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Wednesday 9 April 2025
New Haven Man Sentenced to Prison for Distributing Narcotics While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ZAQUAWN ARRINGTON, also known as “Dreads,” 25, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 14 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl and crack cocaine, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release that followed a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2022, Arrington began serving a three-year term of supervised release, which followed a federal conviction for a crack cocaine distribution offense. Between October and December 2022, investigators made controlled purchases of fentanyl and crack cocaine from Arrington and his associates.
Arrington was arrested on February 17, 2023. On March 20, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, controlled substances. He has been detained since January 2, 2025, when his bond was revoked.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and the New Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Naugatuck Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for $865K Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JENNIFER CORMIER, 45, of Naugatuck, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 25 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for embezzling approximately $865,000 from her employer.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Cormier was employed at a family-owned business (“Company A”) offering plumbing, heating, and air conditioning services in Naugatuck, where she performed bookkeeping and other office-related tasks. Between approximately 2017 and July 2023, Cormier stole from her employer by fraudulently creating approximately 1,000 checks made payable to her and to “cash.” She forged the signature of Company A’s owner or used the owner’s signature stamp on the checks, and then cashed them or deposited them into her personal bank account. After the checks were issued, she deleted the transaction in Company A’s accounting system. Through this scheme, Cormier embezzled $865,106.17.
Judge Oliver ordered Cormier to make full restitution.
On September 27, 2024, Cormier pleaded guilty to bank fraud.
Cormier, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on May 9.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Naugatuck Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.
Michigan Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Return and Employment Tax CrimeRead the Press Release
A Michigan man pleaded guilty today to filing a false tax return for his international vehicle shipping business along with not paying taxes on cash wages he paid to his employees.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ali Kassem Kain owned and operated a business called Specialized Overseas Shipping that arranged for vehicles to be shipped to West Africa and other destinations for third parties. For tax years 2017 through 2020, Kain underreported the company’s gross receipts by $6.4 million on the business’ tax returns. Kain also did not collect and pay over to the IRS taxes on $249,000 in cash wages he paid to his employees.
Kain faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the employment tax offense and a maximum penalty of three years in prison for filing a false tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Leitman for the Eastern District of Michigan scheduled sentencing for Aug. 14.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI Detroit Field Office are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Richard J. Kelley and Jeffrey A. McLellan of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Mexican man pleads guilty to illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Abraham Ulises Jimenez-Licona, 38, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to reentry of removed alien. Jimenez-Licona was then sentenced to serve six months in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew J. Henning and Sasha Mascarenhas, who handled the case, stated that in May 2012, Jimenez-Licona was ordered removed from the United States by an immigration judge in Batavia, NY. In addition to the May 2012, removal, he was also ordered removed and was subsequently removed in 2021 following a violent assault. On February 6, 2025, Jimenez-Licona was found in the Town of Amherst, NY.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
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Mexican National Illegally Present in the Country Charged with Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Alex Huerta-Sanchez, a Mexican national residing in Faribault, Minnesota, has been charged with attempted enticement of a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, on March 14, 2025, Alex Misael Huerta-Sanchez, 31, attempted to entice a minor under the age of 18 years old to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Huerta-Sanchez was illegally present in the United States at the time of his crime.
The indictment charges Huerta-Sanchez with one count of enticement of a minor. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court today before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty, who ordered that he remain in custody pending further court proceedings.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of sexual predators—particularly those who would prey on minors,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “I am grateful to the Bloomington Police Department, to Homeland Security Investigations, and to all law enforcement officers who use undercover operations to identify and arrest child sex predators to prevent them from abusing real children.”
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bloomington Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Evans is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
McCurtain County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dale Warren Gribnitz, age 66, of Valliant, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.00.
The Indictment charged Gribnitz with knowingly possessing a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun on October 20, 2024, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Valliant Police Department, the Choctaw County Sheriff's Office, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Gribnitz will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Soverly represented the United States.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to More Than a Year in Prison for DogfightingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hanson, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possessing dogs at his Massachusetts home for participation in a dogfighting venture.
John D. Murphy, 51, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to one year and one day in prison, with the last three months to be served in community confinement, followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay a fine of $10,000 and ordered prohibited from possessing pit-bull type dogs. In November 2024, Murphy pleaded guilty to nine counts of possessing animals for use in an animal fighting venture, in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Murphy was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024.
“Dogfighting is a blood sport rooted in cruelty and greed. For years, Mr. Murphy brutalized defenseless animals for profit and sport – training them to fight, suffer and die for his own financial gain. His actions were not only illegal but deeply disturbing,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “This sentencing marks a historic moment in the first federal dogfighting conviction in Massachusetts and serves as a stark warning: those who engage in this barbaric practice will be exposed, prosecuted and punished. We will not tolerate animal cruelty in our communities.”
“Dog fighting is a brutal and inhumane form of entertainment and is associated with other organized criminal activity, including illegal gambling,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We are committed to holding violators accountable. We commend the collaboration between federal and multiple state and local law enforcement agencies in investigating and prosecuting this case.”
“The Office of Inspector General is committed to working with all of our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in pursuing individuals who choose to participate in animal fighting activities and engage in violations involving animal welfare,” said Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region.
In 2021, Murphy was identified discussing dogfighting on recorded calls with a New York-based dogfighting target. A subsequent search of his Facebook accounts revealed Murphy’s years-long involvement in dogfighting. Murphy communicated with other dogfighters via Facebook where they discussed the results of dogfights, injuries sustained by fighting dogs, as well as breeding dogs. Murphy also belonged to private dogfighting Facebook groups used to share fight results, buy and sell fighting dogs and exchange information on training and conditioning fighting dogs, among other things.
Photos and videos found on Murphy’s Facebook account showed a pit bull-type dog with scarring and discolorations on its head and leg consistent with that of dogfighting as well as a photo of a pit bull-type dog restrained in a breeding stand. Videos from his account showed pit bull-type dogs physically tethered to different treadmill-like devices that dogfighters commonly use to physically condition dogs for dogfights. One of the videos depicted a live raccoon caged in front of the carpet mill, to serve as a stimulus for the pit bull-type dog to run faster and harder.
In June 2023, a search of Murphy’s residence in Hanson revealed that he was keeping nine pit bull-type dogs at his home. Several of the dogs had scarring consistent with being involved in organized dogfighting.
Animal fighting paraphernalia was also found during the search of Murphy’s residence, including:
- Flirt poles, used to entice a dog to chase a stimulus;
- Spring poles, used to build a dog’s jaw strength and increase aggression;
- Several treadmills, slat mills and carpet mills, used to condition dogs to build stamina and muscle;
- A jenny mill, used to develop a dog’s endurance and musculature by enticing the animal to run on a circular track;
- Rabbit training scent for dogs;
- Break sticks, used to force a dog’s bite open, specifically at the termination of a fight or while training;
- A dog bite sleeve;
- Disposable skin staplers, used to attempt to close wounds resulting from dogfights;
- Several types of steroids and painkillers;
- Fertility medications and a breeding stand, used to restrain female dogs during breeding;
- Printouts of fighting dog pedigrees; and
- Dog fighting literature, DVDs and CD-ROMs.
A forensic examination of Murphy’s cell phone revealed significant additional evidence of his involvement in dogfighting. This included multiple dog fighting videos and WhatsApp messages between Murphy and other individuals discussing elements of dog fighting. In one of the messages, Murphy expressed his anger over having animal control called to his property and the 25 years he invested in breeding and conditioning dogs, and asserting that he will “never never never” quit what he is doing with the dogs.
In March 2024, the United States also filed a civil forfeiture complaint against 13 pit bull-type dogs, seized in June 2023 from Murphy’s residence and another residence in Townsend, Mass., that were possessed for participation in an animal fighting venture. In September and October 2024, the Court ordered the dogs to be forfeited to the United States.
To report animal fighting crimes, please contact your local law enforcement or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General complaint hotline at: https://usdaoig.oversight.gov/hotline or 1-800-424-9121.
U.S. Attorney Foley; ENRD Acting AAG Gustafson; USDA-OIG SAC Parker; Geoffrey D. Noble, Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Karen L. LoStracco, Director of the Animal Rescue League of Boston – Law Enforcement Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Marshal’s Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; Maine State Police; New Hampshire State Police; Massachusetts Office of the State Auditor; Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; and the Hanson, Boston and Acton Police Departments.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danial E. Bennett and Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office and Trial Attorney Matthew T. Morris of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), Environmental Crimes Section, prosecuted the case. Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Caitlyn F. Cook of ENRD’s Wildlife and Marine Resources Section are prosecuting the civil forfeiture case.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Dog FightingRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, with the final three months to be served in community confinement, after pleading guilty to nine counts of possessing animals for use in an animal fighting venture, in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act.
John D. Murphy, of Hanson, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay a $10,000 fine. He was indicted by a federal grand jury last year after being identified on recorded calls discussing dog fighting and subsequent court-authorized searches of his Facebook accounts which revealed a long involvement in dog fighting. Law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Murphy’s Hanson residence in June 2023 and seized numerous items — like various breeding and training devices and literature and medical and veterinary supplies — associated with dog fighting.
USDA-OIG Photos of dogs running on treadmills found in Murphy’s basement; from sentencing memo in United States v. John Murphy, 24-cr-10074 in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. USDA-OIG Photo of dog fighting paraphernalia, including break sticks, seized in Murphy’s basement; from sentencing memo in United States v. John Murphy, 24-cr-10074 in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.“Dog fighting is a brutal and inhumane form of entertainment and is associated with other organized criminal activity, including illegal gambling,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We are committed to holding violators accountable. We commend the collaboration between federal and multiple state and local law enforcement agencies in investigating and prosecuting this case.”
“Dogfighting is a blood sport rooted in cruelty and greed. For years, Mr. Murphy brutalized defenseless animals for profit and sport – training them to fight, suffer and die for his own financial gain. His actions were not only illegal but deeply disturbing,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “This sentencing marks a historic moment in the first federal dogfighting conviction in Massachusetts and serves as a stark warning: those who engage in this barbaric practice will be exposed, prosecuted and punished. We will not tolerate animal cruelty in our communities.”
