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Tuesday 8 April 2025
New Jersey Man Sentenced for Prescription Opioid ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A New Jersey man was sentenced today to 16 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, a highly addictive controlled substance.
According to court documents, between November 2022 and March 2023, Chris Ruediger, 61, of Pennsauken, purchased prescription oxycodone pills from a relative and sold them to another relative involved in unlawfully distributing oxycodone. Ruediger admitted to distributing between 100 and 400 kilograms of opioids by converted drug weight. Ruediger also admitted that he attempted to obstruct the investigation by attempting to persuade one of his co-conspirators not to talk with law enforcement.
In November 2024, Ruediger pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency investigated the case with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division.
Trial Attorneys Paul J. Koob and Nicholas K. Peone of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Myrtle Beach Man Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. —Michael David Brown, 44, of Myrtle Beach, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on Jan. 10, 2024, officers with the Myrtle Beach Police Department spotted a vehicle in a motel parking lot with a man slumped over behind the wheel. Officers stopped to check on the man and determined he was intoxicated. During a search of the vehicle, officers found a loaded handgun on the passenger seat.
Brown is a felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms. He has previous convictions for domestic violence, assault and battery.
Brown faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine, restitution, and supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Brown after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report from the U.S. Probation Office.
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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office and the Myrtle Beach Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Hixson is prosecuting the case.
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Mobile Man Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
According to court documents, Vincent Sandifer, 25, was a suspect in multiple auto, business, and apartment burglaries. Mobile police went to his apartment to execute a search warrant. Upon their arrival to the complex parking lot, Sandifer was observed moving suspected stolen goods from one vehicle to another. As officers pulled up to the vehicles, Sandifer fled. During his flight, Sandifer rammed into a patrol vehicle and caused multiple collisions on the roadway. Sandifer was ultimately apprehended and found to be in possession of a firearm.
Sandifer has multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for eight counts of auto burglary, burglary, and cruelty to animals. As a convicted felon, Sandifer is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Sandifer was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm and pled guilty to the charge. United States District Court Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Sandifer to 63 months in prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for illegally possessing the firearm.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Mexican national receives more than a decade in prison after attempting to bring drugs and child sexual abuse material across the borderRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 44-year-old Mexican citizen has been ordered to federal prison for transporting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and importing cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Christian Christopher Rodriguez-Lopez pleaded guilty Aug. 21, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton has now sentenced Rodriguez-Lopez to a total of 151 months for the CSAM and drug trafficking convictions. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including that the CSAM victims ranged in age from infants to 12 years old. This led to enhancements for material depicting prepubescent minors and for sadistic or masochistic material. Rodriguez-Lopez must also serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Once permitted to reside in the country, his visa was revoked at the time of his arrest, and he is expected to face removal proceedings following his sentence.
In April 2024, Rodriguez-Lopez attempted to enter the United States from Mexico. Upon inspection, law enforcement located approximately five kilograms of cocaine in his vehicle, at which time he admitted to knowingly importing the drug.
Further investigation following his arrest resulted in the additional discovery of CSAM on his cell phone.
“Mr. Rodriguez-Lopez is a perfect example of why our more aggressive approach to border security is so critical,” said Ganjei. “Neither these drugs, nor this defendant, have any place in our communities. Due to the excellent work of our law enforcement partners, this cocaine will never make it to the streets and this offender will spend the next decade in federal prison.”
Rodriguez-Lopez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarina S. DiPiazza is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Mexican national previously deported multiple times pleads guilty to illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Juan Vera-Cervantes, 45, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. He was then turned over to U.S. Border Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who handled the case, stated that on February 25, 2025, Border Patrol agents observed a white cargo van with a Tennessee license plate traveling on the I 490. A check of the license plate revealed that Vera-Cervantes was the registered owner of the vehicle, and he had been previously deported multiple times from the United States and had his final order of removal reinstated on three different occasions. During a traffic stop of the vehicle, Vera-Cervantes stated that he is a citizen and national of Mexico without immigration documents to be in the United States legally. He was then administratively detained.
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.
The plea and sentence are a result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Juan Ramirez.
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Mexican citizen and felon imprisoned for smuggling illegal aliensRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old Mexican man who illegally resided in Roma has been ordered to federal prison for human smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Allan Eduardo Mar-Uballe pleaded guilty Dec. 12, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Mar-Uballe to serve 37 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Not a U.S. citizen, Mar-Uballe is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence. Mar-Uballe has prior convictions for illegal reentry into the United States, assault on a federal officer and possession of a controlled substance.
“Mr. Mar-Uballe’s prior convictions obviously did not dissuade him from engaging in dangerous criminal activity,” said Ganjei. “His actions put the lives of law enforcement, innocent motorists, and every person in his vehicle at risk that day. Hopefully his new stay in federal prison will give him time to learn the lessons his earlier convictions didn’t teach him.”
On Oct. 22, 2024, Mar-Uballe was driving a Ford Expedition with the back seats and seatbelts removed near Roma. Inside the vehicle were 18 illegal aliens, including two unaccompanied minors.
Authorities attempted to stop the vehicle, but Mar-Uballe evaded at a high rate of speed and drove erratically through the streets of Roma, disregarding stop signs and other vehicles, before crashing into a ditch. Several inside the vehicle sustained injuries.
Mar-Uballe and the others were all determined to be in the United States illegally and from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic.
Mar-Uballe will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda 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.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty After Smuggling More Than 60 Pounds of Cocaine into the U.S.Read the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national pleaded guilty in a federal court in Del Rio to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, Genaro Ivan Hernandez-Sarabia, was referred to secondary inspection as he attempted to drive into the U.S. from Mexico at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry, Sept. 22, 2024. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and a narcotics detection K-9 located a non-factory compartment inside Hernandez-Sarabia’s vehicle, which contained 32 packages of a white powdery substance which tested positive for 27.66 total kgs of cocaine. Hernandez-Sarabia stated he had been hired for $5,000 to transport the cocaine to Houston.
Hernandez-Sarabia faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and CBP investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Kass is prosecuting the case.
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McAlester Couple Sentenced for Child Abuse and NeglectRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that McAlester residents Billy James Menees, age 30, and Ashley Dawn Marie Schardein, age 28, were sentenced on child abuse and neglect charges.
Menees was sentenced to 192 months of imprisonment for one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country and 192 months of imprisonment for one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country. The terms were ordered to be served concurrently.
In a separate hearing held on April 1, 2025, Schardein was sentenced to 240 months of imprisonment for one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country and 240 months of imprisonment for one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country. The terms were ordered to be served concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the McAlester Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office for District 18, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On February 23, 2023, Menees and Schardein were each found guilty by a federal jury at trial on charges of child abuse and neglect. According to investigators, on May 9, 2020, officers responding to a welfare call arrived at the shared residence of Menees and Schardein. Inside, they discovered an extremely malnourished and underweight 10 year old child, covered in bruises and confined to a barren, unfurnished room. At trial, the government presented evidence showing that beginning in January 2019, Menees and Schardein regularly isolated, confined, restrained, neglected, underfed, tortured, and beat the child over a 16 month period.
The crimes occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“There is no justification for the abuse endured by the child victim in this case. What makes this particularly disturbing, is the treatment was at the hands of the people responsible for the child’s well-being and safety,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “Thanks to the vigilance of a caring third-party who reported the abuse, and the thorough investigation by the FBI and our law enforcement partners, justice has been served for these two defendants.”
“I am thankful for the tireless work of the McAlester Police Department, the OSBI, the FBI, and my investigators in rescuing an innocent child from unspeakable abuse and for the exceptional work of the Assistant U.S. Attorneys in obtaining justice for the victim,” said District 18 District Attorney Chuck Sullivan. “If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, please do the right thing and call law enforcement. Together we can make a difference in protecting the most vulnerable in our communities.”
“The defendants’ horrific acts of abuse and neglect are deserving of lengthy prison sentences,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office stands together with law enforcement and the community in our pursuit to hold offenders who harm children accountable.”
The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Oklahoma City. Menees and Schardein will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Paladino and Caila Cleary represented the United States.
Major Methamphetamine Supplier Sentenced to 140 MonthsRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A major supplier of methamphetamine in Southwest Virginia – and a pair of related dealers - were sentenced last week to lengthy federal prison terms, dealing a major blow to the drug market in Southwest Virginia.
