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7 May 2025
Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Daemien Thompson, 39, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Thompson admitted to conspiring with other individuals to obtain methamphetamine and distribute it within the Southern District of West Virginia from on or about November 27, 2022, until on or about December 6, 2023.
On November 27, 2022, Thompson and a co-conspirator sold 446 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $2,600. Thompson admitted to the transaction and further admitted that his co-conspirators sold methamphetamine to the same confidential informant on other occasions, usually in quantities of 1 pound or more, at various locations including an Oak Hill trailer park. As part of his guilty plea, Thompson admitted to being involved in controlled buys of high-purity methamphetamine on December 5, 2022, December 14, 2022, and February 2, 2023, with a total amount of approximately 2.59 pounds of actual methamphetamine.
Thompson is scheduled to be sentenced on September 12, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
Thompson is among four individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging they participated in the drug trafficking conspiracy. All four pleaded guilty. Phillip Gray, 41, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty on April 17, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2025. Leondus Whittenburg, 43, of Beckley, pleaded guilty on March 3, 2025, to distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 3, 2025. John Gray, 39, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty on September 24, 2024, to distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine and awaits sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the Central Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and Brian D. Parsons and former Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Andrew D. Isabell have 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. 5:24-cr-31.
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Farmington Resident Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Minor as Part of DOJ/FBI Operation Restore JusticeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Farmington, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Nathan Fike, 40, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the Court, on or about October 4, 2023, Fike distributed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. The government further alleges that, on or about February 9, 2024, Fike knowingly possessed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. The Indictment occurred in connection with Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated, nationwide enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators that, as announced today by the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders over a five-day period. The coordinated effort was executed by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorneys’ Offices around the country (read the Operation Restore Justice news release here).
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney DeMarr W. Moulton is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
East Pittsburgh Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Minor ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge related to the sexual exploitation of minors and admitted to violating the conditions of supervised release from a previous conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Richard Snyder, 54, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Robert J. Colville.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from on or about July 15, 2023, until August 3, 2023, Snyder knowingly possessed and accessed with intent to view on social media visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, the Court was advised that Snyder violated the conditions of his supervised release (imposed in 2012 upon a conviction for receipt of child pornography) by committing the instant offense.
Judge Colville scheduled sentencing for September 10, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, Snyder remains detained.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations-Pittsburgh conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Snyder.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Eagle River man sentenced for trafficking firearms from Alaska to California criminalsRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Eagle River man was sentenced yesterday to two and a half years in prison and is required to serve three years on supervised release and 120 hours of community service for legally purchasing firearms in Alaska and trafficking them to Sacramento, California, where they ended up in the hands of gang members and felons.
According to court documents, between February 2021 and April 2022, Cornelius Smith, 34, purchased 28 firearms from private parties and federally licensed firearms dealers (FFLs) in Alaska.
For any purchase from an FFL, federal law requires the purchaser fill out a Form 4473 generated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This form explains what it means to be the “actual transferee/buyer” of a firearm.
In June 2021 alone, Smith purchased 17 firearms from FFLs in Alaska. Each time, Smith affirmed he was the actual transferee/buyer, meaning he was not purchasing the firearms on someone else’s behalf.
Smith then travelled to Sacramento, declaring that he was carrying “shooting equipment.” Ten days later, one of the firearms Smith purchased in June was recovered near Sacramento. In total, 14 of the 28 firearms Smith purchased have been recovered in California, nearly all during criminal investigations in the Sacramento area, including investigations of attempted homicides, robberies and gang-affiliated shootings. Many of the recovered firearms were modified with large capacity magazines and/or automatic firing capabilities. The remaining 14 have yet to be located.
During the conduct period, Smith received around $9,000 total in payments from various Sacramento-based family members and associates. The payments often corresponded to the price Smith paid for the firearms.
In April 2022, law enforcement searched Smith’s home in Alaska and located dozens of empty gun boxes with serial numbers correlating to the firearms Smith purchased in 2021, but none of those firearms were located in Smith’s home.
Smith was indicted on Feb. 23, 2024, and convicted on Nov. 1, 2024, on 11 of 12 counts of firearms trafficking following a five-day trial by jury in Anchorage.
“Mr. Smith deliberately purchased firearms in Alaska for the sole purpose of illegally trafficking them to prohibited individuals in California, and those firearms directly contributed to gun and gang violence in and around the Sacramento area,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “Let this conviction and sentence highlight that the straw purchase of firearms in Alaska - especially for the purpose of supplying the firearms to violent criminals - will be prosecuted. I want to thank the ATF and our law enforcement partners in California for their work on investigating this complex case.”
“This investigation exemplifies ATF’s commitment to aggressively pursue and disrupt the flow of firearms to criminals. To date, 14 of the 28 firearms trafficked by Mr. Smith have been recovered in violent crimes ranging from attempted murder, armed robbery, and gang-related retaliatory shootings, with many in the possession of federally prohibited persons at the time of recovery. Sadly, Mr. Smith’s reckless actions may be felt for years to come as many of the firearms he trafficked have yet to be recovered,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “His callous disregard for laws and lack of moral conduct earned him this sentence. This should send a message that if you traffic in firearms, you will be investigated, caught, and charged.”
The ATF Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the California Highway Patrol, Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, Sacramento Police Department, San Francisco Police Department, Folsom Police Department, Pittsburg Police Department, Daly City Police Department, Vacaville Police Department and Citrus Heights Police Department, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ainsley McNerney and Jennifer Ivers prosecuted the case.
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Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Yonelin Manuel Baez Soto, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Aug. 6, 2025. Baez Soto was indicted by a federal Grand Jury in March 2025.
In November 2020, Baez Soto was removed from the United States after being convicted of a felony narcotics offense in Essex Superior Court, as well as multiple counts of misuse of a Social Security number and aggravated identity theft in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Sometime after his November 2020 removal, Baez Soto illegally reentered the United States without permission.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Cutshall of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national, residing in Dorchester, pleaded guilty on May 1, 2025, in federal court in Boston to illegal reentry charges.
Axel Aguasvivas-Martinez, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Allison Burroughs scheduled sentencing for June 3, 2025.
In March 2024, Aguasvivas-Martinez was previously charged by criminal complaint with unlawful reentry of a deported alien and was indicted on April 17, 2025. The offense occurred on or about Nov. 23, 2021. Aguasvivas-Martinez was previously removed to the Dominican Republic on Jan. 5, 2016.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland, sitting by designation from the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota, has sentenced Jamal Dixon (23, Ruskin) to nine years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Dixon pleaded guilty on December 10, 2024. The court also ordered Dixon to forfeit the firearm.
According to court documents, on April 4, 2024, deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office conducted surveillance at a location in Tampa to locate and arrest Dixon on an outstanding warrant. Dixon exited a residence, placed a backpack in a vehicle, then ran from deputies when they approached the vehicle. While fleeing, Dixon dropped a Glock pistol with an extended magazine. After finding Dixon hiding underneath another vehicle parked in a nearby driveway, deputies retrieved and searched the backpack and found over 450 grams of marijuana, digital scales, and a large quantity of plastic baggies. The pistol had been reported stolen and the magazine recovered from the firearm had the capacity to store up to 22 rounds of ammunition.
Dixon, having previously been convicted of felony offenses for discharging a firearm in public and for possession of controlled substances with intent to sell or deliver, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.
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.
Charlotte Man Sentenced to Prison for Mail Theft and Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Montavius Hancock, 29, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States (mail theft and unlawful possession of a USPS arrow key) and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Hancock pleaded guilty to these offenses on August 21, 2024.
Rodney Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees North Carolina, Jeff Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General (USPS-OIG) for the Mid-Atlantic Area Field Office (MAAFO), which overseas Charlotte, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, on January 13, 2024, Hancock was observed stealing U.S. mail from a business park in Charlotte using an “arrow key,” which is a master key used by the U.S. Postal Service. CMPD officers responded to the scene and attempted to stop Hancock’s vehicle as he fled the area. After Hancock was taken into custody, CMPD officers searched his vehicle where they recovered stolen mail from several locations around Charlotte. The face value of the checks contained within the stolen mail was over $400,000.
Hancock was also sentenced today for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after he was charged under a separate criminal indictment. Court records show that on December 22, 2023, CMPD officers arrested Hancock for possessing a Smith and Wesson, model M&P Shield EZ, 9 mm pistol with an obliterated serial number. Hancock has previous felony convictions, including assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the USPIS, USPS-OIG and CMPD for their investigation and recognized the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for its invaluable assistance with the firearm investigation.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Kinlaw with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.
To report suspected mail theft, and other mail-related crimes, tips, or incidents go to https://mailtheft.uspis.gov/ or call USPIS at 1-877-876-2455. Call 911 to report an active crime in progress.
Charleston Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Crime and Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tyrece Ramone Phillips, 39, of Charleston, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and for violating supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 3, 2024, law enforcement officers intercepted a United States Postal Service package addressed to Phillips’ Charleston residence. Investigators obtained and executed a search warrant for the package, and found it continued approximately 538 grams of a substance containing fentanyl.
Investigators removed the fentanyl substance from the seized package and replaced it with a sham substance. Investigators conducted a controlled delivery of the package to Phillips’ residence on October 4, 2024. The package remained unopened on the front porch of the residence until Phillips arrived later that day. Phillips took the package inside his residence and immediately began to open the package. Investigators executed a search warrant at the residence and found Phillips with the sham substance from the package in his hands in an upstairs bathroom. Investigators also found a scale with residue in the residence during the search. Three teenage children, who also lived at the residence, were present in the house when Phillips was handling the package.
