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Wednesday 2 April 2025
Four South Carolina Defendants Sentenced for Armed Robberies, Carjacking, and Civil Rights Crimes Targeting HispanicsRead the Press Release
Three South Carolina men and one woman were sentenced on Feb. 3, March 13, and April 1, for violent crimes targeting Hispanics in Columbia, South Carolina. Charles Antonio Clippard, 27, was sentenced to 420 months in prison; Michael Joseph Knox, 29, was sentenced to 303 months in prison; Gabriel Brunson, 21, was sentenced to 100 months in prison; and Sierra Fletcher, 34, was sentenced to 200 months in prison.
All four defendants previously pleaded guilty to carjacking, conspiracy, firearms, and criminal civil rights charges in connection with the string of armed robberies. According to court documents, beginning in January 2021 and continuing through February 2021, the four defendants conspired to target Hispanic victims for armed robberies. The group would wait for their victims at gas stations and grocery stores and then follow them to their homes or other locations to rob their victims at gunpoint. All four defendants admitted their involvement in a Jan. 30, 2021, armed robbery and carjacking targeting a Hispanic victim after following him from a gas station to his home. In another series of robberies on Jan. 30, 2021, three members of the group carjacked one victim, and invaded the home of another group of victims. The group stole cash, cellphones, driver’s licenses, and credit cards from multiple victims.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Brook Andrews, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the FBI Columbia Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Columbia Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Garner for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorneys Katherine McCallister and Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Former School Custodian Admits Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former high school custodian on Wednesday admitted possessing child sexual abuse material.
Bernard Ray Mennemeier, 58, of O’Fallon, Missouri, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession of child pornography. Mennemeier admitted possessing both child pornography and child erotica.
The investigation began on Jan. 2, 2024, after Mennemeier uploaded five videos containing child sexual abuse material to Dropbox. An FBI agent traced the Dropbox account to Mennemeier, and then conducted a court-approved search of the Dropbox account, and then Mennemeier’s home. In an interview at the O’Fallon Police Department, Mennemeier admitted messaging someone on Twitter who would sell him child sexual abuse material. Mennemeier said he purchased those materials “numerous” times, his plea agreement says.
Mennemeier is scheduled to be sentenced July 9. The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
“This crime came to light thanks to a CyberTip reported to our partners at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Bernard Mennemeier thought he could anonymously obtain and possess child sexual abuse material,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. “When it comes to protecting children, the FBI is even more diligent in identifying, locating and arresting such perpetrators.”
The FBI investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Florida couple pleads guilty to their roles in a scheme to provide and receive prohibited labor paymentsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Florida couple pled guilty today to conspiracy to provide and receive prohibited labor payments, in violation of the Labor Management Relations Act, also known as the Taft-Hartley Act.
According to court documents, since at least 2010 until November 2023, Ricky Dallas O’Quinn, 63, of Melbourne, Florida, served as both an officer and employee of International Union, Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA), a labor organization that represents protective security officers at federal workplaces. SPFPA executed collective bargaining agreements with several employers covering the security industry in several states. Ricky’s wife, Mabel O’Quinn, was the founder, incorporator, and an initial director of Company-2, which provided protective security officers at federal workplaces in numerous states. While Mabel served as Company-2’s chief executive officer and president, Ricky was involved in the finance, budget, and operations of the company since its inception in a clandestine role. Both Ricky and Mabel O’Quinn hid Ricky’s involvement in operating Company-2.
From at least 2010 to 2023, Individual-1 was the president of Company-1, which provides protective security officers at federal workplaces in numerous states. The O’Quinns conspired with Individual-1 to obtain government contracts by exploiting Company-2’s status as a small, woman service-disabled owned business.
Company-1 used Company-2 as a subcontractor and advised Company-2 on what contracts to bid on and in which geographic locations, which produced financial benefits for both companies. In exchange, Individual-1 and his family would receive 40 percent of the ownership and/or profits of Company-2.
From at least April 2013 through June 2024, Individual-1 agreed to award subcontracts from Company-1 to supply private security guards at various federal installations to Company-2. The proceeds from those awards totaled tens of millions of dollars.
Individual-1 specified which vendors and consultants Company-2 would hire and monitored and directed Company-2’s finances. At Individual-1’s direction, Company-2 paid three of Individual-1’s relatives as consultants at rates of $195 and $225 per hour, totaling millions of dollars in payments.
Ricky and Mabel O’Quinn are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 17, 2025, and face up to five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Matthew R. Galeotti, head of Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Troy W. Springer, Special Agent in Charge, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the pleas.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and Drew Bradylyons for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Vincent Falvo Jr. for the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:25-cr-70 (Ricky) and 1:25-cr-71 (Mabel).
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Scheme to Defraud MedicareRead the Press Release
A Florida man pleaded guilty on Monday to purchasing Medicare identification numbers and using those numbers to cause over $8.4 million of false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare.
Corey Alston, 47, of Fort Lauderdale, pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to illegally purchase Medicare beneficiary identification numbers in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare for COVID-19 test kits that were ineligible for reimbursement. According to court documents, Alston and his co-defendant, Latresia A. Wilson, conspired to unlawfully purchase Medicare beneficiary identification information (including Medicare Beneficiary Identification Numbers) and used that information to submit millions of dollars in claims to Medicare for COVID-19 test kits that the beneficiaries did not want or request.
Over the course of just seven months, from July 2022 through February 2023, Alston, Wilson, and others, through companies they owned and controlled, submitted over $8.4 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare that were ineligible for reimbursement. Medicare paid over $2.6 million based on the false and fraudulent claims.
Wilson previously pleaded guilty on June 10, 2024, to conspiracy to defraud the United States and to illegally purchase Medicare beneficiary identification. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15. Alston is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9. Alston and Wilson each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Matthew W. Fodor of the FBI Tampa Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Shane Butland and Keith Clouser and Senior Litigation Counsel Catherine Wagner of the National Rapid Response Strike Force of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Acting Assistant Chief Justin Woodard assisted in charging the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Scheme to Defraud MedicareRead the Press Release
Ocala, FL - A Florida man pleaded guilty on Monday to purchasing Medicare identification numbers and using those numbers to cause over $8.4 million of false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare.
Corey Alston, 47, of Fort Lauderdale, pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to illegally purchase Medicare beneficiary identification numbers in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare for COVID-19 test kits that were ineligible for reimbursement. According to court documents, Alston and his co-defendant, Latresia A. Wilson, conspired to unlawfully purchase Medicare beneficiary identification information (including Medicare Beneficiary Identification Numbers) and used that information to submit millions of dollars in claims to Medicare for COVID-19 test kits that the beneficiaries did not want or request.
Over the course of just seven months, from July 2022 through February 2023, Alston, Wilson, and others, through companies they owned and controlled, submitted over $8.4 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare that were ineligible for reimbursement. Medicare paid over $2.6 million based on the false and fraudulent claims.
Wilson previously pleaded guilty on June 10, 2024, to conspiracy to defraud the United States and to illegally purchase Medicare beneficiary identification. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15. Alston is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9. Alston and Wilson each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Matthew W. Fodor of the FBI Tampa Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Shane Butland and Keith Clouser and Senior Litigation Counsel Catherine Wagner of the National Rapid Response Strike Force of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Acting Assistant Chief Justin Woodard assisted in charging the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
First Degree Child Cruelty and Other Charges Filed in July 2023 Assault of Two-Year OldRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – William Woodson, 26, of Southeast Washington, D.C. was indicted today by a D.C. Superior Court grand jury on three felony counts. Specifically, he is charged with one count of first degree child cruelty and one count of assault with significant bodily injury against a minor for his assault on a two-year-old victim, along with another felony charge from conduct directed at a separate adult the same day. The charges are in connection with an allegation that the defendant kicked a stranger’s two-year-old child down the escalator at the Mount Vernon Square metro station. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Woodson is detained while the case remains pending.
According to the government’s evidence, presented in police affidavits, on July 24, 2023 around 11:20 a.m., the victim’s mother was walking down the escalator at the Mount Vernon Square metro station when the defendant came up behind them. He then (without any prior interaction or provocation) kicked the two-year-old child, causing him to fall down the escalator, hitting his head and face. Woodson exited the station and the victim’s mother followed him while carrying the now-injured child victim. The victim’s mother followed the defendant out of the metro station and called 911, providing law enforcement with information about the defendant.
Responding MPD officers met the mother who gave them a lookout and, subsequently, officers stopped Woodson a short distance away. Medics arrived on scene and, noting that the two-year-old victim was bleeding from the head, advised the victim’s mother that he required transport to Children’s Hospital immediately. During transport, the victim lost consciousness. The victim remained hospitalized for approximately twelve hours and was diagnosed with a mild concussion before being sent home with his mother.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Metropolitan Transit Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Ballou of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Felon Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Gun and Oxycodone PossessionRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE— Marquell T. Lockridge, 26, of Evansville, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance.
According to court documents, on November 1, 2024, at approximately 3:51 a.m., officers with the Evansville Police Department were dispatched to a Circle K gas station on a report of a disturbance in the parking lot. When officers arrived on scene, a woman in the parking lot claimed that Marquell Lockridge had pulled out a gun and pointed it at her.
Lockridge saw the officers walk toward him to investigate and jumped into his vehicle to flee the scene. However, he was unable to shift the car into drive. Officers commanded Lockridge to step out of the car. He eventually exited the vehicle, but then began running on foot and was quickly tased and arrested.
While officers were applying the handcuffs, Lockridge admitted that he had a loaded gun inside the front of his underwear. During a search of his person, officers located a plastic corner bag containing Oxycodone pills and approximately $20,227 in cash.
Lockridge has been previously convicted of multiple crimes, including misdemeanor domestic battery in 2019, felony pointing a firearm at another in 2019, and felony theft of a firearm in 2022. These prior felony convictions prohibit him from ever legally possessing a firearm again.
