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Thursday 3 April 2025
Illegal Possession and Firearms Sales Land Oklahoma City Men in Federal Prison for More Than 19 Years CollectivelyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – AUSTIN GAGE OSBORN, 24, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 68 months in federal prison for engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and being a drug user in possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, beginning in July 2024, undercover agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began purchasing firearms from Osborn and codefendant JOSE ADRIAN HERMOSILLO, 22, of Oklahoma City. Agents identified Hermosillo as a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms. Between July 17, 2024, and August 9, 2024, ATF agents met with Osborn and Hermosillo on several occasions purchasing approximately 20 firearms. In one specific transaction on July 29, 2024, undercover agents told Osborn and Hermosillo that the guns the agents were purchasing would be transported out of the United States and into Mexico. Despite having reason to believe that the firearms would be trafficked across the border, Osborn and Hermosillo continued to sell firearms to undercover agents for profit, without a federal firearms license, in violation of federal law.
On November 26, 2024, Osborn was charged by Superseding Information with engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and with being a drug user in possession of firearms. On December 5, 2024, Osborn pleaded guilty to the Superseding Information, and admitted he possessed 19 firearms while being a regular user of marijuana, and that he was illegally dealing firearms as a business without a license to do so. At the sentencing hearing on March 26, 2025, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Osborn to serve 68 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Hermosillo pleaded guilty on November 26, 2024, to trafficking firearms, and admitted he willingly transferred firearms to another person with reasonable cause to believe that the use, carrying, or possession of the firearms by the recipient would constitute a felony. Hermosillo was sentenced on March 24, 2025, to serve 168 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
In announcing the sentences for Osborn and Hermosillo, Judge Palk noted the seriousness of these offenses, the need for the sentences to deter others in the public who may consider engaging in similar behavior, and the history and characteristics of the defendants. Public record further reflects that Hermosillo has previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County that include attempted burglary in case number CF-2021-2066 and possession of a firearm after juvenile adjudication in case number CF-2022-3560.
This case is the result of an investigation by the ATF and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Drew E. Davis and Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice program to reduce violent crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Hyannis Man Sentenced to over Eight Years in Prison for Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hyannis man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Timothy Lee Galvin, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to 97 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In December 2024, Galvin pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Galvin was indicted in August 2023.
On or about June 2, 2023 in Barnstable, Galvin was arrested for possession of approximately six grams of fentanyl and three rounds of 9mm ammunition in his pocket. In addition, a privately made.45 caliber pistol, 11 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition and 47 rounds of 9mm ammunition were found in a backpack.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Tolkoff of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Human smuggler pleads guilty in fatal smuggling eventRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 23-year-old Mexican national has admitted to alien smuggling resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jose Guadalupe Antonio-Arredondo admitted to assisting in the smuggling of an illegal alien July 12, 2024, by acting as a river guide. He guided the illegal alien and a brush guide across the river and to the border wall before he returned to Mexico.
The brush guide and illegal alien continued on and crossed the wall. However, after doing so, the alien had trouble breathing and ultimately collapsed. The brush guide abandoned him in the brush and ran to a nearby house to attempt to conceal herself from law enforcement.
Law enforcement later found the alien and arranged transportation to the hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased July 17, 2024.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane accepted the plea and set sentencing for June 20. At that time, Antonio-Arredondo faces up to life in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
“Human smuggling is a dangerous enterprise, one that doesn’t care about the lives or well-being of those that are being smuggled,” said Ganjei. “The loss of life in this incident is yet another example of why it is so vital to discourage people from risking their lives trying to enter this country illegally.”
Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Hugo Residents Plead Guilty to Interstate Transport of Stolen GoodsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Matthew Carl Wilson, age 38, and Candice Marie Logan, age 35, of Hugo, Oklahoma, entered guilty pleas to one count of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Goods, punishable by up to ten years imprisonment.
The Indictment alleged that on January 16, 2024, Wilson and Logan transported stolen industrial radio equipment valued at $5,000 or more in interstate commerce from Hugo, Oklahoma, to Paris, Texas, knowing the equipment was stolen, converted, and taken by fraud.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Department, and the Paris, Texas Police Department.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the pleas and ordered the completion of presentence investigation reports.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentences to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Wilson and Logan will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Entering the US After a Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Honduran national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal.
According to court records, on February 25, 2025, Josue Osmin Montoya Acosta, 36, was observed by an officer from the Brunswick Police Department operating a vehicle with no front license plate and no light on the rear license plate. The rear plate was later determined to be a temporary plate from Indiana. When asked for his license, Montoya Acosta presented a Honduran passport and told the officer he did not have a driver’s license. When asked if he had a visa, he told the officer he did not. The officer contacted a Border Patrol agent, and records showed that Montoya Acosta had previously been removed from the country twice and did not have a visa or other documentation that would allow him to re-enter the United States.
Montoya Acosta faces a maximum prison term of two years and a fine up to $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case with assistance from the Brunswick Police Department.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
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Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ajear Anthony Miller-Carter, age 24, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 46 months in prison by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Miller-Carter pleaded guilty on September 24, 2024, to one count of possessing a firearm by a prohibited person. On August 30, 2021, in Union County, police officers initiated a traffic stop of a car in which Miller-Carter was a passenger. During the stop, officers searched the car and found marijuana, a digital scale, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded Taurus PT111G2 9MM pistol with an extended magazine. Officers discovered Miller-Carter, a previously convicted felon, had an active warrant for his arrest and took him into custody wherein he admitted the 9MM pistol was his. Police subsequently learned that the firearm was stolen.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Harrisburg Police Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Haugsby prosecuted the case.
This case was part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice A 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Reagan Morales Roblero (37, Guatemala), has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Roblero faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for the attempted enticement offense and a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the attempted transfer of obscene material. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, from July 22 through September 5, 2024, Roblero communicated online with someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old girl. In actuality, the child was an undercover Homeland Security Investigations special agent (UC). Throughout their conversations, Roblero repeatedly described the sexual activity he wanted to engage in with the child, sending explicit videos to clarify the specific sex acts he desired. On September 5, 2024, after Roblero told the UC that he “want[ed] to make love tonight,” the UC discussed meeting at a motel in in Marion County. Roblero told the UC that the “most private” motel without “cameras” was better for their “protection.” Roblero further stated that he would drive to the motel to see if they could safely meet “because u underage [and] I’m old.” Ultimately, Roblero was arrested by law enforcement in the lobby of the motel. The motel clerk advised law enforcement that Roblero had asked about obtaining a room at the back of the building.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Sabino Lemus-Carias, age 39, of Guatemala, was indicted yesterday, by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously removed alien.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Lemus-Carias was previously removed from the United States on May 15, 2006, through Brownsville, Texas, and it is alleged that he was subsequently found in the United States on March 26, 2025, in Franklin County without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph J. Terz is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Government contractor to pay $1.95M to settle False Claims Act allegationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Intelligent Waves, LLC, located in Reston, and its owner agreed to pay $1.95 million to settle False Claims Act allegations involving two Air Force contracts.
In September 2019, Intelligent Waves entered into a contract, known as the Crowd-Sourced Contract, with the Air Force. Under the Crowd-Sourced Contract, Intelligent Waves provided crowd-sourced flight data collection support and data analytics to the 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base. The United States alleged that Intelligent Waves knowingly sold certain equipment to the Air Force that was not authorized under the Crowd-Sourced Contract and submitted invoices to the Air Force that portrayed the unauthorized equipment as authorized equipment under the Contract. The United States also alleged that Intelligent Waves knowingly invoiced the Air Force for products and/or labor that it did not deliver in the specific quantities stated in its invoices. After it failed to deliver the products and/or labor stated in its invoices, Intelligent Waves failed to provide a credit to the Air Force for undelivered products and/or labor, providing substitute products requested by non-procurement personnel instead.
In November 2020, Intelligent Waves also entered into a contract, known as the Special Access Program Facilities (SAPF) Contract, with the Air Force to build special access program facilities at Edwards Air Force Base,. The United States alleged that Intelligent Waves knowingly made false statements that induced the award of the SAPF Contract.
