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Thursday 27 March 2025
Justice Department Launches Anticompetitive Regulations Task ForceRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department launches an Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force to advocate for the elimination of anticompetitive state and federal laws and regulations that undermine free market competition and harm consumers, workers, and businesses. The Antitrust Division has a long history of advocacy against laws and regulations that create unnecessary barriers to competition. The Task Force will surge resources to these efforts and invite public comments to support the Administration’s mission to unwind laws and regulations that hinder business dynamism and make markets less competitive.
“Realizing President Trump’s economic Golden Age will require unwinding burdensome regulations that stifle free market competition. This Antitrust Division will stand against harmful barriers to competition whether imposed by public regulators or private monopolists,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “We look forward to working with the public and with other federal agencies to identify and eliminate anticompetitive laws and regulations.”
On Jan. 31, President Trump signed Executive Order 14192 declaring “the policy of the executive branch” to be that federal agencies should “alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens placed on the American people.” Consistent with this policy, on Feb. 19, President Trump signed Executive Order 14219 directing agencies to “initiate a process to review all regulations” and identify regulations that, among other things, “impose undue burdens on small businesses and impede private enterprise and entrepreneurship.” Consistent with longstanding practice, the Antitrust Division will support federal agencies’ deregulatory initiatives by sharing its market expertise on regulations that pose the greatest barriers to economic growth.
Regulatory capture is a well-studied phenomenon in which agencies become “captured” by special interests and big businesses, rather than serving the interests of the American people. But when regulations serve the few and impose undue burdens on small businesses, private enterprise, and entrepreneurs, they also harm competition and ultimately hurt American consumers, workers, and businesses. For example, regulations can increase compliance costs, preventing businesses from competing on a level playing field with powerful corporations. Regulations can also discourage or even intentionally prohibit small businesses and new products from entering markets and lowering prices for American families. In contrast, eliminating unnecessary anticompetitive regulations makes it easier for businesses to compete. More competition empowers the American people — not government regulators — to drive economic progress and innovation. When every American has a fair opportunity to enjoy the benefits of competitive free markets, every American has an opportunity to realize the American dream.
By identifying and working with state and federal agencies to revise or eliminate these laws and regulations, the Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force will contribute to making the American dream a reality. As a first step, the Antitrust Division will initiate a public inquiry to identify unnecessary laws and regulations that raise the highest barriers to competition. In particular, the Division will seek information from the public about laws and regulations that make it more difficult for businesses to compete effectively, especially in markets that have the greatest impact on American households, including:
- Housing: Americans spend more than one-third of their monthly income on housing, and the cost of owning or renting a home continues to rise. Laws and regulations in housing markets can contribute to these problems by making it more difficult for companies to build and ordinary Americans to rent or buy.
- Transportation: Laws and regulations in areas like airlines, rail, and ocean shipping can grant antitrust immunities, outright monopolies, or safe harbors for conduct that undermines competition. As a result, Americans pay more for travel, fuel, and a variety of other products.
- Food and Agriculture: By the end of the Biden-Harris Administration, grocery prices were 27% higher than at the end of the first Trump Administration. Eliminating unnecessary anticompetitive regulations will help farmers, growers, and ranchers increase the amount of food they produce and unlock lower prices for American consumers.
- Healthcare: Laws and regulations in healthcare markets too often discourage doctors and hospitals from providing low-cost, high-quality healthcare and instead encourage overbilling and consolidation. These kinds of unnecessary anticompetitive regulations put affordable healthcare out of reach for millions of American families.
- Energy: Reliable and affordable energy is essential to modern American life — whether in homes, businesses, manufacturing plants, schools, hospitals, sporting events, or data centers. Laws and regulations can undermine reliability and affordability by protecting incumbent electricity providers from competition or disruptive innovation.
The public will have 60 days to submit comments at www.Regulations.gov (Docket No. ATR-2025-0001), no later than May 27. Once submitted, comments will be posted to Regulations.gov. All market participants are invited to provide comments in response to this inquiry, including consumers, consumer advocates, small businesses, employers, trade groups, industry analysts, and other entities that are impacted by anticompetitive state or federal laws and regulations.
In addition to reviewing responses from the public, the Task Force will bring together attorneys, economists, and other staff from across the Division, together with interagency partners, to identify state and federal laws and regulations that unnecessarily harm competition. The Antitrust Division will then take appropriate action, including helping agencies revise or eliminate these regulations.
The Task Force will also consider other ways to advocate for the removal of anticompetitive laws and regulations. The Division routinely files amicus briefs and statements of interests in private litigation, and it will continue to do so to promote competition and oppose anticompetitive laws and regulations. The Division also provides comments on proposed legislation in the states on the request of state legislators. These efforts will continue with an eye toward protecting competition and interstate commerce in light of dormant Commerce Clause principles.
The Justice Department has a long history of serving as the Executive Branch’s chief competition advocate by working with agencies to identify and eliminate unnecessary regulations. In 2018, the Justice Department released a report on how regulations can harm competition. Following this report, the Justice Department submitted dozens of comments to federal agencies supporting efforts to eliminate unnecessary regulations and increase competition. For example, the Justice Department, in consultation with the Federal Trade Commission, submitted a comment opposing regulations that would have protected incumbent electricity transmission companies from much-needed competition in energy markets across the country. The Justice Department filed comments aimed at making it easier for individuals and small businesses to navigate the federal government bureaucracy. The Justice Department also provided technical assistance and trainings to federal agencies to help them analyze how new and existing regulations might affect competition, or whether competition may be a better alternative to regulation altogether.
The Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force will continue these efforts, supporting ongoing efforts across the Trump Administration to unleash competition by eliminating unnecessary, burdensome, and wasteful government regulations. For more information on the Task Force, including contact information, see Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force page on the Division’s website.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: [email protected].
Justice Department Disrupts Hamas Terrorist Financing Scheme Through Seizure of CryptocurrencyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced the disruption of an ongoing terrorist financing scheme through the seizure of approximately $201,400 (based on current value) in cryptocurrency held in wallets and accounts intended to benefit Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Hamas). The seized funds were traced from Hamas fundraising addresses, purportedly controlled by Hamas, that were used to launder more than $1.5 million in virtual currency since October 2024.
The action was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Sue J. Bai head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the Albuquerque Field Office.
As alleged in court documents, a group chat claiming association with Hamas on an encrypted communications platform provided Hamas supporters, worldwide, with a changing set of at least 17 cryptocurrency addresses. Supporters were encouraged to donate money to those addresses. Those funds were sent into an operational wallet and laundered through a series of virtual currency exchanges and transactions by leveraging suspected financiers and over-the-counter brokers. More than a million dollars were raised and laundered using the laundering system and the virtual currency accounts described in the affidavit.
“Hamas is responsible for the deaths of many U.S. and Israeli nationals, and we will use every legal tool at our disposal to stop their campaign of terror and murder,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “These seizures are but one illustration of the determination of this office and the Department of Justice to shut off the flow of funds to this group, and to locate every cent intended to support their activities, no matter what form it takes.”
“At Attorney General Pam Bondi’s direction, the Department of Justice is committed to dismantling Hamas using every tool at our disposal,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
“Countering terrorism remains the FBI’s number one priority. By successfully disrupting access to these funds, we have weakened their ability to function,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Bujanda, of the Albuquerque Field Office. “This success demonstrates that financial warfare is a critical component to fight terrorism. We will continue to do everything in our power to protect the American people and pursue justice by depriving terrorist organizations of the resources they need to continue their illicit activity.”
Included among the assets seized were cryptocurrency addresses valued at approximately $89,900, and three additional accounts containing cryptocurrency valued at approximately $111,500. These accounts were registered in the names of Palestinian individuals living in Turkey and elsewhere.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Albuquerque Field Office in coordination with the FBI Counterterrorism Division (CTD) and Cyber Division (CyD). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tejpal Chawla for the District of Columbia, Trial Attorney Jacques Singer-Emery for the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section, and Trial Attorney Jessica Joyce for the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
signed_warrant_package_redacted.pdfJustice Department Disrupts Hamas Terrorist Financing Scheme Through Seizure of CryptocurrencyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced the disruption of an ongoing terrorist financing scheme through the seizure of approximately $201,400 in cryptocurrency held in wallets and accounts intended to benefit Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Hamas). The seized funds were traced from fundraising addresses purportedly controlled by Hamas that were used to launder more than $1.5 million in virtual currency since October 2024.
“At Attorney General Pam Bondi’s direction, the Department of Justice is committed to dismantling Hamas using every tool at our disposal,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
“These seizures show that this office will search high and low for every cent of money going to fund Hamas, wherever it is found, and in whatever form of currency,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “Hamas is responsible for the death of many U.S. and Israeli nationals, and we will stop at nothing to stop their campaign of terror and murder.”
“Hamas raised and laundered more than a million dollars to support its terrorist operation, but through our investigation, the FBI traced and seized these funds,” said Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI Counterterrorism Division. “Disrupting funding mechanisms and seizing cryptocurrency from Hamas is one of the FBI’s many tools that we use in the fight against terrorism. The FBI will work with our partners to dismantle this terrorist group and protect the American people from their violent and horrific acts.”
“Countering terrorism remains the FBI’s number one priority. By successfully disrupting access to funds, we weaken their ability to function,” said Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. “This success demonstrates that financial warfare is a critical component to fight terrorism. We will continue to do everything in our power to protect the American people and pursue justice by depriving terrorist organizations of the resources they need to continue their illicit activity.”
As alleged in court documents, a group chat claiming association with Hamas on an encrypted communications platform provided Hamas supporters worldwide with a changing set of at least 17 cryptocurrency addresses. Supporters were encouraged to donate money to those addresses. Those funds were sent into an operational wallet and laundered through a series of virtual currency exchanges and transactions by leveraging suspected financiers and over-the-counter brokers. More than a million dollars was raised and laundered using the laundering system and the virtual currency accounts described in the affidavit.
