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Thursday 27 March 2025
15 charged in scheme to defraud government aid programsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Fourteen Texas residents and one Louisiana woman have been indicted for participating in schemes using falsified documents to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and unemployment insurance benefits, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The final five taken into custody are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Dena Hanovice Palermo at 2 p.m. Those include Brittany Garner-Richard, 38, Humble; Miguel Bell, 39, Port Arthur; Candace Booker and Andrea King, both 33 and of Beaumont; and Joshe Johnson, 34, Corrigan.
A federal grand jury returned the 18-count indictment March 4.
The charges allege Ebone Myrriah Mott, 37, Houston, conspired with others to falsify applications and claims to help them qualify for PPP loans and unemployment insurance benefits for which they were not otherwise eligible.
Mott allegedly created fictitious companies, prepared falsified records and submitted the applications on behalf of co-conspirators. The charges allege they paid her for her assistance - approximately $200 up front and 10% of the payouts.
The Small Business Administration relied on the fraudulent loan applications, insurance claims and falsified supporting records in the application process and the subsequent disbursement of loan proceeds or benefits, according to the charges.
Mott is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 17 counts of wire fraud.
In addition to Garner-Richard, Bell, Booker, King and Johnson, all others are also charged in the conspiracy and one or two counts of wire fraud. They were also taken into custody between March 23-26 and include Tiara Petties, 31, and Jennifer Petties, 32, both of Livingston; Kierra Patrice Chancey, 29, and Dekovan Williams, 28, both of Nacogdoches; Roy Shemeaker, 38, Dallas; Trakeesha Nishell Brown, 40, Lufkin; Veronica Moses, 40, Diboll, Travecia Hampton-Isabell, 37, Whitehouse, and Frankie Desiree Bogany 33, Vivian, Louisiana.
PPP loans are a source of financial relief The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides. The CARES Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans who were suffering economic effects the COVID-19 pandemic caused. Unemployment insurance provides benefits to persons who are out of work due to no fault of their own and who meet other eligibility requirements of state laws.
If convicted, each face up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The Department of State - Diplomatic Security Service, Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General and California Employment Development Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Day is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Wednesday 26 March 2025
York County Man Sentenced to 217 Months in Prison for Armed Robbery and Discharging a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Diaz-Garcia, age 24, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 217 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Keli M. Neary for three counts of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Diaz-Garcia previously pleaded guilty to these offenses, which involved Diaz-Garcia’s armed robberies of the Smoke and Chill convenience store, the Family Dollar store, and Rod’s Corner Store in December 2021, during a 5-day crime spree in York County. During each of these robberies, Diaz-Garcia pointed a loaded handgun at employees and took money by means of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of injury. During the robbery at the Family Dollar on December 8, 2021, Diaz-Garcia discharged the firearm in the presence of store patrons and employees, and held the gun against an employee prior to robbing the store and fleeing to a nearby hotel.
Judge Neary also ordered Diaz-Garcia to pay $4,601.58 in restitution to the businesses, and to serve 5 years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the York City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Christian Haugsby prosecuted the case.
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Woman Who Mailed Fentanyl from Arizona to Dubuque Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who mailed fentanyl powder, pills containing fentanyl, and “ice” methamphetamine from Arizona to Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced today to 57 months in federal prison for her involvement in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Tiffani Katrina Bradley, age 42, from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, received the prison term after an October 30, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
From March 2023 through December 2023, Bradley mailed re-distribution quantities of controlled substances from Arizona to Dubuque to her co-conspirator, Alexander John Chapman. During this time, Bradley mailed Chapman over $4,000 worth of fentanyl powder, pills containing fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
Bradley was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Bradley was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Bradley is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service, at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-01003.
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Utah Man Facing Federal Charges After Allegedly Attempting to Rob a BankRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah man was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City today for a violent crime after he allegedly attempted to rob First Utah Bank.
Christopher Thomas Kirby, 37, of West Valley City, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on March 19, 2025.
According to court documents, on March 19, 2025, at approximately 1:32 p.m., a man, later identified at Kirby, passed a note to a teller at First Utah Bank in West Valley City demanding money. According to responding officers, the note read “this is a robbery I have a bomb on my [sic] that will explode I need 20,000 in bag.” While the teller went into the vault under the guise of getting the money, she hit the silent alarm button and called 911. Officers arrived and took Kirby into custody.
Kirby is charged with one count of attempted bank robbery. His initial appearance on the indictment was March 26, 2025, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by an FBI Task Force Officer assigned to the Salt Lake City Violent Crimes squad and the West Valley City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda 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.
United States Secures Forfeiture of over $5 Million Traceable to Business Email Compromise Scheme Targeting Massachusetts Workers UnionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office has announced that, pursuant to a court-ordered default judgment and final order of forfeiture entered today, it has secured the forfeiture of approximately $5,315,746 of proceeds of a business email compromise (BEC) scheme and property involved in the subsequent laundering of the proceeds. The judgment is the result of a civil forfeiture complaint filed by the United States in June 2024 seeking the forfeiture of the funds.
“This case underscores the sophisticated and global nature of financial fraud schemes that prey on organizations and their hard-earned resources,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Thanks to the diligent efforts of our law enforcement partners, we have successfully traced and recovered millions of dollars stolen through deception. This forfeiture serves as a stark warning: We will relentlessly pursue stolen funds – no matter where cybercriminals operate.”
As alleged in the complaint, in January 2023, a workers union based in Dorchester, Mass., was defrauded out of $6.4 million after it received a spoofed email, which appeared to be from its investment manager. The email, which had the intended effect of misleading the workers union into transferring funds to a bank account controlled by someone other than the intended recipient, changed the beneficiary bank account of the $6.4 million payment.
After the workers union sent the payment, the fraudulently-obtained funds were transferred through a series of intermediary bank accounts, with some funds transferred, or attempted to be transferred, to a cryptocurrency exchange and to various bank accounts located in Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Nigeria. Investigators traced proceeds of the scheme to seven domestically held bank accounts, the contents of which were subsequently seized.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Deputy Assistant Attorney General Josh Goldfoot of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and William Mancino, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Criminal Investigative Division, Washington Field Office made the announcement. The civil forfeiture action was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Lyons of the Office’s Asset Recovery Unit along with Trial Attorneys Jasmin Salehi Fashami and Adrienne Rosen of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering & Asset Recovery Section.
United States Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint for $47 Million in Proceeds from the Sale of Iranian OilRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A civil forfeiture complaint was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that $47 million in proceeds from the sale of nearly one million barrels of Iranian petroleum is forfeitable as property of, or affording a person a source of influence over, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or its Qods Force (IRGC-QF), designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO).
The forfeiture was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr. of the Minneapolis Field Office, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso of the New York Office.
The forfeiture complaint alleges a scheme between 2022 and 2024 to facilitate the shipment, storage, and sale of Iranian petroleum product for the benefit of the IRGC and IRGC-QF. The facilitators used deceptive practices to masquerade the Iranian oil as Malaysian, including by manipulating the tanker’s automatic identification system (AIS) to conceal that it onboarded the oil from a port in Iran. The facilitators presented falsified documents to the Croatian storage facility and port authority, claiming that the oil was Malaysian. The facilitators paid for storage fees associated with the oil’s storage at the Croatian facility in U.S. dollars, transactions that were conducted through U.S. financial institutions that would have refused the transactions had they known they were associated with Iranian oil. The petroleum product was sold in 2024, and the United States seized $47 million in proceeds from that sale.
The civil forfeiture complaint further alleges that the petroleum product constitutes the property of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), which has perpetuated a federal crime of terrorism by providing material support to the IRGC and IRGC-QF. As alleged, profits from petroleum product sales support the IRGC’s full range of malign activities, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, support for terrorism, and both domestic and international human rights abuses.
“We will aggressively enforce U.S. sanctions against Iran, in furtherance of President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “With the continued seizures of Iranian oil and U.S. dollar profits, we are sending a clear message to Iran that bypassing the sanctions put in place by the U.S. Government is not as easy as playing a shell game with tankers filled with oil. We remain committed to thwarting Iran’s devious attempts, and to deprive its terrorists of the funding they desire.”
“The FBI will not allow hostile regimes to evade U.S. sanctions or exploit our financial systems to fund designated terrorist organizations,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Winston. “The FBI, alongside our partners, will relentlessly enforce U.S. sanctions against Iran and safeguard U.S. national security by disrupting illicit networks that seek to profit from sanctioned oil sales.”
“Through the work of HSI’s Counterproliferation Investigations group, alongside the FBI, the U.S. government has seized $47 million worth of funds allegedly meant for terrorist groups intent on causing catastrophic harm," said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso. "The expertise of HSI personnel, coupled with federal law enforcement’s whole-of-government approach, ensures the wellbeing of the United States and our innocent foreign counterparts, alike. We are relentlessly utilizing every tool at our disposal in pursuit of any and all security threats.”
Funds successfully forfeited with a connection to a state sponsor of terrorism may in whole or in part be directed to the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund.
FBI Minneapolis Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations New York are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert, Maeghan O. Mikorski, and Brian Hudak for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Adam Small of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are litigating the case. They received assistance from former Paralegal Specialist Brian Rickers and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
A civil forfeiture complaint is merely an allegation. The burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.
47million_-_forfeiture_complaint.pdfUnited States Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint for $47 Million in Proceeds from the Sale of 1 Million Barrels of Iranian OilRead the Press Release
A civil forfeiture complaint was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that $47 million in proceeds from the sale of nearly one million barrels of Iranian petroleum is forfeitable as property of, or affording a person a source of influence over, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or its Qods Force (IRGC-QF), designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
The forfeiture complaint alleges a scheme between 2022 and 2024 to facilitate the shipment, storage, and sale of Iranian petroleum product for the benefit of the IRGC and IRGC-QF. The facilitators used deceptive practices to masquerade the Iranian oil as Malaysian, including by manipulating the tanker’s automatic identification system (AIS) to conceal that it onboarded the oil from a port in Iran. The facilitators presented falsified documents to the Croatian storage and port facility, claiming that the oil was Malaysian. The facilitators paid for storage fees associated with the oil’s storage in Croatia in U.S. dollars, transactions that were conducted through U.S. financial institutions that would have refused the transactions had they known they were associated with Iranian oil. The petroleum product was sold in 2024, and the United States seized $47 million in proceeds from that sale.
The civil forfeiture complaint further alleges that the petroleum product constitutes the property of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), which has perpetuated a federal crime of terrorism by providing material support to the IRGC and IRGC-QF. As alleged, profits from petroleum product sales support the IRGC’s full range of malign activities, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, support for terrorism, and both domestic and international human rights abuses.