“The Office of Inspector General is committed to working with all of our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in pursuing individuals who choose to participate in animal fighting activities and engage in violations involving animal welfare,” said Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Office of Inspector General.
To report animal fighting crimes, please contact your local law enforcement or the USDA’s Office of Inspector General complaint hotline at: https://usdaoig.oversight.gov/hotline or 1-800-424-9121.
The USDA’s Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Law Enforcement Division; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; USMS; Maine State Police; New Hampshire State Police; Massachusetts Office of the State Auditor; Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the police departments of Hanson, Boston and Acton.
Senior Trial Attorney Matthew T. Morris of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danial E. Bennett and Kaitlin J. Brown for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case.
Martin County Man Sentenced for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A North Carolina man was sentenced today to more than 16 years imprisonment (201 months) followed by 30 years of supervised release for Distribution of Child Pornography.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Alexander Madison Chambers, age 26 of Martin County, was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security. An undercover agent from Homeland Security saw that Chambers was messaging on an application distributing child sexual abuse materials in a group chat. The under-cover agent began chatting in private messages with Chambers, where Chambers claimed to have sexually abused a child with whom he had contact. Additionally, Chambers expressed a desire to sexually abuse the undercover agent’s purported 4-year-old child.
As a result of this undercover investigation, HSI agents executed a search warrant on Chambers’ residence in Williamston, which resulted in numerous devices being seized. On those devices, law enforcement found images and videos of child pornography. Additionally, law enforcement found a messaging application commonly used for trading child sexual abuse material. On this messaging application, law enforcement found the conversations where Chambers’ distributed child pornography to the undercover agent as well as to other users on the platform.
“When Chambers distributed sexual abuse material of children, he perpetuated the victims’ trauma and abuse, which simply will not be tolerated,” Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar stated. “It remains a top priority of our office to investigate and prosecute those who distribute these horrific materials that victimize children. We appreciate the good work of the Homeland Security Investigations, who brought Chambers to justice.”
“The sentencing of this individual should serve as a clear message: HSI and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting children and bringing to justice those who exploit them,” said Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte, which oversees North and South Carolina. “There is no place in our communities for those who traffic in child sexual abuse material. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to identify offenders, hold them accountable, and safeguard the most vulnerable members of our society.”
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 Department of Homeland Security investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson 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. 7:24-CR-62-FL-RN.
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Marshall County Couple Both Sentenced to Prison for COVID PPP FraudRead the Press Release
Aberdeen, MS – U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Lakisha Pearson, 48, and Robert Pearson, 54, both of Holly Springs, Mississippi, yesterday in connection with their leadership role in a multi-million-dollar PPP fraud scheme. Judge Aycock sentenced Lakisha Pearson to a 75-month jail sentence to run consecutively to a previous 52-month sentence, totaling 127 months, and Robert Pearson to a 110-month sentence for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud in connection with fraudulent PPP loans. Judge Aycock also ordered the Pearsons to repay $3,364,052 in restitution.
The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other related business expenses. The Pearsons owned Unity Tax Express and helped numerous individuals file for and receive fraudulent PPP loans in return for a kickback. The PPP loan applications included false information regarding the number of employees and the extent of the claimed business operations.
In a related prosecution in January of this year, U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Lakisha Pearson to a 52-month jail sentence for mail fraud in connection with falsely claimed IRS Employee Retention Tax Credit for others. Judge Mills also ordered Pearson to repay $15,942,586.77 in restitution in that case.
“These defendants are thieves who used a national crisis to steal money from the American people, and they richly deserved the sentences that were handed down,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “I want to state unequivocally that this case should serve as a reminder to those who committed PPP fraud that investigations into your criminal acts have not ended, and will not end, until we uncover all of those in our district who defrauded the American people during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“This sentencing demonstrates the commitment of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to investigate and bring to justice those who victimize the American taxpayer," said Joel Weaver, TIGTA Special Agent-in-Charge. “Fraudulently applying for loans through a federal program meant to assist Americans in need will be met with aggressive investigation and prosecution. I want to thank our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney's Office for their commitment to this goal.”
Special Agent in Charge Mark Switzer with the U.S. Secret Service Memphis Field Office stated “Both the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program were established to ensure employees of small businesses did not lose their jobs during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Individuals preying on the generosity these programs provided, stole money from the US taxpayers for personal gain without regard to the economic losses felt throughout the country. Yesterday’s sentencing demonstrates those who stole from COVID-19 relief programs for personal gain will be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The Secret Service continues to work steadfastly with our partners in the Internal Revenue Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect and safeguard the nation’s financial infrastructure.”
“When we advise taxpayers to do their research to avoid engaging with unscrupulous tax preparers, the individuals sentenced yesterday are the example,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Those who defrauded the programs under the CARES Act are still being held accountable. IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners will continue investigating and forwarding to the U.S. Attorney’s Office these individuals for prosecution.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Roberts prosecuted the case on behalf of U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, IRS Criminal Investigation Division, and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud.
Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Discharging a Firearm in Neighborhood in DubuqueRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who discharged a firearm in a residential neighborhood in Dubuque, Iowa, in April 2024 was sentenced on April 8, 2025, to three years in federal prison.
Datreon Adams, age 30, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 19, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, Adams admitted to unlawfully possessing a firearm. Information at those hearings showed that Adams drove through a Dubuque neighborhood discharging the firearm before returning to his motel. Officers subsequently located the firearm in Adams’ motel room and determined he was a felon. Adams did not strike anyone or anything while discharging the firearm.
Adams was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Adams was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two-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.
Adams is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations, and 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-1023.
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Large Check Fraud Scheme Leader Sentenced to More Than Nine Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Tianna Cosby, aka “Mendoza,” 24, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, to 114 months in federal prison. In October 2024, Cosby pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentencing with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Kathleen Woodson, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) – Mid Atlantic Field Office; and Chief Malik Aziz, Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to the guilty plea, beginning in March 2021, and continuing through at least August 2021, Cosby conspired with Marche Sisco, 26, of Suitland, Maryland; Tommi Cosby, 21, of District Heights, Maryland; Biniah Carter, 24, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; and Zion Oluwademilade Adeduwon, 22, of Bowie, Maryland, in a wide-ranging fraud conspiracy. Co-conspirators defrauded financial institutions by stealing checkds from the mail, altering and falsifying those checks, and then depositing the altered checks with financial institutions.
The conspiracy victimized more than 900 individuals, stealing more than 700 checks, totaling a face value of more than $5 million. Tianna Cosby, the leader of the conspiracy, acquired checks by stealing them from USPS collection boxes or receiving them from Sisco, who stole checks from the Washington Network Distribution Center (NDC), located in Capitol Heights, Maryland. The NDC was a USPS facility responsible for sorting and distributing mail from across the United States.
After the checks were procured, Tianna Cosby, Tommi Cosby, Sisco, Carter, and Adeduwon recruited and caused the recruitment of account mules; collected banking information and the account mules’ identification; transferred and exchanged the banking information and the account mules’ identification; and used, transferred, and possessed the identity theft victims’ identification.
The co-conspirators also altered personal and business checks to reflect payments to account mules; deposited altered and fraudulent checks into bank accounts belonging to account mules; and obtained proceeds from altered and fraudulent checks by engaging in various monetary transactions to withdraw the proceeds, including through ATM cash withdrawals and peer-to-peer financial transfers.
Tianna Cosby then laundered the fraud proceeds by having them sent to intermediary bank accounts that the co-conspirators controlled, allowing her to conceal the nature, source, and destination of the fraud proceeds. The lead conspirator then had the money transferred to business accounts she controlled, including a Bank of America account in the name of “Santos Detailing,” and a Bank of America account in the name of “Spectrum Dynamics.” Both Santos Detailing and Spectrum Dynamics were shell companies that Tianna Cosby opened for the purpose of laundering fraud proceeds.
On January 19, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant of Tianna Cosby’s residence in Woodbridge, Virginia. Inside the residence, authorities recovered 27 designer handbags and 14 pieces of jewelry, including rings, necklaces, bracelets, brooches, and a wristwatch. The jewelry and the designer handbags were purchased with proceeds from the fraud scheme.
The jewelry and designer handbags were subsequently professionally appraised and had a combined fair-market value of approximately $137,555, consisting of approximately $113,065 in designer handbags and approximately $24,490 in jewelry.
Additionally, law enforcement located a BMW i8, which Tianna Cosby had purchased for $114,296.02. Inside the BMW i8, law enforcement recovered a Louis Vuitton bag containing 151 checks stolen from the mail, totaling approximately $610,788.08. The checks belonged to victims from across the country.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Prince George’s Police Department Strategic Investigations Division – Financial Crimes Unit for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bijon A. Mostoufi, Ranganath Manthripragada, Elizabeth G. Wright, and John D’Amico, who prosecuted the federal case, and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber, who supported the case.
If you have questions about this case, contact the Mega Victim Case Assistance Program (MCAP) toll free 1-(844) 527-5299 (Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Eastern), or send an email to [email protected].
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
Jury Finds Man Guilty in Shooting at Social Club Which Left an NFL Prospect ParalyzedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Roger Lee Jones, 42, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a Superior Court jury, on April 7, 2025, of one count of assault with intent to kill while armed and other related charges, for shooting a man in retaliation for an earlier dispute at a social club. The verdict was announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and followed a two week trial.
The jury also found Jones guilty of three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of aggravated assault while armed, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of carrying a pistol without a license, one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle, one count of simple assault, one count of fleeing a law enforcement officer, and one count of threats. Superior Court Judge Danya A. Dayson scheduled sentencing for June 13, 2025.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on January 22, 2022, Victim 1 was working as a security guard at Kick Axe Throw Social located in Northeast, DC. Jones was a patron there with his ex-girlfriend and child’s mother, Victim 2. At the establishment, Jones got into an argument with Victim 2, took the keys to Victim 2’s vehicle, and left the bar with the keys. After Jones left the bar, Victim 2 called Jones to ask for the return of her vehicle.
At approximately 12:10 a.m., Jones returned to the front of Kick Axe Throw Social where Victim 2 was waiting. Jones refused to return the keys or the vehicle, and then violently attacked Victim 2 by punching her multiple times in the face. Security staff intervened and stopped Jones’s assault. In response, Jones made threatening statements to the security staff, then left the scene in Victim 2’s vehicle. Victim 1 was not one of the security staff who broke up the fight.