Included among the assets seized were cryptocurrency addresses valued at approximately $89,900 and three additional accounts containing cryptocurrency valued at approximately $111,500. These accounts were registered in the names of Palestinian individuals living in Turkey and elsewhere.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office is investigating the case, in coordination with the FBI Counterterrorism Division and Cyber Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tejpal Chawla for the District of Columbia, Trial Attorney Jacques Singer-Emery for the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section, and Trial Attorney Jessica Joyce of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Jury Convicts Ohio Man of Armed Cocaine Trafficking and Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Cincinnati, Ohio, man was convicted on Thursday by a federal jury in Covington for armed cocaine trafficking and illegal firearm possession.
After slightly under three hours of deliberation, following a three-day trial, the jury convicted 33-year-old Anthony Wynn of one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to testimony at trial, in August 2020, law enforcement stopped a vehicle being driven by Wynn to investigate a possible DUI. During the stop, officers located two bags of crack cocaine and a bag of marijuana on Wynn’s person. Officers also found a loaded firearm in the glove box and a digital scale in the center console. An additional loaded firearm was found in the trunk. Wynn possessed the firearms to protect himself, drugs, and drug proceeds from robbery. Also, Wynn was aware at the time of his arrest that he had prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Wynn was previously convicted of facilitation of robbery and first degree trafficking in a controlled substance in Campbell County Circuit Court in 2010; and first degree trafficking in a controlled substance, cocaine, and two counts of first degree trafficking in a controlled substance, heroin, in Kenton County Circuit Court in 2015.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Brian Valenti, Covington Police Department, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and Covington Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tony Bracke and Joel King.
Wynn will appear for sentencing on July 16, 2025. He faces a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of life in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, Acting U.S. Attorney McCaffrey coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
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James Mailhiot, Jr. Sentenced for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Rutland, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that James Mailhiot, Jr., 56, of Rutland, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Rutland to four years of probation following his guilty plea to a charge of federal income tax evasion. U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier ordered that Mailhiot perform 200 hours of community service during his probationary term, pay restitution totaling $296,618, and an additional fine of $25,000. At today’s hearing, counsel represented to the court that Mailhiot was prepared to pay his restitution obligation in full immediately after sentencing.
On November 14, 2024, the United States Attorney filed a one-count information charging Mailhiot with evading a significant portion of the income taxes he owed to the United States for Tax Years 2019 through 2022. Mailhiot pleaded guilty to that information last December.
According to the information, Mailhiot owned and operated a roofing business that generated approximately $1.6 million in gross revenues between 2019 and 2022. Mailhiot used an out-of-state accountant to prepare his federal income tax returns. To enable the accountant to prepare each return, Mailhiot sent the accountant records of revenues earned and expenses incurred on the various roofing jobs he completed that year. In fact, the records Mailhiot gave to the accountant were very incomplete, resulting in a very substantial understatement of the taxable income he earned each year, and very substantial underpayments of the taxes he owed to the Internal Revenue Service. According to the information, Mailhiot’s underpayments for years 2019-2022 totaled $296,000.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.
Mailhiot is represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
Indiana Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Narcotics TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Indiana, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 70 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and crack, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Barry Baker, 46.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around December 2021 to in and around March 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Baker conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and a quantity of crack. Baker was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to other members of the drug organization in Johnstown.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Baker. Additional agencies participating in the investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Illegal Alien Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OXFORD, MS– A Mexican national, illegally in the United States, was ordered detained by a Federal Magistrate Judge on Tuesday after he was arrested last week on a criminal complaint related to his alleged possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, Adolfo Raul Vasquez-Santana, 32, of Southaven, Mississippi, downloaded and shared videos that depicted the sexual abuse of children, some of whom appear to be younger than thirteen years of age. Vasquez-Santana is charged with the receipt or distribution of those images using the internet. If convicted of these charges, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Vasquez-Santana was investigated initially by the Southaven Police Department responding to a tip that they received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. He had been arrested and charged by the Southaven Police Department, but prior to his prosecution for these offenses in state court, he was released to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal from the United States. The Department of Homeland Security charged the defendant with the federal offenses at issue in the complaint.
U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi made the announcement. Joyner said, “The Department of Justice will fully prosecute any alien that violates the laws of our great country. Possession of child sexual abuse images leads to further abuse of the most vulnerable members of our society: our children. The DOJ will do everything in our power to protect them and to that end, I appreciate the Southaven Police Department for their thorough investigation of this matter.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Addison is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Houston man guilty of trafficking minors in two citiesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 22-year-old man residing in the Houston and Dallas areas has been convicted of two counts of sex trafficking and one count of enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
A federal jury deliberated for a day and a half before returning the guilty verdict against Cristian Morris following a three-day trial.
From Jan. 1 - June 23, 2023, Morris recruited young teenage girls. He supplied them with drugs, posted sexually explicit advertisements for commercial sex online and forced them to engage in sex acts with clients for money in hotels around the “blade” in Houston and Dallas.
The blade or “track” is an area near I-59 Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet Street in Houston and Harry Hines Boulevard in Dallas where pimps and traffickers commonly place their victims to engage in commercial sex.
During trial, the jury heard from the three victims whom Morris trafficked over the course of several months. They testified he instructed them on how to walk the blade, how much to charge and provided them with condoms. The jury also heard that Morris would transport them between Houston and Dallas to engage in sex acts.
Morris kept all the proceeds.
“What this case demonstrates is that if you pimp, traffic, or exploit either women or children, you will be caught, and you shouldn’t expect anything other than the hardest charges that we can bring,” said Ganjei. “This is a great result for victims and will hopefully serve as a warning to other pimps that you’re not just risking state charges, you’ll also have the feds on you as well.”
Morris was ultimately arrested June 23, 2023, after he had posted commercial sex ads for the youngest victim, a 15-year-old runaway.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that the victims were just a group of runaways and school drop-outs engaged in bad behavior. They did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett presided over the trial and set sentencing for July 10. At that time, Morris faces up to life in prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody until the sentencing.
FBI and Houston Police Department (HPD) conducted the investigation as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA).
HTRA law enforcement includes members of HPD, FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor (DOL), DOL – Wage and Hour Division, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Social Security Administration – OIG and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.
Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Valenti and Kimberly Leo prosecuted the case.
Honduras Man Charged with Multiple Firearms and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Carlos Alberto Diaz-Chavez, 21, a citizen of Honduras without legal status in the United States, has been charged by criminal complaint with being an Alien in possession of a firearm, possession of a machinegun, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“We will not hesitate to keep our community safe from those who would illegally possess dangerous firearms, deal deadly narcotics, and who put our first responders at risk by their actions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire.
According to court documents, on February 17, 2025, on Interstate 65 near the 67-mile marker, a Williamson County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) Deputy Sheriff observed a silver Toyota Camry that failed to move over into the next lane for a vehicle stopped on the side of Interstate 65 with its emergency lights on, in violation of Tennessee law. The Deputy activated the emergency lights on his patrol car to stop the Camry, at which point it came to a stop. As the Deputy approached the Camry and knocked on the passenger side window to speak with the occupants, the car accelerated at a high rate of speed and fled. WCSO Deputies deployed spike strips on Interstate 65 to disable its wheels. After the Camry’s tires were struck by the spike strips, it continued to drive towards Spring Hill, where it came to a stop by crashing into a guardrail.
Three people ran from the car, including Diaz-Chavez, who got out of the back seat carrying a backpack. WCSO Deputies chased and caught Diaz-Chavez, and found a purple Palmetto State Armory, Model: PA-15, Caliber: Multi firearm, a bag containing approximately 15 grams of methamphetamine, 14 additional individual plastic baggies of methamphetamine weighing approximately 0.2 grams each, and a black digital scale in his backpack. The Deputies also searched the Camry and located two more firearms – a Glock, Model: 17, Caliber: 9x19 mm, and a Ruger, Model: Single-Six, Caliber: 22. Diaz-Chavez was arrested on state charges and transported to the Williamson County Jail.
After waiving his Miranda rights, Diaz-Chavez admitted to being in possession of the Palmetto State Armory, PA-15, the Glock, Model: 17, and the Ruger Single-Six. He said he used the firearms for protection while he sold narcotics in the Nashville area. He also said that he was aware the Palmetto State Armory, PA-15, was a machinegun, which he purchased to have “more firepower” to protect himself while he sold narcotics in the Nashville area.
Diaz-Chavez admitted that he is from Honduras, he entered the United States illegally in 2019, and he has stayed in the Middle Tennessee and Northern Alabama area since his arrival.
If convicted, Diaz-Chavez faces a maximum of 15 years years in federal prison on the Alien in possession of a firearm count, 10 years on the possession of a machinegun count, 20 years on the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine count, and a mandatory minimum of five years consecutive to all other punishment on the possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking count. He also faces up to a $1,000,000 fine on the drug trafficking count, and a $250,000 fine on each of the firearms offenses.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Stephens is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fresno Man Convicted at Trial for Running Catalytic Converter Theft Ring That Stole Millions of Dollars’ Worth of ConvertersRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Following a four-day jury trial, George Thomas, 72, formerly of Fresno and Clovis, was convicted today of selling thousands of stolen catalytic converters for more than $2.7 million, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
Thomas was also convicted of structuring the money that he received for the converters out of his bank accounts through cash withdrawals to conceal his activities from the government. Generally speaking, banks are required to report cash withdrawals over $10,000 to the government. Structuring is the intentional withdrawal of cash in increments under $10,000 to avoid that reporting threshold.
“Catalytic converter theft is a nationwide problem that has affected tens of thousands of Californians,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud of its continuing effort to disrupt and dismantle this type of organized criminal activity that impacts so many victims.”
“Today’s verdict sends a message; catalytic converter theft conspiracies will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners relentlessly pursue those who exploit hard working community members for whom these thefts are a financial hardship to extract the precious metals within them for personal gain.”