“Illegally armed felons are a preventable source of the gun violence that threatens our neighborhoods and takes far too many lives,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “A successful return to the community from prison requires compliance with the law, including never again possessing a gun. I commend the ATF and Evansville Police Department for keeping the community safe by getting this felon off the streets.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case.
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Federal jury convicts Ashland man of aggravated sexual abuse and distribution of methamphetamineRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A federal jury yesterday convicted an Ashland man of sexually abusing four women and distributing methamphetamine to two of them over a three-year period, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
After a two-day trial that began on March 31, the jury found the defendant, Stephen “Mutt” John Parker, 60, guilty of four counts of aggravated sexual abuse and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Parker faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life on each charge of sexual abuse, in addition to a fine of $250,000 and a term of supervised release of five years to life. For each meth charge, Parker faces zero to 20 years in prison, a fine of $1 million, and at least 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The Court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for July 31, 2025. Parker was detained pending further proceedings.
“Parker preyed on women on the Northern Cheyenne reservation by plying some of them with drugs and alcohol, seeking to capitalize on their addiction to perpetrate violent sexual assaults. We are pleased with the jury’s verdict, which will help ensure the safety of women on the Northern Cheyenne community. I would like to thank the attorneys and staff in our office for their hard work on this case as well as the FBI agents who conducted the investigation.” U.S. Attorney Alme said.
The government alleged at trial and in court documents that from 2018 to 2021, Parker sexually abused six women after providing them with alcohol and illegal drugs. During one instance in 2018, he gave a victim food and a place to stay. Parker also provided her with alcohol and methamphetamine. During a party at his house, Parker threatened the victim with a stick before sexually abusing her. On another occasion, Parker distributed meth to a different victim. After hitting her with an ax handle, Parker sexually assaulted her. In other instances, Parker physically assaulted the victims, including punching one victim in the face multiple times, prior to sexually abusing them.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Northern Cheyenne Criminal Investigation Services.
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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Federal grand jury indicts seven people for their roles in narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging seven defendants for their roles in a narcotics conspiracy. Named in the indictment and charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and fentanyl are:
- Winnie Taru Woods a/k/a Ru, 50, of Buffalo
- Sharron McCullough a/k/a Black, 34, of Brooklyn, NY
- Marlon Holt, Jr. a/k/a Scooter a/k/a Professor, 51, of Buffalo
- Norman Patillo, 44, of Houston, Texas
- Gary Sudesh Gosine, Sr., 50, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago
- Ian Dyer, 25, of Austin, Texas
- Shannell Gosine, 27, of Baytown, Texas
In addition, defendants Woods, McCullough, and Holt are also charged with possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between April 2023, and February 2025, the defendants conspired to sell cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. During the conspiracy, defendants Winnie Taru Woods and Sharron McCullough would purchase bulk quantities of narcotics from cartels in Mexico for later resale by others in Buffalo, New York City, and elsewhere. Gary Sudesh Gosine, Sr. was one of their sources of supply in Mexico. Defendants Holt, Patillo, Dyer, and Shannell Gosine, took numerous trips to and from Texas, New York, and other cities, transporting the narcotics and bulk currency. On May 7, 2024, Holt, while traveling back from Texas, was stopped by the Ontario County, NY, Sheriff’s Office and arrested after being found in possession of nine kilograms of cocaine and 3.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in his trunk.
The defendants have all been arraigned. Defendants Woods, McCullough, Gary Sudesh Gosine, Sr. and Patillo were detained. Defendants Holt, Dyer, and Shannell Gosine were released on conditions.
“This case falls within the parameters of Operation Take Back America,” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “The Operation Take Back America initiative focuses resources on the elimination of cartels, such as the ones allegedly involved in this case, in an effort to protect our communities from the members of these criminal organizations.”
HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan stated, “As alleged, the defendants conspired with Mexican cartels to traffic deadly narcotics into the U.S., across the country and into our New York communities. The unified strength and versatility of the U.S. federal law enforcement system, together with our state partners, has once again stopped an allegedly dangerous drug trafficking organization in its tracks. Securing the homeland from dangers posed by foreign organizations and threats is among HSI’s top priorities. We are relentlessly prepared to confront bad actors seeking financial gain by whatever means necessary.”
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).
The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarantino, New York Field Division. Additional assistance was provided by the Ontario County, NY, Sheriff’s Office, the 23rd Judicial Taskforce, Tennessee, as well as Homeland Security Investigations in NY, and Houston and Austin, Texas.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Court Orders SunSetter to Pay $9.25M in Connection with Alleged Failure to Timely Report Defective Awning Covers to the CPSCRead the Press Release
Yesterday, a federal court in Massachusetts entered a consent decree requiring SunSetter Products LP (SunSetter) to pay $9.25 million in civil penalties and implement and maintain a robust compliance program to prevent future illegal conduct, the Justice Department announced.
In a complaint filed April 6, 2023, the government alleged that SunSetter failed to timely report to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) a defect affecting approximately 270,000 protective covers used with SunSetter retractable awnings. According to the complaint, removal of the defective awning cover could cause the retractable awning to unexpectedly spring open with enough force to knock over anyone in the awning’s path, putting consumers using ladders to access the awning at risk of death or serious injury. The complaint alleged that multiple consumers were injured, and one killed, as a result of this defect. The complaint alleged that SunSetter violated the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) by failing to report the defect until 2017, despite being aware of consumer complaints as early as 2012 and completing its own simulation testing in 2015 that confirmed the safety hazard. SunSetter recalled the covers in August 2019.
“The failure to immediately report dangerous products puts consumers at unnecessary risk,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will continue to work with the CPSC to hold accountable companies that fail to follow the law.”
“This settlement makes clear that companies must prioritize consumer safety and comply with their legal obligations to report hazardous defects in a timely manner,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “SunSetter’s failure to do so had tragic consequences. We will continue to hold companies accountable when they put the public at risk by disregarding federal safety laws.”
“This consent decree is an important reminder of the affirmative obligation to report product hazards in a timely manner,” said Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. “I appreciate the work of CPSC staff and our partners at DOJ in resolving this matter and keeping American consumers safe.”
Trial Attorneys Brett Ruff and Nicole Frazer of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anuj Khetarpal for the District of Massachusetts, with the assistance of Renee McCune of CPSC’s Office of the General Counsel and Amelia Hairston-Porter of CPSC’s Office of Compliance and Field Operations, are handling the case.
For more information about the enforcement efforts of the Consumer Protection Branch visit the Branch’s website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
The claims resolved by the consent decree announced today are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Federal Court Orders SunSetter to Pay $9.25 Million for Alleged Failure to Timely Report Defective Awning Covers to RegulatorsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A federal court in Massachusetts entered a consent decree today requiring SunSetter Products LP (SunSetter) to pay $9.25 million in civil penalties and implement and maintain a robust compliance program to prevent future illegal conduct.
In a complaint filed April 6, 2023, the government alleged that SunSetter failed to timely report to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) a defect affecting approximately 270,000 protective covers used with SunSetter retractable awnings. According to the complaint, removal of the defective awning cover could cause the retractable awning to unexpectedly spring open with enough force to knock over anyone in the awning’s path, putting consumers using ladders to access the awning at risk of death or serious injury. The complaint alleged that multiple consumers were injured, and one killed, as a result of this defect. The complaint alleged that SunSetter violated the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) by failing to report the defect until 2017, despite being aware of consumer complaints as early as 2012 and completing its own simulation testing in 2015 that confirmed the safety hazard. SunSetter recalled the covers in August 2019.
“This settlement makes clear that companies must prioritize consumer safety and comply with their legal obligations to report hazardous defects in a timely manner,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “SunSetter’s failure to do so had tragic consequences. We will continue to hold companies accountable when they put the public at risk by disregarding federal safety laws.”
“The failure to immediately report dangerous products puts consumers at unnecessary risk,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will continue to work with the CPSC to hold accountable companies that fail to follow the law.”
“This consent decree is an important reminder of the affirmative obligation to report product hazards in a timely manner,” said Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. “I appreciate the work of CPSC staff and our partners at DOJ in resolving this matter and keeping American consumers safe.”
U.S. Attorney Foley, Acting AAG Roth and CPSC Acting Chairman Feldman made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anuj Khetarpal of the Office’s Civil Division handled the matter along with Trial Attorneys Brett Ruff and Nicole Frazer of the Justice Department’s Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Renee McCune of CPSC’s Office of the General Counsel.
For more information about the enforcement efforts of the Consumer Protection Branch visit the Branch’s website at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
The claims resolved by the consent decree announced today are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Farmington Couple Pleads Guilty in Violent Assault CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington man has pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury, while his wife has pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting in connection with a violent assault in 2023.
According to court records, on July 28, 2023, during an argument, Renauldo Sandoval, 40, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, slammed Jane Doe into a wall and strangled her, causing her to fall to the ground. Lisa Sandoval, 39, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, then pinned Jane Doe to the ground.
At sentencing, Renauldo and Lisa both face up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrinand Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.
FCI Allenwood Inmate Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Possessing A WeaponRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony Evans, age 28, a federal inmate at the Federal Correction Institution Allenwood (FCI Allenwood), Allenwood, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for possession of a weapon.
According to the Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on July 15, 2024, while an inmate at FCI Allenwood, Evans possessed an inmate manufactured weapon commonly referred to as a “shank.” The manufactured weapon, which was a piece of metal sharpened to a point with a cloth handle measuring six inches in length, was discovered by a correctional officer during a search of Evans.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson prosecuted the case.
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Dominican National Sentenced to More Than One Year in Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Jose De La Rosa Rosario, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 15 months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the sentence imposed. In December 2024, De La Rosa Rosario pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. In October 2024, De La Rosa Rosario was indicted by a federal grand jury.
