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13 May 2025
Angelina County man guilty of federal violations related to various schemesRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Lufkin man has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Matthew Jess Thrash, 49, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud on May 12, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn.
According to information presented in court, in December 2020, law enforcement received a report of suspected fraud. An investigation revealed Thrash obtained approximately $9,170,124 from over 100 victims through fraudulent means, including sports related investment schemes; a Las Vegas cannabis store scheme; and loans from victims. Thrash also fraudulently obtained money by applying for COVID relief loans to which he was not entitled, including a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. The PPP was a Small Business Administration program that provided forgivable loans to qualifying entities. Thrash did not invest or use the fraudulently obtained funds for the intended purposes. Instead, he used the money to gamble, pay personal expenses, and to repay other victims in an attempt to avoid detection.
Thrash faces up to 30 years in federal prison, a potential fine, and restitution at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing 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 U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being investigated by FBI’s Lufkin Field Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Lufkin Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Gaston.
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Administrator of Online Criminal Marketplace Extradited from Kosovo to the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the extradition of Liridon Masurica (33, Gjilan, Kosovo), also known as “@blackdb.” Masurica is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and five substantive counts of fraudulent use of 15 or more unauthorized access devices. If convicted on all counts, Masurica faces a maximum penalty of 55 years in federal prison.
Masurica, a citizen and resident of Kosovo, was taken into custody by authorities in Kosovo on December 12, 2024, and extradited on May 9 to the United States pursuant to the extradition treaty between the United States and the Republic of Kosovo. Masurica made his initial appearance in federal court in Tampa on May 12, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Lindsay Saxe Griffin, and was ordered detained pending trial.
According to the indictment, Masurica was the lead administrator of BlackDB.cc—an online criminal marketplace in operation from 2018 until present. BlackDB.cc illegally offered for sale compromised account and server credentials, credit card information, and other personally identifiable information of individuals primarily located in the United States, including those located within the Middle District of Florida. Once purchased, cybercriminals used the items purchased on BlackDB.cc to facilitate a wide range of illegal activity, including tax fraud, credit card fraud, and identity theft.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This investigation was led by the FBI in cooperation with Kosovo Police’s Cybercrime Investigation Directorate. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons. Substantial assistance was provided by the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Sofia, Bulgaria and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs in securing the arrest and extradition of Masurica. Additionally, Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosova and Kosovo Police’s Cybercrime Investigation Directorate provided substantial assistance in the arrest of Masurica.
189 Arrested in Immigration Crackdown Under the 'Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful' InitiativeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Ed Martin Jr. joined with other federal law enforcement leaders to announce today that as a result of a joint federal law enforcement initiative, authorities arrested 189 individuals following a joint federal immigration-related enforcement operation in the District of Columbia over the past week.
As part of the operation, authorities apprehended 189 illegal aliens during an enhanced targeted immigration enforcement operation focusing on egregious criminal alien offenders operating in and around Washington, D.C., May 6–9.
“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and this administration’s focus on law and order, these arrests represent a major step forward in making Washington, D.C., safer for legal citizens and their families,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “These arrests make clear that violating our nation’s immigration laws will not be ignored.”
“The District of Columbia is exponentially safer today because of countless hours of investigative work and dedication to duty displayed by ICE Washington, D.C., and our law enforcement partners,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C., Field Office Director Russell Hott. “Working with our partner agencies, ICE officers and agents arrested 189 illegal aliens and removed them from the streets of our Nation’s Capital. Throughout this enhanced enforcement operation, we targeted the most dangerous alien offenders in some of the most crime-infested neighborhoods in the city of Washington, D.C. Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid. I commend the efforts of everyone involved, as all were truly committed to the success of this operation. ICE Washington, D.C., remains dedicated to our mission of prioritizing public safety by arresting and removing criminal offenders from our Nation’s Capital and surrounding communities.”
Among those arrested during the enhanced targeted operation include the following:
• A 47-year-old illegally present Guatemalan alien whose criminal history includes drug possession, illegal reentry, aggravated assault, trespassing, disorderly conduct, and sexual assault. His current criminal charges include unlawful reentry of a previously deported alien, disorderly conduct, lewd acts, possession of a controlled substance, sex abuse, assault with a dangerous weapon, and possessing an open container. Additionally, he has numerous gang-affiliated tattoos on his arms, legs, and chest.
• A 25-year-old illegally present Guatemalan alien whose criminal history includes threat to kidnap, attempted possession of a prohibited weapon, threats to bodily harm, and simple assault. He is currently charged with alien present without admission or parole.
• A 30-year-old illegally present Salvadoran alien whose criminal history includes simple assault, driving while intoxicated, brandishing a machete, and unauthorized use of a vehicle. He is currently charged with alien present without admission or parole.
• A 36-year-old illegally present Mexican alien whose criminal history includes misdemeanor larceny, misdemeanor indecent exposure, possession of an open container, simple assault, theft, unlawful entry, and possession of a prohibited weapon (knife). He is currently charged with alien present without admission or parole.
This law enforcement activity is part of President Donald Trump’s Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Executive Order. The Executive Order directs a coordinated federal effort to reduce crime, enhance public safety, and restore pride in the nation’s capital through targeted enforcement, improved policing, and strategic partnerships. It also calls for the beautification of public spaces, stricter enforcement of quality-of-life laws, and the removal of graffiti and encampments on federal lands to ensure D.C. remains clean, secure, and reflective of America's strength and heritage.
Participating agencies include U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Virginia Department of Corrections; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Marshals Service; and U.S. State Department Diplomatic Security Service.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
All charges are merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
12 May 2025
Woodbridge Man Admits $2.3 Million Pandemic Relief Program SchemeRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on May 9, 2025, YASIR G. HAMED, 60, of Woodbridge, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to offenses stemming from a scheme to defraud a COVID-19 pandemic relief program of more than $2.3 million.
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). The PPP was overseen by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”), and individual PPP loans were issued by private lenders, which received and processed PPP applications and supporting documentation, and then made loans using the lenders’ own funds, which were guaranteed by the SBA.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Hamed, an accountant, had an ownership interest or representative relationship with several New Haven-based businesses, including Access Consulting and Professional Services Inc.; Connecticut Medical Transportation Inc.; Arabic Language Learning Program Inc.; Institute for Global Educational Exchange Inc.; Access Medical Transport Inc.; Ikea Car & Limo Inc.; Center of the World Tours, North America LLC.; and Sudanese American Friendship Association Inc. Between June 2020 and September 2021, Hamed submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of these companies, overstating employee numbers and average monthly payroll, and making other fraudulent representations. As part of the applications, he submitted false tax filings that had never been filed with the IRS.
Hamed also submitted PPP loan applications on behalf of companies owned by his clients. In at least one instance, Hamed convinced the owner of a business, which he knew was not active and had no employees, to seek PPP funding. Hamed prepared the paperwork for the PPP application and then took a significant portion of the loan proceeds.
Through this scheme, Hamed obtained than $2.3 million in PPP loans for his businesses and for his clients, receiving more than $1 million in loan proceeds for himself and his family, and significant kickbacks from his clients. Hamed used the funds for personal expenses, including education expenses for a family member, and for a downpayment on a $880,000 house in Woodbridge that he purchased in October 2020.
Hamed has agreed to pay $2,384,772 in restitution.
Hamed pleaded guilty to bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and engaging in illegal monetary transactions, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for August 8.
Hamed was arrested on November 13, 2024. He is released on a $500,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Unlicensed Gun Dealer Receives Four Years in Federal Prison for Reselling over 1,300 Firearms, Many Bound for MexicoRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— David Joseph Mull, 52, of North Vernon, Indiana, has been sentenced to four years in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to unlicensed dealing in firearms.
According to court documents, David Joseph Mull sold hundreds of firearms illegally, without obtaining a proper dealing license. In 2016, Mull was served with a cease-and-desist letter from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), putting him on notice that he needed to obtain a federal firearms license (FFL) in order to engage in the business of selling firearms.
Mull ignored the cease-and-desist letter and instead continued running his unlicensed gun business. He evaded detection by federal law enforcement by primarily purchasing firearms from other private sellers at gun shows across the country for resale, instead of purchasing from FFLs. FFLs are required to generate multiple sales reports when individuals purchase more than one handgun within a five-day period. And if a firearm is later recovered in a crime, the ATF can determine who originally purchased the firearm from an FFL. Private sellers have no such obligation to keep or maintain records.
Mull’s main customer was involved in illegal firearms trafficking across state lines. Firearms the customer purchased from Mull were eventually transported to Mexico. Between 2019 and 2023, Mull sold over 500 firearms, including semiautomatic handguns and AR and AK style rifles, to this main customer, in exchange for approximately $350,000 in cash. According to court documents, Mull knew or had reason to believe that the firearms would be transported from Indianapolis to New York City, and then to Mexico, at the time of sale.
Additionally, Mull ran a lucrative online firearms business during the same time period, in which he sold approximately 800 firearms to different buyers throughout the United States for a total of $174,142.
“Illegal firearms dealers deliberately bypass background checks and record-keeping laws intended to prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands. We know that diverting firearms from legal markets in the U.S. to illegal markets in Mexico fuels cartel violence and the drug trade—crimes that cross borders and devastate communities,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This sentence underscores our commitment to prosecuting all those involved in gun trafficking networks.”