“This collaboration exemplifies the power of teamwork between local and federal agencies in combating organized crime and ensuring justice for our community. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Deputy District Attorney Adam Kook for his initiative in engaging with federal authorities to drive a coordinated investigation in this case,” said District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp. “Thanks to collaborate efforts of the agencies involved, the ringleader behind the catalytic converter theft operations across the Central Valley is now facing significant fines and jail time for his wrongdoing.”
“The Fresno Police Department is proud to have participated with our partners, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Clovis Police Department, in this investigation and successful prosecution,” said Chief Mindy Casto. “Mr. Thomas’ criminal actions impacted countless members of our communities, both financially and emotionally. Through solid investigations by officers and detectives and the determined prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Thomas will finally be held accountable.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, between January 2021 and November 2022, Thomas purchased stolen converters from a group of habitual thieves in the Fresno area who cut the converters off of vehicles. The sales occurred in the parking lots of motels, gas stations, and similar places at all hours of the day and night.
Thomas gave the thieves instructions on the types of converters that he was looking for and how to best cut the converters off vehicles. Thomas also loaned the thieves money to pay for their motel rooms, saws, and bail. The loans were contingent on the thieves continuing to steal converters for him.
After an initial search warrant was executed at Thomas’ home in mid-2021, Thomas continued with the illegal sales but tried to cover it up. The cover-up included taking a photograph of the thief and an identification card each time he made a sale, requesting a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) for the vehicle from which the converter was supposedly cutoff, and having the thief sign a piece of paper stating that the converter was not stolen.
But Thomas did not actually change anything. For example, Thomas continued doing cash buys in the same places with the same thieves. He allowed the thieves to use fake and stolen IDs and provide him with false VINs. He also completed undercover sales where he said that he did not care where the VINs or converters came from.
The following is an example of an incriminating photograph taken during the search warrant at Thomas’ home.
Thomas drove the stolen converters to Oregon where he sold them to a metal recycling company for $2.7 million. The recycling company paid Thomas by wire transfer. He then withdrew the money through 386 cash withdrawals that were each under the $10,000 reporting threshold. He often made the withdrawals on his way to and from Oregon.
Importantly, after Thomas was arrested in April 2023, reports of converter theft in the Fresno area decreased by more than 60 percent.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the Clovis Police Department, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Justin Gilio are prosecuting the case.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 11, 2025. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of his convictions The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Fourth Defendant Pleads Guilty in Car Dealership Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Mississippi – A Louisiana woman pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud in connection with a scheme to use the stolen identities of others to purchase expensive vehicles in the Jackson, Mississippi metropolitan area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2023, Anna Waldei, 27, of New Orleans, Louisiana, and her coconspirators obtained the identity information of credit-worthy individuals, created false identity documents in the names of those individuals, and then posed as those individuals at automotive dealerships in order to apply for vehicle financing. Waldei and her coconspirators submitted credit applications and purchased or attempted to purchase vehicles from dealerships in the Jackson metro area. The defendants traveled from Louisiana to Mississippi in a vehicle rented by Waldei.
Waldei is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office are investigating the case through their partnership in the Cyber Fraud Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
Four Individuals and One Company Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging Schemes and Related Crimes Plaguing Public Schools in Mississippi and LouisianaRead the Press Release
Four individuals and one company pleaded guilty in three separate U.S. District Courts for their roles in various bid rigging and wire fraud conspiracies which targeted the sale of sports equipment to public schools throughout Mississippi and Louisiana. The schemes affected sales to hundreds of public schools in both states.
The individuals and company pleaded guilty between February and March of 2025. Yesterday, Patrick Joseph Stewart of Hattiesburg, Mississippi pleaded guilty to one count of bid rigging and one count of wire fraud affecting sales to at least 69 public schools in the Eastern District of Louisiana. In the Southern District of Mississippi, Maurice Daniel Bowering Jr., of Hattiesburg, Mississippi pleaded guilty to five counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 50 public schools on March 6; and Robert Tucker Craig of Starkville, Mississippi pleaded guilty to three counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 38 public schools and one count of obstruction for the deletion of related evidence on Feb. 19. Lastly, Robert Douglas Heflin of Starkville, Mississippi pleaded guilty to two counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 31 public schools on March 4; and Mississippi company Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc., pleaded guilty to two counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 60 public schools on Feb. 20, in the Northern District of Mississippi.
“School sports are integral to the development and upbringing of American children. From these opportunities, they learn the benefits of teamwork and open competition. Bid rigging, on the other hand, is the antithesis of American meritocracy. It is also patently unlawful,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The defendants here selfishly targeted school sports programs, depriving students of an opportunity to thrive. The Antitrust Division’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force has zero tolerance for bid collusion schemes, particularly when they target children.”
“The defendants rigged bids for school sports equipment which resulted in an unfair playing field,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi is committed to working with our law enforcement and Antitrust Division partners to protect school athletics and taxpayer dollars.”
“Financial fraud perpetrated against the U.S. government is a serious crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Particularly egregious, is fraud that undercuts government procurement processes and erodes public trust in the fair-bidding practice. These guilty pleas send a clear and decisive message that our office, along with our federal partners, will continue to protect the taxpayer by vigorously investigating and prosecuting all such corruption cases.”
“Bid rigging and the collusion that makes it possible drive up prices for taxpayers and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner for the Northern District of Mississippi. “We will continue our commitment to work with the FBI and to root out corruption.”
“This investigation underscores the FBI’s commitment to safeguarding public schools from criminal schemes that defraud the American people and exploit taxpayer money,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “Stewart, Bowering, Craig, Heflin, and Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc. were in positions to help shape children's learning, the benefits of physical fitness in living prosperous lives. Instead, these co-conspirators chose to abuse the trust given to them by stealing future opportunities from students in fraudulently filling their pockets with the hard-earned tax dollars schools are entrusted to invest in the development of America's future leaders. The FBI will continue to work with our federal partners to relentlessly pursue and bring justice to individuals and companies who use fraudulent schemes to defraud our communities.”
According to court documents, Craig, Bowering, Heflin, Stewart, and Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc. entered into conspiracies in which they agreed to submit complementary bids to public schools to obtain procurements for sports equipment and related services. The longest of the charged conspiracies lasted more than a decade. Two other co-conspirators, Charles Ferrell Trimm and Bradley D. Willcutt, previously pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Mississippi in May 2024 and September 2024, respectively.
The maximum penalty for the Sherman Act is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit wire fraud is 20 years in prison, a criminal fine, and Court-ordered restitution. The maximum penalty for obstruction in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c) is 20 years in prison and a criminal fine of no more than $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine the sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Today’s guilty pleas result from an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the school sports equipment industry being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant Chief Laura Butte; Trial Attorneys Jill Rogowski, Marc Hedrich, and Hannah Muller; and Senior Litigation Counsel Paul Torzilli are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about this investigation or other procurement fraud schemes should notify the PCSF at www.justice.gov/atr/webform/pcsf-citizen-complaint. The Justice Department created the PCSF in November 2019. It is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Four Individuals and One Company Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging Schemes and Related Crimes Plaguing Public Schools in Mississippi and LouisianaRead the Press Release
Four individuals and one company pleaded guilty in three separate U.S. District Courts for their roles in various bid rigging and wire fraud conspiracies which targeted the sale of sports equipment to public schools throughout Mississippi and Louisiana. The schemes affected sales to hundreds of public schools in both states.
The individuals and company pleaded guilty between February and March of 2025. Yesterday, Patrick Joseph Stewart of Hattiesburg, Mississippi pleaded guilty to one count of bid rigging and one count of wire fraud affecting sales to at least 69 public schools in the Eastern District of Louisiana. In the Southern District of Mississippi, Maurice Daniel Bowering Jr., of Hattiesburg, Mississippi pleaded guilty to five counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 50 public schools on March 6; and Robert Tucker Craig of Starkville, Mississippi pleaded guilty to three counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 38 public schools and one count of obstruction for the deletion of related evidence on Feb. 19. Lastly, Robert Douglas Heflin of Starkville, Mississippi pleaded guilty to two counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 31 public schools on March 4; and Mississippi company Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc., pleaded guilty to two counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 60 public schools on Feb. 20, in the Northern District of Mississippi.
“School sports are integral to the development and upbringing of American children. From these opportunities, they learn the benefits of teamwork and open competition. Bid rigging, on the other hand, is the antithesis of American meritocracy. It is also patently unlawful,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The defendants here selfishly targeted school sports programs, depriving students of an opportunity to thrive. The Antitrust Division’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force has zero tolerance for bid collusion schemes, particularly when they target children.”
“The defendants rigged bids for school sports equipment which resulted in an unfair playing field,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi is committed to working with our law enforcement and Antitrust Division partners to protect school athletics and taxpayer dollars.”
“Financial fraud perpetrated against the U.S. government is a serious crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Particularly egregious, is fraud that undercuts government procurement processes and erodes public trust in the fair-bidding practice. These guilty pleas send a clear and decisive message that our office, along with our federal partners, will continue to protect the taxpayer by vigorously investigating and prosecuting all such corruption cases.”
“Bid rigging and the collusion that makes it possible drive up prices for taxpayers and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner for the Northern District of Mississippi. “We will continue our commitment to work with the FBI and to root out corruption.”
“This investigation underscores the FBI’s commitment to safeguarding public schools from criminal schemes that defraud the American people and exploit taxpayer money,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “Stewart, Bowering, Craig, Heflin, and Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc. were in positions to help shape children's learning, the benefits of physical fitness in living prosperous lives. Instead, these co-conspirators chose to abuse the trust given to them by stealing future opportunities from students in fraudulently filling their pockets with the hard-earned tax dollars schools are entrusted to invest in the development of America's future leaders. The FBI will continue to work with our federal partners to relentlessly pursue and bring justice to individuals and companies who use fraudulent schemes to defraud our communities.”
According to court documents, Tucker, Bowering, Heflin, Stewart, and Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc. entered into conspiracies in which they agreed to submit complementary bids to public schools to obtain procurements for sports equipment and related services. The longest of the charged conspiracies lasted more than a decade. Two other co-conspirators, Charles Ferrell Trimm and Bradley D. Willcutt, previously pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Mississippi in May 2024 and September 2024, respectively.