At the time of this offense, Phillips was serving a term of supervised release resulting from his conviction on March 20, 2019, for distribution of a quantity of acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl. Phillips was sentenced to two years in prison for committing a crime while on supervised release, to run concurrently with today’s sentence of 12 years in prison.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney J. Parker Bazzle II 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. 2:24-cr-177.
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Calloway County Kentucky Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison and Ordered to Pay $1,470,000 in Restitution for Defrauding EmployerRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Calloway County, Kentucky woman was sentenced this week to 2 years and 1 month in federal prison for six counts of wire fraud.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
Amanda S. Robertson, 34, was sentenced to 2 years and 1 month in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for six counts of wire fraud. According to court documents, between May 2020 and May 2023, Robertson was employed as a bookkeeper for a construction company in western Kentucky. She embezzled over $1,000,000 from her employer. She used the stolen money to finance the operations of several businesses that she owned and to pay personal expenses.
Robertson was also ordered to pay $1,470,000 in restitution.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI Hopkinsville Satellite Office and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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California Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California man pleaded guilty on May 5, 2025 in federal court in Boston to additional charges involving the transportation of surreptitiously recorded videos of minors.
Jacob Guerrero,27, of Woodland, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of transporting child pornography arising from conduct occurring in the Summer of 2019 in New Jersey. U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for July 23, 2025.
In July 2019, on a trip with his then girlfriend’s family in New Jersey, Guerrero surreptitiously filmed minor members of his girlfriend’s family, including “Minor B,” who was then eight years old. Minor B was recorded unclothed in the shower in two videos found on Guerrero’s phone.
This case arose following an investigation into allegations that Guerrero, while dressed in a wig and women’s clothing, attempted to surreptitiously record minor females in bathrooms and changing rooms at the Wrentham Outlets in Massachusetts using pen cameras affixed to his shoes. State charges arising from that incident were dismissed when Guerrero was charged in U.S. District Court.
Guerrero was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint with sexually exploiting a Massachusetts child in the Spring of 2021. In August 2024 Guerrero pleaded guilty to that offense.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
Pursuant to the plea agreements in both matters, Guerrero faces a sentence of 15 to 20 years in prison. The charge of transporting child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division: and Wrentham Police Chief William McGrath made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady, Deputy Chief of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Cabell County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Henry Rogers, 65 of Barboursville, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 17, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Rogers on U.S. Route 19 in the Birch River area of Nicholas County. As part of his guilty plea, Rogers admitted that he possessed a controlled substance containing methamphetamine seized by officers during the traffic stop. Rogers further admitted that officers executed a search warrant of his vehicle following that seizure and found an additional quantity of methamphetamine and a .380-caliber pistol in the trunk.
Rogers is scheduled to be sentenced on August 21, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-80.
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Brooke County Man Sentenced to Decade in Prison for Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Harry Fred Wells, age 54, of Follansbee, West Virginia, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wells came to the attention of investigators after he pursued inappropriate communications with a minor through social media. During the investigation, a search of Wells' home and phone revealed that Wells possessed child pornography depicting children under the age of 12.
Wells will serve 10 years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
The Department of Homeland Security investigated the matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Conklin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
6 May 2025
Union County Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for $900,000 COVID-19 Relief Program FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey man was sentenced to 24 months in prison for his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Joseph McKeon a/k/a “Jay McKeon,” 54, of Westfield, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty on November 19, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Judge Neals imposed the sentence in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From February 2021 through February 2022, McKeon submitted fraudulent PPP loan and forgiveness applications for $900,000 on behalf of a New Jersey company he owned. In support of those applications, McKeon lied about the number of employees the business employed and the income the employees earned. McKeon also submitted forged documents, including fake payroll information, bank statements, tax return documents. After the victim lender funded the loan, McKeon withdrew a significant amount of the loan proceeds as cash and made several large transfers between bank accounts, including one transfer for $315,503.75, that was sent to an Indiana title company.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Neals sentenced McKeon to 2 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $900,000 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connely; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation that led to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Bleiberg of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Defense Counsel: Joshua Nahum, Esq., of New Jersey
U.S. Attorney Announces Amanda Houle as Chief of SDNY Criminal DivisionRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, today announced Amanda Houle as Chief of the Office’s Criminal Division.
Ms. Houle returns to the Office from the law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, where she was a partner. From 2015 to 2023, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York and served, from 2020 to 2021, as Chief of the Narcotics Unit, and from 2021 to 2023, as Chief of the National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Amanda has also served in public service as a law clerk to the Honorable Denny Chin in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and to the Honorable Cathy Seibel in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Amanda received her B.A. from Barnard College and her J.D. from Fordham University.
In announcing this selection, Jay Clayton said: “I’m thrilled to announce Amanda as Chief of the Criminal Division, and the Office is thrilled to have her return. During her prior tenure at SDNY, Amanda distinguished herself as an exceptional trial lawyer, a standout case maker, and a devoted colleague and public servant. She led some of the Office’s most significant cases against terrorists, cartel leaders and their money launderers, sex traffickers, violent gang members, and those seeking to evade economic sanctions critical to protecting our national security. Throughout her time in Government service and private practice, Amanda has been known to all as a dynamic and strategic advocate, a consummate professional, and a steady hand. Amanda’s talents are matched by her love of the Office and deep commitment to the mission of protecting the public with our law enforcement partners. She will make an outstanding leader of the Criminal Division, and we are grateful to have her return to serve.”
Two Indian Nationals Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking More Than 100 Pounds of CocaineRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – Gurpinder Singh, 30, and Gursharn Singh, 25, both citizens of India, have each been sentenced to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Knepp. Both defendants pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
According to court documents, on Oct. 3, 2023, a U.S. Border Patrol agent and Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers observed a semi-tractor trailer truck parked for an unusually extended amount of time at a travel plaza in Wood County off Interstate 280. Upon the verification of the truck’s displayed U.S. Department of Transportation numbers, they learned that one of the numbers had a previous association with drug trafficking and was therefore not authorized to haul interstate commerce. Officers then began to conduct surveillance on the truck. The following day, the truck was observed being relocated to a second travel plaza also located along Interstate 280, where it again remained parked for an extended period of time. Because authorities observed the truck being stationary for a total of over 24 hours at two different travel plazas, they proceeded to contact the DEA Toledo Field Office for assistance. Agents then had a consensual encounter with the two defendants associated with the truck. During the encounter, Gurpinder Singh denied being parked at the previous location where the truck was observed the day before.
A border patrol agent then deployed a K-9 partner near the defendants’ truck. The K-9 conducted an exterior sniff of the vehicle and alerted to the presence of narcotics on the passenger side of the truck. Officers then conducted a probable cause search of the truck and found several duffel bags with kilogram-sized packages of suspected cocaine. Two of the packages yielded a positive field test result for cocaine. The remaining substances were submitted to the DEA crime laboratory for analysis. Lab tests conducted on the substances yielded a net result of 49.9 kilograms of powder cocaine.
Upon further investigation, federal agents discovered that the defendants lacked legal status in the United States. They will be subject to removal from the United States upon the completion of their sentences.
This case was investigated by the DEA Task Force of Toledo Field Office in partnership with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and the U.S. Border Patrol Sandusky Bay Station.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank H. Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio.
Trenton Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Possessing Ammunition in Connection with a ShootingRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County man was sentenced to 84 months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition in connection with a Trenton shooting, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Rashon Lawery, 27, of Trenton, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court to an Indictment charging him with unlawful possession of twenty-six rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On May 23, 2022, members of the Trenton Police Department responded to a report of a shooting. Three individuals were shot, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries, and law enforcement recovered six 9-millimeter shell casings at the scene. During a foot pursuit through a Trenton park, which eventually lead to his arrest, Lawery discarded a 9-millimeter unserialized semiautomatic pistol (a ghost gun) with a high-capacity 32-round magazine, which was loaded with twenty rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition. The six recovered shell casings from the shooting scene were later confirmed by a ballistics laboratory to have been discharged from Lawery’s gun.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Castner sentenced Lawery to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alina Habba credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, Trenton Satellite Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr., officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Steve E. Wilson, and detectives and prosecutors of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey, for their work on this case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Andrea G. Aldana, Esq., Trenton
Three CBP Officers Indicted for Allowing Undocumented Individuals to Enter the U.S. Through Their Inspection Lanes; Two Accused of Taking BribesRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Farlis Almonte, Ricardo Rodriguez and Kairy Stephania Quiñonez are charged in an indictment with allowing vehicles with undocumented individuals to pass through their lanes into the U.S. without inspection while working at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
The indictment alleges that Almonte, Rodriguez, and Quiñonez revealed their lane assignments and hours they were scheduled to work the primary inspection booths at the San Ysidro Port of Entry so that co-conspirators would know when it was safe to transport undocumented individuals across the border with impunity - sometimes using code words to gain admittance.
According to the indictment, the defendants falsely reported in the Transportation Enforcement Communications System – a database known as “TECS” that is used by CBP officers - the number of occupants in co-conspirators’ vehicles to conceal the fact that those vehicles contained undocumented individuals.