Funds successfully forfeited with a connection to a state sponsor of terrorism may in whole or in part be directed to the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund.
FBI Minneapolis Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations New York are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert, Maeghan O. Mikorski, and Brian Hudak for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Adam Small of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are litigating the case. They received assistance from former Paralegal Specialist Brian Rickers and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
A civil forfeiture complaint is merely an allegation. The burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.
Two-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
According to court documents, Antonio Eirby, 34, plead guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and received 105 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Eirby has two prior felony convictions for Domestic Violence Strangulation and Burglary 2nd out of Mobile County Circuit Court. On October 3, 2023, the Mobile Police Department responded to a location on Highway 90. A victim reported having encountered Eirby in the parking lot. Eirby robbed him of his firearm. Police apprehended Eirby on foot a short distance away and found the firearm on Eirby’s person. The firearm was returned to its lawful owner.
U.S. Attorney Sean Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Two Members of Violent NE Philadelphia Drug Trafficking Organization Convicted of All Charges at TrialRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Kelvin Jimenez, aka “Nip,” 34, and Dominique Parker, aka “Dom,” 33, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were convicted late yesterday afternoon at trial of crimes arising from their membership in a violent drug trafficking organization known by several names, including “SG1700” and “L-Block,” which operated in the Frankford section of Northeast Philadelphia.
As proven at trial, defendants Jimenez and Parker, as part of SG1700, sold large quantities of narcotics over a multi-year period, using violence and threats of violence to protect their reputation and drug territory. Both were convicted of all charges against them, including racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, maintaining a drug-involved premises, assaults in aid of racketeering, firearms offenses, and related crimes. Jimenez was also convicted of the murder of Kaseem Rogers, and Parker of the murder of Dontae Walker.
Jimenez and Parker, along with Hassan Elliott, aka “Haz,” 26, and Khalif Sears, aka “Leaf” and “Lil Leaf,” 23, both also of Philadelphia, were charged in March 2023 by superseding indictment with conspiracy to engage in a racketeer influenced corrupt organization (RICO), violent crimes in aid of racketeering, to include murder, stemming from the killings of victims Rogers, Walker, Tyrone Tyree, and Philadelphia Police Sergeant James O’Connor, and numerous related offenses.
On March 13, 2020, Elliott, Sears, and others previously indicted were inside a stash house on the 1600 block of Bridge Street, when Sergeant O’Connor and other members of the Philadelphia Police Department SWAT team arrived with an arrest warrant for Elliott for the March 2019 murder of Tyrone Tyree. As Sergeant O’Connor and his fellow officers ascended the staircase to the second floor of the residence and repeatedly announced their presence, Elliott fired a semiautomatic assault rifle 16 times, striking and killing Sergeant O’Connor.
Elliott and Sears pleaded guilty this January to RICO conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, causing the death of Sergeant O’Connor by firearm, and multiple drug, gun, and violent offenses. Elliott is scheduled to be sentenced on April 29 and Sears on April 30; both face maximum possible sentences of life in prison.
Jimenez is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7 and Parker on July 9; both also face maximum possible sentences of life in prison.
“Jimenez and Parker led the gang that killed Sergeant James O’Connor. These defendants also committed murder themselves,” U.S. Attorney Metcalf said. “Today, however, the Department of Justice put an end to SG1700 and their campaign of violence and destruction. We cannot bring back the lives that have been lost. But we have sent an unambiguous message that everyone involved in a criminal organization that attacks our brave law enforcement officers will be held accountable through federal prosecution.”
“By direction of these gang-leaders, Philadelphia’s Frankford neighborhood was subjected to deadly shootouts targeting rivals,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “This conviction brings some justice for the murder of Philadelphia Police Sergeant James O’Connor, for his family and colleagues, and for the three others murdered and more than a dozen wounded by this brutal criminal enterprise. Through our ATF agents’ hard work in cooperation with the Philadelphia Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted this series of cases to take down this lethal enterprise and make Philadelphia’s streets safer.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Martin, Christopher Diviny, and Lauren Stram.
Two Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Mario Garibay-Reyes, 47, and Diego Mendoza-Aguilar, 37, of Mexico were sentenced on March 26, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Garibay-Reyes to 160 months’ imprisonment and Mendoza-Aguilar to 70 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Garibay-Reyes and Mendoza-Aguilar are released from prison, they will each begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Because they are in the United States illegally, they are subject to deportation following their release from prison.
On November 9, 2023, law enforcement utilized an undercover agent to purchase 414 grams of actual methamphetamine from Mendoza-Aguilar in Omaha. Following this controlled buy, law enforcement observed Mendoza-Aguilar distribute 208 grams of actual methamphetamine to other individuals. Law enforcement arrested the individuals and seized the methamphetamine. Garibay-Reyes provided the aforementioned methamphetamine to Mendoza-Aguilar for these drug transactions.
On November 14, 2024, law enforcement served a search warrant at Mendoza-Aguilar’s residence in Omaha. At the time, Garibay-Reyes was residing at Mendoza-Aguilar’s residence with Mendoza-Aguilar. During the search, law enforcement located 559 grams of actual methamphetamine from Garibay-Reyes’s bedroom and 22 grams of actual methamphetamine from Mendoza-Aguilar’s bedroom. Parked outside the residence was Garibay-Reyes’s vehicle. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and located 5,718 grams of actual methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. 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.
Tunica County Man Convicted for Possession of Ammunition in Connection to a HomicideRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – A federal jury convicted a Tunica County Man today for illegally possessing ammunition after having been convicted of a felony.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Korea McKay, 44, shot and killed Davao Thomas on February 18, 2023. McKay killed Mr. Thomas after Mr. Thomas told him to slow down in the Kirby Estates apartment complex. Two shell casings were recovered at the scene.
McKay fled the scene in his truck. A few days later, local investigators discovered the truck hidden behind a trailer in Dundee, Mississippi. After being released from state custody on the state arrest warrant for Murder, a federal complaint was issued, and McKay was arrested for felon-in-possession of a firearm related to a prior Desoto County arrest in 2020. McKay was detained and held without bond in federal custody. In May 2023, he was indicted for felon-in-possession of ammunition stemming from the homicide. McKay is currently serving a 48-month sentence on the Desoto County case. He will be sentenced on the felon-in-possession of ammunition on July 17, 2025.
Records reflect that at the time McKay possessed the ammunition, he had multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for assault of a police officer and a federal drug conviction. He faces up to 15-years imprisonment.
“We appreciate the jury’s careful deliberation of the evidence and their guilty verdict, and we hope this brings some sense of justice to the victim’s family,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute violent felons in our communities who possess weapons and ammunition, and we will use all of the tools at our disposal to prosecute those individuals to the maximum extent allowed by law.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Tunica County Sheriff’s Department, and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel Stringfellow and Julie Addison are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Tips to NCMEC CyberTipline Lead to Guilty Plea from Lewiston Man for Possessing, Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material.
According to court records, in June 2022, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit (MSPCCU) received two CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and traced the identified phone number to Harold Clayton III, 35. In September 2022, MSPCCU and the Lewiston Police Department executed a search warrant at Clayton’s residence. A cell phone and laptop seized from the residence contained multiple images and videos of children, some as young as toddlers, being sexually abused by adult men. The cell phone also contained Telegram Messenger communications in which Clayton distributed such images and videos.
Clayton faces 5–20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the distribution of child pornography charge and up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 on the possession charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and MSPCCU investigated the case with assistance from the Lewiston Police Department.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "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 viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 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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Tampa Man Arrested for Robbing Gas Station with A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Rafael Jimenez (30, Tampa) with one count of Hobbs Act robbery. If convicted, Jimenez faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, on March 8, 2025, Jimenez entered a gas station in Tampa and brandished a firearm while demanding money from the register. Shortly after making this demand, Jimenez fired a shot in the direction of the clerk, striking the ground directly behind the clerk.
Jimenez stole more than $600 from the store as well as cigarettes. He was apprehended after surveillance footage from days before the robbery showed physical similarities between Jimenez and the robber, including a distinctive tattoo. Evidence found in Jimenez’s trash outside his home included a ski mask, gloves, and cigarettes of the same brand the robber had used. Surveillance video from nearby businesses showed a vehicle like Jimenez’s traveling on roads close to the scene of the robbery before and after it occurred.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
A complaint 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 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 Neighborhoods (PSN).
Starkville Man Sentenced to Ten Years for Violating Federal Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
Greenville, MS – A Starkville man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for violation of federal firearms laws.
According to court documents, Antonio Johnson, 49, pled guilty to possession of one or more firearms by a previously convicted felon as well as possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Johnson today to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Johnson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following sentencing.
“The public has every right to expect repeat offenders to receive significant sentences, and this defendant will now have 10 years in a federal prison to reconsider his actions,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “AUSA Robert Mims and our partners at the FBI, ATF and Starkville Police Department worked seamlessly to bring justice to an individual who earned every day of this sentence.”
“Protecting the safety of our communities is one of the cornerstones of what ATF seeks to accomplish every day,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “To convicted felons and others making our streets unsafe with gun violence and drugs – law enforcement is here. No matter how long it takes, we will investigate, arrest, prosecute and ensure you are held accountable for your actions.”
“Mr. Johnson’s sentencing demonstrates a steadfast commitment of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to protect the public from those individuals who illegally possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes,” stated FBI Jackson Field Office Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff. “Criminals possessing and using firearms in the commission of any crime are threats to our communities, for those who seek to threaten and intimidate Mississippians through these egregious crimes will be aggressively pursued by the FBI and brought to justice. We will continue our collective efforts through the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, to reduce violent crime and gun violence in our communities across Mississippi.”
"Strong convictions matter; they have a lasting impact and require hard work,” said Chief Mark Ballard of the Starkville Police Department. “Our community is safer as a result of these agencies’ efforts. On behalf of the Starkville Police Department, we are very thankful for our working relationship with FBI Jackson, the ATF New Orleans, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Mississippi."
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Starkville Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Mims 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.
Stamford Man Indicted for Defrauding Mars, Inc. out of Millions of DollarsRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Harry Chavis, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, and Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Region of the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a nine-count indictment charging PAUL R. STEED, 58, of Stamford, with fraud and tax offenses stemming from his alleged commission of multiple frauds against his former employer Mars, Inc.
The indictment was returned yesterday, and Steed was arrested this morning. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport, pleaded not guilty, and is currently detained.
