Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Friday 21 March 2025
Two Eastern European Organized Crime Leaders Convicted of Murder for Hire Targeting U.S.-Based Journalist on Behalf of Iranian GovernmentRead the Press Release
A federal jury returned guilty verdicts yesterday on all five counts in the superseding indictment against Rafat Amirov, also known as Farkhaddin Mirzoev, Pᴎᴍ, and Rome, 46, of Iran; and Polad Omarov, also known as Araz Aliyev, Polad Qaqa, and Haci Qaqa, 40, of Georgia. The defendants were convicted of murder-for-hire and attempted murder in aid of racketeering charges, in a trial before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon. Amirov and Omarov are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 17.
“The Iranian regime’s brazen plot to silence and murder Americans will not be tolerated,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “This verdict underscores the Department’s commitment to finding and holding accountable those who threaten our citizens and our freedoms. With the great work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, we are now one step closer to justice.”
“For years, the Government of Iran has attempted to silence an outspoken Iranian journalist, author, activist and critic of their regime through any means necessary, including harassment, violence, intimidation, and even attempted murder,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky for the Southern District of New York. “Chillingly, the plot to murder this Iranian dissident culminated over 6,000 miles from Iran, on U.S. soil, right here in New York, when a hitman with an AK-47 camped outside her home to kill her. I commend the career prosecutors of this office, and our law enforcement partners at the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division for their tireless work in bringing these defendants to justice. This verdict should send a clear message around the world: if you target U.S. citizens, we will find you, no matter where you are, and bring you to justice.”
“The defendants participated in a brazen plot to kill an Iranian American dissident in New York who criticized the regime in Iran,” said Acting Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “Thanks to the good work of the FBI and our partners their plan failed. This verdict demonstrates the FBI will not tolerate Iran’s attempts to threaten, silence, or harm American citizens.”
According to court documents, Amirov and Omarov were high-ranking members of an Eastern European organized crime group (the Organization) who worked with other members of the Organization to attempt to kill Masih Alinejad on instructions from high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Alinejad has previously been the target of plots by the Government of Iran to intimidate, harass, and kidnap her for her work as a journalist, author, and human rights activist who has publicized the Government of Iran’s human rights abuses around the world. As recently as 2020 and 2021, Iranian intelligence officials and assets plotted to kidnap Alinejad from within the U.S. for rendition to Iran in an effort to silence her criticism of the Iranian regime.
After these brazen efforts to kidnap Alinejad from the U.S. failed, the IRGC turned to Amirov and Omarov to locate, surveil, and murder her. Beginning in approximately July 2022, Amirov sent targeting information—which he had received directly from IRGC officials in Iran—about Alinejad to Omarov. In turn, Omarov communicated this information to Khalid Mehdiyev, another member of the Organization who had been residing in Yonkers, New York, so that Mehdiyev could surveil Alinejad and murder her. In turn, Mehdiyev sent photographs and videos of Alinejad’s residence to Omarov, who shared these materials with Amirov and the IRGC officials who orchestrated the plot in Iran. Amirov and Omarov then arranged for a $30,000 cash payment to Mehdiyev, who used a portion of this payment to buy an AK-47 style assault rifle, two magazines, and at least 66 rounds of ammunition; as Mehdiyev boasted in electronic communications, a “war machine” he could use to kill Alinejad.
In late July 2022, Mehdiyev repeatedly traveled to Alinejad’s neighborhood to surveil her. Mehdiyev sent reports of his surveillance to Omarov, who passed them to Amirov. On July 24, 2022, Mehdiyev reported to Omarov from Alinejad’s residence that he was “at the crime scene.” On July 27, 2022, Omarov told Amirov that Mehdiyev was ready to kill Alinejad, writing “this matter will be over today. I told them to make a birthday present for me. I pressured them, they will sleep there this night.” On July 28, 2022, Mehdiyev sent Omarov a video taken from inside the car that Mehdiyev was driving with the assault rifle and a message reading “we are ready.” Amirov sent an image of the interior of Alinejad’s home to Omarov to be forwarded to Mehdiyev, writing “this is the house where she stays.” As Omarov continued to update Amirov about Mehdiyev’s readiness, Amirov cautioned Omarov “let him keep the car clean.” When Mehdiyev subsequently drove from where he was surveilling the residence, he was stopped after a traffic violation and, during a subsequent search of the vehicle, police officers found the assault rifle, 66 rounds of ammunition, approximately $1,100 in cash, and a black ski mask.
After Mehdiyev was arrested and placed into custody, Omarov contacted Mehdiyev’s mother and threatened to kill her and her other son if she did not locate Mehdiyev.
Amirov and Omarov were convicted on five counts: murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison (Count One); conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison (Count Two); conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison (Count Three); attempted murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison (Count Four); and possession and use of a firearm in connection with the attempted murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison (Count Five).
The FBI New York Field Office Counterintelligence-Cyber Division and the New York FBI Iran Threat Task Force are investigating the case, with assistance from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the NYPD Intelligence Bureau. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department thanked the authorities in the Czech Republic for their assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Lockard, Jacob H. Gutwillig, and Matthew J.C. Hellman for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case with assistance from paralegal specialist Owen Foley and Trial Attorneys Christopher Rigali and Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Turtle Creek Resident Pleads Guilty to Narcotics Trafficking and Unlawful Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Timothy Mollett, 34, pleaded guilty to Counts One, Six, Thirteen, and Fourteen of the Superseding Indictment before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan on March 19, 2025.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around April 2019 to in and around July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Mollett conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of cocaine, 28 grams or more of a mixture of crack, and quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Mollett was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to others. Further, in and around July 2021, Mollett unlawfully possessed a firearm as a convicted felon, and did so in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for July 24, 2025. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Mollett. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Three Convicted for Fraudulently Billing over $8 Million to Medicare and Medicaid Through Opioid Addiction Treatment Clinics in KentuckyRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Kentucky doctor, a Texas businessman, and a Kentucky woman yesterday for their roles operating a scheme out of a series of addiction treatment facilities in Kentucky that fraudulently billed Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid for over $8 million.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dr. José Alzadon, 61, of Paintsville, Kentucky; Michael Bregenzer, 52, of Richmond, Texas; and Barbie Vanhoose, 62, of West Van Lear, Kentucky, orchestrated their health care fraud scheme through Kentucky Addiction Centers (KAC), which operated in Winchester, Paducah, Paintsville, and London, Kentucky. As part of his role as KAC’s medical director, Alzadon prescribed Suboxone, a controlled substance that can be used to treat opioid addiction when properly prescribed under regulations issued by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Bregenzer served as KAC’s CEO and Vanhoose as KAC’s billing manager.
Together, Alzadon, Bregenzer, and Vanhoose ran a scheme that falsely billed taxpayer-funded health programs like Medicare and Medicaid for medical services that were not performed or were falsely represented as more complex than the services provided. They also conspired to falsely bill for services in the name of Alzadon’s elderly father, using Alzadon’s father’s identity to bypass insurance credentialing issues that Alzadon had, and to use Alzadon’s father’s DEA prescribing credentials to prescribe Suboxone, even though Alzadon’s father had not seen the patients for whom he was supposedly issuing prescriptions.
Alzadon, Bregenzer, and Vanhoose were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, eight counts of health care fraud, and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances using the DEA registration number of another person. They face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison on each health care fraud conspiracy and substantive health care fraud count and four years in prison on the conspiracy to distribute controlled substances count. Alzadon and Vanhoose were also each convicted of two counts of aggravated identity theft and face a consecutive mandatory minimum of two years in prison. Alzadon and Bregenzer are scheduled to be sentenced on June 25 and Vanhoose is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Division; Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Regional Director Joe Rivers of the Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration (DOL-EBSA); and Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman made the announcement.
The DEA, FBI, HHS-OIG, DOL-EBSA, and the Kentucky Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated this case.
Trial Attorneys Dermot Lynch, Sarah Edwards, and Samad Pardesi of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Third week of March sees another nearly 250 cases in border security-related matters in Southern District of TexasRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 246 cases have been filed related to immigration and border security from March 14-20, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Of those, 91 face allegations of illegally re-entering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, violent and/or sexual crimes and prior immigration offenses, among others. A total of 145 face charges of illegally entering the country, eight cases involve various instances of human smuggling, and the remainder relate to other immigration matters and making false statements.
Among those charged include Rogelio Jaimes-Rodriguez - a Mexican male who was allegedly found in the United States near Roma having previously been removed Feb. 12. The charges allege he had been previously convicted of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. If convicted of this illegal reentry charge, he faces up to 20 years in prison. Onesimo Salazar-Torres is also a Mexican citizen charged with illegal reentry. The criminal complaint alleges he was found in the United States near Edinburg having previously been removed in 2018 and has a conviction of indecency with child sexual contact.
Other relevant cases include two more illegal aliens with significant criminal histories that were sentenced in McAllen this week after being previously removed and unlawfully reentered again. Jose Eduardo Soto-Hernandez has prior felony convictions for sexual assault of a child and possession of a controlled substance. He has been removed from the United States two previous times, most recently in 2019. He will serve 27 months, while Salvador Eduardo Gonzalez-Ledezma was ordered to serve 46 months. He has prior felony convictions for assault family violence impeding breath and harboring aliens. Authorities removed him most recently in 2022, but he has a total of four prior removals.
In Houston, Carlos Bedolla Sanchez pleaded guilty to using the identity of a U.S. citizen to fraudulently obtain a passport and identification. As part of the identity theft, he provided the name, Social Security number, date of birth and birthplace on the passport applications and fraudulently certified he was a citizen or non-citizen national of the United States. Sanchez began using the victim’s identity in approximately March 2009 to obtain state driver’s licenses and other U.S. identification.