The maximum penalty for the Sherman Act is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit wire fraud is 20 years in prison, a criminal fine, and Court-ordered restitution. The maximum penalty for obstruction in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c) is 20 years in prison and a criminal fine of no more than $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine the sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Today’s guilty pleas result from an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the school sports equipment industry being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant Chief Laura Butte; Trial Attorneys Jill Rogowski, Marc Hedrich, and Hannah Muller; and Senior Litigation Counsel Paul Torzilli are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about this investigation or other procurement fraud schemes should notify the PCSF at www.justice.gov/atr/webform/pcsf-citizen-complaint. The Justice Department created the PCSF in November 2019. It is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Former U.S. Postal Service Employee Pleads Guilty to Theft of Postal OrdersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to embezzling over $18,000.
Christine Hedges, 47, of Brockton, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for June 18, 2025. In March 2024, Hedges was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Hedges began working for USPS around 2020, most recently as a Lead Sales & Service Associate in Brockton. From approximately October 2021 to August 2023, Hedges engaged in a scheme to steal USPS funds for her personal use. As part of this scheme, Hedges generated, for her own use, no-fee money orders without a customer physically present at her customer window and which a customer did not request. Hedges also stole cash from her USPS workstation and often attempted to conceal her theft by replacing the cash with these fraudulent money orders. During the relevant period, Hedges generated approximately 64 fraudulent no-fee money orders. Of those no-fee money orders, 11 were made out to her boyfriend or a family member. From on or about Aug. 1, 2023 to on or about Aug. 14, 2023, video surveillance from above Hedges’ workstation showed Hedges on at least one occasion removing cash from her assigned drawer and putting it in her pocket. In all, Hedges stole approximately $18,939 in postal funds.
The charge of theft of government money provides a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
Former Postal Clerk Sentenced for Stealing from Cherryfield Post OfficeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Ellsworth woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for theft of public money.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Melissa Milliken, 33, to three years of probation. She was also ordered to pay $17,130.22 in restitution.
According to court records, in October 2022, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) launched an investigation after receiving a report that postal funds were missing following stamp stock and cash counts at the Cherryfield Post Office. Surveillance video from within the post office captured Milliken placing money into her pockets. Milliken admitted to investigators that she had been stealing from the post office for approximately a year. Investigators determined she stole more than $17,130 in government money between December 2021 and September 2023.
USPS-OIG Northeast Area Field Office, under Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, investigated the case.
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Former North Dakota State Senator Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Traveling to Prague to Engage in Commercial Sex with ChildrenRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former North Dakota state legislator for 45 years was sentenced on March 26, 2025, to 10 years in prison for traveling to Prague in the Czech Republic, where he paid to sexually exploit children.
According to court documents, Raymon (Ray) Everett Holmberg, 81, of Grand Forks, traveled to Prague approximately 14 times between 2011 and 2021. During these trips, while staying at a brothel that catered to men looking to engage in commercial sex with adolescent boys, Holmberg paid for sex acts with boys. During some of the trips, Holmberg used the alias “Sean Evans.” Witnesses told law enforcement that Holmberg did not want his name on the brothel’s registry because he was a North Dakota state legislator. Witnesses also told law enforcement that Holmberg would also visit a public park in front of the main train station in Prague to procure sex from underage boys.
Holmberg also used the “Evans” alias to tell friends about his trips and encourage them to travel to Prague. In these communications, Holmberg shared an image of an adolescent boy that he called “his twink,” and said that “no one is ever to [sic] young . . . remember Prague.” He emailed a different friend a link to a brothel in Prague and suggested that they go that summer, writing: “The boys rent at around $60 . . . (sex is extra).” Holmberg also wrote: “It will be decadent but oh so much fun bro. What happens in Prague—Stays in Prague.” Back in the United States, Holmberg boasted about having engaged in sexual activity with boys as young as 12- and 15-years old during his travels.
According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Holmberg’s sexual exploitation of minors was not limited to his trips to Prague. Holmberg established an online relationship with a 16-year-old Canadian boy, posing as a boy of a similar age in order to manipulate the Canadian teen into taking images of himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct and sending them to Holmberg.
On August 8, 2024, Holmberg pled guilty to traveling in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl for the District of North Dakota made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations, Grand Forks, and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Charles Schmitz of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and Acting U.S. Attorney Puhl are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Mt. Carmel Borough Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Violate Civil RightsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that former Officer Jonathan McHugh, age 36, of the Mt. Carmel Borough Police Department, pleaded guilty yesterday before Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann, to conspiring to use excessive force when arresting people over a three-year period.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, former Officer McHugh, was previously indicted on June 15, 2023, with former Lt. David Donkochik, age 53, and former Officer Kyle Schauer, age 36, on charges of conspiracy to deprive rights under color of law. McHugh, Donkochik, and Schauer conspired to violate the civil rights of those they arrested from 2018 to 2021. During 22 different arrests, one or more of the defendants kicked, punched, choked, or otherwise used excessive force against those they were arresting. In those arrests, they caused bodily injuries to their victims.
McHugh, Donkochik, and Schauer also took steps to ensure that video of the arrests was not captured by police cameras, or if footage that incriminated them was captured, took steps to ensure that footage was not preserved. They falsely reported that arrestees acted in a manner requiring violence and then charged arrestees with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and related offenses to conceal their own use of violence.
Schauer pleaded guilty on October 24, 2024, and Donkochik pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025, to conspiracy to deprive rights under color of law.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael A. Consiglio and Carlo D. Marchioli and are prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Former Law Student Sentenced for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A former law school student who possessed more than 10,000 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his cell phone and uploaded on cloud-based storage was sentenced to serve more than six years in prison for his crime.
Gregory Gallagher, 37, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $169,649.12 in restitution to the victims by U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on March 26. Gallagher will also be required to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. The defendant previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography on April 22, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Children who experience the horror of being sexually abused are continually traumatized each and every time the image or video of the heinous act is viewed. These images are permanent and cause harm well beyond the moment they were originally captured,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office, working alongside our law enforcement and community partners, will pursue federal prosecution against child predators caught viewing, uploading or sharing child sexual abuse material on the internet.”
“This conviction is a victory for justice and a warning to those who prey on children—we will find you and you will face the full force of the law,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta, which covers Georgia and Alabama. “Together, HSI and our law enforcement partners will remain steadfast in our mission to safeguard communities and ensure that those who exploit children are held accountable.”
"Today’s conviction reflects the relentless efforts of law enforcement to protect children from exploitation and hold offenders accountable,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI remains steadfast in its commitment to using all available resources to prevent child abuse and bring justice to the victims of these horrific crimes."
According to court documents and statements referenced in Court, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received five Cybertip reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) between May and August 2021 from a cloud infrastructure company of suspected child sexual exploitation associated with a cell phone number. The subsequent investigation led to Gallagher, who was a Mercer Law School student at the time; agents executed a search warrant of the account in January 2022 and found subfolders belonging to Gallagher that contained 38 videos and 1,970 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), also known as child pornography. Another folder containing files uploaded from Gallagher’s cell phone had two videos and 3,389 images of more CSAM. Agents executed search warrants at Gallagher’s residences in Macon and Marietta on March 29, 2022. Agents discovered that Gallagher’s cell phone had 97 videos and 5,749 images of children being sexually assaulted and abused, including very young children and toddlers.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s (GBI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Former Financial Advisor Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A former Morgan Stanley financial advisor in El Paso was sentenced in a federal court today to 144 months in prison for committing a multi-million dollar fraud scheme.
According to court documents, from May 2018 to August 2021, Jesus Rodriguez de la Cruz, 46, defrauded his financial services employer, Morgan Stanley, and clients of money through materially false pretenses, representations and promises. Rodriguez de la Cruz orchestrated fraudulent transfers of funds from the bank accounts of Morgan Stanley and clients to other bank accounts for his own benefit.
In one instance, Rodriguez de la Cruz created false communications and documents impersonating a client and submitted them to Morgan Stanley personnel to cause fraudulent transfers on the client’s line of credit account for personal profit. One of these included a form that falsely claimed the client had verbally authorized the transfer of $48,575.36 for the purchase of real estate in El Paso. Relying on the documentation, Morgan Stanley initiated the wire transfer from the client’s account to an account at a separate financial institution belonging to one of Rodriguez de la Cruz’s family members.
One fraudulent transfer of approximately $125,000 from a client’s account to an account at another financial institution facilitated Rodriguez de la Cruz’s purchase of a Lamborghini.
Rodriguez de la Cruz committed similar acts using other Morgan Stanley client accounts. In all, Morgan Stanley suffered a total loss of $5,554,968.10 due to Rodriguez de la Cruz’s scheme. Additionally, Rodriguez de la Cruz did not report any of the embezzled funds as income on his tax returns from 2017 through 2021, causing a loss of $408,055 for the IRS.
Rodriguez de la Cruz was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023 and arrested Jan. 12, 2024. He pleaded guilty on Nov. 5, 2024, to one count of wire fraud, one count of engaging in a monetary transaction over $10,000 using criminally derived proceeds, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of making and subscribing a false income tax return.
“This defendant abused the trust of his clients and his responsibilities as a financial advisory to steal millions of dollars in customer funds in order to enrich himself,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “Today's sentence of more than a decade in federal prison demonstrates that perpetrators of fraud in this district will be investigated and brought to justice.”
“The defendant exploited his position of trust as a financial advisor to deceive both his clients and employer for personal gain. Today’s sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to pursuing those who abuse their positions for financial fraud and ensuring they are held accountable,” said John Morales, FBI El Paso Special Agent in Charge. “We are grateful for the invaluable collaboration of our partners at the Internal Revenue Service, whose continued assistance is vital in protecting our communities from greed and financial crimes.”
