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Wednesday 9 April 2025
Convicted Felon Guilty at Trial of Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Baldwin County man with a prior aggravated assault conviction, who had a pistol with an extended magazine during a tense standoff with deputies, was found guilty by a federal jury of illegally possessing a firearm this week.
Dormaine Mitchell, 39, of Milledgeville, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on April 8, following a two-day trial that began on April 7. Mitchell faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal is presiding over the case. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court.
“We are relieved that no one was injured in this incident and thankful to the officers who effectively managed a tense and dangerous situation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Alongside our law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will vigorously pursue justice against repeat offenders who disregard federal law and illegally possess firearms.”
“A prohibited person in possession of stolen firearms is a clear and present danger to our communities,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka of the Atlanta Field Division. “We are incredibly grateful for the courage and quick action of our law enforcement partners who responded to this high-risk situation. Their dedication ensured a safe outcome for everyone involved. ATF is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners as we work together to protect the public and pursue justice.”
“Law enforcement has a strong footprint in Baldwin County, and this case demonstrates the positive outcomes resulting from the collaboration between the Sheriff’s Department and our federal partners,” said Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, a Baldwin County Sheriff’s deputy observed the defendant driving erratically by running off the side of the road and into oncoming traffic on Vinson Highway near Laboratory Road on Oct. 13, 2022. The officer stopped the vehicle and noticed the driver, Mitchell, had a strong smell of alcohol and slurred speech. Mitchell told the officer he did not have weapons in the car. However, when Mitchell reached for his wallet, the officer saw the extended magazine of a Glock 22 pistol sticking out from between the driver’s seat and the center console. The officer pulled her weapon and commanded Mitchell to put his hands on the steering wheel. The officer then saw Mitchell lower his right hand. The officer called for backup, took cover and gave verbal commands. At some point during their encounter, Mitchell moved the firearm and placed it on the passenger seat of the vehicle. More officers arrived, and Mitchell was taken into custody. While Mitchell was escorted to the police car, he told the officer, “You better be glad it didn’t go bad.” Mitchell has a lengthy criminal history, including a prior aggravated assault conviction in Baldwin County, Georgia, Superior Court. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, along with assistance from the Milledgeville Police Department and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, are investigating the case.
Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julius Jefferson are prosecuting the case for the Government.
Chicago Real Estate Broker Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Bilking Investors out of More Than $3 MillionRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago real estate broker has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for orchestrating a fraud scheme that bilked at least four investors out of more than $3 million.
STANISLAV SANNIKOV, also known as “Steve Sannikov,” owned and operated Chestnut Realty Group, a real estate company in Chicago. From 2016 to 2020, Sannikov fraudulently claimed to investors that certain properties were for sale and that he could negotiate the purchase on their behalf. Sannikov further claimed that the properties could be re-sold or leased for a substantial profit. In reality, Sannikov knew that the properties were not available for sale or lease. Sannikov induced the victim investors to deposit earnest money into what he told them was an escrow account maintained by Chestnut Realty. In fact, Sannikov knew that Chestnut Realty was not licensed to act as an escrow agent and that the account was actually a checking account controlled by Sannikov.
Sannikov withdrew the investor funds and spent the money on his own lavish lifestyle. One victim, who is now in his 70s, had to put off retirement so that he could pay off his losses.
Sannikov, 42, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to a federal wire fraud charge. On Friday, U.S. District Joan Humphrey Lefkow ordered Sannikov to pay $2.19 million in remaining restitution to four victims. Judge Lefkow in February sentenced Sannikov to four years and two months in prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office.
“This was not a one-time lapse in judgment,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri H. Mecklenburg argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant, over the course of at least four years, designed and engaged in a calculated, sustained, multi-faceted scheme to defraud multiple individuals.”
Cheswick Resident Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Cheswick, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 240 months of incarceration, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, on his conviction of receiving material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Cam John Zmenkowski, 28.
According to information presented to the Court, from August 2022 through September 2022, during online chats, Zmenkowski induced a minor to send to him nude and sexually explicit images and videos that law enforcement recovered from Zmenkowski’s personal cell phone.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Pittsburgh and FBI Pittsburgh Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, including the Allegheny County Police Department and Sharpsburg Police Department, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Zmenkowski.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Campbell Sales Group Agrees to Pay Nearly $1.5 Million in Restitution and Penalties for COVID-19 Loan SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Campbell Sales Group, Inc., d/b/a LeatherItaliaUSA (CSG) has agreed to pay $1,499,164 in restitution and penalties and to undertake additional responsibilities to resolve its criminal liabilities in connection with a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan scheme.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in order to mitigate the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for small businesses. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the United States and forgivable so long as the proceeds were used for payroll and other authorized expenses. In order to obtain forgiveness of the full PPP loan balance, the borrower was required to spend, and attest to spending, at least 60 percent of the loan proceeds on eligible payroll costs during the covered period.
CSG is a leather furniture supplier headquartered in Leland, North Carolina. In April 2020, CSG applied for and received a $257,700 PPP loan. As part of the criminal settlement, CSG admitted that after receiving the loan proceeds, it fraudulently increased its payroll in order to meet eligibility requirements for PPP loan forgiveness. Specifically, CSG admitted that it added multiple individuals to the payroll and claimed to have paid them wages, when in fact none of the individuals worked for CSG nor did they receive any wages. CSG further admitted that in addition to the payment of the “ghost wages,” it artificially inflated its payroll by increasing the wages of multiple CSG employees, but the wage payments were not retained by the employees.
CSG also admitted that in October 2020, it submitted a PPP loan forgiveness application, in which it provided a payroll cost figure that included the “ghost wages” and the fraudulently inflated wages. During the application review process, CSG provided false supporting documentation to the lender and made additional false representations. The full balance of the $257,700 PPP loan was subsequently forgiven in May 2021.
In March 2021, CSG applied for an additional PPP loan totaling $213,006. CSG admitted that it incorporated the same false wage information that it used to obtain forgiveness of its first PPP loan in the second PPP loan request.
As part of the criminal settlement, CSG has agreed to pay $1,499,164 in restitution and penalties and be subject to a three-year prosecution deferral period in which it may not commit any further offenses, among other terms.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after the settlement was accepted by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The United States Secret Service investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam F. Hulbig 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. 7:25-CR-14-FL.
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Buffalo man pleads guilty to conspiracy to steal mailRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Eric Michael Robinson, 33, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to commit mail theft, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that in October 2024, Robinson conspired with co-defendants Lamor Runell Bolden and Antonio Jones, Jr. to steal mail from mail receptacles in Cheektowaga, NY. In addition, the defendants also possessed a key used to open authorized mail receptacles. Robinson drove Bolden and Jones to a mail facility in Cheektowaga at approximately 1:00 a.m. on the morning of October 2, 2024. Robinson parked behind a row of blue collection mailboxes outside the postal facility. Bolden and Jones got out of the car, while Robinson remained in the driver’s seat and kept watch. Jones opened the mailboxes with the stolen key and stole mail from the mailboxes. Bolden and Jones got back into the car and Robinson drove away from the mail facility. A short time later, their car was stopped by law enforcement. At the time the car was stopped, various opened and unopened pieces of mail were found inside. Robinson admits that he and his co-conspirators used the stolen key to open mailboxes at other locations around the Western District of New York.
Charges remain pending against Lamor Runell Bolden and Antonio Jones, Jr.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division, and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 7, 2025, before Judge Sinatra.
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Brooklyn-Based Ninedee Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Covid-19 Unemployment Benefits Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Darnell Jones, also known as “EJ,” pleaded guilty to conspiring to engage in wire fraud and committing aggravated identity theft. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020 through August 2021, Jones engaged in a fraud scheme using stolen personal identifying information to fraudulently obtain more than $800,000 from federally funded unemployment insurance programs established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. In addition, as part of his guilty plea, Jones admitted to fraudulently obtaining personal identifying information, including bank account information, between May 2021 and October 2024, to commit wire fraud with an intended victim loss of more than $3.5 million. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry. When sentenced, Jones faces up to 32 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of two years’ imprisonment.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, 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 guilty plea.
“Today, Jones admitted to his extensive fraud scheme to swindle millions of dollars of unemployment benefits by using the stolen identities of innocent victims,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “Even worse, the federal funds were intended to provide relief to those most in need during the COVID-19 pandemic and instead were diverted by the defendant to finance violent crimes of the Ninedee gang in Brooklyn. My Office and our law enforcement partners recognize that a key means of dismantling violent gangs is, as here, to cut off their sources of income.”
Mr. Durham also thanked the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General and the New York State Department of Labor, Office of Special Investigations for their assistance on the case.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia stated: “Darnell Jones, a Ninedee gang member, financed illicit gang operations with millions of dollars in fraudulent unemployment benefits obtained with numerous stolen identities. For three years, the defendant jeopardized the city’s wellbeing and economic security in a global pandemic through this selfish diversion of critical funding. The FBI remains determined to curtail any mechanism fueling criminal gang activity, especially schemes targeting vulnerable citizens.”