Almonte and Rodriguez are also charged with receipt of bribes by a public official. The indictment alleges that in exchange for money, they failed to enforce the immigration laws of the United States by allowing vehicles with undocumented immigrants to enter the United States.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco Nagel and Bianca Calderon-Peñaloza.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25-CR-1502
Farlis Almonte Age: 38 San Diego, California
Ricardo Rodriguez Age: 34 Tijuana, Mexico
Kairy Stephania Quiñonez Age: 31 Imperial Beach, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGE
Conspiracy to Bring in Aliens for Financial Gain – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371 and Title 8, U.S.C. Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii)
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison
Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain, Aiding and Abetting - Title 8, U.S.C. Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii) and Title 18, U.S.C. Section 2
Maximum Penalty: Fifteen years in prison with a five-year mandatory minimum
Receipt of Bribes by Public Official - Title 18, U.S.C., Section 201(b)(2)(C)
Maximum Penalty: Fifteen years in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations
United States Border Patrol
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Tampa Man Sentenced to over 17 Years in Prison for Possessing A Firearm and Committing Armed Robbery While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Jutaurio Preshae Clemons (39, Tampa) to 17 years and 4 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and for violating supervised release. The court also ordered Clemons to forfeit a Glock model 30, 45 Auto semi-automatic pistol and assorted ammunition. Clemons pleaded guilty to the felon in possession charge on October 15, 2024, and, following a hearing on April 29, 2025, the court found Clemons in violation of his supervised release.
According to court documents and evidence presented at the violation hearing, Clemons was sentenced to federal prison in 2009 for conspiracy to possess five kilograms or more of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. After he served his prison sentence, and while he was on federal supervised release, the State of Florida issued an arrest warrant for Clemons for an attempted murder and robbery alleged to have occurred on August 14, 2022. When a United States Marshals Service fugitive task force found Clemons to arrest him on August 29, 2022, he was carrying a firearm inside a holster. The firearm, a Glock semi-automatic pistol, was loaded with four rounds of ammunition.
Evidence presented during the violation of supervised release hearing proved that on August 14, 2022, Clemons, while brandishing a firearm, sneaked up on a man as he was about to enter the front door of his residence and shot him eight times. Clemons then dragged the victim from the front of his residence, took his cellphone, and fled the scene. The victim, who had gunshot wounds to his left hand, left arm, right clavicle, right ear, chest, and upper torso, survived but required several surgeries to repair the gunshot wounds and a broken arm. The shooting was captured on home security cameras, and the victim identified Clemons as the shooter.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, the Temple Terrace Police Department, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Guzman and Michael Sinacore.
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.
Summerfield Man Pleads Guilty to Ponzi Scheme and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Winston-Salem, NC – William Lamar Rhew, III of Summerfield pled guilty today, May 6, 2025, to wire fraud, money laundering, securities fraud, tax evasion, and failure to file tax return in connection with a $20 million Ponzi scheme, announced Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon.
According to court documents, from November 2017 to December 2023, Rhew defrauded at least 117 investors of at least $24 million. He induced victims to invest with his company Chadley Capital, LLC which would allegedly buy accounts receivable at a discount, sell them for a profit, and provide consistently high rates of return on investment. Rhew touted the company’s increasing deal flow and underwriting standards and, in offering materials, claimed $300 million in transactions in 2023, consistent returns in excess of 20% per year, and nearly 74% total growth over 24 months. All of Rhew’s representations were false. Instead of investing victims’ funds as promised, Rhew used their money to pay his personal expenses including the purchases of a boat, a beach house, and luxury cars, and to make “interest” and “withdrawal” payments to other victim-investors as part of the Ponzi scheme. In addition, for Tax Years 2018 through 2022, Rhew willfully failed to report nearly $9 million in income to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). As part of the plea agreement, Rhew has agreed to pay restitution to the victims in the amount of $14,868,815.67 and to the IRS in the amount of $3,056,936.
Sentencing is scheduled to take place on August 22, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, before United States District Judge Thomas D. Schroeder. At sentencing, Rhew faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to three years, and monetary penalties.
“Sadly, we see an abundance of investment fraud schemes in which perpetrators exploit people who know and trust them,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Galyon. “We are committed to pursuing justice for victims in these cases but encourage the public to beware of any investment opportunity that sounds too good to be true, no matter who is promoting it.”
“Today’s guilty plea represents the dedication of our agency in ensuring the actions of one individual are not at the expense of others,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “In this case, the defendant not only victimized his investors, but he also defrauded American taxpayers by concealing his income from the IRS and evading his tax liability. IRS Criminal Investigation’s special agents will continue to use their financial expertise to find and investigate these types of investor fraud schemes alongside our law enforcement partners.”
“It’s unlikely fraudsters will be up front and admit they’re taking your money and pumping it into a Ponzi scheme. But there are warning signs: investors should be wary anytime you’re guaranteed high returns with little or no risk,” said FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt. “Hopefully, the defendant’s acceptance of responsibility will offer some comfort and closure to the victims.”
“This guilty plea marks another significant victory in the pursuit of justice for the citizens of North Carolina,” said the Director of the NC SBI. “The victims in this case are hardworking men and women, many of whom are small business owners. The Financial Crimes Investigations Unit of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation will continue to work diligently to combat fraud against the citizens of our great state. The SBI would like to thank the IRS and FBI for their efforts in ensuring justice for the victims involved in this case.”
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Jeanne Dildine.###
St. Louis Felon Who Fatally Shot Man Sentenced to 9 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a St. Louis man who shot an acquaintance in 2023 to nine years in prison.
Clayton Pierce Davis, 39, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in November to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
On July 4, 2023, Davis was celebrating with others in St. Louis. After a Fourth of July event, the group went to a shop on the corner of Gravois Avenue and Chippewa Street in south St. Louis. An argument started and Davis fired 12 shots from a handgun, fatally shooting a man and wounding his girlfriend. At least one of the victims was armed and the woman fired one shot.
Davis is a felon and is thus barred from possessing firearms. He has prior convictions for robbery, riot in a penal institution, dog fighting, stealing and assault.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torrie Schneider prosecuted the case.St. Louis County Woman Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography Involving ToddlerRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Tuesday sentenced a woman from St. Louis County, Missouri to 25 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse material involving a two-year-old.
Judge Sippel also ordered Raven Ainesis Pointer, 27, to pay $15,000 in restitution. After her release from prison, Pointer will be on supervised release for life.
Pointer pleaded guilty in October in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of production of child pornography. Pointer admitted coercing the victim in 2022 into engaging in sexual conduct and using her phone to produce videos containing child sexual abuse material.
On six occasions, Pointer recorded the sexual abuse of the toddler and shared it with others for their “perverse sexual” entertainment, a sentencing memo filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Becker says. In jail, Pointer continued to try and contact the child and berated the child’s father for seeking restitution, the memo says.
“The production and sharing of child sexual abuse material is an appalling betrayal of human decency. This defendant targeted an innocent toddler – someone who should have been protected, not exploited – and did so for her own twisted purposes and the gratification of others who feed on this sickness. Crimes like this are not only horrific, but they are also unforgivable,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito. “We will use every tool we have to find predators like this, to stop them, and make sure they spend as many years as possible behind bars. There is zero tolerance for those who harm children.”
The investigation began in August of 2023 in Montgomery, Alabama, where Homeland Security Investigations agents learned that a man who had been distributing child sexual abuse material had received videos involving a two-year-old victim from Pointer. Investigators then tracked down Pointer in St. Louis.
Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Louis County Police Department 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.
St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Drug Robbery, CarjackingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a convicted felon who used a machine gun to rob and a carjack the woman selling him drugs to 15 years in prison.
On April 25, 2024, Walter C. Moore, 20, arranged to buy $900 worth of the painkiller Oxycodone from the woman. The seller drove to Moore’s house and invited him to sit in her 2014 Mazda6 to complete the sale. Moore pulled out a handgun, grabbed the Oxycodone pills and ordered the seller out of the car, threatening to shoot her. Moore then sped away.
St. Louis County police located the car near the 1800 block of Chambers Road. Moore ran as police approached, discarding a Glock handgun equipped with a “switch,” or machinegun conversion device, rendering it a fully automatic weapon. It also had an extended magazine and a laser sight. Police quickly located and arrested Moore. Moore had pictures in his phone of himself holding multiple guns. As a convicted felon, he is barred from possessing firearms.
Moore pleaded guilty in February in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machine gun, robbery, carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone 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.
Springfield Man Convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Less Than 12 and Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a Minor in a Foreign PlaceRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was convicted on May 5th following a guilty plea to three counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Less Than 12 Years and a single count of Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a Minor in a Foreign Place. The defendant plead guilty to all four counts of a federal indictment on the first day of a jury trial after the conclusion of the first witness’s testimony.
John Michael Bradley, 65, was charged by indictment in December 2023 that involved Bradley’s criminal conduct occurring between 2005 and 2006 while he was an active-duty member of the United States Army in Honduras, and between 2007 and 2008 when he returned to Honduras multiple times as a civilian.
In his plea of guilty the defendant admitted that while he was stationed in Honduras in 2005, he met the minor victim. Over the course of the next three years, beginning when the minor victim was four years old, the defendant sexually abused the child on numerous occasions. The defendant admitted that after his active-duty tour in Honduras ended in 2006 he returned to Honduras from the United States with the intent to engage in sexual acts with the minor victim and did engage in sexual acts with the minor victim. The minor victim, now an adult, reported the crimes to U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Division in 2021. The defendant has a previous federal conviction in 2019 for possession of child pornography also in the Western District of Missouri.
Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of not less than 30 years and up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Luna and Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and U.S Army Criminal Investigations Division.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Shaktoolik man pleads guilty to cyberstalking, sexually exploiting a childRead the Press Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Shaktoolik man pleaded guilty today to cyberstalking and sexually exploiting a child to produce child pornography.
According to court documents, between December 2021 and July 2023, Matthew Jackson, 23, used a phone to send messages to three 15-year-old victims asking them to create and send him pictures and videos depicting sexually explicit conduct. All three victims sent the visuals Jackson requested.