“Rodriguez is the epitome of criminals fueled by greed that destroy the trust we place in those who handle our personal finances. He stole from his employer, his clients, and even personally recruited a victim to trust him as her financial advisor so he could hijack her accounts, after stealing her identity,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan, of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “These complex financial schemes are why law enforcement agencies, like IRS-CI and the FBI, team up to help bring justice to victims and deter future criminals, like Rodriguez, from violating your trust.”
The FBI and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Calve and Adrian Gallegos prosecuted the case.
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Former Corrections Officer Convicted of Committing Perjury After Making False Statements During an Investigation into Use of Excessive Force at PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Richard Wargo, a former Sergeant at Pender Correctional Institution, pled guilty today to committing perjury before a federal grand jury in a civil rights investigation. Wargo, 37, faces up to 60 months in prison when sentenced later this year.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began an investigation in 2022 into Pender Correctional Institution (PCI), in Burgaw, after receiving multiple allegations of officers using excessive force against inmates in the prior year. During one incident, which occurred on November 17, 2021, PCI officers removed an inmate from a dorm room due to apparent intoxication and took him to a separate shipping and receiving building with no surveillance cameras. The inmate was handcuffed and struck with a baton multiple times, resulting in lacerations on his legs and scarring.
Wargo was working the night shift when the November 17, 2021, incident occurred and was tasked with preparing the incident report regarding the use of force. In his report, Wargo omitted that he was present during or involved in the use of force. It was the prison’s policy that no one involved in the incident should prepare the incident report.
The FBI interviewed Wargo in August 2023. When asked about the November 17, 2021, incident, Wargo described being the investigating officer but said he otherwise was in no way involved and was not even present for the use of force. He appeared before a federal grand jury on August 22, 2023, and while under oath, gave the same account. However, grand jury testimony from other officers and witnesses established that Wargo was present in the shipping and receiving building during the assault. Two officers testified that Wargo participated in the assault, striking the inmate with a baton, while another officer testified that he saw Wargo standing over the inmate.
Wargo agreed to a second, audio recorded interview on February 26, 2024. He again denied being present for or participating in the November 17, 2021, use of force incident. But when confronted with evidence to the contrary, Wargo admitted that he had entered the shipping and receiving building during an ongoing use of force incident. He further admitted that he had drawn his baton and witnessed other officers strike the inmate with batons.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the plea. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:24-cr-0043-BO.
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Former Bank Teller Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $180,000Read the Press Release
BOSTON – A Saugus man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to embezzling bank funds while working as a teller at a Boston branch of a national bank.
Derek Aut, 28, pleaded guilty to embezzlement by a bank employee and aggravated identity theft. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for June 16, 2025. Aut was previously charged by criminal complaint on Dec. 18, 2024.
According to the charging documents, while working as a teller at a bank branch in Boston, Aut stole from the bank accounts of two customers by forging the victims’ names on withdrawal slips, among other things. When one of the victims noticed money missing from her account, Aut attempted to cover his theft by taking money from the other victim’s account and depositing it into the first victim’s account. In total, Aut took more than $180,000 from the victims’ accounts.
The charge of embezzlement by a bank employee provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a $1 million fine. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Who Bought Diamond-Studded “Grills” with Fraud Cash Sentenced to 71 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal district judge in South Florida has sentenced an Orlando man to almost six years in prison for leading a scheme that defrauded California’s Employment Development Department of over $4 million in state and federal unemployment insurance benefit money. The judge also ordered him to pay over $1.2 million in restitution.
Zachary Kameron Ramyard, 23, of Orlando, Fla. pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in October 2024.
From August 2020 to August 2022, Ramyard and others submitted fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims to California’s Employment Development Department (EDD). UI payments are intended to provide temporary financial assistance to lawful workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own. They purchased the personally identifiable information (PII) of victims (including names, dates of birth, and social security numbers), created counterfeit driver licenses with it, and submitted at least 68 fraudulent UI benefits applications using the victims’ PII.
Ramyard also withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars in UI funds from Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in different states using fraudulent debit cards. (The EDD typically distributed UI benefits electronically to debit cards that were mailed to claimants.) Ramyard used the cash to buy luxury items like the diamond-studded teeth jewelry, also known as “grills,” pictured above.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne, Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Southeast Region announced the sentence.
HSI Miami and DOL-OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Egozi prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture.
Additional Background Information: Beginning in or around March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several federal programs expanded UI eligibility and increased UI benefits, including the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (PUA), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC), and the Lost Wages Assistance Program (LWAP). In the State of California, the EDD administered the UI program.
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”) to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred. EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed, and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA.
COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force: On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here.
Reporting: Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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 22-cr-20382.
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Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 65 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Derek Gaines, 37, of Severn, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 65 months in federal prison for selling thousands of fentanyl pills and cocaine to a confidential informant working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Gaines pleaded guilty on December 5, 2024, to unlawful distribution of 40 or more grams of fentanyl. In addition to the 65-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Gaines to serve four years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on April 4, 2024, an ATF confidential informant (CI) contacted Gaines. Gaines asked the CI if they wanted “the two” (two ounces of cocaine) and the blues (fentanyl pills), or just the blues. The CI stated that they wanted both. At 4:11 p.m., the CI texted Gaines to meet them on the 1600 block Maryland Avenue NE. Prior to the controlled purchase, law enforcement agents provided $5,000 to the CI. At the arranged meeting place, at 5:09 p.m., a dark-colored Chevrolet pulled alongside the CI’s vehicle. Gaines exited the Chevrolet and entered the front passenger seat of the CI’s vehicle and exchanged the cocaine and five baggies of fentanyl pills to the CI for $4,000. A DEA analysis showed that the suspected cocaine was in fact determined to be 55.78 grams of the drug. The five plastic baggies contained 502 blue M/30 fentanyl pills that weighed 59.2 grams, including packaging.
On June 4, 2024, the CI texted Gaines and asked for another transaction at the same location. On June 6, 2024, ATF agents provided $7,500 to the CI. At 5:34 p.m., a gray Volkswagen Passat pulled up alongside the CI’s vehicle. Gaines exchanged the suspected cocaine and fentanyl pills for $6,500. Following the controlled purchase, the CI met with ATF agents and turned over the suspected narcotics. A DEA analysis of the suspected cocaine determined that the substance was in fact cocaine with a net weight of 56.44 grams. An analysis of the blue pills determined them to be fentanyl with a net weight of 106.69 grams.
On July 23, 2024, Gaines sold 2,000 blue M/30 fentanyl pills to the CI for $8,000 at the same Maryland Ave. location.
Law enforcement arrested Gaines on August 29, 2024, in Severn, Maryland.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Washington Field Division, with valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
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Felon Sentenced on Two Federal Drug Counts Incurred While Awaiting Self-Surrender on Peoria County Drug Possession ConvictionRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Romel Michael Turner, 31, formerly of the 2500 block of West Wardcliffe Drive, Peoria, Illinois, was sentenced in federal court on March 25, 2025, to 151 months’ imprisonment for two counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual).
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, evidence showed that Turner was sentenced in Peoria County Circuit Court on October 25, 2023, to 6 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (“IDOC”) for unlawful possession of methamphetamine. He was to self-surrender on January 5, 2024. Turner was found to have distributed methamphetamine at least three times in December 2023. He pled guilty in August 2024 and has remained in the custody of the IDOC since his self-surrender for the county charges in January 2024. His projected parole on the county case is December 2026.
At the hearing, the judge also ordered that the 151-month term should be served consecutive to his current IDOC sentence.
The statutory penalties for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) are: not less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment; a minimum of 5 years’ supervised release; and a fine of up to $10 million.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Springfield Resident Office, Peoria Multi-Agency Enforcement Group (P-MEG), and Peoria Police Department, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Federal Jury Convicts Rochester Felon for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury found a Rochester man guilty of illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on March 18-19, 2023, Divaunte Kartrell Young, 24, pressured an acquaintance “Victim A” for a ride to the Twin Cities. When Victim A refused, Young brandished a handgun he carried in a black and white Adidas cross-body bag. After Victim A and Young drove to a nearby gas station, Victim A went inside the gas station and locked herself in the bathroom in order to call a friend for help. Shortly afterwards, Victim A abandoned her vehicle and called 911. Responding officers located the car, found Young sleeping inside, and took him into custody. During the subsequent search of the vehicle, officers located the black and white Adidas bag with a silver Taurus nine-millimeter handgun inside. Young’s DNA was matched to DNA that was found on the gun. After Young was taken into custody, he contacted Victim A and was captured on recorded jail calls attempting to obstruct Victim A from participating in the criminal case against him.
Because Young has multiple prior felony convictions for domestic assault, aggravated robbery, burglary, and fourth degree assault, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Following a three-day trial before Judge Eric C. Tostrud in U.S. District Court, a jury found Young guilty on one count of illegal possession of a firearm.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Rochester Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan B. Gilead and David B. Green prosecuted the case.
Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictment Charging 14 Defendants with Drug Conspiracy, Racketeering, and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook, along with DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Keith Bakewell, Lincoln Parish Sheriff J. Stephen Williams, Louisiana State Police Captain Eric Cuenca, and Ruston Police Department Chief Eric Watson, have joined together in a press conference today to announce the indictment of 14 defendants on drug and firearms charges related to a drug trafficking conspiracy in the Ruston, Louisiana area.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment charging the following individuals with drug conspiracy, racketeering, and firearms charges. The defendants named in the indictment and the charges they face are as follows:
Defendant Name
Charges
Cornelius Boston, a/k/a “C-Rock”
Age 44 of Ruston, LA
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking
- Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon
Shedrick Green, III a/k/a “Shed”
Age 40 of Ruston, LA
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Ferrano Barnes, a/k/a “Quan”
Age 54 of Lodi, CA
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Marcus Gray
Age 41 of Salina, KS
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Landon Askins
Age 42 of Ruston, LA
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Brodrick Graham, a/k/a “Broderick Graham”
Age 31 of Ruston, LA
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Kimoni McMurray, a/k/a “KiMoney”
Age 46 of Ruston, LA
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Jakevdrick Carter, a/k/a “OB”
Age 34 of Ruston, LA
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Ladavid Hunter
Age 37 of Jonesboro, LA
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Jason Teddy Potts
Age 46 of Ruston, LA
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Roy Lee Williams, a/k/a “Mickey”
Age 40 of Ruston, LA
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Tangua Raybon, a/k/a “Tangua King”
Age 56 of Winnfield, LA
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering
There are two additional individuals not named above who have been charged in this indictment. We are unable to disclose their identity at this time.