The United States alleged that Intelligent Waves provided meals and entertainment to Air Force employees before the award of and during the period of performance of the Crowd-Sourced and SAPF contracts.
This settlement arises in connection with a lawsuit filed by two former Intelligent Waves employees under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, United States ex rel. Taylor et al. v. Intelligent Waves, LLC et al. The lawsuit alleged that Intelligent Waves’ owner was aware of certain of the alleged wrongful conduct. A whistleblower suit, or qui tam action under the False Claims Act, is commenced by an individual filing a complaint under seal in the U.S. District Court and providing a copy of the complaint and evidence to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States then has an opportunity to investigate the claims. The False Claims Act provides whistleblowers with a share of the government’s recovery.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency.
This matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Kapoor and Forensic Auditor Peter Melaragni.
The civil claims settled by this False Claims Act agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Related court documents and information from the civil lawsuit can be accessed on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cv-1463.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Fresno County Resident Charged with Federal Gun and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today against David Joseph Yama, 41, of Reedley, adding charges of possession of alprazolam (commonly known as Xanax) with intent to distribute, three counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition, and one count of carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
Yama continues to be charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl as charged in the original indictment.
According to court documents, on Sept. 1, 2020, police officers went to a gas station in Clovis after a report of suspicious activity and contacted Yama and two associates. A search of the car that Yama had been driving uncovered a large amount of cash, ammunition, plastic baggies, vials containing fentanyl, more than 200 fentanyl pills, and more than 100 alprazolam pills. A search of Yama’s residence on the same day revealed additional controlled substances and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Several months later, in January 2021, Yama was stopped driving the same car. A search of the car resulted in the seizure of more alprazolam pills, ammunition, and a ghost gun. Prior to September 2020, Yama had been convicted of five felony drug trafficking and firearms offenses, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team, a multi-agency team composed of the DEA and the Homeland Security Investigations, the California Department of Justice, and the Clovis, Reedley and Fresno Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Karen A. Escobar are prosecuting the case.
If convicted on the drug-trafficking counts, Yama faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million for each count. For the count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug offense, he faces a mandatory, consecutive five-year penalty and a maximum of up to life in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
This case is also being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Former Vice Chairman of Smyth County School Board Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – The former Vice Chairman of the Smyth County School Board pled guilty today to using at least six minor, male victims to produce child pornography.
Todd Stewart Williams, 54, of Chilhowie, Virginia, pled guilty today to four counts of persuading, inducing, enticing, and coercing and attempting to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce one or more minors to engage in any sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct, in interstate commerce.
“The Internet has expanded the manner in which young people can be targeted by those looking to exploit them,” Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. “Importantly, this case demonstrates that even those who are entrusted by our communities to oversee the welfare of our children may harbor intentions to exploit them, and for that reason we must be ever vigilant and responsive when our young people report abuse. I am thankful to the FBI both in Virginia and elsewhere for their diligence in bringing this case to justice.”
“There is no place in our communities for someone who manipulates and abuses children, especially by someone in a position of influence. In addition to committing numerous reprehensible acts against minors, Williams betrayed the trust of parents in Smyth County where he was elected to oversee the education and well-being of students,” said Stanley Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division. “The FBI Richmond team stands with parents and educators to protect our children and ensure justice is served for all who seek to harm them.”
According to court documents, Williams’s criminal activity came to the attention of law enforcement in September 2022 when a 15-year-old teenager living in Oklahoma reported to the FBI that Williams, using the Snapchat username “todd_w3411” requested nude images and videos of him.
During an interview with law enforcement, the teen told investigators he met Williams in a Snapchat group intended for gay teenage males. Soon after they began chatting, Williams reached out to the teen and offered to make in-app purchases in an online video game in exchange for nude pictures of the teen.
The FBI’s investigation uncovered multiple instances of Williams’s exploitation of multiple minors. In one instance, Williams used Snapchat to communicate with a then 12-year-old minor and offered to purchase items for an online game before eventually offering to buy nude pictures and videos from the boy.
Between August 2022 and January 2024, Williams sent the young victim nearly $1,000 in exchange for nude images and videos.
In January 2023, Williams met another teen on Snapchat and paid the teen to take pictures and videos of him sexually abusing his younger stepbrother, who was 10-years-old at the time. As directed by Williams, the teen would approach his stepbrother in his bedroom at night and force his stepbrother to watch pornography and engage in sexual acts.
Because the teen reached his $600 monthly limit on Cash App transactions, Williams mailed him a debit card hidden inside a pair of shoes to ensure he was able to purchase his videos.
In a six-month period, Williams paid over $3,500 for nude images and videos of the teen and his stepbrother.
In yet another interaction with a young teenage boy on Snapchat, Williams paid over $3,000 in exchange for nude images and videos of him and his teenage boyfriend.
In all, Williams spent more than $10,000 buying nude images from at least six underage male victims.
At sentencing, Williams faces a mandatory minimum sentence of up to fifteen years in prison and up to thirty years.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit Pierce is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from 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 identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Former First Judicial District Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison Defrauding the DistrictRead the Press Release
A former employee of the First Judicial District of the State of Iowa who misused credit cards to steal money intended to be used for children in the Juvenile Court System was sentenced today to two months in federal prison.
Nicole Foelske, age 41, from Jesup, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 14, 2024, guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.
In information contained in a plea agreement and disclosed at the sentencing hearing, Foelske admitted she worked in the Juvenile Court Services section of the First Judicial District of the State of Iowa located in Waterloo. In that position, she was provided with a credit card to purchase items and gift cards for juveniles in the Court system, including juveniles in Child in Need of Assistance cases. Foelske, however, used the credit card to purchase household items for herself and gift cards from stores and then used the gift cards to either purchase items for herself or to transfer the value of the cards to her bank account. All told, Foelske made over 200 improper purchases on the credit card totaling more than $100,000.
Foelske was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Foelske was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment and fined $2,000. Foelske was also sentenced to serve six months of home confinement following her imprisonment. She was ordered to make $107,745.46 in restitution to the Iowa Judicial Branch, which Foelske has already paid. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Foelske was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2026.
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Former Bureau of Labor Statistics Economist Pleads Guilty to Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Matthew Hong, 28, of Middlesex, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to making false statements in connection with sick leave compensation that he received from his federal government employer when he was not sick but instead working remotely for a private company during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Supervisory Official Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office, Criminal and Cyber Division, and Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG).
Hong pleaded guilty to one count of false statements and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 17. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, Hong was an economist at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) within the U.S. Department of Labor from April 2020 until July 2023. At BLS, Hong worked on the Current Employment Statistics program within the National Estimates Branch that produced, among other things, the monthly estimates of nonfarm employment numbers. In that role Hong had access to certain Principal Federal Economic Indicators (PFEI), such as the employment and unemployment numbers, several days prior to their public disclosure. This information was subject to strict security procedures and safeguards due to the PFEI’s sensitivity and ability to affect financial markets if prematurely disclosed.
Beginning in June 2022, and while still employed at BLS and working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hong began full-time employment at a global financial institution headquartered in New York City, as a senior associate in a group that analyzed and developed macroeconomic scenarios used in the company’s forecasting. As part of his job at the financial institution, Hong developed economic narratives and forecasts that involved multiple macroeconomic variables.
On at least 55 different occasions between June 2022 and July 2023, Hong made entries in BLS’s time and attendance system that falsely represented that he was sick on a given workday and sought sick leave compensation from BLS when, in fact, he was not sick but instead was working for the private financial institution. Based on these false statements, Hong received over $13,300 in sick leave compensation from BLS.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and DOL-OIG. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rami Sibay for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Matthew F. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Rakoczy and Maria Vento provided substantial assistance with the investigation and prosecution.
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Final defendant sentenced to prison in child sexual abuse conspiracyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his involvement in manufacturing child sexual abuse materials.
According to court documents, Taylor Mullen, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography.
Mullen is the fourth person sentenced in a case involving two separate conspiracies both led by Joel Womochil, 39, of Manhattan, Kansas. Womochil pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography. In March, he was sentenced to 720 months in prison.
In 2021, Mullen and his girlfriend Jessica Quave, 38, created videos of themselves engaging in sexually explicit behavior with a child under six years old and sent the videos to Womochil.