During that same time period, Jackson also asked an adult victim for nude images. The adult victim sent Jackson nude images as requested. Jackson then began harassing and threating the adult victim via messaging platforms. Jackson alleged he could make money by selling the images, and that he would sell them if the adult victim refused to engage in sexual intercourse with him.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 22, 2025, and faces a between 15 years and life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek prosecuted the case.
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Sacramento Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for $38 Million Catalytic Converter Theft RingRead the Press Release
Tou Sue Vang, 33, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for his role in transporting thousands of stolen catalytic converters across state lines, laundering money, and other related crimes, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Tou Vang, along with his brother Andrew Vang and mother Monica Moua, purchased stolen catalytic converters from local thieves and sold them to a buyer in New Jersey for more than $38 million. Catalytic converter theft has become prevalent across the nation because of their value, relative ease to steal, and their lack of identifying markings. Thieves steal catalytic converters from vehicles on the street for the precious metals they contain, which may be more valuable per ounce than gold, and then sell them to buyers like T. Vang. The black-market price for certain catalytic converters from California can be more than $1,000 each.
This prosecution is part of a nationwide initiative that dismantled a catalytic converter theft conspiracy. In addition to the three California defendants, this case includes 12 New Jersey defendants, including brothers Navin Khanna and Tinu Khanna, who operated DG Auto and purchased the stolen catalytic converters from California for more than $38 million. Tou Vang and his family operated primarily from their private residences and storage units; and did not have a scrap yard or valid business license. Some of the shipments that Tou Vang made to DG Auto were over 1,000 pounds and contained a single type of high-value catalytic converter, such as the Toyota Prius. Tou Vang and his family used the funds they received from the Khanna brothers and withdrew cash from the bank accounts they controlled to purchase more stolen catalytic converters, thereby promoting the carrying on of the unlawful activity.
Tou Vang spent the proceeds of these stolen catalytic converters to fund his lavish lifestyle, including to purchase a five-acre multi-home complex in Rio Linda for $1.235 million in cash, over a dozen motor vehicles (including two Teslas and two Sea Doos), and an additional home in Sacramento. As part of T. Vang’s sentence, the United States forfeited more than $150,000 in U.S. currency, 13 motor vehicles, four personal watercraft, jewelry, and real estate, amongst other property.
“This defendant led a network of criminals that hurt thousands of innocent car owners,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “This case represents the kind of far-reaching investigation that federal, state, and local law enforcement partners can do when working together. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to continuing its law enforcement partnerships to disrupt criminal conspiracies like this one that target the American people.”
“Theft usually happens in the shadows, most often with the help of professional enablers such as Mr. Vang who facilitated the sale of stolen goods. The financial expertise of IRS Criminal Investigation Oakland Field Office agents has helped trace the assets and unraveled the truth behind these organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Nguyen. “Today’s sentencing is a true reflection of the collaborative commitment between all the local, state, and federal agencies who contributed to this outcome as our way to protect the people in the communities and bring justice to light.”
“This takedown is the first of its kind in the nation and a major step forward in dismantling a catalytic converter theft ring,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The group is tied to an estimated $38 million in losses, and this investigation shows the power of strong collaboration. I’d like to extend a special thanks to our law enforcement partners in Yolo and Sacramento counties who helped ensure our shared success.”
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the IRS Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, Sacramento Police Department, Davis Police Department, Auburn Police Department, Livermore Police Department, and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney César S. Rivera-Giraud of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Rex, Georgia Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Ala. – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced today that a Rex, Georgia man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms offenses. On May 6, 2025, a federal judge sentenced 40-year-old Johnques Wyndell Lupoe to 120 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, in late 2022, the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) received information about a suspicious individual near the grounds of one of their facilities in Barbour County during the early morning hours. When officers arrived to investigate, they discovered a duffle bag containing multiple items classified as prison contraband, including a substance later confirmed to be methamphetamine. No individuals were located in the immediate vicinity at the time.
Later that morning, law enforcement officers encountered a man matching the suspect’s description at a nearby location. The individual, identified as Johnques Lupoe, admitted to being on the prison property earlier. Officers also discovered a handgun in his possession. Due to a prior felony conviction, Lupoe is legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On January 30, 2025, Lupoe pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Alabama Department of Corrections (ALDOC) Law Enforcement Services Division, and the Barbour County, Alabama Sheriff’s Department investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Using Instagram to Prey on MinorsRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE— William Virgil Russell, II, 33, of Evansville, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of sexually explicit material involving minors.
According to court documents, on April 3, 2023, social media application, Instagram, reported that an account owned by William V. Russell had accessed at least one video suspected of containing child sexual abuse material. The video depicted an adult male attempting to rape a prepubescent minor female.
Working with Instagram to review the account, law enforcement investigators found additional child sexual abuse material, as well as posts by Russell soliciting underage videos that stated, "Looking for freaks with young kids or siblings that need $$” and "Looking for under l2 to buy from hit me up.”
On September 26, 2023, investigators searched Russell’s home in Evansville and recovered his cellphone. Further investigation uncovered 21 sexually explicit images involving minors, as well as numerous chat session transcripts in which Russell describes himself as a pedophile, says he prefers toddlers, and asks women to provide him with nude and sexually explicit images of their children. Russell often offered to pay for the images.
At the time of the offenses described above, Russell was a registered sex offender based on a felony conviction for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material in Warrick County, Indiana. Following his release, Russell must continue to remain registered as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school.
“Every parent should know that social media apps like Instagram are not safe spaces for young children and are often hunting grounds for predators who seek gratification from their exploitation,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I commend the investigators with FBI, Evansville PD, and the efforts of our AUSA for working together to ensure more vulnerable individuals are not victimized.”
The FBI and Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood
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Rapid City Man Sentenced to Time Served for False StatementRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of False Statement. The sentencing took place on April 25, 2025.
Marino Waters, age 32, was sentenced to time already served, five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Waters was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 17, 2025.
On the early morning of September 15, 2022, a male drove his partially clothed girlfriend to the Indian Health Services (IHS) hospital on the Pine Ridge Reservation and dropped her off at the Emergency Department. The male did not provide his identity nor the female’s identity. The male told medical personnel that a firearm went off while they were engaged in intimate relations and that she had been shot accidentally.
Law enforcement identified and located the male at his residence several hours later. The male was cleaning the crime scene and sent text messages to the female claiming the shooting was an accident. A search of the residence was conducted. Law enforcement was unable to locate the handgun that the male claimed was used in the shooting. The male was arrested and eventually charged with second degree murder, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. A digital surveillance system that recorded traffic to the male’s house was seized by law enforcement.
After reviewing the footage, law enforcement identified a vehicle that appeared at the male’s residence shortly after midnight and just before the female was brought to IHS. After several months, law enforcement was able to identify the driver of the vehicle as Marino Waters, and the passenger as Clayton Fire Thunder. The investigation revealed that Waters drove Fire Thunder to the male’s residence just east of Pine Ridge two times on the morning of September 15, 2022. Fire Thunder intended on selling a firearm to the male in exchange for cash and/or methamphetamine. The male did not answer the door when Fire Thunder knocked, and unexpectedly, Fire Thunder discharged one round from the firearm into the residence. The round ended up penetrating the siding, backboard, and drywall of the residence and struck and killed the male’s girlfriend, a 27- year-old female.
When Waters was interviewed by the FBI in March of 2023, he gave a false statement and said that neither he nor Fire Thunder had a firearm when the shooting occurred when he knew that Fire Thunder did in fact possess one at the time. Fire Thunder was tried for the death of the female in January 2025. The jury found Fire Thunder guilty of the shooting death of the 27-year-old female.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
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President of North Carolina-Based Entertainment Production Company Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An entertainment-production company president was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison for embezzling more than $400,000 from a television production and from defrauding investors in various other television productions.
David Ozer, 59, of Roslyn Heights, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr., who also ordered him to pay $399,344.52 in restitution.
Ozer, who is free on $25,000 bond, was charged in two separate federal criminal cases. He pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of wire fraud in the first case, then later pleaded guilty on January 28 to an additional wire fraud count in a separate case.
Ozer was the president of Strong Studios Inc., a production company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. He also was the producer of “Safehaven,” a supernatural thriller television series. From February 2023 to January 2024, Ozer defrauded Ravenwood-Productions LLC, the principal financial backer of “Safehaven” by misappropriating approximately $214,486 in production funds from bank accounts for the production.
To create the false appearance that the funds he embezzled were spent on legitimate production costs, Ozer created fraudulent accounting records, including falsified invoices, and forged a letter purportedly from his accountant. In fact, Ozer’s accountant did not write the letter, the contents of the letter were false, and Ozer used his accountant’s name without his accountant’s authorization.
Ozer provided these falsified documents to a lawyer for Strong Studios and caused him to transmit them in an email on January 3, 2024, to a lawyer for Ravenwood-Productions.
In a separate scheme, from March 2023 to June 2024, Ozer enticed two victims to loan him money in connection with a television series titled “Endangered.” In return, Ozer’s victims were promised executive producer credits. He also solicited funds from another victim in connection with drafting a script. Despite Ozer’s claims that the script development was in progress, the victim learned from the screenwriter that the script had not been written nor had the screenwriter been paid by Ozer. Instead, Ozer misappropriated the three victims’ funds, along with two others, for a total of approximately $207,100.
To create the false appearance that the misappropriated funds had been used for their intended purpose, Ozer created fraudulent documents, including falsified bank records, as well as forged correspondence from another producer.