The indictment alleges that, between approximately 2011 and 2023, Steed was employed by Mars Wrigley, a subsidiary of Mars. Inc. (“Mars”), working remotely from his home in Stamford. Steed served as Global Price Risk Manager for Mars Wrigley’s Global Cocoa Enterprise. As part of his employment, Steed was responsible for managing Mars Wrigley’s participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Sugar-Containing Products Re-Export Program. In approximately 2016, Steed created a company, MCNA LLC, to mimic an actual Mars entity, Mars Chocolate North America. He then diverted millions of dollars in Mars assets to a bank account he set up in MCNA’s name by directing sugar refineries purchasing Mars’s re-export credits, obtained through the USDA program, to pay MCNA LLC as if it were a legitimate Mars entity.
The indictment also alleges that Mars had an ownership interest in Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (“ICE”), a financial services company that operated financial exchanges and clearing houses, and received quarterly dividends in connection with that ownership. In 2017, Steed directed Computershare Limited (“Computershare”), a company that ICE utilized for stock-related services, to pay MCNA LLC for Mars’s dividends from its ownership shares in ICE. As a result, more than $700,000 in dividend payments were diverted to the MCNA LLC account. In 2023, after Steed had used a fraudulent letter purportedly from the Mars Treasurer authorizing him to trade ICE shares, Steed directed Computershare to sell Mars’s ICE shares entirely. Computershare issued a check in the amount of more than $11.3 million, which Steed deposited into the MCNA LLC account.
The indictment further alleges that, from 2013 through 2020, Steed used a company he owned called Ibera LLC to invoice Mars for services Mars did not receive. Mars paid Ibera LLC approximately $580,000 through this scheme.
The indictment charges Steed with seven counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment on each count. Steed is also charged with two counts of tax evasion, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years on each count, for failing to report and pay taxes on his stolen income, as alleged.
According to statements made in court, Steed is alleged to have stolen more than $28 million from Mars and through his schemes. More than $18 million was seized today for forfeiture, and the government is seeking to forfeit a Greenwich home that Steed is alleged to have purchased with nearly $2.3 million in stolen funds. It is alleged that another $2 million was sent by Steed to Argentina, where he is a dual citizen, has family ties, and owns a ranch.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.
St. Tammany Man Sentenced for Threatening Federal EmployeeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOHN JOSEPH KEIPER, JR. (“KEIPER”), age 57, a resident of Lacombe, La., was sentenced on March 18, 2025, by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long, after previously pleading guilty to threatening a federal employee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 115(a)(1)(B), announced Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson .
KEIPER was sentenced to 17 months’ imprisonment, to run consecutive with any sentence that may be imposed in any other State case. Judge Long also ordered a 3-year term of supervised release following KEIPER’s release from prison. Additionally, KEIPER was ordered to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to the indictment, KEIPER threatened to assault a Social Security Administration (SSA) employee. On November 6, 2023, KEIPER placed a phone call to the SSA office. During the call, KEIPER became irate, disruptive, and threatened SSA employees in the Lacombe, La. office.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crime Unit.
St. Louis man sentenced to 12+ years’ imprisonment in $1.7 million check fraud schemeRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A southern Illinois district judge sentenced a St. Louis man to 145 months in federal prison for his involvement in a vehicle sale scheme using fake cashier’s checks and targeting victims in Madison, Jasper, Bond and Fayette counties.
Valentino Colic, 34, pleaded guilty in September to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, two counts of interstate transportation of property taken by fraud and six counts of aggravated identity theft. Following imprisonment, he will serve three years of supervised release.
The 11-count indictment also named co-conspirators Alen Saric, 36, Almir Palic, 25, and Emad Hasanbegovic, 34, all of St. Louis. Saric pleaded guilty in January to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of interstate transportation of property taken by fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 7.
Palic was sentenced to 51 months in February. Hasanbegovic is facing one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of identity theft. He is scheduled for a court hearing in May.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
“Criminals are skilled at creating fake checks to look real and defraud victims, so it’s critical for the public to authenticate checks from people not personally known to them by confirming with the issuing bank or waiting until checks are accepted into their bank account before transferring property or otherwise sending funds,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
According to court documents, the co-conspirators participated in a scheme to defraud private vehicle sellers on Facebook marketplace and Craigslist with fake cashier’s checks from 2018 until August 2023. The checks were printed on security-enhanced check paper with the names and logos of real banks with fake routing numbers.
Once the fraudsters possessed a vehicle, they would then resell the vehicle to another individual for cash before the original victim could try to cash the check and realize it was worthless. The conspirators issued at least $1,710,999 in fake cashier’s checks.
"This investigation is a testament to the strength of collaboration across local, state, and federal law enforcement,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “This sentencing as well as the upcoming sentencing of co-conspirators highlights efforts the FBI and our partners are making to ensure those who attempt to exploit others for personal gain will be held accountable."
To keep the co-conspirators’ names out of the chain of title, they used the names of prior victims to buy and sell the vehicles and forged signatures to complete documents such as titles and bills of sale. When posing as the victims, they often used copies of their photo IDs they had received during the previous sales. By writing bad checks from prior victims, the conspiracy caused even more financial hardship by revictimizing the same people repeatedly.
The fraudsters bought and resold vehicles from more than 100 victims across five states. Colic and Saric admitted to driving the vehicles over state lines to benefit the scheme.
The FBI Springfield Field Office, the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Illinois State Police, Illinois Secretary of State Police, Jefferson County (Missouri) Sheriff’s Department and several local police departments contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter T. Reed is prosecuting the case.
Southern California Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Involvement in a Fentanyl Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
BOISE – Brian Arthur Goodale, 56, of Lake Elsinore, California, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin D. Whatcott announced today. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford, also ordered that Goodale pay restitution to the family of the victim to cover funeral expenses and to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
According to court records, on March 16, 2023, law enforcement conducted a welfare check on the victim who had not responded to calls or knocks on the door. They found the deceased victim with a small drug tube clutched in his hand and a small piece of tin foil next to him. A toxicology report and autopsy showed that the victim had a lethal dose of fentanyl in his system at the time of death. The investigation revealed Facebook messages between the victim and Goodale. Goodale sent a message that said, “shoot the $100 and I’ll send it now . . . 3pk . . . but I’m gonna need the $200 on Wed. if your still alive!!” The investigation revealed that the victim purchased fentanyl from Goodale, who shipped the fentanyl through the Post Office in Chula Vista, California to Boise, Idaho. Goodale has an extensive criminal history that includes 29 prior convictions in the state of California, 20 of which are controlled substance offenses. At the time he sold the fentanyl to the victim in Idaho, Goodale was on felony probation for offering a controlled substance for sale, fentanyl, in Riverside County, California.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50–100 times stronger than morphine. Pharmaceutical fentanyl was developed for severe pain management and prescribed in the form of transdermal patches or lozenges. While prescription fentanyl can be diverted for misuse, most cases of fentanyl-related overdoses in the U.S. are linked to Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations, who are the world’s leading producers of illicit fentanyl. These Drug Trafficking Organizations often collaborate with transnational cartels to smuggle illicit fentanyl into the U.S.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the Boise Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service for their investigation in this case, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian S. Nafzger prosecuted the case.
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Sallisaw Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Devon Ray Gillispie, age 33, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Sallisaw Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On October 15, 2024, Gillispie pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 31, 2022, officers discovered Gillispie was in possession of 42 rounds of ammunition despite having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Gillispie will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Punxsutawney Woman Sentenced for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to five years of probation on her conviction of theft of government funds, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Patty Merlo, 66.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around May 2016 to in and around January 2022, Merlo embezzled and converted for her own use approximately $91,300 in Social Security payments to which she knew she was not entitled.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Merlo.
Private Shipping Company to Pay $400,000 to Settle Allegations of Transshipping Fentanyl Precursor ChemicalsRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – IMC Pro International Inc. has agreed to pay $400,000 to the United States to resolve allegations it violated the Controlled Substances Act through transshipping fentanyl precursor chemicals.
The United States alleged IMC Pro International Inc., a North Carolina-based shipping and logistics company, entered business agreements with several companies operating in China. Under the terms of these arrangements, IMC Pro agreed to provide these Chinese companies with access to IMC Pro’s accounts for common carriers in order to generate domestic shipping labels for the final destinations of various goods and products sold or manufactured by the Chinese companies. These labels identified IMC Pro as the company or entity shipping the packages, though IMC Pro did not store or handle the packages at any time, nor did IMC Pro maintain any records concerning the contents of the packages.
The United States became aware of these business agreements after the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seized five packages in Eagle Pass, identifying IMC Pro as the shipper. Chemical analysis determined the five packages contained a total of 26.4 kgs of 1-BOC-4 Piperidone, a List I Regulated Chemical; and 138.66 kgs of (2-Bromoethyl) benzene, a chemical on the DEA’s Special Surveillance List and a laboratory supply within the definition provided under 21 U.S.C § 842(a)(11). Both chemicals are known to be used in the production of fentanyl. The United States alleged its investigation determined these packages were imported into the United States from China, transshipped to Eagle Pass, and intended for transport across the U.S./Mexican border where they were to be sent to be used in the production and manufacture of illicit fentanyl.
“In the face of the fentanyl epidemic, my office will hold both those who distribute illicit fentanyl and those who provide the means to manufacture such substances accountable for their actions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “IMC Pro took on a responsibility to ensure the packages shipped under its name complied with federal laws and regulations. I encourage shipping and logistics companies that may have engaged in similar business arrangements to uphold their own responsibilities and assist in the efforts to stop the flow of fentanyl.”
“In addition to going after the drug cartels, DEA will continue to hold companies accountable who make it easy for drug trafficking organizations to get their hands on precursor chemicals to produce deadly synthetic drugs like fentanyl,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux for the DEA Houston Division. “This first-of-its-kind settlement exposes loopholes some companies are exploiting to bring poison to our communities.”
The settlement includes an affirmation by IMC Pro that it will not engage in similar business agreements with foreign-based entities at any time now or in the future; the affirmation is binding on the company’s successors in interest as well. IMC Pro, upon being made aware its domestic shipping accounts had been used to transship fentanyl precursors, immediately took steps to shut down such shipping accounts and end the prior business agreements. IMC Pro is further cooperating with the United States to assist in identifying other instances of transshipment of fentanyl precursors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Van De Walle negotiated the settlement on behalf of the United States.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Prichard Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
According to court documents, on October 23, 2023, Mobile police went to a local residence to arrest Clarence White, 45, for multiple outstanding warrants. After speaking with White through the door, White began shooting out of a window of the home, narrowly missing one of the officers. White has multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for attempted murder, possession of a controlled substance, and assault. As a convicted felon, White is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
White was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm and pled guilty to the charge. United States District Court Judge Callie V. S. Granade sentenced White to 151 months in prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for illegally possessing the firearm.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mobile Police Department investigated 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Pittsburgh Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possessing and Attempting to Prevent the Seizure of FirearmsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 45 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his convictions of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon and attempting to take action to prevent seizure, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Javon Pope, 36.