De La Rosa Rosario is a citizen of the Dominican Republic who entered the United States in 2006 through Puerto Rico using false identification. He was convicted of federal conspiracy and cocaine distribution charges in 2011. Following completion of his federal sentence, in July 2018, De La Rosa Rosario was removed from the United States and deported to the Dominican Republic pursuant to a court order. Thereafter, at an unknown time and place, he illegally reentered the United States without permission. In September 2024, De La Rosa Rosario was arrested on new state drug charges and later detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A copy of his fingerprint from his removal document was compared to his fingerprint when he entered federal custody in September 2024, the prints were identical to each other.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Department of Justice and United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Honors Crime Victims and Survivors During 2025 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.Read the Press Release
Cedar Rapids, Iowa — The United States Attorney from the Northern District of Iowa will commemorate National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) from April 6 through 12, 2025.
This year’s NCVRW theme—Connecting <KINSHIP> Healing—recognizes that shared humanity drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. KINSHIP is where victim advocacy begins.
This annual observance challenges us to build a world where every connection built through KINSHIP — between survivors, advocates, and communities — holds the potential to heal. It asks us to ensure that resources are available to all survivors and that we show up for one another with empathy and intention.
NCVRW 2025 will be commemorated in Iowa with many events across the state, including the following:
- Friday April 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: The 2025 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Commemoration, Polk County River Place, 2309 Euclid Ave., Des Moines, Iowa
- Saturday April 5 at 9:00 a.m.: Go the Distance for Crime Victims 5K Run/Walk at Thomas Park in Marion, Iowa
- Tuesday April 8 at 1:00 p.m and Thursday April 10 at 11:15 a.m.: From War to Wellness: A Journey of Resilience and Transformation on the Ankeny and Urban campuses of the Des Moines Area Community College.
In the Northern District of Iowa, United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax announced winners for the following awards based on their service to victims in Iowa:
- The Law Enforcement Victim Services Award is presented to Investigator Tracy Johnson from the Cedar Rapids Police Department. This award is presented to law enforcement officers in Iowa who go beyond the call of duty to help crime victims. It is the highest federal honor in Iowa for victim services by a law enforcement officer. Investigator Johnson is recognized for her excellent work investigating human trafficking and her work with a minor victim of trafficking.
- The Law Enforcement Victim Services Award is also presented to Detective Chris Thomas of the Sioux City Police Department. Detective Thomas was nominated for his outstanding investigative and advocacy work that led to the successful prosecution of Bobby Ray Rhoden.
Investigator Johnson was the lead investigator in a human trafficking case involving a minor victim, two individuals who were eventually charged and convicted, and numerous other men who paid to participate in abusing the victim. Investigator Johnson took a victim-centered approach to the investigation, developing a rapport with the minor victim and utilizing a trauma-informed interview style that gave the minor victim confidence that she was safe with Investigator Johnson. Investigator Johnson’s outstanding and compassionate work with the victim was crucial to the case. One of the charged defendants, Jarod Anderson, went to trial. The victim testified during the trial and was able to tell the jury what had been done to her. Investigator Johnson’s hard work during the investigation and prior to trial helped prepare the victim to face the difficult task of testifying in open court. As a result of the victim’s brave testimony and Investigator Johnson’s outstanding work, Anderson was found guilty and is awaiting sentencing. The second charged defendant, Tana Torres, pled guilty and was sentenced to up to eight years in prison.
Rhoden victimized multiple individuals, including a former girlfriend. Roden initially manipulated his victim into believing that she was responsible for the abuse he inflicted upon her, including torturing her, threatening her with a gun, and recording his abuse. The victim eventually broke free, but Rhoden kidnapped her. He used threats to get his victim into his car to help him recover a phone she had taken. Over the next 36 hours, he brutalized her and drove her to at least two locations in an effort to find his phone. The victim escaped Rhoden by running away from him to a neighbor’s house. As she ran, Rhoden fired his gun at or near her. A subsequent investigation of the kidnapping revealed live ammunition and a spent casing in the garage where Rhoden lived, and one of the locations where he held his victim.
Detective Thomas demonstrated outstanding investigatory skills and compassion for the victim while he was investigating the kidnapping. The victim was initially reluctant to trust or cooperate with law enforcement. But Detective Thomas persisted in working with the victim until the victim came to trust him and the criminal justice system. Thanks to Detective Thomas’s patience, the victim agreed to and was able to testify in very difficult circumstances during Rhoden’s trial. Without her strength in doing so, Rhoden may have remained free to victimize others. Detective Thomas’s compassion and care for the victim led directly to the victim having the strength to free herself from Rhoden’s hold and protect others from him by testifying. As a result, Rhoden was found guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2, 2025.
“These awards recognize the exceptional efforts of two law enforcement officers to provide assistance to federal and state victims in the Northern District of Iowa,” said United States Attorney Duax. “Ensuring victims feel safe while going through the difficult process of an investigation and trial is crucial to securing justice for the victims. The service of these officers, and other state and federal law enforcement officers and victim advocates, is a vital component of our criminal justice system.”
NCVRW began in 1981 to honor victims and survivors of crime, raise awareness of victims’ rights and services and recognize the dedication of those who work with crime victims.
For additional information about this year’s NCVRW activities and more ideas on supporting crime victims, visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.gov.
- Friday April 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: The 2025 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Commemoration, Polk County River Place, 2309 Euclid Ave., Des Moines, Iowa
Defendants Sentenced to Life in Prison for Deadly Murder-for-Hire ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Three defendants were sentenced to life in prison for their involvement in a deadly murder-for-hire conspiracy, among other crimes. Another defendant was sentenced to 84 months for interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle during a deadly carjacking attempt.
According to court documents and evidence presented at a three-week federal jury trial in October 2024, John Fitzgerald McCarroll, Jr., 31, Darrius Dwayne Rowser, 21, and Lyteria Isheeia Hollis, 31, each of Mobile, participated in a plot to murder an individual as retribution for a prior killing. As part of the murder plot, McCarroll hired several shooters who attempted but failed to kill the intended target of the plot during multiple nightclub shootings.
In September 2022, Reginald Dennis Alan Fluker opened fire in the Bank Nightlife club using a gun provided to him by McCarroll. Fluker shot the wrong person, who later died of his injuries. Hollis directed payments to Fluker before and after the shooting. Fluker pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and received a 30-year prison sentence.
In November 2022, Rowser used an illegally modified machinegun provided to him by McCarroll to shoot at the intended target of the plot inside the Paparazzi Lounge. Rowser likewise missed the target and instead hit four victims, one of whom was rendered paralyzed. Rowser later bragged to his coconspirators about perpetrating the shooting in voice messages he sent via Instagram.
As part of the conspiracy, McCarroll directed Rowser and others to travel to Mississippi to steal cars for use in surveilling the target of the plot. In September 2022, during an attempted carjacking in D’Iberville, Mississippi, Rowser shot and killed a victim. After that murder, Rowser and a coconspirator, Karmelo Cortez Morris Derks, 21, traveled back to Mobile and burned the stolen car they were using during the attempted carjacking. In connection with that incident, Derks pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle.
Later, in December 2022, at McCarroll’s direction, Rowser, Derks, and another coconspirator, Jimaurice Pierce, 21, traveled to the Walmart on I-65 Service Road South in Mobile to purchase a GPS tracker for the target’s vehicle. During that trip, Rowser and Pierce fired illegally modified machineguns into the self-checkout area of the store, striking two victims. Pierce pleaded guilty to the murder-for-hire conspiracy.
Following the arrests of McCarroll, Fluker, and other members of the conspiracy, the defendants attempted to tamper with evidence and a witness. Specifically, McCarroll directed Hollis to hide a weapon that he had previously purchased for Fluker because of Fluker’s participation in the murder plot. Federal agents seized that gun from Hollis’s house. Additionally, McCarroll attempted to tamper with Fluker’s testimony by having him sign a sham affidavit, which was filed in state court to earn McCarroll a bond from jail.
Following her conviction for murder-for-hire conspiracy and evidence tampering in October 2024, Hollis separately pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Specifically, Hollis admitted that she obtained nearly $20,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan proceeds designed to aid small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. To obtain the fully forgivable loan proceeds, Hollis lied to the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) about operating a nonexistent hair-styling business.
At the sentencing hearing on April 2, 2025, several victims of the defendants’ crimes addressed the court to provide impact statements. United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer noted the importance of the victims’ statements and the resilience they demonstrated.
Judge Moorer sentenced McCarroll, Rowser, and Hollis each to life in prison, which is the mandatory sentence required by federal law. Pierce, who also faces a mandatory life sentence, will be sentenced at a later date. Judge Moorer sentenced Derks to 84 months in prison. Derks faces pending accessory to murder charges in Harrison County, Mississippi, for which he is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
In addition to the lifetime prison terms, Judge Moorer ordered McCarroll, Rowser, and Hollis to pay $1,243,397.72 in restitution to the victims of the murder-for-hire scheme. The court further ordered Hollis to pay $19,985.00 in restitution to the SBA for her fraudulent PPP loan, and ordered Rowser and Derks to pay $5,361.00 in restitution to the owner of the stolen vehicle. The court did not impose fines, but Judge Moorer ordered the defendants to pay a total of $1,300 in special assessments.
“These criminals used illegal machineguns to murder, maim, and endanger innocent lives in our community,” said Sean P. Costello, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. “Thanks to the relentless work and dedication of the federal agents, police, and prosecutors, these three will never be in a position to terrorize or harm anyone else. Together with our partners in law enforcement, we will continue to aggressively investigate, prosecute, and sentence violent criminals who hurt victims and threaten the safety of our community.”