The indictment alleges that between January 1, 2022, and continuing through on or about November 27, 2024, in the Western District of Louisiana and elsewhere, the 14 defendants knowingly and intentionally conspired together to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
The indictment further alleges that on November 27, 2024, Cornelius Boston possessed with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessed a Glock 9mm caliber pistol, Model 45, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and as a convicted felon. In addition, it is alleged that on or about November 27, 2024, Shedrick Green, III knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. On or about September 10, 2024, it is also alleged that Roy Lee Williams knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
In addition to the drug conspiracy and possession charges, the indictment alleges that between on or about May 1, 2021, and on or about November 27, 2024, Tangua Raybon knowingly traveled in interstate commerce between the State of Louisiana and the State of Texas with the intent to distribute the proceeds of an unlawful activity which was the distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The indictment includes a sentencing enhancement for Boston, Green, Askins, McMurray, Hunter, and Potts. As a result of their prior serious felony drug trafficking convictions, they are each subject to increased punishment under the criminal statute.
If convicted, the defendants face a sentence of not less than 10 years or more than life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000, or both.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being investigated by DEA, ATF, Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police, Ruston Police Department, Sulphur Police Department, Louisiana National Guard Counterdrug Unit, Louisiana Air National Guard, and U.S. Marshals Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy.
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).
This ongoing investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictment Against 5 Louisville Residents - Charges Include Fentanyl and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – On March 19, 2025, a federal grand jury in Louisville charged 5 Louisville residents in an indictment involving fentanyl and firearms offenses.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Abdulkadir Malindo, 21, Abdulkadir Ali, 21, Hussein Hussein, 19, Henry Martinez, 20, and Bilal Malindo, 19, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl between October 28, 2024, and March 5, 2025.
Abdulkadir Malindo is also charged with twelve counts of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, seven counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of illegal possession of a machine gun, and one count of firearms trafficking. On the following dates, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed the listed firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On November 9, 2024, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed a Plumcrazy Firearms, Gen II, multi-caliber pistol.
On December 3, 2024, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed a P80, 9-millimeter pistol.
On December 5, 2024, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed an American Tactical Imports, Omni Hybrid, multi-caliber pistol.
On December 12, 2024, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed a Glock Switch. A Glock Switch device allows a semi-automatic handgun to function as an automatic and is defined as a machine gun under federal law.
On January 2, 2025, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed a Glock, Model 19X, 9-millimeter pistol.
On January 17, 2025, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed a Bear Creek Arsenal, Model BCA19, multi-caliber pistol and a Canik55, Model TP-9SF, 9-millimeter pistol.
On March 5, 2025, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed a Palmetto, multi-caliber rifle, a Sig Sauer, Model P226, .40 caliber pistol, a Canik, 9-millimeter pistol, and a Glock, Model 22, .40 caliber pistol.
Abdulkadir Ali is also charged with one count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Hussein Hussein is also charged with one count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On November 21, 2024, Hussein possessed a Radical Firearms, Model RF-15, multi-caliber pistol.
Henry Martinez is also charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl.
Bilal Malindo is also charged with two counts of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Abdulkadir Malindo, Ali, Hussein, and Martinez have been arrested and made their initial court appearances this week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Bilal Malindo is in state custody and will make an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on a later date.
If convicted, Abdulkadir Malindo faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison, Abdulkadir Ali faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, Hussein Hussein faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, Henry Martinez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, and Bilal Malindo faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. All the defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The cases are being investigated by the ATF, DEA, HSI, KSP, and LMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erwin Roberts is prosecuting the cases.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that Marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Ecuadorian National Indicted for Attempting to Smuggle Firearms Out of the United StatesRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Karla Alejandra Tejena Parraga (38, Ecuador) with attempted smuggling of firearms. If convicted, Tejena Parraga faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on February 19, 2025, Tejena Parraga fraudulently attempted to export a firearm and firearm part from the United States to Panama. Prior to the attempted exportation, Tejena Parraga concealed, received, bought or sold, or facilitated such, knowing the firearm and firearm part was intended for exportation contrary to any law or regulation of the United States.
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 assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie McNeff.
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).
East Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking and Gun Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, announced that WARREN SIMPSON, also known as “Wodi,” 43, of East Hartford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell in Bridgeport to drug trafficking and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July and August 2024, ATF special agents conducted multiple controlled purchases of cocaine from Simpson in Hartford. On September 12, 2024, as investigators approached Simpson’s residence on Judson Avenue in East Hartford to execute a federal search warrant, Simpson attempted to flee and tossed bags containing narcotics as he ran. Investigators apprehended Simpson and recovered the bags. Searches of Simpson’s residence and vehicle, and the discarded bags, revealed approximately 248 grams of fentanyl, approximately 690 grams of cocaine, drug processing and packaging materials, a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol, and ammunition.
Simpson’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for possession of narcotics, larceny, and criminal possession of a firearm. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm and ammunition that have moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Simpson pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams more of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.
Simpson is released on a $200,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Mahard.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Drug Task Force Operation Leads to Multiple Drug ArrestsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that on March 26, 2025, a multi-agency operation led to the arrests of 8 individuals in central Nebraska on federal drug charges, and the unsealing of several indictments. An additional 5 people were arrested on state charges. Multiple search warrants were also executed.
Those arrested federally and a summary of their charges and the penalties include the following:
A superseding indictment was unsealed charging Manuel Enrique Corona-Ramirez, Shawn Norris, Trevor Hardin, and Omar Gonzalez-Garcia with conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine between March 1, 2024 and February 5, 2025. Also listed in that conspiracy count are Reyes Ernesto Garcia-Urquizo and Enrique Martinez, who were arrested a month prior. A conviction on that conspiracy charge carries a possible penalty of not less than 10 years to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million; and a term of supervised release not less than five years.
A related indictment was also unsealed charging Adelso Saravia and Adriana Zepeda Rivera with conspiracy to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine (actual) between October 3, 2024 and November 30, 2024. The penalties on that charge are not less than 10 years to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million; and a term of supervised release not less than five years.
These cases were investigated by the Cooperative Operations for Drug Enforcement (CODE) Task Force which is made up of law enforcement agencies throughout a 22-county area in west-central/southwest Nebraska in cooperation with federal partners at Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Also assisting in the investigation and subsequent arrests were the Tri-Cities Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT) Task Force based around the Grand Island-Hastings-Kearney area, the Cozad Police Department, the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, the Lexington Police Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, the North Platte Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
To report tips on drug trafficking, please contact the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or 402-492-8688 or the Nebraska Crime Stoppers tipline at 1-800-422-1494.
Drug Task Force Operation Leads to Multiple Drug ArrestsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that on March 26, 2025, a multi-agency operation led to the arrests of 8 individuals in central Nebraska on federal drug charges, and the unsealing of several indictments. An additional 5 people were arrested on state charges. Multiple search warrants were also executed.
Those arrested federally and a summary of their charges and the penalties include the following:
A superseding indictment was unsealed charging Manuel Enrique Corona-Ramirez, Shawn Norris, Trevor Hardin, and Omar Gonzalez-Garcia with conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine between March 1, 2024 and February 5, 2025. Also listed in that conspiracy count are Reyes Ernesto Garcia-Urquizo and Enrique Martinez, who were arrested a month prior. A conviction on that conspiracy charge carries a possible penalty of not less than 10 years to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million; and a term of supervised release not less than five years.
A related indictment was also unsealed charging Adelso Saravia and Adriana Zepeda Rivera with conspiracy to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine (actual) between October 3, 2024 and November 30, 2024. The penalties on that charge are not less than 10 years to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million; and a term of supervised release not less than five years.
These cases were investigated by the Cooperative Operations for Drug Enforcement (CODE) Task Force which is made up of law enforcement agencies throughout a 22-county area in west-central/southwest Nebraska in cooperation with federal partners at Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Also assisting in the investigation and subsequent arrests were the Tri-Cities Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT) Task Force based around the Grand Island-Hastings-Kearney area, the Cozad Police Department, the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, the Lexington Police Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, the North Platte Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
To report tips on drug trafficking, please contact the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or 402-492-8688 or the Nebraska Crime Stoppers tipline at 1-800-422-1494.
Diopsys, Inc. Agrees to Pay up to $14.25 Million to Resolve Alleged Federal False Claims Act and State Law Violations Relating to Vision TestingRead the Press Release
Newark, N.J. – Diopsys, Inc., a medical device company based in Middletown, Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay up to $14.25 million to resolve allegations that the company violated the federal False Claims Act and various state laws by knowingly submitting or causing others to submit false claims for payment to Medicare and Medicaid in connection with certain vision testing services, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced today.
The settlement resolves allegations relating to Diopsys’ NOVA device, an electrophysiological device that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared for visual evoked potential (VEP) testing. The United States alleged that, during the period from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2021, Diopsys caused healthcare providers to submit false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for services in which the NOVA device was utilized for medically unnecessary uses, specifically electroretinography (ERG) vision testing, a substantially different vision test for which the NOVA device lacked FDA clearance. The government further contended that Diopsys made substantial changes to the NOVA device that it never submitted to FDA for clearance or approval despite knowing that such a submission was required.
“Today’s resolution reaffirms our commitment to protect the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Health care companies must not encourage doctors to submit claims for payment for medically unnecessary tests.”
