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14 May 2025
Norfolk Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Alexzandra Blanco, 24, of Norfolk, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 14, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury and conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Blanco to 240 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Blanco is released from prison, she will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Blanco will also forfeit $4,200.00 in United States currency and a 2019 Dodge Ram truck to the United States as drug proceeds.
On March 17, 2023, Blanco and her boyfriend, co-defendant Tremain Monroe, were out celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. After the bars closed, at approximately 2:00 a.m., several people gathered at an apartment in Norfolk. Blanco was involved in providing fentanyl to a victim who overdosed but was revived by Narcan. Law enforcement then purchased M-30 fentanyl pills from Monroe on three separate occasions in April 2023.
On May 3, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Monroe and Blanco’s residence. Law enforcement seized 221 fentanyl pills, drug paraphernalia, more than 5 pounds of methamphetamine, and $4,200.00 in United States currency.
Blanco was convicted after a jury trial in February 2025. Monroe pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced by Judge Buescher to 210 months’ imprisonment on October 23, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Overdose Drug Task Force, which is comprised of law enforcement from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Omaha Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Nixa Woman Pleaded Guilty to Making False and Fictitious Claims Against the United States and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Nixa, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to making false and fictitious claims against the United States and wire fraud.
Tina Louise Yager, 66, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie Epps, Jr., to a federal information charging her with one count of wire fraud and one count of making false, fictitious and fraudulent claims against the United States.
Yager, a tax preparer, utilized information from her clients to present false tax return documents to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from November 2023 through March of 2024.
According to the plea agreement, Yager was entrusted with the personal information of her clients. Yager submitted tax return documents to the IRS in the name of her clients without their knowledge or approval. Yager also included unapproved tax deductions on tax return documents for her clients to fraudulently inflate her clients tax returns and then pocketed these falsely obtained monies. Yager would have debit cards issued that contained her clients tax return monies. Yager would then embezzle those monies and spent it for her personal benefit. The intended losses amounted to $48,481.00, but Yager was able to embezzle only $16,850.00 of those monies for her personal use. As part of her plea agreement, Yager must pay restitution of at least $14,447.00 to the IRS, the exact amount will be determined at her sentencing hearing and agreed to the Court entering a forfeiture money judgment of $16,850.00.
Under federal statutes, Yager is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the IRS – Criminal Investigation.
New Orleans Man Caught on Video Firing Gun and Driving Stolen Car Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Machinegun and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RENARD SANTIAGO (“SANTIAGO”), age 19, was sentenced on May 13, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to fifteen (15) years in prison, followed by four (4) years of supervised release, along with a mandatory $400 special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy, and possession with the intent to distribute, marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, in 2024, SANTIAGO was wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the New Orleans Police Department. Specifically, an arrest warrant had been issued for SANTIAGO for an armed robbery committed on October 10, 2023. On December 25, 2023,he was captured on surveillance video firing a handgun with a drum magazine attached and then driving away in a stolen SUV. During their investigation into his whereabouts, law enforcement officers saw stories on SANTIAGO’s social media account showing SANTIAGO in possession of a handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device, posing with large amounts of cash, and advertising the sale of marijuana. The next day, officers executed a search warrant at SANTIAGO’s residence. SANTIAGO hid in the attic for four hours before he was finally forced out of the house. Inside the attic, officers found SANTIAGO’s handgun, with the machinegun conversion device still attached, a distributable quantity of marijuana, and over $400 in cash.
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 investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
National Police Week Honors the Service and Sacrifice of Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: In honor of National Police Week 2025, observed this year from May 11 to May 17, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement.
“On Tuesday of this week I was privileged to attend the annual observance at the Maine Law Enforcement Officers Memorial,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Craig M. Wolff. “The names of two additional officers were added to the wall, bringing to 90 the number of officers whose names are etched on the wall to honor their sacrifice protecting the people of Maine. The service was a poignant reminder of the risks that law enforcement officers willingly embrace each day.”
According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 147 federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2024. The number of law enforcement professionals nationwide who died in the line of duty in 2024 increased 25% compared to 2023, according to preliminary data provided by the NLEOMF. The names of 345 fallen officers were added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial in Washington, D.C., including the officers who were killed in 2024.
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
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Mission real estate agent indicted for fraud schemeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 45-year-old Mission man has made an appearance in McAllen federal court on wire fraud charges, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
According to the four-count indictment, Sergio Efrain Zamora Jr. sold multiple homes by forging signatures on the documents and transferring titles to his business.
The charges allege, beginning in June 2021, Zamora orchestrated a real estate fraud scheme by selling multiple homes without the homeowners’ authorization. He allegedly forged signatures on documents and transferred property titles to his business.
The victims-some of whom were his own family and friends-were unaware their homes were being sold, according to the charges. Zamora allegedly created fraudulent documents, including warranty deeds and contracts of sale, to make the transactions appear legitimate.
According to the indictment, he forged paperwork as part of the scheme. He allegedly profited illegally by using the proceeds to pay off debts and, in some cases, by receiving funds directly from the fraudulent closings.
The charges allege the scheme caused a total loss of $655,000 to the victims and the title company.
If convicted, Zamora faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty to Harboring FugitiveRead the Press Release
A Minnesota man who harbored and concealed a fugitive in 2022 pled guilty on May 13, 2025, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Jay Anthony Tapper, age 56, from Rosemount, Minnesota, was convicted of one count of harboring a fugitive.
At the plea hearing, Tapper admitted that, in August and September 2022, he knew there was a federal warrant outstanding for the arrest of Mary Kate Nguyen. Tapper harbored and concealed Nguyen during those two months. Tapper intended to prevent Nguyen’s discovery and arrest on then-pending felony charges. U.S. Marshals ultimately arrested Nguyen, and she was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment on fraud and contempt charges in January 2025.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Tapper remains free on bond pending sentencing. Tapper faces a possible maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation-Special Enforcement Operations Bureau. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Woodbury (Minnesota) Police Department, U.S. Marshal’s Service, Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement, and Iowa Division of Intelligence assisted in the investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 25-CR-4024 (Tapper) and 21-CR-3037 (Nguyen).
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Michigan Man Arrested and Charged with Attempting to Attack Military Base on Behalf of ISISRead the Press Release
A Melvindale man – and former member of the Michigan Army National Guard – was arrested today after he attempted to carry out a plan to conduct a mass-shooting at a U.S. military base in Warren, Michigan, on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization.
Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, 19, is charged in a criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device.
“This defendant is charged with planning a deadly attack on a U.S. military base here at home for ISIS,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement, we foiled the attack before lives were lost. We will not hesitate to bring the full force of the Department to find and prosecute those who seek to harm our men and women in the military and to protect all Americans.”
“ISIS is a brutal terrorist organization which seeks to kill Americans. Helping ISIS or any other terrorist organization prepare or carry out acts of violence is not only a reprehensible crime – it is a threat to our entire nation and way of life,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan. “Our office will not tolerate such crimes or threats, and we will use the full weight of the law against anyone who engages in terrorism.”
“The defendant allegedly tried to carry out an attack on a military facility in support of ISIS, which was disrupted thanks to the good work of the FBI and our partners,” said Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “The FBI is steadfast in our commitment to detect and stop terrorist plans aimed at the American homeland or at U.S. interests overseas.”
“The arrest of this former soldier is a sobering reminder of the importance of our counterintelligence efforts to identify and disrupt those who would seek to harm our nation,” said Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command. “I commend the tireless work of our special agents and FBI partners who worked together to investigate and apprehend this individual. We will continue to collaborate with our partners to prevent similar incidents in the future. We urge all soldiers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to their chain of command, as the safety and security of our Army and our nation depends on our collective efforts to prevent insider threats.”
According to the complaint, Said informed two undercover law enforcement officers of a plan he had devised and formulated to conduct a mass-shooting at the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) facility at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan. In April 2025, the two undercover officers indicated they intended to carry out Said’s plan at the direction of ISIS. In response, Said provided material assistance to the attack plan, including providing armor-piercing ammunition and magazines for the attack, flying his drone over TACOM to conduct operational reconnaissance, training the undercover employees on firearms and the construction of Molotov cocktails for use during the attack, and planning numerous details of the attack including how to enter TACOM and which building to target.
On May 13 – the scheduled day of the attack – Said was arrested after he traveled to an area near TACOM and launched his drone in support of the attack plan. He will make his initial court appearance today in the Eastern District of Michigan. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will be asking the court to hold Said in pretrial detention because of his danger to the community and the risk that he will flee.