Quave pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child - production of child pornography. She was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Another conspiracy in 2019 took place between Womochil and Denise Renee Sandman, 40, of Indiana. After meeting Womochil online, Sandmann agreed to create images of a child under the age of five engaged in sexually explicit conduct and send the images to Womochil, which he saved to his hard drive.
Sandmann pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography and one count of sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography. She was sentenced to 720 months in prison.
“We are grateful to the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations for securing the overwhelming evidence against these child predators which led to guilty pleas and ultimately long prison sentences for their crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard.
The Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Childhood
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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.###
Federal Jury Convicts Michelle Stewart in Connection with her Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – After a 3-day trial, a Webster woman was convicted by a federal jury for illegally possessing two rifles as a prohibited person, Acting United States Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Michelle Stewart, 53, was convicted of one count of possession of firearms by a prohibited person. United States District Court Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled sentencing for July 11, 2025.
On April 27, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Webster, New Hampshire and recovered numerous firearms, including one AR-style rifle and one AK-style rifle.
As the investigation continued, law enforcement officers searched the contents of cell phones and observed a picture, dated July 4, 2021, which showed the defendant in front of her residence holding an AR-style rifle. They also observed several pictures, dated March 20, 2022, which showed the defendant in the kitchen of her residence holding an AK-style rifle.
The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives led the investigation. The Weare Police Department, the Webster Police Department, the Boscawen Police Department, and the New Hampshire State Police provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cesar Vega and Geoff Ward are prosecuting the case.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Illegal Alien for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment yesterday charging an illegal alien with possessing a firearm.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement, and Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Renan Josue Rodriguez-Rodriguez, age 29, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with possessing a firearm on March 16, 2024, in Jefferson County, Kentucky knowing he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by HSI, ATF, and ICE ERO.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Gomez is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fayette County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Bryson J. England, 43, of Oak Hill, was sentenced today to two 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 February 2, 2024, England was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers in the Beckley area of Raleigh County. During the vehicle stop, officers conducted a pat-down search of England and found a loaded Armscor of the Philippines model M1911-AU FS .45-caliber pistol on his person. Officers also searched the vehicle and found an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle on the passenger side.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. England knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Kanawha County Circuit Court on January 6, 2003.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the West Virginia State Police.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons 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. 5:24-cr-138.
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Fairbanks man pleads guilty to distributing fentanyl resulting in a fatal overdoseRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Fairbanks man pleaded guilty today to distributing fentanyl to a local man resulting in his death.
According to court documents, beginning in May 2022 and continuing to July 2022, Edward Ginnis, 39, agreed with co-conspirators to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances in the Fairbanks area. Specifically, Ginnis would distribute controlled substances to a co-conspirator, who then would sell the substances to others.
Sometime before June 26, 2022, pursuant to this conspiracy, Ginnis supplied controlled substances for redistribution to a co-defendant. The controlled substances looked like heroin but contained fentanyl. On June 26, 2022, a Fairbanks man purchased some of the fentanyl originating from Ginnis. The man used the fentanyl and died of an overdose.
On July 14, 2022, Ginnis was arrested in Fairbanks in possession of fentanyl that he intended to distribute to others in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy.
Ginnis is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney William Narus of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska has been recused from this case with the exception of certain personnel. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. Clymer from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York has been appointed as Special Attorney to the United States Attorney General to assist with this and other recused cases. He reports to and acts under the direction of the Deputy Attorney General, or his delegee, or Acting U.S. Attorney Narus in these cases. Special Attorney Clymer supervises personnel from the District of Alaska who have been exempted from the recusal.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Alaska State Troopers investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alana Weber, Stephan Collins and Chris Schroeder from the District of Alaska are prosecuting the case.
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.
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Ecuadorian National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Entering the US After a Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Ecuadorian national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal.
According to court records, on February 4, 2025, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the FBI conducted surveillance at a South Portland residence. After observing William Ariel Tamay Guaman, 23, get into a van, agents followed Tamay Guaman and conducted a traffic stop. An ERO agent familiar with Tamay Guaman approached the driver and asked for their name. Tamay Guaman provided a false name and was directed to step out of the vehicle. After briefly fleeing on foot and resisting arrest, he was taken into custody. He was positively ID’d by fingerprints.
Tamay Guaman, who entered the country in or before 2019, was charged in the Cumberland County Unified Criminal Docket in March 2023 with two counts of reckless conduct involving a minor for offenses that occurred between 2020 and 2021. He was convicted and sentenced to 364 days of imprisonment on one count, to be followed by an additional, fully suspended 364 days and probation. In a separate proceeding, an immigration judge ordered Tamay Guaman to be removed from the United States, and he was deported in September 2023.
Tamay Guaman faces a maximum prison term of two years and a fine up to $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
ICE-ERO investigated the case with assistance from the FBI.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
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Corpus Christi resident gets 20 years for distributing child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 23-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison for trading images and videos containing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Pete Frank pleaded guilty Nov. 25, 2024.
U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered Frank to serve 240 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including online conversations he had which detailed his past sexual assaults of a young family member. Frank must also serve 25 years of supervised release, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Frank will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
On April 14, 2020, authorities discovered an internet user accessing files depicting child sexual assault material (CSAM). Further investigation led them to Frank.
They conducted a search and found his cell phone.
Forensic examination of the device revealed Frank had been engaging in online conversations with individuals interested in CSAM. Frank participated in these conversations, seeking to trade images and videos with other individuals. Frank also discussed with others different strategies to engage in sexual activities with minors.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
“Those that possess and trade CSAM indirectly contribute to the production of that terrible material, and so punishing possession helps to diminish demand,” said Ganjei. “The 20-year sentence in this case should serve as a warning to those who would otherwise seek out CSAM.”
The Corpus Christi Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jesus Rene Villa, 31, of Tucson, was sentenced on March 25, 2025, by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to 36 months in prison. Villa pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon on January 8, 2025.
On March 1, 2024, Tucson Police Department officers searched Villa’s vehicle after arresting him for previously fleeing from law enforcement. During the search, officers located a loaded firearm in a black duffel bag on the back seat. An investigation revealed that Villa was a four-time convicted felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) then assumed responsibility for the case in collaboration with the Tucson Police Department as part of the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP).
The National PSP was established by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide an innovative framework to enhance federal support of state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecution authorities in enhancing public safety. PSP began as a pilot program, the Violence Reduction Network, in 2014 and is designed to promote interagency coordination by leveraging specialized law enforcement expertise with dedicated prosecutorial resources to promote public and community safety. PSP serves as a DOJ-wide program that enables participating sites to consult with and receive expedited, coordinated training and technical assistance, and an array of resources from DOJ to enhance local public safety strategies. This model enables DOJ to provide jurisdictions of different sizes and diverse needs with data-driven, evidence-based strategies tailored to the unique local needs of participating cities to build their capacities to address violent crime challenges. PSP has engaged with more than 60 sites since the program’s inception.
The ATF and Tucson Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Caroline Allen, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01319-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-049_Villa# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona,
visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges in Shooting IncidentRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from a violent shooting incident involving the illegal use of a firearm.
According to court records, on the night of September 19, 2024, Devin Wade Wyaco shot John Doe (who was riding a bicycle) from the passenger side of his girlfriend’s vehicle, striking John Doe in the abdomen. Doe was transported to Zuni Hospital and later to the University of New Mexico Hospital for treatment. During an interview with investigators, John Doe identified the vehicle as belonging to Wyaco’s girlfriend. Doe survived the shooting.
Police identified Wyaco, 34, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, as the shooter through statements from his girlfriend, who admitted being present during the incident and confirmed Wyaco’s involvement. A federal search warrant executed at her residence corroborated her account. In his plea agreement, Wyaco confessed that he fired at John Doe after becoming angry when one of the bicyclists threw a rock at the car. He also admitted that as a previously convicted felon—having prior convictions for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and aggravated fleeing from a law-enforcement officer—he knowingly possessed a firearm and ammunition in violation of federal law.
Handgun recovered from Wyaco’s girlfriend’s home.