U.S. Attorney John Giordano
Under the terms of the settlement, Diopsys will make guaranteed payments of $1,225,000 and contingent payments of up to $13,025,000. The settlement is based on Diopsys’ financial condition.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Dr. Atul Jain, a California ophthalmologist. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Approximately $1,120,000 of the guaranteed payment and up to approximately $11,900,000 of the contingent payments constitute the federal portion of the recovery. Dr. Jain will receive at least approximately $207,000 as his share of the federal recovery in this case.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Simunovich of the Health Care Fraud Unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, and Trial Attorney Daniel Meyler of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section.
The case is captioned United States ex rel. Jain v. Diopsys, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 21-18151 (D.N.J.).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
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Counsel for Diopsys, Inc: Paul Fishman, Newark, NJ
Counsel for Relator Dr. Atul Jain: Justin Berger, Esq., San Mateo, CA
diopsys.agreement.pdfCovert Agent, NCMEC CyberTips Lead to 30-Month Sentence for Cornville Man Who Accessed Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Cornville man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for accessing child sexual abuse material.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Wade Willette, 46, to 30 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Willette pleaded guilty on October 3, 2024.
According to court records, in August 2020, an individual using the Kik Messenger app contacted an FBI online covert employee (OCE) after the OCE posted on an online bulletin board known to be frequented by people with a sexual interest in children and/or child pornography. The username for the Kik account and associated email address were traced to Willette. In January 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip from Kik revealing that the same username had uploaded three videos containing child sexual abuse material the previous month.
In March 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Willette’s residence, and FBI agents interviewed him. In the interview, he confirmed the Kik account was his, that he had searched for and viewed child sexual abuse material on his phone, and that he had engaged in online conversations about child pornography in the past. Two images of young children being sexually abused were recovered from his phone.
The FBI investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – in legal terms, “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are shared or viewed. File a report with NCMEC at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Coventry Township Man Sentenced to more than 10 Years in Prison for Transportation and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – Matthew Lamp, 29, of Coventry Township, Ohio, was sentenced March 11, 2025, by U.S. District Judge David Ruiz to 130 months in prison after he admitted to transporting and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), also known as child pornography. He pleaded guilty to transportation of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child pornography. Lamp was also ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution to the victims of the child pornography images he possessed.
According to court documents, in February 2024 during a search warrant execution at the defendant’s residence, federal investigators seized a cellphone and other electronic devices that contained CSAM. During the investigation, it was determined that Lamp possessed more than 2,000 images of CSAM, including prepubescent minors, toddlers, and images involving sadistic or masochistic conduct.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI-Akron Field Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Copley Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – Brandon E. Crawford, 24, of Copley, Ohio, was sentenced March 11, 2025, by U.S. District Judge David Ruiz to 13 years in prison after he admitted to committing child sexual abuse related offenses (CSAM), also known as child pornography. He pleaded guilty to receipt and distribution of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child pornography. He was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment and register as a sex offender, per the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act.
According to court documents, Crawford admitted to receiving and distributing CSAM files from about November 2022 to January 2024. During a search warrant execution, federal investigators seized a cellphone that contained sexually explicit content of children. During the investigation, they found that Crawford used social media applications on his cellphone to trade CSAM with others, including at least one image that involved a minor under the age of 12.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI-Akron Field Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter E. Daly for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Ammunition in Ghost GunRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Leopold Rob Finley, 45, of Candler, N.C. was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing ammunition loaded in a “ghost gun,” announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. At the time, Finley was on supervised release for a federal drug conviction.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department (APD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to filed documents and court proceedings, on December 20, 2022, Finley’s vehicle was stopped by APD officers for a traffic violation. During a search of the vehicle, a “ghost gun” was recovered from Finley’s car. A “ghost gun” is an untraceable firearm with no serial number that is assembled by components purchased separately or as part of a kit. The ghost gun was loaded with 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition. When Finley was arrested, he was on federal supervised release for a prior drug conviction, specifically distribution of heroin and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and marijuana.
Finley is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and the Asheville Police Department for their investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
Clearfield Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Clearfield, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 80 months in prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release, on his convictions of conspiracy to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Toby Coker, 50.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around July 2019 to June 2020, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Coker conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine. Further, in or around February 2020, Coker distributed a quantity of methamphetamine. Coker was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of methamphetamine that he distributed to others.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Coker. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Chinese National in Custody and Indicted After Allegedly Checking a Bag with a Firearm at Provo AirportRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Chinese national was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City for a firearm crime after she allegedly possessed an undeclared pistol in her checked luggage and ammunition in her carry-on bag at the Provo Airport.
Xuemei Zhao, 53, of People’s Republic of China, was initially charged by complaint on March 20, 2025.
According to court documents, on March 20, 2025, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) discovered a black Rossi Braztech Int’l .357 revolver pistol in Zhao’s checked luggage, which was destined for Dallas – Ft. Worth via American Airlines flight 6189. Prior to delivering the suitcase to American Airlines, Zhao did not disclose the presence of the handgun to TSA or American Airlines. In addition to the firearm, Zhao had 9 rounds of .357 ammunition in her carry-on luggage. Zhao was taken into custody and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was contacted and confirmed Zhao arrived on a tourist visa, and had a currently pending asylum application, and was not a lawful permanent resident of the United States (she did not have a “green card”).
Zhao is charged with possession of a firearm by a restricted person (alien). Her initial appearance on the indictment is March 28, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Provo Resident Agency. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Assistant United States Attorney Michael Kennedy of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Charlotte Man Sentenced for Brandishing AR-15 Rifle During Restaurant RobberyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jermond Santa Lowery, Jr., 29, of Charlotte, was sentenced in federal court today to seven years in prison for brandishing an AR-15 rifle during the robbery of a Waffle House, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to information in filed documents and court proceedings, on October 31, 2023, Lowery entered a Waffle House in Charlotte, where he brandished an AR-15 rifle. As the employees began to flee through the back door, Lowery shouted at the employees to get back and open the cash register, threatening to kill them. Court documents show that Lowery removed the cash register from the restaurant and fled the scene. CMPD officers arrested Lowery the next day.
On September 26, 2024, Lowery pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He remains in federal custody pending placement by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
The investigation was handled by the FBI and CMPD.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ijaz Oliver, 40, of Charleston, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 28, 2023, Oliver possessed a Smith & Wesson model 36 .38-caliber revolver in Charleston.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Oliver knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute 5 grams or more of cocaine base in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on May 29, 2007.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe and former Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-136.
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Cedar City Property Manager Admits to Defrauding Victims of over $2.1MRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – A Utah property manager pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and bank fraud after admitting he embezzled funds from homeowners associations, property owners, and tenants in Cedar City. He also admitted to fraudulently presenting cashier’s checks to Las Vegas casinos.
Blake Floyd Cozzens, 35, of Cedar City, was charged by Felony Information on March 24, 2025.
According to court documents and admissions made at the change of plea hearing, from January 2020 to January 2025, Cozzens was the property manager for multiple HOAs and property owners in Iron County, Utah. Cozzens admitted to defrauding HOAs, property owners, and tenants by embezzling funds he was responsible for safekeeping and diverting the funds for his own use. He also submitted fraudulent deposits to an online application that helps manage properties. The California corporation that offers the application lost $210,000 due to Cozzens’ fraudulent conduct. As a result of the scheme, Cozzens fraudulently obtained at least $772,966 from HOAs, property managers, tenants, and the California corporation.
In addition, Cozzens admitted to defrauding a bank in Las Vegas. He did so by presenting seven cashier’s checks totaling $1,414,000 to Las Vegas casinos in exchange for markers, i.e., credits to gamble. After gambling, Cozzens then falsely reported to the bank that he had lost the checks, causing the bank to stop payments to the casinos. Cozzens caused the bank to lose $1,395,673.58.
Cozzens has agreed to pay restitution to the fraud victims. If you think you are a victim in this case, information can be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Assistance page or from contacting the Victim-Witness Coordinator at [email protected] or (801) 325-1430.
Cozzens is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. before a U.S. District Court Judge in Room 2B of the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Cedar City Police Department, and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephen P. Dent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
Canadian National Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that John Francis, 23, of Canada, was sentenced on March 27, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of possession with intent to distribute MDMA and one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Francis to a total of 181 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Francis’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On March 4, 2023, a Saline County Sheriff’s Deputy performing patrol and drug interdiction duties on I-80 westbound initiated a traffic stop of a 2023 Chevy Tahoe. Instead of slowing, the Tahoe accelerated, resulting in a 30-minute pursuit over three counties for approximately 50 miles, at sustained speeds of more than 100 mph. Officers from six different departments were called in to assist with the stop due to the excessive speed of the fleeing Tahoe.
Officers had to deploy three sets of spike strips (tire deflation devices) across the interstate. The spike strips ultimately caused three of the four tires on the Tahoe to fail, and the Tahoe came to rest in the middle of the passing lane on the interstate. Francis emerged from the Tahoe with his hands in the air and immediately laid down on his chest in the median.
The driver and only occupant of the vehicle was eventually identified as John Francis, although another person’s Canadian driver’s license was found in the Tahoe. Francis had a loaded handgun in the cupholder and a duffle bag on the passenger seat. The duffle bag contained approximately 6.65 pounds of
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in crystalline form. Officers also found more than $6,000 and other indicators of drug trafficking on Francis and in the Tahoe. The $6,000 was forfeited to the United States as proceeds from drug trafficking.Francis previously pled not guilty. He was found guilty by a federal jury on November 13, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Saline County Sheriff’s Office, Seward County Sheriff’s Office, York County Sheriff’s Office, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, and the Lincoln Police Department.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking in Downeast Maine, HawaiiRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A California man, Codee Houston, 33, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiring to commit money laundering. In addition, Houston agreed to the transfer of a pending case from the District of Hawaii and pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute.