Based on the charges in the complaint, Said faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count if convicted.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Salzenstein for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorneys John Cella and Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexican national sentenced to 70 months for possession of sexually explicit images and videos of childrenRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 47-year-old Mexican man has been sentenced for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Felix Raymundo Mora-Gonzalez pleaded guilty Feb. 20.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now sentenced Mora-Gonzalez to 70 months in federal prison. He was further ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution to the known victims and will serve 25 years on supervised release following the 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. Mora-Gonzalez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Mora-Gonzalez was arrested Feb. 21, 2023, in connection with his involvement in an alien smuggling investigation. Mora-Gonzalez was originally arrested for harboring illegal aliens. However, the investigation uncovered a cell phone at the stash house that belonged him. A forensic examination of the cell phone revealed Mora-Gonzalez knowingly possessed 29 videos and nine images of CSAM.
He also pleaded guilty to the alien smuggling charges and was previously sentenced to 15 months.
Mora-Gonzalez 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 and Border Patrol conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ana C. Cano, Israel Cano and Joe Esquivel prosecuted 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.
Melvindale Man Arrested and Charged with Attempting to Attack a Military Base on Behalf of ISISRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Melvindale man – and former member of the Michigan Army National Guard – was arrested after he attempted to carry out a plan to conduct a mass-shooting at a U.S. military base in Warren, Michigan, on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization. He is charged in a criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Sue J. Bai, Chief of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, Commanding General of Army Counterintelligence Command.
Charged was Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, 19.
According to the complaint, Said informed two undercover law enforcement officers of a plan he had devised and formulated to conduct a mass-shooting at the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (“TACOM”) facility at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan. In April, 2025, the two undercover officers indicated they intended to carry out Said’s plan at the direction of ISIS. In response, Said provided material assistance to the attack plan, including providing armor-piercing ammunition and magazines for the attack, flying his drone over TACOM to conduct operational reconnaissance, training the undercover employees on firearms and the construction of Molotov cocktails for use during the attack, and planning numerous details of the attack including how to enter TACOM and which building to target.
Yesterday – which was the scheduled day of the attack -- Said was arrested after he traveled to an area near TACOM and launched his drone in support of the attack plan. He will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court this afternoon. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will be asking the Court to hold Said in pretrial detention because of his danger to the community and the risk that he will flee.
“ISIS is a brutal terrorist organization which seeks to kill Americans. Helping ISIS or any other terrorist organization prepare or carry out acts of violence is not only a reprehensible crime – it is a threat to our entire nation and way of life. Our office will not tolerate such crimes or threats, and we will use the full weight of the law against anyone who engages in terrorism,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“This defendant is charged with planning a deadly attack on a U.S. military base here at home for ISIS,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement, we foiled the attack before lives were lost. We will not hesitate to bring the full force of the Department to find and prosecute those who seek to harm our men and women in the military and to protect all Americans.”
“The FBI in Michigan is unwavering in our mission to safeguard the American people, particularly our brave service members who risk their lives to defend this nation,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “In strong partnership with the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force will relentlessly identify, disrupt, and bring to justice anyone who attempts to carry out violent attacks against the United States and its territories.”
"The arrest of this former Soldier is a sobering reminder of the importance of our counterintelligence efforts to identify and disrupt those who would seek to harm our nation," said Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command. "I commend the tireless work of our special agents and FBI partners who worked together to investigate and apprehend this individual. We will continue to collaborate with our partners to prevent similar incidents in the future. We urge all Soldiers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to their chain of command, as the safety and security of our Army and our nation depends on our collective efforts to prevent insider threats."
Based on the charges in the complaint, Said faces up to 20 years in prison for each count if convicted.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Salzenstein, and John Cella and Charles Kovats, Trial Attorneys, Counterterrorism Section, United States Department of Justice.
McCurtain County Resident Sentenced for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Herman Will Sanders, Jr., age 40, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
On November 18, 2024, Sanders pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 5, 2023, Sanders knowingly and intentionally distributed approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Sanders will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Maryland Man Previously Arrested for Coercing 18-Year-Old to Travel Interstate for Commercial Sex Charged in Superseding Indictment with Massachusetts Man for Conspiring to Sex Traffic MinorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A superseding indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Boston charging two men with conspiring to engage in the sex trafficking of a minor victim.
On April 16, 2025, David Kaufman, 44, was arrested on an indictment charging him with one count of knowingly persuading, inducing, enticing and coercing an individual to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution and aiding and abetting.
The superseding indictment adds Darren Zaldivar, 19, of Ludlow, Mass., charging him with transporting an individual with intent the individual engage in prostitution. Both defendants are also charged with conspiring to engage in sex trafficking of a minor. The superseding indictment also adds the charge of sex trafficking of a minor against Kaufman.
Zaldivar will appear in federal court in Boston later today. Kaufman remains detained in federal custody.
According to the detention brief previously filed, Kaufman had allegedly been victimizing minor males and young adults ranging in ages from 14–20 by paying the minors for Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and coercing and enticing some of them to travel to his penthouse condominium at the Four Seasons in Baltimore, and elsewhere, to engage in sex acts with him, which he video recorded. Zaldivar is alleged to have conspired with Kaufman in the sex trafficking of a minor victim in 2024. Zaldivar is also alleged to have transported the minor victim with the intent that the victim engage in commercial sex.
According to court filings, Kaufman coerced an 18-year-old victim to travel from Massachusetts on two occasions to visit his penthouse condominium at the Four Seasons in Baltimore, paying for the plane tickets. While there, Kaufman allegedly provided the victim with alcohol and drugs, including cocaine, until the victim was intoxicated. It is alleged that Kaufman would then persuade the victim to engage in sex acts, which Kaufman videotaped so that he could watch them later in order to get pleasure for himself. In exchange for the sex acts, it is alleged that Kaufman paid the victim with cash, electronic money transfers and gifts. For example, after he engaged in sex acts in February 2024, Kaufman allegedly bought the victim a Louis Vuitton bag.
If you have information or questions about this investigation, or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking or child exploitation, please contact [email protected].
The charge of coercing a person to travel for purposes of prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of sex trafficking a minor provides for a sentence of up to life, up to life and no less than five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.The charge of transporting an individual with intent the individual engage in prostitution provides for up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.The charge of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor provides for a sentence of up to life, up to 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 and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Maryland; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and the Baltimore Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings and Craig E. Estes of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Macon Mafia Member Sent Back to Prison for Illegally Possessing AR-Style RifleRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A convicted felon and confirmed member of the Macon Mafia criminal organization who was serving supervised release for a prior federal conviction in West Virginia when a gang-related fatal shooting occurred at a Macon gas station in 2024 was sentenced to federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
Nekoase Antwan Vinson, 41, of Macon, was sentenced to serve a total of 107 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on May 12. Vinson previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Feb. 20 in Case No. 5:24-CR-64-001 (sentence of 71 months imprisonment). In addition, Vinson’s supervised release was revoked in Case No. 3:09-CR-99-002 from the Southern District of West Virgina, for which he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base (sentence of 36 months imprisonment). There is no parole in the federal system.
“A man lost his life as a result of a gang-related shooting where convicted felons illegally possessed rapid-fire guns capable of killing many people," said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office will use every federal resource available to lawfully hold repeat felons accountable for illegally arming themselves and endangering our community."
“This case is a tragic example of the mayhem that results when criminal gang members with illegally possessed firearms try to settle scores in public,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. “We can be grateful that for almost nine years Nekoase Vinson will not be able to spew violence which might harm law abiding citizens.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, Vinson and Joshua Teone Curry were present at the Marathon gas station on Napier Avenue in Macon on July 20, 2024, when gang-related violence broke out. Video surveillance showed Curry exchanged fire with unknown individuals using a fully automatic pistol, and Vinson brandished an AR-style rifle. Vinson and Curry left together in Vinson’s black Cadillac Escalade. Vinson wore a large “M4L” (Mafia 4 Life) medallion. That night, RaQuavian Smith, an associate of Vinson and Curry’s who was present at the Marathon, died from gunshot wounds sustained in the violence.
Both firearms seen on video were seized by law enforcement, together with an additional pistol, on August 23, 2024. On August 23, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Roy Street at a location controlled by Vinson and Curry, taking both men into custody. Law enforcement found two firearms beneath a mattress: a Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine containing 21 rounds of ammunition and a switch plus a Sig Sauer, Model P320, .45 caliber pistol with a magazine containing five rounds of ammunition. Officers recovered various Macon Mafia memorabilia, including t-shirts and hats. Hanging around Vinson’s neck was the M4L chain and medallion he wore during the July 20, 2024, shooting. Inside Curry’s vehicle, officers found a Del-Ton, Model DTI-15, AR-style caliber rifle.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
Criminal Chief Leah E. McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
Meridan Man Sentenced to over 41 Years in Prison for Role in Multi-State Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS - A Meridian, Mississippi man was sentenced to 500 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matt Reidell and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics Director Phillip Pope.