On Feb. 17, a Corpus Christi federal jury returned a guilty verdict against a South Texas man for transporting illegal aliens. They deliberated for less than 45 minutes before convicting Alberto Chavez Jr. following a one-day trial Feb. 17. Chavez had claimed his two passengers were his cousins, but evidence proved they were not related to him and were actually Honduran citizens illegally present in the United States. Testimony further revealed Chavez bought them clothes to make them appear more “American” and coached them on what to say when trying to pass through the checkpoint.
Another illegal alien was indicted in Laredo in a multi-year human smuggling conspiracy. The charges allege Giovana Lozano Hernandez used multiple cellular devices that had numerous digital images of paper ledgers regarding the scheme. Voice messages with co-conspirators also allegedly detailed the smuggling activity including the many illegal aliens who had already been transported and housed for whom there needed to be financial accountability. Law enforcement also found video messages depicting the transportation of illegal aliens, according to the allegations.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The SDTX remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Steuben County sheriff’s deputy arrested on child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Stuart J. McHenry, 34, of Hornell, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with distribution and receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on July 5, 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip from the instant messaging application Kik, which stated that Kik user “acman990,” uploaded approximately 24 files of suspected child pornography. A review of the files found that approximately 22 of the files constituted child pornography, which he sent to other users via private message. Subsequent investigation traced the account to the defendant.
During the course of the investigation, it was determined that McHenry works as a deputy for Steuben County Sheriff’s Office. On October 18, 2024, investigators seized two cellular telephones during the execution of a search warrant at McHenry’s Hornell residence. A forensic review of one of the phones determined that Kik was previously installed on the phone and located evidence of use of the Kik username acman990. A review of McHenry’s iCloud account recovered a number of sexually explicit conversations and child pornography on Kik, including the videos reported in the CyberTip as well as additional videos and images of child pornography.
McHenry made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and was held pending a detention hearing.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Jim Allard.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
# # # #
Statement of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Investigation into Intelligence LeakRead the Press Release
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche made the following statement today regarding an investigation into the leak of intelligence information.
“The Justice Department is opening a criminal investigation relating to the selective leak of inaccurate, but nevertheless classified, information from the Intelligence Community relating to Tren de Aragua (TDA). We will not tolerate politically motivated efforts by the Deep State to undercut President Trump’s agenda by leaking false information onto the pages of their allies at the New York Times. The Alien Enemies Proclamation is supported by fact, law, and common sense, which we will establish in court and then expel the TDA terrorists from this country.”
Starkville Man Sentenced to Five Years for Possession and Sale of Illegal Glock DeviceRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – A Starkville man was sentenced yesterday to five years in prison for possession and transfer of a “Glock switch,” which is a device that converts a semi-automatic handgun to fully automatic.
According to court documents, Austin Hudson, also known as “Mop Sossa,” 23, previously pled guilty to possession and transfer of a “Glock switch” which constitutes a machinegun under federal law. U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Hudson yesterday to 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Hudson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following sentencing.
“Illegal machine guns make criminals more lethal, and criminal possession of them will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We and our partners at the FBI, ATF, and the Starkville PD will continue to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of criminals.”
“The illegal possession of handgun conversion devices is a significant threat to our communities,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “The sentence imposed yesterday sends a message to anyone who possesses a switch that we will continue to focus efforts on prohibited individuals who unlawfully possess these devices, remove another violent criminal from our streets, and keep our neighborhoods safe as the top priority for ATF.”
"Mr. Hudson’s sentencing should serve as a warning to those bad actors who unlawfully possess and perpetrate the transfer of a Glock switch,” stated Special Agent in Charge of the Jackson Field Office of the FBI Robert Eikhoff. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners, through impactful programs such as Project Safe Neighborhood, will continue to identify, investigate, and deliver justice to anyone violating federal laws designed to protect our communities.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Starkville Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Croix Woman Sentenced in $372,000.00 Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Nicole Morales, 48, a California native and resident of St. Croix, was sentenced by District Judge Wilma A. Lewis to 16 months incarceration following her guilty plea in November 2024, to three counts of wire fraud. Judge Lewis also ordered Morales to pay restitution in the amount of $372,496.34, and a special assessment in the amount of $300.00.
According to court records, in November 2015, Morales was employed by Nichols, Newman, Logan, Grey, and Lockwood, P.C., in St. Croix as the office manager where her duties included processing payroll through Banco Popular. In December 2015, Morales began fraudulently inflating her payroll using QuickBooks accounting software. Thereafter, Morales wired unauthorized funds from her employer’s Banco Popular account into three separate personal bank accounts owned by Morales. After transferring the funds to her personal accounts, Morales would change the inflated amounts in QuickBooks to reflect her correct income and payroll figures. Morales would later generate reports in QuickBooks with the correct payroll figures which were approved by her employer. Morales continued this conduct until January 2019, after having embezzled a total of $372,496.34 from her employer.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston and Rhonda Williams-Henry.
Seven Defendants Sentenced for Roles in Marshall County Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Seven men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a Marshall County Drug Trafficking Organization that was being directed from Mexico, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Birmingham Division.
United States District Judge Corey L. Maze imposed the following sentences on the defendants:
Armando Trevino-Vazques, 42, of Crossville, Alabama, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm.
Carlos Antonio Hernandez-Corona, 32, of Boaz, Alabama, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Juan Hernandez, 44, of Albertville, Alabama, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Gregory Allen Huff, 43, of Arab, Alabama, was sentenced to 61 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Angel Hernandez, Jr., 25, of Boaz, Alabama, was sentenced to 50 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Thomas Gaspar, 35, of Boaz, Alabama, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for unlawful use of a communications facility.
Juan Damian Cortes, 33, of Albertville, Alabama, was sentenced to five months in prison for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
According to plea agreements, the Drug Trafficking Organization used a series of dead drops to coordinate the distribution of methamphetamine and the receipt of bulk currency. Purchasers contacted the source of supply in Mexico. After that, the purchaser received a phone call providing a location to meet an individual to pay for the drugs purchased. Following that meeting, the purchaser received another call providing the location where the drugs could be picked up.
“My office will use every tool in our toolbox to dismantle drug trafficking organizations intent on flooding the Northern District of Alabama with illegal drugs, focusing our effort on drugs originating from cartels and transnational criminal organizations,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “We are committed to ending the devastating impact these drugs have had on communities within our District. I am grateful for the strong partnership between the FBI and state and local law enforcement in Marshall County that led to these convictions and sentences.”
“These sentencings demonstrate the FBI’s relentless determination to eradicate drug trafficking organizations that are plaguing communities,” said FBI Birmingham Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples. “Disrupting organizations like this one is a priority objective of the FBI’s mission. We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners and use every legal means available to hold accountable those who threaten our neighborhoods.”
The FBI’s North Alabama Criminal Enterprise Task Force investigated the cases. The Marshall County Drug Task Force and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Drug Task Force provided valuable assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Russell E. Penfield and John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the cases.
Scottsdale Man Convicted of Defrauding Victim in Sham Cannabis Investment FundRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Christopher E. Galvin, 58, of Scottsdale, was convicted by a federal jury last week on one count of Wire Fraud. The guilty verdict came after a three-day jury trial before United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich. Galvin’s sentencing is set for May 30, 2025.
In April 2019, Galvin founded Hypur Ventures II and became its Chief Executive Officer. Galvin made misrepresentations to a victim to convince the victim to invest in Hypur Ventures II. Among other things, Galvin told the victim that he would invest the victim’s money in a fund of businesses in the cannabis industry. As a result of Galvin’s misrepresentations, the victim wired $100,000 for an investment in Hypur Ventures II in Arizona. Galvin did not invest the money but instead used it to pay his legal bills, pay others, and enrich himself. Galvin never returned any of the victim’s money despite repeatedly promising the victim that he would do so.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation – Phoenix Division conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsay Short and Bruce Van Baren, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01375-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-038_Galvin# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Saginaw Sex Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BAY CITY – Ayden Burge, 22, of Saginaw was sentenced on yesterday to over 17 years (210 months) in federal prison for distributing child pornography, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced today.
Beck was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit Field Office.
United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Ludington imposed sentence on Burge following his guilty plea to distribution of child pornography. Judge Ludington also sentenced Burge to 5 years of federal supervised release following his release from incarceration.
In 2023, the Michigan State Police – Huron Undercover Narcotics Team was conducting a narcotics investigation which resulted in Burge’s arrest. During the arrest, the police seized his electronic devices. The Michigan State Police Computer Crimes Unit forensically analyzed Burge’s devices and discovered conversations on the instant messaging app Kik on which Burge discussed his desire to sexually assault minor children and distributed child sexually abusive material. Police also found several images and videos of other child sexually abusive material.
“Distributing child pornography victimizes the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community - children,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Beck. “A critical mission for our office is to protect children from those predators who would harm them,” said Acting US. Attorney Beck. “A lengthy sentence can help protect the community generally and children more specifically.”
"The prison sentence given to Ayden Burge, a convicted sex offender, is a significant victory in our ongoing fight against sexual predators who exploit children," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "This sentence ensures that Burge will not be able to harm any more innocent children for a long time. I am deeply grateful for the tireless efforts of our FBI Detroit Bay City Resident Agency, the Michigan State Police (MSP) Huron Undercover Narcotics Team, and the MSP Computer Crimes Unit. Their unwavering dedication to protecting our most vulnerable citizens and preventing further victimization has been invaluable. I also want to sincerely thank the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan for their crucial role in holding Mr. Burge fully accountable for his heinous actions."