According to court records, from May 2022 through May 2023, Houston and others were part of a conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine in Maine. While living in California, Houston shipped large quantities of methamphetamine from California to Maine. In Maine, his coconspirators distributed the methamphetamine in the Downeast region of the state. Proceeds from the sale of the methamphetamine were sent to Houston using various money services, including Walmart2Walmart, Cash App, and Venmo. He enlisted the aid of coconspirators to use their identifications and accounts to receive the money. He did this to conceal and disguise his involvement in the transactions and the money laundering.
From April 2023 through September 2023, Houston conducted similar acts in Hawaii, distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine. On four separate occasions he shipped packages from California to Hawaii that contained controlled substances. The substances were later tested and confirmed to be pressed fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and methamphetamine.
For the most serious offenses, Houston faces a mandatory term of imprisonment of 10 years up to life imprisonment and a maximum fine of $10 million to be followed by five years to life of supervised release.
Houston will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the Maine case with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Ellsworth Police Department, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Holden Police Department, and Hancock County Sheriff’s Office. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the Hawaii case with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
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Brazilian National Pleads Guilty to Passport Fraud and Other OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican National, residing in Leominster, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to charges related to passport fraud and other offenses.
Hector Eduardo Arias Mejia, 44, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and making a false statement in an application for a United States passport. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2025. In December 2023, Arias Mejia was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Arias Mejia, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, applied for a United States passport and a Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles Real ID using the name and other biographical information of a resident of Puerto Rico. In support of his application, Aris Mejia submitted a Massachusetts driver’s license in the citizen’s identity (with Arias Mejia’s photo on it), a Social Security card with the name of the citizen and a birth certificate issued in Puerto Rico in the citizen’s name.
On February 25, 2020 Arias Mejia, again using the citizen’s identity, applied for a United States Passport at the Fall River post office. In support of the passport application, Arias Mejia submitted the Real ID he obtained in the citizen’s name and the birth certificate in the citizen’s name. The passport was issued.
Law enforcement became aware of Arias Mejia fraudulent acts when it investigated individuals who simultaneously received government benefits in Boston and Puerto Rico. When it was revealed that the same individual was receiving benefits in both places, the individual in Puerto Rico was interviewed and it was determined that he was lawfully receiving benefits. Further investigation revealed that the person receiving benefits under the same name in Boston was Arias Mejia, a Dominican national. Aris Mejia had been using the Puerto Rico citizen’s identity since at least 2011.
The charge of making a false statement in an application for a United States passport provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant will also 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.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Santo Domingo; Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety; U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Bloods Gang Member Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Role in Gang-Related ShootoutRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Ulysses Jaheim Page, age 22, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and injuring a man in a gang-related shooting. Page pled guilty to the charge on September 19, 2024.
According to court records and evidence presented at sentencing, on May 4, 2024, Page, a validated Bloods gang member, was the backseat passenger in a car that was stopped by the Wilmington Police Department. The driver of the car had an unserved arrest warrant for a firearms offense. Officers searched the car and found a stolen firearm by Page’s feet. The firearm was swabbed for DNA and testing confirmed Pages’ DNA was on the gun.
Page’s sentence was also based on an incident in 2023 when Page was involved in a gang related shootout. On April 27, 2023, Wilmington Police Department responded to a shooting at the Oakdale Cemetery in Wilmington. During the investigation, officers learned that members of the 720 Gangster Disciples gang had planned a balloon release at the gravesite of a deceased gang leader. As a crowd gathered at the cemetery, a car pulled into the area, four individuals jumped out of the car and fired 28 shots into the crowd, striking one person in the arm. Members of the 720 Gangster Disciples returned approximately 29 shots. Page was identified as one of the shooters from the car.
Page is a previously convicted felon prohibited from legally possessing a firearm. His felony convictions include common law robbery and possession of a stolen firearm in 2020 as well as multiple convictions in 2019 for larceny of a firearm.
The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative, which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, interagency coordination, and intelligence-led policing.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Wilmington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Dixon, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William Van Trigt, prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 7:23-CR-00060-D-BM.
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Blaine Man Pleads Guilty in FBI White Powder Hoax CaseRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Blaine man has pleaded guilty to two counts of False Information and Hoax, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, on June 30, 2020, Oleg Petrashov, 45, mailed a manila envelope containing a brown and tan powder to the FBI Field Office in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. On November 4, 2022, Petrashov mailed a second envelope containing a white powder to the same FBI Field Office. Both mailings were examined for explosive and biological agents resulting in significant disruptions at the FBI Field Office, requiring the temporary relocation of employees, implementation of decontamination protocols, and deployment of special agent bomb technicians.
Petrashov admitted to FBI agents in April 2023 that he sent the letters and that he made them appear to be from a family member with whom he had a personal dispute, intending to trigger an investigation of that individual.
Petrashov pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Laura M. Provinzino to intentionally conveying false or misleading information that could reasonably be perceived as a biological agent or explosive.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley M. Endicott for the District of Minnesota and Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi Launches Compliance Review Investigation into Admissions Policies at Stanford University and Several University of California Schools, Advancing President Trump’s Mandate to End Illegal DEI PoliciesRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi directed the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to begin compliance review investigations into admissions policies at Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Los Angeles, and University of California, Irvine. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellow of Harvard Coll., 600 U.S. 181 (2023), colleges and universities are prohibited from using DEI discrimination in selecting students for admission, and the Department of Justice is demanding compliance.
“President Trump and I are dedicated to ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity across the country,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Every student in America deserves to be judged solely based on their hard work, intellect, and character, not the color of their skin.”
For decades, elite colleges and universities have prioritized racial quotas over equality of opportunity, dividing Americans and discriminating against entire groups of applicants, all in the name of DEI. The prior administration advanced the ideology behind this illegal practice and did nothing to protect the civil rights of American students.
“The Department of Justice will put an end to a shameful system in which someone’s race matters more than their ability,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Chad Mizelle. “Every college and university should know that illegal discrimination in admissions will be investigated and eliminated.”
The compliance investigations into these universities are just the beginning of the Department’s work in eradicating illegal DEI and protecting equality under the law.
Armed Whiteville Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 23 YearsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Whiteville man was sentenced today to 23 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. On February 9, 2024, Marion Lamont Flowers, age 43, pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, in 2020, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Whiteville Police Department, and the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) began investigating Flowers for drug trafficking. Between December 2020 and July 2021, law enforcement oversaw seven controlled purchases of cocaine and methamphetamine from Flowers. On July 20, 2021, a confidential informant arranged to purchase 1 kilogram of methamphetamine from Flowers. When Flowers arrived to make the sale, he was apprehended by law enforcement and taken into custody. A search of Flowers’ vehicle recovered 893.8 grams of methamphetamine (97% purity), more than $2000 in cash and a loaded PH 13 handgun. l
Based on surveillance during the investigation, Flowers was operating out of a hotel room at an EconoLodge. Agents executed search warrants on two rooms rented by Flowers and seized MDMA pills, Xanax pills, Alprazolam and Buprenorphine pills. They also seized 37 grams of cocaine base (crack), 249 grams of cocaine, 27 grams of fentanyl and nearly $4000 in cash.
Flowers has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1995 when he was convicted of assault with intent to kill and robbery with a dangerous weapon for robbing a Hasty Mart Store. During the robbery, Flowers shot a customer in the neck. In 2004, he pled guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon after robbing a BB&T bank. In 2016, Flowers pled guilty to possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine and to delivering cocaine. As the sentencing judge noted at Flowers’ hearing, Flowers has also performed poorly while incarcerated, incurring over 30 infractions while serving time for previous convictions.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, the Whiteville Police Department and the Columbus County Sheriff investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-00135-D-001.
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Armed Greenville Fentanyl Distributor Sentenced to 11 YearsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Ernest Russell Early, Jr., of Greenville, was sentenced today to 11 years in prison for an armed robbery and for possessing fake oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl. Early, 37, pled guilty to the charges on August 21, 2024.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 19, 2023, Early entered the Falkland Mini Mart located on South Main Street in Falkland. He approached the clerk at the back of the store and brandished a black pistol. He then compelled the clerk to return to the register and demanded that he hand over all the money. When the clerk opened the register, Early grabbed $1,500, exited the store, and entered a black Nissan Sentra with New Jersey plates. The cashier followed him outside and was able to obtain a partial license plate number.
Pitt County Sheriff’s Deputies responded and located the suspect's vehicle, initiating a pursuit. After initially evading the deputies, Early crashed the car and fled on foot. Deputies were able to collect fingerprints from the vehicle, which had been reported stolen, and later confirmed that the prints matched Early's.
Early remained at large until he was spotted by a detective from the Greenville Police Department on December 8, 2023. The police arrested Early on active warrants in a parking lot in Greenville. During the arrest, they seized 103 counterfeit oxycodone pills and a .40 caliber handgun from his pockets. The pills were subsequently tested and found to contain fentanyl.
Early’s criminal history features three state felony convictions and fifteen misdemeanor convictions. In 2013, he was convicted in Wake County Superior Court of common law robbery.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Pitt County Sheriff’s Office, and Greenville Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Aubart and Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-0025-M.
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Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Armed Robberies Targeting Ross StoresRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for a string of violent armed robberies targeting multiple Ross Dress for Less stores in 2022.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Jason Pete Roper, 46, committed three armed robberies at Ross Dress for Less stores on August 14, August 15, and September 8, 2022. Each time, Roper would approach the register with a small item for purchase, wait for the cashier to open the till, and then brandish a firearm and demand money from multiple registers. At trial, the victims, most of whom were teenagers, testified to the fear and emotional distress they continue to suffer, with some forced to leave their jobs and withdraw from school due to the psychological impact.
Evidence further revealed that Roper not only committed these robberies himself but also perpetuated the cycle of violence by involving his 12-year-old nephew in his criminal activities. Surveillance footage, witness testimony, and a CrimeStoppers tip linked Roper to additional robberies committed by his nephew at a Ross store, a Walgreens, and an attempted robbery at a Taco Bell.
Upon his release, Roper will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and Albuquerque Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jon Stanford and Samuel Hurtado prosecuted the case.