“The ATF recognizes that we are most successful when we work with our state, local, and federal partners. Together, we serve as a force multiplier in the efforts to combat violent crime. Our ability to protect American families, increases by having a comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy in place. We will continue to focus our efforts to decrease violent crime and hold individuals accountable who relentlessly cause harm in the community,” said Jason Stankiewicz, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Nashville Field Division.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement and praised the extraordinary work of the federal and state law enforcement agents involved in the investigation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mobile Police Department, and the D’Iberville, Mississippi Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller, Gaillard Ladd, and Kasee Heisterhagen prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Cryptocurrency Financial Services Firm Sentenced for Cryptocurrency "Wash Trading"Read the Press Release
BOSTON – CLS Global FZC LLC, a financial services firm known in the cryptocurrency industry as a “market maker,” was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for criminal charges relating to its fraudulent manipulation of cryptocurrency trading volume.
CLS Global has been ordered to pay a total of $428,059 to the government, representing both a fine and seized cryptocurrency. The court also sentenced CLS Global to a term of probation for three years, during which CLS Global is prohibited from participating in U.S. cryptocurrency markets. CLS Global pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud and one count of wire fraud in January 2025. It was charged criminally in September 2024.
CLS Global provided “market making” and other services for cryptocurrency companies through its public website and other promotional materials. CLS Global was a company registered in the United Arab Emirates that employed over 50 individuals, all located outside the United States, but offered services to related to cryptocurrencies available to investors inside the United States.
The charges against CLS Global followed an undercover law enforcement operation targeting cryptocurrency “wash trading,” sham trading activity intended to attract investors. The investigation included the creation of NexFundAI, a purported cryptocurrency company that had a website (https://nexfundai.com) and an Ethereum-based token that traded on the Uniswap cryptocurrency exchange before being disabled by law enforcement.
CLS Global agreed to provide market making services for the NexFundAI token that included “wash trading” to fraudulently attract investors to purchase the token. During several videoconferences between July and August 2024, a CLS Global employee explained that the company could “help with volume generation” so that NexFundAI could meet cryptocurrency exchange listing requirements and attract purchasers of the NexFundAI token. The employee explained that CLS Global used an algorithm that “basically does self-trades, buying and
selling. . . from multiple wallets so it’s not visible” and so “it looks like organic buying and selling that is happening.” The employee further explained, “It’s very hard to track. . . . We’ve been doing that for many clients.” The employee also acknowledged, “I know that it’s wash trading and I know people might not be happy about it.”CLS Global’s employee provided a “Market Making proposal” which, in a section titled “Volume Support,” contained an illustration of the CLS Global “dashboard” that reflected “total volume,” “CLS volume” and “external volume.” Traders employed by CLS Global subsequently bought and sold the NexFundAI token on the Uniswap cryptocurrency exchange using CLS Global’s trading wallets and provided reports on the trading activity created by the “volume generation algorithm.”
As part of its sentence, CLS Global is prohibited from participating in cryptocurrency transactions on trading platforms available to investors located in the United States or providing services to cryptocurrency clients based in the United States, as set forth in the plea agreement. CLS Global is also required to make annual certifications that its business practices conform to these prohibitions.
The Securities & Exchange Commission brought a related civil enforcement action alleging violations of the securities laws and has entered into a separate resolution with CLS Global. Moneys seized from or paid by CLS Global will be credited in both the criminal and SEC resolutions.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is handling forfeiture.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Contractor agrees to pay $750,000 to settle False Claims Act allegationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Stephen McLeod d/b/a A&S Contracting, of Hayes, Virginia, agreed to pay $750,000 to settle False Claims Act allegations that he engaged in a pattern of inflating costs and concealing use of subcontractors on work orders conducted for the United States Postal Service (USPS).
McLeod, a sole proprietor doing business as A&S Contracting, performed repair and maintenance service projects at U.S. postal facilities throughout Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia.
The government alleged that some thirty work orders contained false information and resulted in overcharges to the USPS.
In one example, McLeod agreed to perform electrical work at a USPS post office in Norton, Virginia, even though McLeod did not have the appropriate license to perform electrical work. He nonetheless billed $9,570 for performance of the work order, including labor he did not perform and materials he did not provide. McLeod impermissibly subcontracted the work to another company and falsely certified in an invoice and associated documentation submitted to USPS that A&S performed the work.
In another instance, McLeod, acting as A&S Contracting, agreed to patch potholes in a USPS post office parking lot in Wise, Virginia. The proposal submitted by McLeod falsely stated that A&S would perform the work, and did not reveal that he intended to retain a subcontractor for the job. The proposal also included charges for material and equipment not provided by McLeod, nor by McLeod acting as A&S. McLeod subcontracted the work to another company that performed all the pothole patching work at the USPS post office parking lot. The subcontractor charged McLeod $12,500 for its work and, in turn, McLeod, acting as A&S, charged USPS $20,385 for the work order.
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 and the USPS Office of Inspector General.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina Kim and USPS Office of Inspector General Special Agent Darrin Dixon.
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.
The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Columbia Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years Federal Prison for Federal Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Everette Kale Wanamaker, 37, of Columbia, has been sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on multiple occasions between November 2022 and February 2023, Wanamaker sold 15 firearms, including firearms with high-capacity magazines and obliterated serial numbers to undercover agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Wanamaker also sold approximately 30 grams of fentanyl and 55 grams of counterfeit heroin to undercover agents. On Feb. 13, 2023, Wanamaker was arrested with three additional firearms, including one that was stolen and 28 grams of fentanyl.
Wanamaker is a felon and prohibited from possessing firearms. Wanamaker has prior convictions for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, domestic violence 2nd degree, financial identity fraud, possession of heroin and possession of methamphetamine.
United States District Mary Geiger-Lewis sentenced Wanamaker to 151 months' imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, West Columbia Police Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case.
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Chester County Man Indicted on Multiple Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Aniruth Kuppusamy, 25, of Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania, was charged by indictment with one count each of manufacturing child pornography, receiving child pornography, possessing child pornography, and the use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
As detailed in court filings, the defendant, who has been in custody since his arrest last month pursuant to a federal complaint and warrant, allegedly engaged in disturbing and violent conversations with Minor #1, who he knew was under the age of 18, and elicited sexually explicit videos of her.
In addition, the indictment alleges that the defendant knowingly received those visual depictions of Minor #1 engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and that he possessed images constituting child pornography on an iPhone 15 that had been shipped and transported using any means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce.
The indictment further alleges that Kuppusamy used a facility and means of interstate and foreign commerce, namely the internet and cellular telephone service, to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce Minor #1 to engage in sexual activity for which any person could be charged with a criminal offense, that is, the manufacture and receipt of child pornography.
If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.
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 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 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 projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Danielle Bateman.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Chesapeake man sentenced to over six years in prison after opening fire near a high schoolRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced yesterday to six years and eight months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2024, Portsmouth Police Chief Stephen Jenkins was conducting community relations near Norcom High School when he heard multiple gunshots and observed Cedrick William Davis, 39, discharging a firearm into the air. Chief Jenkins ran toward Davis and gave verbal commands. Davis then entered a vehicle and drove it toward Chief Jenkins before turning away and fleeing from the scene.
Investigators located Davis’ vehicle in a parking lot a few blocks away from the shooting incident. Law enforcement arrested Davis after observing him enter and then exit his apartment. Investigators located a backpack containing approximately a pound of marijuana, over 36 grams of cocaine, $1,090, and two firearms, including the handgun Davis fired earlier in the day.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Chief Jenkins; and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan M. Montoya 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 Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-105.
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Charles Eugene Moore, 37, of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 22, 2022, Moore sold approximately 28 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and caffeine to a confidential informant in Charleston. Moore admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling approximately 17 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and xylazine, a powerful veterinary sedative also known “Tranq,” to a confidential informant in Charleston on April 15, 2022. At the time of these offenses, Moore was on parole following his conviction for second-degree murder in Kanawha County Circuit Court on May 5, 2008.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-109.
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Charles County Man Pleads Guilty to Four Armed Commercial RobberiesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, Daniel Michael Harris, Sr., 43, of Waldorf, Maryland, pleaded guilty to committing an armed robbery while using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Chief Malik Aziz, Prince George’s County Police Department; Sheriff Troy D. Berry, Charles County Sheriff’s Office; and Chief Marc Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, Harris and his co-conspirators planned and committed armed robberies of two businesses in Prince George’s County, one business in Charles County, and one business in Montgomery County. On March 23, and March 28, 2023, Harris and his co-conspirators robbed two convenience stores in Prince George’s County and stole cash from the registers and several packs of cigarettes. Harris brandished a pistol-grip shotgun during both robberies.
Then on April 5, 2023, Harris and his co-conspirators robbed a convenience store in Charles County and stole cash from the registers and the wallet and phone of a store employee. Harris also brandished a pistol-grip shotgun and held the store employee at gunpoint while pinning a customer into a wall corner with his forearm.
On April 6, 2023, Harris and his co-conspirators robbed a convenience store in Montgomery County, stealing cash from the register and a store employee’s purse and phone. Harris also brandished the same pistol-grip shotgun used in the earlier robberies.
Then on April 12, 2023, a Prince George’s County Police Department officer observed the getaway vehicle used by Harris and his co-conspirators in two of the robberies, resulting in a traffic stop. The occupants of the vehicle fled and escaped. Law enforcement recovered several items from the vehicle and submitted the items for Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) testing. A subsequent DNA report revealed a high stringency match between Harris and a DNA sample from a bottle recovered from the vehicle.
On November 9, 2023, Charles County Sherriff’s Office detectives obtained and executed a search warrant for Harris’s storage unit. Detectives accessed the storage unit and identified the clothing items Harris wore and the same pistol-grip shotgun he used during the robberies.