“Anyone who engages in the business of selling firearms is required to have a license and follow regulations ensuring those firearms are not going to individuals who are prohibited from possessing them,” stated Thomas A. Greco, Acting Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “In this case, the defendant clearly profited from the firearms business without the required license and responsibility to keep our community safe.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey L. Massa, who prosecuted this case.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Observes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In observance of National Police Week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement and pays tribute to the officers who have fallen in the line of duty. National Police Week is observed Sunday, May 11, through Saturday, May 17, 2025.
“During National Police Week, we honor and remember the brave men and women in law enforcement who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Their courage, dedication, and selfless service in the face of danger will never be forgotten,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Law enforcement is too often criticized and does not receive enough credit for their work and sacrifice. We stand with the entire law enforcement community and express our deep gratitude for all of our officers’ commitment to justice and their tireless efforts to protect us with courage, honor, and distinction.”
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.
In observance of National Police Week and in remembrance of North Carolina’s fallen law enforcement officers, U.S. Attorney Ferguson delivered the keynote address at the 40th Annual Peace Officers’ Memorial Day Ceremony in Concord and participated in Mecklenburg County’s Peace Officers’ Memorial Service in Charlotte.
The names of more than 345 officers killed in the line of duty who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial will be read on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at the 37th Annual Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C. To view a livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2025/candlelight-vigil/. To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.
U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme recognizes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, for the District of Montana, recognizes the public service and sacrifice of federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed from Sunday, May 11, through Saturday, May 17.
“This week, we recognize the men and women in law enforcement who risk their lives every day to protect us, often while the rest of us are sleeping. Too many have sacrificed their lives to make our communities safer. We honor their bravery and reaffirm our support for every law enforcement officer in Montana and across the United States. On behalf of all of us in the United States Attorney’s Office, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to them and their families,” U.S. Attorney Alme said.
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.
The names of the fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Monday, May 12, during the 37th Annual Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 p.m. ET. Those who wish to view the vigil live online can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/live/5ALpizgnNz8. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website at https://nleomf.org/
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Tustin Man Sentenced to 17½ Years in Federal Prison for Leading Ring that Trafficked Hundreds of Pounds of Meth to Other NationsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Orange County man was sentenced today to 210 months in federal prison for leading a transnational drug trafficking organization that exported wholesale amounts of methamphetamine – concealed within commercial products such as food storage buckets and customized metal boxes – to Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Hoang Xuan Le, 43, a.k.a. “Big Bro,” of Tustin, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner, who also ordered him to pay a fine of $50,000.
Le pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of conspiracy to export controlled substances.
From no later than July 2020 to October 2021, Le and co-defendant Tri Buinguyen, 40, a.k.a. “Bro,” of Garden Grove, communicated with members of the drug trafficking organization in Australia and Papua New Guinea. They then arranged for the export of bulk quantities of drugs from the United States to these nations via air cargo and ocean freight, concealing the drugs in a variety of commercial products and falsifying their true nature on the manifests and customs documents.
The defendants used phones equipped with military-grade encryption software and encrypted messaging applications, particularly “Signal,” to coordinate the export of drugs from the United States. They also used fictitious names, businesses, and email accounts to communicate with intermediaries, including vendors, freight forwarders, shipping companies, customs brokers, and customs officials in the United States and foreign countries, to fraudulently disguise the drugs as legitimate commercial products.
In his plea agreement, Le admitted to participating in and overseeing at least two shipments of narcotics from the United States to the Indo-Pacific region. In August 2020, Le directed the shipment of approximately 30 kilograms (66.1 pounds) of methamphetamine concealed in metal boxes to Australia. From April 2021 to September 2021, Le directed the shipment to Papua New Guinea of approximately 150 kilograms (330.7 pounds) of methamphetamine concealed in food storage buckets. Law enforcement intercepted both shipments.
“On top of the sophistication and reach of this drug trafficking organization, [Le] played a critical leadership role in it,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “[Le] oversaw international drug shipments, asked for updates on the shipments’ status and location, communicated with co-conspirators abroad, and arranged for drug shipments through air cargo and ocean freight. This was a wide-ranging, lucrative, and sophisticated international narcotics conspiracy, and [Le] was its leader in the United States.”
On February 24, Buinguyen was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison and fined $50,000 for his role in the conspiracy. He pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of conspiracy to export controlled substances. Buinguyen admitted to his role in the two drug shipments, plus additional shipments in August and September of 2022 of 32 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in ready-to-eat meal packets that were delivered to New Zealand and were intercepted by law enforcement there.
Co-defendants Trung Buinguyen, 41, of Lakewood, and Narongsak Champy, 29, of Long Beach, are charged with one count of conspiracy to export controlled substances and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Law enforcement is seeking both defendants.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this matter. The following agencies provided substantial assistance to this investigation: United States Postal Inspection Service; the Drug Enforcement Administration; United States Customs and Border Protection; the Australian Federal Police; the Australian Border Force; the Australian Department of Homeland Affairs – Intelligence Division; the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary; the Papua New Guinea Customs Service; and the New Zealand Customs Service.
This case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and HSI. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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).
Assistant United States Attorney Gregg E. Marmaro of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
Stockton Man Sentenced to 16 Years and 8 Months in Prison for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Pill Manufacturing and DistributionRead the Press Release
Jamar Deontae Barnes, 43, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 16 years and eight months in prison for conspiracy to manufacture and distribute pills laced with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine-laced pills, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, from at least September 2015 through May 2019, Barnes conspired with his twin brother, Jamaine Dontae Barnes, and others, to make and sell thousands of drug-laced pills. Barnes and his co-conspirators made the pills using pill presses, which are machines that compress powders into pills of various shapes and sizes. They made pills that appeared to be legitimate prescription pills but in fact contained fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, heroin, and other synthetic opioids. They also made pills that appeared to be traditional Ecstasy pills but in fact contained methamphetamine. On May 16, 2019, law enforcement searched Jamar Barnes’ Stockton residence and seized a pill press machine as well as powders and pills containing methamphetamine and furanyl fentanyl.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Highway Patrol, the San Joaquin METRO Narcotics Task Force, the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT) Task Force, the Stockton Police Department, the Sacramento County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, and the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David W. Spencer and Emily G. Sauvageau prosecuted the case.
Nine other defendants have pleaded guilty:
- Jamaine Dontae Barnes pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25, 2025.
- Kavio Daeshaun Lee Wiley pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
- Vincent Isaiah Patterson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 5 years in prison.
- Johnesha Denae Thompson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one year and 6 months in prison.
- Kadrena Latrice Watts pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 2025.
- Jeremy Jerome Barnett pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in prison.
- Chevele Bernard Richardson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 6 years and 7 months in prison.
- Tashawn Terrell Dickerson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in prison.
- Lamont Montez Thibodeaux pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2025.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Sex Offender from Attleboro Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Attleboro man, who is a Level 1 sex offender, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2025, in federal court in Boston to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Eric Brault, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography, U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Aug. 7, 2025. Brault was charged by criminal complaint in December 2024.
During a years-long investigation into an encrypted online chat platform used for the trafficking of CSAM, Brault was identified as a registered user and participant in at least three groups where CSAM was disseminated. During a search of Brault’s residence, a Samsung Galaxy phone was found hidden inside a plastic chest in his bedroom. The device’s phone number matched that of the account registered with the platform. A subsequent review of the phone confirmed that Brault was a member of over 50 chat groups related to CSAM and revealed an album that contained over 200 video files depicting CSAM. Some of the video files depicted the abuse of victims as young as three to four years old.
In 2012, Brault was convicted in Attleboro District Court of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years old and was subsequently sentenced to 18 months of probation.
Brault faces a sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime 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 Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Attleboro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Soto of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Rochester man pleads guilty to possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Daniel P. Walsh, 58, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that Walsh came to the attention of the Rochester Police Department in November 2024, after Google reported that an account associated with Walsh had been flagged for containing child pornography. Rochester Police and the FBI executed a search warrant at his residence, during which they seized multiple computers and other digital devices. A forensic review revealed that Walsh received and possessed more than 600 images and videos of child pornography, to include child pornography depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexual conduct with adults, and children being subjected to violent sexual abuse. In many instances, Walsh superimposed the faces of minors that he knew onto the images of child pornography, so that it appeared that the minors were engaged in sexual acts.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.
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Rhode Island Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a “virtual CFO” business from Rhode Island pleaded guilty on May 8, 2025 in federal court in Boston to laundering tens of millions of dollars in proceeds from internet fraud schemes by creating shell companies and opening fraudulent business bank accounts.
Craig Clayton, 75, of Cranston, R.I., pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy and one count of obstruction of justice. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Aug. 13, 2025. In February 2023, Clayton was arrested and charged by criminal complaint.
From 2019 to 2021, Clayton and others used his accounting and “virtual CFO” business, Rochart Consulting, as a front to launder the proceeds of internet fraud schemes. As part of the conspiracy, Clayton founded shell companies to open business bank accounts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, through which he laundered the proceeds of internet fraud schemes on behalf of his foreign-based clients. In total, Clayton laundered more than $35 million.In communications with one of his Rochart co-conspirators, Clayton stated that because they were “money mules complicit in [Rochart’s clients’] offenses” that “opens [them] up to charges.” Additionally, in encrypted communications with one of his client co-conspirators, Clayton expressed concern that his phone was “tapped” by law enforcement and sought to obtain “dirt” on a victim who had reported the fraud scheme in order to “distract the police.” In another exchange with a co-conspirator, Clayton proposed moving their electronic communications to Signal, noting that WhatsApp “can be tapped.”