According to court documents, from June 2016 through May of 2018, Samuel Ykem Boler, 33, conspired with others to distribute kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from California and Tennessee into central Mississippi. This case is the result of an extensive investigation dubbed “Operation Highlife,” which targeted illegal methamphetamine distribute in central Mississippi.
This case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case is being prosecuted by Criminal Chief Erin Chalk.
Long-Time Fugitive Extradited to the United States to Face Charges for Orchestrating Mail Fraud Scheme Defrauding Elderly and Vulnerable Victims of over $10 MillionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A German man was extradited from Italy and arrested for orchestrating a massive mail fraud scheme targeting elderly and otherwise vulnerable victims with false and fraudulent psychic solicitations, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Georg Ingenbleek, 58, a citizen of Germany, was indicted in 2020 and has been a fugitive. He was apprehended in Bolzano, Italy in 2024 and returned yesterday via Newark International Airport to face an indictment charging him with two counts of mail fraud. Ingenbleek made his initial appearance and arraignment on May 9, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded without bail.
According to the Indictment and statements made in court:
From at least 2011 through 2016, Ingenbleek created numerous direct mail solicitations supposedly from world-renowned psychics, falsely and fraudulently claiming that the recipients were being contacted because they had been the subject of specific visions by the psychics, including visions that the recipients were going to receive large sums of money and good fortune. Many of the letters falsely promised that the psychic services being offered were free of charge. In fact, the letters were mass-produced using software and information provided by Ingenbleek to a direct mail marketing services company, Company-1, located in Piscataway, New Jersey, which Ingenbleek retained to print and mail the solicitations.
Ingenbleek directed a second company, Company-2, to send fraudulent billing notices to the same victims that stated that the victims owed money for psychic services, which in many cases had been offered free of charge. The fraudulent billing notices were labeled “collection notices” and “invoices,” falsely representing that the victims owed late payment fees, and falsely stating that a psychic or astrology organization would refer the victim to a “collection agency” and take legal action if the victim did not send a check, usually for $20 to $50. Through his fraudulent psychic mailing campaign, Ingenbleek obtained more than $10 million dollars from victims.
In September 2016, Ingenbleek directed representatives of Company-1 and Company-2 to destroy all materials related to his fraudulent psychic mailings in response to federal criminal investigations into his conduct and the conduct of other participants in the scheme. In one email, dated September 23, 2016, Ingenbleek told a representative of Company-2, “You cannot wait! I advise you urgently to get rid of the material! Use your own car, rent a truck, start today, work all weekend.”
The mail fraud charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen; special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; and special agents of HSI New York, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonzo, with the investigation leading to the charges, and HSI Rome and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for providing significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from Italy.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Fayer and Olta Bejleri of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Daniel Rashbaum, Esq., Miami, Florida.
ingenbleek.indictment.pdfLeFlore County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jessica Marie Campbell, age 43, of Spiro, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine, punishable by at least 5 years up to 40 years in prison and a fine of $5,000,000.00.
The Indictment alleged that on June 7, 2023, Campbell knowingly and intentionally distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the District 27 Violent Crime Task Force, and the District 16 Drug Task Force.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Campbell was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Kansas City Felon Sentenced to 11 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Devon D. Martin, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to eleven years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 14, 2024, Martin pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Martin admitted he was in possession of a Smith and Wesson, SD9 VE, 9mm pistol on June 19, 2024.
On June 19, 2024, detectives with the Independence, Mo. Police Department Street Crimes Unit and SWAT team were conducting surveillance to locate Martin, who had a felony warrant and a parole violation warrant. Officers located Martin and attempted to apprehend him. Martin fled from the officers on foot and the officers engaged in a pursuit. During the foot pursuit, Martin dropped the pistol, which investigators later determined was stolen. The pistol was loaded with twelve live rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one live round in the chamber. Martin also possessed approximately seven grams of methamphetamine and two grams of fentanyl powder.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Martin has three prior felony convictions for resisting an arrest by fleeing, two felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, two prior felony convictions for stealing, and prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle and distribution of an opiate, opium, narcotic, or certain stimulant, and unlawful tampering with electronic monitoring equipment.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Independence, Missouri Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Justice Department Releases New Resources to Protect Servicemembers’ RightsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has issued two fact sheets on the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). The first explains how servicemembers, recent veterans, and their spouses can exercise their right to the six percent interest rate benefit under the SCRA. The second generally summarizes some of the most common protections and benefits under the SCRA for the military community.
“Servicemembers make great sacrifices to protect and advance our nation’s safety,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that servicemembers are afforded their rights and benefits under the law.”
The SCRA was enacted to enable servicemembers to devote their entire energy to the defense needs of the nation. When our servicemembers cannot focus on their mission because they are distracted by financial issues, our national security suffers. These fact sheets seek to help the military community by enabling them to learn more about and affirmatively assert their rights under the SCRA. They cover a wide variety of topics including housing rights, lending rights, property rights, and the portability of professional licenses.
It is more imperative than ever that military families be able to access benefits that can ease their financial burdens. Today’s fact sheet on the six percent interest rate benefit will help more servicemembers, especially members of the Guard and Reserves, apply to their lenders for a successful reduction of their interest rates on eligible accounts.
The Servicemember and Veterans Initiative, housed in the Department’s Civil Rights Division, works to ensure that the rights of the brave men and women of our nation’s armed forces, and the veterans who have served in the past, are safeguarded from discrimination and unfair treatment.
Since 2011, the department has obtained over $481 million in monetary relief for over 147,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s enforcement efforts under the SCRA and other laws that protect the rights of servicemembers and their families, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.
Jefferson County Man Admits to Role in Drug Trafficking Operation in Eastern PanhandleRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Matthew David Viands, age 32, of Summit Point, West Virginia, has admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl and other illicit drugs in the Eastern Panhandle.
According to court documents, Viands was a distributor of fentanyl for the organization. Viands also admitted to failing to appear following his pretrial release in the case.
Viands faces up to 20 years in prison for the drug charge and faces up to 10 years for failing to appear. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Of the 82 defendants, 80 others have been convicted. Fifty-nine defendants have been sentenced. One defendant, Charles Delroy Singletary, age 44, of Baltimore, Maryland, remains a fugitive. More in a recent release here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/six-more-sentenced-eastern-panhandle-fentanyl-drug-trafficking-operation
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Kyle Kane are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Investigative agencies include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Pittsburgh Field Division and Baltimore Field Division); the Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the United States Marshals Service; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office; Ranson Police Department; Martinsburg Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; Stafford County Sheriff's Office (Virginia); Frederick County Sheriff's Office (Maryland); Frederick County Sheriff's Office (Virginia); Winchester Police Department; and the Clarke County Sheriff's Office (Virginia).
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Illegal Alien with Prior Sex Assault of a Child Conviction Sentenced to 35 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
An illegal alien from Mexico, previously convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage girl, was sentenced to 35 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Enrique Campos-Gomez, 45, was indicted in November 2024 and pled guilty in January 2025 to illegally reentering the United States after he was deported by immigration authorities in 2014. He was sentenced on Thursday, May 8, to 35 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle.
At Thursday’s sentencing hearing, prosecutors argued that Campos-Gomez was a danger to the community based on his violent criminal history, which included a 2008 Dallas County conviction for domestic violence, followed by multiple criminal violations of a protective order obtained by the same domestic-assault victim in 2008 and 2009, as well as his 2013 Dallas County conviction for sexually assaulting a fifteen-year-old girl. Campos-Gomez also failed to register as a sex offender, as he was required to do by federal law.
“This case highlights the continuing need to protect the public from offenders with violent tendencies who should not be in the United States in the first place,” said Acting United States Attorney Chad E. Meacham. “Individuals such as these attempting to hide illegally in this country will be found and brought to justice.”
“ICE and our federal law enforcement partners have an unrelenting commitment of protecting minors and other at-risk members in our society,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas acting Field Office Director Josh Johnson. “Criminal aliens like this one who repeatedly prey on our children are not welcome in our communities. We will track them down and remove them to ensure the safety of those who cannot protect themselves.”
ICE conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Garner prosecuted the case.
Hugo Resident Sentenced for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeffery Scott Pinkston, age 40, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
On November 14, 2024, Pinkston pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, from November 2022 until June 2024, Pinkston knowingly possessed visual depictions of a minor under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct, which Pinkston accessed intending to view.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement. You can file a report through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-843-5678 or online at www.cybertipline.com, through the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or through Homeland Security Investigations at 1-877-4-HSI TIP.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Pinkston will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.
Houston custom home builder heads to prison for misusing construction fundsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 40-year-old Houston man has been sentenced for wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Brett Michael Detamore pleaded guilty Aug. 23, 2024.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now ordered Detamore to serve 51 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a total of $2.3 million in restitution to over 10 victims. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony from several victims who described how Detamore had abused their trust and devastated them financially.