On Friday, Ashley Linden Beverly, Jr., 51, of Pound, Va., was sentenced to 140 months in federal prison. Beverly previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Also on Friday, two methamphetamine and fentanyl dealers, Cody Rose, 36, and Brandon Boggs, 35, were each sentenced. Boggs was sentenced to 108 months and Rose 49 months.
According to court documents, Beverly served as a major supplier of methamphetamine in the Wise County, Virginia area, selling over five kilograms of methamphetamine from approximately May 2022 through November 2022.
Beverly also combined drug distribution with the possession of firearms. Sources often described seeing handguns at Beverly’s Pound, Virginia residence, from where he sold a majority of his narcotics. In addition, Beverly routinely traded methamphetamine for firearms, some of which he knew were stolen. Beverly was known around Pound, Virginia as “the gun guy.”
Beverly supplied Boggs with methamphetamine, who in turn supplied Rose with methamphetamine that he then distributed. In addition, Rose and Boggs were key parts of a second conspiracy that brought fentanyl into Southwest Virginia from North Carolina and Kentucky. Additional co-conspirators are scheduled to be sentenced later this month.
Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Southwest Drug Task Force, Wise County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Busscher prosecuted the case for the United States.
Lexington Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Eric Kelsey Shepherd, 30, was sentenced on Friday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to 50 years in prison, for production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, in January 2022, law enforcement was contacted about a 12-year-old victim who was sexually exploited by an adult male. Further investigation revealed that Shepherd, then 27 years-old, met the victim on Snapchat, where he initially claimed he was 17 years-old. Shepherd met the minor victim on numerous occasions to engage in sexual activity, some of which the victim alleged involved violence against the victim. Shepherd took images and videos of many of the sexual interactions, which were located on both the victim’s and Shepherd’s cellphones. Shepherd has a prior state conviction for sexual abuse and unlawful transaction with a minor and, as a result, will face enhanced penalties.
Under federal law, Shepherd must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by HSI; Lexington Police Department; and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Lexington Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Chase Allen Barnett, 39, was sentenced on Thursday to 200 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for three counts of distribution of a mixture containing methamphetamine and fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court proceedings, between February 10, 2023, and February 20, 2023, Barnett possessed and distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl to a confidential informant out of a hotel in Lexington. On February 21, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant of a hotel room occupied by Barnett and found fentanyl, methamphetamine, digital scales, drug packaging materials, drug debt ledgers, $6,234 in cash, ammunition and firearm magazines. In total, Barnett distributed or intended to distribute 197.299 grams of fentanyl and 379.894 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal law, Barnett must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 8 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Commander Kalan Perdue, Gateway High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and Gateway HIDTA Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Baker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Leader of alien smuggling organization heads to federal prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 29-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to prison for his role as the leader and organizer of a conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Hosmel Vences pleaded guilty May 22, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Vences to serve 48 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, Vences filed objections claiming not to be a leader/organizer and against enhancements for recklessness and possession of weapons. Judge Ramos ultimately found all to be true and noted Vences was aware of any firearms that drivers he recruited possessed and recklessness in the transport of the illegal aliens. As the leader/organizer of the smuggling events, Vences was held responsible for everything he knew about regarding the actions of others, including possession of firearms and recklessness.
“The human smuggling business is all about money and nothing else,” said Ganjei. “These smugglers don’t care about the lives of those that they transport, nor do they care about the impact their business has on American communities. Fortunately, through the hard work of our law enforcement partners and this office, this human smuggling conspiracy has been dismantled, and its ringleader will be off to federal prison.”
The court found Vences was found responsible for organizing the smuggling of at least 75 illegal aliens between Aug. 16 – Dec. 17, 2023.
The investigation revealed Vences recruited many different drivers from all over South Texas to drive to Brownsville and Raymondville for the purpose of transporting illegal aliens further into the United States.
Vences would personally speak to all the drivers. He confirmed details of their trips, communicated directly with individuals who loaded the aliens into the vehicles and then got updates on the progress of each individual trip. He would also meet up with his drivers and pay them for getting the aliens past the checkpoint.
He posted about his activities on social media, demonstrating how much money he was making as part of the conspiracy.
Vences will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith 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.
Jefferson City Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, man has been sentenced in federal court for the sexual exploitation of a child.
Wilbert Ballard, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Ballard to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration. Ballard will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On December 3, 2024, Ballard pleaded guilty to producing child pornography.
The investigation began on June 11, 2023, when Jefferson City Police Officers were contacted by an individual who had found video evidence of the defendant engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a six-year-old child. Officers performed an extraction on Mr. Ballard’s cellular phone and located the video described by the witness. Based upon the video, the child may have been asleep while the act was being done and the video created.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Turner. It was investigated by Jefferson City Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Jefferson City Man Indicted for Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo. man has been indicted today by a federal grand jury for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Latrell Dashon Batts, 27, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City. The indictment alleges that Batts was in possession of a Smith & Wesson pistol and ammunition on March 10, 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. Batts has prior felony convictions for assault in the second degree and accessory forcible stealing.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Under federal statutes, if convicted, Batts is subject to a sentence of up to fifteen years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cecily L. Hicks. It was investigated Jefferson City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Involving A Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Larry E. Denson, Jr. (31, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud involving COVID relief fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Denson faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the United State government. Denson has also agreed to forfeit $18,190, the proceeds of the charged criminal offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in April 2021, Denson submitted a PPP loan application to a lender authorized by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to lend funds for approved PPP loan applications. The PPP loan application falsely claimed that Denson operated his own janitorial services business with a gross income of $87,312. Throughout the loan application, Denson made false statements regarding his purported payroll and operating expenses. In support of his PPP loan application, Denson submitted a fraudulent IRS form that contained false statements about expenses and income for his purported business. Upon reliance of the false statements in his PPP loan application and supporting documentation, Denson received a PPP loan for $18,190.
After receiving the PPP loan proceeds into his bank account, Denson began making withdrawals and spending the funds on personal expenses, including meals at restaurants, retail purchases, and cash withdrawals. In July 2022, Denson filed a PPP Loan Forgiveness Application, falsely stating that he had spent the $18,190 on payroll. Relying on his false statements, the SBA forgave the entire loan amount.
This case was investigated by Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Indictment Charges Stamford Men with Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging TASEAN LEMAR BROWN, 35, and STANLEY CHARLES, 44, both of Stamford, with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
The indictment was returned on April 3, 2025, and Brown and Charles were arrested yesterday. They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven, entered pleas of not guilty to the charge, and were ordered detained.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that Brown and Charles were using the U.S. Mail to traffic fentanyl into Connecticut and distribute it in southwestern Connecticut. The investigation included the seizure of two parcels that Brown mailed to Charles from California and Arizona, the first containing approximately one kilogram of fentanyl powder, and the second containing approximately three kilograms of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.
If convicted of the charge in the indictment, Brown and Charles each face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Connecticut State Police, and the Stamford, Greenwich, Bridgeport, Danbury, Stratford, and Norwalk Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Illinois Man Sentenced for Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – An Illinois man was sentenced today for possession of a stolen firearm.
Steven Ray Dennis, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 120 months in federal prison without parole.
On July 7, 2020, Dennis pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information, admitting that he possessed a stolen firearm. According to his plea agreement, an officer with the Columbia, Mo. Police Department had been notified by private security for a local bar that a man in a Chicago Bulls hat and jacket was going to his vehicle to get a firearm. The officer located Dennis, who matched that description, but when asked if he had any guns on him, Dennis began to run. He was arrested after a brief foot chase during which he discarded his hat and jacket. When officers located the Chicago Bulls jacket, it contained a .32 caliber revolver in the pocket. The revolver was stolen and loaded with five rounds of ammunition. Dennis also had prior felony convictions.
Although Dennis pleaded guilty in 2020, government court filings indicated that he subsequently failed to report and was a fugitive until he was arrested in the Chicago area in January 2025.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Columbia, Mo. Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results
Illegal alien felon imprisoned for unlawfully reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 29-year-old Mexican national with a felony criminal history has been sentenced for illegally entering the country without authorization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Joaquin Hernandez-Reyes pleaded guilty Jan. 9.
U.S. District Court Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Hernandez-Reyes to serve 72 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to again face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
Hernandez-Reyes has felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as assault of a public servant and possession of a controlled substance. He was first removed from the United States in 2016 and returned illegally several more times.
On Dec. 10, 2024, authorities discovered Hernandez-Reyes near McAllen again.
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 conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Delcolle 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.