“[Ozer] is an experienced businessman in the entertainment industry,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “He knew it was wrong to embezzle funds from his company’s principal financial backer, and he knew it was wrong to misappropriate funds from individual investors. [Ozer] did these things anyway.”
The FBI investigated these matters.
Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander B. Schwab of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Matt Coe-Odess of the General Crimes Section prosecuted these cases.
Possession of a Taurus Semiautomatic Pistol and a Glock 17 Nets Previously Convicted Felon 46 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Larnell Hutchinson, 25, a previously convicted felon from the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison in connection with possessing two pistols that he discarded as he led police on a foot chase in June 2024.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Hutchinson pleaded guilty on Feb. 3, 2025, to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 46-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Hutchinson to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on June 24, 2024, at 6:51 p.m., MPD officers from the Violent Crime Suppression Division’s Robbery Suppression Unit were driving southbound on the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE. The plain clothes officers, dressed in tactical vests that identified them as police, spotted Hutchinson standing at a bus stop. When Hutchinson noticed the police vehicles approach, he appeared startled, began walking away from the bus stop, and reached for his waistband.
Hutchinson ran toward the intersection of Minnesota Avenue and Dix Street, NE. Officers saw Hutchinson pull two firearms from his waistband and throw one of them into the intersection. Police apprehended Hutchinson on Dix Street. Following his arrest, police recovered a Taurus semi-automatic pistol, previously reported stolen, and loaded with 19 rounds of ammunition. Police also recovered a Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 12 rounds, that Hutchinson had dropped on the road.
Hutchinson has previous convictions for robbery while armed, attempt to commit robbery, and robbery.
This case was investigated by the MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Division’s Robbery Suppression Unit with assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
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Portland Sex Offender Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal Prison for Enticing a Minor Online and Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man was sentenced to federal prison Monday for using multiple social media applications to entice a young child to send him sexually explicit images of herself.
Shawn Alan Smith, 44, was sentenced to 288 months in federal prison and a life term of supervised release. Smith was also ordered to pay restitution to his victim.
According to court documents, between July 11 and September 15, 2020, Smith used multiple fake online social media personas, including several on KIK messenger and TikTok, to communicate with a nine-year-old child. While posing as a minor himself, Smith instructed the child victim to take sexually explicit photos of herself and send them to him, which she did. Smith also engaged in a video chat with the child while pretending to be the father of one of his fake online personas. At the time of the offense, Smith was a registered sex offender following prior state criminal convictions for child pornography offenses in Oregon and Maryland.
On March 9, 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at Smith’s Portland apartment. While the agents were attempting to gain entry to the apartment through a door he had barricaded, Smith threw his phone and computer out his bathroom window. Smith was arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint with production and attempted production of child pornography.
On January 21, 2025, Smith pleaded guilty to a two-count superseding information charging him with online enticement of a minor and receipt of child pornography.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It was prosecuted by Mira Chernick, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Porcupine Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter and False StatementRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Porcupine, South Dakota, man convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter and two counts of False Statement. The sentencing took place on April 25, 2025.
Clayton Fire Thunder, age 40, was sentenced to a total of eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $300 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
A federal grand jury indicted Fire Thunder in May 2024. He was found guilty following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota, in January of 2025.
On the early morning of September 15, 2022, a male drove his partially clothed girlfriend to Indian Health Services (IHS) hospital on the Pine Ridge Reservation and dropped her off at the Emergency Department. The male did not provide his identity nor the female’s identity. The male told medical personnel that a firearm went off while they were engaged in intimate relations and that she had been shot accidentally.
Law enforcement identified and located the male at his residence several hours later. The male was cleaning the crime scene and sent text messages to the female’s relative’s claiming the shooting was an accident. A search of the residence was conducted. Law enforcement was unable to locate the handgun that the male claimed was used in the shooting. The male was arrested and eventually charged with second degree murder, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. A digital surveillance system that recorded traffic to the male’s house was seized by law enforcement.
After reviewing the footage, law enforcement identified a vehicle that appeared at the male’s residence shortly after midnight and just before the female was brought to IHS. After several months, law enforcement was able to identify the driver of the vehicle as Marino Waters and the passenger as Clayton Fire Thunder. The investigation revealed that Waters drove Fire Thunder to the male’s residence just east of Pine Ridge two times on the morning of September 15, 2022. Fire Thunder intended on selling a firearm to the male in exchange for cash and/or methamphetamine. The male did not answer the door when Fire Thunder knocked, and unexpectedly, Fire Thunder discharged one round from the firearm into the residence. The round ended up penetrating the siding, backboard, and drywall of the residence and struck and killed the male’s girlfriend, a 27-year-old female.
When Fire Thunder was interviewed by the FBI in March of 2023, he gave a false statement and said that he did not have a firearm when the shooting occurred. Fire Thunder admitted to being at the residence and told law enforcement that he was inquiring with the male homeowner about a junked car at 4:00 o’clock in the morning. Fire Thunder was reinterviewed again in October 2023. Fire Thunder continued to deny that he possessed a firearm during the shooting death of the female and this time said that he was inquiring about a flatbed at 4:00 o’clock.
Seventeen witnesses and over 200 exhibits were introduced at Fire Thunder trial establishing that Fire Thunder possessed and discharged a firearm on the morning of September 15, 2022, that resulted in the death of a 27-year-old female. The jury found Fire Thunder guilty of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of false statement.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Fire Thunder was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Paterson Man Charged with Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Paterson man was charged with distribution and possession of child pornography that he shared on multiple messaging platforms, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Dwayne Smalls, 25, was charged by complaint and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Smalls posted messages on certain messaging platforms advertising images and videos of child pornography, including those involving prepubescent minors. Specifically, he represented that he could provide images and videos depicting child sexual-abuse material (“CSAM”) for a fee. Law enforcement conducted a search of his cell phone and residence and determined that between August 2023 and October 2023, Smalls distributed CSAM on multiple occasions. In addition, law enforcement found approximately eleven unique video files containing CSAM on Smalls’ cell phone.
The charge of distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly for their assistance.
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 (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Tatiana Nnaji, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender
smalls.complaint.pdfPalestinian Nationals Charged with Unlawful Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of indictments charging Mohammed Aburidi (24, Palestinian) and Tareq Aburidi (19, Palestinian) with possessing firearms and ammunition as aliens admitted to the United States on nonimmigrant visas. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
According to the indictments, on November 26, 2024, Mohammed Aburidi and Tareq Aburidi possessed firearms and ammunition after being admitted to the United States on nonimmigrant visas.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with valuable assistance from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Risha Asokan.
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.
Nigerian Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking and Other Charges Related to the Sexual Extortion and Death of a Local Young ManRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Imoleayo Samuel Aina, aka “Alice Dave,” 27, of Nigeria entered a plea of guilty before United States District Court Judge Joel H. Slomsky Monday to cyberstalking, interstate threat to injure reputation, receiving proceeds of extortion, money laundering conspiracy, and four counts of wire fraud, in connection with the sexual extortion and death of a young man in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Aina and co-defendant Samuel Olasunkanmi Abiodun, 25, were arrested on a complaint and warrant in Nigeria, taken into custody by the FBI on July 31, 2024, and extradited to the United States to face charges in this case. They and another Nigerian co-defendant, Afeez Olatunji Adewale, 25, were then charged by indictment in August 2024.
Aina is scheduled to be sentenced on August 11 and faces a statutory maximum of lifetime imprisonment.
Abiodun pleaded guilty in December to money laundering conspiracy and four counts of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10 and faces a statutory maximum of 100 years’ imprisonment.
Adewale has also been charged with money laundering conspiracy and four counts of wire fraud. He remains in Nigeria, pending extradition to the U.S.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Abington Township Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Brown.
Aina and Abiodun were extradited to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI Legal Attaché in Abuja, and the FBI. The support and assistance of Nigerian security authorities was essential to this effort, notably that of Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Justice’s International Criminal Justice Cooperation Department, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
New Haven Felon Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TYRICK WARREN, 31, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 96 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for firearm possession and drug distribution offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 15, 2023, after a short pursuit, New Haven Police arrested Warren for violating conditions of his state probation that followed a felony firearm conviction. During the pursuit, officers saw Warren discard multiple items, later found to be a Glock semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition, and bag containing various plastic bags of crack cocaine, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana.
Subsequent analysis by the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) connected the seized pistol to shell casings collected after a shooting on Winchester Avenue in New Haven on November 8, 2023, and a shooting on Hazel Street in New Haven on November 12, 2023. It is alleged that text messages from Warren’s phone further connected him to these two shootings, as well as a carjacking, robbery, and shooting on November 10, 2023.
Warren’s criminal history also includes convictions for robbery, drug, and additional firearm offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Warren has been detained since his arrest. On May 14, 2024, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
State charges against Warren related to the November 12, 2023, shooting are pending.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the New Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Morris County Man Admits to Transmitting Death Threats Against Political CommentatorRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County man admitted to making interstate death threats against a political commentator, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Haim Braverman, 47, of Morris Plains, New Jersey, entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Court Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to an Information charging him with transmitting threats in interstate commerce. Sentencing is scheduled for September 15, 2025.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On or about September 10, 2024, Braverman posted a video of himself on a social media platform in which he made various threats to a political commentator. Braverman admitted to having been angered by the commentator’s public statements about a prominent, now-deceased rabbi whom Braverman respected. In the video, Braverman threatened to use a bat he was holding against the commentator, stating: “[y]ou’ll get what’s coming to you . . . , I’ve never met someone . . . if I could f**king kill you right now, I would not even . . . , f**k it I’ll give you the steel bat. I wouldn’t even stop. I’d kill you. Dead. . . . I’m threatening a death sentence against [the commentator].” Braverman also included a written comment on his post in which he stated: “[The commentator] needs to be killed.” Braverman also transmitted an audio message to a group chat on a messaging application, referencing the commentator and stating, “[a]fter I heard what . . . [the commentator] said, I will go to prison, gladly find her and kill her . . . I will find a f**king weapon and f**king kill her. I am outraged.”