Detamore, operating as a custom home builder under Detamore Development LLC, fraudulently obtained at least $1.5 million for his personal use as a result of misusing funds intended for the construction of private residences.
Detamore submitted false and fraudulent invoices to banks holding construction loans for single-family residences he was contracted to build. The false invoices caused the banks to send funds to bank accounts Detamore controlled. He then used the funds for his personal benefit.
He was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the West University Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Lansden and Suzanne Elmilady prosecuted the case.
Honduran National Guilty of Re-Entry of Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – EDGARDO AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ (“AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ”) , age 29, a native of Honduras, pled guilty on May 13, 2025, to an indictment charging him with re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. His sentencing is set for June 17, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long.
According to court documents, AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ re-entered the United States after being previously deported on June 8, 2018. On December 22, 2024, AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ, was booked into the Orleans Justice Center after being arrested for several state charges. Thereafter, on March 5, 2023, The Pacific Enforcement Response Center issued a detainer for AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ, after he was arrested in Jefferson Parish on municipal and traffic attachments. Enforcement and Removal Operations New Orleans picked up AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ, on March 7, 2025, after his release from local custody and turned him over to immigration authorities.
EDGARDO AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Hancock County Man Admits to Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Lawrence James Reagan, age 40, of Colliers, West Virginia, has admitted to the distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Reagan, also known as “Larry,” sold methamphetamine in Hancock County.
Reagan faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Hancock/Brooke/Weirton Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Grants Pass Man Charged in Federal Court for Trafficking Fentanyl and Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A Grants Pass, Oregon, man is facing federal charges for trafficking fentanyl and illegally possessing a firearm, announced the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Christopher Smith, 38, has been charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to the complaint, approximately one year ago, investigators with the Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) task force and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) obtained information that Smith was actively distributing fentanyl throughout Josephine County, Oregon from his residence in Grants Pass. On May 9, 2025, investigators executed a state search warrant on Smith’s residence where they located and seized approximately 400 grams of fentanyl, two digital scales with fentanyl residue, two 3D printers, two ghost guns, 74 additional firearms, and an unmarked firearm suppressor. Smith was present during the search and placed under arrest.
Smith made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge.
This case was investigated by RADE and DEA and is being prosecuted by John C. Brassell, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
RADE a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. RADE includes members from Oregon State Police, the Grants Pass Police Department, Josephine County Probation & Parole, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.Grand Jury Returns Four IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation, and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
MINOCQUA MAN CHARGED WITH WIRE FRAUD AND MONEY LAUNDERING
Cory Kromray, 39, Minocqua, Wisconsin, is charged with eight counts of wire fraud and two counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. The indictment alleges that between September 2018 and April 2025, Kromray accepted money from investors and promised to use their funds to trade stocks, mutual funds, cryptocurrency, and foreign currency exchange market, for the benefit of the investor. However, the indictment alleges that Kromray failed to invest the money as promised and he used the majority of the money for his own purposes.
If convicted, Kromray faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud charges. Kromray faces a maximum of 10 years in prison on the charges of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity.
The charges against him are the result of an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Aaron Wegner is handling the case.
MADISON MAN CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING COCAINE AND HEROIN
Timothy Clark, 62, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing cocaine and heroin and possessing cocaine intended for distribution. The indictment alleges that from February 28, 2025, to April 2, 2025, Clark distributed cocaine and heroin, and on April 24, 2025, he possessed cocaine and cocaine base intended for distribution. The indictment additionally alleges Clark used a premises in Madison for the purpose of distributing drugs from February 28, 2025, to April 24, 2025.
If convicted, Clark faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The charges against him are the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Madison Police Department, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala is handling the case.
SUN PRAIRIE MAN CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY POSSESSING FIREARM
Kordarow Moore, 35, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm as a felon. The indictment alleges that on September 22, 2024, Moore, knowing he had previously been convicted of an offense punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, knowingly possessed a loaded Century Arms 39mm pistol.
If convicted, Moore faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin State Patrol, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the investigation. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Reinhard is handling the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
BELOIT MAN CHARGED WITH TAKING UNDELIVERED MAIL
Cale Tinder, 36, Beloit, Wisconsin, is charged with detaining and opening U.S. mail while employed as a U.S. Postal Service employee. The indictment alleges that Tinder took letters, cards and items sent through the mail that he was entrusted to deliver, opening some of the items and storing the undelivered mail at his home in Beloit. The indictment alleges that Tinder engaged in this activity from on or about February 8, 2024, to August 28, 2024.
If convicted, Tinder faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson is handling the case.
Fresno-Based Community Health System Agree to Pay $31.5 Million to Resolve Allegations of False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Community Health System and its affiliate Physician Network Advantage Inc. have agreed to pay $31.5 million to the United States to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act based on financial benefits provided to referring physicians, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Community Health System operates in Fresno County and includes hospitals Community Regional Medical Center and Clovis Community Medical Center.
“We cannot allow medical decisions to be distorted by kickback schemes or efforts to buy physicians’ loyalty with lucrative side perks,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “This settlement demonstrates this Office’s commitment to ensuring that patients’ best interests remain paramount.”
The civil settlement announced today resolves allegations that Community Health System and Physician Network Advantage Inc. (PNA) provided several types of extravagant benefits to induce physicians in the Fresno area to refer their patients to Community facilities for medical services, in violation of the False Claims Act. PNA is a health care technology business formed and funded by Community to support Fresno-area physicians’ adoption of the electronic health records platform used by Community. The United States contends that PNA also played a key role in securing business for Community by unlawful means. In a custom-built lounge located on premises at PNA’s offices, known as HQ2, PNA provided expensive wine, liquor, cigars, and meals to referring physicians, with the knowledge and funding of Community.
The settlement also resolves allegations that Community and PNA provided financial subsidies for electronic health records technology and equipment used by certain physicians in their private offices in return for the referral of governmental health care program patients to Community. Further, the settlement resolves allegations that Community paid bonuses to certain physicians ostensibly for participation in clinical integration activities, when the real purpose of the bonuses was to reward referrals.
The United States contends that these financial benefits violated the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, resulting in false claims for the medical services referred by physicians receiving the benefits, that were submitted to governmental health care programs. The United States also contends that the conduct described above created financial relationships with referring physicians under the Physician Self-Referral Law (known as the “Stark Law”). The Stark Law seeks to safeguard the integrity of the Medicare program by prohibiting a hospital from billing for certain services referred by physicians with whom the hospital has a financial relationship, unless that relationship satisfies one of the law’s statutory or regulatory exceptions, which the United States contends were not met.
“Kickback arrangements aimed at improperly influencing medical decisions will remain a top investigative priority for our agency,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This settlement demonstrates HHS-OIG’s commitment to identifying and holding accountable those who engage in unlawful financial relationships at the expense of Medicare patients and the taxpayer.”
In connection with the settlement, Community entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with HHS-OIG that requires, among other conditions, the implementation of a risk assessment and internal review process designed to identify and address evolving compliance risks. The Corporate Integrity Agreement also requires an independent review organization to annually assess the policies and systems to track arrangements with some referral sources.
The settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by relator Michael Terpening. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery from that action. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Terpening v. Fresno Community Hospital and Medical Center, et al., 1:19-CV-01699 (E.D. Cal.). As part of the settlement announced today, Mr. Terpening will receive approximately $5 million.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and HHS-OIG with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Thiess handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Note: View the settlement here.
2025.05.07_executed_copy_chs_and_pna_settlement.pdfFour Businessmen and Two Companies Charged in Nationwide Telemarketing Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced the unsealing today of a superseding indictment (“the indictment”) charging four businessmen and two companies with conspiracy and wire fraud offenses in connection with their execution of a nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme. The corporate defendants, Bene Market LLC and Seguro Medico LLC, doing business as Quick Health, Q Health, Benefits Now, Express Benefits, and YourBenefits4U (collectively, the “Bene Market Group”), operated a boiler room call center near Reading, Pennsylvania, which peddled discount health and dental plans to consumers through a series of false, misleading, and deceptive sales practices.
The businesses were controlled and managed by the principal architect of the alleged fraud scheme, defendant Alan Redmond, 42, of Wyomissing, Pa., who was supported by senior executives Arthur Walsh, 65, of West Lawn, Pa., and Jesus Barrera, 32, of Dillsburg, Pa., and head sales agent and manager Albert Groff, 44, of Wernersville, Pa.