Wyaco pled guilty to all three charges contained in the indictment, including assault with a dangerous weapon, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
At sentencing, Wyaco faces no less than 10 years and up to life in prison followed by up to five years of supervised release. Additionally, Wyaco faces up to $250,000 in fines.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
Connecticut Tobacco Wholesaler Admits Defrauding State of $1.2 MillionRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KHAWAR M. KHOKHAR, 36, of Ellington, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to an offense stemming from a scheme that defrauded the State of Connecticut of more than $1.2 million.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Khokhar operated Smokin’ Wholesale LLC, a Connecticut-licensed tobacco wholesale business that acquired smokeless tobacco and other tobacco products from out-of-state distributors, including businesses in Pennsylvania and Illinois, and sold the products to retail merchants in Connecticut. Between approximately May 2017 and June 2019, Khokhar and Smokin’ Wholesale purchased approximately $2 million in tobacco products from the distributors, but failed to report accurately to the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services the value of the products imported into the state, and failed to pay to the state the tobacco-related taxes owed. Through this scheme, Khokhar and others caused Connecticut to suffer a tax loss of more than $1.2 million.
Khokhar pleaded guilty to conspiracy, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Khokhar also agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $1,201,701.13, and to forfeit $60,707 seized during the investigation. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3.
Khokhar is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services, Criminal Investigations Division. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.
Colorado Travel Company Pays $3 Million to Settle Allegations That It Unlawfully Obtained a Loan from the Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced that Group Voyagers, Inc. has paid $3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by unlawfully applying for and receiving a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program when the company was not an eligible small business.
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). It was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Only small businesses were eligible for PPP loans. Whether an applicant qualified as a small business was determined, in part, by assessing the number of employees of the business and of all its affiliates. When applying for PPP loans, businesses were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications, including their number of employees.
Group Voyagers is a tour operator headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Group Voyagers and its foreign affiliates provide travel packages marketed under the Globus family of brands. The settlement resolves allegations that Group Voyagers falsely represented on its PPP loan application that it had fewer than 300 employees. In fact, the company, along with its foreign affiliates, employed more than 300 individuals and thus was not an eligible small business.
The allegations were brought to the federal government’s attention by a whistleblower through a False Claims Act action. The qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act allow a private party to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The case is captioned United States ex rel. Verity Investigations LLC v. Group Voyagers, Inc., Civil Action No. 24-cv-01671-KAS (D. Colo.). The whistleblower will receive $375,000 in connection with the settlement.
The United States acknowledges that once the allegations were brought to the attention of Group Voyagers, Inc., the company fully cooperated with the investigation, quickly resolved the allegations, and took steps to improve its compliance program.
“Our office will aggressively enforce eligibility limitations that Congress imposes for participation in federal programs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell. “When applying to participate in a federal program, companies must ensure that their applications are fully accurate and that they are eligible to participate in the program.”
“Those who violate the False Claim Act by wrongfully pursuing and retaining SBA program funding will be held accountable,” said Tim Larson, SBA Office of Inspector General’s (OIG’s) Western Region Assistant Special Agent in Charge. “This settlement demonstrates that unlawfully obtaining taxpayer dollars will not go unchecked. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.”
The claims against Group Voyagers, Inc. are allegations, and in agreeing to settle this matter, it did not admit to any liability.
This investigation was the result of a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado and SBA OIG.
Chinese National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Access Device FraudRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Donghui Liao (32, China) to 33 months in federal prison for possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices (gift cards). Liao entered a guilty plea on December 16, 2024.
According to the plea agreement and evidence presented in court, a large retail store had been the victim of an ongoing organized gift card fraud scheme. The structure of the scheme involved individuals stealing gift cards from the store, obtaining the account information from the back of the cards, resealing the cards in their original packaging, and placing the gift cards back onto the shelves of a different store location for customers to purchase. Once a customer purchased the gift card and loaded funds onto it, the fraudsters had access to the funds without the customer’s knowledge.
On October 17, 2023, an officer with the Ocala Police Department observed Liao retrieving numerous gift cards from a black shoulder bag he was wearing and placing those gift cards on the retailer’s gift card display. Liao was also observed taking gift cards off the shelves and concealing them inside his bag before leaving the store.
Seventy-one of the gift cards that Liao had placed on the shelves showed signs of alteration and forgery. A search of Liao’s vehicle revealed 6,032 additional stolen gift cards. The combined value of the gift cards in Liao’s vehicle (pictured below), if purchased and activated by customers, would have been $1.886 million. Store surveillance identified Liao performing this same scheme on at least 28 other occasions at different locations in Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida.
“Gift card scams endanger retailers, consumers, and overall public safety,” said Homeland Security Investigations Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “HSI is actively collaborating with law enforcement at all levels to combat organized crime involved in these schemes. Our proactive approach aims to raise awareness and disrupt fraud that could cost hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars. This successful prosecution in Florida highlights our commitment to addressing this issue on a global scale.”
This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Chester County Man Pleads Guilty to Selling MethRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Alexander Wright, 33, of Chester, has pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the Chester County Sheriff’s Department began investigating Wright after complaints from his neighbors. The neighbors reported several cars coming to his home and staying for short periods of time and leaving. Law enforcement began watching the home and confirmed the reports from the neighbors.
After confirming the information, the police used an informant to make several buys from Wright. On June 5, 2023, the informant contacted Wright to purchase methamphetamine. Under surveillance by the police, the informant went to Wright’s home and purchased 2 ounces of methamphetamine. The informant was instructed by Wright that the drugs were in the rear passenger door of a car parked in his yard and told the informant to leave the money in the car. After the deal and still under surveillance, the informant returned to law enforcement. The drugs were recovered and were tested with a 96% purity rate for methamphetamine and weighed 56.42 grams.
Wright faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $10 million, and five years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Wright after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Chester County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.
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Carter County Resident Pleads Guilty to Robbery, Felony AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Timmy Lynn Tatum, age 17, of Sulphur, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Robbery in Indian Country, punishable by not more than 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.00, and one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm, punishable by not more than 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.00.
The Information alleged that on June 30, 2024, by force, violence, and intimidation, Tatum took and attempted to take items of value from the person and presence of the victim. The Information further alleged that on that same day, Tatum assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon, intending to do bodily harm.
The crimes occurred in Murray County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sulphur Police Department, the Murray County Sherriff’s Office, and the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Tatum will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob R. Parker and Patrick M. Flanigan represented the United States.
Career Criminal Sentenced to 21+ Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Dequan Tyrie Paton, 33, of Asheville, was sentenced to 262 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release today for methamphetamine trafficking, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, between September and November 2023, Payton distributed approximately 156 grams of methamphetamine and 3.5 grams of fentanyl in the Asheville area. During the investigation, Payton sold over 50 grams of methamphetamine at least three times to a confidential informant working with the ATF and almost 4 grams of fentanyl to that same informant. On April 9, 2024, Asheville Police Department located and attempted to arrest Payton on federal charges. Payton took off running. While running from the officers, Payton tossed a bag from his pocket containing approximately 11 grams of cocaine.
On August 19, 2024, Payton pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine. Court records indicate Payton has multiple state convictions in North Carolina for drug distribution. Because of these prior criminal convictions, Payton qualified for an increased sentence as a career offender.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the ATF, the DEA, and the Asheville Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annabelle M. Chambers with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case. Ms. Chambers is a state prosecutor with the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Chambers is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 43rd Prosecutorial District.
California Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Eric C. Jackson, age 33, of San Diego, California, was sentenced yesterday to 144 months in prison for his role in a drug-trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine in Onondaga County and elsewhere in Central New York.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Jackson admitted that from approximately June 2020 through April 2021, he conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Central New York, which had been transported from California. Jackson admitted that he participated in the conspiracy by making travel arrangements for coconspirators to travel between New York and California, and by personally transporting narcotics proceeds in furtherance of the conspiracy. More specifically, Jackson admitted that he transported tens of thousands of dollars in narcotics proceeds, which he carried with him on flights from Syracuse to San Diego.
United States Senior District Judge David N. Hurd also ordered Jackson to serve a 5-year term of supervised release to follow his release from prison.