Home health care companies owner sentenced to more than 3 years in prison for $5.7 million Medicaid fraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sally Njume-Tatsing, 47, formerly of Pickerington, was sentenced in federal court here today to 42 months in prison for committing Medicaid fraud. Njume-Tatsing was found guilty in September 2024 on all 13 counts as charged following a jury trial.
According to court documents and trial testimony, in 2017, Njume-Tatsing owned and operated three home healthcare businesses named Labelle Home Health. The agencies were located in Reynoldsburg, Mt. Vernon and Parma.
Njume-Tatsing resided in California during the majority of the time she owned the businesses, and despite not being involved in Labelle’s daily operations, she did all of the Medicaid billing for nursing services.
While billing Medicaid for health aide services to individuals in their homes, the defendant inflated the hours of services provided, billed for registered nurses when licensed practical nurses completed the care, and billed for care for patients who were either deceased or ineligible to receive Medicaid.
Njume-Tatsing was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2023 and charged with one count of health care fraud and 12 counts of making false health care statements.
As part of her sentence, Njume-Tatsing is ordered to pay $5.7 million in restitution to Medicaid.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and the Ohio Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU); the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the sentence imposed today by Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Kenneth A. Affeldt and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan L. Metzler of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office are representing the United States in this case.
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Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Domingo Valentin Solis-De Leon, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2025. Solis-De Leon was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025.
On Jan. 8, 2014, United States Border Patrol arrested Solis-De Leon near Hidalgo, Texas after entering the United States illegally. Solis De-Leon was ordered removed and was sent back to his home country of Guatemala. On Jan. 6, 2024, immigration authorities learned that Solis-De Leon was present in the United States following his arrest by the Lynn Police Department. According to court documents, Solis-De Leon was arrested on state charges for assault and battery on family or household member and the matter is currently pending in Lynn District Court. He was subsequently released from state custody and Solis-De Leon was arrested by immigration authorities on Jan. 28, 2025 in Lynn, Mass.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Groton Man Admits Producing and Possessing Child Sex Abuse VideosRead the Press Release
Mark H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL W. LANDON, 38, of Groton, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to child exploitation offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 4, 2023, law enforcement seized Landon’s iPhone. Forensic analysis of the phone revealed a video of Landon engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a minor under the age of 12, and other videos depicting child sexual abuse.
Landon pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for July 2.
Landon has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on June 28, 2023.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Town of Groton Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean P. Mahard and 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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the New London State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Gladstone Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Federal Prison for Abducting and Sexually Abusing a Canadian ChildRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— A Gladstone, Oregon man was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison today for abducting and sexually abusing a Canadian child he met through a music creation social media platform.
Noah Madrano, 43, was sentenced to 600 months in federal prison, a $5,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release. The sum of restitution he must pay to his victim will be determined at a later date.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the FBI special agents and Oregon City police officers who rescued the victim in Oregon and brought the defendant to justice,” said William M. Narus, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “This sentence is a result of the extraordinary efforts of the victim, the victim’s family, their community, and law enforcement here and in Canada.”
“The persistence with which Madrano pursued his heinous crimes - traveling internationally on multiple occasions to victimize a child he met online, and ultimately smuggling that victim across an international border, speaks to how predatory his actions genuinely were,” said FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Olson. “Madrano will be in his mid-nineties when he is eligible for supervised release. His removal from our communities benefits everyone.”
According to court documents, Madrano met a child online whom he sexually exploited for more than a year. In May 2022, he traveled to Canada to meet the child in person, took the child to a hotel room, sexually abused the victim, and recorded his abuse. A few weeks later, on June 24, 2022, Madrano returned to Canada, where he abducted the child from outside a school and took the victim to another hotel room. At the hotel, Madrano sexually abused the child for several days and recorded videos of his abuse. On July 1, 2022, Madrano hid the child in the trunk of his vehicle and drove back to the United States. Once in Oregon, Madrano brought the victim to a hotel room, where he continued to sexually abuse the child.
In the early morning of July 2, 2022, FBI special agents and Oregon City police officers entered Madrano’s hotel room and found him inside with the victim. Madrano was arrested and the child was taken into protective custody, reunited with her parents, and returned to Canada.
On September 21, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a six-count indictment charging Madrano with sexually exploiting a child, traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, transporting a child with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and possessing child pornography.
On January 13, 2025, Madrano pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a child and transporting a child with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
This case was investigated by FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) with assistance from the Oregon City Police Department, the Gladstone Police Department, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, the Edmonton Police Service, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It was prosecuted by Mira Chernick, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
The FBI Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) conducts sexual exploitation investigations, many of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering and assisting victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Gary Man Sentenced to 71 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Kyran Jujuan Hawthorne, 31 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Hawthorne was sentenced to 71 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on May 26, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hawthorne’s residence in Gary. Officers recovered two firearms with high-capacity magazines attached to them. Hawthorn’s criminal history revealed he has prior felony convictions for resisting law enforcement, attempted robbery, forgery, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and as such, is prohibited from possessing the firearms in this case.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Gang Response Investigative Team and the Gary Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin M. Padula.
This case was 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.
Fraudulent firearms purchases lead to federal prison sentenceRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 43-year-old Corpus Christi man has been sentenced for directing the fraudulent purchase of 40 firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jaime Eduardo Cano pleaded guilty June 27, 2024, to making false or fictitious statements to a licensed firearms dealer.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Cano to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence detailing how Cano had directed his employee to fraudulently purchase firearms. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Cano could have legally purchased the firearms himself, but chose not to do so, because he must have known they would be illegally disposed.
The investigation revealed that between May 6, 2021, and June 10, 2022, Norma Andrade had purchased 40 guns from a local firearms dealer at Cano’s direction.
Authorities conducted surveillance June 10, 2022, at which time they witnessed her pick up an order of 10 pistols and drive them to Cano’s place of business. He then came outside to retrieve them.
Text messages in Cano’s phone revealed communications regarding the sale of the firearms Andrade had purchased. Cano had directed her to purchase the firearms and lie on the required purchase forms. Authorities also discovered other messages between Cano and another individual with details about how much Cano would be paid and when the firearms would be exchanged.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement discovered and confiscated in Acapulco, Mexico, three of the firearms for which Cano arranged purchase.
Andrade, 56, Corpus Christi, also pleaded guilty and was previously sentenced to 15 months in prison.
Cano was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Martin and John Marck prosecuted the case.
Former UNM Football Player Convicted of Methamphetamine Trafficking in Cibola County Correctional CenterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A federal jury convicted a former University of New Mexico football player on charges of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine while incarcerated at Cibola County Correctional Center. The verdict came after a five-day trial and approximately three-and-a-half hours of deliberation.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, while in custody awaiting trial for the 2022-armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Service employee, Rayshawn Boyce, 29, was implicated in a separate case involving drug trafficking within the Cibola County Correctional Center (CCCC). On May 17, 2022, CCCC personnel conducted a search of a unit and discovered a bag containing approximately one pound of methamphetamine in the shower area.
Photo of drugs in shower area
Review of surveillance footage revealed that on the evening of May 16, 2022, Correctional Officer Gabriella Torres smuggled a bundle of methamphetamine into the facility under her hoodie and dropped it in cell in an area that was not covered by a camera for Boyce to retrieve. A short time later, Boyce retrieved the bundle, concealed it in a blanket, and walked back to his cell. When he learned that the jail was being searched the next day, Boyce moved the bundle from his cell in the middle of the night, submerged it in water, and left it near the showers, where it was found that morning by CCCC personnel.
Federal investigators determined that Boyce and Torres were in a romantic relationship, during which Boyce persuaded Torres to smuggle drugs into the CCCC. On two separate occasions, Torres successfully smuggled marijuana into the facility for Boyce to distribute. Boyce instructed buyers to send payments through a CashApp account he had Torres established specifically for these transactions. On May 16, 2022, Boyce coordinated the delivery of a methamphetamine shipment to Torres for smuggling into CCCC.
Torres pled guilty to one count of conspiracy and remains on conditions of release pending sentencing, which is not currently scheduled. At sentencing, Torres could face 10 years to life in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Following the verdict, the Court ordered that Boyce remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Boyce faces a mandatory minimum term of ten years of imprisonment and up to life.
In April 2024, a federal jury convicted Boyce of robbing a postal carrier, stealing an arrow key belonging to the United States Postal Service, and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. At sentencing for this prior conviction, Boyce faces up to ten years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Cibola County Correctional Center and CoreCivic. Assistant United States Attorneys Letitia Carroll Simms and Joseph M. Spindle are prosecuting the case.