“At the height of a global crisis, Darnell Jones exploited the identities of vulnerable New Yorkers to bankroll a violent gang’s criminal enterprise,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “His guilty plea today is a powerful reminder that no scam is too sophisticated, no network too hidden – we will find you, and we will bring you to justice. I commend our investigators, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their relentless pursuit of justice.”
According to court filings, witness testimony, and the record from the defendant’s detention hearing, Jones is a member of the Ninedee Gang, a violent criminal enterprise operating out of the Louis H. Pink Houses in East New York, Brooklyn, who led the gang’s fraud schemes. Ninedee Gang members were affiliated with the “5” and “6” Pink Houses apartment buildings and engaged in gang-related violence within and outside of the New York City Housing Authority complex. The Ninedee Gang protected its turf through violence, made money by selling drugs and committing fraud, and sought to silence those they perceived to be working with law enforcement. Ninedee Gang members were responsible for the July 2020 murder of Shatavia Walls, a former federal witness who testified against a Ninedee Gang member in Brooklyn federal court in 2019. Seven Ninedee Gang members have been prosecuted for their gang-affiliated crimes, including the murder in-aid-of-racketeering of Shatavia Walls. Five Ninedee defendants have pled guilty and a sixth, Maliek Miller, was convicted at trial in June 2024. The remaining defendant, high-ranking Ninedee leader Raquel Dunton, is charged with drug trafficking and acting as an accessory after-the-fact to Walls’ murder, among other crimes, and is awaiting trial.
Jones and other Ninedee Gang members engaged in “scamming,” or various financial fraud schemes, including check fraud, postal money order fraud, and unemployment benefits fraud. For example, beginning in approximately November 2020, Jones sent a co-conspirator text messages containing the names of 10 New York residents, the purpose of which was to obtain personally identifiable information (PII) for those individuals without their consent. The co-conspirator sent Jones the requested individuals’ dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license numbers. In exchange, Jones paid the co-conspirator with cryptocurrency. Subsequently, Jones submitted fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance benefits to the New York State Department of Labor using the stolen PII. As introduced at the trial of Ninedee Gang leader Maliek Miller, text messages in 2020 showed that Jones coordinated with fellow Ninedee Gang member Kevin Wint about pooling their money to purchase “glicks” or “plates,” which are references to firearms. Notably, in August 2021, law enforcement agents recovered two firearms, which were outfitted with laser sights, in a residence shared by Jones and Wint.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gang Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily J. Dean and Irisa Chen are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Theodore Rader.
The Defendant:
DARNELL JONES (also known as “EJ”)
Age: 30
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-369 (DLI)
Bozeman man sentenced to ten years in prison on drug chargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Bozeman man who possessed methamphetamine and fentanyl was sentenced today to 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Rene Montenegro-Virrey, 51, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in August 2022, drug investigators learned that Rene Montenegro-Virrey was planning a trip to Bozeman to deliver 7,000 fentanyl pills and five pounds of methamphetamine. Over the next several months, drugs were purchased from the defendant through undercover purchases and controlled buys. In August 2024, Montenegro-Virrey met with undercover officers for another transaction. Four pounds of methamphetamine was seized from his vehicle.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the Missouri River Drug Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
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Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Kyvon Ross, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition before U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris who scheduled sentencing for July 16, 2025.
According to the charging documents, on Oct. 3, 2024, Ross was approached by law enforcement after driving a moped at a high speed and without a rear license plate. Ross accelerated directly at one of the officers before losing control of the moped and falling to the ground. Ross violently resisted arrest and was found in possession of a loaded Glock handgun with an obliterated serial number.
Ross is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2021 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The charge of possessing ammunition after being convicted of a felony provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of a $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The Boston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case.
Boscobel Man Sentenced to More than Ten years in Federal Prison for Meth ConvictionRead the Press Release
A man who possessed ice methamphetamine with the intent to distribute was sentenced on April 8, 2025, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Hunter Newberry, age 23, from Boscobel, Wisconsin, pled guilty on October 31, 2024, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on January 27, 2024, law enforcement officers stopped the car Newberry was driving. During the traffic stop, officers searched Newberry’s car and located a bag containing nearly two pounds of methamphetamine. Subsequently, Newberry admitted to officers that he had acquired the methamphetamine in Madison, Wisconsin, and brought it to the Dubuque area to distribute. Newberry admitted that between December 2023 and January 2024, he acquired at least ten pounds of methamphetamine and distributed it in the Dubuque area.
Newberry was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Newberry was sentenced to 140 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Newberry remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Dubuque Drug Task Force, comprised of the Dubuque Police Department and the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-1026.
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Attorney General Pamela Bondi Statement Regarding Creation of a 2nd Amendment Task ForceRead the Press Release
Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement regarding her creation of a 2nd Amendment Task Force at the Department of Justice:
“The prior administration placed an undue burden on gun owners and vendors by targeting law-abiding citizens exercising their 2nd Amendment rights. The Department of Justice’s new 2nd Amendment Task Force will combine department-wide policy and litigation resources to advance President Trump’s pro-gun agenda and protect gun owners from overreach.”
Background:
- This follows the DOJ and ATF’s Monday repeal of the Enhanced Regulatory Enforcement Policy and the review of Final Rule 2021R-08F, related to stabilizing braces, and Final Rule 2022R-17F, related to the definition of “engaging in the business” of firearms dealing. Read more here.
- Read the full memo establishing the 2nd Amendment Task Force here.
Armed Felon Indicted After Discharging Firearm in Air Near Southeast D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dewayne Keith Miles, 29, 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.
Miles was charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon.
According to court documents, On March 15, 2025, at approximately 3:30 p.m., Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers were investigating a robbery in Southeast Washington, D.C., when they heard gunfire nearby. Officers observed defendant Dewayne Keith Miles allegedly discharging a firearm into the air in front of a residence on Benning Road, SE.
It is alleged that as officers approached, Miles fled into the residence. At the scene, police recovered thirteen 9mm cartridge casings and a Smith & Wesson SD9 handgun, which was located near the casings. The firearm matched the type used and was later confirmed to be reported stolen from the Richmond City Police Department.
Court documents say that officers then secured the residence, detained its occupants, and ultimately took Miles into custody after he exited the building. A search revealed a live 9mm round in his possession, consistent with the ammunition found on the street. The firearm was determined to be functional, unregistered, and transported through interstate commerce, as there are no firearms or ammunition distributors in the District.
A criminal records check confirmed Miles had a prior felony conviction, making him legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. He was transported to the Sixth District for processing.
The ATF and MPD are investigating this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar.
miles_indictment_0.pdf View Miles Indictment
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Arlington Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A man identified as a member/associate of the Heath Street Gang was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Cerone Davis, 31, of Arlington, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In January 2025, Davis pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On or about June 8, 2023, Davis was arrested on the grounds of the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments, a public housing complex in Jamaica Plain, in possession of numerous individually packaged bags of fentanyl. At the time of his arrest, Davis was on supervised release in connection with a prior federal conviction for distributing cocaine in the very same housing complex, and was specifically prohibited from being in that area.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. The investigation was supported by the Boston Housing Authority Police Department and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
Allston Man Charged with Allegedly Trafficking "Date Rape" Drug and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Allston man has been indicted for trafficking methamphetamine and 1,4-Butanediol (BDO), an analogue of Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) – more commonly known as the “date rape drug” – out of his Allston home.
Peter Schiepers, 32, is charged with one count of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine; two counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute Butanediol (an analogue of GHB); and two counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Schiepers was arraigned yesterday.
According to the charging documents, in November 2024, law enforcement received information that Schiepers was supplying methamphetamine in and around the Boston area. Between November 2024 and February 2025, a cooperating source conducted multiple controlled purchases allegedly from Schiepers.
Specifically, in January 2025, it is alleged that Schiepers conducted a transaction for one ounce of methamphetamine. In February 2025 he allegedly sold four ounces of methamphetamine and a liter of BDO. Schiepers allegedly told an undercover officer that he received the BDO in Chinese shampoo bottles and that he also used an application that allowed him to anonymously send some shipments to hotels and convenience stores nearby.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen D. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney John O. Wray of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Aguadilla Man Indicted and Arrested for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Leonardo Román Domenech, 39, of Aguadilla, PR, for child exploitation. Today, FBI special agents arrested Román Domenech.
According to court documents, from July 2021, through on or about October 2021, Leonardo Román Domenech, using a cellular phone, produced images of a 15-year-old female minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. From July 2021 through August 2024, the defendant possessed images of child pornography.
Leonardo Román Domenech is facing one count of sexual exploitation of children; one count for transportation of child exploitation material; and one count of possession of child exploitation material.