The 44-page indictment returned by the federal grand jury alleges that, from at least January 2018 through December 2022, the defendants collected tens of millions of dollars in commissions by regularly and systematically deceiving and misleading consumers seeking health insurance through bait-and-switch sales tactics, which included tricking consumers into buying limited benefit plans that provided little or no coverage by falsely representing that the plans provided comprehensive health insurance coverage, also known as “major medical insurance,” or provided coverage equivalent to major medical insurance, when they did not.
As alleged in the indictment, the Bene Market Group paid lead generators for the transfer of live calls with consumers looking to purchase healthcare insurance. Once transferred over, the Bene Market Group employees falsely told consumers that the company was “the national enrollment center for health insurance” and worked as a third-party broker to search and compare health insurance products across the entire marketplace to find the best coverage at the lowest rate. The Bene Market Group also falsely claimed to “work with over 30 of the top A-rated insurance companies” and to sell comprehensive health insurance policies from well-known, blue-chip insurers. In reality, the Bene Market Group did not search the marketplace, did not work with the touted A-rated carriers, and did not even sell major medical insurance. Instead, the Bene Market Group peddled a limited set of discount plans that had lower and more restricted benefits than major medical insurance. In some instances, the limited benefit plans sold by the defendants were not even insurance.
The indictment charges further that, as a result of the defendants’ bait-and-switch scheme, tens of thousands of purchasing consumers were left without insurance coverage for the majority of their medical, dental, and prescription costs. For some consumers with serious health care needs, the lack of coverage from the limited benefit plans sold by the defendants caused financial hardship and left them in significant medical debt in the tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars.
According to the indictment, in order to keep the fraud scheme going, Redmond and the manager defendants used unlicensed sales employees to sell the limited benefit plans; bundled products together to mimic major medical insurance; trained the sales employees with misleading scripts and sales pitches to use on the phones; used a variety of trade names and aliases when selling plans; engaged in “churning” and “policy-flipping” by reselling and upselling existing consumers; omitted and downplayed material restrictions about the limited plans sold; overbilled and double-billed consumers; told consumers to ignore or disregard the verification disclaimers or disclosures; altered recorded sales calls after the fact to deceive regulators; withheld information about the limited benefit plans from sales employees; ignored complaints from consumers, carriers, and regulators; and refused or delayed refunds to consumers.
The indictment charges further that Redmond obscured his control of defendant Seguro Medico by using nominees, including his spouse, and used funds fraudulently obtained from victim purchasers to buy personal properties, commercial properties, jewelry, airline tickets, event tickets, private school tuition, and limousine services. The other manager defendants also received significant payments or distributions, as a result of the fraud scheme.
The indictment further alleges that, between 2019 and 2022, Redmond caused Bene Market and Seguro Medico to withhold over $1.2 million in trust fund taxes from the wages and paychecks of employees, but Redmond did not pay over these withheld amounts to the IRS on behalf of the employees, as required.
If convicted of the conspiracy, wire fraud, and tax offenses, defendant Alan Redmond faces a maximum possible sentence of 635 years’ imprisonment, a five-year period of supervised release, and a $6,750,000 fine, along with restitution and forfeiture of various properties and money. Defendants Arthur Walsh, Jesus Barrera, and Albert Groff each face 600 years’ imprisonment, a five-year period of supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine, along with restitution and forfeiture.
The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samuel S. Dalke and Mary E. Crawley.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Former U.S. Postal Service employee sentenced to 10 years for attempting to coerce a minorRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A former Anchorage U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison and will serve 20 years on supervised release for attempting to entice and coerce a minor.
On Aug. 22, 2024, William Feltovic, 37, messaged an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 13-year-old boy on a social media application. The conversation was immediately sexual in nature, and they switched their communication to text messages. Feltovic texted him and continued the conversation, requesting the “boy’s” age and pictures. He told Feltovic he was 13 years old.
Feltovic then requested to meet with him to engage in sexually explicit conduct. The “boy” said he was at a motel in downtown Anchorage and that his parents were leaving soon. Roughly an hour later, Feltovic arrived at the motel’s parking lot and texted that he was there. Feltovic entered the motel through a backdoor that was propped open and went to the room number sent to him. Law enforcement officers arrested Feltovic as he waited at the doorway and peered into the room.
Law enforcement searched Feltovic’s cell phone and discovered over 110 images and over 50 videos of child sexual abuse material, some depicting infants, toddlers and prepubescent children.
“Mr. Feltovic used an online messaging service to groom and prey on what he thought was a 13-year-old boy to fulfill his perverse desire for sexual gratification with a minor,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “My office will work with law enforcement to find every perpetrator who exploits - or even attempts to exploit - the most vulnerable among us for sexual purposes.”
“This sentencing reflects HSI’s commitment, in coordination with our partners, to target and identify those who prey on children,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Seattle Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy. “Protecting children from abuse is a responsibility that we share as a community to hold individuals who victimize children accountable for their actions, while also working together to prevent abuse.”
“The Alaska State Troopers are committed to protecting Alaska’s children from those who seek to exploit them,” said Colonel Maurice Hughes, Director of the Alaska State Troopers. “This case is a stark reminder that predators will go to great lengths to target our vulnerable youth—but we will go farther to stop them. We’re proud to stand with our federal partners to ensure offenders like this are held accountable for their actions.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers and USPS Office of Inspector General, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schroeder prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Former Postal Employee Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Nearly $2M Worth of Checks from the MailRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Gregory Drake, 35, of Cleveland, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Bridget Meehan Brennan after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and theft of mail by a postal employee. The scheme involved stealing checks from the mail and giving them to co-conspirators to alter and deposit at banks.
According to court documents, in May 2022, in Lakewood, Ohio, many businesses began to report a rash of stolen checks that were either mailed in or out of the Lakewood Post Office, which prompted the U.S. Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General (USPS-OIG) to begin an investigation.
During that time and in the months that followed, Drake served as a postal worker in the Lakewood Post Office. Because of his role, he had access to mail that was in the custody of the USPS and was able to identify mail that contained checks. He would then give stolen checks to co-conspirators who would alter, duplicate, or forge them.
On Oct. 6, 2022, USPS-OIG inspectors caught Drake stealing two business checks from the mail.
During the subsequent investigation, authorities discovered that, in total, 127 checks were stolen with a value of $1,988,715.78.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna L. Fasko for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report fraud, visit https://www.uspis.gov/report.
Former CEO of Healthcare Services Company Admits Role in Elaborate Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The former chief executive officer of a publicly traded healthcare services company admitted his role in a conspiracy to defraud investors in connection with the purchase or sale of the company’s securities, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Parmjit Parmar, a/k/a “Paul Parmar,” 55, of Colts Neck, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to conspiracy to commit securities fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From May 2015 through September 2017, Parmar and his conspirators, including Sotirios Zaharis, a/k/a “Sam Zaharis,” and Ravi Chivukula orchestrated an elaborate scheme to defraud a private investment firm and others out of hundreds of millions of dollars in connection with the funding of a transaction to take private a healthcare services company (Company A) traded publicly on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market. To fund the transaction, the private investment firm put up approximately $82.5 million and a consortium of financial institutions put up another $130 million, for a total of approximately $212.5 million. The scheme utilized fraudulent methods to grossly inflate the value of Company A and trick others into believing that Company A was worth substantially more than its actual value.
Parmar and the conspirators sought to raise tens of millions of dollars in the public markets, purportedly to fund Company A’s acquisitions of various operating subsidiaries. In actuality, a number of those entities either did not exist or had only a fraction of the operating income attributed to them. The conspirators funneled the proceeds of these secondary offerings through bank accounts they controlled and used the money for a variety of purposes that had nothing to do with acquiring the purported targets. The conspirators went to great lengths to make it appear that these funds were revenue, concocting phony customers and altering bank statements to make it appear as if the funds were coming from customers.
To perpetuate the scheme, Parmar and his conspirators also falsified and fabricated bank records of subsidiary entities in order to generate a phony picture of Company A’s revenue streams and made material misrepresentations and omissions to the private investment firm and others.
Parmar and his conspirators’ actions caused victims to value Company A at more than $300 million for purposes of financing the transaction to take Company A private. The scheme was uncovered in September 2017, when Parmar and his conspirators resigned from their positions with Company A or were terminated. On March 16, 2018, Company A and numerous of its affiliated entities filed for bankruptcy, attributing the company’s financial demise, in large part, to the fraud scheme.