This case was investigated by DEA, U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York State Police-Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (NYSP-VGNET), Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, Syracuse Police Department, Oklahoma City Police Department, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie.
Bryan County Resident Pleads Guilty to False Statement During Purchase of A FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jonathon Mark Brinlee, age 39, of Calera, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm, punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.00.
The Indictment alleged that on November 11, 2024, Brinlee knowingly made a false and fictitious written statement to a licensed firearm dealer during the acquisition of a firearm, representing that he was not subject to a court order when in fact he was subject to such a court order.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Brinlee will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Billings man pleads guilty to drug chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A Billings man accused of possessing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Dustin James Massey, 40, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Massey faces a mandatory minimum term of ten years to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for August 1, 2025, and Massey was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on September 20, 2023, agents with the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation learned from a source that Dustin Massey was selling drugs in Billings and was known to have guns. Agents learned Massey was on federal supervision due to a prior federal conviction for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
On September 21, 2023, United States Probation officers, along with agents from the Montana DCI, attempted to conduct a probation search at Massey’s residence. Law enforcement went to Massey’s residence and knocked on the door, announcing their presence. Massey did not respond, and law enforcement breached the door of the residence. In response, Massey shot at officers forcing officers to return fire, eventually shooting Massey. Officers disarmed Massey and noted the firearm he had been using was a Sig Sauer with an extended magazine.
Agents searched the residence pursuant to a search warrant. Agents seized approximately four pounds of methamphetamine, more than 12,000 fentanyl pills, and 49.4 grams of cocaine. Agents also seized three firearms: a Sig Sauer, model P320, 9x19 mm pistol, a Taurus, model G3, 9x19mm pistol, and a North American Arms, Model NAA-22LR, .22 caliber revolver.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. ATF and Montana DCI conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
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Bank contractor admits to conspiracy to load debit cards with fraudulent fundsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 23-year-old Houston woman has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jaysha Victorian worked for a bank contractor from late 2020 to early 2021. She used her access to the systems of a national banking institution to load prepaid debit cards with fraudulent funds. These included prepaid cards that were used to provide unemployment benefits, including for the state of California.
The cards were distributed to other recipients, who withdrew the funds at ATMs and other locations. In total, Victorian credited at least 187 cards with nearly $8.6 million in fraudulent funds. Over $7.6 million of that amount had been withdrawn or spent before the bank could freeze the cards.
Victorian admitted she used some of the funds to conduct ATM transactions on her own, including a $1,000 withdrawal at a branch in Houston.
She also received approximately $300,000 in cash proceeds from her role in the scheme.
U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen will impose sentencing July 7. At that time, Victorian faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 fine.
She was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The FBI, Houston Police Department, Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General’s Covid Fraud Unit and Department of Labor conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad Gray and Karen Lansden are prosecuting the case.
Atlanta Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Defrauding Former NBA PlayersRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that CALVIN DARDEN, JR., was sentenced to 151 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick for defrauding former National Basketball Association (“NBA”) players Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons out of $8 million. DARDEN was previously convicted at trial of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to launder money, and money laundering.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Calvin Darden, Jr., stole millions of dollars from former NBA players and used the money to buy a mansion, a fleet of luxury cars, and expensive artwork. This conviction—his third—and sentence make clear that severe consequences await those who take advantage of others by fraud.”
According to the charging documents and other filings and statements made in court:
In the fraud against Howard, DARDEN, JR. deceived Howard into sending him $7 million, purportedly for the purpose of buying the Atlanta Dream (the “Dream”), a team in the Women’s National Basketball Association. DARDEN, JR. worked with Charles Briscoe, Howard’s agent to perpetrate the fraud. DARDEN, JR. sent a “Vision Plan” to Howard about the purported purchase of the Dream. The Vision Plan falsely claimed that a number of celebrities and companies—including Tyler Perry, Issa Rae, Naomi Osaka, Aflac, and Starbucks—had agreed to be advisors to the Dream or to sponsor the Dream after Howard purchased it. In truth and in fact, those individuals and companies had never agreed to be advisors or corporate sponsors to the Dream and many had never even heard of DARDEN, JR. or any purported plan by DARDEN, JR. to purchase the Dream.
DARDEN, JR.’s father (“Relative-1”) is a prominent businessman. DARDEN, JR. repeatedly impersonated Relative-1 in an attempt to add credibility to his fraud scheme.
DARDEN, JR. directed Howard to send the $7 million to a shell company he controlled, in order to effectuate the purported purchase of the Dream. DARDEN, JR. then laundered the money through a number of different bank accounts he controlled. DARDEN, JR. did not spend any money on the purchase of the Dream. Instead, he spent the money on a $3.7 million mansion, a Rolls-Royce, a Lamborghini, a Porsche, artwork by Jean-Michel Basquiat, and other luxury goods for himself.
Howard learned that he did not in fact own the Dream only when ESPN reported that the Dream had in fact been sold to someone else.
In the fraud against Parsons, DARDEN, JR. deceived Parsons into sending him $1 million, purportedly for the purpose of loaning the money to James Wiseman, a prospect in the 2020 NBA draft. DARDEN, JR. and Briscoe falsely claimed to know Wiseman, and forged a document stating that Wiseman had agreed that Briscoe would be his agent in order to convince Parsons to send the money. In truth and in fact, DARDEN, JR. and Briscoe did not know Wiseman and did not send any of the money to Wiseman. Instead, DARDEN, JR. spent his cut of the fraud proceeds on watches, a Mercedes, and other personal expenses.
DARDEN, JR. was previously convicted of fraud in New York state in 2005. He was also convicted of fraud in the Southern District of New York in 2015. In the 2015 case, DARDEN, JR. committed frauds involving a purported purchase of Maxim magazine and a purported NBA exhibition game in Taiwan. In that prior fraud, DARDEN, JR. also impersonated Relative-1 in an attempt to add credibility to his fraud scheme.
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In addition to the prison term, DARDEN, JR., 50, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to five years of supervised release. DARDEN, JR. was ordered to forfeit $8,000,000 and a number of other items, including a Lamborghini, a Rolls-Royce, $600,000 of artwork by Jean-Michel Basquiat, and an Atlanta mansion. DARDEN, JR. was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of $8,000,000.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead, Brandon C. Thompson, and William C. Kinder are in charge of the prosecution.
Armed Drug Dealer Who Sold Fatal Dose of Cocaine to U.S. Marine Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced that Rayshaun Ducos, 27, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright to 144 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking. Ducos pled guilty to these charges on December 11, 2024.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Ducos admitted he sold cocaine to a 25-yearold active-duty United States Marine, who later fatally overdosed on it. Ducos also admitted that, just days after the Marine’s death, as law enforcement attempted to execute a federal search warrant at his Waikiki residence, he flushed cocaine down the toilet in an attempt to obstruct the investigation. At the time of his arrest, Ducos possessed two privately made firearms—a loaded 9mm pistol and a 5.56mm caliber AR pistol—also known as “ghost guns.” Ducos admitted he possessed these firearms in connection with his cocaine trafficking. Investigators also recovered a drum magazine capable of holding 100 rounds of ammunition, almost 300 rounds of ammunition, over $30,000 in U.S. currency, and cocaine.
At sentencing, Judge Seabright imposed an upward variance from the advisory Sentencing Guidelines range, finding that a “young individual who died from the cocaine,” Ducos’s possession of two “ghost guns,” and his obstructive conduct were aggravating factors.
“This case demonstrates that drug trafficking is not a victimless crime,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “A young man is dead because of Mr. Ducos’s actions. Selling drugs endangers lives. Doing so while armed makes an already deadly trade even more dangerous and puts the general public at significant risk from the violence that is endemic to the illegal drug trade. We will prosecute armed drug dealers aggressively because there is no place for them in Hawaii.”
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara D. Ayabe and Thomas Muehleck prosecuted the case.
Approximately 13,000 Fentanyl Pills Seized During Undercover Operation, Three Foreign Nationals Detained and ChargedRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging three foreign nationals, living in Utah, with drug crimes after agents allegedly seized approximately 13,000 fentanyl pills during a controlled buy and execution of a search warrant in West Valley City, Utah.