The defendant had his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Héctor Ramos Vega of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. The detention/bail hearing is scheduled for Friday, April 11, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. If convicted for the charges of sexual exploitation of children the defendant faces no less than 15 years up to 30 years in prison; for transportation of child exploitation material, he faces no less than 5 years up to 20 years in prison; and for possession of child exploitation material, he faces up to 10 years in prison; all counts followed by a term of supervised release of no less than 5 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case and Assistant US Attorney (AUSA) Emelina Agrait Barreto of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case.
Tips and information assist the FBI and its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. Citizens with information about this or any other federal crime are asked to contact the FBI San Juan Field Office at 787-987-6500, or to submit tips through the FBI’s internet complaint portal at Tips.FBI.gov.
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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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A Jefferson City Man Charged with Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Robert Michael Matthews, 42, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo.
The indictment charges Matthews with possessing a Ruger model American, 9-millimeter pistol on March 13, 2025. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. According to the indictment, Matthews has prior violent felony convictions to include a 2000 conviction for robbery in the second degree, a 2015 conviction for unlawful use of a weapon, and a 2024 conviction for unlawful use of a weapon.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Jefferson City Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Tuesday 8 April 2025
Washington Man Indicted on 11 Counts of Sex Trafficking Children, Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material, and Forced LaborRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington - Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that on April 2, 2025, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned an indictment charging Jonathan Michael Atkinson, age 34, with 11 criminal counts including Sex Trafficking Children, Production and Attempted Production of Child Pornography, Online Enticement of a Minor, and Forced Labor. The criminal charges against Atkinson carry a maximum sentence of up to a lifetime in prison.
Atkinson was arrested on April 8, 2025, by the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, consisting of Homeland Security Investigations, Richland Police Department, Kennewick Police Department, and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. Additional assistance was provided by Pasco Police Department, ATF and DEA. Atkinson will be arraigned in federal court on April 10, 2025.
“The U.S. Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Washington will continue to aggressively prosecute all versions of human trafficking,” stated Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker. “We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners to seek justice for the most vulnerable among us.”
“Human trafficking is a heinous crime that preys on the most vulnerable members of our communities and the most effective way we can dismantle these criminal networks is through strong partnerships,” said Matthew Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Seattle. “HSI is proud to work alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to protect victims, bring traffickers to justice, and put an end to this exploitation.”
If members of the public have any information regarding this case, please contact the Pasco Police Department.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Holland and Stephanie A. Van Marter.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Visalia Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Machine Guns to Undercover AgentsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Shawn Saesee, 20, of Visalia, pleaded guilty Monday to selling machine guns in violation of the National Firearms Act and dealing and manufacturing firearms without a license, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Saesee sold an undercover agent eight firearms, including five machine guns on four separate occasions. Saesee sold the undercover agent the firearms despite being told that the buyer could not legally possess firearms.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.
Saesee is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Aug. 4, 2025. Saesee faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.
Visa holder arrested for facilitating prostitution across international borderRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 33-year-old Mexican woman has been charged for facilitating the transportation of two females from Mexico into the United States for the purpose of engaging in prostitution, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jaqueline Rios Garcia De La Cadena is set for a detention hearing at 1 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker.
The charges allege that on April 2, Garcia De La Cadena and two females presented themselves individually for admission into the United States at the Hidalgo International port of entry. All three are allegedly citizens and nationals of Mexico who possessed B1/B2 visitor visas and were referred for secondary inspections.
The charges allege Garcia De La Cadena organized a trip for the women to travel to Houston to engage in prostitution. She allegedly paid for transportation from Mexico and made further travel arrangements from McAllen to Houston for the women to meet unknown persons and engage in sexual activity for which they would be paid.
According to the complaint, Garcia De La Cadena instructed them to enter the United States through different pedestrian lanes at the port of entry to avoid suspicion.
Garcia De La Cadena had allegedly facilitated a similar trip to Houston for one of the women on a previous occasion.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Vernon Man Admits Receiving Sexually Explicit Images from Minors on SnapchatRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DARYL TODD, 44, of Vernon, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to a child exploitation offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force revealed that Todd used Snapchat to communicate with minor girls and entice them to send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves, sometimes in return for money that Todd sent the victims using the mobile payment service Cash App. Todd also sent sexually explicit images of himself to the minor victims.
After Todd was arrested on March 7, 2024, analysis of his cellphone revealed sexually explicit images of minor females.
Todd pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1.
Todd is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee Observes National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee and the Department of Justice’s Office of Victims of Crime (“OVC”) joins communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 6-12, 2025, and in celebrating victims’ rights, protections, and services. This year’s theme, “Kinship - Connecting & Healing,” is a call to action to recognize that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime. KINSHIP is a state of being with survivors that drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. KINSHIP is where victim advocacy begins.
Each year in April, the Department of Justice and United States Attorney’s Offices observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week nationwide by taking time to honor victims of crime and those who advocate on their behalf. According to a report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2023, there were approximately 20 million crime victimizations in the United States. More than 6.4 million were the result of violent crimes, including rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault. Of that 6.4 million, only about 45% were reported to police.
The United States Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and right of victims of crime.
Here, in the Western District of Tennessee, we have a dedicated Victim Witness Coordinator who supports federal crime victims by providing victims with essential services, including referrals to counseling, securing temporary housing, assisting with access to victim’s compensation funds, and accompanying victims to court proceedings to provide support and guidance. These services provide victims with tools to reshape their futures.
The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs provides innovative leadership to federal, state, local, and tribal justice systems by disseminating state-of-the-art knowledge and practices across the United States and by providing grants for the implementation of these crime-fighting strategies. Because most of the responsibility for crime control and prevention falls to law enforcement officers in states, cities, and neighborhoods, the federal government can be effective in these areas only to the extent that it can enter partnerships with these officers.
Further National Crime Victims’ Rights Week resources can be found at https://ovc.ojp.gov/ncvrw2025/overview.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
United States Attorney Bill Essayli Announces Criminal Task Force to Investigate Fraud and Corruption Involving Homelessness FundsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – United States Attorney Bill Essayli today announced the formation of the Homelessness Fraud and Corruption Task Force, which will investigate fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption involving funds allocated toward the eradication of homelessness within the seven-county jurisdiction of the Central District of California.
This task force will be comprised of federal prosecutors from the Major Frauds Section, the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and the Civil Division’s Civil Fraud Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Assisting the U.S. Attorney’s Office will be the FBI, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG), and IRS Criminal Investigation.
The Central District of California is comprised of approximately 20 million residents within the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.
Los Angeles County alone contains a homeless population of more than 75,000, of which more than 45,000 are within the city limits of Los Angeles. The total homeless population of the remaining six counties of the district exceeds 20,000.
Despite voter-approved initiatives and billions of dollars spent on tackling this issue, homelessness remains a crisis, especially in Los Angeles County. Last month, a court-ordered audit found that homelessness services provided by the city and county of Los Angeles were “disjointed” and contained “poor data quality and integration” and lacked financial controls to monitor contracts for compliance and performance.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government sent $100 million in emergency aid to Los Angeles County to address homelessness. Last month, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded more than $200 million to address homelessness in Los Angeles.
“California has spent more than $24 billion over the past five years to address homelessness,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “But officials have been unable to account for all the expenditures and outcomes, and the homeless crisis has only gotten worse. Taxpayers deserve answers for where and how their hard-earned money has been spent. If state and local officials cannot provide proper oversight and accountability, we will do it for them. If we discover any federal laws were violated, we will make arrests.”
Partnering with federal law enforcement agencies, the Homelessness Fraud and Corruption Task Force will investigate crimes related to the misappropriation of federal tax dollars intended to alleviate homelessness in the Central District of California. The task force will prioritize a review of federal, state, and local programs receiving federal grants and funding. The task force will also investigate fraud schemes involving the theft of private donations intended to provide support and services for the homeless population.
“Any exploitation of the homelessness crisis via the theft of funds intended to improve conditions cannot and will not be tolerated,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI is proud to join the newly formed task force and will continue to investigate fraudulent schemes and corrupt officials who misappropriate government funding or private donations intended to aid those in need.”
“The U.S. Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General is proud to join the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners as part of the Homeless Fraud and Corruption Task Force,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Lawler with HUD-OIG. “This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to protecting vulnerable communities, ensuring accountability, and promoting integrity in programs intended to serve those most in need.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation is uniquely poised to track any funds granted through various federal programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of IRS Criminal Investigation in Los Angeles. “We look forward to working with our federal partners to ensure taxpayer and donor funds are spent in accordance with their original intended purposes.”
Two Individuals Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Two individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in separate cases this week for illegally re-entering the United States after they were previously deported.
Mexican National Indicted for Illegal Reentry
According to an indictment returned this week, Fernando Herrera-Cruz, who was previously removed from the United States on March 30, 2022, was charged with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to reenter the United States. On March 18, 2025, he was found voluntarily back in the United States in Camden County, Missouri, when he was arrest for driving without a valid driver’s license following a single vehicle accident.