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Gannon, with the investigation leading to this plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek of the National Security Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Candace Hom, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
braverman.information.pdfMontgomery County man pleads guilty to defrauding elderly victims of hundreds of thousands of dollarsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Ronald Scott Daley, 53, of Miamisburg, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to wire fraud and tax evasion related to a scheme to defraud clients, including elderly victims.
According to his plea agreement, which includes a recommended sentence of up to 60 months in prison, Daley was employed by a life insurance brokerage firm and advised several elderly clients with respect to life insurance and annuity products.
From at least 2012 until 2020, Daley fraudulently convinced client victims to withdraw certain assets from the insurance brokerage firm and to deposit the funds into their own personal accounts. Daley then influenced the victims to make payments to a bank account for an entity that Daley controlled.
For example, Daley defrauded three victims of more than $707,000 in total.
Furthermore, Daley failed to file and pay taxes on the fraudulent income.
As part of his conviction, he will repay the approximately $707,000 in restitution.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigations; announced the guilty plea entered on May 5 before U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case.
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Minnesota Man Charged with Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Michael Thompson of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been charged by complaint with one count of production and attempted production of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, on December 29, 2024, Michael Benjamin Thompson, 37, drove from Minnesota to Iowa to visit a teenage minor, whom he had met online. While there, Thompson engaged the minor in various sexual activities. Thompson and the minor continued messaging and on January 30, 2025, Thompson induced the minor victim to send him sexually explicit images.
Thompson was charged via criminal complaint in U.S. District Court. He had his detention hearing on May 2, 2025 before Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright and was ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings.
“We are experiencing an epidemic of online-facilitated sex abuse in Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “My office will continue to aggressively prosecute predators who use the internet to prey on our vulnerable children.”
"Crimes against children violations are among the most reprehensible crimes we investigate,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to ensure that those who exploit or harm children are brought to justice. We will continue to work closely with our partners to pursue offenders and safeguard our communities.”
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Ankeny Police Department.
If you believe you or your child may be a victim of Michael Thompson, please call the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth S. Shnider is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Middle District of Florida Prosecutors Indict 74 Firearms and Violent Crime Defendants During Second Quarter of 2025 as Part of Project Safe Neighborhoods StrategyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced today the results of the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) strategy. During the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, ending on March 31, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida has charged 74 individuals. These individuals face federal firearms, narcotics, and violent crime charges. Law enforcement seized more than 195 firearms associated with these cases.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also engaged in more than 20 outreach events focused on PSN and prevention of crime. Members of the office spoke with hundreds of students as part of outreach efforts during the second quarter of 2025. Prosecutors also spoke to more than 150 recently released individuals at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office DISMAS program at the Jacksonville Bridge Community Release Center and over 50 inmates scheduled for release from Baker Re-Entry Center.
“Combating violent crime is a top priority of our office,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “We will continue our commitment to reduce crime by working closely with our public safety partners to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who violate the law and positively engage with our citizens throughout the district.”
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. This evidence-based program has proven to be effective at reducing violent crime by engaging a broad spectrum of stakeholders working together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in communities and developing comprehensive solutions that reduce crime. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses on prevention and intervention efforts through community engagement and problem-solving partnerships, strategic enforcement of the most violent offenders, and locally based re-entry programs to reduce recidivism.
Q2 PSN case highlights:
United States v. Carl Thompson (Ft. Myers)
In January 2025, Carl Samuel Thompson, Jr. was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. According to court records, on April 7, 2024, a vehicle being driven by Thompson was pulled over by deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for a traffic infraction. During the traffic stop, deputies discovered that Thompson’s front seat passenger was concealing a loaded firearm, which was secured by the deputies during the traffic stop. A subsequent investigation revealed that Thompson, who had an active warrant for his arrest, had provided the firearm to his passenger to conceal after realizing he was being pulled over. As a career criminal with more than 10 prior felony convictions, Thompson qualified for an enhanced sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
United States v. Avery Fuller et al (Jacksonville)
In February 2025, Avery Fuller was sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robberies in New Jersey and Florida, and for brandishing a firearm during the robberies. According to court documents, Fuller and his co-conspirators planned and executed a series of jewelry store robberies in New Jersey, Florida, and the District of Columbia. Based in the Washington, D.C. area, the group targeted predominantly South Asian jewelry stores along the East Coast. Wearing disguises and armed with firearms, they used hammers to smash jewelry display cases and steal valuable items.
United States v. Jose G. Medina (Ocala)
On March 5, 2025, Jose G. Medina pleaded guilty to three counts of making a materially false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm, and three counts of causing a Federal Firearm Licensee (“FFL”) to maintain false information in its official records. According to court records, between January 1 and December 31, 2023, Medina straw-purchased multiple firearms for others. Some of these firearms were intercepted by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as others attempted to transport them across the United States’ border into Mexico.
United States v. Victor Manuel LaFontaine Ruiz et al (Orlando)
In February 2025, Victor Manuel LaFontaine Ruiz, Jose Emanuel Maldonado Rodriguez, Freddie Geovani Cruz Batiz, Jomar Manuel Lopez, Montanez, Derrick Yamil Rivera Robles, Leonardo David Joseph Guerra, and Jincheng Shi were charged for their alleged roles in a gun trafficking operation. According to court documents, from at least as early as September 2023 onward, Lafontaine and Maldonado operated a gun trafficking ring involving hundreds of firearms, machineguns, machinegun conversion devices, and high-capacity magazines needed for fully automatic weapons. Lafontaine and Maldonado allegedly assembled, manufactured, and modified semi-automatic and automatic firearms using a “ghost gunner” machine and specialized “endmill” drilling devices. They sold those items to illegal aliens and convicted felons such as Lopez Montanez, Rivera Robles, and Joseph Guerra, who were often brokering such transactions on behalf of other unknown customers.
United States v. Ricardo Fermin Sune-Giron (Tampa)
In March 2025, Ricardo Fermin Sune-Giron was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for conspiracy to traffic in firearms, gun trafficking, dealing in firearms without a license, and possessing firearms as an illegal alien. According to the plea agreement, between 2023 and April 2024, Sune-Giron was a member of a large-scale firearms trafficking operation. He recruited individuals to illegally buy firearms—including Glocks, rifles and AK-47s—from Federal Firearms Licensees dealers across Florida. After obtaining the firearms, Sune-Giron and his co-conspirators smuggled them overseas, shipping them to countries including the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Between 2023 and 2024, Sune-Giron and his co-conspirators trafficked more than 1,000 firearms. Several of these firearms were later recovered at crime scenes. During the execution of search warrants, agents recovered approximately 57 firearms, 30 empty gun boxes, approximately $16,000 in cash, ammunition, and money counters. At the time of the search, Sune-Giron was living in the United States illegally under an assumed name.
These cases are being prosecuted by the Assistant United States Attorneys in all five divisions throughout the Middle District of Florida. For additional information on Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit our website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/project-safe-neighborhoods-0.
PSN ChartMiami Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Money Laundering in Scheme to Illegally Obtain Multiple HELOCs Using a Single PropertyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Miami man pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a scheme in which he fraudulently obtained multiple home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) from various lenders by repeatedly using the same property as collateral.
In June and July 2023, Alfred Lenoris Davis, 51, of Miami, Florida, engaged in a multi-lender fraud scheme by submitting false and misleading information to financial institutions in connection with HELOC applications. Davis submitted fraudulent tax returns and falsely represented that his property was free of other liens, even though he had already obtained and/or applied for other HELOCs secured by the same property. By concealing these overlapping obligations, Davis induced multiple lenders to extend approximately $1,257,500 in lines of credit under false pretenses. Davis used the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds for personal expenses and other purposes. Davis was charged with three counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. Davis pleaded guilty on May 5.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled on July 24 in Miami. Davis faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and up to 10 years in prison for each count of money laundering.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Bailyn is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Klco is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20456.
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Mexican National Sentenced to over Four Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States, Possessing A Firearm, and Possessing Fake Identification DocumentsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Lazzara has sentenced Pedro Antunez-Galarza (43, Mexico) to 46 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after deportation for an aggravated felony, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and possessing a false Permanent Resident card and Social Security card. The court also ordered Antunez-Galarza to forfeit the Smith & Wesson M&P 40 Shield, and ammunition used in the offense.
On the same day as his sentencing hearing, Antunez-Galarza admitted that he had committed new law violations and Senior U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell sentenced him to 10 months in federal prison to run consecutive with the sentence that Judge Lazzara had imposed.
According to court documents, Antunez-Galarza was deported in 2020 after he was convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Antunez-Galarza was deported again in 2021 and 2022. In the early morning hours of July 19, 2024, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop Antunez-Galarza, who was riding a bicycle without any lights on. Antunez-Galarza fled from the deputies. When a deputy caught up to him, Antunez-Galarza reached for his waistband before the deputy arrested him. The deputy searched Antunez-Galarza and found a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P 40 Shield that had been reported stolen, a Social Security card with invalid numbers for a “Tony Garcia,” and a fictitious Permanent Resident card with the name “Tony Garcia” that displayed a photograph of Antunez-Galarza.