According to information presented to the Court, on the morning of November 19, 2019, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation discovered Pope inside a Wilkinsburg residence at which another individual had just been arrested and officers had observed several firearms in plain view. The agents detained and searched Pope, finding a digital scale, a small amount of marijuana, and a cellular telephone. Upon the execution of a search warrant for the residence, agents found four firearms, but in different locations from where they had been initially observed by officers. A search warrant for Pope’s cellular telephone revealed an internet search for “how long does it take to get a search warrant” during the morning of November 19 while the FBI would have had the house secured pending the warrant, as well as a picture of the defendant with several of the firearms found in the residence. Pope has a prior felony conviction, and federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
The cell phone also revealed several telephone calls between Pope and a resident of the home beginning around the time the Pittsburgh S.W.A.T. Team arrived at the residence, during which Pope was informed that federal agents were at the home and intending to search it. It is a violation of federal law to attempt to take action to prevent seizure of items pursuant to a federal search warrant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh S.W.A.T. Team for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Pope.
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.
Pittsburgh Drug Dealer Sentenced to 8.5 Years in Prison for Series of Fentanyl, Heroin, Fentanyl Analogue, and Cocaine Trafficking ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 102 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on charges of violating federal drug trafficking laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Jervey Shackelford, 45, on March 25, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, Shackelford delivered or attempted to deliver fentanyl and mixtures of heroin and fentanyl to an undercover officer on six separate occasions between February 2022 and June 2022 on Pittsburgh’s North Side. In October 2023, City of Pittsburgh officers executed a search warrant on Shackelford and his vehicle and recovered over 60 grams of fentanyl and 10 grams of cocaine, along with drug packaging materials. Additionally, in August 2024, City of Pittsburgh officers executed a search warrant on an apartment utilized by Shackelford, during which officers recovered 11 bricks of fentanyl and heroin and approximately 100 grams of fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue. Shackelford possessed with an intent to distribute a total of over a quarter kilogram of mixtures of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and heroin across the various incidents.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Ball prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Shackelford.
Par Funding CEO Sentenced to 15½ Years in Prison for RICO Conspiracy, Securities Fraud, Tax Crimes, and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Joseph LaForte, 54, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney to 186 months in prison and three years of supervised release, to include 12 months in home confinement, for numerous crimes arising from the defendant’s operation of a fraudulent investment vehicle known as Complete Business Solutions Group Inc. d/b/a Par Funding (“Par Funding”). In addition, LaForte was sentenced to forfeit various assets, including a private jet and an investment account totaling approximately $20 million, along with a $120 million forfeiture money judgment, as well as restitution in the amount of $314 million, and a $50,000 fine.
In January 2025, the Court found the Par Funding fraud scheme caused an actual fraud loss of approximately $404,000,000, which it reduced to $288,395,088 after factoring in credit for collateral that federal authorities seized from Par Funding when the investigation became public in July 2020, upon the SEC placing Par Funding in receivership.
The defendant, who functioned as Par Funding’s president and CEO, his brother James LaForte, Par Funding’s “enforcer,” and Joseph Cole Barleta, Par Funding’s chief financial officer, were charged in a February 2024 amended second superseding indictment with racketeering conspiracy and related crimes.
In September 2024, Joseph LaForte pleaded guilty to the RICO charge, securities fraud, tax crimes, and perjury. He also pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for his role in aiding and abetting James LaForte’s violent assault on one of the receivership’s Philadelphia attorneys, and to a gun possession charge for firearms found in his former residence during the execution of a search warrant.
James LaForte pleaded guilty in September 2024 to racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, and extortionate collection of debt, as well as obstruction of justice, for his assault on the receivership attorney, and retaliation, for threatening several government witnesses. He was sentenced earlier this month to 11½ years in prison.
Barleta pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of racketeering conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 2, 2025.
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As detailed in court filings, the defendant served as the undisputed leader of a years-long criminal enterprise consisting of his codefendants and others. The principal purpose of this enterprise was to generate money for its leadership and members, primarily by defrauding the investors in Par Funding, which the enterprise controlled until it was placed in receivership.
Joseph LaForte and his conspirators caused false and misleading information to be conveyed to investors regarding various issues, including:
▪ Joseph LaForte’s true name, his role at Par Funding, and his criminal history;
▪ Par Funding’s underwriting process;
▪ the diversity of the company’s MCA portfolio;
▪ Par Funding’s default rate;
▪ Par Funding’s financial success and profitability;
▪ the company’s insurance; and
▪ the defendants’ self-dealing.
Par Funding’s principal means of generating income was to “advance” money to businesses (known as merchant cash advance or “MCA” customers) that were in need of short-term financing at high rates of return.
The enterprise would use threats of violence to collect money from customers whose payments were overdue. James LaForte admitted that, in threatening one particular Par Funding customer, he told the customer that he must repay the company immediately because James LaForte was not to be messed with and had previously torched people’s cars and kicked people’s teeth in.
Another Par Funding collector admitted to extorting multiple customers at Joseph LaForte’s direction, including through threats of physical harm to the customers or their families if the debt was not paid back. And as established at his sentencing hearing, Joseph LaForte also threatened and extorted customers who fell behind in their payments, such as by telling a Par Funding customer to keep paying her debts or he would bomb her car, kidnap her children, and outfit her with “cement shoes” to sink her to the bottom of the Hudson River.
The reality hidden from Par Funding’s investors was that, during every year from 2016 through mid-2020, Par Funding’s MCA business was not profitable enough to repay the money owed to Par Funding’s investors while also covering its operating expenses (including tens of millions of dollars Joseph LaForte was paying himself annually). LaForte thus needed to acquire increasingly large injections of new investor money just to keep the lights on and the business running, a hallmark of a traditional Ponzi scheme.
From 2015 until the unraveling of the fraud in mid-2020, Joseph LaForte caused Par Funding to pay him and his wife more than $120,000,000 in fraudulent proceeds, with which he purchased homes, vacation properties, vehicles, artwork, jewelry, dozens of investment properties, a boat, and a private jet. LaForte rewarded the loyalty of co-conspirators, including James LaForte and Cole Barleta, by making each of them multi-millionaires.
For years, the defendant committed a variety of tax crimes related to his fraudulent proceeds, including conspiring to defraud the IRS and filing false tax returns, as well as employment tax fraud. The total federal tax loss stemming from LaForte’s crimes exceeds $8 million. He also caused $1.6 million in state tax loss to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue by falsely reporting that he and his wife were residents of Florida from 2013 through 2019, when in fact they resided in Pennsylvania.
“Joe LaForte is a career grifter,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He has spent his adult life lying, cheating, and stealing his way to a lavish lifestyle paid for with other people’s money. Consider LaForte’s vast criminality here: a decade’s worth of financial and tax crimes, acts of obstruction, perjury, extortionate threats, the aiding and abetting of his brother’s violent assault on an attorney, and the illegal possession of multiple guns. He has earned every day of his prison sentence. My office is committed to prosecuting these complex financial cases, to bring fraud victims some relief and the crooks who victimized them to justice.”
“Today’s sentencing holds Joseph LaForte accountable for the full scope of his criminal conduct in leading a long-running fraudulent enterprise,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “The FBI and our partners remain unwavering in our commitment to uncover, investigate, and dismantle complex financial fraud schemes — and to pursue justice and restitution for the victims they leave behind.”
“This case exemplifies how cooperative law enforcement efforts lead to the exposure of individuals and groups seeking to circumvent our laws for financial gain,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “An investigation such as this takes a dedicated team of investigators and prosecutors many hours of hard work and sacrifice to bring to a successful conclusion.”
“Today’s sentencing brings Joseph LaForte to justice for operating a fraudulent investment vehicle that he and his co-conspirators used to generate hundreds of millions of dollars illegally, while harming Par Funding’s numerous investors,” said Patricia Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), New York Region. “The FDIC OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who deceive investors for their own selfish gain and threaten the safety and soundness of our Nation’s financial system.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Newcomer, Samuel Dalke, and Eric Gill, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Boscia and DOJ Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro on the tax portion of the prosecution.
The SEC in Florida investigated and litigated the civil securities fraud charges, which formed the basis of a portion of the criminal prosecution.
Orlando Man Sentenced to 32 Years for Possessing Illegal Firearms and Selling Fentanyl That Killed A WomanRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced Joel David Fonseca Flores (45, Orlando) to 32 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl that resulted in death, possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On June 27, 2024, a federal jury found Fonseca Flores guilty of the conspiracy resulting in death charge. Prior to trial, on June 3, 2024, Fonseca Flores pleaded guilty to the other two offenses.
According to evidence presented at trial, Fonseca Flores and his co-defendant, Misty Lynn Parady (35, Orlando), sold fake “M30” pills laced with fentanyl to “N.K.” Between April 2020 and April 2022, Fonseca Flores and Parady sold N.K. what she, at first, believed to be oxycodone. After some time, N.K. realized that the pills she was buying from them contained fentanyl.
On October 31, 2021, N.K. warned Parady by text message that she had tested positive for fentanyl. Parady relayed that information to Fonseca Flores. On March 31, 2022, within days of purchasing “M30” pills from Fonseca Flores, N.K. sent a text message to Parady containing an image of her drug test, showing that N.K. had tested negative for oxycodone and positive for fentanyl.
Despite these and other warnings, Fonseca Flores and Parady continued to supply N.K. with the counterfeit fentanyl pills, and N.K. ultimately died from a fentanyl overdose on April 4, 2022.
Following a traffic stop of Fonseca Flores and Parady’s vehicle on October 3, 2022, about six months after N.K.’s death, officers seized fake “M30” fentanyl pills from the vehicle. The fake pills were tested by the DEA lab and were shown to contain fentanyl. Inside the car, officers also recovered cocaine, a digital scale, baggies, and hundreds of dollars in cash. Fonseca Flores, a convicted felon, also possessed a firearm.
On April 4, 2024, law enforcement officers arrested Fonseca Flores and Parady when they executed a search warrant at their home in Orlando. Inside the home, law enforcement found three firearms, ammunition, fake M30’s (fentanyl), other illegal drugs, cash, and drug paraphernalia.