El Salvadoran National Charged in Indictment
In addition, Guadalupe De Jesus Aldana Sandoval a/k/a “Edgar Navarro Melendez”, who was previously removed from the United States on November 13. 2009, was charged with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to reenter the United States. On March 25, 2025, he was found voluntarily back in the United States when he was located in Pettis County, Missouri.
The charges contained in these indictments 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.
These cases were investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations.
Operation Take Back America
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Two Cuban Nationals Plead Guilty to Alien Smuggling ChargesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Two Cuban nationals have been adjudicated guilty on alien smuggling charges by a federal district judge in Miami.
According to court documents and statements made in court hearings, on Oct. 24, 2024, Yordany Capote-Leon, 31 and Yuniel Cabrera Piloto 44, departed from the United States to Bahamian waters on a cuddy cabin style boat. While in Bahamian waters, Capote-Leon and Piloto loaded 18 individuals onto the boat and proceeded back toward the United States. The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Manowar observed the suspicious activity and followed the boat back to the United States.
Once the boat crossed back into United States waters, off the coast of Key Largo, Florida, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers onboard a CBP Air and Marine Operations (AMO) vessel approached the go-fast boat and ordered the drivers to stop. Capote-Leon and Piloto ignored the orders and kept going. The boat finally stopped after warning shots were deployed. All the individuals encountered aboard the boat were transferred to the USCG Cutter Manowar. Once aboard the cutter, law enforcement determined that the 18 individuals onboard, besides Capote-Leon and Piloto, were Ecuadorian nationals who did not have authorization to enter the United States. Law enforcement also determined that three of the illegal aliens encountered, Jorge Fabian Albarrasin Cabrera, Marcelo Patricio Pesantez-Merchan and Juan Carlos Villa Arpi, had been previously removed from the United States.
Capote-Leon, Piloto, Cabrera, Merchan and Arpi were transferred ashore to face charges. All defendants have pleaded guilty. The rest of the aliens were repatriated to the Bahamas.
On March 4, U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore sentenced Capote-Leon to 37 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
On March 6, Piloto entered a guilty plea before magistrate judge Ellen F. D’Angelo, who issued a report recommending that the plea be accepted. On April 4, U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore adopted the report and recommendations and adjudicated defendant guilty.
Piloto is scheduled to be sentenced on May 8 at 2:00 p.m. in Miami. He faces up to 10 years in prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
HSI Miami investigated the case with assistance from CBP and USCG, 7th Coast Guard District. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting the case.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-10027.
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Tina Sutter Honored for a Legacy of Providing Services to Victims of CrimeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jeffrey Ray, Acting United State Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, presented the annual Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Memorial Award today to Tina Sutter.
The award, presented annually during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in April, honors the memory of Ali Kemp and Crystal Kipper, both of whom were fatal victims of tragic crimes.
Ray presented the award to Tina Sutter, retired Victim/Witness Specialist, during a ceremony today. Tina Sutter provided support to victims of crime at the U.S Attorney’s Office for the past 21 years. Tina worked tirelessly to ensure that victims and witnesses of federal crimes were treated fairly, that their privacy was respected, and that they were treated with dignity and respect. Tina was committed to helping victims and witnesses of crime while they were involved with the federal criminal justice system, and providing support after their case was completed.
In presenting the award, Ray noted the theme for the 2025 Crime Victims’ Rights week is “KINSHIP, Connecting and Healing.” This year’s theme is a call-to-action to recognize that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime. KINSHIP is a state of being with survivors that drives vital connections and increases access to services, rights, and healing. KINSHIP is where victim advocacy begins “With her compassionate and caring approach, Tina connected with countless victims of crime as they navigated the criminal justice system, accessed services, and sought healing,” said Ray.
Ray presented the Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Award alongside Anna Kipper Rea, the mother of Crystal Kipper, and Jill and Bob Leiker of the Ali Kemp Educational Foundation, an organization founded by the late Roger Kemp, the father of Ali Kemp.
The Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Memorial Award
This is the 21st year for the award to be presented in memory of Crystal Kipper and Ali Kemp, two young women who were both fatal victims of tragic crimes. Crystal Kipper was an 18-year-old Gladstone, Mo., resident who was murdered after she ran out of gas on Interstate 29, just north of Platte City, on Feb. 24, 1997. Ali Kemp was a 19-year-old Blue Valley North High School graduate who was murdered on June 18, 2002, while she worked at the Foxborough neighborhood swimming pool in Leawood, Kan.
The Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Memorial Award is presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office each year to recognize the outstanding work of an individual or organization in recognition of a valued contribution to preventing and responding to the exploitation of children.
Three Snohomish County men indicted for drug trafficking conspiracy involving cocaine, fentanyl, and firearmsRead the Press Release
Seattle – Three Snohomish County men remain in federal detention tonight following their indictment last week for conspiracy, drug trafficking, and gun crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Percy Levy, 54, Eugene Smith, 69, and Robert O. Baggett, 60, remain at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac. At a hearing today Magistrate Judge Michelle Peterson ordered Baggett held pending trial. The other two defendants have detention hearings later this week and next week. Jury trial is scheduled in front of Judge John H. Chun on June 9, 2025.
According to records filed in the case, as early as 2023, Levy and Baggett were on the radar of the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force for dealing cocaine. Baggett repeatedly sold cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine to an undercover officer and identified his boss as Percy Levy. Later, surveillance by law enforcement identified Smith as another conspirator. On March 13, 2025, Smith was arrested after he delivered cocaine and fentanyl powder to an undercover officer at a drug deal at a local casino.
Shortly after Smith’s arrest, officers served a search warrant on Levy’s residence where they found bricks of cocaine,
fentanyl powder, digital scales, and packaging materials. They also seized a loaded firearm from under the pillow on the bed in the room where they discovered the drugs.
Baggett allegedly repeatedly sold not only drugs but firearms in his dealing with undercover officers.
All three defendants have significant criminal history and are prohibited from possessing firearms. Levy has a criminal history dating back to 1988 with convictions for burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, and robbery. Levy was sentenced to more than 19 years in prison in 2003 but was granted conditional clemency in 2019.
Baggett’s criminal history dates to 1983 and includes 14 felonies including theft and assault.
Smith has criminal history dating back to 1976. He has convictions for robbery, drug trafficking and assault. In 1996 he was sentenced to life in prison under the state’s Third Strike law. His sentence was conditionally commuted in 2020.
All three men are charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Levy is also charged with possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute for the cocaine and fentanyl found in his home and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Both Levy and Baggett are charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.
The charges against Levy are punishable by a mandatory minimum 15 years to life in prison. The charges against Baggett and Smith are punishable by a mandatory minimum ten years in prison to life in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force (SRDTF) and the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Wynne and Cindy Chang.
Three Plead Guilty to Drug and Money Laundering Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Three men pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection with their participation in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine and laundered the proceeds.
Lawrence Michael Nagle, Jr., 34, of Saugus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams of more of methamphetamine; five counts of possession with intent to distribute various weights of fentanyl, methamphetamine and oxycodone; one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition; and one count of money laundering conspiracy U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Aug. 5, 2025.
Gino Castillo, 34, of Salem, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Sentencing is scheduled for July 8, 2025.
Samuel Saillant, 38, of Lynn, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit money laundering. Sentencing is scheduled for July 11, 2025.
Nagle, Jr., Castillo and Saillant were among 27 individuals charged, beginning in October 2022, in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy to traffic counterfeit prescription pills. Nagle, Jr. was charged by complaint in October 2022 and later indicted. Castillo and Saillant were charged by indictment on April 24, 2024. All 27 individuals have pleaded guilty.
The DTO, led by Nagle, Jr. and his brother, Christopher Nagle, distributed counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine, among other drugs, to individuals in the Lynn area. In January 2022, a search of Christopher Nagle’s apartment recovered more than 74,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, weighing more than 24 kilograms. On Oct. 25, 2022, a search of Nagle, Jr.’s home in Saugus and two homes he used to store narcotics—one of which was inhabited by Castillo—resulted in the seizure of more than 7.8 kilograms of fentanyl and more than 650 grams of methamphetamine. In addition, two Glock firearms and ammunition were recovered from Nagle, Jr.’s house in close proximity to oxycodone pills. At the time, Nagle, Jr. was a felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Nagle, Jr. purchased the home in Saugus in August 2020 with the cash proceeds of his drug trafficking activities. Saillant was Nagle’s real estate agent in connection with the purchase. On the morning of Aug. 21, 2020, Nagle, Jr., Saillant and a coconspirator traveled to banks and money-transmitting services in the Lynn area to exchange Nagle’s drug money for money orders and cashier’s checks. Saillant attended a property closing later that day at which the money orders and cashier’s checks were used to fund the downpayment on the house.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys K. Nathaniel Yeager, Samuel R. Feldman and John O. Wray of the Criminal Division and Alexandra Amrhein of the Asset Forfeiture Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.Three Indicted for $1 Million Bank Fraud Scheme Involving Stolen Treasury CheckRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Today, a federal grand jury indicted three members of a bank fraud conspiracy.