Former Los Angeles Woman Pleads Guilty to Possessing 24 Kilograms of Cocaine for DistributionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Constance Arrington, 35, formerly of Los Angeles, California, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson on Monday to one count of possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
Arrington was charged by indictment in March of last year. As previously presented at court hearings in this matter, the defendant was identified by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Police Department as part of an international and interstate cocaine trafficking organization. DEA Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Police Department alerted the DEA’s Philadelphia Field Division that Arrington made multiple short round-trip visits from Los Angeles and Philadelphia, and from Los Angeles to other U.S. cities, departing from L.A. and returning the same day, or the next day, on cross-country flights.
On March 15, 2024, DEA Philadelphia was notified that Arrington would be flying from Los Angeles to Philadelphia and returning to Los Angeles that same day. During joint DEA Philadelphia and Philadelphia Police Department surveillance that day, law enforcement observed Arrington land in Philadelphia with no checked luggage, rent a car, and depart for an office complex in New Jersey. On the way to the office complex, Arrington attempted to evade surveillance by entering a New Jersey grocery store, then quickly leaving.
After Arrington arrived at the office complex, she entered and returned with three large boxes, which she loaded into the back of her rental car. Arrington then drove back into Philadelphia via the Ben Franklin Bridge. After Arrington entered Philadelphia, law enforcement stopped and searched her vehicle, recovering 24 individually wrapped kilograms of cocaine inside the three boxes she had placed into her rental car.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29. She faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.
The case was investigated by DEA Philadelphia, as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, with assistance from DEA Los Angeles, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the Los Angeles Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Lanni.
Former Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Kansas City, MO man plead guilty in federal court today to conspiring to commit bank fraud against two local financial institutions.
Fremon Reaves Jr., 22, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Jill A. Morris to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
By pleading guilty today, Reaves Jr. admitted that he knowingly and willfully joined in an agreement to commit bank fraud by defrauding FDIC-insured financial institutions of money. On July 1, 2022, an investigator with a local financial institution contacted FBI Kansas City to report an alleged check fraud scheme in the Kansas City area. The fraud scheme consisted of individuals being recruited via social media to voluntarily provide their debit cards and PIN numbers to the fraudsters. The fraudsters would then deposit fraudulent checks into the customers’ accounts. The investigator determined that similar check card stocks were used, similar dollar values were used on the checks, and the same two individuals, eventually identified, with one of them being the defendant, Fremon Reaves Jr., were seen in surveillance videos making the deposits. These co-defendants would make cash withdrawals at ATMs, debit card purchases, and transfer money via Cash App. Through its investigation, the FBI was able to determine that two FDIC-insured financial institutions in the Kansas City area where being targeted as victims of this scheme. The evidence discovered in the investigation indicated the scheme began in April 2022 and continued until at least September 2022 with the actual loss incurred being approximately $90,000 with an intended loss of approximately $400,000.
The co-defendant, Gerald Humphreys Jr., pled guilty to the same offense on March 28th and is also awaiting a sentencing hearing.
Under federal statutes, Reaves Jr. is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentence of the defendant will be determined by the court based upon the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Ketchmark. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of criminal investigators from the two financial institutions.
Former Fugitive Sentenced to 20 Years for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza today sentenced Billy Ruiz (46, California) to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. A federal jury found Ruiz guilty on January 8, 2025.
According to evidence presented during the three-day trial, in March 2016, Ruiz sold large amounts of methamphetamine to a lower-level dealer for redistribution in central Florida. Ruiz was a prolific distributor of methamphetamine operating out of southern California, who, along with others, shipped methamphetamine to Orlando by overnight delivery. The methamphetamine was then repackaged and distributed in central Florida. Ruiz sold two batches of methamphetamine, each weighing approximately two pounds.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lake Mary Police Department, and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Sowell and Chauncey Bratt.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former Blackberry Volunteer Fire Chief Sentenced for COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The former Fire Chief of the Blackberry Volunteer Fire Department (BVFD) in Pike County, Christopher Chapman, 36, was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 12 months in prison, for theft of public funds.
In 2021, as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, to support communities and local governments that were struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government distributed emergency funding to local governments to maintain vital local services. In Spring 2022, Pike County local government authorized the distribution of $50,000 of these funds through grants that were allocated for the purchase of turnout gear for fire and rescue, along with equipment and building maintenance. Chapman applied for these grants on behalf of BVFD, and the local government awarded the full amount of the grants.
According to his plea agreement, on April 11, 2022, Chapman created a company named Rural Public Safety Equipment, LLC. (RPSE), as the sole organizer and member, and registered it with the West Virginia Secretary of State. Chapman then informed members of the BVFD that he could obtain fire safety equipment at cost from a safety equipment company, and he failed to disclose that he was the owner of the company. The fire department pre-paid and ordered $76,854.50 worth of fire and safety equipment from RPSE. Instead of using the prepayments from BVFD to fulfill the orders, Chapman never fulfilled any fire and safety equipment orders, spent all the money on his own personal use, and withdrew $61,500 in cash from the RPSE bank account.
Under federal law, Chapman must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Chapman was also ordered to pay $76,854.50 in restitution.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Bruce Roberts, Interim Executive Director, Kentucky Fire Commission, jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Kentucky Fire Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Dunn-Pirio is prosecuting the matter on behalf of the United States.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
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Five Members of a Sureños-affiliated Transnational Criminal Organization Charged in Narcotics Trafficking Conspiracy SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal grand jury recently returned a nine-count indictment against five members of a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) affiliated with the Sureños, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, the defendants intentionally conspired with each other to acquire and distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Lead and organized by Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, the “Diaz-Aguilar DTO” has been operating and distributing controlled substances throughout Minnesota since at least 2024. During a multi-month investigation, law enforcement seized large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl from various individuals associated with the Diaz-Aguilar-DTO. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that the Diaz-Aguilar DTO is associated with and supplied by one or more transnational criminal organizations trafficking narcotics from Mexico.
The following individuals have been indicted for the following crimes:
Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, 32, a Mexican national residing in New Prague, Minnesota, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, four counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Juan Martin Elvira, Jr., 36, of Rochester, Minnesota, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Edward Gonzalez, 29, of Hastings, Minnesota, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.Eric Anthony Rodriguez, 46, of St. Paul, Minnesota, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, four counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
One other member of the conspiracy remains at large and is pending arrest.
“The Sureños and other drug cartels are dangerous criminal organizations that are fueling the drug crisis in America,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Cartel-backed drug dealers are on notice. Do not bring your poison to Minnesota. If you do, you will see federal charges and federal prison time.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raphael B. Coburn is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Final sentence imposed in multimillion-dollar money laundering conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 49-year-old naturalized citizen from Arlington has been ordered to prison for unlicensed money transmitting and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Nhiem Thi Dan “Sam” Nguyen entered a guilty plea Oct. 5, 2021.
U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison has now sentenced Nguyen to serve 40 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. She will also forfeit $76,848 in cash seized at the time of her arrest and another $17,801.52 in seized accounts. Judge Ellison found Nguyen managed others in the conspiracy and did not commit the crimes inadvertently.
“Money transmitters are regulated specifically to avoid the type of criminal facilitation that took place here,” said Ganjei. “Drug trafficking organizations spread misery, addiction, and violence, but they are fueled by cash. Money laundering schemes allow criminals to convert their ill-gotten gains into spendable currency, and so it’s always a win for the public when we can put one of these launderers out of operation.”
“In any scheme, criminals have to get the money distanced from the crime to avoid detection, which is the criminal business Nguyen and her accomplices ran. They were big players in the deception and lies that allowed drug money and other cash to be moved almost undetected. I say ‘almost’, because we caught them,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan, of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “These conspirators set up various accounts, some even moved cash themselves. When you touch money, cash or virtual currency, you leave a trail for us to follow and that’s the expertise of IRS-CI special agents.”
Nguyen was the top lieutenant in an unlicensed money transmitting business that Vinh and Diana Phan and others ran. The illegal business transmitted funds received in the form of bulk U.S. currency. During the course of the approximately 21-month conspiracy, the unlicensed money transmitting business received and transmitted more than $33 million in cash.
At least some of this cash had been earned from the trafficking, distribution and sale of controlled substances, including approximately $9 million received from Branden Denver Richards, Douglas Paul Michael Davis and Michael Dean Richards. All were members of a Dallas-area drug trafficking organization.
The Phans and Nguyen introduced this bulk cash into the banking system through more than nine “money mules.” The Phans then used the funds to buy virtual currency which was sold for cash in California - the state where the controlled substances originated. The Phans used virtual currency to eliminate the risk of driving cash across the country.