This case was investigated by the Michigan State Police, the Michigan State Police Computer Crimes Unit, and the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katharine Hemann.
Rome-Area Fentanyl Dealer Receives Federal Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. - Deaja Simone Clemons has been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
“Clemons sold thousands of fentanyl pills at a time that the illegal distribution and use of this drug was continuing to ravage communities within and outside our district,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Our Office is grateful for the collaboration among our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners which makes it possible to combat the threat of drug traffickers like Clemons.”
“Illicit drugs like fentanyl has destroyed countless lives,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Keeping our communities safe is our highest priority.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: In February 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Rome, Georgia, Field Office received information that Deaja Clemons was dealing fentanyl in the Rome area. A subsequent investigation revealed that in the month of February, Clemons sold 121 blue pills marked with M30 (counterfeit pills made to resemble oxycodone 30 mg pills) that contained fentanyl. Clemons had sold 60 of those fentanyl pills in Rome, and 61 in Cedartown, Georgia.
In early April 2024, DEA special agents and Polk County police officers followed Clemons from Rome to Polk County. Polk County officers stopped Clemons en route back to Rome and, during a search of her car, recovered 124 blue, counterfeit “M30” pills containing fentanyl and $3,922 in cash. Clemons was arrested and, during the investigation that followed, DEA special agents discovered that Clemons had been selling about 300 fentanyl pills a week for approximately three months.
United States District Judge William M. Ray, II, sentenced Deaja Simone Clemons, 29, of Rome, Ga., to 63 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Clemons was convicted of the charges on December 13, 2024, after she pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AC-HIDTA), and the Polk County Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas M. Forsyth, III and Calvin A. Leipold, III prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strategic Initiative focused on combatting the fentanyl crisis in northwest Georgia. OCDETF identifies and eliminates 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.
Anyone with information about drug sales/trafficking in their area can report it to the GBI at1-800-597-TIPS (8477) or DEA’s Atlanta Division Office at (404) 893-7000. Online tips can be submitted at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.
The Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia encourages parents and children to learn about the dangers of fentanyl and other drugs at the following websites: www.justthinktwice.gov, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com, www.operationprevention.com/, www.CampusDrugPrevention.gov, and www.dea.gov/onepill.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to over 2 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on March 17, 2025.
Trevor Red Bird, age 36, was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Red Bird was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 8, 2025.
Red Bird was convicted in U.S. District Court of Abusive Sexual Contact in May 2008. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration. Red Bird was convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender in 2017, 2019, and 2022. In December 2023, Red Bird was released from prison and began supervised release in Rapid City. Initially, Red Bird properly updated his registration. In May 2024, however, he moved from his registered address but did not update his registration. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued and on October 5, 2024, Red Bird was arrested in Rapid City.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Red Bird was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Queens Man Charged with Perpetrating Visa Fraud Scheme by Pretending to Be a Federal AgentRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Tommy Aijie Da Silva Weng, also known as “Tommy Weng Da Silva” and “Jacky,” with wire fraud, mail fraud and impersonating a federal law enforcement officer in connection with a scheme to defraud an individual by claiming that he could assist her in obtaining a green card through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program (the EB-5 Program). Weng was arrested this morning and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Lara K. Eshkenazi.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Leslie Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged, Weng falsely represented himself as a member of federal law enforcement to gain the trust of an unsuspecting victim,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “The defendant preyed on the victim’s desire to become a United States citizen and pursue the American dream, then stole not only that dream, but also hundreds of thousands of dollars. Today, real law enforcement agents put the handcuffs on this fraudster and he will now have to answer for his crimes.”
“For nearly eight years, Tommy Weng allegedly curated a false persona of a federal law enforcement officer with flashy props and empty assurances of guaranteed lawful status to swindle a vulnerable victim of hundreds of thousands of dollars,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Backschies. “This alleged imposter twisted a respected profession into an elaborate scheme while violating the public’s trust in law enforcement. The FBI will continue to apprehend any individual who exploits an authoritative position to garner illicit profits.”
According to court filings, the fraud scheme began in April 2016, shortly thereafter Weng falsely claimed to the victim (Jane Doe) that he was a federal law enforcement agent, explaining that he was able to use his law enforcement connections to assist her with obtaining a green card through the EB-5 Program on an expedited basis if she invested $500,000 with him. Weng showed Jane Doe a law enforcement badge and gave her a business card from the “Federal Officers Police Association” bearing his name. On another occasion, Weng told Jane Doe that he worked for the United States Department of Homeland Security and that he was transferring to a new law enforcement position with INTERPOL in Italy. Weng drove a red Hummer vehicle with the vanity license plate that included the acronym “ICE,” an apparent reference to the federal law enforcement agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Based on Weng’s representations, Jane Doe provided Weng with $500,000 for a visa. Instead of investing the money that Jane Doe provided him, or submitting a visa application on her behalf, Weng pocketed the money and strung the victim along with a series of lies about why the process was delayed for approximately eight years.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 43 years’ imprisonment.
Anyone with information about crimes committed by Weng should contact the FBI at [email protected]
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nadia E. Moore and Daniel J. Marcus.
The Defendant:
TOMMY AIJIE DA SILVA WENG
Age: 49
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-94 (NGG)
weng_indictment.pdfPreviously Deported Illegal Alien Charged with Cocaine Trafficking, Unlawful Gun Possession, and Illegal Reentry Appears in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Raul Bello Rojas, 43, a previously convicted illegal alien from Mexico, appeared in court today to face federal charges for kilogram-level cocaine trafficking, unlawful gun possession, and illegal reentry, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
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.
According to allegations in charging documents, court filings, and court proceedings, Rojas knowingly and intentionally possessed and intended to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. It is also alleged that Rojas illegally possessed a 9mm handgun and a .380 caliber handgun, in furtherance of his drug trafficking. It is further alleged that Rojas is an illegal alien previously removed from the United States on multiple occasions. In addition to the criminal charges, the indictment notifies Rojas that the United States intends to forfeit more than $64,000 in United States currency seized during the execution of a search warrant.
Rojas is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, which, based on the bulk quantities Rojas possessed, carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, up to a sentence of life in prison; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence and a statutory penalty of life in prison; possession of a firearm by an illegal alien which carries a prison sentence of up to 15 years; and illegal reentry, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Upon conviction, a federal district court judge will determine the defendant’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Rojas had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler. He has been in federal custody since he was arrested on February 28, 2025.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
HSI and CMPD investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bozin with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.
Pierce County woman sentenced to 84 months (24 months on count 1 consecutive to 60 months on count 2) in prison for role in drug ring and firearms possessionRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A high-level drug redistributor for a drug ring connected to Aryan prison gangs was sentenced today to 84 months (24 months on count 1 consecutive to 60 months on count 2) in prison for drug and gun possession, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. C’La Morales, 39, of Pierce County, was arrested as part of an extensive drug trafficking investigation of three interrelated drug distribution organizations tied to Aryan prison gangs operating both inside and outside state prisons. Morales served as a key associated of the leader of one distribution ring, Jesse Bailey, who has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Court Judge David Estudillo said, “You took on the responsibility to distribute large quantities of controlled substances. You had to know those were going to … lead to addiction and wreak havoc for those individuals and their families, friends, and loved ones.”
According to records filed in the case, Morales was a trusted member of the drug ring who trafficked fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine and possessed multiple firearms. The wiretap evidence in the case revealed that she was purchasing and distributing 10 ounces of heroin and 10,000 fentanyl pills at a time. Morales was well aware of the significant fire power Jesse Bailey kept to protect his drug trafficking activities including fully automatic weapons.
When law enforcement searched Morales’ storage locker and vehicle, they seized 5,815 fentanyl laced pills that were fraudulently stamped with the imprint for prescription Oxycodone and 480 grams of heroin. Within arm’s reach of the drugs, agents located a loaded Mossberg shotgun, several boxes of 12-gauge shotgun ammunition, and $5,183 of drug trafficking proceeds. In Morales’ car they found additional guns: On the floorboard between the front driver’s seat and passenger seat, law enforcement found a lock box containing two pistols with loaded magazines.
In asking for a ten-year prison sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court with concern about Morales’ drug trafficking history. “Morales is not new to drug trafficking while armed with firearms. In 2019 she was arrested for drug trafficking while armed with a firearm that eventually resulted in convictions for unlawful possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and unlawful possession of a firearm. Morales committed the current charges while on warrant status for the Pierce County drug court program. Thus, despite her clear drug addiction and need for treatment, it is difficult to trust that she will maintain compliance with treatment and not return to trafficking controlled substances.”
Morales was sentenced to five years of supervised release following prison. This prosecution is one of some two dozen related to a lengthy investigation of South Sound based drug trafficking rings.
On March 22, 2023, Law enforcement made two dozen arrests on federal charges. The coordinated takedown involved ten swat teams and more than 350 law enforcement officers. On that day law enforcement seized 177 firearms, more than ten kilos of methamphetamine, 11 kilos of fentanyl pills and more than a kilo of fentanyl powder, three kilos of heroin, and more than $330,000 in cash from eighteen locations in Washington and Arizona. Earlier in the investigation law enforcement seized 830,000 fentanyl pills, 5.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, 223 pounds of methamphetamine, 3.5 pounds of heroin, 5 pounds of cocaine, $388,000 in cash, and 48 firearms.
The top-level leader of the drug trafficking ring, Jesse Bailey, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 16, 2025, and his wife and co-conspirator Candace Bailey, is scheduled for sentencing on June 13, 2025.