On May 24, 2024, Misty Lynn Parady pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. She was sentenced on August 26, 2024, to six years and six months in federal prison.
“Cases like this reinforce drug traffickers care only about profit and driving addiction,” said Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter, Drug Enforcement Administration, Miami Field Division. “DEA will pursue drug traffickers with everything we have to make our communities safe and healthy.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Orlando Police Department Overdose Unit. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kara M. Wick, Stephanie McNeff, and Michael P. Felicetta.
Orange County Man Pleads Guilty to Mail Theft and Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Ryan Anthony Aheran (28, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to mail theft and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Aheran faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison for the firearm offense and up to five years’ imprisonment for the mail theft offense. Ahearn has also agreed to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the commission of the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, on October 1, 2024, Aheran stole more than 1,000 pieces of mail from a U.S. Postal Service mailbox in Orlando. He was arrested on October 25, 2024, on a criminal complaint related to that mail theft incident. In connection with his arrest, Ahearn was observed carrying a black bag, in which law enforcement later located a loaded firearm, cash, mail addressed to others, and a debit card in Aheran’s name. At the time, Aheran had multiple prior felony convictions, including burglary of a conveyance, possession of more than 20 grams of cannabis, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
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.
Omak Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Violently Assaulting His Intimate PartnerRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that Louis Lee Zacherle, age 37, of Omak, Washington, was sentenced for Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner in Indian Country. Zacherle was convicted on August 13, 2024, following a jury trial. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 60 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the trial and sentencing, on the evening of December 7, 2023, Zacherle began arguing with his intimate partner at a home on the Colville Indian Reservation. During the argument, Zacherle went out to the shed, grabbed an ax, came back into the kitchen, and began smashing the kitchen cabinets. Zacherle then hit his intimate partner in the face, knocking her down. Zacherle, who was wearing boots, proceeded to kick the victim several times as she was lying on the ground.
At the hospital, doctors treated the victim for injuries to her face and scalp, as well as two broken ribs. The victim also had to be treated for a condition in which air leaked out of her lung and into her chest wall.
“Domestic violence is one of the root causes underlying the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons crisis impacting Native American Communities,” stated Acting United States Attorney Rich Barker. “Through DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women, our office has a dedicated Special Assistant United States Attorney, Michael Vander Giessen, who handles many of the domestic violence cases that arise on Tribal land in Eastern Washington. With SAUSA Vander Giessen in this role – and as a result of our close partnerships with the Kalispel, Spokane, and Colville Tribes – the U.S. Attorney’s Office is able to seek justice in more of these cases, ensuring domestic violence victims are heard before it is too late.”
“What began as a disagreement quickly turned into a brutal assault resulting in serious injury.” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Fortunately, the victim survived and stood up for herself, leading to Mr. Zacherle being held accountable for his violence with a federal prison sentence. The FBI and our partners will not tolerate domestic violence on our state’s reservations, and it is a crime we will vigorously investigate.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Colville Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Vander Giessen and former Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Ohms.
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Newcomb Man Sentenced for Role in Fatal AltercationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Newcomb man was sentenced to three years of probation for his role in the death of an individual who died from a fatal stab wound during a drunken altercation.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on June 2, 2021, Leighton Spencer, 32, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, and two other individuals were at Spencer's home, consuming a mixture of Gatorade and hand sanitizer, followed by beers, when an altercation between the two other individuals occurred. After one person left to cool down and returned, they discovered the third individual deceased in the doorway, covered in blood. Spencer initially claimed the person was sleeping, but emergency services were called.
The Office of the Medical Investigator ruled the death a homicide caused by a stab wound to the neck, which damaged major blood vessels and the right upper lung lobe. Spencer initially provided conflicting accounts of the incident, blaming others and fabricating causes of death before eventually admitting to the killing. Throughout the investigation, Spencer attempted to deflect responsibility and mislead law enforcement. Ultimately, Spencer admitted he lied and pleaded guilty to the charge of involuntary manslaughter.
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 Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
Newburyport Man Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud Home Repair Insurance ProviderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Newburyport man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to defrauding a home repair insurance provider by billing for purported repair jobs that never were performed.
Christian Decristofaro, 40, pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for June 23, 2025. In October 2024, Decristofaro was arrested and charged by criminal complaint.
According to the charging documents, Decristofaro caused NE Premier Home Services LLC (NE Premier) – a purported home repair company he controlled – to enroll as a contractor with a home repair insurance provider (the victim). Decristofaro used false identities to enroll non-existent homeowners in insurance plans with the victim insurance provider. Decristofaro then reported fictitious home emergencies to the victim on behalf of the purported homeowners and requested that NE Premier be assigned to perform the repairs. He then caused NE Premier to bill the victim insurance provider for the repair jobs, even though there was no repair work done. As a result of these fraudulent billings, between approximately October 2020 and June 2023, the victim insurance provider paid NE Premier approximately $2,196,323 for services that NE Premier had not rendered.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, restitution and forfeiture. 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 Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Leslie A. Wright of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
More than Two Dozen Sentenced in Connection with Prison-Based Drug RingRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Today, the United States concluded the prosecution of 27 defendants in connection with an extensive drug and money laundering conspiracy that operated in middle Tennessee and elsewhere between 2018 and 2021, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. The prosecution originated from an extensive multi-agency investigation of a prison-based drug ring, led by Humberto Morales, a Tennessee state prisoner, that culminated in a series of federal charges.
“For years, our office has worked diligently to break up this deadly criminal organization and hold its members accountable,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “These dangerous criminals who plagued our community are behind bars, some for decades. Thanks to the dedication of our prosecutors and our law enforcement partners, their day is over, and justice has been served.”
According to court records, as part of that investigation, federal law enforcement agents identified numerous U.S. Mail parcels containing substantial quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl, as well as marijuana, which were related to a largescale drug trafficking conspiracy being operated from within the Tennessee state prison system by Humberto Morales. The investigation, which included the review of the contents of dozens of contraband cellular phones seized from prison facilities, witness interviews, drug seizures, and other evidence, revealed that the conspiracy led by Morales operated in various counties in the Middle District of Tennessee, as well as in other states, namely California, and Mexico from at least 2018 to 2021. Morales and his co-conspirators routinely used encrypted communication services, principally WhatsApp, to communicate regarding drug trafficking, drug proceeds, firearms, and, in some instances, related armed violence. These communications included WhatsApp text and voice messages and drug-related photographs and videos.
During the conspiracy, Morales, a ranking Surenos gang member who was serving a decades-long sentence in the Tennessee Department of Correction in connection with a home invasion in Williamson County, Tennessee, arranged for and coordinated the delivery of kilogram quantities of the identified dangerous drugs from Mexico to California, using numerous co-conspirators. Those drugs were then transported or mailed at Morales’ direction to specific locations in middle Tennessee and elsewhere for distribution. Morales principally directed these activities by utilizing cell phones smuggled into the prisons.
In the course of this conspiracy, Morales recruited dozens of co-conspirators to carry out his scheme. At his direction, members of the conspiracy routinely sent wire transfers consisting of drug proceeds totaling, at a minimum, hundreds of thousands of dollars to Mexico – primarily Sinaloa, Mexico, and sometimes to locations within the United States, to pay for controlled substances and to promote the continued operation of his drug enterprise. At Morales’ direction, co-conspirators also wire transferred money to other members of the conspiracy to pay for the transportation and expenses related to the trafficking of controlled substances and the transferring of drug proceeds using electronic services, such as Cash App. Further, co-conspirators deposited drug proceeds into bank accounts, purchased money orders with drug proceeds, and collected and delivered drug proceeds, often thousands of dollars in bulk cash, either by hand or by mail to other members of the conspiracy.
The conspiracy resulted in the delivery of massive quantities of drugs into middle Tennessee, as evidenced by numerous drug seizures of kilogram quantities of methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl during the investigation and by messages reviewed by investigators detailing discussions among co-conspirators about the drugs being received and distributed in this area.
Those prosecuted in this investigation and their resulting sentences include the following:
Humberto Morales, a/k/a “Pelon” – age 33 – life imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release
Armando Lopez, age 48, 324 months’ imprisonment and 7 years of supervised release
Jennifer Montejo, age 37, 300 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Avigael Cruz, age 33, 264 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Jose Alvarado, age 48, 240 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Kevin Oliva-Hernandez, age 35, 216 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Jesse Sanchez, age 35, 216 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Jacob Lee, age 29, 216 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Billy Cruz, age 30, 204 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Phillip Christopher Smith, age 45, 204 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Mario Garcia Flores, age 37, 180 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Terrance Marquette Bobo, age 32, 180 months’ imprisonment in two cases and 5 years of supervised release
Austin Dodd, age 29, 180 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Justin Blake Lee, age 30, 168 months’ imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release
Jairo Rostran, age 32, 156 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Grecia Rocio Barrios, age 37, 156 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Ricardo Davalos Martinez, age 32, 144 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Kevin Tidwell, age 31, 120 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Kim Lamont Birdsong, age 53, 100 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release
Tiffany Messick, age 30, 84 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Jasmine Taylor, age 30, 78 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
David Ku, age 49, 66 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Oscar Avelar Anguiano, age 37, 66 months’ imprisonment and 1 year of supervised release
Luis Ramirez Escudero, age 32, 60 months’ imprisonment and 1 year of supervised release
Melinda Tidwell, age 35, 50 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release
Stacy Owens, age 35, 12 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release, followed by an additional 11-month sentence in a related matter.
Korrine Parker, age 47, time served and 5 years of supervised release.
Six of these defendants, who are native to Mexico, are expected to face deportation proceedings at the conclusion of their sentences. Two defendants charged in this case remain fugitives from justice – Erika Vasquez, a/k/a “Chula,” and Magdiel Pina Ramirez, a/k/a “Big Show.” Another half-dozen individuals associated with Morales were also charged and convicted in separate cases.
“With both law enforcement and financial investigation expertise, our special agents are uniquely qualified to partner with state and federal agencies with these types of cases,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. “IRS CI is proud to provide its financial expertise as we work alongside our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice”
“Postal Inspectors tirelessly work to rid the mail of illegal drug trafficking and its accompanying violence,” said Acting U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Jessica Wagner, Atlanta Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). “These sentencings highlight the effectiveness of the collaboration between USPIS and our law enforcement partners, and the commitment of Postal Inspectors to provide a safe environment for postal employees and Postal Service customers – the American public.”
“The collaboration between HSI and IRS-CI exemplifies the relentless pursuit of justice, even when crimes are committed behind prison walls,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud. “Together with our partners, HSI will continue to disrupt criminal networks, ensuring that we hold these violent gangs accountable, regardless of where they operate.”