Deputies booked and fingerprinted Antunez-Galarza at the Manatee County Jail. A biometric records check showed that Antunez-Galarza’s fingerprints matched those from his prior deportations. Immigration officers reviewed their files and determined that Antunez-Galarza had not received permission to reenter the United States. On October 18, 2024, Antunez-Galarza was arrested. At that time, Antunez-Galarza confessed to paying a smuggler to bring him back into the United States and illegally possessing the firearm.
This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.
Mexican National Sentenced to More Than A Year in Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara has sentenced Emilio Nolasco-Carbajal (40, Mexico) to one year and one day in federal prison for illegal reentry by a deported alien. Nolasco-Carbajal pleaded guilty on February 6, 2025.
According to court records, Nolasco-Carbajal is a native and citizen of Mexico. He was previously removed from the United States on three occasions – March 27, 2013, May 5, 2014, and January 25, 2018. Prior to his last removal, Nolasco-Carbajal was also convicted of illegal reentry by a deported alien. On December 16, 2024, federal immigration authorities found Nolasco-Carbajal in the Hillsborough County Jail following his arrest on an unrelated matter.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
Leader of $48 Million Healthcare Fraud Scheme Sentenced to 14 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that MANISHKUMAR PATEL was sentenced to 14 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield for defrauding Medicare. PATEL previously pled guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud, wire fraud, and violating the Anti-Kickback Statute.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “As he previously admitted, Manishkumar Patel bilked Medicare for nearly $50 million. Frauds on our Medicare system increase costs for all Americans, and worse yet, potentially restrict access to those in need of critical healthcare. Patel’s 14 month sentence in federal prison sends an important deterrent message to those who would seek to bilk our Medicare system.”
According to the charging documents and other filings and statements made in court:
Between 2019 and 2022, PATEL and a coconspirator (“CC-1”) fraudulently sold prescriptions and doctors’ orders for durable medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, and laboratory tests (collectively, “scripts”) to durable medical equipment suppliers, pharmacies, and laboratories (collectively, the “Medicare Providers”).
PATEL obtained the scripts from call centers that called Medicare beneficiaries and asked them perfunctory questions designed to justify a script that would be reimbursed by Medicare. PATEL turned the information from those calls into scripts by, variously: arranging cursory telemedicine appointments with the beneficiaries; a practice called “doctor chasing,” in which the information was sent to a doctor who signed the script without seeing the patient and who was frequently unaware of what they were signing; and obtaining forged scripts. PATEL then sold the scripts to Medicare Providers, which filled the orders and billed Medicare.
Because the scripts were fraudulently obtained, many beneficiaries rejected the items they were sent by the Medicare Providers, many doctors threatened to report PATEL for fraud, and Medicare frequently refused to pay for the scripts.
The Medicare Providers made payments to PATEL for the scripts in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. PATEL and the Medicare Providers entered into sham contracts for generic marketing services at flat rates in an attempt to conceal their illegal kickback scheme.
PATEL was a leader of the scheme, which resulted in losses to Medicare of approximately $48 million.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, PATEL, 44, of Pelham Manor, New York, was sentenced to one year of home detention. PATEL was also ordered to pay $48,150,692.49 in restitution to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and to forfeit $6,839,900.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mead is in charge of the prosecution.
Largest Fentanyl Bust in DEA History: Authorities Seize over 400 Kilograms of Fentanyl in Record-Shattering OperationRead the Press Release
Federal authorities have arrested 16 individuals and seized record-breaking quantities of fentanyl, cash, firearms, and vehicles across multiple states, dismantling one of the largest and most dangerous drug trafficking organizations in U.S. history.
“This historic drug seizure, led by the DEA, is a significant blow against the Sinaloa Cartel that removes poison from our streets and protects American citizens from the scourge of fentanyl,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will continue working with our law enforcement partners to dismantle every cartel network operating illegally in the United States.”
As part of this operation, law enforcement executed coordinated search warrants across five states, resulting in the following seizures:
Albuquerque, NM:
- Approximately $610,000 in U.S. currency
- 49 firearms, some with switches, and some ghost guns
- 396 kilograms of fentanyl pills
- 11.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder
- 1.5 kilograms of cocaine
- 3.5 kilograms of heroin
- 7 pounds of methamphetamine
- A Ford Raptor and GMC Denali Two vehicles valued at approximately $140,000
Salem, OR:
- More than $2.8 million in U.S. currency
- Jewelry valued at approximately $50,000
- A Mercedes AMG and Ford F-150 Shelby valued at approximately $150,000
Layton, UT:
- Approximately $780,000 in U.S. currency
- A Dodge TRX Mammoth valued at approximately $150,000
Phoenix, AZ:
- Approximately $390,000 in U.S. currency
- 72 pounds of methamphetamine
- 13 kilograms of fentanyl pills
- 2.4 pounds of heroin
- 5 kilograms of cocaine.
Las Vegas, NV:
- Illegal alien apprehended and removed
- More than $93,000 in U.S. currency
- 2.7 kilograms of cocaine
- 1 pound of methamphetamine
“Our communities are safer today because of the tireless dedication and coordination among federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico. “By dismantling one of the largest and most dangerous fentanyl trafficking organizations in U.S. history, we have removed millions of lethal doses from our streets and sent a clear message: those who profit from poisoning our citizens will be held accountable. The fight continues, but this operation marks a decisive step in protecting families across the western United States.”
“Behind the three million fentanyl pills we seized are destructive criminal acts thwarted and American lives saved. This wasn't just a bust—it was a battlefield victory against a terrorist-backed network pumping death into our cities,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “This case represents DEA’s largest single seizure of fentanyl pills to date. I commend the men and women of DEA for their extraordinary work, day in and day out, and I remind the cartels that DEA is relentlessly in pursuit and will not stop until we destroy your networks.”
Heriberto Salazar Amaya, 36, is the leader of the drug trafficking organization. He, along with Cesar Acuna-Moreno, 27, Bruce Sedillo, 26, Vincent Montoya, 35, David Anesi, 42, George Navarette-Ramirez, 25, Alex Anthony Martinez, Jose Luis Marquez, Nicholas Tanner, Brian Sanchez, Kaitlyn Young, Alan Singer, and David Altamirano Lopez are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Seven defendants face additional charges of distributing fentanyl: Cesar Acuna-Moreno, Brian Sanchez, Kaitlyn Young, Alan Singer, Bruce Sedillo, and Nicholas Tanner.
Jose Luis Marquez and Bruce Sedillo are each charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Bruce Sedillo is also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Heriberto Salazar Amaya faces three additional immigration-related charges: illegal reentry after deportation, hiring an unauthorized alien, and conspiracy to harbor unauthorized aliens.
During the operation, three additional individuals were arrested and charged by criminal complaint:
- Phillip Lovato, 39: On April 29, agents seized approximately 110,000 fentanyl pills from Lovato’s stash house in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Lovato is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl and conspiracy to commit drug trafficking.
- Roberta Herrera, 31; On April 28, agents seized approximately 365,000 pills fentanyl pills, 1,543.5 grams of heroin, 569.9 grams of cocaine, and 24 firearms from Herrera’s apartment. Agents also encountered a minor child at the location. Herrera is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 1 kilogram or more of heroin, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, conspiracy to commit drug trafficking, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
- Misael Lopez Rubio, 25; on April 28, agents seized approximately 165.5 kilograms of fentanyl pills from a storage unit rented by Lopez Rubio. He is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl and conspiracy to commit drug trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico and Special Agent in Charge Omar Arellano of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, made the announcement today.
The DEA’s El Paso Division investigated this case with assistance from the IRS Criminal Investigation. The following law enforcement agencies participated in the law enforcement operation: Albuquerque Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Lea County Drug Task Force, United States Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office, Isleta Police Department, Laguna Pueblo Police Department, Pojoaque Police Department and Sandoval County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew McGinley, Blake Nichols and Raquel Ruiz-Velez for the District of New Mexico are prosecuting the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
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).
View the Indictment
View the Motion to Detain
View Lovato’s Criminal Complaint
View Herrera’s Criminal Complaint
View Lopez Rubio’s Criminal Complaint
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Largest Fentanyl Bust in DEA History: Authorities Seize over 400 Kilograms of Fentanyl in Record-Shattering OperationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Federal authorities have arrested 16 individuals and seized record-breaking quantities of fentanyl, cash, firearms, and vehicles across multiple states, dismantling one of the largest and most dangerous drug trafficking organizations in U.S. history.
“This historic drug seizure, led by the DEA, is a significant blow against the Sinaloa Cartel that removes poison from our streets and protects American citizens from the scourge of fentanyl,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will continue working with our law enforcement partners to dismantle every cartel network operating illegally in the United States.”
As part of this operation, law enforcement executed coordinated search warrants across five states, resulting in the following seizures:
Albuquerque, NM:
- Approximately $610,000 in U.S. currency
- 49 firearms, some with switches, and some ghost guns
- 396 kilograms of fentanyl pills
- 11.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder
- 1.5 kilograms of cocaine
- 3.5 kilograms of heroin
- 7 pounds of methamphetamine
- A Ford Raptor and GMC Denali Two vehicles valued at approximately $140,000
Salem, OR:
- More than $2.8 million in U.S. currency
- Jewelry valued at approximately $50,000
- A Mercedes AMG and Ford F-150 Shelby valued at approximately $150,000
Layton, UT:
- Approximately $780,000 in U.S. currency
- A Dodge TRX Mammoth valued at approximately $150,000
Phoenix, AZ:
- More than $390,000 in U.S. currency
- 72 pounds of methamphetamine
- 13 kilograms of fentanyl pills
- 2.4 pounds of heroin
- 5 kilograms of cocaine
Las Vegas, NV:
- Illegal alien apprehended and removed
- More than $93,000 in U.S. currency
- 2.7 kilograms of cocaine
- 1 pound of methamphetamine
“Our communities are safer today because of the tireless dedication and coordination among federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement,” said United States Attorney Ryan Ellison. “By dismantling one of the largest and most dangerous fentanyl trafficking organizations in U.S. history, we have removed millions of lethal doses from our streets and sent a clear message: those who profit from poisoning our citizens will be held accountable. The fight continues, but this operation marks a decisive step in protecting families across the western United States.”