Orelien Martial Nguepi-Tankoua, Jean Paul Bayoi, and Tamblyn Milton Frasier were implicated in a bank fraud conspiracy involving a stolen United States Treasury check, the use of fraudulent identities to establish illegitimate bank accounts, and subsequent money laundering activities.
In September 2021, Frasier opened a bank account in the Northern District of Georgia using a falsified driver’s license and a fabricated identity, both of which were obtained with the assistance of Bayoi. The account details were based on the payee information listed on a stolen United States Treasury check valued at over $1 million. After the account was established, Nguepi-Tankoua deposited the stolen Treasury check via an Automated Teller Machine (ATM).
Attempts were made to withdraw the funds from the fraudulent account; however, the U.S. Department of the Treasury – Office of Inspector General and the United States Secret Service intervened. They successfully seized the remaining funds available in the account.
On the dates of March 13, 14, and 19, Frasier, Nguepi-Tankoua, and Bayoi made their respective initial appearances before a United States Magistrate Judge.
On April 8, Nguepi-Tankoua, Bayoi, and Frasier were formally indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering. The individuals have previously appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judges in both Florida and Georgia. Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Javan Wilson of the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Inspector General, Acting Inspector in Charge Steven L. Hodges, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division, Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros of the United States Secret Service Miami Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office announced the indictments.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Treasury – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rinku Tribuiani is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-mj-8126.
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Tax preparer indicted for filing false tax returns resulting in tens of thousands in fraudulent claimsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A Needville tax preparer has been taken into custody on charges that she willfully helped clients file false tax returns with the IRS, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Monica Green is set to make her initial appearance in Houston federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan at 2 p.m.
A federal grand jury returned the six-count indictment April 2, which was unsealed upon her arrest.
Green ran a tax preparation business in Needville from at least 2017 to 2021, according to the charges. At times during those years, she allegedly added false credits or deductions on tax returns to fraudulently lower her clients’ overall tax liability.
The indictment alleges Green utilized false Schedule A deductions, false Schedule C losses for businesses that did not even exist and false education credits showing expenses for colleges her clients did not attend. The fraudulent amounts claimed on these returns would, at times, exceed tens of thousands of dollars, according to the charges.
Green allegedly earned money from the scheme by charging her clients preparation fees of hundreds of dollars per return.
If convicted, she faces up to three years in prison for each count of aiding in the preparation and filing of false tax returns as well as potential fines of up to $250,000.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Tahlequah Resident Pleads Guilty to Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Timothy Allen Truelove, age 50, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.00.
The Information alleged that on January 24, 2024, Truelove knowingly possessed over 100 rounds of ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.
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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Superseding Indictment Charges Massachusetts Man with Attempted Enticement, Interstate Travel, Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Massachusetts man is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court in Rhode Island on Wednesday on attempted enticement, interstate travel, and child pornography charges contained in a superseding indictment, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
The superseding indictment, returned by a grand jury on April 2, 2025, charges Robert Consorti, 63, of Wilmington, MA, with two counts of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity, interstate travel for the purpose of illicit sexual activity, transportation of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
The government sought a superseding indictment following an extended investigation into Consorti’s alleged criminal conduct after his arrest in October 2024. Consorti was arrested in October 2024 when he arrived at a Warwick hotel allegedly expecting to meet with and engage in illicit sexual contact with a fourteen-year-old girl. Unbeknownst to him at the time, Consorti was communicating with a law enforcement officer posing as the girl with whom he allegedly made the arrangements. A grand jury returned an indictment on November 13, 2024, charging him with one count each of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity and interstate travel for the purpose of illicit sexual activity.
According to recently filed court documents, it is alleged that a subsequent investigation, including a review of Consorti’s electronic devices, revealed that he was in communication with dozens of minors and allegedly grooming them for sexual activity. It is alleged that in many instances, Consorti transmitted child sexual abuse material (CSAM), requested minors send him CSAM, and/or sent the minors sexually explicit images of himself.
It is further alleged that Consorti began communicating with a victim who was 12 years old at the time the communications began. Over a six-month period, Consorti allegedly traveled out of state on multiple occasions to meet with the victim and provided the victim with vapes and edible marijuana. It is alleged that Consorti repeatedly attempted to get the victim to engage in sexual activity in return for the items Consorti was providing, rather than pay in cash. Consorti allegedly persuaded the then 13-year-old to meet Consorti and to go to a local hotel to engage in sexual contact, but the defendant’s arrest prevented the meeting from occurring.
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police ICAC Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations.
The ICAC Task Force is comprised of members of the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit along with detectives from the Warwick Police Department, Cranston Police Department, East Providence Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Bristol Police Department, Middletown Police Department, and Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations.
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St. Louis Man Admits Fraudulently Obtaining Mortgages Worth More Than $1.2 MillionRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri on Tuesday admitted fraudulently obtaining home mortgages totaling more than $1.2 million.
Edward James Mitchell Jr., also known as Musa Muhammad, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of bank fraud. He admitted participating in four fraudulent home mortgages from October 2021 through November 2023 totaling $1,225,550. Three of the homes are in St. Louis and one is in Florissant. Mitchell’s company, Home Team Solutions LLC, originally purchased the homes. Mitchell pretended to be one of his relatives to purchase two of the homes from his own company, submitting fraudulent mortgage loan applications and false employment and financial information and using his relative’s Social Security number and birthdate, Mitchell’s plea agreement says. He bought another home himself and sold another to his paramour, again submitting false or fraudulent documentation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office believes lending institutions lost $490,946 when Fannie Mae purchased the four home loans. Mitchell’s position is that only two of the loans incurred losses, with a loss amount of $226,950.
Mitchell, 37, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8. Each bank fraud charge carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both prison and a fine.
In October 2023, Mitchell legally changed his name to Musa Muhammad.
The FBI and the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case.
Southern Nevada Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Coercion and Enticement of A Child and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Henderson, Nev., resident was sentenced today by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 10 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for engaging in a sexually explicit conversation with who he believed to be a child and possessing child sexual abuse material on his phone.
According to court documents, on April 5, 2023, Nathan Thomas Foreman (43) engaged in a sexually explicit conversation via text messaging with someone who he believed to be an 11-year-old girl in an attempt to meet her and engage in sexual intercourse. Throughout the course of the conversation, he inquired about her sexual preferences, requested photos, described what he wanted to do with her, and sent pornography depicting the sexual conduct he described in words. The conversation concluded with Foreman coordinating a time for the two to meet in person to engage in sexual intercourse. On April 6, 2023, Foreman was arrested at the predetermined meet up location. A forensic analysis of his cellphone revealed approximately 10 images and 12 videos of child sexual abuse material.
“The defendant not only attempted to coerce and entice who he believed to be an 11-year-old girl to engage in sexual intercourse with him, but he also possessed child sexual abuse material of infants and toddlers,” said United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “Through the Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and our law enforcement partners are continuously working to combat child sexual exploitation in Nevada.”
“When children are victimized, the FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, will exert every effort to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division. “Today's sentencing reflects our unwavering commitment to pursuing justice for our most vulnerable victims.”
On October 1, 2024, Foreman pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement and one count of possession of child pornography.
In addition to imprisonment, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Foreman must register as a sex offender and keep the registration current.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Afroza Yeasmin prosecuted 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 Justice Department. 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.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or online at https://report.cybertip.org.
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Silicon Valley Start-Up Founder Sentenced to 2.5 Years in Prison for Securities FraudRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Shaukat Shamim was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison in connection with his scheme to defraud investors into investing in the technology start-up he founded and led, announced Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. The sentence was handed down April 7 by the Hon. James Donato, U.S. District Judge.
Shamim, 53, of Santa Clara, Calif., pleaded guilty to the charges on September 16, 2024. According to agreed facts in the plea agreement, Shamim founded Silicon Valley-based YouPlus in 2013. By 2015, the focus of YouPlus was to develop artificial intelligence software tools to analyze online video content. From its inception until Shamim resigned from the company in November 2019, YouPlus raised approximately $17 million from investors, including angel investors and venture capital firms.
Shamim admitted that he made false representations to investors and potential investors about YouPlus’s product, sales, and customer adoption. For example, Shamim told investors that YouPlus had developed a search engine that used neural networks to analyze videos and predict marketing outcomes despite knowing that YouPlus had not, in fact, developed software with fully operational artificial intelligence functionalities. Instead, to perform pilot projects or marketing studies, YouPlus had employees in India manually review videos and then create PowerPoint presentations with marketing insights. Shamim also admitted to investors and prospective investors about YouPlus’s revenue and customers. Shamim admitted that, in August and September 2018 he prepared and provided to prospective investors documents that claimed that YouPlus had customers who had signed up for continuing services and paid recurring subscription fees. In fact, no customers had signed on to pay monthly fees for the service. Shamim provided some victims a spreadsheet that showed 90 customers were paying a total of $600,000 per month. Nevertheless, in reality, every one of the purported customers were paying for YouPlus subscriptions and YouPlus had only ever earned minimal revenue—less than $200,000 total—working on small and non-recurring projects.