After leaving Kick Axe Throw Social, Jones called an accomplice, who drove to the defendant’s location. Jones and the accomplice then drove back to Kick Axe using the accomplice’s vehicle.
Meanwhile, Victim 2 traveled to her home and called Jones to again ask him to return her vehicle. Jones replied by telling Victim 2 to stay where she was and that he was coming to kill her.
At 1:07 a.m., as Victim 1 was standing by the trunk of his car preparing to leave Kick Axe Throw Social, Jones approached Victim 1 from behind and fired seven shots at him from close range. Victim 1 suffered gunshot wounds to his chest and back and was paralyzed immediately from the waist down. Prior to the incident, Victim 1 was a National Football League (NFL) prospect. The defendant and the accomplice then fled the scene in the accomplice’s vehicle.
At approximately 1:54 a.m., as police officers with the Metropolitan Police Department were assisting Victim 2 by her residence, Victim 2 and the officers spotted her vehicle being operated with its headlights off. Officers immediately began to follow the vehicle with emergency equipment activated, but Jones refused to comply with officer commands to stop the vehicle. Jones was able to make good his escape.
Jones was identified through surveillance footage, cell phone tracking data, vehicle data, and ballistics evidence linking the gun used in this incident to a shooting committed on February 19, 2022, by the accomplice.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of officers and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department who investigated the case. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Dunn and Benjamin Helfand, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Miller and Travis Wolf, who prosecuted the case at trial.
Jury Convicts Two Men of Damaging Rock Formations at National Recreation Area in NevadaRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A federal jury convicted two Henderson, Nev., men today of damaging ancient rock formations at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Nevada.
According to evidence presented and statements made at trial, on April 7, 2024, Wyatt Clifford Fain and Payden David Guy Cosper pushed ancient rock formations over a cliff onto the ground below while on or near the Redstone Dunes Trail at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Following a two-day jury trial, Fain and Cosper were each found guilty of one count of injury and depredation of government property.
United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2025. Fain and Cosper each face a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, or both. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Lake Mead National Recreation Area Superintendent Mike Gauthier made the announcement.
The National Park Service investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Skyler Pearson is prosecuting the case.
If you see something suspicious or if you have information that could help an investigation, call the National Park Service Tip Line at 1-888-653-0009 or submit a tip online to [email protected].
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Junction City Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Repeatedly Possessing and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Junction City, Oregon man with two prior child pornography convictions was sentenced to federal prison today for repeatedly possessing and distributing child pornography online.
Christopher Lyn Sparks, 59, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison and a lifetime term of supervised release.
According to court documents, in 2006 and 2013, Sparks was convicted of federal child pornography charges and violating the terms of his supervised release. In November 2023, following his second release from prison, Sparks was required to serve a lifetime term of supervised release.
In May 2024, officers with the Portland Police Bureau alerted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents to a series of CyberTipline reports related to child sex abuse material from several online social media and messaging platforms including Google, X (formerly Twitter), Tumblr, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok.
Investigators traced multiple accounts from those CyberTips to Sparks and learned he had resumed distributing child sexual abuse material online through these platforms while still under federal supervision. An HSI agent, posing as a person interested in these materials, contacted Sparks through his Telegram account. Sparks exchanged messages with the agent and discussed sexually exploiting children. The agent discovered that Sparks was openly offering to trade and advertising child pornography using his Telegram account. On June 11, 2024, Sparks was arrested after agents executed a federal search warrant and seized his phone, which contained child pornography.
On July 9, 2024, Sparks was charged by criminal information with possessing and distributing child pornography. On December 11, 2024, he pleaded guilty to both charges.
This case was investigated by HSI with assistance from the FBI and the Portland Police Bureau. It was prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Iowa Man Sentenced for Selling Shotgun and Methamphetamine in OmahaRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that William Lewis, Jr., 32, of Glenwood, Iowa, was sentenced on April 9, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for distribution of methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Lewis to 135 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Lewis’s release from prison, he will begin a four-year term of supervised release.
On June 5, 2023, Lewis sold a 12-gauge shotgun to an individual cooperating with law enforcement in Omaha. Lewis was a convicted felon prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms. On June 8, 2023, Lewis sold the cooperator 91.4 grams of methamphetamine in Omaha.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Omaha Police Department.
Iowa Man Sentenced for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – An Iowa man was sentenced today for bank fraud.
Roger Dean Peters, 71, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to twelve months and one day in federal prison.
Peters pleaded guilty to a single count of bank fraud on May 30, 2024. In his plea agreement, he admitted that he had kited checks between accounts at Exchange Bank of Missouri and First National Bank of Hampton, Iowa, creating fictitious balances that he perpetuated by continuing to write more and more checks. When the scheme collapsed, the bank estimated the total overdraft amount to be $2,882,904.20, exclusive of unpaid fees and other expenses. During the same time, Peters also held a line of credit, and used an intermediary to make fraudulent claims on the line of credit.
Peters’s sentence also included a two year term of supervised release, and an order of restitution.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
ISIS Supporter Sentenced to over 19 Years in Prison for Recruiting for ISIS, Obstruction, and Attempting to Flee JusticeRead the Press Release
A Brooklyn woman, Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, 30, a U.S. citizen, was sentenced today to serve 230 months in prison for three separately charged crimes: conspiring to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization; obstructing justice while released on bail pending sentencing; and failing to appear for court as required when she attempted to flee the United States. Ceasar pleaded guilty to the material support charge in February 2017, to the obstruction of justice charge in March 2019, and to the failure to appear charge in October 2022.
“Today’s re-sentencing marks the end of a righteous journey that began a decade ago,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Terrorist organizations like ISIS rely on recruiters like Ceasar to attract, indoctrinate, and enlist new followers. The Department is committed to holding accountable those who seek to follow a similar path. Today was made possible by our prosecutors, staff, and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. We are grateful for their tireless pursuit of justice in this case.”
“With today’s sentence, Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, an unrepentant ISIS recruiter, will be incarcerated for a significant period of time to protect Americans here and abroad from her violent extremism,” said U.S. Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York. “Even after pleading guilty to providing material support to ISIS, the defendant continued to support terrorists, obstructed justice and fled from prosecution. This office, together with the FBI, the NYPD, and all the members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, works tirelessly to pursue and hold accountable all those who support terrorism.”
“Ceasar pleaded guilty to helping ISIS, yet she continued on the same path by communicating with other ISIS supporters, “said Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Her actions demonstrate a failure to truly accept responsibility for her actions, and she ultimately cut off her electronic monitoring device and went on the run. Ceasar’s efforts failed and with today’s sentencing she is being held accountable for her criminal actions.”
Between January 2016 and November 2016, Ceasar used numerous social media accounts to praise, promote, and support ISIS and violent jihad and to disseminate ISIS propaganda. Ceasar posted under a variety of names, including her nom de guerre, or war name, “Umm Nutella,” which translates to “Mother of Nutella.” Ceasar developed contacts with ISIS members overseas, recruited individuals in the United States to travel overseas to join and fight for ISIS, and used her contacts with ISIS facilitators to attempt to help at least five people from the United States join ISIS abroad. Ceasar also expressed her own desire to travel to ISIS-controlled territory to join the group and die as a martyr.
In November 2016, Ceasar was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport as she prepared to board an international flight, which was to be the first leg of her journey to join ISIS. Ceasar pleaded guilty in February 2017 to conspiring to provide material support and resources to ISIS and agreed to cooperate with the government’s investigations of ISIS members and supporters.
In April 2018, Ceasar was released on bail, subject to court-ordered conditions of release. However, she violated those conditions, and her cooperation agreement with the government, by reconnecting with individuals she had identified to the government as supporters of ISIS. Ceasar attempted to conceal these communications from the government and the court, attempted to delete more than 1,000 electronic communications, and lied to the government about her conduct. The court revoked Ceasar’s bail in July 2018. Ceasar pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding in March 2019.
In June 2019, the late U.S. District Judge Jack B. Weinstein sentenced Ceasar to 48 months in prison for the material support and obstruction offenses, and the government appealed. In August 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated the sentence imposed by Judge Weinstein, calling it “shockingly low, and unsupportable as a matter of law,” and sent the case back to the district court for resentencing.
While the appeal was pending, however, Ceasar completed serving this 48-month sentence in July 2020, and began serving an eight-year term of supervised release. Almost immediately after her release, Ceasar began to repeatedly violate the conditions of her supervision by downloading and using phone apps that she failed to report to the Probation Department, recontacting and communicating with ISIS supporters, soliciting funds from ISIS supporters, communicating with convicted felons, using extremist language, and deleting the evidence of her violations of these conditions of supervision.
In August 2021, after the Second Circuit issued its decision remanding her case for resentencing, Ceasar fled. On the day she was scheduled to appear before the Court, Ceasar removed her ankle bracelet location monitoring device, and fled New York City on a cross-country bus trip to New Mexico, setting off a nationwide fugitive investigation that led to her arrest in New Mexico two days later. The evidence established that Ceasar intended to escape the United States and travel to Russia, and that, while fleeing, she used an internet-based messaging application to contact an individual in Afghanistan to seek assistance to travel there. She sought assistance from the individual in Afghanistan in the hours after ISIS Khorasan carried out a bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul that killed hundreds, including 13 members of the U.S. Armed Forces. In connection with her flight from prosecution, Ceasar ultimately pleaded guilty to her third separate felony offense, a charge of failing to appear before the court as required, in October 2022.
After being returned to custody at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons’ Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to await sentencing, Ceasar routinely violated Bureau of Prisons institutional rules, circumvented telephone and email monitoring and use restrictions, and continued to communicate and associate with other ISIS supporters.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian C. Richardson, currently of the National Security Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew D. Reich of the Eastern District of New York’s National Security and Cybercrime Section.