When banks and law enforcement began to investigate Rochart, Clayton falsely told investigators and bank personnel that his shell companies were legitimate businesses, among other things. Further, during a recorded conversation with an undercover law enforcement agent posing as a potential client, Clayton noted that Rochart does not “deal with anyone who has law enforcement connections.” After he became aware that a federal grand jury was investigating him, Clayton attempted to obstruct the ongoing investigation by making several false statements to federal agents during an interview.
The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the proceeds, whichever is greater. The charge of obstruction of justice provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $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; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Ian J. Stearns and Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Alexandra Amrhein of the Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the case.
Redondo Beach Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Fentanyl-Laced Oxycodone Pills that Ultimately Resulted in Fatal OverdoseRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A South Bay man pleaded guilty today to selling dozens of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills to a drug dealer who later sold them to a victim who soon afterward suffered a fatal overdose in January 2020.
Marcus Michael Takaya Poydras, 36, of Redondo Beach, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.
According to his plea agreement, in January 2020, Poydras knowingly and intentionally distributed pills that he claimed contained oxycodone, but which contained fentanyl. During the evening of January 22, 2020, Poydras sold approximately 90 of those pills to a drug dealer, whom he told the pills were real and sent a photograph of 10 of the pills. The drug dealer then sent the victim the same photograph and stated, “[t]hey are real.”
The drug dealer then sold 20 of the pills to the victim for $340 in the parking lot of a mall in Marina del Rey. The victim later consumed some of the pills, which resulted in the victim’s fatal overdose.
Poydras further admitted in his plea agreement that, in July 2020, he knowingly possessed with intent to distribute various narcotics, including cocaine, as well as a firearm – a .38-caliber revolver – with an obliterated serial number. Poydras obtained the firearm from a law enforcement technician employed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) and who was one of Poydras’s drug customers at the time.
In January 2025, prosecutors filed a deferred prosecution agreement with that law enforcement technician, Melvin Ramon Washington, 58, of Carson, in which he admitted giving Poydras that revolver and making false statements to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Washington ceased working at LASD in July 2023.
Poydras also admitted to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl in January 2021 and to possessing another firearm – a 9mm-caliber semi-automatic pistol – in furtherance of his fentanyl-dealing activities.
United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer scheduled a September 8 sentencing hearing, at which time Poydras will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Poydras has been in federal custody since September 2021.
The DEA, LASD, and the Redondo Beach Police Department are investigating this matter.
This case is the result of an investigation by the DEA’s Overdose Justice Task Force, which was created to address opioid-related deaths in the greater Los Angeles area, most of which are caused the synthetic opioid fentanyl. Under the Overdose Justice program for the DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division, DEA agents collaborate with local law enforcement to analyze evidence to determine if there are circumstances that might lead to a federal criminal prosecution, and, if so, proactively target the drug trafficker.
Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Castañeda of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Recidivist Sex Offender Sentenced to Thirty Years in Prison on Attempted Enticement, Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A recidivist sex offender has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor and attempting to transfer obscene material to two minor boys, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Nicholas Sannicandro, 35, of Warwick, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy, to 360 months of incarceration to be followed by a term of 15 years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty on May 8. 2024, to two counts of attempted inducement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity, two counts of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, one count of possession and access with intent to view child pornography, and one count of commission of an offense by a registered sex offender.
“The lengthy sentenced imposed today ensures that this defendant will not be able to continue his abhorrent conduct of victimizing children,” commented Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. “This office and our law enforcement partners are committed to working together so that individuals who victimize children are held to account and that resources are available to those they harm.”
“Simply put, Nicholas Sannicandro is a predator,” said Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “This repeat sex offender admitted to devising a twisted scheme to lure children into his clutches so he could sexually abuse and exploit them. Today’s sentence ensures he’ll stay locked up where he can’t victimize anyone else for a good long time. The FBI is committed to finding predators like him and bringing them to justice while also ensuring those they’ve victimized are safe and well-supported.”
Sannicandro previously admitted to a federal judge that beginning in January 2021, he began separate communications with the two minor boys in Florida whom he met through an Instagram account. The communications turned sexually explicit, and Sannicandro requested that the boys send him sexually explicit videos of themselves.
Sannicandro attempted to arrange a meeting with someone whom he believed to be one of the boys, proposing that they engage in illicit sexual activity. The communications were, in fact, with an undercover law enforcement officer who had taken over the boy’s account. In those communications, Sannicandro invited the boy to visit him in Rhode Island, discussed sexual acts that Sannicandro wanted to engage in with the boy, and sent videos of himself engaged in sexual activity.
Sannicandro was arrested in Warwick on June 22, 2021, where he was expecting to meet with the boy. A cell phone seized from Sannicandro was found to contain images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
Court records document that Sannicandro was convicted on three previous occasions in matters involving child sexual abuse material and attempted dissemination of obscene material to minors. He was a registered sex offender at the time of his arrest in June 2021.
This most recent case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Denise M. Barton and John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the FBI and North Port, FL, Police Department, with significant assistance from members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Warwick Police Department for their assistance in the arrest of Sannicandro.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
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Prince George’s County Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Distribution of Fentanyl ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Roddrick Navara Shelby, 48, of Laurel, Maryland, has pleaded guilty in federal court to the distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Washington Division, and Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).
In November 2024, the DEA and MCPD began investigating Shelby in connection with suspected fentanyl trafficking. During their investigation, law enforcement conducted three controlled purchases where Shelby sold a confidential source approximately 500 pills.
The pills were blue in color and imprinted with “M30” – mimicking the markings on legitimate pills that one would receive from a manufacturer containing oxycodone hydrochloride. As confirmed by laboratory analysis, the blue “M30” pills contained fentanyl. In total, Shelby sold approximately 1,471 fentanyl pills, or more than 150 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl, to the confidential source.
On the morning of March 20, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant of Shelby’s residence and vehicle in Laurel, Maryland. In a kitchen drawer, and other places in the residence, law enforcement identified assorted ammunition, one loaded magazine, two empty .357 caliber Glock magazines, and one empty .45 caliber Glock magazine. Law enforcement found approximately 63 rounds of ammunition. Due to a prior conviction, Shelby was prohibited from legally owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. Additionally, in a kitchen drawer, law enforcement found three digital scales with white residue and three small-knotted baggies containing what seizing officers suspected was cocaine.
Shelby faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 40 years. Sentencing is set for Tuesday, July 15, at 10 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA and MCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan S. McKoy and Elizabeth Wright who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Pittsburgh Resident and Darknet Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison on Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms ConvictionsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 70 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his convictions of distribution of LSD, MDMA, cocaine, and ketamine and two federal firearms violations, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on George Sotiris Vlastos, 38, on May 8, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, in and around May 2020, Vlastos acquired controlled substances—including LSD, MDMA, ketamine, and cocaine—from an international MDMA/Ecstasy vendor via the Darknet and distributed those substances to members of the Western Pennsylvania public. Vlastos, who himself was an unlawful user of controlled substances, was also found to be in possession of a firearm in violation of federal law. In November 2023, while on bond for these offenses, Vlastos made several false statements on an application to acquire a firearm, in further violation of federal firearms law.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Crafton Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Vlastos.
Oologah Man Sentenced to More than 16 Years for Child EnticementRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – An Oologah man was sentenced today for coercing and enticing a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Bradley Andrew Friend, a/k/a Bradley Andrew Schutt, 40, for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Judge Kern ordered Friend to serve 200 months imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Friend will also be required to register as a sex offender.
In December 2024, Friend was engaging with an undercover agent online. Court records show that Friend discussed extremely graphic conversations about family incest with the agent, believing the undercover agent was an adult man with minor children. Homeland Security Agents found that Friend lived in Oologah. After agreeing to talk with agents, Friend confessed to possessing child pornography and allowed agents to search his cellphone.
Agents found the messages and images sent to the undercover agent. They further discovered that from September 2023 through July 2024, Friend knowingly engaged in messaging with a 16-year-old and enticed the minor victim to produce and share sexually explicit photos. Friend then sent the 16-year-old sexually explicit pictures of himself.
Additionally, Friend admitted to possessing, receiving, and distributing more than 600 images of minor children, some younger than 12, who were engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Friend will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd prosecuted it.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Gary Neal Abbott, 52, of Chesapeake, Ohio, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substances containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on Augst 9, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Abbott in Ashton, West Virginia. During the traffic stop, Abbott told the officer that he had a firearm in the vehicle and that there may be marijuana and “ice,” or methamphetamine, in the vehicle as well. The officer searched the vehicle and found approximately 8.7 ounces of methamphetamine in a black bag, small amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana in a separate container, and a Glock model 30 Gen4 .45-caliber pistol in the front seat.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-155.
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Northern District of Ohio U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Immigration Enforcement ActionsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) has announced that federal grand juries in the Northern District of Ohio have returned indictments for multiple individuals on charges of illegal reentry offenses. Additionally, one defendant pleaded guilty to illegal reentry. These are separate cases and are not related.
Oscar Arcos-Carvajal, 40, a citizen of Mexico, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being Oct. 22, 2009. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol, Sandusky Bay Station.
Erick Cordova Rodriguez, 37, a citizen of Mexico, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being June 13, 2018. He was also previously convicted of attempted illegal reentry on June 7, 2018. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Antonio G. Nicolas-Pedro, 31, a citizen of Guatemala, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on three occasions: Jan. 24, 2018, April 3, 2018, and June 7, 2018. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by ICE-HSI.