In February 2019, Shamim told investors that Youplus had earned $4.6 million in revenue in the year 2018, when in fact its revenue was less than $100,000 that year. In May 2019, Shamim falsely claimed that YouPlus had earned $3.5 million in revenue in only the first four months of 2019 when, in reality, YouPlus ultimately earned less than $280,000 in revenue for all of 2019.
By September 2019, YouPlus was running short on cash and Shamim was seeking to raise money for YouPlus in a Series A financing from venture capital investors. During the same time period, Shamin, also sought bridge loans from existing investors to cover YouPlus’s costs. In connection with these efforts to raise funds, investors and potential investors requested that Shamim provide more detailed financial information about YouPlus and populate a data room with bank statements, customer contracts, and other materials that would back up the revenue Shamim claimed YouPlus was earning. Shamim admitted that, in response to these requests and to conceal the fact that he had previously provided false information about YouPlus revenue, Shamim altered bank statements for YouPlus’s bank accounts in India and the United States. The false documents reflected revenue Shamim knew did not exist. For example, Shamim altered a statement for an account YouPlus held at a U.S. bank so that it showed totaling over $600,000 from 35 different companies, including Coca-Cola, Kraft, and Netflix. The deposits did not actually exist. The true bank statement for that month reflected only one $65,000 customer deposit. Shamim also admitted to forging or altering contracts purporting to show subscription agreements between YouPlus and purported customers.
Shamim admitted that, from August 2018 through October 2019, he used these false statements about revenue and customers to obtain about $6.4 million from investors.
On June 14, 2022, a federal grand jury handed down an indictment that charged Shamim with three counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and one count of securities fraud, in violation of 15 U.S.C. § 78j(b) and 78ff and 17 C.F.R. § 240.10b-5. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Shamim pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud and the court dismissed the remaining counts during the sentencing hearing.
In addition to the 30-month prison term, Judge Donato ordered Shamim to pay a $50,000 fine and to serve three years of supervised release, which will begin after he leaves prison. Shamim is currently released on bond, and Judge Donato ordered that Shamim report to begin serving his sentence on April 28, 2025. In addition, Judge Donato scheduled a hearing for June 23, 2025, to determine issues regarding restitution.
The case is being prosecuted by the Corporate and Securities Fraud Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lloyd Farnham and Noah Stern are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Madeline Wachs, Sara Slatterly, and Claudia Hyslop. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI thank the San Francisco Regional Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). An SEC civil enforcement action is currently pending against Shamim in the Northern District of California.
Senior Member of Violent D.C. Drug Crew Is Sentenced to 420 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Broadus Jamal Daniels, 30, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 420 months (35 years) in prison in connection with drug and gun charges related to a drug-trafficking conspiracy.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Daniels, aka “Wardy,” was found guilty by a federal jury on September 16, 2024, of possessing machine guns in furtherance of drug trafficking, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, unlawful possession of machine guns, and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
In addition to the 35-year prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Daniels to serve four years of supervised release.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Daniels, was a “big homie” or senior member in a street gang known as Jugg Gang, or “JG.” In approximately August 2018, the Jugg Gang became allied with a neighboring D.C. street crew known as “Push Dat Shit” or “PDS.” PDS maintained gang territory in the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, Southeast, and adjacent areas, and operated an open-air drug market outside a grocery located on the 3500 block of Wheeler Road, Southeast.
Between August 2018 and April 2023, members of the allied PDS/JG street crew sold drugs from Holiday Market and from “trap houses” that they maintained in apartment buildings surrounding that location. As their drug business grew, PDS/JG became the target of drive-by shootings conducted by rival gangs – shootings they referred to as “spinning the block.” Beginning in August 2019, a PDS/JG member began assembling AR-pistol assault rifles from kits purchased from online retailers and modified them to be capable of fully automatic fire. Such firearms are defined as “privately made firearms” by the ATF but are frequently referred to as “ghost guns” on the street.
As proved at trial, PDS/JG members used, carried, and possessed these “ghost gun” AR-pistol machine guns to defend their territory from rival gangs, and also to “spin the block” on rival gangs to deter their rivals from entering PDS/JG territory.
This sentencing is part of an ongoing joint investigation which has resulted in 26 convictions, and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machine guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash.
Daniels’ co-defendant, Andre Alonte Willis, who was a leader of PDS, was sentenced February 20, 2025, to 20 years in prison on five felony convictions related to drug trafficking and firearms offenses.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Justin F. Song and Paralegal Specialist Melissa Macechko.
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Secret Service Seizes Another Web Domain Used in Furtherance of a Cryptocurrency “Pig Butchering” SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – The U.S. Secret Service in the Northern District of New York has seized a second web domain used in a recent cryptocurrency confidence crime known as “pig butchering.” United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, and Jeffrey Burr, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of the United States Secret Service (USSS), made the announcement.
In pig butchering schemes, scammers encounter victims, often but not always elderly victims, through a variety of ways, including on dating applications and social media websites, and even random text messages masquerading as a wrong number. Scammers initiate relationships with victims and slowly gain their trust, eventually introducing the idea of making a business investment using cryptocurrency. Victims are then directed to other members of the scheme running fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms, where victims are persuaded to invest money. Once the money is sent to the fake investment application, the scammer vanishes, taking all the money with them, often resulting in significant losses for the victim.
According to court records, between November 2023 and March 2024, scammers induced a Warren County victim to wire monies to the now-seized domain NFT-UNI.com. The scammers — using the confidence-building techniques described above — convinced the victim that he/she was investing in a legitimate cryptocurrency opportunity. After the victim transferred investments into the deposit addresses that the scammers provided in connection with the seized domain name, the victim’s funds were immediately transferred through numerous bank accounts in an effort to conceal the source of the funds. In total, the victim lost approximately $172,405.61. Other victims of the NFT-UNI.com fraud reported approximately $4,564,936.47 in losses.
Previously, in May 2024, the U.S. Secret Service seized the web domain OKEX-NFT.net, which was also used in a pig butchering scheme in Warren County.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said, “by seizing this website, we are able to strike a blow to a criminal organization that financially victimized numerous individuals, including a member of our community and senior citizens around the country.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Conger and Alexander Wentworth-Ping represented the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this matter.
Related court documents and information are located on the online docket for the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York (available via www.pacer.gov), by searching for Case No. 1:25-SW-78 (PJE).
If you believe you are a victim of this type of scheme, please contact [email protected] or IC3.gov to file a report. Please provide detailed information in your report, including any purported investment websites visited, telephone numbers, email accounts, and social media profiles used by scammers, and any cryptocurrency addresses, transaction hashes, and dates of transactions. Your responses are voluntary. Based on the information provided, you may be contacted by the Secret Service or another law enforcement agency and asked to provide additional information.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative. The mission of the Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving elders can call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311.
San Antonio Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for Drug SmugglingRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A San Antonio man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 260 months in prison for conspiracy to import methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Juan Antonio Lucha, 27, was part of a drug smuggling organization and was responsible for trafficking five kilograms of methamphetamine and 1,627 grams of fentanyl from Mexico into the United States. Lucha was arrested June 27, 2020 at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry.
Lucha was charged in a four-count indictment in July 2020 with co-defendants Juan Sustaita Rodriguez and Natalie Andrea Vasquez. Lucha pleaded guilty on Oct. 25, 2021 to one count of conspiracy to import methamphetamine.
Vasquez was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison on Feb. 12, 2024 for one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Rodriguez pleaded guilty Jan. 28, 2021 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 24, 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Garland is prosecuting the case.
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Sacramento County Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Bank Fraud, Possession of Stolen Mail, and Possession of Mail Keys or LocksRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Senior U.S. District Court Judge John A. Mendez sentenced Adam Lee, 38, of Orangevale, to five years and four months in prison for bank fraud, possession of stolen mail, and possession of mail keys or locks, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Lee obtained and counterfeited postal keys, which he used to steal mail from mailboxes. From the stolen mail, Lee obtained identifying information, financial information, and bank checks of other people. He then attempted to negotiate, deposit, or cash the stolen checks. Lee and his co-defendant, Windy Lund, possessed more than $273,000 in stolen checks that they either attempted to negotiate or possessed with the intent to negotiate.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot C. Wong prosecuted the case.
Lund is scheduled to be sentenced on April 22, 2025, before Judge Mendez.