ISIS Supporter Sentenced to 230 Months’ Imprisonment for Recruiting for ISIS, Obstruction, and Attempting to Flee JusticeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, a U.S. citizen, was sentenced to a total term of 230 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto for three separately charged crimes: conspiring to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization; obstructing justice while released on bail pending sentencing; and failing to appear before the court as required when she attempted to flee the United States. Ceasar pleaded guilty to the material support charge in February 2017, to the obstruction charge in March 2019, and to the failure to appear charge in October 2022.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“With today’s sentence, Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, an unrepentant ISIS recruiter, will be incarcerated for a significant period of time to protect Americans here and abroad from her violent extremism,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “Even after pleading guilty to providing material support to ISIS, the defendant continued to support terrorists, obstructed justice and fled from prosecution. This Office, together with the FBI, the NYPD, and all the members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, work tirelessly to pursue and hold accountable all those who support terrorism.”
“Today’s re-sentencing marks the end of a righteous journey that began a decade ago,” stated Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Terrorist organizations like ISIS rely on recruiters like Ceasar to attract, indoctrinate, and enlist new followers. The Department is committed to holding accountable those who seek to follow a similar path. Today was made possible by our prosecutors, staff, and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. We are grateful for their tireless pursuit of justice in this case.”
“Sinmyah Amera Ceasar flagrantly ignored conditions of her prior arrest by rekindling former relationships with ISIS members and implementing a plan to personally abscond the country to join their cause,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “Her actions demonstrate little remorse for radicalizing other United States citizens and promoting ISIS's heinous ideologies. May today's sentencing reflect the FBI JTTF's relentless pursuit of any individual conspiring to participate in terrorist organizations.”
“This sentence is a fitting and meaningful outcome for a woman who assisted ISIS in recruiting, squandered the chance for redemption by exposing herself as cooperating with the U.S. government, and persisted in promoting extremist ideologies to potential new recruits online,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “I commend our diligent NYPD investigators and all members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force for their unwavering commitment to public safety. The level of teamwork they demonstrate each day is crucial in ensuring the security of New York City and our nation.”
Between January 2016 and November 2016, Ceasar used numerous social media accounts to praise, promote, and support ISIS and violent jihad and to disseminate ISIS propaganda. Ceasar posted under a variety of names, including her nom de guerre, or war name, “Umm Nutella,” which translates to “Mother of Nutella.” Ceasar developed contacts with ISIS members overseas, recruited individuals in the United States to travel overseas to join and fight for ISIS, and used her contacts with ISIS facilitators to attempt to help at least five people from the United States join ISIS abroad. Ceasar also expressed her own desire to travel to ISIS-controlled territory to join the group and die as a martyr.
In November 2016, Ceasar was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport as she prepared to board an international flight, which was to be the first leg of her journey to join ISIS. Ceasar pleaded guilty in February 2017 to conspiring to provide material support and resources to ISIS, and agreed to cooperate with the government’s investigations of ISIS members and supporters.
In April 2018, Ceasar was released on bail, subject to court-ordered conditions of release. However, she violated those conditions, and her cooperation agreement with the government, by reconnecting with individuals she had identified to the government as supporters of ISIS. Ceasar attempted to conceal these communications from the government and from the court, attempted to delete more than 1,000 of her electronic communications, and lied to the government about her conduct. The court revoked Ceasar’s bail in July 2018. Ceasar pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding in March 2019.
In June 2019, the late United States District Judge Jack B. Weinstein sentenced Ceasar to 48 months’ imprisonment for the material support and obstruction offenses, and the government appealed. In August 2021, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated the sentence imposed by Judge Weinstein, calling it “shockingly low, and unsupportable as a matter of law,” and sent the case back to the district court for resentencing.
While the appeal was pending, however, Ceasar completed serving the 48-month sentence in July 2020, and began serving an eight-year term of supervised release. Almost immediately after her release, Ceasar began to repeatedly violate the conditions of her supervision by downloading and using phone apps that she failed to report to the Probation Department, recontacting and communicating with ISIS supporters, soliciting funds from ISIS supporters, communicating with convicted felons, using extremist language, and deleting the evidence of her violations of these conditions of supervision.
In August 2021, after the Second Circuit issued its decision remanding her case for resentencing, Ceasar fled. On the day she was scheduled to appear before the Court, Ceasar removed her ankle bracelet location monitoring device, and fled New York City on a cross-country bus trip to New Mexico, setting off a nationwide fugitive investigation that led to her arrest in New Mexico two days later. The evidence established that Ceasar intended to escape the United States and travel to Russia, and that while fleeing, she used an Internet-based messaging application to contact an individual in Afghanistan to seek assistance to travel there. She sought assistance from the individual in Afghanistan in the hours after ISIS Khorasan carried out a bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul that killed hundreds, including 13 members of the U.S. Armed Forces. In connection with her flight from prosecution, Ceasar ultimately pleaded guilty to her third separate felony offense, a charge of failing to appear before the Court as required, in October 2022.
After being returned to custody at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons’ Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to await sentencing, Ceasar routinely violated Bureau of Prisons institutional rules, circumvented telephone and email monitoring and use restrictions, and continued to communicate and associate with other ISIS supporters.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Special Assistant United States Attorney Ian C. Richardson and Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Reich are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
SINMYAH AMERA CEASAR (also known as “Rita Daoudii,” “Qeuz,” “Umm Nutella,” “Amera Dawah Shakir,” “Bint Dawah Muslimah,” and “Qulli Allahu Akbar”)
Age: 30
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 17-CR-48 (KAM), 19-CR-117 (KAM), and 22-CR-459 (KAM)
Illegal Alien Sentenced to 46 Months’ Federal Prison for Reentry OffenseRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Rafael Sanchez-De La Rosa, 51, a Mexican citizen, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for Illegal Reentry by Removed Alien. The sentence was announced by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Enforcing immigration laws is a priority of the Department of Justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Spaven. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of committing crimes while being in our country illegally. The Northern District of Florida and our law enforcement partners are committed to keeping our communities safe.”
“This case highlights the serious public safety risks posed by individuals who repeatedly violate our laws, both criminal and immigration,” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Office (ICE-ERO) Miami Acting Field Office Director Juan Agudelo. “Despite being removed from the United States on multiple occasions, Mr. Sanchez-De La Rosa unlawfully re-entered the country and continued to endanger lives through repeated DUI offenses. ICE remains committed to working with local law enforcement partners to identify and remove those who present a threat to our communities.”
On May 5, 2024, at around 1:30 a.m., Sanchez-De La Rosa was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department (PPD) and charged with his third driving under the influence (DUI) within ten years, amongst other offenses. Sanchez-De La Rosa had been speeding nearly twenty miles over the speed limit. PPD located two open containers in the center console of his vehicle, and Sanchez-De La Rosa admitted to consuming at least eight beers. Federal officers with ICE subsequently determined Sanchez-De La Rosa was present in the United States illegally. Sanchez-De La Rosa had been previously removed from the United States to Mexico in 2017 and again in 2018. Sanchez-De La Rosa has now been convicted of DUI in Escambia County three times, in 2014, 2015, and 2024, two of which cases were felony convictions. During his first DUI offense, Sanchez-De La Rosa seriously injured his passenger, requiring hospitalization.
Sanchez-De La Rosa has an ICE detainer lodged against him and will begin deportation proceedings after he serves his federal prison term. Sanchez-De La Rosa’s imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release, meaning if he returns to the United States during such timeframe, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration related to violating his supervision.
This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) Pensacola. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Callahan prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) 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 United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Honduran National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Misael Garcia-Diaz, age 34, of Honduras, was indicted yesterday, April 8, 2025, by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Garcia-Diaz was previously removed from the United States on April 22, 2014, through Brownsville, Texas, and it is alleged that he was subsequently found in the United States without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country. The indictment also alleges that on February 6, 2025, Garcia-Diaz was encountered in Tioga County, Pennsylvania.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is ten years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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High Volume Central Oregon Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A known, high-volume Central Oregon drug trafficker was sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison today following a multi-agency investigation led by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.
Ricky Fontaine, 32, of Bend, Oregon, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
“This case is the result of excellent collaboration among the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Street Crimes Unit, the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon,” said William M. Narus, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “We thank the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office for partnering with us to prosecute this case in federal court.”
According to court documents, on April 1, 2023, after obtaining information that Fontaine was actively selling drugs—including fentanyl—in Deschutes County, detectives from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Street Crimes Unit conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Fontaine. Fontaine, who at the time of the stop had an unrelated active felony arrest warrant, attempted to walk away from the traffic stop on foot, but was quickly apprehended by the detectives.
The detectives searched Fontaine’s vehicle and found more than 1,000 grams of fentanyl, a .22 caliber handgun, scales and drug packaging materials. The detectives also found several photographs of Fontaine posing with large quantities of packaged fentanyl pills. A few hours later, the detectives executed a second search warrant on Fontaine’s residence and found additional fentanyl pills, scales and packaging materials.
On January 18, 2024, Fontaine was charged by superseding indictment with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. On December 4, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Street Crimes Unit with assistance from the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team (CODE) and Redmond Police Department. It was prosecuted by Andrew R. Doyle, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 3-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Live phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Hickman, Kentucky Felon Indicted Federally for Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy and Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury sitting in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment today charging a Hickman, Kentucky felon with conspiracy to possess with the intent to fentanyl and illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge A.J. Gibes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, and Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Christopher Tyler Wilson, 31, was charged with conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture and with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Wilson was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On April 22, 2021, in Fulton Circuit Court, Wilson was convicted of first-degree unlawful imprisonment and assault under extreme emotional disturbance.
The defendant previously made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on a federal complaint and arrest warrant. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Paducah Satellite Office, the USPIS Bowling Office, the HSI Bowling Green Office, and the DEA Paducah Post of Duty, with assistance from the Kentucky State Police, the Hickman Police Department, and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Herb Chambers Agrees to Pay $11.8 Million to Resolve Allegations of PPP Loan FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Herbert G. Chambers, several of his companies and James Duchesneau, one of the companies’ Officers, have agreed to pay approximately $11.8 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that the companies falsely certified to the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) their eligibility for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) on March 29, 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses through the PPP. On April 30, 2020 the SBA published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) to preserve the limited resources available to the PPP program. The IFR established that businesses that were part of a single corporate group could not receive more than $20 million in PPP loans. The IFR applied to any loans that were not fully disbursed as of April 30, 2020.