The conspiracy to commit securities fraud charge to which Parmar has plead guilty, carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Pursuant to the terms of his plea agreement, Parmar has also agreed to forfeiture of certain properties and the contents of several bank accounts, and the Court must order that Parmar pays restitution to any victims of his offense.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Driscoll, with assistance from FBI Headquarters Forensic Accountant Support Team.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vinay S. Limbachia, George M. Barchini, and Kelly M. Lyons of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the Indictment with respect to Parmar’s co-defendants, Zaharis and Chivukula, are merely accusations, and Zaharis and Chivukula are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel for Parmar: John H. Hemann, Esq., San Francisco, CA; Andrew D. Goldstein, Victoria R. Pasculli, Alessandra V. Rafalson, Esqs., New York, NY; Anuva V. Ganapathi, Esq., Palo Alto, CA
parmar.indictment.pdfFor the Second Time, Maryland Man Convicted at Trial of Making Violent Threats Against Federal JudgesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Keith Dougherty, 69, of College Park, Maryland, was convicted today at trial of one count of threatening to assault and murder United States judges with the intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with them while they were engaged in the performance of official duties, and with the intent to retaliate against them on account of their performance of official duties, and three counts of mailing threatening communications.
Dougherty was charged by indictment in July of last year with those offenses.
As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, the defendant has mailed and/or filed motions containing threatening language directed at federal judges, on numerous occasions and in several federal districts. He had already been prosecuted and convicted by a federal jury in December of 2021 for such filings and served a 41-month prison term in that case, followed by a three-year period of supervised release.
Just months into that supervised release, he uttered more threatening communications, so his supervised release was revoked, and he was returned to prison. While back in prison serving the violation sentence, he again mailed and/or filed the same sort of threatening language, resulting in the July 2024 charges and today’s trial conviction.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum possible term of 40 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.
“No judge should have to fear that one of their rulings might provoke a violent attack in response,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Keith Dougherty knows that threatening judges is a crime. He’s already been prosecuted, convicted, and served previous time for sending these vile communications. His behavior is unacceptable, and today’s verdict ensures he’ll answer for it and remain safely behind bars.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph LaBar.
Florida Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Participating in Violent Danbury KidnappingRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTHONY PENA, also known as “Tony,” 24, of Miami Gardens, Florida, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 132 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for participating in a violent kidnapping in Danbury last summer.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the late afternoon of August 25, 2024, Danbury Police received multiple 911 calls from witnesses who observed several males assaulting another male and forcing him into a white work van. Responding officers encountered the van on Clapboard Ridge Road, near the intersection of East Gate Road, and attempted to stop it. The van accelerated at a high-rate of speed and crashed approximately one mile away on Cowperthwaite Street. Pena, Angel Borrero, and two associates, all dressed in black, exited the van and fled on foot. Officers arrived at the location of the disabled van and located a male and female victim, both bound with duct tape, in the back of the van. The male victim had significant injuries to his face and arm. Both victims were transported to the hospital for further evaluation. The victims reported that the Lamborghini Urus they were operating was rear-ended by a Honda Civic on Damia Drive in Danbury, and a white work van cut in front of their vehicle. The victims were then forcibly removed from their vehicle, dragged into the van, and bound with duct tape. When the male victim resisted, he was punched in the face and hit repeatedly with a baseball bat, both outside and inside the van, by Pena and others. The victims were told several times that they would be killed.
Pena, Borrero, and the two associates were apprehended in various locations within a quarter-mile radius from where the van crashed. Two other associates, and the Honda Civic, were located at a short-term rental home in Roxbury. A baseball bat was found inside the car. The victims’ Lamborghini, with a blood-stained baseball bat inside the car, was found abandoned in the woods off the roadway on East King Street.
The kidnapping was intended to facilitate the extortion of the victims’ son, who is suspected of participating in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.
Pena has been detained since his arrest. On January 10, 2025, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy and kidnapping.
Borrero and three others involved in the offense also pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force and the Danbury Police Department. The Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police and several local police departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck and John T. Pierpont, Jr.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United StatesRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL — Last week, a Florida man pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge David A. Baker for the Middle District of Florida to conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns for clients. The plea must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Diandre Mentor, of Miami, worked for a tax return preparation company between January 2017 and 2019 named Neighborhood Advance Tax (NAT). Mentor and his co-conspirators operated a dozen offices throughout Florida that fraudulently inflated client tax refunds by fabricated deductions on their returns. Mentor and his co-conspirators also held periodic training sessions at which they taught other NAT employees how to prepare fraudulent tax returns.
In 2020, Mentor and his co-conspirators started their own tax return preparation business named Smart Tax & Finance that eventually expanded to 12 franchise locations throughout South and Central Florida. As with Neighborhood Advance Tax, Mentor and his co-conspirators prepared false tax returns for clients, including by fabricating deductions. As before, Mentor and his co-conspirators also taught franchise owners and employees how to prepare false returns for clients.
In total, Mentor caused a tax loss to the IRS of $3,090,077.
Several of Mentor’s co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty. Abryle Y De La Cruz and Emmanual Almonor pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States. Adon Hemley pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to aiding the preparation and filing of false returns. Isaiah Hayes pleaded guilty to aiding the preparation and filing of false returns. The two remaining co-conspirators, Franklin Carter Jr. and Jonathan Carrillo, are scheduled to go to trial on June 2.
Mentor will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Michael L. Jones of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United StatesRead the Press Release
Last week, a Florida man pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge David A. Baker for the Middle District of Florida to conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns for clients. The plea must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Diandre Mentor, of Miami, worked for a tax return preparation company between January 2017 and 2019 named Neighborhood Advance Tax (NAT). Mentor and his co-conspirators operated a dozen offices throughout Florida that fraudulently inflated client tax refunds by fabricated deductions on their returns. Mentor and his co-conspirators also held periodic training sessions at which they taught other NAT employees how to prepare fraudulent tax returns.
In 2020, Mentor and his co-conspirators started their own tax return preparation business named Smart Tax & Finance that eventually expanded to 12 franchise locations throughout South and Central Florida. As with Neighborhood Advance Tax, Mentor and his co-conspirators prepared false tax returns for clients, including by fabricating deductions. As before, Mentor and his co-conspirators also taught franchise owners and employees how to prepare false returns for clients.
In total, Mentor caused a tax loss to the IRS of $3,090,077.
Several of Mentor’s co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty. Abryle Y De La Cruz and Emmanual Almonor pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States. Adon Hemley pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to aiding the preparation and filing of false returns. Isaiah Hayes pleaded guilty to aiding the preparation and filing of false returns. The two remaining co-conspirators, Franklin Carter Jr. and Jonathan Carrillo, are scheduled to go to trial on June 2.
Mentor will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Michael L. Jones of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Florida Financial Advisor Sentenced for Promoting Illegal Tax Shelter and Stealing Client FundsRead the Press Release
A Florida financial advisor was sentenced today to eight years in prison for orchestrating a nearly decade-long scheme to promote an illegal tax shelter and to steal client funds.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Stephen T. Mellinger III, of Delray Beach, was a financial advisor, insurance salesman, and securities broker operating in Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, and elsewhere. Beginning in late 2013, Mellinger conspired with others to promote an illegal tax shelter whereby clients would claim false tax deductions for so-called “royalty payments” to fraudulently reduce their taxes. In reality, the “royalty payments” were merely a circular flow of money designed to give the appearance of genuine business expenses. Typically, a client would send money to bank accounts controlled by Mellinger and his co-conspirators, who then sent the money, minus a fee, to a different bank account that the client controlled. Tax shelter participants retained control of the money they transferred, while falsely deducting the transfers as business expenses on their tax returns.
In total, Mellinger and his co-conspirators helped clients prepare tax returns that claimed over $106 million in false tax deductions, which caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $37 million. Mellinger and a co-conspirator, who was a relative, collectively earned approximately $3 million in fees from the scheme.
In January 2016, Mellinger learned that several of his clients were under investigation and that the United States had started seizing their funds. Mellinger and the relative subsequently stole more than $2.1 million from some of the clients, a portion of which Mellinger used to buy a home in Delray Beach.
In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett for the Southern District of Mississippi ordered Mellinger to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $37 million in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi, Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Atlanta Field Office, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations and Director of DCIS Kelly P. Mayo made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Richard J. Hagerman, William Montague and Matthew Hicks of the Tax Division, Trial Attorneys Emily Cohen and Jasmin Salehi Fashami of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham for the Southern District of Mississippi are prosecuting the case.
Florida Equipment Manufacturer Sentenced for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Florida man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for evading nearly $2.4 million in taxes on income he earned from his business.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Roger Whitman manufactured and sold Rife machines, devices that use energy waves to purportedly treat a wide range of medical conditions. Between 2002 and 2018, Whitman generated millions of dollars in gross receipts from the sale of such equipment. Whitman also has a long history of non-compliance with his tax obligations, having not filed an individual income tax return since 1997 and not made any tax payments since 2000.
In 2012, the IRS assessed nearly $800,0000 in taxes against Whitman for 2002 through 2009 and then began trying to collect these taxes from him. To thwart the IRS’s collection efforts, Whitman formed a trust with his girlfriend serving as the trustee. Whitman then directed his income from the business into the trust’s bank accounts and used the funds from these accounts to pay personal expenses. In approximately July 2019, to further thwart IRS efforts, Whitman formed a new entity to operate his business.