“These sentences are a victory for the dedicated men and women in law enforcement, combining efforts of Federal, State and Local partnerships to perfect a case that will have a lasting effect in the community. ATF is committed to these partnerships in its fight against violent crime,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Nashville Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Several other law enforcement agencies contributed to the investigation, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) – Office of Investigations and Conduct, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD), Clarksville Police Department (CPD), and Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip H. Wehby and Juliet E. Aldridge prosecuted the case for the United States.
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Monroe County Man Charged with Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eli Valentine Calero, age 43, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on a drug trafficking charge.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on March 12, 2025, in Monroe County, Calero possessed over 500 grams of methamphetamine and an amount of cocaine for distribution.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pocono Mountain Police Department and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts 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 Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is lifetime imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Mexican national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to making a false statement to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent.
According to court records, in January 2025, Felipe De Jesus Zavala Medel, 64, approached the Coburn Gore port of entry in a vehicle from the Canadian side of the international border and presented a North Dakota driver’s license in the name of “Johny Joe Olivo” along with identifying documents to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent. Zavala Medel falsely told the agent he was born in Texas. He also completed and signed a Customs Declaration form containing the false information. During questioning, he admitted that he did not have any documents that allowed him to legally enter, reside, or work in the U.S.
Zavala Medel faces a maximum prison term of five years and a fine up to $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
CBP and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
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Mexican National Charged Federally with Drug & Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Mexican national living in Salt Lake County, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City today for drug and firearm crimes after law enforcement allegedly seized heroin, and a firearm.
Luis Alberto Ramirez-Gonzalez, aka Leonardo Gomez-Ahumada, 28, living in Herriman, Utah, was charged by complaint on March 17, 2025.
According to court documents, beginning in December 2024, detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force began investigating a drug trafficking organization. On March 13, 2025, law enforcement obtained a search warrant on a residence in Magna, Utah. During the execution of the search warrant, Ramirez-Gonzalez was inside the residence Law enforcement seized approximately 300 grams of suspected heroin, which field-tested positive for heroin. On that same day, Ramirez-Gonzalez allegedly possessed a Sig Sauer P320 handgun and ammunition, knowing he was in the United States illegally and therefore restricted from possessing a firearm. Ramirez-Gonzalez was taken into custody.
Luis Alberto Ramirez-Gonzalez is charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and alien in possession of a firearm. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 28, 2025, at 10:00 a.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 Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC).
Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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.
Memphis Man Sentenced to 22 Years of Federal Imprisonment for Drug Distribution and Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Claibon Burrus, 51, of Memphis, to 260 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute drugs and possession of firearms. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to the information presented in court, on January 19, 2021, detectives with the Memphis Police Department served a search warrant at a residence in Memphis, Tennessee pursuant to an overdose death investigation. They discovered that Burrus was in possession of large amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana. He was also in possession of multiple firearms. He admitted to officers he was engaging in drug distribution. Following Burrus’s arrest, he directed other individuals to move additional drugs and firearms from storage units he rented to avoid seizure by law enforcement.
In July 2024, Burrus pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. On March 25, 2025, United States District Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr. sentenced Burrus to 260 months of federal imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by detectives with the Memphis Police Department Heroin/Opioid Response Team and Organized Crime Unit (OCU).
Acting United States Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Musselwhite and Greg Allen, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Memphis Man Receives Significant Sentence for Selling Fentanyl and Firearms to Undercover ATF AgentsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Memphis man has been sentenced to 144 months of imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, during the summer of 2023, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) received information that a person later identified as Adrian Seymour, 38, was distributing large amounts of fentanyl in the Memphis area. On August 15, 2023, special agents with the ATF, acting in an undercover capacity, purchased approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills from Seymour for $5,000. On September 19, 2023, special agents with the ATF, acting in an undercover capacity, purchased two firearms and approximately one hundred fentanyl pills from Seymour for $1,000.
Seymour was arrested by ATF special agents and was charged by criminal complaint in federal court in the Western District of Tennessee on October 5, 2023. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in a seven-count indictment on November 14, 2023.
On August 13, 2024, Seymour entered a plea of guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute forty grams or more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing fentanyl, and one count of carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
On March 19, 2025, Senior United States District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes sentenced Seymour to 144 months of incarceration with a four-year period of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Memphis Field Office of the ATF and the Shelby County Multi-Agency Gang Unit. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Nashville laboratory assisted in this investigation.
“The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is committed to protecting our communities from gun violence and, through collaboration with our law enforcement partners, to identify, investigate and prosecute those armed and violent individuals in an effort to take crime guns out of the hands of criminals. The work done in this case exemplifies ATF’s mission to protect the public and reduce gun related crime by taking dangerous firearms and narcotics off the street and to hold those persons accountable for their lawless actions,” said Jason Stankiewicz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Nashville Field Division.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorney Bryce H. Phillips who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Medicare Advantage Provider Seoul Medical Group and Related Parties to Pay over $62M to Settle False Claims Act SuitRead the Press Release
Seoul Medical Group Inc. and its subsidiary Advanced Medical Management Inc., headquartered in California, have agreed to pay $58,740,000 and their former president and majority owner, Dr. Min Young Cha, has agreed to pay $1,760,000 for allegedly violating the False Claims Act by causing the submission of false diagnosis codes for two spinal conditions to increase payments from the Medicare Advantage program. Renaissance Imaging Medical Associates Inc., a California-based radiology group that worked with Seoul Medical, has also agreed to pay $2,350,000, for allegedly conspiring with Seoul Medical Group in connection with the false diagnoses for the two spinal conditions.
Under Medicare Advantage, also known as the Medicare Part C program, Medicare beneficiaries have the option of enrolling in managed care insurance plans called Medicare Advantage Plans (MA Plans) and the MA Plans contract with healthcare providers, such as Seoul Medical Group, to provide the Medicare-covered benefits. MA Plans are paid a per-person amount to provide the care to their enrollees and, in turn, the MA Plans pay the providers. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees the Medicare program, adjusts the payments to MA Plans based on demographic information and the health diagnoses of each plan beneficiary. The adjustments are commonly referred to as “risk scores.” In general, a beneficiary with diagnoses that are more expensive to treat will have a higher risk score, and CMS will make a larger risk-adjusted payment to the MA Plan for that beneficiary.
Seoul Medical Group is a healthcare provider that started in 1993 in Los Angeles and has since expanded into at least six states and has employed at times 150 primary care providers and 1,000 specialists. Dr. Min Young Cha started Seoul Medical Group and until 2023 was president and majority owner.
Allegedly, from 2015 to 2021, Seoul Medical Group and Dr. Cha submitted diagnoses for two severe spinal conditions, spinal enthesopathy and sacroiliitis, for patients who did not suffer from either of these conditions. When Seoul Medical Group was questioned by an MA Plan about its use of spinal enthesopathy, Seoul Medical Group enlisted the assistance of Renaissance Imaging Medical Associates to create radiology reports that appeared to support the spinal enthesopathy diagnosis. Both diagnoses resulted in an increase in payment from CMS to the MA Plan, and the MA Plan then passed along a portion of the increased payment to Seoul Medical Group.
“Medicare Advantage is a vital program for our seniors and the government expects healthcare providers who participate in the program to provide truthful and accurate information,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s result sends a clear message to the Medicare Advantage community that the United States will zealously pursue appropriate action against those who knowingly submit false claims for taxpayer funds.”
“My office is committed to ensuring that healthcare providers are held accountable for unlawful misrepresentations to Medicare and other healthcare programs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally for the Central District of California. “As this settlement makes clear, we will diligently pursue those who defraud government programs.”
“Providers who game the Medicare program to increase profit undermine the foundation of care and diminish patient trust in the nation’s public health care system,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners and rigorously probe false claims to the fullest extent possible.”
The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Paul Pew, the former Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Advanced Medical Management. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Pew v. Seoul Medical Group, Inc., et al., No. 2:20-cv-05156 (C.D. Cal.). The relator’s share of the settlement has not yet been determined.
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 U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, with assistance from the Department of HHS-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare 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 investigated by Fraud Section Attorneys J. Jennifer Koh and Robbin O. Lee and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Paik for the Central District of California.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Medical Device Manufacturer and Its Owner Agree to Pay $550,000 to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS – The United States has reached a settlement agreement with The Prometheus Group (Prometheus), a New Hampshire manufacturer of rectal therapeutic systems and probes, and Richard Poore, its president and sole owner, to resolve a civil lawsuit filed against them. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants violated the False Claims Act by causing health care providers to bill Medicare for services in which the providers improperly re-used single-user rectal sensors and single-use catheters on multiple patients. As part of the settlement, Prometheus and Poore will pay $550,000 to resolve the claims against them.
“Medicare beneficiaries deserve treatment that is reasonable and safe,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew B. Birge. “Device manufacturers and medical practitioners cannot flaunt the rules and jeopardize the wellbeing of patients in our community.”
“Manufacturers and providers must ensure that medical devices are utilized in a manner that ensures the safety of patients and complies with Federal laws and regulations,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General – Chicago Region. “Our agency, working in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, will always work to hold those accountable who jeopardize patient safety or submit false claims to Federal health care programs.”
“The FBI is committed to investigating bad actors and protecting the public from healthcare professionals and top executives who exploit the trust of patients by prioritizing greed and convenience over safe health practices,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI remains dedicated to safeguarding public health and maintaining the integrity of the medical system.”
Prometheus manufactures and sells device systems for use in pelvic muscle rehabilitation (PMR), a non-surgical therapy to eliminate or reduce symptoms of pelvic floor disorders, including urinary and fecal incontinence. Specifically, Prometheus has manufactured and marketed the Pathway CTS 2000 Pelvic Floor Training System and the Morpheus System. Both systems required the use of a rectal pressure probe that is inserted into a patient’s rectum during therapy. Prometheus manufactured its own sensor for use with the Pathway System and encouraged its customers to use a competitor’s anorectal manometry catheter with the Morpheus System.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the Prometheus rectal pressure sensor to be used as a single-user device and the anorectal manometry catheter to be used as a single-use device. For example, the instructions for use identify the rectal pressure sensor as “a potential bio-hazard” and state: “This sensor is restricted for single person use only. Use by another person is strictly prohibited by Federal Regulations.” Similarly, the anorectal manometry catheter was cleared by the FDA as a disposable single-use device, with packaging that states: “Do not re-use.”