Resources for St. Louis Area Crime Victims, Gun Locks Both Available WednesdayRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Victim advocates will be available by phone Wednesday to help St. Louis area crime victims and survivors seek justice and obtain assistance.
This is the third year of the hotline, which connects victims and survivors of crimes and online harassment to information about their rights and services. Those services include treatment, counseling, compensation and other support. Each year, dozens of people have called the hotline.
The phone bank, at 314-539-6855, will be open from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office will also have 100 gun locks available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. all week. Anyone interested should come to the reception area on the 20th floor of the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse, at 111 South 10th Street in downtown St. Louis.
The initiative comes during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year’s theme is KINSHIP, a call-to-action to recognize that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime. Kinship is a state of being with survivors that drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. Kinship is where victim advocacy begins.
Repeat sex offender sentenced to 25 years in prison for coercing minors onlineRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A repeat sex offender was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 300 months in prison for coercing two minor victims and producing child pornography.
Christopher Jewett, 26, of Dayton, met adolescent and teenage girls on an online, virtual world and social networking site.
According to court documents, in summer 2023 and spring 2024, while on supervised release for similar prior sex offenses, Jewett communicated with minor victims online. The defendant sent the victims explicit videos and asked for explicit content in return.
Jewett lied regarding his registered address and possessed cell phones, violating the terms of his probation. Jewett’s prior sex offenses included local convictions for unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
The defendant was charged federally in July 2024 and pleaded guilty in October 2024.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; announced the sentence imposed on April 7 by U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant United States Attorneys Jahan S. Karamali and Christina Mahy are representing the United States in this case.
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Repeat alien smuggler sent to prisonRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old Roma resident has been sentenced for his involvement in alien smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Felipe Montez pleaded guilty Jan. 23.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Montez to serve 46 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Montez had four prior state arrests for human smuggling within the seven months preceding his federal arrest in December 2024. Several of these prior smuggling attempts involved fleeing from law enforcement. Two resulted in injury to illegal aliens present in his vehicle. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Montez’s dangerous activities.
“If you smuggle, assist, or attempt to bring people into this country illegally, you are going to serve federal time,” said Ganjei. “The Department of Justice is going to be relentless in its pursuit of those that make their money violating our nation’s immigration laws.”
On Dec. 23, 2024, Montez attempted to transport seven illegal aliens.
He was driving a vehicle waiting by the Rio Grande River near Escobares as the individuals ran from the river towards him.
Upon the sight of law enforcement, they all attempted to flee, but authorities apprehended them.
Further investigation revealed Montez was involved in four previous alien smuggling events which involved attempts to evade law enforcement. All five occurred in the area of Roma.
Montez’s smugglings attempts have involved a total of 41 illegal aliens.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety and Roma Police Department conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison on a Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A registered sex offender was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison today, having previously pled guilty to a charge of possession with intent to view child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Prior to his arrest in April 2024 in this matter, David Hamlin, 43, of Cranston, was charged in Rhode Island state court in 2016 and 2018 on child pornography violations, and in 2018 pleaded guilty to transporting child pornography.
According to information presented to the court in this matter, in March 2024, local FBI agents received information from their Tampa, FL, counterparts that a cellphone registered to Hamlin was being used to access an online platform on which child sexual abuse material (CSAM) was being transferred to an undercover FBI employee.
In April 2024, pursuant to a court-authorized search warrant, two cell phones were seized from Hamlin. Forensic analysis of the phones identified multiple images and videos containing CSAM.
At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Hamlin to 120 months of incarceration to be followed by 10 years of federal supervised release.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julianne Klein.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Qualcomm Executive Convicted by Jury in $180 Million FraudRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Dr. Karim Arabi was convicted by a federal jury today of fraud and money laundering charges in connection with a massive $180 million scheme targeting his then-employer, Qualcomm.
After a four-week trial, the jury deliberated for less than two days. The jury found that while working as vice president of Qualcomm’s Research and Development Department, Dr. Arabi committed fraud by developing a valuable microchip technology, marketing the technology through a company, Abreezio, which he created to conceal his involvement, and then selling the company and its purported technology to Qualcomm for $180 million.
As part of his employment with Qualcomm, Dr. Arabi had agreed that virtually all technology he invented while working at Qualcomm belonged to Qualcomm. To perpetrate the fraud, Dr. Arabi carefully hid his role as the new company’s shadow CEO, picked its corporate name (Abreezio) and weighed in on its office furniture.
Dr. Arabi created fake email accounts and sent phony emails to impersonate his sister, the supposed inventor of the new technology. In truth, the sister was a nonentity throughout its formation, development, marketing and sale. In the summer of 2015, when Abreezio was filing a new round of patent applications, the sister legally changed her last name to further conceal her relationship with Dr. Arabi.
According to evidence presented at trial, after the deal closed and Qualcomm unwittingly paid almost $92 million to Dr. Arabi’s sister, the campaign of concealment continued: Dr. Arabi invested the money in Canadian and Norwegian real estate while hiding his involvement, funneled funds back to his U.S. companies via intermediary shells, lied repeatedly through Qualcomm’s subsequent civil fraud suit, and received steady installments of laundered fraud proceeds until the month before his arrest in this case.
“The defendant took advantage of the trust placed in him, lining his pockets with millions by orchestrating a scheme to deceive and then bleed his own employer,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “His actions weren’t just a betrayal of the company - they were a direct attack on the very principles of fairness and integrity that keep business honest. Today’s jury verdict sends a clear message: In the Southern District of California, fraud has consequences. We will relentlessly pursue justice against those who try to profit through lies and deceit.”
“Dr. Arabi perpetrated an elaborate and exhaustive scheme to conceal, deceive, and defraud his own employer out of millions of dollars,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi. “With today’s verdict, Dr. Arabi will now face the consequences of this massive fraud, sending the clear message that corporate executives who facilitate fraud will be held accountable for their crimes.”
“As vice president of Research and Development, Mr. Arabi was entrusted with protecting Qualcomm’s intellectual property rights,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “Mr. Arabi executed a scheme to swindle Qualcomm out of $180 million for what was rightfully their own technology. This guilty verdict is reflective of outstanding investigative work by IRS-CI and our partners at the FBI and U.S. Marshal’s Service.”
Qualcomm actually paid $150 million to the coconspirators and others before discovering the fraud.
Two other defendants pleaded guilty in the scheme prior to Arabi’s trial. Ali Akbar Shokouhi, another former Qualcomm employee and the primary investor in Abreezio, pleaded guilty to money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 1, 2025; Sanjiv Taneja, Abreezio’s nominal CEO, pleaded guilty to money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2025.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas W. Pilchak, Janaki G. Chopra and Eric R. Olah. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance.
DEFENDANT Case Number 22-CR-1152
Karim Arabi Age: 58 San Diego, CA
CHARGES
Wire Fraud Conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349
Maximum Penalties: Twenty years in prison; $1 million fine or twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transaction
Wire Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343
Maximum Penalties: Twenty years in prison; $1 million fine
Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h)
Maximum Penalties: Twenty years in prison; fine of $500,000 or twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transaction
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Internal Revenue Services, Criminal Investigation
United States Marshals Service
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Økokrim, Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime
Prior felon going to prison for 10 years on multiple drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Nader Ngoopos a/k/a Nike, 26, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison pleaded guilty by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who handled the case, stated that between 2016, and late 2018, Ngoopos agreed with others to obtain cocaine and heroin in the Buffalo area and travel to Olean, NY, to distribute the cocaine and heroin. Ngoopos personally traveled to Olean on at least a weekly basis, selling cocaine and heroin out of various locations in Olean, including North 8th Street and South 11th Street. Co-conspirators also sold cocaine and heroin as part of the conspiracy on a weekly basis.
On October 15, 2018, Ngoopos participated in an armed robbery at St. Bonaventure University in Olean, with two others. The three gained entry to a dormitory at St. Bonaventure, and broke into a dorm room where Ngoopos, who possessed a firearm, believed he and his co-conspirators would find marijuana and money. Once they gained entry, Ngoopos and his co-conspirators pointed their firearms at the heads of the two occupants of the dorm room, threatened them, and then stole about an ounce of marijuana and approximately $300 - $400.
On September 2, 2021, law enforcement officers observed Ngoopos get into a vehicle in Buffalo. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but it sped away leading officers on a high-speed chase. Eventually, the car came to a stop on East Amherst Street. As the car came to a stop, Ngoopos got out of the car and ran away, dropping a pistol. In June 2020, Ngoopos was convicted in Cattaraugus County Court of a felony and legally prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Olean Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ron Richardson, the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Butler, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alphonse Wright, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia.
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Previously convicted felon sentenced to over a year in prison for illegally possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to one year and eight months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on Nov. 20, 2023, Newport News Police (NNPD) conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle of Malik Lloyd Jerome-Marryshow, 29, and, after verifying his identity, placed Jerome-Marryshow into custody on outstanding arrest warrants for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances with a firearm, and carrying a concealed weapon.