Through his actions, Whitman caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $2.4 million.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge John Antoon II for the Middle District of Florida ordered Whitman to serve one year of supervised release and pay $2,314,220.15 in restitution to the IRS.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Melissa Siskind of the Tax Division prosecuted the case, with assistance and support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Florida Equipment Manufacturer Sentenced for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Florida man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for evading nearly $2.4 million in taxes on income he earned from his business.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Roger Whitman manufactured and sold Rife machines, devices that use energy waves to purportedly treat a wide range of medical conditions. Between 2002 and 2018, Whitman generated millions of dollars in gross receipts from the sale of such equipment. Whitman also has a long history of non-compliance with his tax obligations, having not filed an individual income tax return since 1997 and not made any tax payments since 2000.
In 2012, the IRS assessed nearly $800,0000 in taxes against Whitman for 2002 through 2009 and then began trying to collect these taxes from him. To thwart the IRS’s collection efforts, Whitman formed a trust with his girlfriend serving as the trustee. Whitman then directed his income from the business into the trust’s bank accounts and used the funds from these accounts to pay personal expenses. In approximately July 2019, to further thwart IRS efforts, Whitman formed a new entity to operate his business.
Through his actions, Whitman caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $2.4 million.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge John Antoon II for the Middle District of Florida ordered Whitman to serve one year of supervised release and pay $2,314,220.15 in restitution to the IRS.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Melissa Siskind of the Tax Division prosecuted the case, with assistance and support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Fishers Man Sentenced to 202 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Taurean Young, 40 years old, of Fishers, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Young was sentenced to 202 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.According to documents in the case, in May 2023, Young sold a pound of high purity methamphetamine on two separate occasions. In June 2023, law enforcement found Young with a firearm and also recovered a pound of methamphetamine, four ounces of fentanyl, a firearm, and body armor from his residence.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration including the DEA North Central Laboratory and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Mishawaka Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katelan McKenzie Doyle.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Federal Jury Convicts a Former Armed-Robber of Possessing a Firearm while on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Raleigh man on Tuesday on charges of possession of a firearm by a felon. Cawajalin Kavin McNeil, age 30, will face up to 15 years of imprisonment when sentenced later this year.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in the early morning hours of March 16, 2024, while heading home from work, an eyewitness saw McNeil in a confrontation with a young woman. When the eyewitness attempted to intervene, McNeil pointed a 9mm pistol at him. He then backed away to his vehicle where he called 911 to report the incident near North Carolina State University. The eyewitness described the black car the defendant got into, gave a nearly complete license plate number, and a physical description of McNeil.
When Officers with the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) responded, they found McNeil seated in a black vehicle matching the description of the car from the eyewitness. That vehicle’s license plate was nearly an exact match of the one given to 911 and McNeil himself matched the description of the individual who had pointed the gun at the eyewitness. A search of the vehicle found a 9mm pistol wedged between the front passenger seat and the center console. The gun was similar to the gun pointed at the 911 caller. McNeil was then arrested for not having a conceal-carry permit.
During processing at the Wake County Detention Center, officers located a razor blade in McNeil’s shoe and felt an unusual object near the defendant’s groin. A subsequent search uncovered a second 9mm pistol hidden in McNeil’s underwear. It was later determined that McNeil was a convicted felon who had previously plead guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery and using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a federal crime of violence. McNeil had been sentenced to 180 months in prison, had been released in November 2023, and was on supervised release when this incident occurred.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the verdict. The RPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Liles is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. 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-00271.
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Federal Jury Convicts Prison Inmate of Murder and Hate Crime in Death of Fellow InmateRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — An inmate at Thomson Penitentiary in Thomson, Ill., has been convicted of murder and hate crime in the death of a fellow inmate.
After a seven-day trial, the jury in U.S. District Court in Rockford on Tuesday found BRANDON SIMONSON, also known as “Whitey,” 41, of Moorhead, Minn., guilty of all four counts against him, including second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, hate crime, and assault relating to the death of Matthew Phillips. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston set sentencing for Aug. 22, 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, Simonson conspired with a co-defendant, KRISTOPHER MARTIN, to beat Phillips because he was Jewish. Simonson and Martin assaulted Phillips to gain recognition and membership into a white supremacist anti-semitic prison gang called the Valhalla Bound Skinheads. Evidence showed Simonson punched and kicked Phillips in the face and head, despite Phillips being knocked unconscious and unable to defend himself. The assault on March 2, 2020, led to Phillips’ death three days later.
Martin, also known as “No Luck,” 43, of Brazil, Ind., pleaded guilty earlier this year and is awaiting sentencing.
The convictions were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincenza L. Tomlinson and Ronald DeWald.
“We are grateful to the jury for delivering justice in a very difficult case for Mr. Phillips’ family and the people of the Northern District of Illinois,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The significant convictions in this case are the result of the extraordinary dedication and commitment of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners. We will not tolerate criminal acts such as these anywhere in our district, including in our prison system.”
“The FBI and our law enforcement partners hold those accountable who compromise the safety or lives of others, even those serving sentences in prison,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “We continue to ask the public to help keep our communities safe from any acts of violence like those detailed in this case by reporting threatening or suspicious behavior immediately to local law enforcement or the FBI.”
Father and Son Sentenced for Role in International Market Manipulation Scheme Related to New Jersey DeliRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A father and son were sentenced on May 13, 2025, for their roles in orchestrating a large-scale market manipulation scheme related to two publicly traded companies, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Peter Coker, Sr., 82, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Peter Coker, Jr., 56, formerly of Hong Kong, China, had pleaded guilty, on December 19, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Coker, Sr. was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, including six months’ home detention, and fines totaling $500,000. Coker, Jr. was sentenced to 40 months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and fines totaling $250,000.
James Patten, 65, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina also previously pleaded guilty to the same charges and is awaiting sentencing.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2014 through September 2022, Peter Coker Sr., Peter Coker Jr., and Patten conspired to enrich themselves through a scheme to manipulate securities prices via a pattern of coordinated trading, which injected inaccurate information into the marketplace, creating false impressions of supply and demand for these securities.
As part of the securities fraud scheme, the defendants targeted two publicly traded companies—Hometown International Inc. and E-Waste Corp.—which both traded on the OTC Link Alternative Trading System, also known as the OTC Marketplace. The OTC Marketplace is an alternative trading system that contains three tiers of markets, which are largely based on the quality and quantity of the listed companies’ information and disclosures.
Coker Sr., Coker Jr., and Patten took steps to gain control of both entities’ management and stock with the ultimate intention of entering reverse mergers, a transaction through which an existing public company merges with a private operating company. A successful reverse merger would allow the defendants to sell shares of each entity at a significant profit.
In or around 2014, two New Jersey residents began the process of opening a local deli in Paulsboro, New Jersey. One of the individuals discussed his interest in opening the deli with Patten, a long-time friend, who suggested the creation of Hometown International, an umbrella corporation, under which the deli would operate as a wholly owned subsidiary. Unbeknownst to the deli owners, after Hometown International was formed, Patten and his associates began positioning Hometown International as a vehicle for a reverse merger that would yield substantial profit to them.
Around October 2019, Hometown International began selling shares on the OTC Marketplace. Patten, Coker Sr., and Coker Jr. furthered their scheme by gaining control of Hometown International’s management and its shares from the deli owners. Coker Sr., Coker Jr., and Patten took similar actions to gain control of E-Waste Corporation’s stock and management. The defendants also arranged for the transfer of millions of shares of stock to a number of nominee entities, including entities controlled by Coker Jr., in an effort to mask their control of the shares.
In addition, the defendants transferred shares to family members, friends, and associates and gained control over their trading accounts by obtaining their log-in information to conceal the defendants’ involvement. The defendants then used those accounts to commit a number of coordinated trading events, often referred to as match and wash trades, to trade in Hometown International and E-Waste Corp.’s stock on both sides of the transaction.
These tactics artificially inflated the price of Hometown International and E-Waste’s stock by giving the false impression that there was a genuine market interest in the stock. Their scheme had the ultimate impact of artificially inflating Hometown International’s stock by approximately 939 percent and E-Waste’s stock by approximately 19,900 percent.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked special agents from FBI Charlotte, FBI Los Angeles, FBI San Francisco, FBI Denver, and FBI Knoxville, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Lauren E. Repole, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Webman of the Economic Crimes Unit.
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Defense counsel:
Peter Coker, Sr.: John Azzarello, Esq. (Morristown, New Jersey), William McGovern, Esq. (New York, New York)
Peter Coker, Jr.: Zach Intrater and Marc Agnifilo (New York, New York)
Ecuadorian National Sentenced for Illegally Entering the U.S. After a Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Ecuadorian national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal.