Harris and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, he faces 13 to 17 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow scheduled the sentencing for Friday, July 18, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes praised the FBI, Prince George’s County Police Department, Charles County Sheriff’s Office, and Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm with an Extended MagazineRead the Press Release
Mycal Davis, age 40, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was sentenced on April 1, 2025, to two years in federal prison. Davis received the prison term after a November 7, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Information from the plea and sentencing hearings showed that law enforcement officers stopped a vehicle that Davis was a passenger in on December 21, 2023. During the traffic stop, officers conducted a search of the vehicle and ordered the occupants out of the vehicle. Davis exited the vehicle, and officers conducted a safety pat down for weapons and immediately noticed that Davis was armed with a firearm in his waistband. Davis admitted what officers felt was a firearm and admitted he was a felon. The firearm was equipped with a magazine containing 25 rounds of ammunition. Officers continued to search Davis’s property and located various pills, some which tested positive as methamphetamine, and over 50 grams of marijuana.
Davis was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Davis was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Jones was released on bond conditions previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on April 28, 2025.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-61.
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Cape Cod Man Arrested for Threatening Violence Against a Prominent Federal Official and Their RelativesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A South Dennis, Mass., man has been arrested and charged for allegedly threatening to murder a prominent federal official, their relative and the relative’s spouse.
Michael P. Mahoney, 62, is charged by criminal complaint with one count of transmitting interstate threats to injure another person. Mahoney was arrested this morning and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at 2 p.m. today.
According to the charging documents, on March 28, 2025, the relative of a prominent federal official was having dinner with two other individuals at a location outside of Massachusetts. At approximately 10:15 p.m. the relative allegedly received a phone call with “No Caller ID.” Upon answering the phone, the caller, later alleged to be Mahoney, confirmed the relative’s full name. Mahoney then allegedly started to scream and stated that he was going to murder the relative, their spouse and the federal official – allegedly referring to the spouse and federal official by their first names – and said, “Die you f*****g c**t mother f****r.” The relative hung up while Mahoney, was allegedly yelling. The call lasted approximately 12 seconds. It is alleged that Mahoney then called back immediately, but the relative did not answer.
Call records obtained from the relative’s phone service provider allegedly indicated that the originating number for the threatening call, as well as the subsequent unanswered call, belonged to Mahoney. When approached by law enforcement at his South Dennis residence on March 29, 2025, Mahoney allegedly refused to answer the door or his phone.
The charge of transmitting interstate threats to injure another person provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Dennis Police Chief John Brady made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadine Pellegrini, Chief of the National Security Unit, is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bowie County man sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for fentanyl overdose deathRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, Texas – A Hooks man who sold fake prescription pills containing fentanyl has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Henry Wayne Milligan, 28, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III, on April 2, 2025.
“The Eastern District of Texas will continue to aggressively prosecute those who distribute deadly drugs such as fentanyl in our communities and seek enhanced sentences commensurate with the tragic consequences and immeasurable losses suffered by victims and their families,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
According to information presented in court, Milligan pleaded guilty to selling the victim what were purported to be prescription pills, after which the victim was found dead in his home of what an autopsy later determined to be a fentanyl overdose. The pills sold by Milligan were tested and confirmed to be laced with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid commonly used as an analgesic or anesthetic that is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. Following his arrest, Milligan provided a voluntary statement during which he confessed.
“We sincerely appreciate the unwavering commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in prosecuting this case,” said Texarkana, Texas Police Department’s Public Information Officer Shawn Vaughn. “Their dedication to seeking justice for the victim and holding those accountable who distribute deadly fentanyl is invaluable in our ongoing fight against this epidemic. We also want to recognize Detective Daniel Linn for his outstanding work in leading this investigation. His relentless efforts and attention to detail were instrumental in identifying Milligan as the supplier of the fentanyl that tragically led to the victim’s death. Additionally, we extend our gratitude to the Texas Department of Public Safety for their invaluable assistance in this case. Their collaboration and resources played a crucial role in bringing this investigation to a successful resolution.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a public safety alert warning Americans of the alarming increase in the lethality and availability of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. The public safety alert coincides with the launch of DEA’s One Pill Can Kill public awareness campaign to educate the public of the dangers of counterfeit pills and urges all Americans to take only medications prescribed by a medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. The campaign aims to raise public awareness of a significant nationwide surge in fake pills that are mass-produced by criminal drug networks in labs, deceptively marketed as legitimate prescription pills, and are killing unsuspecting Americans at an unprecedented rate. For more information, please visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill.
This case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations Division; and Texarkana Texas Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek.
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Boone Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Transfer Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Boone man was sentenced on March 28, 2025, to five years in federal prison for attempted transfer of obscene material to a person he believed to be a minor.
According to public court documents, Travis Lee Morgan, 40, used a Facebook account to communicate with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old female, but was instead a law enforcement officer. Between June and August 2023, Morgan sent numerous videos and images to the female, including images of his genitals and himself engaged in a sex act, and discussed in-person sex acts Morgan desired to occur with the minor female.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Morgan will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FBI Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, the Altoona Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Criminal Investigation-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, with assistance from the Boone Police Department and the Boone County Sheriff's Office.
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 the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.
Billings man sentenced to over 7 years in prison for distributing methamphetamineRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who possessed methamphetamine was sentenced today to 94 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Brice Judsen Bailey, 33, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that from September 2023 through January 2024, Bailey was one of approximately seven defendants in a drug distribution network in Billings. The group received methamphetamine from a drug trafficking organization in Washington state and funneled pounds of methamphetamine into the Billings area. Bailey was a significant source of supply for the group, distributing between a quarter-pound and a half-pound of meth each day. He arranged two controlled purchases totaling over one pound of methamphetamine. Not only was Bailey a significant dealer of methamphetamine, but he also provided several firearms to one of his co-defendants in exchange for meth.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the DEA.
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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Bilal A. Essayli Sworn in as United States Attorney, Becoming Chief Federal Prosecutor in Nation’s Most-Populous Federal Trial DistrictRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Bilal A. “Bill” Essayli was sworn in today as the United States Attorney for the Central District of California following his appointment Tuesday by Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
The appointment of Mr. Essayli, 39, was made pursuant to Title 28 United States Code Section 546, which provides that “the Attorney General may appoint a United States Attorney for the district in which the office of United States Attorney is vacant.”
Mr. Essayli, who was sworn in this morning in a private ceremony by Chief United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee, now oversees the largest United States Attorney’s Office outside of Washington, D.C. The office, which currently employs more than 250 lawyers, serves approximately 20 million residents in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to lead the United States Attorney’s Office and serve the people of the district that I have called home for so many years,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “As our district’s chief federal prosecutor, I will work diligently and tirelessly with our federal and local law enforcement partners to implement the priorities of the President and the Attorney General and to protect our communities from criminals. Our citizens deserve no less.”
Mr. Essayli returns to the office after serving as a twice-elected member of the California State Assembly, representing California’s 63rd State Assembly District from December 2022 until Tuesday. The 63rd District is comprised of communities including parts of Riverside and Corona, and the cities of Menifee and Norco.
In October 2019, he founded and was a partner at the Newport Beach-based law firm Essayli & Brown LLP.
From October 2014 to February 2018, Mr. Essayli served as an assistant United States attorney in our district, serving in the Los Angeles and Riverside offices. As a federal prosecutor, Mr. Essayli brought justice to victims of violent and organized crime, identity theft, bank fraud, securities fraud and other white-collar crimes.
Notably, Mr. Essayli was part of the team of federal prosecutors that responded to the terrorist attack at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino in December 2015. He also obtained a conviction in August 2015 at the conclusion of a three-week criminal trial of a Santa Barbara doctor charged with unlawfully prescribing opiates, which resulted in the deaths of more than a dozen patients.
For two years prior to first joining the office, Mr. Essayli served as a deputy district attorney in the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
Before becoming a prosecutor, Mr. Essayli was an associate attorney at the law firm of Paul Hastings LLP, focusing on employment law.
Mr. Essayli is the son of Lebanese immigrants and a graduate of Centennial High School in Corona. He was the first in his family to graduate college, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree from the Kellogg Honors College of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He received his juris doctorate from Chapman University School of Law.
Beckley Medical Clinic and Physician Agree to Pay $152,382.70 to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced today that Med-Surg Physician Group Inc. and its owner Oluyemisi Sangodeyi, M.D., have agreed to pay the United States $152,382.70 to resolve civil allegations that they violated the federal False Claims Act by submitting false claims for payment to Medicare and Medicaid and falsely certifying compliance with program requirements.
Med-Surg Physician Group, Inc. (Med-Surg) is a medical practice based in Beckley, West Virginia, providing both general internal medicine services as well as medication assisted treatment (MAT) for substance use disorder. Analysis of Med-Surg’s Medicare and Medicaid claims revealed an unusual billing pattern for Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) procedure code Q3014 (telehealth originating site facility fee). This billing code is intended to allow an enrolled facility where a patient is physically located to recoup costs associated with connecting the patient in the facility with an outside provider such as a specialist for telehealth services. Federal regulations specify that “only the originating site may bill for the originating site facility fee.”
After conducting patient interviews, investigators determined that Med-Surg was regularly billing procedure code Q3014 for telehealth visits where the patient was at home, in violation of federal law and regulations that specify that the facility fee is not payable where the patient’s originating site is their home. The policy manual for the West Virginia Bureau for Medical Services (BMS), the designated single state agency responsible for the administration of West Virginia’s Medicaid program, states plainly “the provider may not bill originating site code when the originating site is the home of the member.” In addition, a clarifying letter was issued by BMS Commissioner Cynthia Beane on March 16, 2020, specifying “there will be no reimbursement for the originating site of the members home (Q3014).”
Despite the clear requirements of the statutes, regulations, and policy guidance, between March 25, 2020, and January 27, 2021, Med-Surg routinely added the Q3014 billing code when submitting claims to Medicare and Medicaid for telehealth visits. During the relevant time period, Med-Surg received a total of $76,191.35 from Medicare and Medicaid as a result of this inappropriate billing.