According to the United States’ complaint, the defendants knew of these restrictions, but for years encouraged and instructed health care providers to reuse the rectal pressure sensors and anorectal manometry catheters on multiple patients, using a glove or condom to cover the probes, as a way to reduce the overhead costs associated with Prometheus’s systems. The government alleged that using the devices in this manner, which exposed patients to unnecessary risk of infections, was not reasonable or necessary, and thus was ineligible for Medicare coverage.
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 Western District of Michigan, with assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare 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 lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, is captioned United States v. The Prometheus Group., et al., No. 22-cv-446 (W.D. Mich.). The lawsuit was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Jay D. Majors and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Hull.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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Marrero Bookkeeper Sentenced for Fraud and Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – ActingUnited States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that MARY B. KATICICH (“KATICICH”), age 64, of Marrero, La., was sentenced on March 25, 2025, for wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, and for making and subscribing a false tax return, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1).
According to court documents, KATICICH used her position as bookkeeper for a Belle Chasse, Louisiana-based company, to fraudulently divert funds for her own benefit, from the company’s bank accounts. KATICICH also purchased personal items using company funds. Further, KATICICH willfully filed a tax return for tax year 2016, that she did not believe to be true and correct, because it failed to report approximately $120,190.58 of income.
United States District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced KATICICH to one year and one day in prison to be followed by (3) three years of supervised release. KATICICH was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $439,650.51 to the owner of the company and $28,612.45 to the Internal Revenue Service. Judge Morgan also imposed a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Koreatown-Based Medicare Advantage Provider Seoul Medical Group and Related Parties to Pay More Than $62 Million to Settle False Claims LawsuitRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Seoul Medical Group Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary Advanced Medical Management Inc., headquartered in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles, have agreed to pay $58.74 million and their former president, Dr. Min Young Cha, has agreed to pay $1.76 million for allegedly violating the False Claims Act by causing the submission of false diagnosis codes for two spinal conditions to increase payments from the Medicare Advantage program.
Renaissance Imaging Medical Associates Inc., a Northridge-based radiology group that worked with Seoul Medical, has also agreed to pay $2.35 million for allegedly conspiring with Seoul Medical Group in connection with the false diagnoses for the two spinal conditions.
“The false claims to Medicare resulted in millions of dollars in losses to the government,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally. “Through this $62.85 million settlement we have recouped those losses and the healthcare providers who made the false claims are paying millions of dollars in additional damages.”
“Medicare Advantage is a vital program for our seniors and the government expects healthcare providers who participate in the program to provide truthful and accurate information,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s result sends a clear message to the Medicare Advantage community that the United States will zealously pursue appropriate action against those who knowingly submit false claims for taxpayer funds.”
Under Medicare Advantage, also known as the Medicare Part C program, Medicare beneficiaries have the option of enrolling in managed care insurance plans called Medicare Advantage Plans (MA Plans) and the MA Plans contract with healthcare providers, such as Seoul Medical Group, to provide the Medicare-covered benefits. MA Plans are paid a per-person amount to provide the care to their enrollees and, in turn, the MA Plans pay the providers.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees the Medicare program, adjusts the payments to MA Plans based on demographic information and the health diagnoses of each plan beneficiary. The adjustments are commonly referred to as “risk scores.” In general, a beneficiary with diagnoses that are more expensive to treat will have a higher risk score, and CMS will make a larger risk-adjusted payment to the MA Plan for that beneficiary.
Seoul Medical Group is a healthcare provider that started in 1993 in Los Angeles and has since expanded into at least six states and has contracted at times with a network of 150 independent primary care providers and 1,000 specialists. Dr. Min Young Cha started Seoul Medical Group and until 2023 was its president.
The United States alleged that, from 2015 to 2021, Seoul Medical Group and Dr. Cha submitted diagnoses for two severe spinal conditions, spinal enthesopathy and sacroiliitis, for patients who did not suffer from either of these conditions. When Seoul Medical Group was questioned by an MA Plan about its use of spinal enthesopathy, Seoul Medical Group enlisted the assistance of Renaissance Imaging Medical Associates to create radiology reports that appeared to support the spinal enthesopathy diagnosis. Both diagnoses resulted in an increase in payment from CMS to the MA Plan, and the MA Plan then passed along a portion of the increased payment to Seoul Medical Group.
“Providers who game the Medicare program to increase profit undermine the foundation of care and diminish patient trust in the nation’s public health care system,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners and rigorously probe false claims to the fullest extent possible.”
The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Paul Pew, the former Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Advanced Medical Management. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States of America ex rel. Pew v. Seoul Medical Group, Inc., et al., No. 2:20-cv-05156 (C.D. Cal.). The relator’s share of the settlement has not yet been determined.
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 Central District of California, with assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare 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).
Assistant United Sates Attorney Karen Y. Paik of the Civil Division’s Civil Fraud Section and Trial Attorneys J. Jennifer Koh and Robbin O. Lee of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section investigated this matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Justice Department Secures Forfeiture of over $5M of Funds Traceable to Business Email Compromise Scheme Targeting Massachusetts Workers UnionRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that, pursuant to a court-ordered default judgment and final order of forfeiture entered today, it has secured the forfeiture of approximately $5,315,746.29 of proceeds of a business email compromise (BEC) scheme and property involved in the subsequent laundering of the proceeds. The judgment is the result of a civil forfeiture complaint filed by the United States in June 2024 seeking the forfeiture of the funds.
As alleged in the complaint, in January 2023, a workers union based in Dorchester, Massachusetts, was defrauded out of $6.4 million after it received a spoofed email that appeared to be from its investment manager. The email misled the workers union into transferring the funds to the wrong bank account, which was controlled by a third party.
After the workers union sent the payment, the fraudulently obtained funds were transferred through several intermediary bank accounts, with some funds transferred, or attempted to be transferred, to a cryptocurrency exchange and to various foreign bank accounts located in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and Nigeria. Investigators also traced proceeds of the scheme to seven domestically held bank accounts, the contents of which were subsequently seized.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts; and Special Agent in Charge William Mancino of the U.S. Secret Service made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jasmin Salehi Fashami and Adrienne Rosen of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lyons for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case.
Joshawa Max Estrada Sentenced to Federal Prison for His Role in the Murder of Jedidah Iesha MorenoRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced today that Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Joshawa Max Estrada, age 27, to 100 months in federal prison on one count of Accessory After the Fact for his role in the October 2018 murder of Jedidah Iesha Moreno.
According to court documents and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, Jedidah Iesha Moreno shot and killed Rosenda Strong on or about October 5, 2018, following an argument at a residence, known as the House of Souls in Wapato, Washington. Following the murder, Moreno asked for help disposing of Strong’s body, which was placed in a freezer and dumped near a towing service in Toppenish, Washington.
The following day, October 6, 2018, Moreno and Andrew Norris Zack got into an argument at a residence known as the Estrada Ranch located in Wapato, Washington. Moreno took out a gun and fired multiple gunshots into a garage, where Zack was in the bathroom. One of these shots struck Zack’s hand.
Around the same time that Zack was shot, Uriel Balentin Badillo was at Legends Casino. Badillo received a call that Zack was in trouble, and Badillo drove out to the residence, where he found Moreno standing in a field. When Badillo asked about Zack, Moreno was unresponsive. Badillo then drove Moreno to the House of Souls (where Rosenda Strong had been killed the day before), to look for Zack. When Badillo and Moreno arrived, a female came out of the House of Souls and said, “gag the bitch up.” After a sock was placed into Moreno’s mouth, Badillo and the female drove Moreno back to the Estrada Ranch. There, Moreno was physically restrained, bound with a cargo strap and duct tape, and forced into a Chevrolet Impala. Badillo then shot into the trunk of the car several times with a .45 caliber pistol, striking Moreno. Later that day, two juveniles transported Moreno’s body to another location on the Yakama Nation. One of the juveniles then fired additional rounds into Moreno’s body.
The next day, Estrada spoke to Badillo, Zack, and the juvenile. When Estrada learned that Badillo had murdered Moreno and that her body had been dumped in a non-discrete location. Estrada teased the juvenile for dumping the body in such a visible place. Badillo then asked Estrada to move Moreno’s body and get rid of the cargo strap around her body because Badillo was worried he might have left his DNA and/or fingerprints on the cargo strap. Estrada and the one of the juveniles then located Moreno’s body and moved it to a more secluded location near White Swan, Washington. As directed by Badillo, Estrada also removed the cargo strap from Moreno’s body. After moving the body to a more concealed location, the juvenile fired additional gunshots into Moreno’s body.
Later that same day, Estrada and the juvenile traveled back to Wapato to meet with Zack and Badillo. Estrada handed Badillo the cargo strap that had been removed from Moreno’s body so that Badillo could destroy the evidence.
On November 28, 2018, a citizen discovered Moreno’s remains and immediately contacted law enforcement.
“The families in the Rosenda Strong and Jedidah Iesha Moreno cases have waited years to obtain some measure of justice on behalf of their loved ones,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Barker. “I am grateful for the eyewitnesses, who came forward in this case and helped the FBI and Yakama Nation Tribal Police identify those responsible for these terrible murders. To those who have information about unsolved missing or murdered indigenous people cases, I implore you to come forward and help bring a measure of closure to the families that continue to grieve.”
“Mr. Estrada is yet another defendant to be held accountable in this tragic case, which the FBI and our partners have been investigating since 2018.” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “While prison sentences can bring justice and a sense of closure for loved ones, ultimately nothing can bring back the victims of the multiple homicides in which the defendant played a role. I commend the investigators in this case and others involving violent crime on our state’s reservations. They consistently pursue justice, no matter how long it takes.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Yakama Nation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas J. Hanlon and Michael D. Murphy.
Defendants Andrew Norris Zack, Jamaal Antwan Pimms, Kevin Todd Brehm, and Uriel Balentin Badillo have all pleaded guilty to charges in this case. Michael Lee Moody pleaded guilty to charges in this case and was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison.
Jamaican National Indicted for Child Exploitation CrimeRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Andrew Higgins, age 37, a Jamaican national, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury with a child exploitation offense.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that beginning on or about January 15, 2025, and continuing through January 17, 2025, Higgins used the internet and an electronic device to attempt to persuade and coerce a child to engage in sexual conduct.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations – RAC Allentown. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the crimes charged in the Indictment is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Irvine Man Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Federal Prison for Stealing and Reselling High-End Violins and for Robbing Bank in O.C. Last YearRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison for orchestrating a scheme to steal high-value violins and robbing a bank in Irvine.
Mark Meng, 58, of Irvine, was sentenced by United States District Judge David O. Carter, who scheduled a restitution hearing for June 24 in this case.