The United States contends that the SBA’s IFR applied to the companies Mr. Chambers owned. The United States further contends that eight companies owned by Mr. Chambers were not eligible for the PPP loans because the SBA had already funded over $20 million to other Chambers-owned businesses. As detailed in the settlement agreement, Mr. Chambers and his companies admit that the eight companies had applied for, but not yet received, funding for PPP loans as of April 30, 2020 (when SBA published the IFR). A bank canceled the unfunded loans because of the $20 million cap. Several months later, the eight companies reapplied for the PPP loans from a different bank. That second bank funded the loans.
Mr. Chambers and the companies cooperated with the government’s investigation under the Department of Justice’s Guidelines for Taking Voluntary Disclosure, Cooperation and Remediation into Account in False Claims Act Matters
“The Paycheck Protection Program was created to provide a financial lifeline to small businesses struggling to stay afloat during the unprecedented COVID crisis – not to serve as a funding mechanism for companies that sought to evade program limits,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Today’s resolution demonstrates our office’s unwavering commitment to protecting taxpayer-funded relief programs and holding accountable those who misuse them.”
“Today’s settlement resolves allegations that Herb Chambers and his companies tried to game the system that was set up to keep struggling businesses afloat,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “When fraudulent applications wrongly drain a program set up to offset economic upheaval, it’s a blow to the folks who truly need help. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to identify and investigate anyone who tries to defraud federal government programs in this way.”
U.S. Attorney Foley, FBI SAC Cohen and the U.S. Small Business Administration made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles B. Weinograd and Alexandra Brazier of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.
Hartford Man Charged with Narcotics Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that RAFAEL ORLANDO GARCIA, 34, of Hartford, was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with narcotics distribution offenses.
Garcia appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and was ordered detained.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force identified Garcia, who has a prior federal conviction, as a significant Hartford-area narcotics trafficker. Between February and April 2025, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl and cocaine from Garcia.
The complaint charges Garcia with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Mahard.
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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Hamden Man Who Mailed Numerous Threatening Letters is SentencedRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GARRETT SANTILLO, 45, of Hamden, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to one day of imprisonment, time already served, and three years of supervised release, for mailing numerous threatening letters to individuals in Connecticut and elsewhere.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately December 2021 and June 2022, Santillo mailed more than 100 letters containing threatening and hateful statements, including threats of violence, to journalists, judges and other public officials and individuals in Connecticut and elsewhere, including a Justice of the United States Supreme Court and a United States Supreme Court Justice Nominee. Several letters mailed by Santillo contained this or similar language: “If you don’t obey what this letter says, you along with others including [name redacted] and people in Washington DC and everywhere and you. You all will be killed!!”
Santillo was arrested on July 6, 2022. On June 1, 2023, he pleaded guilty to one count of mailing threatening communications to a United States Judge.
This is Santillo’s fourth federal prosecution for mailing threatening letters.
Judge Bolden ordered Santillo to continue his mental health treatment while on supervised release, and to allow the U.S. Probation Office to monitor his electronic devices.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and the Hamden, Milford, Ridgefield, and New Haven Police Departments. The investigation has also been assisted by the offices of the Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney, the New Haven State’s Attorney and the Litchfield State’s Attorney.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.
Greensboro Woman Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud and Money Laundering in Connection with Multi-Million Dollar Urine Drug Testing SchemeRead the Press Release
Greensboro, NC – Jasmine Hoyle pled guilty today to one count of health care fraud and one count of money laundering in connection with a scheme to fraudulently bill the North Carolina Medicaid program for millions of dollars of urine drug tests and office visits that were not performed, announced Randall S. Galyon, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, Hoyle, age 35, owned and operated two businesses located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina: Harvest Focused & Consulting Services, LLC and The Ultimate Sacrifice. Both of these businesses billed Medicaid for services that were not performed, including significant quantities of urine drug tests. For example, on 97 occasions between August 2020 and July 2022, Harvest Focused submitted claims to Medicaid for urine drug tests for a Medicaid beneficiary who had never heard of Harvest Focused or The Ultimate Sacrifice, never received services from those companies, and did not provide any urine for urine drug testing.
Over the course of the scheme, Medicaid reimbursed Harvest Focused and The Ultimate Sacrifice over $6 million. Hoyle used the fraudulently obtained proceeds on personal expenses, including the purchase of a Dodge Challenger.
Sentencing is scheduled to take place on July 31, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. in Greensboro, North Carolina, before United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr. At sentencing, Hoyle faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to three years, and monetary penalties.
The Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation Division, North Carolina Attorney General’s Office-Medicaid Investigations Division, Department of Health and Human Services–Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Waid and Special Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Spillman.
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German national stationed in Northern Virginia sentenced for receiving child sexual abuse material from the BitTorrent file-sharing networkRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A German national, who worked in an IT position for the German military’s U.S. outpost in Northern Virginia, was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for downloading child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Peter Markus Kuttke, 49, a German national residing in Reston, pleaded guilty on Jan. 8 to receiving CSAM. According to court documents, law enforcement learned that CSAM files were available for download on Bit-Torrent, a file-sharing network, from a user with an IP address associated with Kuttke’s residence. On Dec. 1, 2023, federal agents executed a search warrant at Kuttke’s home and recovered electronic devices that contained evidence of Kuttke’s offenses, including a device with numerous CSAM videos and images. Forensic analysis further confirmed that Kuttke had downloaded CSAM from BitTorrent, including videos depicting adults sexually assaulting prepubescent children.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement.
HSI investigated the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadia Prinz, a Trial Attorney for the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation & Obscenity Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
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-245.
German National Stationed in Northern Virginia Sentenced for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material from the BitTorrent File-Sharing NetworkRead the Press Release
A German national, who worked in an IT position for the German military’s United States outpost in northern Virginia, was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for downloading child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Peter Markus Kuttke, 49, a German national residing in Reston, pleaded guilty on Jan. 8 to receiving CSAM. According to court documents, law enforcement learned that CSAM files were available for download on Bit-Torrent, a file-sharing network, from a user with an IP address associated with Kuttke’s residence. On Dec. 1, 2023, federal agents executed a search warrant at Kuttke’s home and recovered electronic devices that contained evidence of Kuttke’s offenses, including a device with numerous CSAM videos and images. Forensic analysis further confirmed that Kuttke had downloaded CSAM from BitTorrent, including videos depicting adults sexually assaulting prepubescent children.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck, of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C made the announcement.
HSI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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.
Georgia Woman Found Guilty of Kidnapping Elderly VictimRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A federal jury in Asheville returned a guilty verdict late yesterday against Stephanie Miranda Neace, 32, of Blairsville, Georgia, for the 2023 kidnapping and robbery of an elderly victim, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Neace’s co-defendant, Jordan Nathaniel Hedden, 31, of Murphy, N.C., pleaded guilty to kidnapping and will be sentenced on April 14.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
“This was a frightening crime against an elderly victim who was just trying to help out of the kindness of her heart,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “People who commit crimes like this affect how we treat one another, and we are committed to bringing them to justice.”
According to court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, on November 30, 2023, the victim, a 71-year-old female, was driving from Georgia to North Carolina, when she saw the defendants walking. The victim offered the defendants a ride because it was cold outside. The defendants accepted the ride, and soon after they entered North Carolina, Hedden instructed the victim to drive to his car. When they arrived at the location, a car was not there. Hedden then ordered the victim to stop the vehicle, and when the victim refused, Hedden forced the victim to stop the car and get in the back seat. Hedden then took over driving.
According to evidence presented at trial, the victim began to cry and Hedden yelled at her and told her to shut up. Trial evidence showed that Hedden appeared to be high and agitated and became paranoid that the victim had a tracking device. At one point, Hedden stopped the vehicle, and he and Neace searched the car and the victim herself for tracking devices. Then, they took the victim’s phone and disabled it. Hedden also demanded money from the victim, but the victim only had $2. Fearing for her safety, the victim told the defendants to take her to an ATM and the defendants agreed. During the drive into Tennessee, Hedden made the victim promise that she would not identify them to the police.
During the drive to the ATM, the victim convinced Hedden to let her withdraw money from a gas station ATM instead of a bank. The victim also told Hedden that she would give the defendants the money if they let her stay behind safely at the gas station. When they arrived at the gas station, the victim took her purse and her car key fob. She told Hedden to turn off the car so the headlights could not be seen from the people inside the gas station, and Hedden complied. As the victim and Hedden were walking toward the gas station, the victim began to run to the door and scream for help. Hedden ran back to the car, attempted to use it to flee but was unable to start the car without the key fob. Hedden and Neace then fled on foot and escaped into the woods but were apprehended days later.
Neace was convicted of kidnapping which carries a maximum prison sentence of up to life imprisonment. On November 13, 2024, Hedden pleaded guilty to kidnapping. Both Hedden and Neace are currently in custody awaiting sentencing.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Don Gast and Alexis Solheim of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville are prosecuting the case.
Georgia Man Sentenced for $300,000 Romance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Georgia man was sentenced in federal court for his role in an online romance scam with elderly victims in Missouri, Minnesota, and New Jersey.
Badetito O. Obafemi, 42, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 24 months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Obafemi to three years of supervised release following incarceration and ordered him to pay restitution of $311,520 to the victims of his crime.
On April 18, 2024, Obafemi pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Obafemi admitted to his participation in a romance scam which targeted victims in Taney County, Mo., Northfield, Minn., and Bergen County, N.J., from June 2016 through at least March 2018.
The perpetrators of the romance scams used online communications to develop relationships with the victims. The scammers then began to request money from the victims for a variety of reasons, including business expenses, medical expenses, travel expenses, and food.
According to court records, the Taney County victim was contacted via Facebook by an individual claiming to be “Kevin Condon” in May 2016. Following several conversations by email, phone, and Facebook, “Condon” convinced the victim to send him money for expenses related to his overseas business project and various medical issues. Conspirators stole a total of $27,460 from the Taney County victim. “Condon” also attempted to convince the victim to deposit $40,000 into an account controlled by Obafemi, purportedly to pay a court in South Africa for his release from jail.