“Dr. Sangodeyi and Med-Surg repeatedly billed for fees they knew they were not entitled to, at the expense of the American taxpayer,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “The resolution of this matter is the result of the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the West Virginia Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), in collaboration with the United States Attorney’s Health Care Fraud Task Force. I also commend our office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement and Health Care Fraud Investigative Specialist, Tyler E. Japhet, for assisting the investigation and Assistant United States Attorney Gregory P. Neil for securing the settlement announced today.”
“Accurately submitting claims for reimbursement from the Medicare and Medicaid Program is required of all health care providers,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “HHS-OIG and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to evaluate and pursue allegations of fraud in federal health care programs.”
“We are committed to ensuring money for Medicare and Medicaid is used for its intended purpose,” said West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey. “Many people rely on these programs and we, with our partners, will continue to work to protect taxpayer dollars.”
The United States Attorney’s Health Care Fraud Task Force brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement partners from numerous agencies to coordinate intelligence sharing and prosecution of health care fraud impacting Medicare, Medicaid, and other public health care programs.
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.
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Attorney Stephen L. Snyder Sentenced for Attempted ExtortionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Stephen L. Snyder, 77, of Baltimore, Maryland, to three years of probation with six months of home confinement, for one count of attempted extortion and seven counts of the Travel Act. A federal jury found Snyder guilty back on November 22, 2024, after a nine-day trial.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
According to the evidence at trial, Snyder, a plaintiffs medical malpractice attorney in the Baltimore area, represented two medical malpractice claimants who allegedly experienced injury following organ transplants at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). From January 2018 through September 2018, Snyder attempted to extort the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) by threatening to “destroy” the UMMC transplant department unless UMMS paid him $25 million personally and separate from any settlement with his client.
Specifically, Snyder threatened to launch a public-relations campaign that would falsely accuse UMMC of tricking unsophisticated patients into accepting diseased organs. He claimed that he would run a front-page ad in The Baltimore Sun, hold a press conference, and create an internet advertisement directing anyone searching for the UMMC transplant program to his law firm’s website. Snyder also threatened to create commercials conveying his false message and accusing UMMC of putting “profits over safety.” Snyder played these commercials during meetings with attorneys representing UMMS. Snyder claimed that the parties could enter into a sham consulting agreement that would provide cover for the $25 million payment.
Snyder made his extortionate demands and threats over a series of meetings and phone calls with attorneys for UMMS in 2018. One of those meetings, which occurred on August 23, 2018, was recorded by Federal law enforcement using hidden video cameras.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Phelps and Evelyn L. Cusson who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Armed Felon Indicted Following Traffic Stop in Northwest D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Trevon Timothy Vines, 30, of Washington, D.C., has been indicted on a federal gun charge in the latest case to be federally adopted as part of the “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Sean T. Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Vines was indicted on one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Person Convicted of a Crime Punishable by Imprisonment for a Term Exceeding One Year.
According to court documents, on March 15, 2025, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department conducted a traffic stop in the vicinity of 1820 7th Street NW after observing a traffic infraction. It is alleged that during the course of the stop, officers observed several open containers of alcohol and requested that all occupants exit the vehicle.
It is alleged that one of the occupants, defendant Vines, was seated in the front passenger seat and holding a cup consistent with the others observed. As officers attempted to place Vines in handcuffs, they felt what they immediately recognized to be a handgun on his person in a front left jacket pocket. Vines then began physically resisting, grabbing one officer’s vest and attempting to move him while repeatedly reaching for the weapon forcibly.
Officers eventually recovered the firearm and discovered that it had been reported stolen from a gun dealer in White Plains, Maryland.
An investigation revealed that Vines is a convicted felon with multiple prior convictions. At the time of the incident, Vines was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal and D.C. law. He did not have a license to carry or own a firearm in the District of Columbia.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, ATF Baltimore Field Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
This case is part of Make D.C. Safe Again, a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Tuesday 1 April 2025
Woman admits to smuggling firearms into MexicoRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 38-year-old woman has entered a guilty plea to smuggling several firearms and magazines hidden in a vehicle’s gas tank, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Mirna Luna traveled from her Canton, Georgia, residence Dec. 15, 2024, and attempted to cross at the Brownsville/Matamoros port of entry into Mexico.
Once there, authorities had referred her to secondary inspection where they discovered 17 firearms and 27 magazines hidden in the gas tank of the Nissan car she was driving.
Luna claimed ownership of the car and admitted she is the only person who drives it. She does not have a license to export firearms and has not applied for one.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. accepted the plea and set sentencing for July 8. At that time, Luna faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 maximum possible fine.
She has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jose Esquivel and Ana Cano prosecuted the case.
Wayne County man arrested on child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Joseph Hudson, III, 26, of Williamson, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with the receipt and possession of child pornography following a previous conviction for the sexual abuse of a minor. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney, Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that on March 14, 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received information from Microsoft, that an individual had uploaded nine files of suspected child pornography to a Microsoft platform. NCMEC contacted the New York State Police, who traced the upload to Hudson, a registered sex offender. He was previously convicted in New York State Court of Sexual Abuse in the First for engaging in sexual contact with a child less than 11 years old. A search warrant was executed at Hudson’s residence, during which police seized his computer. A forensic examination recovered approximately 198 images and 112 videos of child pornography depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent minors. Some of the images included violence against children.
Hudson made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and was held pending a detention hearing.
The criminal complaint is the result of of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Virginia Beach man sentenced to over six years in prison for federal drug trafficking and firearms crimesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced yesterday to six years and 10 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on at least five occasions from February 2024 through May 2024, Jameson Carter, 39, sold cocaine totaling 115.74 grams during controlled buys conducted by Virginia Beach Police (VBPD).
On June 5, 2024, investigators with VBPD and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) searched Carter’s residence and recovered approximately 86 grams of cocaine as well as smaller amounts of heroin and fentanyl. They also recovered three loaded firearms, scales, and approximately $964.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for DEA’s Washington Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Miller, both Assistant Attorneys General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-100.
Vessel Owner Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens and Defraud the United StatesRead the Press Release
Saipan – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that Zhongli Pang, age 36, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), was sentenced in the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands to three months imprisonment with credit for time served. Pang pled guilty for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens and Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and (v)(ii); 18 U.S.C. § 371. The court also ordered one year of supervised release, 50 hours of community service, and a $200 special assessment fee.
In June 2024, Zhongli Pang and several co-conspirators paid $33,000 for a boat, which Pang registered. As part of the scheme, Pang agreed to transport a group of twelve other individuals, all Chinese nationals living without lawful status, from the island of Saipan to Guam. Pang and his co-conspirators knew they were not authorized to do so. Pang’s only experience operating a boat was two short excursions he had taken a few days before attempting the crossing to Guam. The overloaded boat ran out of fuel short of Guam, necessitating a sea rescue by the U.S. Coast Guard. During his sentencing hearing, Pang acknowledged that his actions put many lives at risk and expressed his deep regret.
“We will continue to target illegal aliens unlawfully traveling between the CNMI and Guam,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “The risk to personal safety is substantial. Those interdicted also face imprisonment and immigration penalties. We urge PRC nationals to fully comply with the CNMI’s parole program and return to China as agreed upon entry to Saipan. Enhanced enforcement efforts by DHS will result in the apprehension of those attempting to evade detection.”
“The arrest of Mr. Pang is a testament to HSI’s continued efforts to deter the extremely dangerous and unlawful movement of illegal aliens within the CNMI,” said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas. “By holding criminals accountable, HSI works with state and local authorities to thwart future violations, ensuring the safety of our communities through continuing partnerships.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands Department of Public Safety.
Assistant United States Attorney Eric S. O’Malley prosecuted the case in the District of the Northern Mariana Islands.
United States Attorney’s Office and Task Force Honored for Dismantling Violent Criminal EnterpriseRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Washington-Baltimore HIDTA has recognized two Assistant United States Attorneys from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia and members of the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force for an investigation that dismantled a tri-state drug trafficking operation.
Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced that Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Kyle Kane received the Outstanding Community Impact Investigation award at the HIDTA ceremony in Baltimore, Maryland today for their work on a case which dismantled a violent criminal enterprise that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. The investigation led to the indictment of 82 co-conspirators and the seizure of nine kilograms of fentanyl/heroin, large amounts of crystal methamphetamine, cocaine, $250,000 in cash and other assets.
“I express my heartfelt thanks to HIDTA for honoring these Assistant United States Attorneys and members of the task force who work tirelessly to remove fentanyl and these other agents of death from our community,” stated Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard. “The AUSAs and the task force members are on the front lines, days, nights, and weekends using their skills and the most advanced technology to serve the mission of eliminating these poisons and the organizations who distribute them from our country.”
The Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force is a HIDTA-funded initiative and consists of members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations; the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; the Martinsburg Police Department; the Ranson Police Department; and the Charles Town Police Department.
Washington-Baltimore HIDTA (High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) provides support and guidance to reduce drug trafficking and misuse by improving interagency collaboration, promoting accurate and timely information and intelligence sharing, and specialized training and other resources to law enforcement, intelligence, treatment, and prevention initiatives. To learn more, go to https://www.hidta.org.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Justice Department to Surge Resources to Indian County to Investigate Unresolved Violent CrimesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — The Justice Department today announced that it will surge FBI assets across the country to address unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country, including crimes relating to missing and murdered indigenous persons.
The FBI will send 60 personnel, rotating in 90-day temporary duty assignments over a six-month period. This operation is the longest and most intense national deployment of FBI resources to address Indian Country crime to date. FBI personnel will support field offices in Albuquerque; Denver; Detroit; Jackson, Miss.; Minneapolis; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Portland, Oreg.; Seattle; and Salt Lake City. The FBI will work in partnership with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribal law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions.