The Phans and Nguyen did not register their money transmitting business with the Department of the Treasury nor did the state of Texas license them to engage in money transmission.
Nguyen was the last of six to be sentenced. Vinh Quang Phan and Diana Le Phan, 59, and 47, a Houston-area married couple, received prison terms of 10 years and were ordered to pay $80,000 in fines and forfeit their home and more than $486,000 in cash and seized accounts.
Branden Richards, 33, Little Elm, was ordered to serve five years in prison, while Davis, 31, Keller, and Michael Richards, 36, Frisco, were both ordered to serve two years.
Nguyen was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
IRS Criminal Investigation-led South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Financial Crimes Task Force conducted the investigation with assistance from Drug Enforcement Administration, Houston Police Department and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman and Eun Kate Suh prosecuted the case with assistance from Deputy Chief Brandon Fyffe of the Asset Recovery Section.
Federal agents arrest man who allegedly fraudulently received $32 million business tax refund checkRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – An Atlanta-area man was arrested this morning by IRS Criminal Investigation special agents on federal charges alleging he fraudulently converted two businesses’ IRS accounts to his name and address. The defendant received tax refund checks – including one for more than $32 million – that were to be paid out to these two businesses.
Christopher Dowtin, 48, of Jonesboro, Georgia, will appear in federal court in Atlanta today. He is charged with wire fraud and theft of public money.
According to charging documents, Dowtin fraudulently submitted IRS forms claiming to be the responsible party for two separate companies.
In December 2024, the IRS processed eight Change of Address or Responsible Party-Business forms associated with Dowtin. Dowtin’s requests for changes were completed and accepted. He ultimately received two tax refund checks for those companies: one in the amount of $32,495,888.58 and one in the amount of $26,156.50.
Dowtin allegedly traveled from Georgia to Ohio with the two checks to open an account in the Southern District of Ohio.
On Feb. 13, Dowtin allegedly took the checks to a Morgan Stanley office in Beavercreek, Ohio, and attempted to negotiate the funds into a brokerage account in a trust in his name. The affidavit details that Dowtin told the Morgan Stanley financial advisor that the two companies were paying him for illegally using his “personhood.” He said the payments owed to him had been transferred to him from the IRS. The financial advisor verified that the checks were valid U.S. Treasury checks.
On Feb. 19, an executive director at Morgan Stanley contacted the United States Secret Service and IRS Criminal Investigation regarding the suspicious nature of the checks and Dowtin’s supporting paperwork. The checks were seized by law enforcement.
Wire fraud is a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Theft of public funds carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Yvonne DiCristoforo, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service; announced the arrest and charges. Assistant United States Attorney Amy M. Smith is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Ethete man sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for abusive sexual contact as the U.S. Attorney’s Office recognizes National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
Since 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) has challenged the nation to confront and remove barriers to achieving justice for all victims of crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office uses the week to educate the public about victimization and its effects on individuals, families, friends, and communities. As the week kicked off across the nation, the District of Wyoming sentenced a case that recognized the accomplishments of the victims’ rights movement and reflected on how far it has come.
Dwayne Wahtomy Jr., age 47, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment with 10 years of supervised release for the abusive sexual contact of a child by force. According to court documents, the victim disclosed that she had been sexually abused by the defendant when she was a minor. The defendant also threatened the victim to keep her silent.
During the investigation and prosecution of the case, the victim exercised several of her statutory victim’s rights. She was notified of all hearings, was notified of the defendant’s custody status, consulted with the prosecutor about a plea offer, and provided a victim impact statement at the sentencing hearing. Wahtomy was indicted on Sept. 18, 2024, and pleaded guilty on Jan. 15. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on April 7 in Cheyenne. The BIA investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
In 1988, the Office of Victims of Crimes (OVC) was established by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA). According to OVC, around 5 million people become victims of violent crimes annually, including rape, domestic violence, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and more. Being a victim of these traumatic crimes can, in most cases, create long-lasting impacts on someone and can sometimes create secondary problems like loss of relationships, mental health issues, physical problems, and a negative impact on occupational and societal function. Because of the prevalence and effects of crimes and victims of crimes, communities and governments have a responsibility to come up with ways to support these victims.
The Victim Witness Program for the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Wyoming, provides federal crime victims and witnesses with information, services, and support during federal prosecutions. The office is committed to ensuring that victims and witnesses of crime are treated fairly throughout their contact with the federal criminal justice system. For more information, visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wy/victim-witness-program
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. PSN is 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, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Case No. 24-CR-00153
Eight Defendants Charged with Federal Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury in Huntsville has charged eight individuals with immigration crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona.
The following defendants were indicted for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported:
- Gilmar Araldo Elias, 45, of Guatemala;
- Faustino Discua-Reyes, 38, of Honduras;
- Roger Manuel Jarquin, 28, of Nicaragua;
- Rigoberto Miranda-Gutierrez, 43, of Mexico;
- Miguel Perdomo Sanchez, 27, of Mexico;
- Luis Miguel Olivera Hernandez, 36, of Mexico;
- Milton Obdulio Ramirez, 31, of Honduras;
- Angel Techomahua-Amador, 36, of Mexico;
The following defendants were charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm:
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Operation Take Back America partners Homeland Security Investigations – Atlanta and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division investigated these cases.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
District Man Indicted for Possession of a Firearm as a Felon Following Arrest Near Recreation CenterRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ricky Corey Watkins, Jr., 33, of Washington, D.C., has been indicted with unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and unlawful possession of a firearm in a school zone. 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).
According to court documents, MPD Officers responded to the Harrison Recreation Center, located at 1330 V. Street, Northwest, on March 19, 2025, for a call that someone was riding a dirt bike on the baseball field. Hawkins, who was driving the dirt bike, was handcuffed and detained. It is alleged that while detained, Hawkins complained of an injury, and D.C. Fire and Emergency Services responded. When Hawkins was told that he would need to be searched before he was transported by ambulance, Watkins stood up and allegedly attempted to flee. While he was running with his hands cuffed behind his back, Watkins allegedly removed a firearm from his person and dropped it on the ground. Both the firearm and Watkins were recovered by MPD officers shortly thereafter.
The firearm was identified as a 9mm Glock, Model 19X, which was loaded with one round in the chamber and fourteen additional rounds in the magazine. The firearm was also fitted with a laser sight attachment.
A criminal history check revealed that Watkins had prior felony convictions, which prohibited him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson.
View Watkins Indictment:
watkins_indictment_0.pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District Man Convicted of Federal Firearms and Drug Offenses Following a Robbery on Benning Road, NortheastRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal jury convicted Naquel Matao Henderson, 27, of Washington, D.C., of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, robbery, and unlawful possession of Oxycodone following a six-day trial, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This case is part of Make D.C. Safe Again, 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.
Government photo exhibit. Photo of Glock 30.United States District Judge Timothy J. Kelly scheduled Henderson’s sentencing for July 3, 2025. Henderson had been detained since his arrest in this case.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Henderson rode an electric scooter into traffic at approximately 2:16 pm on June 24, 2024, colliding with a car that had the green light. Following a brief argument, Henderson pushed the woman whose car he hit and violently snatched a cross-body satchel from her person before fleeing. Both the collision and the robbery were captured on overhead surveillance cameras. Numerous individuals witnessed the robbery, including an MPD Commander who issued an emergency call for assistance.
A responding MPD patrol officer attempted to detain Henderson for the robbery, at which point he turned and ran. Both the patrol officer and the MPD Commander, who had made the emergency call, chased Henderson into an alley, where they observed that he was carrying a handgun. The patrol officer tackled Henderson and wrestled the firearm away, and the MPD Commander secured it. Additional officers responded to the scene, and Henderson was eventually taken into custody. The firearm was determined to be a .45 caliber Glock loaded with one round in the chamber and fourteen rounds in the magazine.
A search of Henderson’s person after his arrest revealed that he was carrying a total of fifty (50) 10mg Oxycodone pills. The pills were manufactured by two different companies and were stored in two different pill bottles – neither of which listed Henderson as the prescribed user of the Oxycodone.
Prior to his arrest in this case, Henderson had been convicted of felony offenses in both the D.C. Superior Court and the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and he was therefore prohibited by law from possessing a firearm. At the time of his arrest, Henderson was also on pretrial release in D.C. Superior Court, where he was charged with numerous violent offenses, including conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder while armed.
This case was investigated by MPD officers and detectives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shehzad Akhtar and James B. Nelson and Paralegal Specialist Melissa Macechko.