Obafemi conspired with the perpetrators to receive wire transfers from the victims, coordinating the necessary bank account information, the timing of transfers, and the transfer of funds across accounts. Obafemi received funds in his personal accounts as well as those of two businesses, EasyTickets, LLC, and Goeasy Logistics, LLC, which he owned and operated out of his Georgia residence.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and the Northfield, Minn., Police Department.
Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its elder fraud enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
Fulton Man Charged with Production, Distribution, and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Fulton, Mo., man was charged in a three-count indictment issued by a federal grand jury charging him with production, distribution, and possession of child pornography.
Jacob Stockglausner, 38, was charged in a three-count indictment on April 8, 2025. The indictment alleges that Stockglausner used a minor child under the age of twelve to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction. The indictment also alleges that Stockglausner distributed a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct using the social media platform Kik. Stockglausner is also charged with possession of child pornography involving a minor who was prepubescent or less than twelve years of age.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Under federal statutes, if convicted, Stockglausner faces federal prison sentences of up to thirty years on the production of child pornography count and twenty years on the distribution and possession counts to be served without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa A. Pierce and Ashley Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County Sheriff’s Cyber Crime Task Force with assistance from the FBI and Callaway County Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Former Columbia, Missouri Man Who Fled to Mexico and Faked His Own Death Sentenced to 10 Years for Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A former Columbia Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for receiving and possessing child pornography.
Diego Antonio Rafael Camargo-Wasserman, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven R. Bough on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Carmargo-Wasserman to 10 years of supervised release following his release from custody. Carmargo-Wasserman will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On August 8, 2024, Camargo-Wasserman pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
The investigation began on July 1, 2010, as part of an ongoing investigation into the distribution of child pornography over the internet. During a search warrant execution, Camargo-Wasserman admitted to using Limewire to download child pornography. Multiple videos depicting child pornography were found on Camargo-Wasserman’s cell phone. Camargo-Wasserman was previously indicted on federal charges for this offense in 2010, however in 2013, a bail bond agent provided documentation from Mexico stating Camargo-Wasserman had died on October 5, 2012. Federal charges were dismissed.
In July 2017, the FBI received information that Camargo-Wasserman was alive and was residing in Mexico. Federal charges were filed again in 2018 followed by extradition proceedings to return Camargo-Wasserman to the United States. Camargo-Wasserman was brought to the United States to face charges in 2024. Camargo-Wasserman is a dual citizen of both the United States and Mexico.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Former Calumet Township Trustee Sentenced for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Kimberly Robinson, age 57, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to a single count of wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Robinson was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay $11,200 in restitution. Robinson had previously resigned her position as Calumet Township Trustee.
According to documents in the case, Robinson served as the elected Calumet Township Trustee from 2015 to 2024. The Calumet Township Trustee’s Office is a local governmental entity whose primary mission is to provide public assistance to individuals and families in need. In her position as Trustee, Robinson illegally used approximately $11,200 of Township assistance funds, to pay rent for her own personal residence from funds that were meant to be disbursed to aid people in need.
Robinson pled guilty pursuant to a plea agreement to resolve the criminal charges. By resigning and entering into a plea agreement before being indicted, Robinson demonstrated that she accepted responsibility for her criminal conduct
The public is reminded it may contact the United States Attorney’s Office at ([email protected]) or the FBI in Merrillville, Indiana at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) if they have information to report related to public corruption within the Northern District of Indiana.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin F. Wolff and Philip C. Benson.
Former Bank of O’Fallon executive indicted for $2 million fraud schemeRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal grand jury in southern Illinois charged the former second-in-command of the Bank of O’Fallon for engaging in a fraud scheme to obtain more than $2 million.
Andrew P. Blassie, 69, of St. Louis, is facing one count of bank fraud and one count of interstate transportation of security or funds obtained by fraud.
“Senior bank officials must act as fiduciaries, not felons—they must serve the bank, not swindle it,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “The federal justice system leads the fight against corruption in all its forms, and the allegations in this case—a $2 million check kiting scheme and a $500,000 investor rip-off—are glaring examples of the type of financial betrayal that will not be tolerated. We commend the Bank of O’Fallon for their cooperation with the investigation, which has been vital to ensuring both that justice is served, and that the integrity of the financial system is preserved.”
According to the indictment, Blassie served as the Executive Vice President for the Bank of O’Fallon and is charged with defrauding the bank out of $1,972,887.67 in a check kite scheme from September 2023 through September 2024 during his employment.
Blassie is accused of falsely inflating the balance of his personal checking account at the Bank of O’Fallon by depositing checks he knew to be backed by non-sufficient funds. He allegedly deposited checks with non-sufficient funds from four personal accounts at three other banks and one credit union into the Bank of O’Fallon account.
“Bank fraud is a serious crime that has real victims. It’s worsened when someone in a position of trust violates that authority, as the defendant is alleged to have done in this case to a staggering degree,” Resident Agent in Charge Michael Kurzeja, of the U.S. Secret Service Springfield Resident Office said. “The U.S. Secret Service takes very seriously its duty to protect the nation’s financial infrastructure. I’m proud of our agents’ work to dismantle the scheme in this case. I am thankful for the work of our Federal, state, and local partners who helped in this case.”
The indictment alleges Blassie paid nearly $2.7 million for personal expenses from the falsely inflated account thus using funds belonging to the Bank of O’Fallon. As the former Executive Vice President, Blassie is accused of using his position to conceal his fraud from the Bank of O’Fallon by scrubbing his name and account number from the suspected kiting reports.
“This indictment charges a former bank executive for allegedly engaging in a check kiting scheme that fraudulently obtained funds from the Bank of O’Fallon,” said Special Agent in Charge Vincent R. Zehme, of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), Chicago Region. “The FDIC OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of fraud by bank insiders, as we seek to preserve the integrity of our Nation’s banking system and to protect depositors and financial consumers.”
From August 2022 through September 2024, Blassie is also accused of persuading a couple from Lebanon, Illinois, to give him $429,000 of their retirement savings. In return for this investment, Blassie gave the couple two promissory notes. He agreed to pay the couple interest on the notes and used money he obtained through his check kite scheme to pay some of that interest. As security for his promissory notes, Blassie pledged 128 of his and his wife’s shares of the holding company which owns the Bank of O’Fallon.
“This indictment sends a clear message that bank executives who engage in fraud that impacts the safety and soundness of financial institutions will be held accountable for their actions,” said Jon Ellwanger, Special Agent in Charge, Western Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
According to the indictment, Blassie later sold most of these shares and did not use those funds to repay the Lebanon couple. This left the couple with no means of recourse when Blassie later defaulted on the promissory notes.
“The Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) is committed to investigating allegations of fraud involving financial institutions, particularly the Federal Home Loan Banks,” said Korey Brinkman, Special Agent in Charge of the FHFA-OIG’s Central Region. “We are proud to have partnered with the U.S. Secret Service, FDIC OIG, FRB OIG, and the O’Fallon (IL) Police Department on this case.”
Officials with the Bank of O’Fallon have fully cooperated with law enforcement during the investigation.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
Blassie’s first appearance is scheduled for 10 a.m. on April 23 at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.
Convictions for bank fraud are punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment and interstate transportation of security or funds obtained by fraud can earn up to 10 years in federal prison.
The O’Fallon Police Department, U.S. Secret Service, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General made contributions to the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Verseman is prosecuting the case.
Former Alabama Department of Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to BriberyRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – John Paul Ketteman, 28, of Huntsville, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke to receipt of a bribe by an agent or organization receiving federal funds.
U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher DiMenna, and United States Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, Ketteman was employed as a corrections officer at the Alabama Department of Correction’s Limestone Correctional Facility in Harvest, Alabama. Ketteman’s job duties included inspecting prison cells for contraband and supervising inmates. In the Fall of 2022, ADOC’s Law Enforcement Services Division began an investigation into contraband being smuggled into the Limestone Facility by corrections officers. As part of the investigation, Cash App records were obtained for Ketteman’s account. These records revealed that in less than three months in 2022, Ketteman was paid more than $10,000 to smuggle contraband into the Limestone Facility and to act as a lookout.
Ketteman is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2025.
The maximum penalty for receipt of a bribe by an agent or organization receiving federal funds is 10 years in prison.
The FBI and the United States Secret Service investigated the cases. ADOC’s Law Enforcement Services Division provided valuable assistance during the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid is prosecuting the case.
Florida Businessman Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL - A Florida man was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for evading more than $5.5 million in taxes, interest, and penalties that he owed the IRS.
According to court documents and statements made in court, David Albert Fletcher, of Deltona, owned and operated furniture liquidations businesses, including Century Liquidators. For tax years 2004 through 2013, Fletcher did not timely file his federal income tax returns or pay the taxes he owed. After an audit, the IRS assessed a total of $1.7 million in taxes, interest, and penalties against him.
To evade collection of these taxes, Fletcher concealed his income and assets from the IRS. For example, Fletcher used nominees to hide his purchases of luxury vehicles, including Rolls Royces. Fletcher also filed false income tax returns that understated his income by several million dollars, and when an IRS special agent interviewed him, Fletcher falsely represented the amount of income he earned.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger for the Middle District of Florida ordered Fletcher to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $7,112,689 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Zachary A. Cobb and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.
Florida Businessman Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Florida man was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for evading more than $5.5 million in taxes, interest, and penalties that he owed the IRS.
According to court documents and statements made in court, David Albert Fletcher, of Deltona, owned and operated furniture liquidations businesses, including Century Liquidators. For tax years 2004 through 2013, Fletcher did not timely file his federal income tax returns or pay the taxes he owed. After an audit, the IRS assessed a total of $1.7 million in taxes, interest, and penalties against him.
To evade collection of these taxes, Fletcher concealed his income and assets from the IRS. For example, Fletcher used nominees to hide his purchases of luxury vehicles, including Rolls Royces. Fletcher also filed false income tax returns that understated his income by several million dollars, and when an IRS special agent interviewed him, Fletcher falsely represented the amount of income he earned.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger for the Middle District of Florida ordered Fletcher to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $7,112,689 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Zachary A. Cobb and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.
Five sentenced for smuggling cocaine into the countryRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Four more individuals from Mexico have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy involving over 100 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Bolivar Ramos-Barragan, 45, Angel Ramirez-Serna, 28, and Claudia Contreras-Viveros, 41, all of Mexico, had all previously pleaded guilty.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now imposed a 70-month-term of imprisonment for Ramos-Barragan, while Ramirez-Serna and Contreras-Viveros received respective terms of 36 and 50 months. Not U.S. citizens, all are expected to face removal proceedings following their sentences.