Diego Armando Campos-Fallas, 19, of Costa Rica, Hugo Eduardo Miraba-Franco, 20, of Ecuador, and Jose Enrique Zuniga-Diaz, 19, of, Honduras, were charged by complaint on March 21, 2025.
According to court documents, on March 19, 2025, agents coordinated an undercover operation to purchase 5,000 fentanyl pills during a controlled buy from Campos-Fallas in West Valley City. Upon arrival at the meeting location for the controlled buy, Campos got into the undercover agent’s vehicle with approximately 5,000 fentanyl pills and was subsequently detained. Miraba-Franco, who was seated in the drivers’ seat of Campos’ vehicle was also detained. A search warrant was served at a residence in West Valley City, where Campos, Miraba and Zuniga-Diaz live. At the residence, agents seized an additional 8,000 fentanyl pills, 102.2 grams of marijuana, and 1125.3 grams of THC cartridges. A search warrant was also executed on Campos’ vehicle, a black Hyundai Elantra, and approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills were recovered. The fentanyl provided to the undercover agent during the controlled buy, and the fentanyl seized at the residence, approximately 13,000 in total, were field-tested and tested positive for fentanyl.Campos-Fallas, Miraba-Franco, and Zuniga-Diaz are charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Campos Fallas and Miraba-Franco are also charged with distribution of fentanyl. Their initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 3, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Assistant United States Attorney Mark K. Vincent of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
All Charged Money Launderers Tied to Nigerian Sextortion Scheme Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge today announced that all five defendants charged with conspiring to launder proceeds for Nigerian sex extortionists have pleaded guilty.
- Dinsimore Guyton Robinson, 29, of Huntsville, Alabama, pleaded guilty on January 22, 2025.
- Kendall Ormond London, 32, of Lithonia, Georgia, pleaded guilty on March 26, 2025.
- Brian Keith Coldmon, Jr., 30, of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, pleaded guilty on March 28, 2025.
- Jarell Daivon Williams, 31, of McDonough, Georgia pleaded guilty on April 2, 2025.
- Johnathan Demetrius Green, 32, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, pleaded guilty on April 2, 2025.
According to the Indictment, the conspirators used online payment systems to collect sextortion proceeds and send them to a Nigerian individual they referred to as “The Plug.” According to the Indictment, the sextortionists had boys and young men create nude images. After the sextortionists received those images, they allegedly had the victims send funds to the U.S.-based money launderers through online payment systems like Apple Pay, Cash App, and Zelle. The money launderers would keep about 20 percent of the money, convert the rest to bitcoin, and send the bitcoin to The Plug in Nigeria, who kept a portion and then sent the remainder to the sextortionists.
The indictment alleges that conspirators laundered the funds of sextortion victims, including Jordan DeMay. In November 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan charged three Nigerian nationals in a sextortion scheme that resulted in the death of Jordan DeMay, a 17-year-old high school student from Marquette, Michigan, and targeted more than 100 other victims. Two of the three defendants in that case were extradited to the United States in August 2023 and pled guilty in April 2024 and were later sentenced.
“These individuals helped and profited from this awful, heartbreaking scheme and so they now will face the consequences,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Birge. The conspiracy offense is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The court will decide the sentences upon consultation with federal sentencing guidelines and the individual circumstances.
“Today's guilty plea by the defendants serves as a strong reminder to anyone involved in sextortion or money laundering schemes," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Michigan Division. "I want to express my sincere gratitude to the dedicated members of our FBI Detroit Cyber Task Force, as well as teams from the Grand Rapids Resident Agency, Lansing Resident Agency, Marquette Resident Agency, FBI Birmingham (Huntsville Resident Agency), and FBI Atlanta for their tireless efforts. We also deeply appreciate our partners at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Michigan. The FBI remains committed to protecting the American public and will continue to prioritize dismantling criminal networks that exploit our most vulnerable citizens.”
Safety Tips and Resources for Victims, Teens, and Parents
The FBI provides the following tips on how people can protect themselves from sextortion schemes:
- Be selective about what you share online. If your social media accounts are open to everyone, a predator may be able to figure out a lot of information about you.
- Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online. Block or ignore messages from strangers.
- Be aware that people can pretend to be anything or anyone online. Videos and photos are not proof that people are who they claim to be. Images can be altered or stolen. In some cases, predators have even taken over the social media accounts of their victims.
- Be suspicious if you meet someone on one game or app and that person asks you to start talking on a different platform.
- Be in the know. Any content you create online—whether it is a text message, photo, or video—can be made public. And nothing actually “disappears” online. Once you send something, you don’t have any control over where it goes next.
- Be willing to ask for help. If you are getting messages or requests online that don’t seem right, block the sender, report the behavior to the site administrator, or go to an adult. If you have been victimized online, tell someone. Being a victim of sextortion is not your fault. You can get through this challenge, even if it seems scary and overwhelming. There are people who want to help.
If you have information about or believe you are a victim of sextortion, contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at http://tips.fbi.gov. This FBI PSA and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children PSA share survivor stories and resources for individuals to get help. More FBI sextortion resources are available here.
This case has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Alien Smuggler Admits Role in Fatal Crash Following High-Speed PursuitRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Sergio Josue Palomera of Chula Vista pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he was transporting two undocumented immigrants who died when he crashed his car while fleeing U.S. Border Patrol at speeds exceeding 110 mph.
Border Patrol agents using remote video surveillance saw Palomera loading the two aliens—a man and a woman—into his car near the U.S.–Mexico border in Otay Mesa on October 22, 2024. An agent responded to the location and saw the car traveling west on State Route 905. The agent activated his lights and sirens to pull the car over.
According to his plea agreement, Palomera initially slowed down and began to move over onto a highway offramp, as if yielding to the Border Patrol agent’s attempt to pull him over. Palomera then quickly accelerated, drove through a red traffic light, and re-entered the highway in an attempt to flee. Palomera was traveling over 110 miles per hour in a 65-mph zone.
Within about one minute, Palomera lost control of the car on State Route 905, and it rolled over. The smuggled woman was ejected from the car and died instantly. The smuggled man suffered a traumatic head injury and died later that evening in the hospital.
Palomera’s sentencing is scheduled for July 2, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Fawcett.
DEFENDANT Case Number: 24cr2466
Sergio Josue Palomera Age: 23 Chula Vista, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Transportation of Certain Aliens Resulting in Death – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and (B)(iv)
Maximum penalty: Death or life in prison; $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
United States Border Patrol
16 charged in sweeping Houston-based multimillion-dollar illegal gambling and money laundering conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Several Houston-area residents are now in custody on various charges including conspiracy, operating illegal game rooms, bribery and money laundering in one of the largest ever law enforcement operations in the Southern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
They are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan at 2 p.m.
In addition to those indicted in the scheme, authorities also arrested 31 illegal aliens on various immigration and firearms charges during the operation April 2. One of those included an illegal alien who allegedly assaulted a law enforcement officer.
The indictment, returned March 26 and unsealed upon the arrests, alleges Nizar Ali, 61, Richmond, and others allegedly conspired to own, operate or assist in the operation of illegal game rooms. All also conspired to conduct financial transactions to conceal and disguise the nature and source of the proceeds of the illegal gambling business, which totaled more than $22 million, according to the charges.
More than 700 law enforcement officers from 18 agencies served a total of 45 search and 40 seizure warrants at locations throughout Houston and the surrounding area. The locations included 30 illegal game rooms with names such as El Portal and Yellow Building.
During the operation, authorities recovered more than $4.5 million in cash as well as $5 million in property and vehicles, 2000 slot machines, 100 Rolex watches and eight firearms. Law enforcement also seized approximately $6.5 million from bank accounts and other financial institutions pursuant to the court-issued warrants.
In addition to Ali, others taken into custody include Naeem Ali, 33, and Amer Khan, 68, both of Richmond; Ishan Dhuka, 33, and Sahil Karovalia, 32, both of Rosenberg; Sarfarez Maredia, 38, and Shoaib Maredia, 40, both of Sugar Land; Yolanda Figueroa, 40, Pasadena; Viviana Alvarado, 45, LaPorte; and Anabel Eloisa Guevarra, 46, Precela Solis, 27, Maria Delarosa, 53, Claudia Calderon, 37, and Lucia Hernandez, 34, all of Houston.