This case 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.
This investigation was led by the FBI with critical investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Department of Corrections and significant local assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout this investigation the following agencies assisted the primary investigators: Washington State Patrol, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon, Max Shiner, and Jehiel Baer.
Philadelphia Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle Suboxone into Curran-Fromhold Correctional FacilityRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Talia Hicks, 32, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty yesterday before United States District Court Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge to a one-count information charging Hicks with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, from at least December 2019 through November of 2024, Hicks conspired with multiple individuals, including T.T., to smuggle Suboxone into the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility (“CFCF”).
A review of video tablet calls, a recorded form of communication available to inmates at CFCF, showed that T.T., on various occasions, discussed inmates sending CashApp and Apple payments to both T.T. and Hicks. A review of CashApp and Green Dot records showed that T.T. and Hicks sent and received CashApp payments on behalf of T.T. from and to various individuals. There were multiple transactions for which Hicks either facilitated the payment for Suboxone or provided the drugs to an unidentified co-conspirator to smuggle the substance into CFCF.
Hicks is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8 and faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason D. Grenell.
Palo Alto Man Back to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David Specketer, 57, from Emmetsburg, Iowa, was sentenced on March 21, 2025, to 60 months’ imprisonment. Specketer pled guilty in federal court in Sioux City on November 14, 2024, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of the Emmetsburg High School, a protected location. Specketer was previously federally convicted of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine in 2013.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on April 15, 2024, law enforcement attempted to arrest Specketer at his residence in Emmetsburg on an outstanding arrest warrant. That warrant involved a pending 2022 case in Woodbury County for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine. Specketer attempted to flee back into his residence after initial contact with law enforcement at his door. Law enforcement apprehended Specketer in his residence with approximately one ounce of methamphetamine. Specketer admitted he intended to distribute all or some of the methamphetamine to another. Specketer’s residence is within 1,000 feet of the Emmetsburg High School, a protected location.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Specketer was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment, must serve an eight-year term of supervised release following imprisonment, and was ordered to pay $10,000 in fines and court-appointed attorney fees. There is no parole in the federal system. Specketer remains in custody of the United States Marshals Service until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Emmetsburg Police Department, Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3024. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Oregon man indicted, arrested for transporting a minor for sexual purposesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Oregon man was arrested by the FBI yesterday in Portland after a federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment this week charging him with transporting a minor with the intent to have the child engage in criminal sexual activity.
According to court documents, in 2019, Steven Fox, 59, moved from Pendleton, Oregon, to Anchorage, Alaska. At some point that year, Fox allegedly presented himself as a long-lost “uncle” to a family with two minor daughters and began caring for the minors.
Court documents further allege that in January 2020, Fox transported the minors from Alaska to Oregon. Fox started sexually abusing one of the minors, who was 9 years old, almost immediately after leaving Alaska.
Fox is charged with one count of transportation of minors. The defendant is scheduled to make his initial court appearance today at 1:30 p.m. PDT before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. If convicted, he faces between 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated this case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the Pendleton Police Department and FBI Portland Field Office. If anyone has information concerning Fox’s alleged actions, please contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office (907) 276-4441 or anonymously at tips.fbi.gov.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Ivers and Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Oglala Woman Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Voluntary Manslaughter of her PartnerRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced an Oglala, South Dakota, woman convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on March 17, 2025.
Alexis Wounded, age 26, was sentenced to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution was also ordered.
A federal grand jury indicted Wounded in July 2024. She pleaded guilty on December 11, 2024.
The conviction relates to Wounded’s act of stabbing her significant other, Roger Big Crow, a single time in his back on April 21, 2024, near Pine Ridge, after a quarrel had broken out. Big Crow died as a result of the stab wound. Wounded, who was highly intoxicated when she killed Big Crow, initially told the FBI that Big Crow fell backwards onto the knife. Wounded eventually admitted she stabbed Big Crow intentionally in her kitchen, though she did not specifically intend or plan to take his life.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Wounded was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Oglala Man Sentenced to 17 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced an Oglala, South Dakota, man following his conviction for two counts of Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on March 17, 2025.
Johnathan Morrison, 34, was sentenced to eight years and nine months in federal prison on each count for a total of 210 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release on each count with the time to run concurrently, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count. Morrison was also ordered to pay $95 in restitution to the South Dakota Internet Crimes Investigation Fund and to forfeit his interest in a smartphone. He will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
A federal grand jury indicted Morrison in February of 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 8, 2025.
In August 2023, Morrison solicited a 10-year old female to engage in sexually explicit conduct over social media. Shortly thereafter, an adult learned that Morrison had enticed the child and reported Morrison’s criminal actions to the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Morrison was immediately apprehended and arrested. His smartphone was seized as evidence. An extraction of his smartphone revealed that prior to August 2023, Morrison downloaded and installed multiple social media platforms, including KIK, Telegram, and Snapchat onto his cellular device. Through these platforms, Morrison solicited, sent, and received images and videos containing child pornography. Some of the images recovered involved prepubescent females engaged in sexual acts. Through his chats, investigators learned that Morrison had an interest in 10-14 year old females. The search also revealed that Morrison had made sexual advances to his girlfriend’s teenage daughter and that he had covertly photographed her over 130 times with his smartphone.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Morrison was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
New Hampshire Man Arrested for Trafficking Multiple High-Powered FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Nashua, N.H. man has been arrested for allegedly trafficking nine firearms, including two semiautomatic rifles, into Massachusetts in over a one-month period.
Dennis T. Michaud, Jr., 22, was charged with one count of trafficking in firearms. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, Michaud was detained pending a hearing scheduled for March 25, 2025.
According to the charging documents, beginning in or around February 2025, Michaud was identified as an illegal firearms dealer. It is alleged that, from Feb. 7 through Feb. 11, 2025, undercover law enforcement contacted Michaud through Snapchat to arrange for the purchase of a semiautomatic rifle. During those communications, Michaud allegedly stated that he was located in New Hampshire and that he could bring the firearm to Massachusetts. On Feb. 11, 2025, in Pepperell, Michaud allegedly met with a confidential source operating at the direction of law enforcement to conduct the transaction. There, it is alleged that Michaud provided the confidential source with a Good Time Outdoors CXV Core 15 .223/5.56 caliber semiautomatic rifle and a 30-round .223/5.56 caliber magazine in exchange for $900.
On Feb. 18, 2025, Michaud allegedly agreed to sell three additional firearms. It is alleged that, later that day, Michaud met the source at an agreed upon location in Pepperell, where he provided the following three firearms as well as accompanying ammunition and accessories in exchange for $2,100: a Taurus Raging Hunter .454 Casull Revolver and approximately five rounds of .454 Casull ammunition; a Rossi Interarms M68 .38 Special Revolver and approximately five rounds of .38 Special ammunition; and a Walther PPS 9mm Pistol with approximately six Walther PPS 9mm magazines and various firearm parts and/or accessories.
It is further alleged that, on Feb. 27, 2025, Michaud agreed to sell two more firearms: a Radical Firearms RF-15 .223/5.56 caliber semiautomatic short-barreled rifle along with a 30-round .223/5.56 caliber magazine; and a Sig Sauer P227 Equinox .45 caliber pistol along with a 10-round Sig Sauer P227 .45 caliber magazine. During the transaction in Pepperell, Michaud allegedly provided the confidential source the two agreed-upon firearms and ammunition. Michaud also allegedly stated that possessing the semiautomatic short-barreled rifle would constitute “three felonies” due to the stock and 30-round magazine affixed to the firearm.
On March 20, 2025, in Pepperell, Michaud allegedly sold three more firearms, two magazines and ammunition to the confidential source in exchange for $2,250: a Century Arms 7.62x39mm YSKA AK Rifle; a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm Pistol; and a Taurus PT-22 .22 caliber Pistol. The defendant was immediately taken into custody following the transaction.Michaud does not possess a federal firearms license and is prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition due to a prior conviction in New Hampshire for possession of marijuana.
The charge of trafficking in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; and the Nashua (N.H.) and Pepperell Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Gonzalez Sanchez of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Mexican Woman Sentenced for Unlawful Reentry by a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
GULFPORT, MS – A Mexican national was sentenced today to “time served” (effectively 52 days) imprisonment for the federal felony offense of Unlawful Reentry Into the United States by a Deported or Removed Alien. According to court documents, Juana Arres-Chapol, age 47, was sentenced in federal court in Gulfport. Additionally, Arres-Chapol was sentenced to one year of supervised release following completion of her prison sentence.
Further, federal law provides for Arres-Chapol to face U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) removal proceedings. After removal again from the U.S., her supervised release period will be non-reporting while she remains outside of the United States. However, if she unlawfully returns to the U.S., Arres-Chapol could face separate, consecutive penalties in addition to further prosecution. She was convicted after pleading guilty on February 25, 2025.
On or about January 27, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents were conducting enforcement operations in Harrison County, in the Southern Division of the Southern District of MS. Agents conducted a vehicle stop and all three vehicle occupants were determined to be illegally present in the US and were arrested and processed for removal. Arres-Chapol’s fingerprints were scanned into DHS databases resulting in a computer match to her prior immigration records including photographs.
Records revealed that Arres-Chapol had been arrested in or near Laredo, Texas, on or about April 18, 2014. She was processed for an Expedited Removal and was lawfully removed from the US. Immigration records also revealed that Arres-Chapol had not received permission to reenter the U.S. from either the Attorney General or from the Secretary of Homeland Security.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, Patrick A. Lemon, praised the investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Border Patrol. Lemon and Eric P. DeLaune, Special Agent-in-Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Adam M. Calderon, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting a USBP Agent During ArrestRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 14 months in prison for one count of assaulting, resisting or impeding a United States Border Patrol agent.