At the time of his arrest, Jerome-Marryshow was in possession of a loaded handgun. Jerome-Marryshow previously was convicted for carrying a concealed weapon, driving under influence (DUI), credit card fraud, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and being a felon in possession of ammunition. As a convicted felon, Jerome-Marryshow cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson C. Yates, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Therese O'Brien prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-11.
Portland Man Admits Drug Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Portland man pleaded guilty today to three counts of drug distribution in U.S. District Court in Portland, Maine.
According to court records, Francis Mezan, 34, sold drugs to a confidential source on three separate occasions in the summer of 2024. The transactions were video-recorded and monitored via surveillance. Mezan sold quantities of cocaine and cocaine base to the confidential source.
Mezan faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a maximum fine of $1 million, and three years to life of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case, with assistance from the Portland Police Department and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
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Phone Scammers Falsely Claiming to be from U.S. Attorney’s OfficeRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas is alerting the public of imposter scams involving individuals claiming to represent the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
During these calls, scammers may provide false badge numbers and claim to have found your phone number in the contacts list of a rescued human trafficking victim. The scammers are known to request funds through a mobile payment app.
Scammers use many tactics to sound and appear credible. They sometimes provide information like actual names of federal prosecutors and federal office addresses. They also spoof their phone numbers to appear on caller IDs as if they are calling from a government agency such as the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Remember that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will never ask you to purchase a gift card or give out a credit card number.
If you are a victim of one of these scam calls, please report the incident via https://www.ic3.gov/.
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Ohio County Man Admits to Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jakob Barnes, age 39, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to the unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Barnes is prohibited from having firearms because of a prior felony conviction. During a drug-related robbery investigation, officers executed a search warrant at Barnes’ apartment on Wheeling Island and seized two firearms and ammunition.
Barnes is facing up to 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Perri is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wheeling Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
North Carolina U.S. Attorneys Host Ceremony in Observance of National Crime Victims' Rights Week , April 6-12, 2025Read the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C – In April, the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW). This year’s observance takes place April 6-12, 2025.
NCVRW began in 1981 to honor crime victims, promote victims’ rights, and recognize those who work with and advocate on behalf of victims of crime. It also serves to promote policies and programs that help victims of crime. This year’s NCVRW theme, “Connecting < KINSHIP > Healing,” recognizes that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime.
To commemorate NCVRW, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Western, Middle, and Eastern Districts of North Carolina hosted a ceremony in Raleigh, to promote community engagement, raise awareness, and support and honor crime victims. The ceremony featured music by “The 100 Men in Black Ensemble” and remarks by victim advocates and survivors. The program also included a remembrance ceremony for crime victims and an award ceremony to recognize individuals for their superior service and work with victims and survivors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Randall Galyon (MDNC), U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson (WDNC), and Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar (EDNC) attended today’s NCVRW Ceremony in Raleigh
“We wish there were no victims of crime, and eliminating crime is our goal and motivation. During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we reaffirm our commitment to that goal, and to crime victims, survivors, and their families,” said Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. “My Office will continue to work closely with our community partners, advocates, and law enforcement to uphold victims’ rights, and to ensure that victims’ voices are heard not just this week, but every day of the year.”
“Each year during National Crime Victims’ Week, we recognize people whose physical, financial, and emotional well-being has been shattered by crime, and those who work to support them. By reflecting upon and honoring victims, victim advocates, and law enforcement professionals, we renew our commitment to seeking justice and giving hope to victims and their families,” said Randall Galyon, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. “Throughout the coming year, we will continue to bring our very best efforts to this work, protecting the fundamental human rights to ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’”
“Today we honor the victims of crimes and celebrate those who work to restore hope in the face of loss and tragedy,” said Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “We greatly appreciate the sacrifices that our law enforcement partners and victim advocates make to serve, creating the community necessary to build the healing victims deserve.”
For additional information about this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and how to assist crime victims in your community, please visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.gov.
Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim/Witness Assistance Program can be found here.
North Attleboro Man Sentenced on Child Sexual Abuse and Animal Abuse Video ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A North Attleboro, MA, man who court documents reflect had long-standing interests in collecting and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and animal crush videos (depicts serious harm to animal and is obscene) has been sentenced to five years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Minor Bloom.
Samuel E. Maigret, 29, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 60 months of incarceration to be followed by 10 years of federal supervised release. He pleaded guilty on April 30, 2024, to an indictment charging him with distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, possession of child pornography, access with intent to view child pornography, distribution of an animal crush video, and transfer of obscene material (animal crush video). No plea agreement was filed in this matter.
In September 2021, a court-authorized search of Maigret’s then Pawtucket residence and personal digital devices led to the discovery of approximately 3,000 videos and images depicting CSAM, including videos of adult males involved in sexual acts with infants, and evidence that Maigret used online applications to distribute CSAM and a video that depicts an individual causing serious injury to and the apparent death of a dog.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
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New Jersey Man Who Stalked and Assaulted Multiple Women Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that HERMAN CALVIN BRIGHTMAN, a/k/a “Nazir Griffiths,” a/k/a “Nazir Luckett,” was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for repeatedly stalking and assaulting several women he met online while posing as a nurse. BRIGHTMAN previously pled guilty to traveling in interstate commerce to commit a crime of violence and sending interstate threats. U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan imposed today’s sentence.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Herman Brightman preyed on women he met through online dating websites. By posing as a nurse, Brightman earned the trust of his victims, and then stalked, assaulted, and threatened them. With today’s lengthy prison sentence, Brightman can no longer inflict pain or fear in his victims. I commend the brave women who spoke out against Brightman to ensure that he was held accountable for his crimes.”
As alleged in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings:
From at least January 2022 through September 2023, BRIGHTMAN used social media platforms such as Facebook and the dating application Hinge to meet, and occasionally date, women under false pretenses. Specifically, BRIGHTMAN often used an alias, created false identities for himself, and posed as a nurse or nurse practitioner working at New York City-area hospitals. To convince women of his lies, BRIGHTMAN sent pictures and videos of himself wearing scrubs and lab coats, some examples of which are included below:
Shortly after he began dating his victims, BRIGHTMAN began to act violently towards them, especially when they attempted to end the relationship. Court filings detailed how BRIGHTMAN brutalized at least four such women.
In July 2022, BRIGHTMAN traveled from New Jersey to the Bronx, where he brandished a knife at a woman (“Victim-1”) and her minor child, after Victim-1 decided to break up with him. BRIGHTMAN then forced Victim-1 and her child to travel from Westchester County to BRIGHTMAN’s home in New Jersey. Upon arriving at BRIGHTMAN’s residence, BRIGHTMAN threatened Victim-1 if she tried to escape. Eventually, Victim-1 was able to call 911, and police officers arrived and freed her and her child from BRIGHTMAN’s apartment.
In August 2023, BRIGHTMAN brutally attacked and held at knifepoint a Queens woman he had been dating (“Victim-2”). The attack occurred inside Victim-2’s home, and BRIGHTMAN threatened to use the knife to “gut” Victim-2 “like a fish.” BRIGHTMAN also bound Victim-2’s hands and attempted to tape Victim-2’s mouth. Approximately one week after this incident, Victim-2 ended her relationship with BRIGHTMAN. In the 24 hours that followed, BRIGHTMAN called Victim-2 over 20 times, including from private blocked numbers. During one phone call, BRIGHTMAN repeatedly threatened Victim-2.
In early September 2023, BRIGHTMAN traveled from New Jersey to the Bronx and lured a third woman he was dating (“Victim-3”) to his car. While in BRIGHTMAN’s car, BRIGHTMAN forced Victim-3 to call Victim-2. BRIGHTMAN then punched Victim-3, leaving a bruise on her arm. When Victim-3 attempted to escape, BRIGHTMAN chased after her and put her in a choke hold. Victim-3 was eventually able to run into her building and call the police.
Several days later, BRIGHTMAN confronted Victim-3 while she was waiting for a bus home from work. During the confrontation, BRIGHTMAN repeatedly asked Victim-3 if she had contacted the police about him. BRIGHTMAN then followed Victim-3 home, where BRIGHTMAN assaulted her again, pushing Victim-3 to the ground and throwing a traffic cone at her.
In or about late September 2023, BRIGHTMAN traveled to the Bronx and convinced a fourth woman (“Victim-4”), who had previously ended her relationship with BRIGHTMAN, to allow him into her home. Inside Victim-4’s home, BRIGHTMAN assaulted and strangled Victim-4, leaving her with bruising on her neck. BRIGHTMAN also repeatedly threatened to kill Victim-4 and watched her while she showered. Victim-4 was discretely able to contact a friend, who eventually arrived at the apartment and helped free her.
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In addition to his prison term, BRIGHTMAN, 31, of New Jersey, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ni Qian, Patrick Moroney, and Elizabeth Daniels are in charge of the prosecution.