Two others - Sayed Ali, 59, Richmond, and Stephanie Huerta, 35, Houston – are considered fugitives and warrants remain outstanding for their arrests.
All are charged with conspiracy, operating an illegal gambling business and interstate travel in aid of racketeering which each carry possible prison terms of five years as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering which has a maximum 20-year possible prison term.
Ali is also charged with 32 counts of federal program bribery for allegedly paying more than $500,000 to an undercover officer in an attempt to protect the illicit game rooms from law enforcement intervention. If convicted, he faces up to 10 more years in prison on each count.
With the exception of the money laundering charge which has the possibility of a $500,000 maximum fine or twice the value of the property involved, the remaining counts carry a maximum $250,000 potential fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) led the investigation along with IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) and the assistance of Houston Police Department (HPD); FBI; High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program; Harris County Constable’s Office – Precinct One; Harris County District Attorney’s Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Drug Enforcement Administration. Other agencies providing support include ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Customs and Border Protection, sheriff’s offices in Harris and Montgomery Counties, Houston Fire Department, Texas Attorney General’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and police departments in Baytown and Pasadena.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Mark McIntyre, John Marck and Carolyn Ferko are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Fyffe and Tyler Foster are handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Wednesday 2 April 2025
Westchester Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to over 40 Years in Prison for Receiving, Distributing and Possessing Child Pornography and Transferring Obscene Material to A MinorRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JONATHAN DELAURA, a/k/a “Jon Dulak,” was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas to 485 months in prison for receiving, distributing and possessing child pornography, sending obscene material to a fifteen-year-old boy, and sending that obscene material while being a person required by law to register as a sex offender. DELAURA previously pled guilty on July 1, 2024.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “DeLaura possessed large quantities of child pornography and took advantage of a fifteen-year-old child, all while he was required by law to register as a sex offender. This case underscores the urgent need for law enforcement to continue its efforts to protect children from those who prey on them. As yesterday’s sentencing demonstrates, we will use every tool available to prosecute and punish those who sexually exploit children.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:
On or about October 7, 2009, DELAURA was convicted, upon a guilty plea, of Sexual Misconduct: Engage in Oral/Anal Sexual Conduct Without Consent, in Bronx County Court. He was sentenced on December 16, 2009 to a term of 60 days’ in prison and six years’ probation, and he was required to register with the New York State Sex Offender Registry.
In December 2010, following DELAURA’s violation of probation, he was resentenced to a term of one year in prison. He was released from prison in April 2011.
From at least on or about May 5, 2011, through on or about May 10, 2011, DELAURA received and distributed files containing images and videos of child pornography, in Westchester County, using a file-sharing program.
In or about November 2011, DELAURA contacted a 15-year-old boy (the “Victim”) in an Internet chat room claiming to be a 17-year-old girl and using the screen name “sillyrabbit.” After an exchange of messages, DELAURA sent sexually explicit photographs to the Victim. Thereafter, DELAURA met the Victim on two occasions and engaged in sexual activity with him. On February 2, 2012, when DELAURA tried to meet the Victim for a third time to engage in sexual activity, he was arrested by officers of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department (“PCSD”). After DELAURA was arrested, a search warrant was executed at his residence and PCSD officers recovered an iPod, which contained approximately 162 videos containing images of child pornography and approximately 5 still photos of images containing child pornography. The iPod also contained the sexually explicit photographs DELAURA sent to the Victim.
On February 3, 2012, DELAURA was convicted of two counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the 3rd degree in Putnam County Court and sentenced to a term of 32 months to 8 years in prison. DELAURA completed that sentence on January 2, 2020, and has been incarcerated on the federal charges since then.
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In addition to the prison term, DELAURA, 50, was sentenced to ten years of supervised release.
Mr. Podolsky praised the efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Yorktown Police Department, the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, and the Edison Police Department in New Jersey in connection with this investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney Marcia S. Cohen is in charge of the prosecution.
Warrensburg Sex Offender Sentenced to 25 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Warrensburg, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing and possessing child pornography.
William Aloys Wameling, Jr., 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to a total sentence of 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Wameling to a lifetime term of supervised release following incarceration. Wameling was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $99,000 to the victims of his offenses.
On Aug. 27, 2024, Wameling pleaded guilty to the charges. Wameling has a prior conviction for possession of child pornography.
Wameling will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Dunning. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, and the Johnson Co. Missouri Sheriff’s Office.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Tuscaloosa County Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Tuscaloosa man has been sentenced for threatening and cyberstalking his ex-girlfriend, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge James DeLoatch.
U.S. District Court Judge Annmarie Axon sentenced Kenneth Peter Hoover, 27, to 37 months in prison. In November, Hoover pleaded guilty to interstate threatening communications and cyberstalking.
According to the plea agreement, on January 22, 2024, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received an online tip concerning a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, by a user who was later identified as Hoover. In the posts, Hoover threatened to assault and kill his ex-girlfriend. After the Tuscaloosa Police Department was notified of the posts, officers contacted the victim and secured safe housing for her. A few days later, a Tuscaloosa Police officer initiated a traffic stop on Hoover. The officer ordered Hoover to exit the vehicle, but Hoover refused to follow the officer’s orders. After several unsuccessful attempts to remove Hoover from the vehicle, additional officers responded to the scene and successfully placed Hoover into custody. The investigation determined that Hoover had used Apple iMessage, Snapchat, and Venmo to harass and intimidate the victim, sending threatening and violent messages with the intent to injure, harass, or intimidate her.
FBI Birmingham Division investigated the case along with the Tuscaloosa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.
Thoreau Man Sentenced to Probation for Accidental Shooting During Drunken AltercationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Thoreau man was sentenced to five years of supervised probation for the accidental shooting of his friend during a drunken altercation in 2022.
According to court documents, on August 20, 2022, Gerrick Mariano, 27, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, and John Doe were drinking and shooting Mariano’s recently purchased AR-15 at Doe’s home, located on the Navajo Nation. Mariano pointed his new rifle at one of Doe’s pets, which upset Doe, who demanded Mariano leave his home. This angered Mariano, who then pointed his rifle at Doe’s chest, intending to frighten Doe. Doe quickly pushed the barrel away, which resulted in Mariano inadvertently pulling the trigger once. The bullet struck John Doe in his upper-right shoulder.
Post-crime photo of the weapon on Doe’s bed.
Doe required an airlift to a hospital. Mariano initially said the shooting was accidental and alleged Doe had been attempting suicide. Interviewed later, Mariano admitted responsibility and apologized to Doe. Doe continues to experience pain and restricted movement because of the gunshot injury.
Mariano will be subject to five years of supervised probation. During this period, he cannot consume alcohol or drugs, he must maintain gainful employment or enroll in school, and he must not break any additional laws—federal, state, or tribal. Should he do so, Mariano will face the revocation of probation, which could result in a prison sentence. As a convicted felon, Mariano cannot possess any sort of gun.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation, New Mexico State Police, and New Mexico Park Rangers. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Jones is prosecuting the case.
Third Defendant Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Bribe Feeding Our Future JurorRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Abdulkarim Farah, a Minneapolis man, has pleaded guilty to his role in providing a cash bribe to a juror in the Feeding Our Future trial, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
On April 22, 2024, seven defendants went to trial before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel for their roles in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. Two of the defendants on trial were brothers of Abdulkarim Shafii Farah, 25. During the trial, Abdulkarim Farah conspired with his brothers and others to provide a cash bribe to one of the jurors—Juror 52—in exchange for returning a not guilty verdict in the trial.
According to court documents, after his co-defendants identified and decided to target Juror 52, Abdulkarim Farah conducted surveillance of Juror 52 and Juror 52’s house. Abdulkarim Farah sent a map of where Juror 52 parked while serving on the jury. Co-defendant Ladan Ali was recruited to deliver the bribe money to Juror 52, and Abdulkarim Farah was instructed to drive Ali to Juror 52’s house and record a video of Ali delivering the bribe. After meeting Ali in the vicinity of Juror 52’s house, Abdulkarim Farah drove to a Target store to purchase a screwdriver. Abdulkarim Farah used the screwdriver to remove the license plate from Ali’s rental car in order to avoid detection by law enforcement.