According to court documents, on Feb. 3, 2024, Adrian Olan-Peralta, 21, of Tabasco, Mexico, resisted arrest by a USBP agent after being commanded in both English and Spanish to lie down and put his hands up after being identified hiding on a private ranch near Bracketville. While the agent attempted to apprehend him, Olan-Peralta attempted to push and grab the agent’s hands multiple times. Olan-Peralta had to be sprayed with OC spray twice and was eventually apprehended while attempting to crawl away.
Olan-Peralta had illegally crossed into the U.S. from Mexico through the Rio Grande River on Feb. 2, 2024. Olan-Peralta pleaded guilty on May 13, 2024.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Kass and Rex Beasley prosecuted 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).
###
Mexican Citizen Sentenced for Alien Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Pedro Solano-Azamar, age 27, and a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for his role in an alien smuggling conspiracy.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia of United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Solano-Azamar – an illegal alien himself who entered the United States in 2020 – admitted that on May 15, 2023, he traveled from North Carolina to Northern New York, along with four co-conspirators, and smuggled 16 citizens of Mexico who had illegally entered the United States from Canada. Following Solano Azamar’s service of his term of imprisonment, he faces deportation to Mexico.
The United States Border Patrol investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt prosecuted this case.
Maryland Man Indicted for Aggravated Identity Theft and Snap FraudRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Brendyn Andrew, 33, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, charging him with aggravated identity theft, supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) benefits fraud, social security number misuse, and theft of government property. The defendant will have an initial appearance today at 4:30 p.m., in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gina L. Simms.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General (USDA OIG) Northeast Region. In Maryland, SNAP benefit funds originate from the United States Department of Agriculture and are administered by way of the Maryland Department of Human Services – Family Investment Administration.
According to the indictment, Andrew misused the social security numbers of two different individuals to apply for and use SNAP benefits in Maryland from February through June 2021.
If convicted, Andrew faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years imprisonment for aggravated identity theft and up to ten years in prison for theft of government property. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the United States Department of Agriculture for their work in the investigation and she thanked the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department for its investigative assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Madison Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that James Stevens, 42, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 7 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Stevens pleaded guilty to this charge on December 11, 2024.
Agents with the Wisconsin Department of Justice used a confidential informant to purchase cocaine and heroin from Stevens. During the investigation, agents searched Stevens’s home and seized 224 grams of cocaine. Agents also found a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P .40 caliber handgun hidden in Stevens’s couch. Stevens is prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of a prior felony conviction
In choosing a sentence, Judge Conley balanced Stevens’s stated desire to turn his life around with the danger he posed to the community.
The charge against Stevens was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 130 Months for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON– The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Eshawn Harrell, age 31, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 130 months’ imprisonment for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on June 29, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant on Harrell’s residence and seized approximately 195 grams of fentanyl, 24 grams of cocaine, drug paraphernalia including sandwich bags, digital scales, glassine bags, vacuum sealer, $1,000 in U.S. currency, seven iPhones, 50 rounds of ammunition, and two loaded handguns. Harrell had previously been convicted of drug trafficking and was not legally permitted to possess firearms or ammunition.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This matter was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police, the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.
# # #
Local Tax Preparer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Sharhonda Law, 39, of Haughton, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 20 months in prison, followed by 1 year of supervised release, for tax fraud. Law was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $123,455.
Sharhonda Law was a federal income tax return preparer who owned and operated Law’s Tax Service in Shreveport and was the sole tax return preparer for the company. According to information presented in court, Law prepared and filed a client’s 2019 tax return with the IRS. The return she prepared included a false and fraudulent Schedule F, “Profit or Loss from Farming,” which falsely claimed that the client had farming income and incurred farming expenses, resulting in a net farming loss. As a result of Law’s actions, the tax refund falsely showed the client was due a refund when, in fact, the client actually owed taxes for that tax year.
An investigation into the falsely filed tax return showed that Law’s client did not have a farm, nor did they tell Law they owned or operated a farm. In fact, the client never provided Law with any of the farming-related income or expenses that she input on the Schedule F. Law pleaded guilty on November 20, 2024, to one count of aiding and assisting in making and subscribing a false return.
Law made similar misrepresentations on six other tax returns prepared for clients. In addition, she falsified her own income on two of her personal tax returns, and she failed to file tax returns for other years. The total criminal tax loss in this case was determined to be $123,455.
The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robin S. McCoy.
# # #
Large-Scale Fentanyl Supplier from California Sentenced in Washington D.C. to 120 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jose Anthony Contreras, 31, of Fullerton, California, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 120 months in prison for his role in a nationwide narcotics distribution conspiracy that brought tens of thousands of doses of illegal fentanyl from California into the Washington, D.C. area.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., DEA Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Washington Division, and Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division.
Contreras pleaded guilty on December 6, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. In addition to the 120-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered Contreras to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Contreras was part of a large-scale fentanyl distribution conspiracy that obtained tens of thousands of fentanyl pills in California and then distributed those pills throughout the United States, including the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
On June 18, 2024, law enforcement arrested Contreras at his residence and executed a search warrant. During the search, law enforcement recovered 600 to 700 fentanyl pills and $5,700 in cash hidden inside the canvas of a painting. Contreras has been detained since his arrest.
This case was investigated by the DEA and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Isabelle Sun, Anthony Scarpelli, and Daniel Seidel of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
24cr80
Lowndes County Man Sentenced in Ocdetf Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – A Lowndes County man was sentenced on Thursday to over eight years in prison for selling methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Jeremy Winston, of Columbus, Mississippi pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District to Mississippi to distribution of methamphetamine. Winston was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills on Thursday afternoon to 100 months in prison for the drug trafficking. He was further sentenced to five years supervised release following his release from prison.
“The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office is committed to working alongside law enforcement agencies at all levels to dismantle drug trafficking operations and disrupt the flow of illegal drugs within our communities,” stated Lowndes County Sherriff Eddie Hawkins. “This effort underscores the effectiveness of the OCDETF program. Our partners at the federal, state, and local levels have done an outstanding job.”
“This successful prosecution is a testament to the effectiveness of the OCDETF program,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw. “By leveraging the combined resources and expertise of multiple agencies, we can dismantle complex drug trafficking organizations and bring those who profit from them to justice. This individual’s sentencing is a significant step in our ongoing fight against methamphetamine distribution.”
“The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) continue to prove their success. Thank you to all agencies involved for their tireless efforts in enhancing and ensuring public safety and security in Mississippi,” said Commissioner Sean Tindell.
“This defendant was willing to spread poison to individuals and his community, destroying lives for a profit,” stated U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “AUSA Clyde McGee and our federal, state and local partners did outstanding work in this case and continue to do outstanding work to protect our community from drug dealers like this defendant.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case in partnership with state and local law enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case.
This investigation and resulting case 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.
This case is also a 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.
Jury Finds South Carolina Fisherman Guilty of Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. —A federal jury has convicted Don Michael Rynn, 61, of Augustine, Florida, following a three-day trial. Rynn was found guilty of making false statements on trip reports about the amount and quality of the fish he caught, as well as lying to federal agents.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Don Michael Rynn managed several commercial fishing vessels in the McClellanville area, which included the Maximum Retriever and Crystal C. The vessels docked at Carolina Seafood, a federally licensed dealer.
On March 21, 2023, the Maximum Retriever embarked on a commercial fishing trip captained by the defendant’s son, who was told by Rynn to catch as many fish as he could – ignoring federally imposed quotas – which would be taken care of when he got back. The Maximum Retriever returned to McClellanville shortly after midnight on March 27 with almost three times the limit of Snowy Grouper on board, and one and a half times the allowable number of Grey Tilefish. Rynn was waiting for the boat to arrive. Once the Maximum Retriever was in place, the Crystal C was maneuvered so that the two boats were side by side.
Shortly afterwards, and under the direction of Rynn, the deckhands moved fish from the ice hold of the Maximum Retriever to the Crystal C. Additional fish were carried from the Maximum Retriever to Rynn’s truck and were transported to another seafood dealer in Georgetown.
In a mandatory trip report filed shortly thereafter, Rynn reported his catch only up to the limit, hiding the fact that the Maximum Retriever had vastly overfished, and attributing a substantial number to the Crystal C, which hadn’t caught any.
On March 27, 2023, SCDNR received a tip of a suspected commercial fish overage, which led to the subsequent investigation.
The fish transported by Rynn to Georgetown were disposed of in order to evade law enforcement by disguising their source.
On Oct. 30, 2023, Rynn was interviewed by NOAA agents and lied to them, telling them the Snowy Grouper and Tilefish had been contaminated by a fuel spill while at sea, and that he had disposed of them in a dumpster. Rynn further implied that a U.S. Coast Guard report addressing an unlawful discharge into Jeremy Creek was inaccurate and should have been attributed to the Crystal C, which would have bolstered his fuel spill story.
In total, the Maximum Retriever caught approximately 560 pounds of Snowy Grouper and 450 pounds of Tilefish.
"Those who attempt to circumvent federal fishing regulations and deceive law enforcement will be held accountable. Our marine resources are vital, and we will not tolerate those who prioritize personal gain over sustainable practices and the rule of law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews for the District of South Carolina. “This conviction underscores the collaborative efforts of NOAA and SCDNR in protecting our fisheries and ensuring fair competition for all."