Dino De Laurentis Rivera-Lopez, aka Jorge Palmero Rivera Lopez, 44, a citizen of Honduras, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on three occasions with the last being Jan. 20, 2020. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by ICE-HSI and the Campbell Police Department.
Additionally, Veronica Rios-Ruiz, 47, a citizen of Mexico, has been sentenced to time served by U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent after pleading guilty in federal court to illegal reentry of a removed alien. According to information presented in court, Rios-Ruiz was previously removed from the United States three times with the most recent being Dec. 15, 2007. She was also previously convicted of identity fraud in 2007. Rios-Ruiz has been in custody since her arrest on Feb. 25, 2025 and will remain detained pending deportation from the United States. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by ICE-HSI.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Northern District of Georgia Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie Jr. Recognizes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – In honor of National Police Week, Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 11, 2025, through Saturday, May 17, 2025.
“Law enforcement officers faithfully and selflessly help to protect our families, friends, and neighbors while risking their own lives to safeguard the public,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “We owe these men and women our gratitude and support for the dedication and bravery they display each day, often through unpublicized altruistic acts of service to the community.”
In 1962, former U.S. President John F. 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. During National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe.
The National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund’s report indicates that 148 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2024 (https://nleomf.org/memorial/facts-figures/roll-call-of-heroes/). Here, in the Northern District of Georgia, we solemnly commemorate the seven officers who tragically died in the line of duty within the past year and solemnly extend our regards to their families, for especially whom the impact of the loss is ongoing:
- Deputy Sheriff Brandon Tyler Cunningham, Paulding County, GA, Sheriff's Office, End of Watch: Saturday, August 17, 2024.
- Investigator Taylor Jaimeson Bristow, Carroll County, GA, Sheriff's Office, End of Watch: Friday, August 23, 2024.
- Deputy Sheriff Eric Anthony Minix, Coweta County, GA, Sheriff's Office, End of Watch: Thursday, January 4, 2024.
- Trooper Jimmy Cenescar. Georgia State Patrol, End of Watch: Sunday, January 28, 2024.
- Police Officer Jeremy R. Labonte, Roswell, GA, Police Department, End of Watch: Friday, February 7, 2025.
- Trooper First Class Chase Winston Redner, Georgia State Patrol, End of Watch: Tuesday, February 20, 2024.
- Captain Helio Armando Garcia, III, South Fulton, GA, Police Department, End of Watch: Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Also each year, the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund in Washington, D.C. hosts an Annual Candlelight Vigil to memorialize those who sacrificed their lives. The names of hundreds of officers killed in the line of duty are engraved on the walls of the Memorial and their names will be read aloud during this year’s 37th annual vigil scheduled for tomorrow, on Tuesday, May 13, 2024, at 8 PM (https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2025/candlelight-vigil/). The vigil will livestream on YouTube: YouTube.com/NLEOMF and Facebook: Facebook.com/NLEOMF.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
North Carolina Sex Offender Indicted for Attempting to Entice 11-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Geoffrey Lee Dudding (39, Concord, NC) with attempting to entice an 11-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Dudding faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Dudding is a registered child sex offender who was twice previously convicted in North Carolina – once of indecent liberty with a minor (2007) and of solicitation of a child by computer to commit an unlawful sex act (2024).
According to court documents, on January 13, 2025, an FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an undercover operation to identify individuals seeking to make online contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as the parent of an 11-year-old child, the UC posted several short messages in a public chatroom on an online social messaging platform (app). An individual using the name “metalh34d321,” who was subsequently identified as Dudding, contacted the UC by private text message on the app and expressed interest in the UC’s “daughter.” Dudding told the UC, “Let me know if ya ever down to let me do her.” Despite being advised several times that the “child” was 11 years old and lived in Florida, Dudding stated that he wanted to meet the “child” to “[h]ave a good time and sex.” Dudding described sexual acts that he wanted to perform on the “child” and sent the UC an explicit video of himself to show to the “child.”
Dudding and the UC also communicated by cellphone text messaging. They discussed plans for Dudding to travel to Jacksonville so that he could engage in sexual activity with the “child.” Dudding told the UC that he would book a hotel room in Jacksonville.
On May 8, 2025, Dudding was arrested by FBI agents in Concord, North Carolina. He was detained and will be transported by the United States Marshals Service to Jacksonville for prosecution in this case.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cabarrus County (North Carolina) Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
New York Man Sentenced to 41 Months’ Imprisonment for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering in Connection with Embezzling More Than $883,000 in Federal Feeding Program FundsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Darrell Devonish, age 53, of New York City, New York, was sentenced on May 8, 2025, to 41 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for wire fraud and money laundering, arising from Devonish’s diversion of federal funds meant to feed qualifying children and adults to fuel his lavish lifestyle between 2017 and 2019.
According Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between February 2017 and August 2019, Devonish’s non-profit company, Rebuilding Better Communities, sought and received $1,074,328.45 in federal feeding program funds from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, of which Devonish converted nearly $900,000 for his personal use, including more than $175,000 in jewelry purchases; more than $45,000 in payments toward the purchase and financing of a 2015 Mercedes S550 and 2018 Jeep Wrangler; more than $75,000 in clothing and cosmetics purchases; more than $12,000 in liquor purchases; more than $100,000 in entertainment, travel, and dining purchases, including international travel; and more than $220,000 in cash withdraws from ATMs.
“The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) were created to provide food and nutrition to those who truly need this assistance. Those who are involved in fraud and abuse of USDA feeding programs will be investigated by our office to protect the integrity of these programs,” said USDA Office of Inspector General, Special Agent-in-Charge Charmeka Parker.
Judge Wilson further ordered Devonish to pay restitution in the amount of $883,518.33.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David C. Williams and Samuel S. Dalke.
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New Orleans Woman Guilty of Cares Act FraudRead the Press Release
Correction: NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT GUILTY OF CARES ACT FRAUD. JARROW also faces up to ten years in prison for the theft of government funds count.
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that BRANDON JARROW (“JARROW”) (aka Brandi Jarrow), age 33, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on May 8, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to theft of government funds and to making false statements, related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The two primary sources of funding for small businesses were the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program.
According to the charging documents, on or about June 20, 2020, JARROW, on behalf of a business, submitted a false application for a EIDL to the SBA. This resulted in a theft of government funds in the amount of $95,000. On or about February 4, 2021, JARROW made false statements to an approved lender for another sham business to obtain a $20,833 PPP loan.
Sentencing will be on August 13, 2025. At sentencing, JARROW faces up to five years in prison for the false statement counts. She also faces up to ten years in prison for the theft of government funds count. All of the counts carry a penalty of up to $250,000 in fines, up to three years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration - Office of Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Orleans Man Guilty of Fraudulent Vehicle Purchase SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KENNETH RICHMOND (“RICHMOND”), age 64, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on May 9, 2025, to Counts 1 and 6 of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349, and aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A.
RICHMOND faces up to twenty (20) years in prison and up to three (3) years of supervised release as to Count 1. As to Count 6, he faces a mandatory consecutive prison sentence of two (2) years, followed by a term of supervised release for up to one (1) year. For each count, RICHMOND also faces payment of a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
According to court documents, in 2022, RICHMOND conspired with another person to use fake and stolen personal identifying information to make fraudulent vehicle purchases from a local car dealership. The vehicle purchases were financed through a financial institution, and several of the loans went into default. This fraud caused a loss of approximately $124,031.41 to the dealership. As part of this scheme, RICHMOND knowingly used a real person’s name, date of birth, and Social Security Number, without permission, to purchase a Dodge Challenger in July of 2022.
The Honorable Barry Ashe set RICHMOND’s sentencing for August 14, 2025.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the work of the United States Secret Service, St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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Miami-Dade Transit Supervisor, Wife, and Metrorail Contractor Plead Guilty to BriberyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Miami-Dade Transit Track and Guideway Supervisor Dale Robinson, his wife Marcia Robinson, and Jessie Bledsoe, a contractor doing work for Miami-Dade Transit, pled guilty in related cases to Federal charges. Dale Robinson pled guilty to soliciting a bribe from Bledsoe in connection with the issuance of Metrorail repair and maintenance contracts. Marcia Robinson pled guilty to misprision of a felony for helping her husband cover up the bribery. Jessie Bledsoe pled guilty to paying a bribe to Dale Robinson in connection with his contracts with Miami-Dade Transit. Dale Robinson and Marcia Robinson entered their guilty pleas before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ellen F. D’Angelo and they were accepted by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore, while Bledsoe entered his guilty plea in Miami last week before U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom.
According to the facts admitted at the change of plea hearings, Dale Robinson was the acting General Superintendent and lead Rail Structure and Track Supervisor in the Track and Guideway unit of Miami-Dade Transit. His responsibilities included making recommendations about contractors to be chosen to do Metrorail track maintenance and repair work for the transit unit and overseeing the work done by those contractors, including Bledsoe. Bledsoe was the co-owner and operator of JB Railroad Contracting, Inc. (JB Railroad), a North Dakota-based company that did railroad track and rail replacement, repair, and maintenance work throughout the United States, including on the Metrorail system.
