaded pistols, $3,445 in U.S. currency, and digital scales.
Williams has a prior felony conviction for conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Dunn Police Department investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Aria Q. Merle prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-00164.
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Drug User who Bought Firearms for His Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who bought seven firearms for his drug dealer was sentenced on April 10, 2025, to more than one year in federal prison.
Desmond Staggers, age 26, from Iowa City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 10, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of firearms by an unlawful user of controlled substance.
Information from Staggers’s plea and sentencing hearings showed that over a period of months in 2023 and 2024, Staggers purchased seven firearms. At the time he bought the firearms, Staggers was a user of and addicted to heroin and fentanyl. Staggers bought the firearms at the direction of his drug dealer, and after buying them, gave them directly to the dealer.
Staggers was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Staggers was sentenced to 23 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Staggers was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-0084.
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Department of Justice Terminates Environmental Justice Settlement Agreement, Advancing President Trump’s Mandate to End Illegal DEI and Environmental Justice PoliciesRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice announced that that its Civil Rights Division will immediately close an “environmental justice” matter. Effective immediately, the division will terminate the environmental justice settlement agreement that stemmed from the investigation launched by the previous administration targeting Lowndes County, Alabama.
This directive follows President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order 14151, “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing,” which forbids federal agencies from pursuing programs or initiatives related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, including those related to “environmental justice.”
“The DOJ will no longer push ‘environmental justice’ as viewed through a distorting, DEI lens,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “President Trump made it clear: Americans deserve a government committed to serving every individual with dignity and respect, and to expending taxpayer resources in accordance with the national interest, not arbitrary criteria.”
Today’s closure is another step this Administration has taken to eradicate illegal DEI preferences and environmental justice across the government and in the private sector. The Department is working quickly to close such cases in compliance with the Attorney General’s directive.
Del Rio Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Del Rio man was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison for production of child pornography.
According to court documents, Hector Sanchez, 33, used his Facebook account to contact a 13-year-old female in October 2020. Sanchez demanded that the child send him explicitly nude photos, which she eventually did, and told her he was going to purchase condoms. On Oct. 6, 2020, he met the child victim outside her house and later messaged that he wished she wasn’t so young so that they wouldn’t “have to hide.” He also told her to ensure she deleted their conversations. On Oct. 26, Sanchez sent the child nude photos and a sexually explicit video of himself.
On Nov. 23, 2020, Homeland Security Investigations received information originating from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding suspected child exploitation in violation of federal law. The following day, agents were able to conduct a forensic interview with the child victim. Sanchez pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography on July 21, 2023.
“Sanchez knowingly and deliberately befriended a minor over social media with full intent to develop a discreet sexual relationship with her,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “I am very grateful for the involvement of NCMEC and our law enforcement partners in this case. Because of the systems and processes available to us and our capabilities to investigate and prosecute crimes against children, Sanchez will spend the next three decades paying for his actions in federal prison.”
“This lengthy sentence is a testament to the disgusting nature of child exploitation crimes, particularly the production of child pornography,” said ICE HSI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig S. Larrabee. “HSI agents make it a priority to protect vulnerable children from victimization by working with their law enforcement partners to investigate predators involved with the possession and distribution of child pornography and ensure they are held accountable for their actions.”
HSI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nallely Duarte and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Rex Beasley prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Deadly Illegal Alien Smuggling Venture Leads to Federal Prison Sentence for Cuban NationalRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Today, a federal district judge in Miami sentenced a 25-year-old woman who was in the country unlawfully to seven-and-a-half years in prison for her role in a for-profit scheme to illegally smuggle 18 Cubans by boat from the island, across the Florida straits, and into the United States. Sixteen people died during the trip.
Yaquelin Dominguez-Nieves pleaded guilty to alien smuggling conspiracy and related charges on January 21, 2025.
The Facts: Dominguez-Nieves is a Cuban national who entered the United States illegally in October 2022. A month later, she and a boyfriend arranged to illegally smuggle 18 Cubans by boat from the island, through the Florida straits, and into the United States at Florida’s coast. They would charge admission for the trip. In the weeks leading up to it, for example, Dominguez-Nieves collected over $11,500 from South Florida family members of the to-be-smuggled Cuban aliens.
On November 16, 2024, the smugglers’ fishing boat left Playa Jaimanitas, Cuba toward South Florida with about 18 aliens onboard. It sank approximately 30 miles into the trip, killing 16 identified people, many of whom were children. Three of their bodies washed up in Monroe County, Florida. Cause of death: drowning. According to two survivors, the boat was too small for 18 people, did not carry lifejackets, and its captain did not seem to know what he was doing.
U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom imposed a sentence higher than that recommended by the advisory federal sentencing guidelines due to the severity of the offense.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. Margelot of the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), Southeast Field Office announced the sentence.
CGIS Southeast Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West, the U.S. Border Patrol, the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller is prosecuting this 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).
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-CR-20223.
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