“The prosecution of this case and the jury’s verdict emphasizes the importance of holding violators accountable for the harm caused by lying to law enforcement officers and undermining federal fishery regulations. We work closely with our state joint enforcement partners and other federal agencies to detect and identify potential illegal activity related to federal fisheries regulations,” NOAA Office of Law Enforcement Southeast Division Acting Assistant Director Paige Casey said in a statement. “Through our partnerships, we are able to successfully prosecute and convict individuals, such as in this case, who lie to law enforcement officers and who illegally harvest marine resources that could disrupt our fair-trade market.”
“On behalf of all involved, we extend our deepest gratitude to NOAA, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and our dedicated officers for their unwavering commitment and collaboration in protecting our fisheries, said Colonel Chisholm Frampton of the SCDNR Law Enforcement Division. “Together, we have taken a stand against a blatant disregard for the law, ensuring our vital marine resources are preserved for future generations.”
Rynn faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel presided over the trial and will sentence Rynn after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, the United States Coast Guard, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the SCDNR Saltwater Team. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Winston Holliday and Amy Bower are prosecuting the case.
###
Jury Finds Physician Guilty of Operating a Pill Mill from His D.C. Medical PracticeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, M.D., 65, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was found guilty today by a federal jury in U.S. District Court in connection with illegally distributing prescriptions for narcotics in exchange for cash from his Northwest Washington D.C. medical clinic.
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia, and DEA Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division.
The jury found Okafor guilty of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (outside the practice of medicine), maintaining a drug-involved premises, and 22 counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances (oxycodone and promethazine with codeine). U.S. District Judge John D. Bates scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 20, 2025.
According to court documents and evidence at trial, between May 2021 and April of 2023, Okafor was the sole practitioner and owner of Okafor Medical Associates, an internal medicine clinic in Northwest, Washington, D.C. The USAO and FBI began investigating Okafor for illegal distribution of controlled substances after it received information from law enforcement agencies nationwide regarding prescriptions from Okafor being connected to local drug trafficking networks.
Between February 18, 2022, and November 30, 2022, the FBI sent confidential sources and undercover agents into Okafor’s medical practice for walk-in appointments. Each individual was prescribed opioids by Okafor after minimal examination. Further investigation revealed that Okafor was operating a nationwide drug distribution scheme, whereby he would prescribe opioids to numerous individuals using false identities, whom Okafor knew to be diverting the medication.
Okafor’s conduct spanned at least 45 states and resulted in hundreds of thousands of units of oxycodone and promethazine with codeine liquid prescribed nationwide. Okafor was convicted of distribution of opioids to undercover sources, numerous uncharged co-conspirators, and to a civilian patient J.V. Okafor was also convicted of conspiracy and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Evidence at trial further established that, after Okafor was notified by the D.C. Board of Health that J.V.’s family member filed a complaint against him, he created backdated medical records for J.V. in an attempt to justify his prescribing.
The investigation also resulted in the immediate suspension of Okafor’s DEA registration number in September 2023 as he was deemed to be a threat to public health and safety.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the District of Columbia Office of Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, with valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Justice Department gratefully acknowledge the Apex, North Carolina Police Department, the Warsaw, New York, Police Department, the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Pennsylvania State Police, State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy, and the Noble County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office for their extraordinary efforts, support, and cooperation during the investigation and trial.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey, Trial Attorney Kathryn Furtado and paralegals Rebecca Walton, Dillon Clark, and Matthew McClarnon of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section. The team also extends its deep appreciation to Michael Goodrich, Lead Travel Analyst of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section.
23cr116
Johnstown Woman Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Heroin and CrackRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Sandra Box, 59, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Superseding Indictment before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan on March 19, 2025.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around February 2021 to in and around April 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Box conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of heroin and crack. Box was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that she distributed to others.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for July 24, 2025. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Box. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Janesville Man Sentenced to 7 ½ Years for Fentanyl Trafficking and Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Cedric Sanders, 26, Janesville, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 7 ½ years in federal prison for possessing fentanyl intended for distribution and possessing firearms as a felon. Sanders pleaded guilty to these charges on December 5, 2024.
In November 2023, Sanders sold fentanyl to a confidential informant on two occasions and to an undercover officer on two occasions. In December 2023, officers searched three homes and two vehicles connected to Sanders. During those searches, officers found two firearms, firearm magazines, ammunition, a firearm suppressor, and a high-capacity firearm drum magazine. They also found $12,960 in cash and 4,545 pills (approximately 396 grams) of fentanyl. Sanders is prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions.
At sentencing, Judge Conley found that the dangers of distributing fentanyl combined with Sanders’s illegal possession of two firearms warranted a significant prison sentence.
The charges against Sanders were the result of an investigation conducted by the Janesville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Remington and William Levins prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Jamestown man pleads guilty to meth chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Aaron Miller, 31, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, methamphetamine, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that Miller bought and sold methamphetamine and cocaine for profit and for his own use. He received large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from co-defendant Jun Martinez, a Jamestown drug dealer, and from others. Miller then distributed the drugs to other individuals in the Jamestown area, for profit.
Co-defendants Jun Martinez, La Huynh, and Antasia Babcock were previously convicted and awaiting sentencing.
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.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 22, 2025, at 10 a.m. before Judge Sinatra.
# # # #
Jackson Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
JACKSON, MS – A Jackson, Mississippi man was sentenced today to 1 year and 1 day in prison and a $1,000 partial fine for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Jessie Dewayne Terry, 42, was found in possession of a firearm at a night club on February 23, 2024. He had previously been convicted of multiple offenses including armed robbery and house burglary.
A 2-year term of supervised release will follow his term of imprisonment.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Alcoholic Beverage Control, Capitol Police, Jackson Police, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and other state law enforcement partners investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Grantham prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Honduras Man Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Honduras pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served and removal from the U.S. on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Saul Enrique Padilla-Mejia, 38.
According to information presented to the Court, Padilla-Mejia was previously removed from the United States on August 13, 2019, and returned to Honduras. On February 4, 2024, the Pennsylvania State Police charged Padilla-Mejia in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County with various traffic offenses as well as driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood alcohol content of .16% and greater. Those charges remain pending, according to the public docket. Immigration authorities determined that Padilla-Mejia was illegally present in the United States and took him into immigration custody on October 30, 2024. Padilla-Mejia will remain detained until his deportation from the United States.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Padilla-Mejia.
Honduran National Sentenced to 2 Years’ Imprisonment After Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara today sentenced Jose del Carmen Sanchez-Garcia (42), a Honduras national, to two years in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States without authorization by federal immigration officials. Sanchez-Garcia pled guilty on December 27, 2024.
According to court documents, federal law enforcement learned that Sanchez-Garcia was in the United States on February 1, 2023, after Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrested him on state criminal charges. Sanchez-Garcia had no permission to be in the United States and had previously been removed from the United States four times before. He had previously been convicted for illegal reentry to the United States after deportation once before, in 2017.
This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Buchanan.
Hollywood Hills Man Sentenced to Nearly 3½ Years in Federal Prison for Paying Nearly $2.9 Million in Kickbacks for Drug Addiction Patient ReferralsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Hollywood Hills man was sentenced today to 41 months in federal prison for paying illegal kickbacks for patient referrals to his addiction treatment facilities located in Orange County.
Casey Mahoney, 48, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton, who also fined him $240,000.
At the conclusion of a nine-day trial in September 2024, a jury found Mahoney guilty of one count of conspiracy to solicit, receive, pay, or offer illegal remunerations for patient referrals and seven counts of receiving illegal kickbacks for patient referrals.
“This defendant illegally profited millions of dollars off of addicts who desperately needed help,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Bribes and kickbacks compromise the integrity of substance abuse treatment facilities and undermine patient care. As the sentence imposed today demonstrates, those that engage in body brokering will go to federal prison.”
The charges relate to Mahoney’s operation of two addiction treatment facilities: the Huntington Beach-based Healing Path Detox LLC, and the San Juan Capistrano-based Get Real Recovery Inc.
From at least October 2018 to December 2020, Mahoney paid nearly $2.9 million in illegal kickbacks to so-called “body brokers” who referred patients to Mahoney’s addiction treatment facilities. Those body brokers in turn paid thousands of dollars in cash to patients. Brokered patients sometimes were dropped off at motels in Orange County and introduced to drug dealers. Some of these patients later overdosed and died.
Brokers also arranged for patients to receive drugs to make them eligible for more lucrative levels of care at Mahoney’s facilities. Mahoney paid one broker $140,000 per month for additional patients despite knowing that brokers offered to get some patients high. Mahoney also requested that his employees send brokers to track down former patients with lucrative insurance policies, which he called his “most wanted list.”
Throughout the scheme, Mahoney concealed the illegal kickbacks by entering into sham contracts with the body brokers which purportedly required fixed payments and prohibited payments based off of the volume or value of the patient referrals.
In reality, Mahoney and the brokers negotiated payments based on the patients’ insurance reimbursements and the number of days Mahoney was able to bill for treatment.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. The California Department of Insurance provided valuable assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Nandor F.R. Kiss of the Orange County Office and Justice Department Trial Attorney Siobhan M. Namazi of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted this case.
Mahoney’s conviction arose out of violations of the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act (EKRA). EKRA was enacted in October 2018 as part of comprehensive legislation designed to address the opioid crisis and to target the rise in body brokering and substance abuse facility profiteering.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24.7 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Hialeah Tax Preparer Sentenced to Prison for $20 Million IRS FraudRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Today, the owner of a South Florida tax preparation business who pled guilty in December 2024 to aiding and assisting the preparation of false tax returns was sentenced to almost five years in federal prison and one year of supervised release post-prison. She was also ordered to pay over $20 million in restitution to the IRS.