On June 2, 2024, at approximately 8:50 p.m., Abdulkarim Farah drove Ali to Juror 52’s house and recorded her delivering a gift bag containing the bribe money. As Ali handed the money to a relative of Juror 52, she explained that there would be more money if Juror 52 voted to acquit the defendants. After the bribe money was delivered, Abdulkarim Farah sent the video he had taken to his brother, Abdiaziz Farah. After the bribe had been disclosed in court, on June 3, 2024, Abdulkarim Farah uninstalled and deleted the Signal encrypted messaging app from his iPhone in order to destroy the messages he and his co-defendants exchange concerning the bribery attempt.
Abdulkarim Farah pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge David S. Doty to one count of bribery of a juror. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
“The attempted bribery of Juror 52 is a shameful chapter in Minnesota history,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Juror bribery strikes at the heart of the criminal justice system. It is unacceptable—in Minnesota and in the United States—and can never be repeated. In contrast to the reprehensible behavior of the defendants, I am grateful for Juror 52, who is the true hero of this story. Juror 52—who could not be corrupted and immediately alerted law enforcement—represents the best of Minnesota.”
“Attempting to corrupt the judicial process through bribery strikes at the very foundation of our justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate efforts to undermine the rule of law and the fair administration of justice.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI with assistance from IRS – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Matthew Ebert, Harry Jacobs, and Daniel Bobier are prosecuting the case.
Texas Woman Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Defraud the IRSRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jackie Marie Peters, 53, of Mansfield, Texas, was sentenced on March 31, 2025, by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Peters previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud.
From approximately January 2020 through April 2022, Peters’s co-conspirators hacked into an Arizona tax-preparer firm’s computer network and modified in-progress tax documents for more than 40 individuals without their knowledge or the knowledge of the firm. Peters then opened 10 bank accounts at different banks, and numerous tax refunds based upon the modified tax documents were deposited into those accounts. Peters ultimately transferred more than $2.5 million from the accounts that received fraudulent tax refunds to purchase cryptocurrency.
The IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00948-PHX-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-047_Peters# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Taunton Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution, Access Device Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to participating in drug distribution and a drug conspiracy involving wholesale quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine. He also pleaded guilty to using an unknowing individual’s identity and an unauthorized access device to fraudulently rent locations he used for the purposes of drug trafficking.
Terrence Pyrtle, a/k/a “Big T,” a/k/a “T,” a/k/a “big_t558,” 42, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl and 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue; one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft; one count of access device fraud; and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for July 17, 2025. Pyrtle was charged in April 2023, along with co-conspirator Ashley Roostaie.
Pyrtle and Roostaie utilized the personal identification information (including name, date of birth and Social Security number) of an unknowing individual to fraudulently enter into lease agreements for two apartments in Braintree and Somerville, which Pyrtle then used to participate in a drug conspiracy involving distribution quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine. The drug conspiracy in which Pyrtle participated also extended to other locations across the state.
Pyrtle and Roostaie also created an email account and obtained a counterfeit driver’s license using the individual’s identification information. Pyrtle and Roostaie also used the individual’s identification information to obtain a Green Dot debit card account, which they used to make payments associated with the apartments. By placing the apartment leases under another individual’s personal identification information, Roostaie and Pyrtle were able to conceal their connection to and use of the apartments which were used by Pyrtle in furtherance of his drug distribution and drug conspiracy.
In February 2025, Roostaie pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced in May 2025.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue, and methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue, and methamphetamine each provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of access device fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year prison term consecutive to any term of imprisonment received on a predicate, substantive count, up to a one-year term of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston, Brockton, East Bridgewater and Bridgewater Police Departments and Plymouth County, Suffolk County and Bristol County Sheriff’s Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell David and Cutshall of the Criminal Division are prosecuting 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.
Sullivan Man Indicted for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine PossessionRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Sullivan, Mo., man who was arrested in southwest Missouri with 16.8 pounds of methamphetamine and 4.7 pounds of fentanyl has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Tyler Kittrell, 38, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against Kittrell on Feb. 24, 2025.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Kittrell was stopped on Interstate 44 by Joplin, Mo., police officers on Feb. 14, 2025. When officers searched his vehicle, they found $13,120 in cash and multiple packages containing methamphetamine and fentanyl. Officers seized approximately 7,658 grams of methamphetamine and 2,142 grams of fentanyl from inside the vehicle.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah R. Lucas. It was investigated by the Joplin, Mo., Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Straw purchaser sentenced for supplying firearms smuggled across the borderRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 38-year-old McAllen resident has been ordered to prison for her role in firearms trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jazmin Gutierrez and her co-defendant, Isai Alpides-Navarrete, each pleaded guilty July 25, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Gutierrez to serve 121 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about the number of firearms the pair purchased and their frequent trips around the state to collect them before transferring them to another individual who would smuggle them across the border. In handing down the sentence, Judge Ramos commented that this wasn’t an isolated incident, but multiple trips and that the firearms were going to individuals who commit serious crimes.
Judge Ramos previously sentenced Alpides-Navarrete, a citizen of Mexico illegally residing in the United States, to a total of 121 months for straw purchasing firearms and being an alien in possession of ammunition.
As part of an investigation involving the unlawful purchase, transfer and exportation of firearms, authorities arrested Gutierrez March 21, 2024. At that time, they found her in possession of five handguns, a 7.62x39mm assault rifle, high-capacity magazines and ammunition.
Law enforcement also conducted a search warrant at a residence in McAllen and took Alpides-Navarrete into custody. Inside the residence, they seized approximately 275 rounds of ammunition and high capacity magazines as well as 21 empty pistol boxes.
At the time of her arrest, Gutierrez admitted to finding firearms online from private sellers and purchasing over 50 of them which other individuals later smuggled into Mexico.
Gutierrez was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
This case is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigation are conducting the 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt is prosecuting the case.
Statement from United States Attorney Leah B. Foley Regarding Massachusetts Executive Office of the Trial Court v. Agent Brian SullivanRead the Press Release
“This afternoon the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a motion in U.S. District Court in Boston to vacate the April 1, 2025 order of contempt entered against an ICE Supervisory Detention and Deportation Officer by the Boston Municipal Court. Our motion is clear: the state court lacked authority to issue the unlawful and erroneous order. The Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution immunizes federal officers from state prosecution—including contempt proceedings—for actions taken in the course of their official duties.”
St. Johns County Man Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United Staes Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Daniel Tharp has pleaded guilty to the willful failure to pay taxes. Tharp faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, Tharp was the managing director for Hangar X Holdings, LLC, where he had the corporate responsibility to collect and account for the company’s trust fund taxes, which included income taxes, Medicare taxes, and Social Security taxes withheld from the company’s employees’ pay. From October 2014 through December 2019, the company paid wages to employees and withheld these trust fund taxes. Tharp, however, knowingly and intentionally failed to pay this money to the IRS. In total, Tharp caused the company to fail to pay over $1.2 million in such taxes.
This case was investigated by IRS—Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Two Years and Six Months in Federal Prison for Fourth Conviction for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on March 31, 2025.
Blaine Kills Back, age 48, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Kills Back was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 22, 2025.
Kills Back is required to register as a sex offender based on two convictions for sexual assault offenses. His first conviction as an adult was for Sexual Abuse of a Minor in February 2000. He was thereafter convicted of Sexual Contact without Consent in the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court, Pennington County, South Dakota, in February 2005, after he groped a woman without her consent at the federal halfway house facility while on supervised release for his prior sex offense conviction. Kills Back was convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender on three prior occasions, in 2015, 2018, and 2023. In July 2024, Kills Back was released from prison and began supervised release in Rapid City. Kills Back reported to the Rapid City Police Department’s Sex Offender Registry Office to register an address, but it was within a prohibited community safety zone in Box Elder, South Dakota. Kills Back never attempted to register a valid address thereafter, despite knowing he was required to do so. His whereabouts were unknown for more than a month.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox handled the prosecution.
Kills Back was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.