In or around January 2021, while JB Railroad was working on a previously obtained contract for the removal and replacement of Metrorail track fasteners and was in the process of seeking an additional contract to do welding work on the Metrorail system for Miami-Dade Transit, Dale Robinson requested a large bribe from Bledsoe. Bledsoe agreed to pay Robinson that bribe, which was intended to influence Robinson’s selection of the contractor for the upcoming welding project. Bledsoe also agreed to concealing the payment by making it to a company specified by Dale Robinson.
After this, in late January 2021, Dale Robinson directed his wife, Marcia Robinson, who lived in Maryland, to create a company named Tailored Railroads & Consulting LLC and to open a company checking account on which she would serve as the sole signatory. Marcia Robinson did this, filing the company paperwork in the State of Maryland. Dale Robinson then provided the information about Tailored Railroads to Bledsoe so that Bledsoe could disguise the payments intended for Dale Robinson’s personal benefit by making them via checks from JB Railroad to Tailored Railroads.
After the bribe had been solicited by Dale Robinson, and after Tailored Railroads was created and the checking account opened by Marcia Robinson, during the period of February 2021 through February 2022, Dale Robinson directed Marcia Robinson to send a total of four invoices from Tailored Railroads to JB Railroad. When Marcia Robinson sent each of these invoices, she knew that Tailored Railroads had not provided goods or services of any type to JB Railroad.
Bledsoe then caused JB Railroad to issue checks to Tailored Railroads to pay these invoices, even though Tailored Railroads provided no goods or services to JB Railroad, because these actually were the payments of the bribe solicited by Dale Robinson. A total of four checks were issued from JB Railroad to Tailored Railroads during the period of February 2021 through March 2022 to pay these four invoices. These four checks totaled approximately $75,956, the amount that Bledsoe ultimately provided to Tailored Railroads for the personal benefit of Dale Robinson in response to Dale Robinson’s bribe solicitation.
While not knowing all the details of her husband’s illegal bribery agreement with Bledsoe, when the four checks were issued to Tailored Railroads, Marcia Robinson knew that the funds were being paid by Bledsoe for Dale Robinson’s personal benefit in connection with Dale Robinson’s recommendation of JB Railroad for work to be performed for Miami-Dade Transit. Despite this, she did not inform authorities of her husband’s crime, and her actions all helped to conceal his criminal activity. In addition, beyond issuing these four invoices and receiving the four payments from JB Railroad, Tailored Railroads engaged in no other activity of any type, and it eventually was administratively dissolved by the State of Maryland.
Dale Robinson and Marcia Robinson are scheduled for sentencing on July 10, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore in Miami. Dale Robinson faces a possible maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and Marcia Robinson faces a possible maximum sentence of up to three years in prison.
Jessie Bledsoe is scheduled for sentencing on August 1, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom in Miami. Bledsoe faces a possible maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami, and Inspector General Felix Jimenez of the Miami-Dade County Office of Inspector General (MDC-OIG) announced the guilty pleas.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward N. Stamm is prosecuting both cases and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling the forfeiture matters on both cases.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20168.
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Mexican man arrested for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jose Guadalupe Mauricio-Rivera, 33, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on April 13, 2025, Mauricio-Rivera was identified by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) for being present in the United States illegally. Mauricio-Rivera was located outside of a residence in Warsaw, NY. A records check determined that Mauricio-Rivera is a citizen of Mexico illegally residing in the United States. He was taken into custody. Mauricio-Rivera was physically removed from the United States in July 2012 and April 2018.
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.
Mauricio-Rivera made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained.
The complaint is a result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Acting Field Office Director Steven Kurzdorfer.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Manhattan Gang Member Sentenced to 25 Years for 2019 Murder of Innocent BystanderRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that LUIS FILPO was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for murdering 24-year-old Roberto Vasquez, an innocent bystander who was mistaken for a gang rival. FILPO previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering. U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer imposed today’s sentence which was imposed to run consecutively to a state sentence the defendant is serving.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “Luis Filpo walked up to a car and opened fire, killing Vasquez and wounding another occupant. What makes this brazen and senseless crime even more tragic is that Filpo wrongly believed Vasquez was a gang rival. Thanks to the hard work of the women and men of the Office and our law enforcement partners, Filpo will be held accountable for his crimes, and gang members are on notice that combatting gang-related crime is a priority of Federal law enforcement.”
As detailed in public filings and public court proceedings:
From at least 2016 through March 2020, FILPO was a member of “the 200s,” a street gang based in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan. In order to fund the gang, protect its territory, and promote its standing, members of the 200s engaged in, among other things, narcotics trafficking and other acts of violence, including murder. Members of the 200s sold narcotics in the gang’s territory and engaged in shootings as part of their gang membership.
On January 31, 2019, FILPO saw Vasquez and believed he was a gang rival, even though Vasquez was not. FILPO and other 200s gang members followed a car in which Vasquez was a passenger. When Vasquez’s vehicle parked, FILPO walked up to the car and opened fire, killing Vasquez and wounding another occupant in the car. Vasquez was 24 years old.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Engelmayer remarked that FILPO’s crime was “as serious as it gets,” adding that FILPO made himself “judge, jury, and executioner.”
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In addition to his prison term, FILPO, 25, of New York, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mathew S. Andrews, Frank J. Balsamello, Patrick R. Moroney, and Thomas J. Wright are in charge of the prosecution.
Luzerne County Man Convicted of Being A Felon in Possession of A Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James Raymond Alberto, age 36, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was convicted on May 7, 2025, of being a felon in possession of a firearm and being in possession of a stolen firearm following a three-day jury trial before Senior United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on August 12, 2021, Alberto was found asleep behind the wheel of a running vehicle stopped at a stop sign, with his foot on the brake, and a line of cars stopped behind him. Law enforcement searched the vehicle, and ultimately discovered a stolen firearm in the glove compartment.
During the trial, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office presented the testimony of multiple law enforcement witnesses, as well as expert witnesses in the fields of forensic chemistry, serology, DNA science, and criminal drug investigation.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Wilkes-Barre Township Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah R. Lloyd and James M. Buchanan.
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 maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Lowell Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Trafficking More Than 11,000 Meth Pills Disguised as AdderallRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man has been sentenced for his role in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing deadly narcotics.
Anthony Bryson, 35, was sentenced on May 5, 2025 by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to nine years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. In July 2024, Bryson pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Bryson was among 27 individuals charged beginning in October 2022 in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy to traffic counterfeit prescription pills. The DTO, led by brothers Christopher Nagle and Lawrence Michael Nagle, distributed significant quantities of counterfeit oxycodone and Adderall pills that contained fentanyl and methamphetamine, respectively, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area.
From approximately January 2022 through the date of his arrest in October 2022, Bryson was involved extensively in the distribution of primarily methamphetamine, but also fentanyl, to both drug redistributors and drug users. Intercepted calls revealed that Bryson was responsible for distributing approximately 11,346 methamphetamine pills, 280 fentanyl pills and 100 oxycodone pills over two 30-day periods. Intercepted calls also revealed that Bryson understood the dangerousness of his conduct – warning one of his co-defendants about the dangers of methamphetamine and advising him to store or sell or sell the counterfeit pills, but not use them.
More than 74,000 counterfeit prescription pills containing deadly narcotics were seized over the course of the investigation.
In August 2024, Christopher Nagle was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison after pleading guilty. Lawrence Michael Nagle pleaded guilty in April 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 5, 2025.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys K. Nathaniel Yeager, Samuel R. Feldman, Ann Taylor and John O. Wray of the Criminal Division and Alexandra Amrhein of the Asset Forfeiture Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Landover Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Series of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced James Kareen Day, 43, of Landover, Maryland, to 16 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a series of armed and attempted armed robberies of businesses located in Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentences with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Chief Gregory Der, Howard County Police Department (HCPD); Chief Marc Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief Malik Aziz, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to the guilty plea, between December 2022 and February 2023, Day committed three armed robberies and four attempted armed robberies of several businesses located within Howard County, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County, Maryland. Day fled with money and other property of the businesses and victims. During some of the robberies, Day brandished a short-barrel shotgun while demanding cash and valuables.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, HCPD, MCPD, and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dawn Williams and Timothy Hagan who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jason Douglas MaComber, 52, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 12, 2023, MaComber possessed a Remington model 870 Wingmaster 12-gauge shotgun in St. Albans.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. MaComber knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for possession of dangerous drugs/controlled substances on November 20, 2007, possession of a firearm by a felon on June 24, 2014, and illegal firearm transportation on July 1, 2019, all in San Bernardino, California, Superior Court. MaComber’s long criminal history includes a total of 20 convictions.
The shotgun had a modified and shortened barrel. The short-barreled shotgun was not registered to MaComber in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by federal law.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-148.
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Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Restore Justice: 205 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in FBI-led Nationwide Crackdown, Including 2 in the Southern District of GeorgiaRead the Press Release
May 12, 2025 – Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.
Two individuals were arrested in the Southern District of Georgia. To date, both have been charged federally.
Michael Alexander James, 44, of Waynesboro, GA and Martin Lindner, 52, of Augusta, GA were both charged in newly unsealed federal indictments with one count of Possession of Child Pornography, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”
“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”
“Possessing child pornography perpetuates the victimization of child sexual abuse survivors,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “As exemplified in Operation Restore Justice, we will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to protect our most vulnerable citizens.”
Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.
In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.
This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.