“Behind the three million fentanyl pills we seized are destructive criminal acts thwarted and American lives saved. This wasn't just a bust—it was a battlefield victory against a terrorist-backed network pumping death into our cities,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “This case represents DEA’s largest single seizure of fentanyl pills to date. I commend the men and women of DEA for their extraordinary work, day in and day out, and I remind the cartels that DEA is relentlessly in pursuit and will not stop until we destroy your networks.”
Heriberto Salazar Amaya, 36, is the leader of the drug trafficking organization. He, along with Cesar Acuna-Moreno, 27, Bruce Sedillo, 26, Vincent Montoya, 35, David Anesi, 42, George Navarette-Ramirez, 25, Alex Anthony Martinez, Jose Luis Marquez, Nicholas Tanner, Brian Sanchez, Kaitlyn Young, Alan Singer, and David Altamirano Lopez are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Seven defendants face additional charges of distributing fentanyl: Cesar Acuna-Moreno, Brian Sanchez, Kaitlyn Young, Alan Singer, Bruce Sedillo, and Nicholas Tanner.
Jose Luis Marquez and Bruce Sedillo are each charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Bruce Sedillo is also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Heriberto Salazar Amaya faces three additional immigration-related charges: illegal reentry after deportation, hiring an unauthorized alien, and conspiracy to harbor unauthorized aliens.
During the operation, three additional individuals were arrested and charged by criminal complaint:
- Phillip Lovato, 39: On April 29, 2025, agents seized approximately 110,000 fentanyl pills from Lovato’s stash house in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Lovato is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl and conspiracy to commit drug trafficking.
- Roberta Herrera, 31; On April 28, 2025, agents seized approximately 365,000 pills fentanyl pills, 1,543.5 grams of heroin, 569.9 grams of cocaine, and 24 firearms from Herrera’s apartment. Agents also encountered a minor child at the location. Herrera is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 1 kilogram or more of heroin, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, conspiracy to commit drug trafficking, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
- Misael Lopez Rubio, 25; on April 28, 2025, agents seized approximately 165.5 kilograms of fentanyl pills from a storage unit rented by Lopez Rubio. He is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl and conspiracy to commit drug trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Omar Arellano, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, made the announcement today.
The DEA’s El Paso Division investigated this case with assistance from the IRS Criminal Investigation. The following law enforcement agencies participated in the law enforcement operation: Albuquerque Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Lea County Drug Task Force, United States Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office, Isleta Police Department, Laguna Pueblo Police Department, Pojoaque Police Department and Sandoval County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew McGinley, Blake Nichols and Raquel Ruiz-Velez are prosecuting the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
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. [use if applicable] Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
View the Indictment
View the Motion to Detain
View Lovato’s Criminal Complaint
View Herrera’s Criminal Complaint
View Lopez Rubio’s Criminal Complaint
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lakeland Man Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Abraham Othman Yacoub (27, Lakeland) has pleaded guilty to bank fraud. Yacoub faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, from at least January 2021 until February 2023, Yacoub made dozens of fraudulent deposits and withdrawals on behalf of his companies, Visionary Auto Body LLC and Visionary Auto Care LLC, at financial institutions throughout the Middle District of Florida. Yacoub deposited the same previously deposited checks into business banking accounts that he controlled at different financial institutions, knowing that the checks had previously been deposited and paid, causing the victim banks to credit his accounts for the amounts of the checks. Yacoub then withdrew, transferred, or otherwise spent the funds credited to his accounts before the financial institution realized that the checks had previously been deposited.
Yacoub also drafted fraudulent business checks from closed business bank accounts in the name of Visionary Auto Body and Visionary Auto Care, knowing that those accounts had been closed and, therefore, that there were no funds remaining to cover the amount of the check he had drafted. Yacoub withdrew, transferred, or spent the funds credited by the bank based on these fraudulent checks, or attempt to do so, before the financial institution realized that the account on which the check had been drafted was closed and did not contain any funds to cover the amount of the check.
Yacoub has agreed to forfeit $ 181,540.51, the total loss to these financial institutions that Yacoub’s schemes caused.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.
Jury Finds Would-Be Sex Trafficker Guilty of Attempting to Entice and Coerce a Child and an Adult into ProstitutionRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Steven Terrell Lewis of El Cajon was convicted by a federal jury of attempted coercion and enticement of a 14-year-old high school student and attempted sex trafficking by force or coercion of a 22-year-old woman.
According to evidence presented at trial, on April 22, 2024, as the 14-year-old victim was walking to a friend’s house after school around 3 p.m. in El Cajon, Lewis used his vehicle to pin her on the sidewalk, exited his vehicle and snatched her cellphone from her hand to get her cellphone number. Lewis then proceeded to send sexually explicit text messages (from a phone number ending in 8155) to the victim before she was able to block his phone number. The next day, on April 23, 2024, Lewis continued texting the victim, except this time from a different phone number through TextFree, a mobile application and web service (from a phone number ending in 0014).
When Lewis identified himself as “Pimpin,” sent a sexually explicit photograph and invited the victim to “go get some money” with him, the minor victim immediately notified a coach at her high school. The El Cajon Police Department and San Diego Sheriff’s Office responded.
After Lewis’s attempt to sex traffic the minor victim failed, one week later, on April 28, 2024, he began recruiting the 22-year-old victim through MegaPersonals and sent a ride-share vehicle to take her to Roosevelt Avenue in National City, known as “the blade,” to work street-based prostitution for his financial benefit. Fortunately, on April 29, 2024, the adult victim was picked up by an undercover National City police office posing as a commercial sex buyer and was offered resources to leave prostitution. However, Lewis continued to message the adult victim (from both phone numbers ending in 8155 and 0014), threatening her to continue to engage in commercial sex for his benefit, to include:
Officers from the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force conducted physical surveillance of Lewis, a search of his vehicles, residence and cell phones, and ultimately arrested him on May 16, 2024. The victims did not know each other. Investigators believe that other potential victims exist because they discovered a photograph of a handwritten note during a search of Lewis’s phone that appears to have been written by a concerned parent to Lewis. The note reads, “If I find out one more time that this car is following my daughter down Graves Ave we will have a problem. I suggest you f---- chill.”
At the time, Lewis was driving two vehicles that were registered to him, including a white, four-door 1996 Oldsmobile bearing California license plate number 3TIF671:
And a brown or beige colored, four-door 1986 Chevrolet bearing California licenses plate number 1REC517:
If you believe you or someone you know has had an encounter with Lewis or you know the author of the note, investigators ask that you contact the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.
“The jury’s guilty verdicts are a powerful reminder that human trafficking has no place in our society. These verdicts are not just justice for the victims – it is a warning to human traffickers everywhere that those who exploit and attempt to exploit others for profit will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of law, no matter how long it takes,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “I commend the bravery of the survivors who came forward. Their truth helped convict a predator – and protect countless others.”
“This guilty verdict sends the powerful message that those who exploit children will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said Shawn Gibson, special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego. “This outcome is the result of relentless cooperation among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Our agency remains steadfast in our mission to bring perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice and to stand beside every victim until justice is served.”
“Every year, there are thousands of reported human trafficking cases across the United States — including right here in California,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Whether it’s for sex or labor, abusing power to force or coerce someone into doing something against their will is wrong. At the California Department of Justice, we’re committed to standing up for survivors, disrupting and dismantling human trafficking rings, and securing justice. I am thankful for our federal, state and local partners because it takes all of us to combat human trafficking. If you or someone you know has been affected by human trafficking, there are resources available to you. You are not alone.”
“As a member of the Human Trafficking Task Force the protection of our youth is our top priority,” said San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl. “This case highlights the importance of collaboration and the need to share information in order to bring suspects like this into custody.”
Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on August 1, 2025.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndzie M. Carter and Derek Ko.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr1349-JES
Steven Terrell Lewis Age: 39 El Cajon, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Attempted Coercion/Enticement of a Minor – 18 U.S.C., Section 2422(b)
Maximum penalty: Ten-year mandatory minimum up to life
Attempted Sex Trafficking by Force/Coercion, 18 U.S.C., Section 1591(a)
Maximum penalty: Fifteen-year mandatory minimum up to life
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force
Homeland Security Investigations
National City Police Department
El Cajon Police Department
San Diego Sheriff’s Office
San Diego District Attorney’s Office
Jamaican National Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara has sentenced Hubert Richard Crew (55, Jamaica) to five years in federal prison for illegal reentry by an aggravated felon. Crew pleaded guilty on February 13, 2025.
According to court records, Crew is a native and citizen of Jamaica. He was initially removed from the United States on January 26, 2007, following his release from a federal prison sentence for misprision of a felony, failure to appear, and making a false statement on a passport application. Crew subsequently reentered the United States and was removed on two more occasions on April 26, 2013, and November 30, 2016. On November 7, 2024, federal immigration authorities found Crew at a residence in Tampa after receiving an anonymous tip that he had reentered the United States illegally.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.