Meng pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of wire fraud and one count of bank robbery. He has been in federal custody since May 2024.
From August 2020 to April 2023, Meng schemed to steal valuable violins and keep or resell them for his personal gain. Meng – posing as a collector of musical instruments – contacted violin shops across the country to express interest in receiving the violins on loan for a trial period to determine if he wished to buy them. In some cases, he purchased violin bows before asking for the violins on a trial-period basis.
After receiving each violin, Meng negotiated a purchase price for it, kept the instrument beyond the trial period, then provided the violin shops with a check or set of checks for the violin, knowing the whole time the checks he wrote to the violin shops would be rejected due to insufficient funds.
When a violin-shop representative contacted Meng to inform him that the shop’s bank had rejected his checks, he sent a new series of checks, which also later were rejected due to insufficient funds. Sometimes, Meng lied to the violin shops by falsely telling them he had mailed the violin back to them, but that they had been lost in the mail. Eventually, Meng stopped communicating with the violin shops.
After fraudulently obtaining the violins, Meng re-sold them to a buyer – often during the trial periods from the violin shops. For example, on February 1, 2023, a victim loaned Meng a Guilio Degani violin – valued at $175,000 – pursuant to a trial-period contract, which required Meng to return or purchase the violin by February 10, 2023. However, Meng attempted to sell this violin to a buyer – who was unaware of the violin’s stolen origin.
According to court documents, Meng also stole the following:
- one Lorenzo Ventapane violin, dated 1823, and valued at $175,000;
- one Guilio Degani violin, dated 1903, and valued at $55,000;
- one Caressa & Francais violin, dated 1913, and valued at $40,000;
- one Francais Lott violin bow, stamped “Lupot,” and valued at $7,500;
- one Gand & Bernardel violin, dated 1870, and valued at $60,000;
- one French, Charles J.B. Colin Mezin violin, valued at $6,500; and
- one German, E.H. Roth Guarneri violin, valued at $6,500.
Despite knowing that he did not own these violins and violin bows, Meng sold three of these stolen violins and a violin bow to a victim for a total of $44,700.
In January 2023, Meng emailed one violin shop in Alexandria, Virginia, to express an interest in obtaining the Ventapane violin and the Degani violin on a trial basis, all the while intending to fraudulently obtain then re-sell them.
On April 2, 2024, Meng entered a bank branch in Irvine, wearing a hat, sunglasses, a bandana covering his face, and blue latex gloves. Meng gave the bank teller a note stating “$18,000. Withdraw. Please. Stay Cool. No harm. Thx.” When the teller told Meng she did not have access to the money he demanded, Meng responded, “Give me whatever you have.” The teller, fearing harm to herself and her co-workers, handed Meng $446.
The FBI’s Art Crime Team investigated this matter, with assistance from the Irvine Police Department and the Glendale Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Laura A. Alexander and Mark A. Williams, both of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section, prosecuted this case.
International Law Enforcement Cooperation Leads to Takedown of U.S.- and Brazil-Based Alien Smugglers and Immigration ArrestsRead the Press Release
View the criminal complaint.
Earlier today, extensive coordination and cooperation efforts between U.S. and Brazilian law enforcement and prosecution authorities culminated in a significant enforcement operation to dismantle a transnational criminal organization allegedly responsible for the illicit smuggling of hundreds of individuals from Brazil to the United States. The enforcement operation included the arrest on U.S. charges of a previously convicted alien smuggler who allegedly re-entered the United States illegally after deportation to Brazil and was residing in Worcester, Massachusetts. The Brazilian Federal Police (PF) executed multiple search warrants in Brazil and arrested an alleged Brazil-based human smuggler.
Flavio Alexandre Alves, also known as “Ronaldo,” 41, was arrested in Worcester, Massachusetts on a criminal complaint charging him with conspiracy to bring aliens to and transport aliens within the United States for the purpose of commercial or financial gain in violation of law. Alves will appeared in federal court in Worcester earlier today and was temporarily detained pending a detention hearing on Friday.
According to court documents, Alves conspired with others to transport aliens from Brazil, through Mexico, and then into the United States. Once the aliens arrived in the United States, Alves allegedly purchased airline tickets for the aliens to other U.S. destinations. Alves also allegedly transferred money from the United States to aliens and smugglers located in Mexico to pay for expenses associated with transit into the United States and collected fees from aliens for being smuggled into the United States. Alves was previously convicted of human smuggling in the Central District of California in 2004 and was deported to Brazil in February 2005. Court documents indicate that Alves has been residing in the United States without immigration status after illegally re-entering the United States.
It is alleged that between May 2021 and August 2022, Alves purchased more than 100 individual airline tickets from Tucson or Phoenix to destination cities in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania (Boston, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Philadelphia). Some of these purchases were for migrants who had recently had encounters with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers or were recently released from detention.
Additionally, HSI offices in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia, supported by other partner law enforcement agencies, detained four individuals today associated with the alien smuggling organization on administrative immigration violations.
The investigation and arrest of Alves was coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs (OIA), among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 315 U.S. convictions; more than 260 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
The ECT program is a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI and focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks or grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT also coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
HSI New England led U.S. investigative efforts, working in concert with HSI Brasilia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Philadelphia and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. HSI received substantial assistance from CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force. OIA provided crucial assistance in this matter.
Trial Attorney Alexandra Skinnion and Acting Deputy Chief Frank Rangoussis of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Indictment Charges Assault with Intent to Kill While Armed for November 10, 2024 StabbingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Maurice Felder, 53, of Washington, D.C., was indicted today on assault with intent to kill while armed and other charges stemming from a stabbing on November 10, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Felder was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on charges of assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with significant bodily injury while armed, and possession of a prohibited weapon.
Felder is to be arraigned on March 28, 2025, at a hearing before the Honorable Judith Pipe.
According to the government’s evidence, on November 10, 2024, at about 1:00 a.m., the victim and his friends were walking near the intersection of 7th Street, N.W., and T Street, N.W. The victim and his friends were visiting Washington, D.C., for a weekend from Pennsylvania. The defendant followed the victim and his group down the sidewalk and began verbally arguing with the group. The victim got in between the defendant and other members of his friend group, telling the defendant to leave. The defendant asked the victim, “do you want to die,” pulled out a knife, and stabbed the victim in his chest. The victim sustained a stab wound 2 centimeters from his heart and required urgent medical care. The defendant was apprehended shortly thereafter, approximately one block from the location of incident. At the time of arrest, defendant matched the provided lookout description for the stabbing suspect. A knife was recovered from defendant’s pants pocket. Felder has been in custody since his arrest.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by AUSA Valerie Tsesarenko of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Indiana Man Sentenced for Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Hammond, Ind., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing three firearms.
Roosevelt Nevels, Jr., 35, formerly of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 8 years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 7, 2024, Nevels, Jr. pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.
On Nov. 7, 2021, officers of the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department were dispatched to Research Medical Center regarding a reported shooting. Nevels, Jr., who was the injured person, reported he was caught in between two vehicles shooting at one another at 7033 Prospect Ave., Kansas City, Mo. Nevels, Jr. reported that he was shot in the hand. Officers investigated Nevels Jr.’s account and were not able to locate evidence or witnesses to support his report of the shooting.
Upon further investigation, officers responded to Nevels, Jr.’s residence in Kansas City, Mo., where they located a blood trail in front of the house, leading to the door. The officers knocked on the front door, and a juvenile answered. The officers observed more blood on the living room floor of the residence.
The officers entered the residence to ensure no one inside was injured. They observed an AR-style pistol and a large amount of blood in a bedroom.
Investigators were granted a search warrant for the residence. While executing the search warrant, investigators recovered three firearms: a SCCY CPX-1, 9mm, pistol; a SCCY CPX-2, 9mm, pistol; and an FM-9, AR-style pistol. All the firearms were loaded. The AR-style pistol had damage near the trigger guard, appearing that the trigger guard was shot. The live round of ammunition in the chamber had blood on it.
Investigators also located a bullet fragment and two spent 9mm shell casings in the bedroom where the firearms were located and two cases containing 50 live .22 caliber rounds of ammunition in the kitchen.
Forensic investigators determined DNA samples recovered from the grips and trigger guards of all three firearms implicated Nevels, Jr. as a major contributor.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Nevels, Jr. was convicted of the felony offenses of endangering the welfare of a child and resisting arrest in 2018. Nevels, Jr. also has felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon – carrying concealed and unlawful use of a weapon – discharge/shoot firearm at a motor vehicle.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Illegal Immigrant Sentenced for Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
According to court documents, Juan Carlos Ruiz-Agustin, 33, was arrested by Foley Police Department on January 24, 2025, for drunken driving. Foley Police suspected that Ruiz-Agustin was not a United States citizen, so they contacted law enforcement personnel with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE was able to determine that Ruiz-Agustin had previously been removed from the United States in twice in 2012, once in 2013, and once in 2015. Ruiz-Agustin had also previously been convicted of Illegal Entry in 2012 and Illegal Reentry in 2015.
At sentencing, Chief Judge Beaverstock imposed a time-served sentence and a 1-year term of supervised release upon his future release. Ruiz-Agustin had been in custody since his arrest on January 24, 2025. Upon his release from prison, Ruiz-Agustin is to be referred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Ruiz-Agustin was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and Foley Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Illegal Immigrant Sentenced for Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
According to court documents, Bernaldo Martinez-Chagala, 40, was arrested by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office on January 29, 2025, for a traffic violation. A Border Patrol officer responded to the traffic stop. Border Patrol was able to determine that Martinez-Chagala had previously been removed from the United States in 2010 and in 2020.
At sentencing, Judge Granade imposed a time-served sentence and a 1-year term of supervised release upon his future release. Martinez-Chagala had been in custody since his arrest on January 29, 2025. Upon his release from prison, Martinez-Chagala is to be referred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Martinez-Chagala was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Illegal Alien and Convicted Criminal Felon Charged with Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
An illegal alien and convicted felon was charged with federal firearm crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Manuel Najera-Garcia, a Mexican citizen and illegal alien, was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 26, 2025 with one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Najera-Garcia made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 and was ordered detained.
According to the indictment, on December 22, 2024, Najera-Garcia possessed a .38-caliber revolver after having been convicted of a felony offense in 2012. After his felony conviction, Najera-Garcia returned to Mexico. However, it is alleged that sometime thereafter Najera-Garcia re-entered the United States prior to possessing the firearm on December 22, 2024.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Najera-Garcia is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, Najera-Garcia faces up to 15 years in federal prison on each count.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives Dallas Field Division and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted Hocter 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).