The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were 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.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
Other online resources:
Electronic Press Kit
Violent Crimes Against Children
How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Johnstown Woman Sentenced to over Eight Years in Prison for Narcotics TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 100 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on her convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin, crack, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Jessica Wilson, 39, on May 8, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around January 2021 to July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Wilson conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute quantities of heroin, crack, and methamphetamine. Wilson was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that she distributed to others. During a separately charged offense, from in and around April 2024 to June 2024, Wilson conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute quantities of mixtures containing fentanyl and crack.
Assistant United States Attorneys Maureen Sheehan-Balchon and Arnold P. Bernard Jr. prosecuted these cases on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Wilson. Additional agencies participating in this investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is 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.
Indictment Unsealed in Bank Fraud Conspiracy Involving Hundreds of Forged Checks Stolen from the MailRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal Indictment has been unsealed, charging DERRY LEE DAVIS, 23, ANTAJAUN MONZELLE BROWN, JR., 24, AMAURION RAMONE NORMENT, 21, OLIVERNAESHA OLIEAH WOODS, 21, LORENZO JONES IV, 23, and MATEI LEANN BASS, 22, all of Oklahoma City, DAZJUAN JERAE DEMOND MATTHEWS, 21, of Kansas, and AMARION ADRIONE WHITESIDE, 21, of Texas, for their roles in a conspiracy to steal mail from mail deposit boxes across the Oklahoma City metro area using a stolen United States Postal Service (USPS) arrow key and forge checks found in the stolen mail to obtain cash from financial institutions. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On April 16, 2025, a federal Grand Jury returned a 19-count Indictment against the defendants, charging them for their roles in the conspiracy. According to the Indictment, beginning in 2022, Davis possessed a stolen USPS arrow key, which he and other conspirators used to access and steal mail from mail deposit boxes across the Oklahoma City area in search of checks. Davis, Brown, and Norment would then alter information on stolen checks, so that they could be deposited into the bank accounts of other conspirators who agreed to participate in the scheme. In order to find people willing to join the scheme, the indictment alleges that Davis, Brown, and others advertised the scheme on social media urging those interested to contact them. The Indictment further alleges that Matthews, Whiteside, Woods, Jones, Bass, and others agreed to join the conspiracy and deposited or allowed forged checks to be deposited into their bank accounts in exchange for a portion of the check proceeds.
The defendants have all been charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, for which they face up to 30 years in federal prison if found guilty. In addition to conspiracy to commit bank fraud:
- Davis has been charged with bank fraud, possession of a forged security, possession of a stolen USPS key, and possession of stolen mail. Davis faces up to 30 years in federal prison if found guilty of bank fraud and faces up to 25 years if found guilty of the remaining counts;
- Brown, Jr. has been charged with four counts of bank fraud, possession of a forged security, and possession of stolen mail. Brown faces up to 30 in federal prison if found guilty for each count of bank fraud and faces up to 15 years if found guilty of the remaining counts; and
- Norment has been charged with seven counts of bank fraud and possession of a forged security. Norment faces up to 30 years in federal prison if found guilty for each count of bank fraud and faces up to 10 years if found guilty of the remaining count.
The public is reminded these charges are merely allegations, and that the defendants are innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackson D. Eldridge is prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Illegal Immigrant Sentenced for Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Guatemalan national was sentenced today for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported.
According to court documents, Nicolas Joaquin Celestino-Gonzalez, 34, was arrested by the Saraland Police Department during a traffic stop on March 23, 2025. The U.S. Border Patrol (“USBP”) was notified of his arrest. USBP determined that Celestino-Gonzalez had previously been removed from the United States in 2018 and 2019.
At sentencing, Chief United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock imposed a time-served sentence and a one-year term of supervised release upon Celestino-Gonzalez’s future release. The defendant had been in custody since his arrest on March 23, 2025. Upon his release from prison, Celestino-Gonzalez is to be referred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Celestino-Gonzalez was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The U.S. Border Patrol and the Saraland Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of 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.
Illegal Immigrant Sentenced for Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mexican national was sentenced on May 8, 2025, for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported.
According to court documents, Francisco Torres-Ambrocio, 46, was encountered by agents from the United States Border Patrol during a traffic stop. The agents found that he had been previously removed from the United States twice in 2016. Torres-Ambrocio was convicted of Illegal Entry in 2016 and also has a DUI conviction from 2009.
At sentencing, Judge DuBose imposed a time-served sentence and a 1-year term of supervised release upon his future release. Torres-Ambrocio had been in custody since his arrest on March 4, 2025. Upon his release from prison, Torres-Ambrocio is to be referred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Torres-Ambrocio was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The United States Border Patrol investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jimmy L. Thomas prosecuted the case on behalf of 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.
INTERPOL Washington boosts border security capabilities in Malaysia through Project TERMINUSRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last month, INTERPOL Washington delivered equipment to Malaysia through Project TERMINUS, which will significantly enhance the country’s ability to detect and interdict transnational criminals, terrorists, and other threat actors at its borders.
“Malaysia has been a valued Project TERMINUS partner since 2016 and a critical ally in combating terrorism and violent extremism,” said INTERPOL Washington Acting Director Sean Tolbert. “These upgraded systems will empower Malaysian authorities to strengthen border security and protect the region and beyond by identifying and stopping criminals and terrorists before they reach other countries or cross into our country.”
These enhancements, when implemented, will significantly improve traveler screening. By leveraging INTERPOL's extensive resources, this initiative ultimately aids in the identification and prevention of potentially harmful travel to the United States, through a more profound understanding of global travel patterns.
During the visit, the TERMINUS team refreshed previously deployed border security solutions in the country. The team held talks with senior officials from the Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs, the Department of Immigration Malaysia, INTERPOL Malaysia, and the Royal Malaysia Police to identify any gaps and vulnerabilities they can address as partners. They discussed significant near-term improvements to strengthen Malaysia’s border security and law enforcement investigative systems, such as enhanced database integration.
Malaysian airports handle nearly 100 million travelers per year, and it sits in a strategically vital chokepoint along the Strait of Malacca. By strengthening Malaysia’s border security infrastructure, Project TERMINUS not only enhances regional stability but also contributes to global security by disrupting the movement of illicit actors. INTERPOL Washington remains committed to deepening its partnership with Malaysia to ensure a safer, more secure Indo-Pacific region, America, and world at large.
Learn more about Project TERMINUS.
Honoring National Police WeekRead the Press Release
HAMMOND— This year, National Police Week is observed Sunday, May 11 through Saturday, May 17, 2025. In honor of National Police Week, the federal employees of the Northern District of Indiana wish to honor and salute the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. Every year, tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world converge on Washington, D.C. to participate in planned events which honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Based on preliminary data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 147 federal, state, county, municipal, military, tribal, and campus officers have died in the line of duty in 2024, representing a 25% increase, compared to the 118 officers who died in the line of duty in 2023. Firearms-related fatalities have claimed the lives of 52 officers in 2024, which represents a 13% increase from the 46 officers killed by gunfire in 2023 and was the leading cause of death.
Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay said, “We should not take for granted the many ways law enforcement protect the citizens of their communities. The reality is that many dangers confront law enforcement officers even when they are performing routine duties. Their bravery is unmatched and their commitment to upholding the law is commendable. The federal employees of the Northern District of Indiana join me in honoring those law enforcement officers who have lost their lives protecting others, as well as recognizing the sacrifices of their families.
The names of the fallen officers have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial and will be read on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, during a Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C. There are currently 24,412 names engraved on the Memorial.
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Honduran National Sentenced for Re-Entry of a Deported AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ActingU.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that EVIN ENRIQUE FUNEZ-CRUZ (“FUNEZ-CRUZ”), age 22, a native of Honduras, was sentenced on May 8, 2025, for re-entry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and (b)(1).
According to court documents, FUNEZ-CRUZ, a Honduran national, was apprehended in St. Tammany Parish on or around January 6, 2025. He had been previously deported to Honduras on June 21, 2024.
United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced FUNEZ-CRUZ to time served, after which he will be deported to his home country of Honduras by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
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Honduran National Charged with Re-entry of Deported AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ActingUnited States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that MARLON SANTOS (“SANTOS”), age 36, a native of Honduras, was indicted on May 8, 2025, for re-entry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to court documents, SANTOS was found in Orleans Parish on April 21, 2025. He had previously been removed to Honduras on December 21, 2018.
If convicted, SANTOS faces a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 U.S. Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
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Hawthorne Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Leading Ring that Committed 12 Armed Robberies of L.A. County BusinessesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A South Bay man was sentenced today to 300 months in federal prison for leading a ring that committed 12 armed robberies of Los Angeles County businesses – mostly chain-store pharmacies – during a six-week crime spree in 2023.
Makai Yusef Sanders, 23, a.k.a. “Muk Muk,” of Hawthorne, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner, who also ordered him to pay $48,490 in restitution.
Sanders, who has been in federal custody since October 2023, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
In August and September of 2023, Sanders “personally victimized countless employees and customers in armed robberies of nine pharmacies and two…restaurants,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum, noting that during one robbery Sanders “[held] a victim by the neck and [dragged] him around the store, while brandishing a handgun in his other hand.”
The targeted businesses included Rite Aid stores in Long Beach, Bellflower, North Hollywood, Whittier, and South Los Angeles, and Walgreens stores in Pasadena, Lakewood, Monterey Park, and Glendale. Sanders and his co-conspirators also targeted Wingstop restaurants in Lynwood and Whittier.
The ring’s co-leader, Kenyatta Kamar Jones, 23, a.k.a. “Yatta,” of Hawthorne, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On April 28, Judge Klausner sentenced Jones to 25 years in federal prison and ordered him to pay $48,490 in restitution.