Beatriz Toledo, 61, owned Immigration and Tax Service Group LLC. For tax years 2017 through 2021, Toledo, through her company, willfully prepared false and fraudulent tax returns for clients, which included false claims for the Residential Energy Credit (allowing taxpayers to claim a credit for qualified energy-saving expenses), false itemized deductions for state and local sales taxes, and false business expenses. Through these false claims, Toledo’s clients’ taxable income decreased, leading to bigger tax refunds.
During the scheme, Toledo submitted about 7,800 tax returns with fraudulent claims for residential energy tax credits, resulting in her clients’ underpayment of about $20 million in federal taxes. Toledo’s company received approximately $7.1 million in tax preparation fees that it took directly out of clients’ refund checks.
Toledo engaged in this criminal conduct in violation of a permanent injunction previously entered against her by a federal district judge in 2010. Case No. 09-cv-21987-COOKE. In that civil case, the United States sued to bar Toledo from preparing false tax returns. Toledo agreed to a permanent injunction, which the district court entered on July 26, 2020. The injunction prohibited her from engaging in the conduct described above. Despite the injunction’s prohibitions, Toledo continued to prepare false tax returns and was indicted in 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
IRS-CI, Miami Field Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will J. Rosenzweig is prosecuting it.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20147.
###
Henry County Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing Machinegun at HospitalRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Henry County man who had a stolen Glock 9mm handgun with a loaded 30-round extended magazine capable of converting to a fully automatic weapon while at the Labor and Delivery unit of a hospital has pleaded guilty to possessing a machinegun.
Terrell Monquez Searcy, 21, of McDonough, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a machinegun before U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self on March 20. Sentencing is scheduled for June 4, 2025, in Athens. There is no parole in the federal system.
“All those found in possession of machineguns and with illegal conversion devices in the Middle District of Georgia will be held accountable for breaking federal law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “This case exemplifies how law enforcement effectively engages to remove illegal firearms from the streets and hold criminals accountable as we work together to make our communities safer.”
“Machinegun conversion devices enable a conventional semi-automatic pistol to function as a fully automatic firearm which is illegal,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “Anyone possessing these illegal machinegun conversion devices will be facing felony charges. ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to keep them off our streets.”
According to court documents, the stipulation of facts and other statements made in Court, Monroe Police Department officers were dispatched to Piedmont Walton Hospital on Aug. 17, 2023, after a nurse observed Searcy in a Labor and Delivery room with a handgun, which is prohibited in the hospital. When hospital security came to the room, Searcy admitted he did have a handgun and that he put it under the couch cushion. He gave the firearm—a Glock Model 17 9mm handgun with a loaded 30-round extended magazine—to security and remained in the room. Hospital security noticed that a full auto sear pin appeared to have been attached to the rear of the slide, making the firearm a machinegun, prompting the call by hospital security to police. Police ran the serial number on the firearm and found out it was reported stolen from Walton County, Georgia. Searcy was taken into custody.
ATF agents tested the firearm and confirmed it did function as a machinegun. Further investigation revealed that Searcy, a rapper known as Quez 2RR, had showcased a pistol with what appeared to be a machinegun conversion device in music videos on a YouTube channel. In a music video titled “Traffic,” Searcy rapped, “I pop out a switch on the back of my Glock” and “I put a switch on the back of my Glock, just to clean up the street when it’s time for that action.” At one point in the video, Searcy’s holding a pistol in his waistband with what appears to be a machinegun conversion device attached to the back.Following the federal indictment charging Searcy with possessing a machine gun in August 2024, agents located Instagram messages between Searcy and a female law enforcement officer with the Clayton County Police Department. Between January and March 2023, Searcy asked the police officer to run his information to see if there were any warrants for his arrest. The police officer also provided information to Searcy regarding an active homicide investigation. During an interview with Clayton County Police Department detectives, the officer admitted to providing Searcy with information on an active homicide investigation and advising Searcy when she located active warrants for his arrest.
On Feb. 11, 2025, members of the ATF, McDonough Police Department and Henry County Sheriff’s Office executed a federal search warrant at Searcy’s residence in McDonough, Georgia. Searcy and two other men were in the home along with several firearms. The defendant told agents that he had been living at the residence for a couple of months, that he slept with a Draco firearm under his bed and that the Glock 17 found in the living room belonged to him. ATF agents submitted test fires from both firearms to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to determine if either firearm had been used in other crimes. The Micro Draco recovered from Searcy’s bedroom returned with several NIBIN leads, including two from the DeKalb County Police Department. Both DeKalb County incidents indicated that the Micro Draco was used in a drive-by shooting in DeKalb County where four people, including two juveniles, were shot inside their homes. Each shooting occurred within just days of Searcy receiving information from the Clayton County police officer on the active Clayton County homicide where his friend was shot and killed.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case, with assistance from the City of Monroe Police Department, Clayton County Police Department, McDonough Police Department, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, the Dekalb County Police Department and the Piedmont Walton Hospital Security Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Grant County Woman Admits to Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Theresa Marie Lipkey, age 43, of Petersburg, West Virginia, has admitted to the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Lipkey’s vehicle was searched during a traffic stop when she was driving from Morgantown to Petersburg. The search resulted in the seizure of 129 grams of methamphetamine.
Lipkey is facing up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Gadyaces “Gady” Serralta Nominated to Key Post at United States Marshals ServiceRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice congratulates Gadyaces “Gady” Serralta on his nomination to be the next Director of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
Gady Serralta (USMS Director Nominee)
Beginning his career as a Miami Patrol Officer in 1990, Mr. Serralta has dedicated over 34 years of his life to serving in law enforcement. Mr. Serralta has spent the last six years as the U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Florida after being confirmed in 2018. As the U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Florida, Mr. Serralta faithfully served millions of residents by managing operations across several counties and in multiple courthouses. Prior to becoming a U.S. Marshal, Mr. Serralta was a Major in the Miami-Dade Police Department and the Police Chief for Palmetto Bay, Florida. Mr. Serralta has extensive experience in handling criminal investigations and tackling organized crime.
Mr. Serralta received a B.S. in Criminal Justice Studies from Florida International University and a M.S. in Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
Fresno-Based Bank Fraud Scheme Recruited Participants on FacebookRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Abreiana Rogers, 29, of Los Angeles, made an initial appearance in federal court in Fresno Thursday for charges stemming from her participation in a year-long bank fraud scheme that sought to defraud credit unions of nearly $1 million, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
Five co-defendants in the scheme made their initial appearances in November 2024: Fresno residents Nyric Hinton, 26; Zion Brewer, 39; Zorian Temple, 23; Davonntae Barfield, 30; and Harry Cooper Neal, 29.
All six defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Rogers was also charged with four counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Hinton was charged with one count of bank fraud. Temple and Barfield were also each charged with two counts of bank fraud.
According to court documents, between April 2022 and Jan. 31, 2023, the defendants used Facebook and Facebook Messenger to recruit bank account holders, promising these account holders a cut of any fraudulent funds deposited into their accounts. The defendants then used those individuals’ bank accounts to deposit stolen and fraudulent checks. Brewer, a U.S. Postal Service employee, assisted by stealing mail containing checks and other financial information, and by providing that information to his co-conspirators.
The defendants and others would then rapidly deplete the fraudulently deposited funds from the account holders’ accounts using electronic transfers and cash withdrawals. The defendants then shared the proceeds among themselves and other co-conspirators. To circumvent financial institutions’ fraud protection systems, the defendants shared information about known weaknesses in the financial institutions’ fraud protection systems. To conceal the fraud, the defendants instructed account holders to claim that their accounts had been compromised if contacted by the financial institutions about the fraudulent deposits.
The defendants are alleged to have attempted at least $1 million in fraudulent transactions with financial institutions, fraudulently used over 100 bank accounts, and obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars from the financial institutions.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is prosecuting the case.
The case is set for a status conference on June 4, 2025.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and for any count of bank fraud. Rogers also faces a two-year mandatory consecutive prison sentence for aggravated identity theft if convicted. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former Seattle tech worker sentenced to three years in prison for defrauding employer, government programs, and former significant otherRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 31-year-old Seattle resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three years in prison for two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft related to his three different fraud schemes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Westcott Francis-Curley has been in custody since March 2024, following his indictment in August 2023. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez imposed three years of supervised release and ordered $689,675 in restitution to the three victims.
“Mr. Francis-Curley’s fraud spiral stemmed from greed,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “After his employer discovered his theft, he stole from a program designed to keep small businesses afloat during the pandemic. And when those proceeds were gone, he committed identity theft against his former romantic partner. This sentence is an important step to break the cycle of fraud.”
According to records filed in the case, the first scheme began in 2019, when Francis-Curley embezzled money from his then-employer by misusing cloud computing resources and accounts available to him as an employee. Francis-Curley used employer funds and his employee work authorizations to purchase cloud computing resources, then sell or lease them back to the company—paying himself with company money—at many times their market value. Through this scheme he obtained more than $550,000, and he was caught while attempting to obtain another half-million dollars. He spent significant portions of the proceeds on extravagances, such as trips on private jets, luxury hotel stays and a penthouse apartment at Seattle’s Harbor Steps complex. Even after Francis-Curley was caught and fired, he emailed customer service and corporate executives in an effort to receive an additional half-million dollars.
In 2020, Francis-Curley defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a COVID assistance program designed to help small businesses and their employees weather the pandemic. Francis-Curley filed paperwork claiming that two companies he controlled qualified for assistance, when in fact they had no payroll and did not qualify for relief. He obtained nearly $100,000 and spent much of it on personal goods and services. Program funds were limited, meaning his theft deprived other applicants of the needed assistance.