FBI personnel will be assisted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, and they will use the latest forensic evidence processing tools to solve cases and hold perpetrators accountable. U.S. Attorney’s Offices will aggressively prosecute case referrals.
“Crime rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities are unacceptably high. By surging FBI resources and collaborating closely with US Attorneys and Tribal law enforcement to prosecute cases, the Department of Justice will help deliver the accountability that these communities deserve,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“The FBI will manhunt violent criminals on all lands – and Operation Not Forgotten ensures a surge in resources to locate violent offenders on tribal lands and find those who have gone missing,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
“We are very pleased that the FBI is dispatching additional resources to the Salt Lake City Division, which covers Montana, to assist our ongoing efforts to find missing indigenous persons and hold violent offenders accountable. I want to thank the agents already working on these cases in Montana from both the FBI and the BIA’s Missing and Murdered Unit. Together with the Tribal Community Response Plans facilitated by DOJ for each Montana reservation community and DOJ’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, this deployment will help address this critical problem. Missing and murdered indigenous people will not be forgotten.” said U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
Indian Country faces persistent levels of crime and victimization. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, FBI’s Indian Country program had approximately 4,300 open investigations, including over 900 death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations.
Operation Not Forgotten renews efforts begun during President Trump’s first term under E.O. 13898, Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. This is the third deployment under Operation Not Forgotten, which has provided investigative support to over 500 cases in the past two years. Combined, these operations resulted in the recovery of 10 child victims, 52 arrests, and 25 indictments or judicial complaints.
Operation Not Forgotten also expands upon the resources deployed in recent years to address cases of missing and murdered indigenous people. The effort will be supported by the Department’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which places attorneys and coordinators in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered indigenous people.
Two charged in smuggling deaths of woman and child during recent flooding eventRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – An illegal alien residing in McAllen and a local resident are now in custody for alien smuggling resulting in two deaths, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Authorities have now arrested Vicente Garcia Jr., 18, Roma. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker at 9 a.m. April 2. Mexican national Jose Alexis Baeza-Combaluzier, 26, was already in custody and made his initial appearance March 31.
The criminal complaint alleges that on March 28, law enforcement observed a suspected alien smuggling event in McAllen. Garcia was allegedly transporting one illegal alien and was to transfer them to Baeza-Combaluzier. Baeza-Combaluzier had four other illegal aliens in his vehicle and then departed the area with the passengers but eventually came to a stop due to a flooded road, according to the charges.
The complaint alleges authorities attempted to make an approach, but Baeza-Combaluzier accelerated and drove through a flooded area. Approximately half a mile later, he allegedly drove the vehicle into a canal.
Law enforcement immediately jumped into the canal and began rescue operations, but two drowned, including a 14-year-old child, according to the charges.
If convicted, Baeza-Combaluzier and Garcia could up life in prison or the possibility of a death sentence as well as a $250,000 maximum fine.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Weslaco Fire Department and sheriff’s offices in Hidalgo and Starr Counties. 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.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Two Woodward County Residents Resolve Allegations of Submitting a False Claim for COVID Funded Emergency Rental Assistance to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Housing AuthorityRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – BREANNA PARADA and MONICA MONTES of Woodward, Oklahoma, have agreed to resolutions to resolve civil claims stemming from allegations that Parada submitted a false claim for COVID funded Emergency Rental Assistance to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Housing Authority, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
In a Consent Judgment entered by the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma (United States v. Parada, Case No. CIV-25-00136-JD), Parada admitted that she submitted an application for COVID funded Emergency Rental Assistance to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Housing Authority in which she falsely represented she was renting a home when she in fact owned it. In support of her application, she submitted a fraudulent lease agreement signed by her and Montes, fraudulent eviction notices related to the same home, and delinquent utility payment notices for the same home. Based on the submission of the false claim, Parada received $5,564.84, and Montes received $200.00, in Emergency Rental Assistance funds to which they were not entitled. To resolve the claims, Parada agreed to the entry of a Consent Judgment against her in the amount of $19,025.00, and Montes settled the claims against her by paying the United States $1,000.00. By entering into a Settlement Agreement, Montes did not admit liability, and the United States did not make any concessions about the legitimacy of the claims.
The Consent Judgment and Settlement Agreement allows the parties to avoid the delay, expense, inconvenience, and uncertainty involved in litigating the case.
Investigative assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General, and Office of Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gallegos prosecuted the case.
Two Millbourne Borough Officials and One Former Official Plead Guilty to Election Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that MD Nurul Hasan, 48, MD Munsur Ali, 48, and MD Rafikul Islam, 52, all of Millbourne, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today to election fraud offenses, at separate hearings before United States District Judge Harvey Bartle III.
In February, the defendants were charged in a 33-count indictment with conspiracy to commit voter fraud, giving false information in registering to vote, and fraudulent voter registration, arising from their scheme, ultimately unsuccessful, to steal Millbourne Borough’s 2021 mayoral election for Hasan.
Hasan, the vice president of the Millbourne Borough Council, pleaded guilty to all 33 charges against him — one count of conspiracy, 16 counts of giving false information in registering to vote, and 16 counts of fraudulent voter registration.
Ali, a member of the Millbourne Borough Council, pleaded guilty to all 25 charges against him — one count of conspiracy, 12 counts of giving false information in registering to vote, and 12 counts of fraudulent voter registration.
Islam, a former member of the Millbourne Borough Council, pleaded guilty to all seven charges against him — one count of conspiracy, three counts of giving false information in registering to vote, and three counts of fraudulent voter registration.
As set forth in court filings, in 2021, Millbourne held elections for mayor, three seats on its borough council, and tax collector. Defendant Hasan entered the majority party’s primary election for mayor.
The primary election was held on May 20, 2021, and Hasan was defeated in the primary by a vote count of approximately 138 to 120. In the same primary, Ali was one of three majority party candidates for borough council to advance to the general election, while Islam lost his bid for reelection to the council.
After the primary, Hasan decided that he would run as a write-in candidate for mayor in the general election, which was scheduled for November 2, 2021. Ali and Islam agreed to support Hasan in his write-in campaign.
As detailed in court documents and admitted by the defendants, in or about 2021, defendants Hasan, Ali, and Islam conspired and agreed with one another, and other persons known and unknown to the U.S. Attorney, to steal the 2021 general election for Mayor of Millbourne for defendant Hasan through a multi-step process, which included:
(a) obtaining personal identification information of non-Millbourne residents, such as their names, addresses, and dates of birth;
(b) using the personal identifying information to access the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s online voter registration (PAOVR) website and change the voter registration addresses for those non-Millbourne residents to locations within Millbourne;
(c) using the PAOVR website to request that mail-in or absentee ballots for those non-Millbourne residents be sent to addresses accessible by one or more of the defendants;
(d) retrieving the ballots from the Millbourne mailboxes;
(e) impersonating the voters and fraudulently casting write-in votes for defendant Hasan to be mayor;
(f) enclosing the fraudulently completed ballots in envelopes and forging the voters' signatures on the envelopes; and
(g) submitting the ballots in their envelopes to the Delaware County Board of Elections.
The defendants admitted that, to further this conspiracy, they contacted friends and acquaintances whom Hasan and Ali knew did not live in Millbourne, told these non-Millbourne residents that Hasan was running for mayor in Millbourne, asked if they could register the non-Millbourne residents to vote in Millbourne, and then cast mail-in ballots for Hasan to be mayor.
Hasan and Ali persuaded many of their non-Millbourne friends and acquaintances to provide them with personal identification information so that defendants Hasan and Ali could register them to vote in Millbourne. During many of these conversations, Hasan and Ali told their non-Millbourne friends and acquaintances that they would not get in trouble, as long as they did not vote in another election in November 2021.
Hasan and Ali also conspired and agreed to use personal identifying information for other non-Millbourne residents, which the two defendants had obtained from other sources, such as Hasan’s business, to register those nonresidents as Millbourne voters without the knowledge of those non-residents.
Hasan personally did almost all of the fraudulent voter registrations himself, using a computer at his place of business to access the PAOVR website and change the voting addresses for non-Millbourne residents to locations within Millbourne. Every time that Hasan accessed the PAOVR website to change a voter registration address, he provided an email address for the voter. Many times, Hasan provided one of four email addresses that he used and accessed.
To divert suspicion from himself, however, Hasan sometimes provided email addresses belonging to other people, who knowingly and willfully permitted Hasan to use their email addresses to cover up Hasan’s actions. One of those people was Islam, who allowed Hasan to use two of Islam’s email addresses when Hasan fraudulently changed the voter registration addresses for six individuals. Islam also permitted Hasan to use two of Islam’s email addresses when requesting mail-in ballots for five non-Millbourne residents.
In total, the defendants conspired to falsely register nearly three dozen non-Millbourne residents as Millbourne voters and cast ballots for those non-Millbourne residents in the 2021 general election for mayor of Millbourne Borough. Hasan went on to lose the election by a vote of approximately 165 to 138.
“Protecting the integrity of our elections is crucial to ensuring a fair result, as well as the public’s continued trust in the process,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “That’s why these cases are a priority for my office and the FBI. Election fraud will not be tolerated in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.”
“Trust in the electoral process is the cornerstone of our democracy. When public officials betray that trust through fraud, they don’t just break the law — they erode confidence in the very institutions that uphold our system,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI is proud to stand with our partners in safeguarding the integrity of elections at every level of government.”
“This investigation exposed public officials who forgot that their role in a democracy is limited to accepting the voters’ choice. I applaud the hard work and partnership of the United States Attorney’s Office, the FBI and my Special Investigations Unit led by Deputy DA Doug Rhoads. This investigation serves as a reminder that my Office remains committed to election integrity, ensuring that everyone’s vote is counted equally,” said Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on June 18 and face maximum possible sentences of five years in prison for each of the charges to which they have pleaded guilty.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark B. Dubnoff.