Delco Man Who Committed Six Armed Robberies of Area Hotels Sentenced to 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Naim-Shahid Jumah Austin, 28, of Yeadon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cynthia M. Rufe on Monday to 144 months in prison and five years of supervised release for a spate of armed robberies targeting local hotels in late 2022.
In January 2023, Austin was charged by indictment with six counts of robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), and firearms offenses. In December of last year, the defendant pleaded guilty to all the robberies, and to using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, between September 2022 and December 2022, Austin targeted the hotels in the early morning hours, when one employee was usually working alone at the front desk. He terrorized his victims at gunpoint, demanding that they hand over cash from the registers.
Austin was armed with a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol and drove his mother’s car to all six robberies, which occurred at hotels in Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties:
- September 16, 2022, 3:23 a.m. – Courtyard by Marriott, Tredyffrin Township, Pa.
- September 18, 2022, 4:02 a.m. – Holiday Inn & Suites, Drexel Hill, Pa. (also robbed hotel guest)
- October 10, 2022, 2:05 a.m. – Fairfield Inn & Suites, Broomall, Pa. (fled empty-handed)
- November 21, 2022, 3:35 a.m. – Home2 Suites by Hilton, Glen Mills, Pa.
- December 2, 2022, 4:04 a.m. – Marriott Philadelphia West, West Conshohocken, Pa.
- December 12, 2022, 4:41 a.m. – Holiday Inn Express & Suites, West Chester, Pa.
West Goshen Township Police located and arrested Austin minutes after the December 12, 2022, hotel robbery.
“Naim Austin was on a one-man crime spree, committing six armed robberies in less than three months,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He threatened the hotel employees he victimized at gunpoint, to terrify them into compliance. This sentence keeps him off the street and holds him accountable for what he’s done. My office and our partners are committed to making our communities safer by bringing violent offenders like this to justice.”
“Brazen violent criminals like Austin terrorize our communities,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, FBI Philadelphia's Special Agent in Charge. “This sentencing is a testament to the coordinated efforts between all of law enforcement. The FBI and our partners will never stop working to crush violent crime and ensure our citizens have a safe place to work and live in.”
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency and the Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the Tredyffrin Township Police Department, Upper Darby Township Police Department, Marple Township Police Department, Newtown Township Police Department, West Conshohocken Police Department, Birmingham Township Police Department, West Goshen Township Police Department, and Chester County Detectives. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Sandra Urban.
Climate Activist Found Guilty in Defacing Degas Exhibit at National Gallery of ArtRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Timothy Martin, 55, of Raleigh, North Carolina, was found guilty by a federal jury for his role in the April 27, 2023, defacement of an art exhibit at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.
National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.President Trump directed federal authorities in a March 2025 Executive Order to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful by launching a multi-faceted initiative to address both crime and beautification. This includes the creation of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force to coordinate law enforcement efforts, and a program to restore and enhance the city's public spaces.
“This verdict sends a strong message to the thousands of people who come to D.C. each year to demonstrate and be heard,” said U.S Attorney Martin. “Free speech is a constitutional right. But when you take illegal action, such as causing damage to an art exhibit at the National Gallery, you are crossing a line. We want to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Again, and we will not tolerate anyone defacing our city to get attention for their cause.”
After a four-day trial, the jury, yesterday, found Martin guilty of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and injury to a National Gallery of Art exhibit. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled sentencing for August 22, 2025.
According to evidence introduced in court, Martin and co-defendant Johanna Smith, 54, of Brooklyn, NY, smeared paint on the case and base of Edgar Degas’ Little Dancer, Age Fourteen, a sculpture which has drawn visitors for years to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Following the attack, a group called Declare Emergency claimed credit.
Martin and Smith agreed, along with other co-conspirators, to enter the National Gallery of Art for the purpose of injuring the exhibit and entered the museum armed with water bottles filled with paint. Martin and Smith handed their phones to other co-conspirators and waited until patrons cleared the area in front of the Little Dancer. The pair proceeded to smear paint on the case and base of the exhibit, at times smacking the case with force. Prior to the attack, members of the conspiracy had alerted the Washington Post, and two reporters from the Post recorded and photographed the offense. Additionally, other members of the conspiracy filmed and photographed the offense.
Smith and Martin caused over $4,000 in damage, including material and labor costs, and the exhibit was removed from public display for 10 days so that it could be repaired.
Smith pleaded guilty December 15, 2023, to one count of causing injury to a National Gallery of Art exhibit. She was sentenced to 60 days in prison, followed by 24 months of supervised release and ordered to pay a $3,000 fine and $4,062 in restitution.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, specifically the FBI’s Art Crime Team, with assistance from National Gallery of Art Police, and U.S. Park Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron A. Tepfer and Jennifer Blackwell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
23cr182
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Antwaun Winbush, 45, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on Friday, April 4, 2025 to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Winbush admitted that he possessed approximately 141.8 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine at various locations in Putnam County on March 25, 2024, and intended to distribute it. Winbush further admitted to possessing approximately 227 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, 8 grams of cocaine and 14.7 grams of fentanyl in Jackson County on October 4, 2021, and intended to distribute those controlled substances.
Winbush is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, the Charleston Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-154.
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Charles City Man Sent to Federal Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as a felon and domestic abuser was sentenced today to more than four years in federal prison.
Dashaune Terrell Burns-Johnson, age 32, from Charles City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 23, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on May 22, 2024, Burns‑Johnson brought drugs and a loaded firearm to his neighbor’s house in Charles City. Burns-Johnson pulled the firearm out of his backpack and pointed it at someone in the house. Burns-Johnson had previously been convicted of felony and misdemeanor crimes related to domestic abuse assault.
Burns-Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Burns-Johnson was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Burns-Johnson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Charles City Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-2033.
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Cary Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years for Access Device Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Cary man was sentenced today to 61 months in prison for access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. Ibrahim Abiodun Aderounmu, 27, pled guilty to the charges on November 4, 2024. The court also ordered Aderounmu to pay $536,782 in restitution to the victims.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, between approximately 2020 and 2022, Aderounmu engaged in multiple access device fraud schemes involving the theft and misuse of personal identifying information (PII) of victims across the United States. The schemes resulted in attempted losses of more than $650,000.
As part of one scheme, victim PII was used to submit hundreds of applications for Chase Bank business credit card accounts. If the application was successful, the physical credit card was mailed to Aderounmu’s apartment in Cary. Aderounmu then used the credit cards to make online and in-store purchases.
The investigation into the Chase Bank scheme resulted in a search warrant of Aderounmu’s apartment. During the search, officers recovered, among other things, more than 400 access devices, including debit cards for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. According to the investigation, victim PII was fraudulently used to apply for and initiate UI benefits from multiple state workforce agencies, including in North Carolina, California, Nevada, and Arizona. If approved, the benefits were loaded onto debit cards and mailed to addresses under the control of Aderounmu and others. Aderounmu was captured on surveillance footage withdrawing the UI benefits from the debit cards at ATMs in Raleigh, Cary, and other locations in the Eastern District of North Carolina.
The seized access devices also included multiple USAA debit cards in the names of victims. The investigation found that victim PII was used to open USAA accounts with addresses linked to Aderounmu. The fraudulent accounts, in turn, were funded with fraudulent check deposits, the proceeds of which were withdrawn from ATMs in Raleigh, Cary, and elsewhere.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case for the government.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-222-FL.
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California Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder of Supreme Court Justice in MarylandRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, Nicholas John Roske, 29, of Simi Valley, California, pled guilty to attempting to kill a United States Supreme Court Justice.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Attorney General Pamela Bondi; FBI Director Kash Patel; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland; Chief Marc Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Deputy Chief of Police Stephanie N. Whitam, Supreme Court of the United States Police Department.
“This calculated attempt on the life of a sitting U.S. Supreme Court Justice was a heinous attack on the Court itself,” Bondi said. “Anyone who thinks they can use violence or intimidation to influence our courts will be met with the full force of the law and face up to life in prison.”
“The attempted assassination of a United States Supreme Court Justice is an extreme, brazen act, one that we — along with our federal, local, and state law-enforcement partners — will not tolerate,” Hayes said. “It’s through these partnerships that we’re able to hold criminals accountable and uphold the rule of law. We are committed to relentlessly pursuing and prosecuting those who are involved in planning and executing acts of violence against others.”