Finally, in October 2022, Francis-Curley applied for and obtained a credit card in the name of his former significant other. Francis-Curley used the card for more than $1,000 in personal expenditures. The unpaid bill means the damage from the identity theft continues to impact the victim.
In asking the court for the three-year sentence, Assistant United States Attorney David T. Martin wrote of Francis-Curley, “He had a comfortable life and a lucrative job, but that wasn’t enough. Leveraging a bit of Google research and the trust of his employer, Francis-Curley—in his own words—'found a way to make as much money as’ he wanted. Within weeks of commencing the scheme, he was living large: private jets, luxury hotels, cash gifts to friends and family, monthly credit card bills approaching six figures—the list goes on. In two months, he went from paying himself $13,000, to a quarter-million dollars, to—he hoped—a half-million dollars. Only getting caught stopped that unabashed escalation.”
Francis-Curley has agreed to pay restitution to his former employer, to the Small Business Administration, and to the person whose identity he used to obtain the credit card for fraud.
The case was investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David T. Martin.
Former Louisville Middle School Teacher Sentenced to over 19 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A former middle school teacher in Louisville, Kentucky was sentenced today to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for multiple child pornography charges.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
“I commend the FBI’s outstanding work during the investigation of this case and that of AUSA McKiness for his tireless effort in prosecuting it,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Combatting the sexual exploitation of our children is a priority of this office and working with our law enforcement partners we will continue to identify, arrest, and aggressively prosecute those who victimize our most vulnerable citizens.”
“Jordan Fautz chose to abuse his position of trust by egregiously violating the privacy of innocent children. His sentencing marks a critical step in our efforts to combat the exploitation of children,” said Special Agent in Charge Stansbury. “With the emergence of offenders using cutting-edge technology to inflict harm and pain on one of our most vulnerable populations, law enforcement will exhaust all of its available resources and expertise to ensure those who choose to abuse children in any way face justice.”
According to court documents, Jordan Fautz, 40, was sentenced to 19 years and 7 months in prison, followed by 30 years of supervised release, for three counts of distribution of child pornography, two counts of distribution of the obscene visual representation of child sexual abuse, one count of production of the obscene visual representation of child sexual abuse, and one count of possession of child pornography. Fautz used an online chatting application to distribute child sexual abuse material to an undercover law enforcement officer. Fautz also produced and distributed photoshopped images depicting minors’ faces on the bodies of people engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Fautz also possessed material depicting child sexual abuse on his computers and cell phone.
Fautz was also ordered to pay $28,130 in restitution to victims.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
###
Former Culpeper Sheriff Sentenced to 10 Years on Federal Bribery ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The former sheriff of Culpeper County, Virginia was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for accepting over $75,000 in bribes in exchange for appointing numerous Northern Virginia businessmen as auxiliary deputy sheriffs within his department.
In December 2024, a jury convicted Scott Howard Jenkins, 53, of Culpeper, Virginia, of one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
“Scott Jenkins violated his oath of office and the faith the citizens of Culpeper County placed in him when he engaged in a cash-for-badges scheme,” Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. “We hold our elected law enforcement officials to a higher standard of conduct and this case proves that when those officials use their authority for unjust personal enrichment, the Department of Justice will hold them accountable. I am grateful to the FBI for their tireless work on this investigation.”
“Every law enforcement officer takes an oath to serve and protect the community-- that includes following the law they’ve sworn to uphold. I am proud of the diligent work our investigative team did on this case to bring Jenkins to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, Stanley M. Meador.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jenkins accepted cash bribes and bribes in the form of campaign contributions from co-defendants Rick Rahim, Fredric Gumbinner, and James Metcalf, as well as at least five others, including two FBI undercover agents.
Rahim, Gumbinner, and Metcalf have all pled guilty for their roles in the conspiracy.
In return for the bribes, Jenkins appointed each of the bribe payors as auxiliary deputy sheriffs, a sworn law-enforcement position, and issued them official Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office badges and credentials. The bribe payors were not trained or vetted and did not render any legitimate services to the Sheriff’s Office or the citizens of Culpeper County.
In addition, Jenkins pressured other local officials to approve a petition filed in Culpeper County Circuit Court by Rahim, a convicted felon, to restore his right to possess a firearm and which falsely stated that Rahim resided in Culpeper County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Smith for the Western District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Celia Choy and Lina Peng of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) prosecuted the case.
Federal jury convicts Virginia Beach man for auto loan scheme and identity theftRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Virginia Beach man today on 19 charges of bank fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and false representation of a social security number.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Dion Lamont Camp, 40, spent years conning numerous women into romantic relationships and then leveraging those relationships to obtain fraudulent loans and credit cards. He would show the women fake tax documents and ask for their help, claiming that the IRS had frozen his accounts and promising to repay the money when the matter was cleared up. Camp caused six fraudulent loans from a national credit union in 2020 through 2022 for cars that were either ghost purchased, meaning the car was never purchased at all and there was never any collateral securing the loan, or double financed, meaning Camp procured financing both from the credit union and from the car dealership for the same car, thereby obtaining the credit union loan proceeds and the car.
As part of the scheme, Camp opened shell businesses with names closely resembling that of actual used car dealerships in Hampton Roads. He then persuaded two women, identified as Jane Doe (JD) 2 and JD5, to open corresponding business bank accounts. Once those accounts were open, Camp persuaded JD2, JD5, as well as four other women, JD3, JD4, JD6, and JD7, to apply for automobile loans in their own names at the credit union. Camp convinced the women he could not obtain a loan himself because his accounts were erroneously frozen and promised to pay them back.
After the credit union approved the loan applications and provided checks to the women for the dealerships, they gave the checks to Camp. Camp, using a call spoofing service to make it appear as if he were calling from the legitimate car dealership, called the credit union, impersonated employees at the dealership, and pretended that the loan was being used for various luxury vehicles. Providing the vehicle identification numbers (VINs) for those cars, he successfully obtained the code from the credit union necessary to release the check, which he then negotiated and funneled through the business accounts. JD2 and JD5 withdrew the loan proceeds from those accounts and gave the money to Camp.
The four ghost-purchased cars were located across the country and never at the businesses in Hampton Roads. They were never purchased by Camp or the women using the credit union checks, depriving the credit union of its collateral to secure the loans. Camp also conned JD4 and JD7, who had already gotten loan checks from the credit union, to purchase two other luxury cars at a dealership in northern Virginia using in-house financing for over $100,000. Again, Camp cashed the credit union checks, and the credit union was deprived of having the cars as collateral for the loan as the cars were double financed.
For two of these fraudulent automobile loans, Camp obtained not only the money from the loan check, but also induced the women to trade in their own cars to help fund the credit union loans. He then sold their cars at local dealerships and kept that money as well.
As part of his fraud, Camp also purchased a car in his own name from CarMax as repayment for a friend of the family who gave him money for a car years earlier. To obtain financing, Camp used false information, including that he had been a UPS employee for more than a decade. After Camp was arrested in this case and housed at Western Tidewater Regional Jail, the family friend feared the BMW would be repossessed. Camp called the finance company on a recorded jail call, using another inmate’s account to avoid detection, and convinced the finance company to give him a payment extension on the loan so long as he was still employed at UPS, which he falsely affirmed that he was.
Camp also defrauded banks to give personal loans. In 2019, JD8 and JD11 each had little income, so Camp provided them with fraudulent paystubs with inflated income to support personal loan applications to another local credit union. JD8 and JD11 each gave the loan proceeds to Camp, which again he had falsely promised to repay.
Camp obtained an American Express credit card using JD3’s personal identifying information without her knowledge. He also obtained supplemental American Express credit cards from the accounts of JD5, JD3, and JD10 using the Social Security number of an individual identified as R.D. R.D., who testified at trial, has never met or had any relationship with Camp.
The final charge for which Camp was convicted involved his application for a property rental in Virginia Beach using a false Social Security number, a fake credit report with a highly inflated credit score, and a false IRS business tax filing that showed that his alleged house flipping business, Camp Investments LLC, made hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. In truth, Camp’s business bank account rarely had any significant balance, and Camp never filed taxes for Camp Investments.
The evidence at trial revealed that, during the scheme, Camp defrauded both women and banks out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Camp faces a minimum of two years and up to 392 years in prison when sentenced on Sept. 12. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Michael Feinberg, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca Gantt and Elizabeth M. Yusi are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-63.
Federal jury convicts Arapahoe man of abusive sexual contactRead the Press Release
Kendall Joseph Moss III, 35, of Arapahoe Wyoming, was convicted by a federal jury on March 20, of abusive sexual contact with a minor. The trial lasted four days and was held before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl in Casper.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, an investigation began in connection with a minor witness’s disclosure to a student advocate and school resource officer at her elementary school of sexual abuse by the defendant in 2021. Dr. Gail S. Goodman, PH.D., a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Davis testified at trial on the dynamics of child sexual abuse, including that victims often delay disclosing the sexual abuse or make piecemeal disclosures of the abuse over time. The victim was interviewed twice over two years and provided more details of the sexual abuse in her second interview. The defendant made statements to law enforcement indicating the victim was not lying in her allegations against him. The jury’s verdict found the defendant guilty of touching the minor victim in her genital area over her clothing with the intent of sexual gratification.
Sentencing has been set for June 10, 2025. Moss faces a term of any number of years up to life in prison with no less than five years and no more than life of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs Wind River Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Case No. 24-CR-00165