Co-defendants Diavion Deshawna Mouton, 23, of Carson, and Rodney Darrin Maxwell Evans, 23, of South Los Angeles, are scheduled to be sentenced on June 9. In December 2024, Mouton and Evans were each found guilty by a jury of one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Mouton and Evans participated in two armed robberies during the six-week crime spree.
Co-defendant Adrian Timothy Bedran, 24, of Rosemead, pleaded guilty on September 9 to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8. Co-defendant DeAngel Daryl Alvarez, 23, a.k.a. “Macc,” of the Athens area of South Los Angeles, pleaded guilty on February 24 to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 2. Co-defendant Kevin Antwon Gadley, 21, a.k.a. “One Shot,” of San Fernando, was transferred from state to federal custody on April 28, and is currently scheduled to stand trial on June 24, for one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The FBI; the Glendale Police Department; the Los Angeles Police Department; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; the Inglewood Police Department; the Long Beach Police Department; the Pasadena Police Department; the Monterey Park Police Department; the Whittier Police Department; and the Burbank Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Juan M. Rodriguez of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting this case.
Guatemalan Man Who was Unlawfully Residing in the United States Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining Custody of Unaccompanied Alien ChildrenRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Guatemalan national was charged with allegedly submitting sponsorship applications with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of two unaccompanied alien children (UACs) after they entered the United States, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and Attorney General Pam Bondi announced today.
The complaint, which was filed today, charges Luciano Tinuar Quino, also known as “Luciano Tinuar Guino,” 57, a citizen and resident of Guatemala, with two counts of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count and a $250,000 fine.
“This prosecution is an example of my office’s dedication to keeping children safe. We will relentlessly pursue and bring to justice those who take advantage of our country’s Unaccompanied Alien Children program and threaten the safety of our community. There will be zero tolerance for those who prey on the vulnerable.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“The prior administration’s border policies created chaos and allowed bad actors to prey upon the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will always seek strong legal penalties to protect children from those who would do them harm.”
According to the complaint:
Tinuar Quino, who unlawfully entered the United States in 2016 and resided in the Orange, New Jersey area, submitted applications to ORR to sponsor and obtain custody of two male Guatemalan UACs in 2022. Tinuar Quino allegedly used aliases, presenting identity cards of other individuals, and falsely stated he was each UAC’s father in sponsorship application materials submitted to ORR. ORR relied on Tinuar Quino’s alleged false statements when, on or about May 19, 2022, ORR released one of the UACs to Tinuar Quino’s care. ORR did not transfer the other UAC to Tinuar Quino’s care because, in part, Tinuar Quino’s application raised concerns about his identity and relationship with the UAC.
U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and Attorney General Pam Bondi credited the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, and HSI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation leading to this charge. U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and Attorney General Pam Bondi also thanked the FBI’s Legat team in Guatemala, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C., and ORR for their valuable assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Sussman of the U.S Attorney’s Office Narcotics/OCDETF Unit, Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Joint Task Force Alpha/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, with assistance from the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.
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 other 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 Project Safe Neighborhood.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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quino.complaint.pdfGuatemalan Man Who Unlawfully Resided in the United States Charged with Fraudulently Sponsoring Unaccompanied Alien ChildrenRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan national was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of New Jersey for allegedly submitting sponsorship applications with false statements to the U.S. government to gain custody of two unaccompanied alien children (UACs) after they entered the United States illegally.
“The prior administration’s border policies created chaos and allowed bad actors to prey upon the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will always seek strong legal penalties to protect children from those who would do them harm.”
“This prosecution is an example of my office’s dedication to keeping children safe,” said U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District New Jersey. “We will continue to bring to justice those who take advantage of our country’s Unaccompanied Alien Children program and threaten the safety of our community. There will be zero tolerance for those who prey on the vulnerable.”
“This was a clear attempt from an individual unlawfully in the United States seeking to undermine our laws and target children, and the FBI will not tolerate it,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We remain laser-focused on ensuring people who come into the United States intending to wreak havoc and intentionally violate our rule of law will face serious consequences.”
According to the criminal complaint, Luciano Tinuar Quino, also known as Luciano Tinuar Guino, 57, who unlawfully entered the United States in 2016 and previously resided in the area of Orange, New Jersey, submitted multiple applications to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) under penalties of perjury to sponsor and obtain custody of two UACs.
As alleged in the complaint, after a 15-year-old Guatemalan male (UAC-1) illegally entered the United States in April 2022, Tinuar Quino submitted to sponsor this UAC that falsely: (1) claimed to be his father; (2) claimed his own name was “A.S.T.” as listed on a Guatemala national identification card he submitted; and (3) provided his date of birth. To prove his relationship with UAC-1, Tinuar Quino submitted a photoshopped image, which he asserted was a photo of himself with UAC-1’s mother. As a result, the boy was transported from Texas to New Jersey to live with Tinuar Quino.
Tinuar Quino allegedly submitted to ORR to falsely demonstrate his identity as A.S.T. and falsely claim he was UAC-1’s father.(2) Tinuar Quino allegedly submitted to ORR to falsely demonstrate a father-son relationship with UAC-1 and to assert that the clearly photoshopped woman was UAC-1’s mother.Tinuar Quino is also charged with submitting false information in an attempt to obtain custody of another UAC. Specifically, the complaint charges that in June 2022, Tinuar Quino submitted an application to sponsor a 17-year-old Guatemalan male (UAC-2) who had entered the United States illegally. As alleged, Tinuar Quino falsely: (1) claimed to be UAC-2’s father; (2) stated that his name was “J.R.M.” as listed on a Guatemala national identification card he submitted; and (3) provided his date of birth. ORR did not approve this application.
Tinuar Quino allegedly submitted to ORR to falsely demonstrate his identity as J.R.M. and falsely claim he was UAC-2's father (2)“Attempting to exploit the sponsorship system to gain custody of unaccompanied alien children puts those minors at serious risk,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons. “ICE works alongside our law enforcement partners to prevent trafficking and exploitation by individuals falsely claiming to be family. ICE remains firmly committed to detecting deception, upholding the integrity of the immigration process, and, above all, protecting these at-risk children.”
“Protecting children means holding individuals accountable when they use deception to exploit our systems,” said ORR Acting Director Angie M. Salazar. “ORR acted swiftly to identify the fraud and share with our law enforcement counterparts who located the children and ensured justice was served.”
Tinuar Quino is charged with two counts of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
These charges are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 365 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 334 U.S. convictions; more than 281 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
The FBI and ICE HSI Newark field offices are jointly investigating with assistance from the FBI’s Legal Attaché team in Guatemala. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C., and ORR have provided valuable assistance.
Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of HRSP, JTFA Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Sussman of the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.
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 other 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 Project Safe Neighborhoods.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Guatemalan Man Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Illegal Reentry into U.S.Read the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Guatemalan resident pleaded guilty in federal court on May 9, 2025, to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Juan Manuel Secaida, 35.
According to information presented to the Court, Secaida was arrested by the Coraopolis Police Department and charged with harassment, stalking, and criminal trespass, charges which remain pending. Following this encounter, immigration officials determined that Secaida was illegally present in the United States and arrested him on April 1, 2025. Secaida was previously removed from the United States in January 2020 after pleading guilty in Maryland state court to two separate instances of driving under the influence of alcohol, and had not received the required permission to be in the United States. Secaida has been in federal custody since his April arrest on the illegal reentry charge, and will be returned to immigration custody.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Coraopolis Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Secaida.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Gainesville Man Sentenced to 121 Months for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Stephen Christopher Young, 58, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 121 months imprisonment for receipt/attempted receipt of child pornography. The sentence was announced by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Crimes against children are unacceptable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Spaven. “Those who seek to view and maintain child pornography facilitate the abuse of children by those who produce and profit from this illegal content. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to ensure that we aggressively prosecute these offenders.”
In March 2024, investigators executed a federal search warrant at Young’s residence and discovered Young had been exchanging child pornography with others using various applications intended to avoid detection by using end-to-end encryption.
Young’s prison sentence will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $20,500 in restitution. Young will also be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to all sex offender conditions.
“It’s crucial to prioritize the protection of children from sexual abuse,” said Alachua County Sheriff Chad Scott.
The case was investigated by Internet Crime Against Children Task Force Gainesville Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith Steer and Adam Hapner prosecuted the case.
“This case is another example of the FBI's relentless commitment to protecting children by removing predators from our community,” said Jason Carley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville. “Let this be a lesson to others who prey on vulnerable kids; the FBI and our partners will never stop working to identify, pursue, and hold child predators accountable.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Francis Creek Man Indicted on Federal Crimes Against MinorsRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 12, 2025, a federal indictment was unsealed alleging that Michael J. Kornely (age: 75) of Francis Creek, Wisconsin, transported two separate minor victims across state lines with the “intent to engage in criminal sexual activity,” in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(a), in the years 2005 and 2006.
Kornely is further alleged to have used a computer to attempt to “persuade, induce, and entice” a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b). That crime is alleged to have occurred in March of 2024.
If convicted of any of the three charges alleged in the indictment, Kornely faces a mandatory 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a lifetime of incarceration. He may also be fined up to $250,000 and would be required to register as a sexual offender under state and federal law.