“Nicholas Roske sought to commit a despicable, premeditated attack on a Supreme Court Justice and today is another step toward accountability,” Patel said. “No violent attacks can be tolerated, whether those targeted are public officials or private citizens – and the FBI and our partners will aggressively investigate and bring to justice all those who engage in such plots.”
“After a thorough investigation, Nicholas Roske is being held accountable for plotting, planning, and taking steps to assassinate a United States Supreme Court Justice. This guilty plea makes clear that those actions have serious consequences,” DelBagno said. “The FBI’s partnerships with the Montgomery County Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service and Supreme Court of the United States Police Department were critical in bringing Roske to justice. We will not stop our pursuit of extremists who advocate violence and threaten others.”
As part of his guilty plea, Roske admitted that on June 7, 2022, he flew from Los Angeles International Airport to Dulles International Airport with a firearm and ammunition in his checked baggage. He then took a taxi from the airport to Montgomery County, Maryland, with the intent to kill the Supreme Court Justice.
According to the criminal complaint and the Government’s factual allegations, on June 8, 2022, at approximately 1:05 a.m., two Deputy U.S. Marshals, protecting the residence of a Supreme Court Justice, observed Roske arrive in and get out of a taxi in front of the residence. Roske wore black clothing and had a backpack and suitcase. Upon observing Roske, the two Deputy U.S. Marshals started to get out of their vehicles as the defendant proceeded to walk down the street.
Shortly after, Roske told a Montgomery County Emergency Communications Center call taker that he was having homicidal and suicidal thoughts, had a gun in his suitcase, and flew from California to kill a specific Supreme Court Justice.
Montgomery County Police Department officers responded to the location and took Roske into custody. A search of Roske’s suitcase and backpack revealed a firearm; black tactical chest rig and tactical knife; two magazines, each containing 10 rounds of ammunition; 17 additional rounds of ammunition; pepper spray; zip ties; a hammer; screwdrivers; nail punch; crowbar; pistol light; duct tape; hiking boots with padding on the outside of the soles; and lock-pick tools, along with other items.
Law enforcement transported Roske to a Montgomery County Police Department station where he was read his Miranda rights. Roske then stated that he was upset about a recently leaked Supreme Court draft decision on abortion as well as the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The defendant also admitted that he came from California with the intent to use the firearm and burglary tools and to kill the Supreme Court Justice.
Roske faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman scheduled sentencing for Friday, Oct. 3, at 10 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, MCPD, and the Supreme Court of the United States Police Department for their work and cooperation in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas M. Sullivan and Coreen Mao who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and its efforts to fight violent crime and protect national security, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr.
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California Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder of Supreme Court Justice in MarylandRead the Press Release
Nicholas John Roske, 29, of Simi Valley, California, pleaded guilty today to attempting to kill a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
“This calculated attempt on the life of a sitting U.S. Supreme Court Justice was a heinous attack on the Court itself,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Anyone who thinks they can use violence or intimidation to influence our courts will be met with the full force of the law and face up to life in prison.”
“Nicholas Roske sought to commit a despicable, premeditated attack on a Supreme Court Justice and today is another step toward accountability,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “No violent attacks can be tolerated, whether those targeted are public officials or private citizens – and the FBI and our partners will aggressively investigate and bring to justice all those who engage in such plots.”
“The attempted assassination of a U.S. Supreme Court Justice is an extreme, brazen act, one that we — along with our federal, local, and state law-enforcement partners — will not tolerate,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “It’s through these partnerships that we’re able to hold criminals accountable and uphold the rule of law. We are committed to relentlessly pursuing and prosecuting those who are involved in planning and executing acts of violence against others.”
As part of his guilty plea, Roske admitted that on June 7, 2022, he flew from Los Angeles International Airport to Dulles International Airport with a firearm and ammunition in his checked baggage. He then took a taxi from the airport to Montgomery County, Maryland, with the intent to kill the Supreme Court Justice.
According to the criminal complaint and the Government’s factual allegations, on June 8, 2022, at approximately 1:05 a.m., two Deputy U.S. Marshals, protecting the residence of a Supreme Court Justice, observed Roske arrive in and get out of a taxi in front of the residence. Roske wore black clothing and had a backpack and suitcase. Upon observing Roske, the two Deputy U.S. Marshals started to get out of their vehicles as the defendant proceeded to walk down the street.
Shortly after, Roske told a Montgomery County Emergency Communications Center call taker that he was having homicidal and suicidal thoughts, had a gun in his suitcase, and flew from California to kill a specific Supreme Court Justice.
Montgomery County Police Department officers responded to the location and took Roske into custody. A search of Roske’s suitcase and backpack revealed a firearm; black tactical chest rig and tactical knife; two magazines, each containing 10 rounds of ammunition; 17 additional rounds of ammunition; pepper spray; zip ties; a hammer; screwdrivers; a nail punch; a crowbar; a pistol light; duct tape; hiking boots with padding on the outside of the soles; and lock-pick tools, along with other items.
Law enforcement transported Roske to a Montgomery County Police Department station where he was read his Miranda rights. Roske then stated that he was upset about a recently leaked Supreme Court draft decision on abortion as well as the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The defendant also admitted that he came from California with the intent to use the firearm and burglary tools and to kill the Supreme Court Justice.
Roske faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman scheduled sentencing for Oct. 3. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, MCPD, and Police Department for the U.S. Supreme Court for their work and cooperation in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas M. Sullivan and Coreen Mao for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from Trial Attorney John Cella of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Brazilian Man Who Entered U.S. Illegally Charged with Forcibly Assaulting, Resisting, Opposing, Impeding, Intimidating, and Interfering with Federal Officer Who Had Taken Him into CustodyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Enmanuel Fernandes-Calixto, aka “Emanuel Fernandes” and “Emanuel Bartholomew,” 20, a citizen of Brazil with no legal status in the United States, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, and interfering with an officer of the United States while engaged in the performance of his official duties. The defendant has been ordered detained in federal custody pending indictment and trial.
The criminal complaint alleges that on or about April 2, 2025, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Officer arrested Fernandes-Calixto for immigration violations. During transport, the defendant attempted to escape. The defendant, while still handcuffed, attempted to strike the officer in the face and pushed the officer. The defendant ultimately escaped during the struggle and hid in a house in Northeast Philadelphia. He was apprehended later that evening, with the assistance of the Philadelphia Police Department SWAT team.
The complaint further alleges that Fernandes-Calixto, after entering the United States illegally and on release from immigration detention, violated his conditions of release when he was arrested for other offenses in Philadelphia, including separate cases charging strangulation and related offenses; and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and related offenses, from alleged incidents in August of 2024. Those local charges are still pending.
As detailed in court filings, despite the existence of an ICE detainer, the defendant was released from Philadelphia custody in March of 2025.
The case is being investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations.
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.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Boston Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Loaded Semi-Automatic PistolRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
Tyrone Goforth, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to time served (66 months and one day), to be followed by three years of supervised release. In February 2025, Goforth pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Goforth was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020.
On July 31, 2020, officers responded to a call for a person with a gun at a bookstore in Roxbury, Mass. Goforth was inside the bookstore and fit the description of a man wearing a black shirt and olive pants. Goforth was found to be in possession of a Sig Sauer P938 9mm semi-automatic pistol loaded with five rounds of 9mm ammunition. Due to a 2000 conviction in Suffolk Superior Court, Goforth is prohibited from possessing firearms.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, 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 priority, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Boston City Councilor Agrees to Plead Guilty to Federal Public Corruption ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson has agreed to plead guilty to federal public corruption charges in connection with an alleged kickback scheme to obtain thousands of dollars in cash from a staff member in exchange for a large bonus.
Tania Fernandes Anderson, 46, of Boston, has agreed to plead guilty to count one of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning a program receiving federal funds. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. In December 2024, Fernandes Anderson was indicted by a federal grand jury. Per the plea agreement, the government is recommending a sentence of one year and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $13,000.
Fernandes Anderson currently serves as City Councilor for Boston’s District 7, which includes Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway and part of the South End. She was first elected to a two-year term in November 2021 and won re-election in November 2023.
According to the charging documents, in or about 2022, Fernandes Anderson hired two members of her immediate family as salaried employees of her City Councilor Staff. Because City Councilors are prohibited by law from hiring immediate family members to their paid staff, Fernandes Anderson was required to terminate their salaried employment in or about August 2022. Additionally, from in or about March 2023 to May 2023, the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission notified Fernandes Anderson of its findings and that it would be seeking a $5,000 civil penalty payment from her.