Two Fiji Nationals Sentenced to Prison for Carrying Out Multi-Million Dollar Real Estate Short Sale FraudRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jyoteshna Karan, 52, and Praveen Singh, 45, both of Modesto, were sentenced for leading a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Karan received three years and four months in prison, and Singh received two years.
According to court records, from 2006 through 2015, Karan and Singh conspired to make straw purchases and short sales of approximately 15 homes from Modesto to Sacramento. A straw purchase is where one person buys a home on behalf of another person to get around certain restrictions. Straw purchases are generally illegal in the real estate industry because they compromise lenders’ risk management practices. A short sale is where a homeowner sells their home for less than the amount they owe on their mortgage, with lender approval, to avoid foreclosure. Short sales must generally be arm’s length transactions in the real estate industry because that helps protect buyers and sellers from undervaluation, overpayment, and bias.
After Karan and Singh acquired the homes, they allowed them to go into foreclosure and arranged for short sales with the lenders. They then quickly resold, or flipped, the homes to other people at market rates and therefore reaped significant profits. In doing so, they caused the lenders to suffer over $3,000,000 in losses.
Karan and Singh were experienced real estate professionals who used unwitting participants, fabricated documents, and shell companies to carry out their fraud. For example, they used Singh’s mother as one of the straw purchasers, fabricated documents to make it appear as though the straw purchasers worked for their shell companies making six figure salaries, and fabricated documents to make it appear as though the transactions were arm’s length. This was all done to convince the lenders to go through with the deals.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI, FDIC OIG, and the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.
Three arrested after 182-kilogram cocaine seizureRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Three people have been charged after authorities seized a large amount of cocaine over the weekend destined for the Houston area and northern states, announced U.S. Attorney Nicolas J. Ganjei.
Pablo Luis Fuentes-Rivas, 40, Baytown, Efren Pinales-Hernandez, 51, Weslaco, and Daniel Teniente-Marfileno, 39, an illegal alien residing in Houston, made their appearances in Houston and will be transferred to Brownsville for further criminal proceedings.
The charges allege that on the early morning hours of March 29, law enforcement observed the three men at a truck lot in Baytown offloading a large amount of narcotics from a semi-tractor trailer onto a vehicle.
As Teniente-Marfileno drove off with the cocaine bundles, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and seized the cocaine, according to the charges. Authorities then immediately arrested Fuentes-Rivas and Pinales-Hernandez as they attempted to leave the truck lot.
The seized narcotics had total weight of 182.25 kilograms and an estimated street value of nearly $2.3 million.
All are charged in a criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to do so. If convicted, each face up to life in prison as well as a possible $10 million fine.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety, Houston Police Department, Cameron County Sheriff’s Office, and the Baytown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Tampa Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl and Cocaine Causing an Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Brandon Lewis Graham (43, Brandon) has pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and cocaine resulting in the death of a victim. Graham faces a minimum penalty of 20 years, and up life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, on March 31, 2022, law enforcement responded to a home in Tampa involving a deceased individual. During the investigation, law enforcement retrieved a clear plastic baggie from the victim that contained fentanyl, cocaine, and ethanol. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the victim’s cause of death was intoxication by the combined effects of fentanyl, cocaine, and ethanol.
A witness stated to law enforcement that the victim had purchased the narcotics from Graham on March 30, 2022, at a gas station in Riverview. The victim had fallen asleep and in the morning was unresponsive. Emergency personnel arrived at the residence, but the victim was deceased when they arrived.
Law enforcement retrieved video surveillance information from the gas station that showed the victim arriving and meeting with Graham. As a result, law enforcement obtained Graham’s vehicle information and registration. Additionally, the victim’s cellphone was recovered, it contained information identifying Graham via a telephone number that was registered to him.
This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
Standoff with pipe bomb and firearm lands felon in prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing unregistered pipe bombs, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for 90 minutes following a three-day trial before finding Robert Spencer guilty Nov. 6, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Spencer to serve a total 180-month-term of imprisonment to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional information about the firearm Spencer possessed, being the firearm used in a murder that occurred earlier the same day.
On Aug. 3, 2022, authorities were investigating a call about shots fired in the area of Nueces and Van Loan Avenue in Corpus Christi. At the sight of law enforcement, Spencer fled into his nearby home, sparking an hour-long standoff. He appeared to be armed. During that time, Spencer yelled at law enforcement to leave the area. Authorities also heard two gunshots. Ultimately, they arrested him after he exited his home, but he did not have a firearm.
Authorities obtained a search warrant for Spencer’s residence and discovered a rifle just outside the home as well as six pipe bombs, three firearms and boxes of ammunition in the attic. He admitted he personally assembled the pipe bombs.
As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.
Testing confirmed the pipe bombs were destructive devices as the law defines. The pipe bombs were not properly registered to Spencer in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
The defense tried to convince the jury he didn’t know of the firearms in his attic, and that the pipe bombs were not effective enough to be considered explosive devices. They did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
“The standoff in this case was fortunately resolved peacefully. Nevertheless, this defendant needlessly created a dangerous situation for himself, the police, and the community at large,” said Ganjei. “I would like to thank the jury for their attention and service in this case.”
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Corpus Christi Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Overman and Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.
St. Louis Man Admits Possession of Drugs, Machine GunRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri on Tuesday admitted being caught with a fully automatic pistol, fentanyl and cocaine base after a police chase.
Mario Mitchell, 22, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.
On Oct. 16, 2023, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers spotted a silver Nissan Sentra violate the stop sign at Euclid Avenue and East Lee Avenue in the Penrose neighborhood of St. Louis. Mitchell sped off when officers activated their lights and siren. After officers used spike strips to disable the Sentra, Mitchell got out and ran, discarding a Glock 10mm fully automatic pistol with an extended magazine. When officers caught and arrested Mitchell, he had a bag holding 40 multi-colored capsules containing fentanyl and a bag with several off-white chunks of cocaine base totaling 2.97 grams, he admitted as part of his plea agreement. The pistol was equipped with a conversion device, or “switch,” making it a machine gun under federal law.
Mitchell is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10. Each charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Lake is prosecuting 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.
St. Louis Man Admits Armed Robbery of StoreRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon from St. Louis on Tuesday admitted robbing a store with a shotgun in 2023.
Divontay Scott, 34, pleaded guilty to three felony counts: robbery, possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Scott admitted entering the Family Dollar store on South Grand Boulevard in St. Louis on Oct. 17, 2023, armed with a shotgun. Scott ordered an employee to open the cash register and stole about $114. Although Scott’s face was partially covered, witnesses recognized him as a regular customer. He was also caught on video during a visit to the store earlier that day. A witness spotted him that evening at a nearby business and called police. Scott had texted his paramour his plans to rob the store, as well as a picture of the money that he took, his plea agreement says.
Scott is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8. Both the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Scott’s lawyer have agreed to recommend a sentence of 11 years in prison.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Lake is prosecuting 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.
Slidell Man Guilty of Machine Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
Correction: The captain of the vessel, TRAN, was subsequently interviewed by agents from the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on March 27, 2025, CUONG QUOC TRAN (“TRAN”), age 39, of Slidell, La, pleaded guilty to possession of a machine gun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o). Sentencing is set for July 17, 2025.
According to documents filed in court, on January 5, 2022, the Coast Guard Cutter Tiger Shark intercepted a fishing vessel named the “Lucky Jean” approximately four nautical miles south of Southwest Pass within the Eastern District of Louisiana. During the safety search, Coast Guard personnel found multiple rifles capable of fully automatic fire. The captain of the vessel, TRAN, was subsequently interviewed by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. TRAN admitted to possessing seven weapons found on the vessel which he had converted into weapons capable of being fully automatic, in other words, a machine gun. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives subsequently tested the weapons, and found them to be fully automatic.
TRAN faces up to 10 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, a period of up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit.
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.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Meth ConvictionsRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on March 28, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Blake Putnam, 39, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on December 3, 2024, to one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from January 2021 through March 2024, Putnam and others conspired to distribute 4500 grams (nearly 10 pounds) of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area. On February 5, 2024, law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle Putnam was driving. Putnam attempted to elude law enforcement at high speeds and was apprehended when his vehicle blew a tire and stopped after hitting a curb. During the eluding attempt, Putnam was observed by a concerned citizen throwing packages out of his vehicle attempting to discard drug evidence. In the area identified, agents located and seized nearly one pound of methamphetamine in two packages. Agents also seized an eight-ball of methamphetamine, and 50 Adderall pills from defendant’s person. On March 5, 2024, after obtaining a search warrant, law enforcement seized approximately one pound of meth in one bag and about one ounce of meth in another bag from a backpack in a rental storage unit leased by Putnam in Sioux City, Iowa. Putnam brought this backpack to the storage unit on or about March 5, 2024, as evidenced by video recordings at the storage unit business.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Putnam was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment and must serve a five-year term of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Putnam remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, with assistance of Iowa State Patrol.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4009.
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Sigal Chattah Appointed Interim United States Attorney for the District of NevadaRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Sigal Chattah was sworn in today as Interim United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.
As Interim United States Attorney, Ms. Chattah supervises all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving federal interests in the District of Nevada. She leads a dedicated team of over 100 prosecutors and support professionals with offices located in Las Vegas and Reno.
Prior to joining the United States Department of Justice, Ms. Chattah opened her own law practice Chattah Law Group in Las Vegas. From 2005 to 2009, Ms. Chattah taught Political Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
Ms. Chattah received her J.D. from Widener University School of Law in Pennsylvania, and her B.S. in Political Science from UNLV.
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