Victor Aguilar, also of Mexico, was previously sentenced to 127 months.
The investigation revealed that in 2022 and 2023, all had smuggled multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from Mexico into the United States. The co-conspirators would utilize vehicles to smuggle the drugs which would then be stored in local stash houses before being distributed to others for further distribution.
In December 2022, authorities arrested Ramirez-Serna while in possession of eight kilograms of cocaine. The following month, Filiberto Elizalde-Hernandez had delivered eight kilograms of cocaine to Contreras-Viveros and her husband - Aguilar. During each of the events, Ramos-Barragan oversaw the transfer and distribution of the narcotics.
The investigation revealed the conspirators had possessed and distributed over 100 kilograms of cocaine over several months.
Elizalde-Hernandez is set for sentencing April 28.
Ramos-Barragan, Ramirez-Serna and Contreras-Viveros will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Edinburg Police Department and the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James Sturgis prosecuted the case.
Fifth Defendant Pleads Guilty in Car Dealership Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Mississippi – A Louisiana woman pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud in connection with a scheme to use the stolen identities of others to purchase expensive vehicles in the Jackson, Mississippi metropolitan area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2023, Joshanique Elouise Bailey, 29, of New Orleans, Louisiana, and her coconspirators obtained the identity information of credit-worthy individuals, created false identity documents in the names of those individuals, and then posed as those individuals at automotive dealerships in order to apply for vehicle financing. Bailey and her coconspirators submitted credit applications and purchased or attempted to purchase vehicles from dealerships in the Jackson metro area. The defendants traveled from Louisiana to Mississippi in a vehicle rented by one of the coconspirators.
Bailey is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Bailey is the fifth and final coconspirator to plead guilty as part of this scheme. All five of the defendants are awaiting sentencing. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office are investigating the case through their partnership in the Cyber Fraud Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Honduran National for Illegally Possessing Firearm and Illegal Re-Entry After Having Been Removed from the U.S. on 2 Prior OccasionsRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment today charging a Honduran national with illegally re-entering the United States and possessing a firearm.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement, and Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Alexis Pinto-Mejia, age 38, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with possessing a firearm on February 25, 2024, in Warren County, Kentucky, knowing he was illegally and unlawfully in the United States. Pinto-Mejia was also charged with illegally re-entering the United States after having previously been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about April 4, 2006, and July 6, 2016.
The defendant previously made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on a federal complaint and arrest warrant. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by HSI Bowling Green, ATF Bowling Green, and ICE ERO.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fayetteville Man Sentenced for Selling Fentanyl and Cocaine in Cumberland CountyRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 40 months in prison for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and distributing a quantity of cocaine. Charles Bernard Veal, age 50, pled guilty to three counts of drug trafficking on January 15, 2025.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Veal supplemented his income as a screen-printer by selling dangerous narcotics. Known as “T-Shirt Man,” law enforcement identified him as a source of both cocaine and fentanyl in the Fayetteville area. As part of the investigation, law enforcement purchased cocaine from Veal in October 2021. Veal provided law enforcement with approximately 56 grams of cocaine for $2,600 in the parking lot of a local restaurant.
In February 2022, law enforcement made two undercover purchases of fentanyl from Veal. On the first occasion, Veal sold approximately 57 grams of fentanyl for $3,600 in the parking lot of a Lowe’s Home Improvement. On the second occasion, Veal sold law enforcement approximately 54 grams of fentanyl for $3,600 at a location near Cross Creek Mall.
In March 2022, the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office arrested Veal after a traffic stop on Interstate 95. During that traffic stop, law enforcement found 57 grams of cocaine, a 9mm magazine, and a BB gun in Veal’s car.
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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Fayetteville Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan W. Liles 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. 5:23-CR-00277-FL.
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Ecuadorian National Illegally Present in the Country Charged with Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Jorge Cazhco-Inamagua, an Ecuadorian man residing in Bloomington, Minnesota, has been charged with attempted enticement of a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, on March 12, 2025, Jorge Mauricio Cazhco-Inamagua, 32, attempted to entice a minor under the age of 18 years old to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Cazhco-Inamagua was illegally present in the United States at the time of his crime, despite a previous removal order.
The indictment charges Cazhco-Inamagua with one count of enticement of a minor. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court today before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty and will remain in custody pending further court proceedings.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of sexual predators—particularly those who would prey on minors,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “I am grateful to the Bloomington Police Department, to Homeland Security Investigations, and to all law enforcement officers who use undercover operations to identify and arrest child sex predators to prevent them from abusing real children.”
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bloomington Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Evans is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
DynCorp Agrees to Pay $21 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Lawsuit Alleging Inflated Costs on State Department Contract to Train Civilian Police Forces in IraqRead the Press Release
DynCorp International LLC (DynCorp) has agreed to pay $21 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it knowingly submitted inflated subcontractor charges under a State Department contract to train Iraqi police forces, known as the “CIVPOL” contract. DynCorp was a government contractor headquartered in Irving, Texas, and Falls Church, Virginia. Amentum, another government contractor with headquarters in Chantilly, Virginia, purchased DynCorp in November 2020.
The State Department awarded the CIVPOL contract to DynCorp in April 2004 to provide training for civilian police forces in Iraq. DynCorp was also tasked with supplying support for this effort, such as lodging for contractor personnel and various labor services. In a lawsuit filed in July 2016, the United States alleged that one of DynCorp’s main CIVPOL subcontractors charged excessive, uncompetitive, and unsubstantiated rates for hotel lodging and guard, translator, driver, and supervisor services, and that DynCorp, contrary to its obligations as a government prime contractor, knowingly passed on those charges to the State Department for reimbursement.
“Federal contractors have a duty be fair and honest when doing business with the government,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “The Department will not tolerate those who use times of conflict and strife to enrich themselves at the expense of the American people.”
“As the Trump Administration zeroes in on fraud, waste, and abuse, this office will continue to seek settlements with outside entities that are taking advantage of their U.S. government contract by either not providing what they promised or misusing the funds in other ways,” said Interim U.S. Attorney Edward Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “This contractor was supposed to train civilian police forces to help the State Department provide some stability for a strategic partner. When you are given a government contract, you are taking money from the American people and this office will make certain you deliver on your promises.”
“State Department contractors and subcontractors have a unique opportunity to serve their country and contribute to the safety and security of Americans across the globe,” said Assistant Inspector General Robert J. Smolich for Investigations at the Department of State Office of Inspector General. “Today's settlement sends a clear message that those who seek to exploit State Department contracts in order to defraud American taxpayers will be held accountable for their actions.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of an effort by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Inspector General.
Trial Attorneys Ben Young and Jeff McSorley and Assistant U.S. Attorney Darrell Valdez for the District of Columbia represented the United States in this matter.
The case is captioned United States v. DynCorp International LLC, Case No. 1:16-cv-01473 (D.D.C.).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
DynCorp Agrees to Pay $21 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Lawsuit Alleging Inflated Costs on State DepartmentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - DynCorp International, LLC (DynCorp) has agreed to pay $21 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it knowingly submitted inflated subcontractor charges under a State Department contract to train Iraqi police forces, known as the “CIVPOL” contract. DynCorp was a government contractor headquartered in Irving, Texas and Falls Church, Virginia. Amentum, another government contractor with headquarters in Chantilly, Virginia, purchased DynCorp in November 2020.
The settlement was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, and Assistant Inspector General Robert J. Smolich for Investigations at the Department of State Office of Inspector General.
The State Department awarded the CIVPOL contract to DynCorp in April 2004 to provide training for civilian police forces in Iraq. DynCorp was also tasked with supplying support for this effort, such as lodging for contractor personnel and various labor services. In a lawsuit filed in July 2016, the United States alleged that one of DynCorp’s main CIVPOL subcontractors charged excessive, uncompetitive, and unsubstantiated rates for hotel lodging and guard, translator, driver, and supervisor services, and that DynCorp, contrary to its obligations as a government prime contractor, knowingly passed on those charges to the State Department for reimbursement.
“As the Trump Administration zeroes in on fraud, waste, and abuse, this Office will continue to seek settlements with outside entities that are taking advantage of their U.S. government contract by either not providing what they promised or misusing the funds in other ways,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “This contractor was supposed to train civilian police forces to help the State Department provide some stability for a strategic partner. When you are given a government contract, you are taking money from the American people and this office will make certain you deliver on your promises.”
“Federal contractors have a duty be fair and honest when doing business with the government,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “The Department will not tolerate those who use times of conflict and strife to enrich themselves at the expense of the American people.”
The case is captioned United States v. DynCorp International, LLC, Case No. 1:16-cv-01473 (D.D.C.).
"State Department contractors and subcontractors have a unique opportunity to serve their country and contribute to the safety and security of Americans across the globe," said Assistant Inspector General Robert J. Smolich for Investigations at the Department of State Office of Inspector General. "Today's settlement sends a clear message that those who seek to exploit State Department contracts in order to defraud American taxpayers will be held accountable for their actions."
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of an effort by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Inspector General.
Trial Attorneys Ben Young and Jeff McSorley and Assistant United States Attorney Darrell Valdez represented the United States in this matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Signed Agreement found here:
us_v._dyncorp_final_settlement_agreement_signed.pdfDrug Dealer Receives 108 Months After Picking up Package with 4 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Stephanie Cummings, 39, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 9, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Cummings to 108 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Cummings’ release from prison, she will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.