This case was investigated by the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Two Rivers Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble and Timothy W. Funnell.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Former VA Houston nurse indicted for falsely claiming she had checked on patient that ultimately diedRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 54-year-old Richmond resident and former nurse at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Houston has been arrested for creating false government records, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The now unsealed indictment, returned May 7, alleges Christiana Ogbonnaya was on duty acting in her official capacity as a nurse at the Houston VA Medical Center from July 26-27, 2024. During that time, Ogbonnaya allegedly made false entries in the VA’s Computerized Patient Record System claiming she had observed a male patient on several occasions during her shift. However, the charges allege she did not have any contact with him at those times.
Medical personnel found the patient unresponsive in the early morning hours of July 27 and ultimately pronounced him deceased, according to the charges.
If convicted, she faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
VA-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Zenón-Matos 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.
Former State Employee Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Southfield woman pleaded guilty to stealing over $250,000 as part of an extensive unemployment fraud and identity theft conspiracy while working for the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.
Joining in the announcement were Joseph Cuffari, Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security—Office of Inspector General; Megan Howell, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General; Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Jason Palmer, Director of the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency
Timeka Johnson, 43, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Stephen J. Murphy, III.
Johnson was an employee for the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (MUIA). Her duties included reviewing, processing, and verifying the legitimacy of unemployment insurance claims.
According to court records, Johnson used her insider access to fraudulently process claims in the names of third parties. As part of the scheme, Johnson personally:
- accessed third-party unemployment insurance assistance claim information without authorization;
- dismissed and improperly closed fraud prevention triggers and information requests relating to third-party unemployment insurance assistance;
- uploaded false and fraudulent documentation to support illegitimate unemployment insurance assistance claims, including false and fraudulent personal identifying information in the names of third parties;
- falsely and fraudulently certified the entitlement of third-party claims as being eligible to receive unemployment insurance assistance funds;
- caused at least one other Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency employee to fraudulently access and alter third-party unemployment insurance assistance claim information for Johnson’s benefit in exchange for financial compensation from Johnson;
- caused unauthorized debit cards to be issued in the names of third-party unemployment insurance assistance claimants;
- caused improper payments to be issued in connection with unemployment insurance assistance claims; and
- conducted unauthorized cash withdrawals of unemployment insurance assistance issued in the name of a third party.
As a result of the conspiracy, over $250,000 in fraudulent unemployment assistance payments were made by the State of Michigan.
Sentencing is set for August 19, 2025 before Judge Murphy. Johnson faces a mandatory two-year sentence of imprisonment for having engaged in aggravated identity theft. She also faces up to 20 years in prison for having conspired to engage in wire fraud.
“Timeka Johnson abused her position of trust to steal from hard-working American taxpayers. In doing so, she also made it more difficult for legitimate claimants to receive unemployment insurance assistance to which they are entitled. My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting government employees who use their positions to illicitly enrich themselves rather than serve the public,” stated U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“Former Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency employee Timeka Johnson engaged in an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud scheme by facilitating the approval of UI claims filed in the names of identity theft victims who were not entitled to such benefits. Johnson abused her position by misusing her access to sensitive employment information and state data systems for her own personal financial gain. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate those who seek to exploit this critical benefit program, particularly when an insider threat is involved,” said Megan Howell, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
"The guilty plea of Timeka Johnson, a former employee of the State of Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency, represents a serious betrayal of public trust," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. "By abusing her position, she exploited a critical safety net relied upon by countless residents of Michigan. Let this serve as a warning: those who attempt to defraud public assistance programs will face a determined and coordinated response from law enforcement. I want to thank the FBI Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force, our partners at the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency. The FBI is committed to protecting public resources and holding accountable those who undermine them."
“It is unacceptable when the person stealing taxpayer money is someone within UIA who is entrusted to faithfully safeguard taxpayer money meant for those who find themselves out of a job,” said Jason Palmer, Director of the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency. “UIA will aggressively pursue every fraudster, including insiders, who saw an opportunity to steal for their own financial gain. We work closely with our legal partners to make sure every fraudster faces the consequences of their shameful schemes.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Yahkind. The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Department of Homeland Security—Office of Inspector General, Department of Labor—Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Unemployment Insurance Agency, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity
Federal Grand Jury in Louisville Returns Superseding Indictment Charging Three Men with Murder of Federal WitnessRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – On May 6, 2025, a federal grand jury in Louisville returned a superseding indictment charging three men with conspiring to kill, and ultimately murdering, a witness in a federal investigation. Two of the defendants were previously charged with drug trafficking and firearms-related charges.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the superseding indictment, Anyelle Curtley, Sr., 47, of Louisville, Delrico Nelson, 48, of Macomb, Illinois, and Antoyne Penick, 48, of Louisville, are each charged with conspiracy to tamper with a witness or informant by killing and conspiracy to retaliate against a witness or informant by killing. The superseding indictment alleges that between December 28, 2023, and January 31, 2023, Curtley Sr., Nelson, and Penick conspired and agreed to kill Victim 1 with the intent to prevent the testimony of Victim 1 in an official proceeding and to prevent Victim 1 from communicating with a law enforcement officer or judge information relating to the commission of a federal offense. Additionally, the superseding indictment alleges that the three men conspired and agreed to kill Victim 1 in retaliation for providing information to a law enforcement officer relating to the commission of a federal offense.
Also, according to the superseding indictment, Curtley Sr. and Nelson, aided and abetted by each other, killed Victim 1, who was a person assisting a federal investigation, while that assistance was being rendered and because of it. Finally, the superseding indictment alleges that Curtley Sr. and Nelson aided and abetted each other in the murder of Victim 1 through the use of a firearm.
This indictment supersedes an indictment returned March 5, 2024, charging Curtley, Sr. and others with drug trafficking and firearms related charges.
The March 5, 2024, indictment charged Carl Delph, 53, of California, Curtley, Sr., Anyelle Curtley, Jr., 26, Adrian Richie, 35, Joseph Cousins, 39, Alandro O’Neal, 50, Jeroy Boyd, 44, Ameer Ellis, 45, Paul Butler, Jr., 35, and Susan Jenkins, 41, all of Louisville, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Beginning as early as May 9, 2023, and continuing through February 21, 2024, the defendants conspired to possess with the intent to distribute and distributed over 50 grams of methamphetamine, over 400 grams of fentanyl, and over 500 grams of cocaine.
Delph and Curtley, Sr. were also charged with a money laundering conspiracy.
Delph was also charged with distributing over 500 grams of cocaine and distributing over 400 grams of fentanyl.
Curtley, Sr. was also charged with distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, attempting to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. On December 28, 2023, Curtley, Sr., possessed a Glock, model 27, .40 caliber handgun. Curtley, Sr. was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted the following felony offense.
On May 19, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Curtley, Sr. was convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Curtley, Jr. was also charged with distributing fentanyl and cocaine.
Richie and Cousins were also charged with distributing fentanyl.
O’Neal, Ellis, and Jenkins were also charged with distributing methamphetamine.
Boyd was also charged with distributing cocaine.
Butler, Jr. was also charged with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Cousins and O’Neal have pled guilty and are pending sentencing before a United States District Judge.
An additional federal indictment was returned on March 5, 2024, charging Christopher Curtley, 50, and Penick, both of Louisville, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Beginning as early as January 9, 2024, and continuing through February 29, 2024, the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin.
Christopher Curtley was also charged with distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Penick was also charged with distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin. Penick was also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On January 24, 2024, Penick possessed a Heritage Manufacturing Inc., Model Rough Rider, .22 caliber revolver. Penick was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On September 27, 2017, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Penick was convicted of flagrant non-support.
On October 19, 2015, in Clark Circuit Court, Clark County, Indiana, Penick was convicted of theft.
On November 1, 2010, in Clark Superior Court, Clark County, Indiana, Penick was convicted of theft, robbery (two counts), and dealing in marijuana.
Those charges against Christopher Curtley and Penick remain pending.
Curtley Sr. and Penick previously appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judges of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on the underlying drug and firearm charges. Nelson appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge for Central District of Illinois on May 8, 2025. Curtley Sr., Nelson, and Penick have been ordered detained pending trial. If convicted of the offenses alleged in the superseding indictment, all three defendants face a potential sentence of death, life, or any term of years. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the DEA, FBI, HSI, ATF, IRS-CI, and the Louisville Metro Police Department, with assistance from the Kentucky State Police and Macomb, Illinois Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Josh Porter are prosecuting the case, with assistance from paralegal Aaron Cooper.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fall River Woman Sentenced for Stealing Nearly $90,000 in Social Security Benefits Intended for Her ChildRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fall River woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for stealing her child’s Social Security benefits over a period of six years.
Nancy Taylor, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Taylor was also ordered to pay $86,994 in restitution. In February 2025, Taylor pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money. Taylor was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024.
From May 2016 through May 2022, Taylor embezzled approximately $86,994 in Social Security benefits that were intended for her minor child. In August 2014, when Taylor applied to receive benefits on behalf of her child as a representative payee, the Social Security Administration (SSA) informed her of her obligation to notify SSA if her child left her custody. However, Taylor did not notify SSA when she lost custody of her child in May 2016. Instead, Taylor called SSA in October 2021 to update contact information for the child so that she could continue receiving her child’s benefits. Further, in June 2022, Taylor visited an SSA field office to reactivate her receipt of her child’s benefits and provided two fraudulent forms claiming that her child still lived with her and that she spent all the Social Security benefits she received for her child’s care. In reality, Taylor used the vast majority of the stolen funds to pay her own bills.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.