U.S. District Court Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Juan Pablo Clabijo Tacuri, 37, to time served (approximately 105 days).
According to court records, on January 27, 2025, an officer from the Brunswick Police Department observed Clabijo Tacuri operating a vehicle without a seatbelt. After Clabijo Tacuri pulled into a gas station parking lot, the officer approached the vehicle. When asked for his license, Clabijo Tacuri presented a Massachusetts driver’s license with a false name. Immigration records showed that he had previously been removed from the United States on four occasions and did not have a visa or other documentation that would allow him to re-enter the United States.
U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case with assistance from the Brunswick Police Department.
Operation Take Back America: 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 Neighborhoods (PSN).
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Ecuadorian National Convicted of Illegal Reentry and Failure to Notify of a Change of AddressRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Sebastian Saquinga-Topanta, an Ecuadorian national, pleaded guilty to Illegal Reentry into the United States, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326, and Failure to Notify of a Change of Address, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1306(b), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, Sebastian Saquinga-Topanta, 31, did not have a lawful immigration status to enter the United States. On September 1, 2022, Saquinga-Topanta was discovered by the U.S. Border Patrol and was removed from the United States as an undocumented alien. He was returned to Ecuador but, soon after, the defendant knowingly, voluntarily, and unlawfully returned to the United States in December 2022.
According to court documents, Saquinga-Topanta was previously apprehended for driving while intoxicated in June 2023. The defendant was arrested twice on warrants in December 2023 and January 2024 for the DUI case. Saquinga-Topanta was questioned about his residence following his arrest. Law enforcement went to the purported address but discovered that the defendant no longer lived there. During a period from January to May of 2024, the defendant failed to register his change of address with the Attorney General. In addition, he was not approved by the Attorney General or the Security of Homeland Security to re-apply and remain in the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melinda A. Williams prosecuted the case.
East Point, Georgia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for CARES Act Unemployment FraudRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, AL – On May 13, 2025, a federal judge sentenced Brandon Cody Carter, 36, of East Point, Georgia, to 78 months in prison for his role in a scheme to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims under the expanded Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst, of the Southeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. Following his six-and-a-half-year term of imprisonment, Carter will serve three years on supervised release. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.
Beginning in March 2020, the CARES Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act expanded access to unemployment insurance programs to address the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Alabama, eligible individuals could receive enhanced benefits through the Alabama Department of Labor (ADOL).
According to court documents and Carter’s plea agreement, between March and September 2020, he conspired with others to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to ADOL. In doing so, Carter falsely claimed Alabama residency and used multiple aliases, submitting fictitious names, birthdates, Social Security numbers, and other fraudulent information. As a result of these false representations, ADOL issued substantial payments to Carter through unemployment insurance debit cards and direct deposits.
On January 23, 2025, Carter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. During the plea hearing, he admitted his actions led ADOL to disburse $818,304 in fraudulent claims. A restitution amount will be determined at a later date.
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of defrauding programs intended to help those truly in need during a national crisis,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “Brandon Carter exploited a system designed to provide relief to families facing unprecedented hardship. Our office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to uncover and prosecute pandemic-related fraud wherever it occurs.”
“Brandon Carter defrauded the Alabama Department of Labor by filing numerous false claims for unemployment insurance benefits to which he was not entitled. He enriched himself by diverting taxpayer funds from a program that was intended to assist unemployed American workers who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated Special Agent in Charge Broadhurst. “We will continue to work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our other law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of these critical benefit programs.”
The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Alabama Department of Labor, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, Alabama Department of Transportation, and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Joel Feil prosecuted.
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 via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Drive-By Shooters Who Sprayed Bullets Near a Southeast Washington D.C. Elementary School Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rasheed Mullins, 27, and Josiah Warfield, 24, both of Washington, D.C., were sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 90 months and 100 months in prison, respectively, for participating in an April 2024 daylight drive-by shooting near an elementary school in Southeast D.C.
The sentencings were announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Mullins and Warfield both pleaded guilty on January 27, 2025, to single counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. In addition to the prison terms, Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered them each to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Mullins was at the wheel of a red Kia SUV as it drove near the 2800 block of Bruce Place, SE. Warfield and another male conspirator were passengers in the vehicle. About 11:25 a.m., Mullins began to chase a grey Mercedes. Warfield, armed with a Glock 19, and the other man, wielding a Draco assault rifle, leaned out of the SUVs windows and fired multiple shots at the Mercedes, hitting it three times.
Mullins continued to chase the Mercedes until losing control of the SUV and crashing it near where two PGPD detectives were standing as they were investigating an unrelated case. The three men bailed out of the SUV and ran into a nearby wooded area where the officers arrested them.
This case was investigated by the ATF and MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Martin and Jared English.
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Dominican National Indicted for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national convicted for drug trafficking and deported has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rhode Island for illegally reentering the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Kelvin Roberto Feliz, 54, who has been detained at the Adult Correctional Institution in an unrelated matter since June 2024, was ordered deported from the United States in September 2014, following a conviction for trafficking heroin. He was removed from the United States on July 7, 2015.
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr. The matter was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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Criminal illegal alien gets 48 months for unlawfully reentering United StatesRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 27-year-old Mexican national with a felony criminal history has been sentenced for illegally reentering the country without permission for a second time, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Hector Castillo-Molina pleaded guilty Sept. 13, 2024.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Castillo-Molina to serve four years in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court called Castillo-Molina’s extensive record “concerning,” noting that if he kept coming back, he would just be spending all his time jail.
Castillo-Molina has a lengthy criminal history to include five felonies including burglary, drug possession, felon in possession of a firearm and illegal reentry into the United States. He has been previously removed from the United States on multiple occasions.
He was last removed in August 2022. However, authorities discovered him again April 27, 2024, at the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. He was one of 59 individuals being transported in a tractor-trailer.
Castillo-Molina will remain in custody pending transfer a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
BP 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.
Convicted Sex Offender Indicted in Federal Court on Multiple Charges of Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Madison County man has been indicted on multiple child sexual exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A five-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges John Justin McCall, 53, of Madison, Alabama, with four counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to the indictment, on several occasions between May 2023 and October 2023, McCall coerced and enticed minor children to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography, and he possessed child pornography. McCall was previously convicted of criminal sexual abuse in two separate cases in Illinois.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Huntsville, along with the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office in Paris, Texas, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Huntsville Police Department, and Madison Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 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 and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Colorado man indicted for drug trafficking and firearmsRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Colorado man for drug trafficking and illegal firearms.
According to court documents, Russell Scott IV, 37, of Denver was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Chase Boyd, 39, of Wichita was indicted on two counts of possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting the case.
Jose Galan-Andrade, 39, was indicted on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.
Jose Louis Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 35, was indicted on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Darius Isaiah Jackson, 25, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Greggory K. O’Neal, 41, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Park City Kansas Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting the case.
Guadalupe Rios-Edeza, 29, was indicted on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Colonie Man Pleads Guilty to Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jeal Sutherland, age 57, of Colonie, New York, pled guilty today to using an interstate commerce facility in a murder-for-hire scheme targeting a Capital Region man. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As detailed in Sutherland’s plea agreement and an earlier-filed criminal complaint, between November 2024 and January 2025, Sutherland used his cell phone to arrange the murder of a man who is the father of a child with Sutherland’s then-partner. As part of this plot, Sutherland agreed to forgive a debt of the person he hired to kill the victim. Sutherland also agreed to pay an undercover FBI agent – whom Sutherland believed to be a hog farmer – for use of a Pennsylvania farm to dispose of the victim by having pigs consume the body. Sutherland admitted that in late January 2025, he had another man put the carcass of a Canada goose on the doorstep of the victim’s mother. When the dead bird was discovered, it had a threatening note stuffed in its beak that had been written at Sutherland’s direction.
The intended victim was not harmed and the FBI arrested Sutherland on January 27, 2025. Sutherland has been in custody since his arrest.
United States Attorney Sarcone stated: “Jeal Sutherland hatched a vicious plot to kill a romantic rival and intimidate his victim’s family. When members of the FBI and my office learned of Sutherland’s plans, they acted quickly and did not rest until Sutherland was brought to justice.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “Mr. Sutherland’s diabolical plot intended to violently end a man's life and intimidate his family. Thanks to the swift actions taken by FBI Albany and our law enforcement partners, that plan never came to fruition and Mr. Sutherland was quickly arrested and remains in custody. The FBI will continue to work with our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office to aggressively pursue and hold accountable anyone looking to commit such egregious acts of violence in our communities.”
Sutherland faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on September 22, 2025. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The FBI’s Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigated this case, with assistance from the Colonie Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Joseph S. Hartunian are prosecuting this case.