On December 5, 2023, law enforcement intercepted a package that contained nearly 4 pounds of methamphetamine in Nebraska. On December 6, 2023, law enforcement, in an undercover capacity, delivered the package to a residence in Omaha. Cummings and Mitchell Bostic picked up the package. Officers watched Cummings and Bostic as they drove away in Bostic’s vehicle. Believing law enforcement was following them, Bostic instructed Cummings to throw the package containing methamphetamine out of the car window. The officers located the package and subsequently conducted a traffic stop of Bostic’s vehicle. Bostic and Cummings were both arrested. Bostic was previously sentenced in federal court to 235 months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
District Man Indicted on Federal Firearm Charge Under 'Make D.C. Safe Again' InitiativeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nelson Bryant, 31, of Washington, D.C., has been indicted on a federal firearm charge as part of the “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Bryant was indicted on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to court documents, on June 9, 2024, MPD officers were conducting routine foot patrol in the 1900 block of 9th Street NW, Washington D.C. when an unidentified citizen alerted an MPD officer to a man with a firearm. Shortly thereafter, officers observed an individual, later identified as defendant Nelson Bryant, matching the citizen's description in the 1900 block of 9th Street NW. Officers initiated a stop of Bryant, at which point they allegedly witnessed him remove a handgun from his waistband and hand it to an unknown individual within a nearby crowd.
It is alleged that this unknown male dropped the handgun and fled on foot eastbound on U Street. Bryant was subsequently apprehended by MPD Officers. The firearm, which Bryant allegedly removed from his waistband, was recovered at the location where the unknown subject dropped it.
Bryant is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous felony conviction.
This case was investigated by the ATF and MPD Officers and Detectives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Galloway and Emory V. Cole.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Defendants Charged Following Armed Coup Attack in the Democratic Republic of the CongoRead the Press Release
Note: View the criminal complaint.
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the District of Utah charging Marcel Malanga, 22, Tyler Thompson, 22, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, 37, and Joseph Peter Moesser, 67, all U.S. citizens, with conspiring to provide material support and resources, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country, among other offenses.
Malanga, Thompson, and Polun are expected to make their initial appearances at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York. Moesser is expected to make his initial appearance on April 10 at the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City. After their initial appearances in New York, it is expected that Malanga, Thompson, and Polun will appear in Salt Lake City, Utah, for further legal proceedings.
As alleged in the complaint, the defendants conspired to unlawfully carry out a coup d’état in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The coconspirators conducted an armed military operation (Armed Coup Attack) specifically targeting DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Vital Kamerhe (Kamerhe), attacking both the Palais de la Nation (the official residence and principal workplace of the president) and Kamerhe’s private residence in Kinshasa, DRC. Men wearing camouflage fatigues and armed with weapons attacked and entered the Palais de la Nation. Armed men also attacked Kamerhe’s residence, which was riddled with bullet holes after the attack. At least six people died during the attack, including two police officers protecting Kamerhe’s residence, and at least one innocent civilian. The goal of these rebel forces was to overthrow the DRC government, establish a new government known as the New Zaire, and install Christian Malanga, now deceased, as the president of the New Zaire.
Christian Malanga acted as a leader and organizer of these rebel forces. It was the goal of these rebel forces to topple the DRC government and to murder President Félix Tshisekedi, Kamerhe, and others, with the goal of installing Christian as the new president of the DRC. Marcel Malanga also held himself out as a leader of the rebel forces and identified himself as the “Chief of Staff of the Zaire army.” Polun was Christian Malanga’s chief of staff. Moesser was the explosives maker, explosives technician, and explosives supplier. Thompson was a soldier and drone specialist/operator.
Also as alleged in the complaint, Christian Malanga, Marcel Malanga, Thompson, Polun, and Moesser conspired to provide material support and resources including services, training, expert advice or assistance, communication equipment, weapons, explosives, and personnel to the rebel army which was formed to overthrow the DRC government. Further, the defendants conspired to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction during the Armed Coup Attack. The coconspirators planned to use bombs that could be deployed to their targets by drone(s). Targets included people, private residences, and public buildings. They also intended to attach a flamethrower device to a drone and use it as an incendiary device to light people on fire.
The defendants planned, scouted out targets, and identified victims for the Armed Coup Attack, with the purpose and intent to murder other persons, including high-level DRC government officials. They recruited others to join in the Armed Coup Attack as personnel for the rebel army and, in some cases, recruited personnel in exchange for money. The defendants also acquired and attempted to acquire explosive and incendiary devices with the purpose and intent to use such devices to target individuals, private property, and DRC government buildings. Coconspirators communicated with and procured destructive devices, to include carrier devices such as drones, explosives, incendiary devices, and delivery mechanisms, from businesses, private parties, and at least one individual associated with a foreign military to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack.
Additionally, they procured from businesses and private parties, military equipment to include firearms, ammunition, uniforms, communication equipment, and communication jamming equipment. The coconspirators planned to transport weapons, explosives, and resources from the United States to the DRC to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack, and they then transported weapons and resources to the DRC. Further, the defendants engaged in firearms and weapons training in the United States and in Africa to provide services and support during the conspiracy and Armed Coup Attack.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison for each count of conspiring to provide material support and resources; and up to life in prison for each count of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country. Additionally, if convicted, Malanga and Thompson each face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison for each count of taking a firearm out of the United States to engage in a felony. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sue J. Bai, head of the U.S. Department of Justice National Security Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah, and Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, with assistance by the FBI New York Field Office and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Nairobi, Kenya, which oversees the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan R. Whittaker, Chief, National Security and Cybercrimes Section, and Jonathan Stowers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, and Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs has also provided substantial assistance to the prosecution team.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Defendants Charged Following Armed Coup Attack in the Democratic Republic of the CongoRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the District of Utah charging Marcel Malanga, 22, Tyler Thompson, 22, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, 37, and Joseph Peter Moesser, 67, all U.S. citizens, with conspiring to provide material support and resources, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country, among other offenses.
Malanga, Thompson, and Polun are expected to make their initial appearances at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York. Moesser is expected to make his initial appearance on April 10 at the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City. After their initial appearances in New York, it is expected that Malanga, Thompson, and Polun will appear in Salt Lake City, Utah for further legal proceedings.
As alleged in the complaint, the defendants conspired to unlawfully carry out a coup d’état in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (“DRC”). The coconspirators conducted an armed military operation (“Armed Coup Attack”) specifically targeting DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Vital Kamerhe (“Kamerhe”), attacking both the Palais de la Nation (the official residence and principal workplace of the president) and Kamerhe’s private residence in Kinshasa, DRC. Men wearing camouflage fatigues and armed with weapons attacked and entered the Palais de la Nation. Armed men also attacked Kamerhe’s residence, which was riddled with bullet holes after the attack. At least six people died during the attack, including two police officers protecting Kamerhe’s residence, and at least one innocent civilian. The goal of these rebel forces was to overthrow the DRC government, establish a new government known as the New Zaire, and install Christian Malanga, now deceased, as the president of the New Zaire.
Christian Malanga acted as a leader and organizer of these rebel forces. It was the goal of these rebel forces to topple the DRC government and to murder President Félix Tshisekedi, Kamerhe, and others, with the goal of installing Christian Malanga as the new president of the DRC. Marcel Malanga also held himself out as a leader of the rebel forces and identified himself as the “Chief of Staff of the Zaire army.” Polun was Christian Malanga’s chief of staff. Moesser was the explosives maker, explosives technician, and explosives supplier. Thompson was a soldier and drone specialist/operator.
Also as alleged in the complaint, Christian Malanga, Marcel Malanga, Thompson, Polun, and Moesser conspired to provide material support and resources including services, training, expert advice or assistance, communication equipment, weapons, explosives, and personnel to the rebel army which was formed to overthrow the DRC government. Further, the defendants conspired to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction during the Armed Coup Attack. The coconspirators planned to use bombs that could be deployed to their targets by drone(s). Targets included people, private residences, and public buildings. They also intended to attach a flamethrower device to a drone and use it as an incendiary device to light people on fire.
The defendants planned, scouted out targets, and identified victims for the Armed Coup Attack, with the purpose and intent to murder other persons, including high-level DRC government officials. They recruited others to join in the Armed Coup Attack as personnel for the rebel army and, in some cases, recruited personnel in exchange for money. The defendants also acquired and attempted to acquire explosive and incendiary devices with the purpose and intent to use such devices to target individuals, private property, and DRC government buildings. Coconspirators communicated with and procured destructive devices, to include carrier devices such as drones, explosives, incendiary devices, and delivery mechanisms, from businesses, private parties, and at least one individual associated with a foreign military to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack.
Additionally, they procured from businesses and private parties, military equipment to include firearms, ammunition, uniforms, communication equipment, and communication jamming equipment. The coconspirators planned to transport weapons, explosives, and resources from the United States to the DRC to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack, and they then transported weapons and resources to the DRC. Further, the defendants engaged in firearms and weapons training in the United States and in Africa to provide services and support during the conspiracy and Armed Coup Attack.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years for each count of conspiring to provide material support and resources; and up to life imprisonment for each count of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country. Additionally, if convicted, Malanga and Thompson each face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years for each count of taking a firearm out of the United States to engage in a felony. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah, Sue J. Bai, head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, and Mehtab Syed, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, with assistance by the FBI New York Field Office, and the FBI's Legal Attaché Office in Nairobi, Kenya, which oversees the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan R. Whittaker, Chief of the National Security and Cybercrimes Section, and Jonathan Stowers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, and Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs has also provided substantial assistance to the prosecution team.
A complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
motion_for_detention.pdf marcel_m_malanga_et_al_complaint.pdfCoon Rapids Felon Indicted on Drug Trafficking, Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Otis Burks of Coon Rapids, Minnesota, has been indicted for multiple drug trafficking and firearms offenses, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, on March 12, 2025, Otis Dair Burks, 43, was found in possession of fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base, and a Smith & Wesson 9mm semiautomatic pistol. Because Burks has prior felony convictions, including for aggravated robbery and kidnapping, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
“Narcotics poison our communities and firearms continue to plague our streets with unfortunate—often deadly—consequences for all involved,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Burks has a history of violent crime, and we are thankful for our law enforcement partners for bringing him to justice. Minnesota is safer with Burks off the streets.”
“Today’s indictment is the first step toward removing a violent, drug trafficking criminal from our community,” Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Rafael Mattei said. “No good can come from a combination of fentanyl, cocaine and firearms. Too often, weapons are used to further drug trafficking which in turn, robs people of their money, and also potentially, their lives. We’re grateful to our law enforcement partners for their assistance in removing this threat from our Minnesota streets.”
The indictment charges Burks with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and fentanyl, one count of illegal possession of a firearm as a felon, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty on April 10, 2025.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.