It is alleged that, in or about November 2022, Fernandes Anderson allegedly emailed a City of Boston employee regarding her hiring of Staff Member A – a relative of Fernandes Anderson who was not an immediate family member – as a salaried employee. In her email to the City of Boston employee, it is alleged that Fernandes Anderson falsely represented that she and Staff Member A were not related:
From in or about early to mid-2023, Fernandes Anderson was allegedly facing personal financial difficulty, which included the outstanding $5,000 civil penalty payment to the Ethics Commission. It is further alleged that, in or about early May 2023, Fernandes Anderson told Staff Member A that she would give them extra pay in the form of a large bonus, but that Staff Member A would have to give a portion of the bonus back to Fernandes Anderson. Staff Member A agreed to the arrangement with Fernandes Anderson.
On or about May 3, 2023, Fernandes Anderson allegedly sent an email to a City of Boston employee to process bonus payments for her City Councilor Staff. In the email, Fernandes Anderson instructed the City of Boston employee to process a bonus payment of $13,000 to Staff Member A – more than double the total bonuses paid to all other Fernandes Anderson staff combined. Fernandes Anderson allegedly did not disclose the bonus kickback arrangement she had made with Staff Member A to the City of Boston employee.
Staff Member A deposited the bonus check on or about May 26, 2023 into their account at Santander Bank. It is alleged that, at Fernandes Anderson’s direction, Staff Member A then made separate cash withdrawals of the payment on three separate dates: $3,000 on May 31, 2023; $3,000 on June 5, 2023; and $4,000 on June 9, 2023.
It is alleged that, on June 9, 2023, immediately following the final cash withdrawal, Fernandes Anderson and Staff Member A arranged to meet in a bathroom at Boston City Hall. There, Staff Member A allegedly provided Fernandes Anderson with $7,000 in cash:
According to the signed plea agreement, for tax years 2021, 2022 and 2023, Fernandes Anderson filed fraudulent federal income tax returns with the IRS. Specifically, it is alleged that Fernandes Anderson: omitted approximately $11,000 in income that she earned from a Massachusetts-based corporation from her 2021 tax return; willfully omitted campaign funds that she used for her own personal enrichment from her 2022 and 2023 tax returns; and willfully omitted the $7,000 kickback that she received from Staff Member A from her 2023 tax return.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley, Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy and Dustin Chao of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Benjamin Holmes Found Guilty of Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy and Federal Gun ViolationsRead the Press Release
Correction: The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisiana State Police, the Bogalusa Police Department, Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On April 2, 2025, BENJAMIN HOLMES (“HOLMES”), a Bogalusa resident, was found guilty by a jury on April 2, 2025 of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846, one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and an amount of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(D), one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A), being a convicted felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 856(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
According to the evidence at trial, HOLMES utilized his residence in Bogalusa, La., to store illegal narcotics, including fentanyl and marijuana, and firearms, and worked with others at this location to distribute fentanyl and marijuana to paying customers. During a September 2023 search of this residence, law enforcement officials seized four firearms and over 300 grams of fentanyl.
As to counts one and two, HOLMES faces a minimum term of imprisonment of five (5) up to forty (40) years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four (4) years of supervised release. As to count three, HOLMES faces a minimum term of imprisonment of five (5) years up to life imprisonment, which must run consecutive to any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five (5) years of supervised release. As to count four, HOLMES faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three (3) years of supervised release. As to count 5, HOLMES faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $500,000 fine, and up to three (3) years of supervised release. All five counts also carry a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for July 16, 2025.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisiana State Police, and the Bogalusa Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Stuart Theriot and Lynn E. Schiffman, both of the Narcotics Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.
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.
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Affiliated Companies Agree to Pay $10.8 Million to Resolve Allegations that They Fraudulently Obtained COVID-19 LoansRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 2, 2025, a group of affiliated companies controlled by a family office have agreed to pay $10,853,246.94 to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false certifications in connection with loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). The affiliated companies include: Barrington Venture Holding Company LLC; The Club at Strawberry Creek LLC; The Garlands of Barrington LLC; Nuestro Queso, LLC; SSCO LLC; and Tire Profiles LLC.
The PPP loan program, created by Congress in March 2020 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, provided emergency financial assistance to small businesses suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program allowed eligible businesses to apply for loans that, if spent on payroll and other eligible expenses, could be forgiven and repaid on the borrower’s behalf by the federal government. When applying for a loan and for forgiveness, borrowers were required to certify that they were eligible for the PPP and that the information provided was accurate.
Congress limited eligibility for PPP loans to businesses with less than 500 employees (or less than an industry-based size standard, if applicable). 15 U.S.C. § 636(a)(36)(D)(i). With respect to counting employees, Congress adopted the Small Business Administration’s pre-existing “affiliation rules,” which require businesses under common ownership or control to add their employee counts together when determining their size. 15 U.S.C. § 636(a)(36)(D)(vi); 13 C.F.R. § 121.301(f)(1), (3) & (6) (effective March 27, 2020, to September 7, 2021). The Small Business Administration’s regulations also make clear that companies are to count all employees equally, including part-time and temporary employees the same as full-time employees. 13 C.F.R. § 121.106(a), (b)(2) & (4)(i).
This settlement resolves allegations that four of the family office affiliates—The Club at Strawberry Creek LLC; The Garlands of Barrington LLC; Nuestro Queso, LLC; and Tire Profiles LLC—falsely certified that they were eligible for the PPP loans they received. Collectively, these family office companies received six PPP loans totaling over $5 million in principal value, despite collectively employing more than 500 individuals (and not otherwise complying with an alternative size-standard). The government alleges that these entities knew that they were ineligible for the PPP loans that they received but that they applied anyway and took affirmative steps to avoid detection by regulators.
“When it passed the Paycheck Protection Program, Congress made policy decisions about what types of businesses would and would not be eligible for the pandemic-relief resources that it made available,” said Acting United States Attorney Frohling. “Congress decided that it did not want to provide taxpayer dollars to large companies or groups of affiliated companies who likely had access to private sources of capital typically unavailable to American small businesses.The eight-figure settlement announced today reflects the continuing commitment of the Department of Justice and the Small Business Administration to hold accountable sophisticated businesses that abused this emergency program.”
“The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other Federal law enforcement agencies to recover the product of this fraud as well as penalties,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis.
The United States encourages anyone with information about potential fraud involving COVID-19 to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. PPP recipients also may voluntarily disclose self-discovered evidence of fraud involving the PPP to their district’s U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Aaron R. Wegrzyn represented the government in connection with this matter, with assistance from Kandace Zelaya in the Small Business Administration’s Office of Litigation and Office of General Counsel.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
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Monday 7 April 2025
Yale Police Officer Charged with Federal Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, and Connecticut State Police Colonel Daniel Loughman today announced that OTILIO GREEN, 43, of Hamden, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with child exploitation offenses.
Green was arrested on April 4, 2025. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria R. Garcia in New Haven and is currently detained. A detention hearing is scheduled for tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. in Bridgeport.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, between January and March 2025, Synchronoss, a cloud storage provider for Verizon Wireless, submitted eight CyberTipline reports documenting 43 images and five videos of suspected child pornography uploaded to an account associated with Green. A subsequent court-authorized search of Green’s cloud storage account revealed an additional 2 images and 55 videos of suspected child sex abuse material. The investigation also revealed that Green was employed as an officer with the Yale University Police Department
The complaint charges Green with possession of child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and 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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by HSI New England, the Connecticut State Police, and the Connecticut Center for Digital Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford.
This prosecution is part of 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.
Vandalia man accused of attempting to commit a child sex offenseRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Today in U.S. District Court within the Southern District of Illinois, a magistrate judge ordered a Vandalia man be held in custody without bail after he was charged with attempting to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
Trevor W. Yokley, 32, is facing one count of attempting to entice a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, and a maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment.
“Individuals who prey on children perpetrate vile crimes, which is why identifying child predators is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
According to the complaint, an undercover FBI agent created an online social media profile for a purported 14-year-old girl. Yokley is accused of contacting the purported minor and trying to meet with her to engage in sexual activity between January and April 2025.
“Due to the tireless pursuit of criminals who would target children, a once faceless online predator has been unmasked and arrested,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “This arrest is one of many to come as FBI Springfield continues to work alongside our partners to identify and bring child predators to justice.”
FBI arrested Yokley in Effingham on April 1, 2025, when he traveled to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity.
A complaint is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The FBI Springfield Field Office is leading the investigation with assistance by the Carlyle Police Department, Mt. Vernon Police Department, and Effingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Burns is prosecuting the case.